Re: ZR-1 Alaskan Adventure - 2012
 

Jim

I'd take the puncture repair goop anyway, just in case. It may mess up the pressure sensors if you have to use it but that's better than getting stranded imo.

Fill your kindle up!

Come back through Northern Ontario!

:D

Dave

Re: ZR-1 Alaskan Adventure - 2012
 

I just did a trip out to the Calgary Stampede and spent a day in Banff - yeah it is worth visiting for sure. Take the Gondola up to the top of Sulphur mountain, and check out the natural hot springs next to the Gondola base. Lake louise (just north) - has to be one of the most picturesque lakes on the planet - for sure check that out.

I was in my new (to me) X5 for this trip - it has a nice NAV system that has a pretty good "Points of Interest" function. It saved me from eating at the usual crappy "on the main drag" chain restaurant food stops. Found some much better choices using the NAV. You can probably use a TomTom (not our TomTom...) or something - highly recommend doing so.

Oh Yeah - and bring some bug spray. I was nearly eaten alive and carried away the night I tried to pitch a tent up near Watson Lake. I think there are only two seasons up their, Mosquito Season, and Winter.


Safe Travels

Glenn

Re: ZR-1 Alaskan Adventure - 2012
 

Jim, best wishes to you and Lindy on what sounds like an incredible adventure.

Be safe and enjoy.

Re: ZR-1 Alaskan Adventure - 2012
 

I'm on an Alaskan trip right now.

My Wife and I came up from California to Dawson Creek BC Canada then drove the Alcan to Fairbanks. We did it in our Blazer because there are some other places we're going, like to Coldfoot Camp on the Haul Road, where we need a truck but if all you're going to do is do the Alcan to Fairbanks then take in Anchorage, Denali Park and so forth, you can do it in a Corvette–if you're prepared for one problem and that's road construction along the Alcan. There are several stretches of hard-packed gravel over dirt. If it's raining, like it was when we drove the Alcan, it's gravel over mud. You won't sink in but the underside of your car will get pretty dirty.

The Alcan all the way to Haines Junction is mostly a good, paved road on which you can run 80 mph. There are passing lanes in some places which you can use to get by slow moving trucks and...there are a lot of really big, long trucks on the Alcan, bigger and longer than anything you've normally seen in the States.

Past Haines Junction to the U.S. border is the worst part of the Alcan. Lots of frost heaves and big pot holes, but if you're an attentive driver, none of that should be a problem you just have to slow down for the heaves and drive around the pot holes.

As for tires, I think if you avoid big pot holes and drive the gravel parts sanely, if you put a new set of Goodyear F1 GS D3s on the car then have the front/rear ends aligned you're likely to make the trip without a tire problem. DO NOT make the trip on an old set of ZR Eagles or GS-Cs. You can bring some "fix-a-flat" product, but remember: that's only good for small punctures. If you do something bad like blow a sidewall out on hitting a pot hole your screwed. Make sure your temporary spare is in good condition, that it's inflated properly and you know how to change it. Also, if you puncture a rear, remember you can't put that in the tire carrier, you have to put it in the back, on top of your luggage with the hatchglass up.

There is little cell phone service along the Alcan. If you're really worried about calling for help, rent a sat phone and know how to use it to call for help not using 911.

In short: the Alcan is definitely "Corvetteable" as long as you can tolerate your car getting dirty and muddy when you go through the road construction areas when it's raining.

The scenery is georgeous! All the little towns along the Alcan are very interesting places. When you get to Fairbanks you'll be surprised how big a city it is. Anchorage is even larger.

I'd advise that you plan the trip carefully and reserve hotel rooms ahead of time. In the summer, in some towns along the way, rooms are very hard if not impossible to find on a drop-in basis.

That Milepost book is a good one to have (remember to buy the newest edition as it changes periodically) as is Pauline Froomer's Alaska guide.

Also, 91 octane gas is available in most places but there some places where the best you can get is 90-oct and the are a few towns where only 87 can be had. My advice with a Corvette on the Alcan is as soon as you get to half a tank of gas, start looking for 91-oct fuel. If you have to put 87 in it, make sure you're adding it to half a tank of 91, drive like you have an egg under the gas pedal and get some fresh 90 or 91 in there as soon as you can.

A couple of FYIs...
1) radar detectors are illegal everywhere in Canada, but outside of towns and cities, the Canadians haul butt on the alcan. Most speed limits are 100km/hr (62mph) but once in a while we had 100-ft long trucks blow by us and we were running 120km/hr. Sometimes we'd have passenger cars go by seemingly at 140-km/hr. Our Blazer breathes hard after 80-mph so that usually where we cruised if I was in a hurry.
2)Many firearms which are legal to possess and transport in a vehicle in the U.S are illegal in Canada.
3) When your cross back into the U.S. near Tok AK, remember to declare anything you buy in Canada. U.S. Customs will confiscate some types of fruit and citrus.
4) Canada is metric so understand the conversion from miles to kilometers.
5) Check to make sure your auto insurance is valid in Canada.
6) You need a U.S. Passport to enter Canada and get back into the U.S.

Lastly, see my Alaska trip blogs at:
http://www.zr2usa.com/mboard/index.php?showtopic=49687
http://www.zr2usa.com/mboard/index.php?showtopic=51012

Re: ZR-1 Alaskan Adventure - 2012
 

Thanks Hib for the up to date information. You and I are in sync on preparations. I replaced the front end control arms, ball joints, and bushings. brand new tires, and then a four wheel alingment.

I have reservations everywhere we are staying and I apperciate your report of the availability of gasoline in the area.

I would have liked to drive north of Fairbanks, but not in the Corvette.

I enjoyed reading your trip blog.

Jim

Re: ZR-1 Alaskan Adventure - 2012
 

Jim,

You may have thought of this already, A debris screen for the radiator opening might help keep debris out of there. Especially if you end up behind an RV kicking up stones.

Just a thought.

Have a safe trip and see you in Carlisle.

John

Re: ZR-1 Alaskan Adventure - 2012
 

A debris screen can help but the best way to drive the dirt or loose gravel sections of the Alcan is not get close enough to the vehicle ahead such that you get hit by flying stones. On the Alcan, if the road is dirt or gravel, it'll be a construction zone and most of the time in those you can't pass so, it doesn't make much sense to follow close enough to get hit by stones. Also, if you hang back you won't loose visibility as much in the dust cloud.

And...on the subject of dust, take an extra air filter with you. You won't find a C4 panel filter easily in Canada or Alaska. You may need a clean one.

I've been up here long enough that, today, out in the parking lot of the Extended Stay Fairbanks, I changed my oil filter, air filter and an alternator which died. Also washed a ton of mud off the truck as I took the Haul Road up to Coldfoot yesterday and it rained.

Re: ZR-1 Alaskan Adventure - 2012
 

Jim,

Hope your trip goes well. I always stop at Liard River Hot Springs. Interesting if you have time. It used to be free but now I think it cost a little.

Hib,

Sorry to hear about your wife. Since you are having to drive back by yourself, you might consider Taylor Hiway to the Top of the World Hiway to Dawson City and then Campbell Hiway to just east of Watson Lake then back west to Cassiar Hiway. I have driven that way several times. Interesting and not much out of the way and you get to see different stuff.

Re: ZR-1 Alaskan Adventure - 2012
 

This picture was posted yesterday on the Corvettes at Carlisle Facebook page....cool!! Happy Trails Jim and Lyndi!!

"The car is packed. Time for day 1 of many as Jim Voter and his wife Lyndi McNulty make the LONG trip from Westminster, Maryland to Alaska via the Alaska Highway! The trip is about 10,000 miles round trip and they'll be back just in time for Corvettes at Carlisle!"



Rich

Re: ZR-1 Alaskan Adventure - 2012
 

Very COOL! Is there a site where his daily pics/blog appears?