Trip Plan
Our necessities map
The trip plan is to make as little of a plan as possible but still know where we’re going. While we do a lot of research, it’s not a plan. It’s more what should I plan for. We have planned for spending a lot of time driving (about 10,000 miles) some time hiking, photography, exploring creeks and streams, fighting off bugs, hiding from bugs, being cold, getting wet, and generally having a great time.
During our last several trips we have decide on a general route, but not an exact route or even where we are staying. For this trip we know where we can get gas and groceries along most roads. There aren’t many roads so that part is easy. We also know how far we can travel on a tank of gas, 300 miles. Plus we carry eight gallons of gas in our Rotopax. We want to explore or stop spontaneously along our route. If something about the trip isn’t working for us, such as if it is too windy or crowded, we’ll go someplace else. This way we can stay as long as we want at the best sites because we don’t have reservations rushing us along. You might think that we are going to missing things because we don’t have reservations. No. If you don’t plan to do something then how can you miss it.
So what is our route? Head north and keep at it for a couple of weeks. I chose our route through the US and Canada for places we have not been to before. We intend to wander a bit along the way and might even backpack a few nights. Once we get to Alaska the plan is to keep heading north exploring our way to Deadhorse where the public road ends. We will get gas there and then explore our way back to Fairbanks for supplies then down to Cantwell where most people turn west to go to Denali National Park. We might go a bit farther south along this road or we might turn east onto the Denali Highway.
We don’t plan to go into Denali NP. I’m sure it is beautiful, but there are lots of other mountains. We also know that the mountain is often hidden in clouds. When it is visible we will see it in the distance and have more fun away from the crowd. Actually only 43 miles of the park’s 92 miles are currently open due to road repairs. The first 30 miles are now open to private vehicles. If this summer is like most, that will give the park’s only road a population density of about 1,000 people per mile. You couldn’t pay me to sit in traffic with them.
I would be in the car 3 miles back.
After exploring in the central part of the state, the tentative plan is to head south to the coast and explore some towns and mines and do other stuff that I will save for future posts.
Following the format of our last trip, I will try to post a photography or travel blog every Sunday.
We also made a backup plan. Take a different road.
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