….And we’re off to Alaska! (05-20-14)

After two months of sitting still…..although, come to think of it, that’s not really accurate…
Between projects and traveling around the country, we weren’t really sitting still much, but anyway, after two months of the rig sitting in one spot, we have moved on!

There was one thing that was of utmost importance to me as we prepared to leave California, and that was to take a trip down to L.A. to see Jess one more time. We elected to leave both rigs behind and get a hotel room, and were there just at the right time to help her apartment hunt, so we left knowing that she has a new place to live.

Preparing for Alaska meant going shopping.  Over the last month or so our new purchases include:

A new coffeemaker- one that does not require electricity- you just use the gas stove to heat it.  Works great, although we agree, Julie, it takes a fairly long time.

New low profile waterproof hiking boots for both of us.  These will be our daily footwear- more comfortable than regular hiking boots, but waterproof.

A custom cookie sheet- I couldn’t find a cookie sheet that fit in our tiny oven, so I bought a cheap one and asked Kirk to use his tools to chop one end off.  He did better than that- he welded a piece on, so it still  has four sides- awesome job!

Ok, I admit we are a little spoiled, and love our Dunkin Donuts coffee.  Paul heard that coffee prices are going up, so we bought enough to last the entire trip!













Monday was Final Prep Day:





The 5th wheel was completely emptied of all food and cleaned from top to bottom, inside and out, although I am sure it will be quite dusty by the time we come back.

In the afternoon we put the hitch back in the truck and towed the Mobile Suites over to storage.  Even though we scouted out and picked a unit ahead of time, things did not go smoothly.  The first day we were there, someone fairly new was behind the counter and she set us up with their biggest storage unit.  Sort of.  The one she originally gave us is 14 feet tall, but the door cuts straight across and is only 12’6” tall, and we are taller than that! After trying everything we could to get it in, we went to the office, where a more experienced counter person told us that we should have been given a unit with the taller doors.  He showed us a couple that were available and finally, we put the 5th wheel away!

Tuesday morning we loaded up the camper, had lunch with Kirk and Karen one more time, and took off for parts unknown.  We weren’t worried about going too far our first day, and spent the night near Yosemite National Park.

That night we did some route planning and decided to take the route that would take us through Tahoe and Reno, and on up through Banff to Dawson’s Creek, where we will find Mile One of the Alaskan Highway. 

We've made it as far as South Lake Tahoe, where the lake is beautiful…..

…..  and the snow is still on the ground!