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Boston to Alaska...

Captain_John

Well Known Member
Hey all,

We, myself and my co-pilot Markham are making the journey right now and are in Ottawa as I write this, staying with fellow VAF?er, ALFIO! Thank you ALFIO!

This morning I will be pointing the machine northwest and am looking for suggestions on where to make stops that are interesting, worthwhile and hospitable. We will need the typical essentials of fuel, food and lodging.

Our Alaska destination will initially be the Kenai peninsula to meet another VAF?er, Mike B., from there I want to spend as much time in Alaska before we then head south to Oshkosh.

Please chime in with suggestions. It is hard to beat the local knowledge provided by others. I am glad to provide rides for builders in progress along the way also!

:) CJ
 
Flying St. Louis Seattle Anchorage today...737-900 Alaska Airlines...no RV but will do in a pinch. :)
Visiting relatives Homer and Palmer, some fishing, and break from Midwest heat.
RV-12 canopy installed will get on with Rotax later thus month, very interesting project.

Good luck with RV flight to AK.
 
Beer

Hey John,
I hope you packed some Heady Topper with you for the Osh beer tasting!
 
Boston to Alaska

I am jealous of your trip. I hope to do the same in mine in about 2 years.
Had a great time meeting you and the locals last week. The flight and the lobster was excellent.
Gary
 
Captain John give us a daily update on the move. How far did you get today? Also, if you reach Mike earlier or when he is at work there is a little hotel by Kenai airport you can see your RV from the room window. $129 per night.
 
Captain John give us a daily update on the move. How far did you get today? Also, if you reach Mike earlier or when he is at work there is a little hotel by Kenai airport you can see your RV from the room window. $129 per night.

Russki, I didn?t make it too far today. We left Alfio?s late after getting Canuckistan airspace briefing. Ugh... a VERY different place than the USA, but I am enjoying the difference! We are in Gore Bay, Ontario now. It seemed like an interesting stop over... and it was!

We are thinking CYGQ for gas tomorrow and then heading west, perhaps making it to CJC5 as you have suggested...

I will keep you posted. Anyone have a better suggestion? Where is there a good breakfast enroute?

:cool: CJ
 
Hi John

Great to see this thread, will keep watching to see when you get near the Kenai Peninsula.

Weather is supposed to improve by the weekend, rain and clouds for now. Wed thru Friday partly cloudy, Saturday all of a sudden is showing a 1/4" of rain and then mostly cloudy for Sun/Mon.

Have you checked out the webcams here in Alaska. Can send you a link if you don't have it.
Great visuals of what the different passes and airports look like. Real time updates.

Looking forward to meeting you!

Best regards,
Mike Bauer
 
Mike, I do have the link to the web cams. I am in Regina right now making My Way North. Looks like Westlock has a credit card system for fuel and I will be stopping there.

I have taken a few pictures and will upload them when I have a chance. The scenery is spectacular along the way and I only expected to get better!

:) CJ
 
Today the plan is to fly the trench route from Mackenzie to Watson Lake. We are going to get gas at Watson Lake and then on to Whitehorse to initiate customs in Anchorage.

The plan is to take lots of pictures of the trench. Let me see about posting them on the road so that you can see them. I'm not as tech-savvy as the Russian! Hahaha

Mike, looks like the weather has been very cooperative for us this week. Depending upon hello we do on time, we might see you tonight!

I will call you when we make it to Anchorage after we clear customs and have a plan.

:) CJ
 
Read The Dollar Just to the Upper Right of The Beer

Anybody notice the green signatures of the bill just to the upper right of my raised beer can?

Hi John, hope you make it. Time is 1930 hours right now, but still light around here until midnight, been getting a little dark after that. Call or email if you want, do have to work tomorrow, but will be up until around 11pm.

Best regards,
Mike Bauer
 
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Looks like I have to go there!!!

We are in Whitehorse now. I think that I might have a bad spark plug lead... If anyone is in the area and knows how to re-terminate a plug wire lead, shoot me a message or reply here.

I haven't figured out how to upload pictures from my mobile device, so enjoy this video for now...

https://youtu.be/PJ1ONwRytE4

:) CJ
 
Mike, oh... we will make it! We will cross the border tomorrow. We are having dinner now. I will call you tomorrow!

;) CJ
 
Ok

Mike, oh... we will make it! We will cross the border tomorrow. We are having dinner now. I will call you tomorrow!

;) CJ

If you call during work hours (8-5) I can answer if I'm not helping a customer. I'll call back ASAP once I can if I don't answer.

Weather supposed to be rainy with clouds tomorrow-thru Saturday with Sun again on Sunday. Shouldn't be a problem if you don't mind a little rain.

If you want you can call Kenai FSS station for weather-(907) two eight three-7211.

Best regards,
Mike Bauer
 
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Mike, I plan on seeing you tomorrow, but I have some plans in the morning to do some flying around the Talkeetna area before I make my way south.

So, I made this video about my experience at Whitehorse before I left for Northway. Maybe you would like to view it?

https://youtu.be/nZiD2Gv1wIk

Upon reaching Talkeetna, I took a walk about town and filmed this...

https://youtu.be/qS2FPNRBbT4

After a few brew ha hahs, we walked the old Talkeetna airstrip. Yes, they actually have two. They kept the old, in town strip legal and even though I won?t land there it is a great, functional strip!

https://youtu.be/AI0u498Y-Fo

I will upload some more videos as I explore the area!

:cool: CJ
 
Videos

Excellent videos John! Keep em up.

Also ,good to see/hear you're putting that IFR ticket to use.

Keep safe, Steve
 
Cool, I am glad that you are enjoying the short videos. That is easy to do. I will shoot some more.

As I always suspected, I should have done the IFR thing a long time ago! Makes traveling soooooo much easier!

People here in Talkeetna are so friendly. The place reminds me of Rangeley, Maine!

:cool: CJ
 
You are having a grand adventure, CJ! Karen and I look forward to tales in person next Sunday night under the shelter with beers in hand.
 
Here are three more clips from my trip to the Ruth glacier on the south side of Denali. The videos do not do it justice. The scenery is totally breathtaking. The air taxi operation charges 300 to $500 for this trip per person. if I came here commercial and was forced to take the air taxi knowing that I had my RV at home, it would have killed me! Haha

https://youtu.be/UYie1iEJS-s

https://youtu.be/D3oWfbxHTQ0

https://youtu.be/Qjt665I0GN0

The following clip is a show that we saw at the Fairview Inn in Talkeetna. Everyone said that you should go to the show and they were right! Apparently everyone in Alaska knows Lulu small and she is a riot! She sings and jokes around. It is quite a take! This clip is only a minute from when they were first getting started. She's no spring chicken!

https://youtu.be/zjHSvAipovs

;) CJ
 
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Wrong clip

John, Based on your last post, I was anxiously looking forward to the clip of the night time show and you got the glacial clip in the mix by mistake?... :-(

Steve
 
Amazing scenery

John, with your videos and Vlad's previous trip photos, you are taking us all along for a good ride. Thanks. Looking forward to the next installments.
 
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Lulu Small was great as usual! Thanks for the invite to head to Talkeetna. Enjoyed our conversations.

Wishing you luck with the fishing today!

See you later today.

Mike
 
Thanks! We just got out on the river and nobody is having any luck. We are very optimistic still! See you later this afternoon/ evening.

:cool: CJ
 
Captainman good show! It looks like you have IMC weather everyday huh? Good thing you have the rating :D

 
Russki, not all IMC... the entire trip has been a mix of IFR and VFR. There have been a couple legs that I have done RFR (Russian Flight Rules) if you know what I mean! LOL


We have been so busy on this trip the autopilot really comes in handy so that I can take a nap now and then! Hahaha

Jim, you need to stop by the hangar on a Wednesday night to catch up on your drinking! Haven't seen you in too long!

Here are a couple of more quick videos for you guys to watch. I hope you're enjoying them.

https://youtu.be/CK7pvHU6_cI

https://youtu.be/3FvXFAskD4A

:) CJ
 
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Just In Time

Hi John,

Looks like you timed it just right, was supposed to be sunny all day but cloud/fog rolled in around 11am this morning.

Hope you are having a safe flight!

Mike
 
Like I always say, I would rather be lucky than good anytime!

We are in Bellingham, Washington now. Made the trip from Your place in Nikiski, AK (PAEN) to here (KBLI) in exactly 9 hours with stops in Yakutat and Ketchikan. I filed IFR on the last leg, eliminating the need for two customs stops. Had to climb to 13,000’ for a bit to avoid clouds and ice. It was mighty cold up there. The OAT showed minus 8 degrees Celsius for a bit. I take the heater box out for the summer and I was wearing shorts! Brrrrrr!

Thanks for the hospitality buddy! The crab legs were great! Glad Russki left a few for us! ;)

Right now I’m doing some flight planning... I have never been to Jackson Hole before. Maybe we will stop there on the way to Oshkosh? I like the idea of visiting a “cow-town” along the way. Does anyone have any ideas on where might be good?

Right now It is looking like a Saturday evening or Sunday morning arrival at Oshkosh.

What a great trip this is!

I will pick up some tasty beverages for the beer tasting on Sunday.

See you all there!

:cool: CJ
 
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Like I always say, I would rather be lucky than good anytime!

We are in Bellingham, Washington now. Made the trip from Your place in Nikiski, AK (PAEN) to here (KBLI) in exactly 9 hours with stops in Yakutat and Ketchikan. I filed IFR on the last leg, eliminating the need for two customs stops. Had to climb to 13,000’ for a bit to avoid clouds and ice. It was mighty cold up there. The OAT showed minus 8 degrees Celsius for a bit. I take the heater box out for the summer and I was wearing shorts! Brrrrrr!

Thanks for the hospitality buddy! The crab legs were great! Glad Russki left a few for us! ;)

Right now I’m doing some flight planning... I have never been to Jackson Hole before. Maybe we will stop there on the way to Oshkosh? I like the idea of visiting a “cow-town” along the way. Does anyone have any ideas on where might be good?

Right now It is looking like a Saturday evening or Sunday morning arrival at Oshkosh.

What a great trip this is!

I will pick up some tasty beverages for the beer tasting on Sunday.

See you all there!

:cool: CJ

Cowboy Bar right in the center of Jackson, has silver dollars all over the actual bar! I prefer the skiing myself! Lots of elk viewing while there-airport is between protected elk range and town, long cab ride! Bar name might be the million dollar bar now after thinking about it, been 30-years since I've actually had a drink there. Saddles for bar stools....

Glad to hear you made good time!

Totally overcast today, forecast for Kenai is showing partly sunny, guess the computer can't look outside....

Best regards,
Mike Bauer
 
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Antler Arch

If you make Jackson Hole, see it the ?horn arch? is still in place. As I remember from the 80s? it?s across the street from the million dollar bar mentioned above. Don?t stay to long in the bar, you?ve got to fly to KOSH.... next day...? :)

Steve
 
Bill and Dan, see you guys at the beer tasting!

Mike and Steve, as it turns out we did not go to Jackson Hole. We ended up in Hulett Wyoming and it's a great little town as you will see in this video! if you are passing through and need a place to stop, I highly recommended! The airport is not far from town and the hospitality is great! Have the prime rib at the Ponderosa. You will not be disappointed!

https://youtu.be/c9dR090XY78

Before landing we made a lap around Devils Tower. A really cool take from the air!

Bob and doctor, don't you know that we are the only people in the United States that do not have an accent? The country originated in the Northeast and spread out from there and that's when all of the accents changed! LOL

Enjoy the videos and I will see you at Oshkosh!

https://youtu.be/W12EUl5vVFU

:cool: CJ
 
J, finally got around to checking out your videos. Cool stuff. Thought ifr in Alaska was difficult do to ice. Guess not so. Keep up the good work. :cool:
 
Turbo, the freezing levels during the week that I visited were around 11,000. Depending on MSA?s, it is doable. On the Ketchikan to Bellingham, WA leg, I had to climb to 13,000 to get on top. It was -7 degrees Celsius up there. If we had precip, it would have been another story.

I was really lucky with weather for this trip and I realize that. Let?s see how I fare in the future.

:cool: CJ
 
Turbo, the freezing levels during the week that I visited were around 11,000. Depending on MSA?s, it is doable. On the Ketchikan to Bellingham, WA leg, I had to climb to 13,000 to get on top. It was -7 degrees Celsius up there. If we had precip, it would have been another story.

I was really lucky with weather for this trip and I realize that. Let?s see how I fare in the future.

:cool: CJ

Agree with CJ on this, just need to check weather and verify freezing levels, usually really accurate.

Carb icing is a different story, must always look at carb icing as probable due to our high humidity and normal temps during the summer down here near the coastal waters. Interior has been dry and hot this year.

I prefer flying in the winter due to most of the moisture is gone from the cold air.

BTW-Thank you, Thank you - my shirt just arrived today!

Mike
 
Mike, nice!

Thanks again for having us! I'm wearing my shirt right now too! I hope your boss likes it!

I hope to see you again next summer!

I still plan on adding a few more videos from the trip to this thread, so stay tuned.

:cool: CJ
 
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