Alaska roadmeet ever?

[oscar]

Had a chance to consult the latest Milepost, which I didn't have with me on the road when this subject first came up.

On aurora viewing, best times of the year are March-April and September-October, and the farther north (like Fairbanks and points north) the better. Aurora viewing might be possible in the summer, but in that season the farther south (like south of Alaska) and/or before or after the summer solstice, the better. For more details, including the latest aurora forecasts, check out http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast

On mosquitoes and other biting insects, the Milepost's advice is not to plan a summer vacation around them, because they'll be a problem all summer (with mosquitoes peaking in June), and continuing into the fall. Mosquitoes start coming out before winter snows have completely melted, so it sounds like May would not be early enough to avoid them.

[hbelkins]

Are skeeters in Alaska any more of a problem than they are anywhere else? There are quite a few around here, and they're whoppers. And I don't live close to open water, or even a full-time flowing stream.

[oscar]

Are skeeters in Alaska any more of a problem than they are anywhere else? There are quite a few around here, and they're whoppers. And I don't live close to open water, or even a full-time flowing stream.

In Alaska, you have postcards and Post-It notepads joking about mosquitoes, many dubbing the mosquito "Alaska's state bird". You also have a giant mosquito statue outside the Delta Junction visitor center at the end of the Alaska Highway. I don't think you have any of that in Kentucky.

Maybe skeeters really like you! But what they really love are small pools of stagnant water. Lots of those pools form all over the state as the snow melts, which help make the skeeters both so numerous and so hard to avoid.

[Rothman]

In Alaska, you have postcards and Post-It notepads joking about mosquitoes, many dubbing the mosquito "Alaska's state bird".

These are common in other states as well, including those where I don't think the mosquitoes are half as bad as in my home state of NY (e.g., Minnesota).

[froggie]

First I've heard someone claiming that NY has worse mosquitoes than Minnesota.  Given extensive experience in both states, I'd say it's the other way around.  Geologically and entomologically, Minnesota has far more mosquito breeding grounds (ponds/wetlands/ditches) than New York.

[Duke87]

First I've heard someone claiming that NY has worse mosquitoes than Minnesota.  Given extensive experience in both states, I'd say it's the other way around.  Geologically and entomologically, Minnesota has far more mosquito breeding grounds (ponds/wetlands/ditches) than New York.

I've been to Minnesota only once and I experienced a denser concentration of mosquitoes there than I've ever experienced anywhere in New York so... yeah.

[SSOWorld]

Minnesota - 10,000 lakes and a 10 million mosquitos

[Rothman]

Well, fine.  If Minnesota wants to win the "We're a More Miserable Place to Live" contest, New York will gladly let it do so.

[oscar]

Minnesota - 10,000 lakes and a 10 million mosquitos

Only "million"? That's less than two mosquitoes per Minnesotan.

[A.J. Bertin]

I thought I would resurrect this discussion. Is there still any interest in an Alaska road meet for either 2017 or 2018? I definitely want to take a road trip to Alaska and back. It seems logical that a trip like that for me would be lined up somehow with a road meet, but it doesn't have to be. I just wondered whether folks are still thinking about this. I still am!

[Brandon]

Are skeeters in Alaska any more of a problem than they are anywhere else? There are quite a few around here, and they're whoppers. And I don't live close to open water, or even a full-time flowing stream.

In Alaska, you have postcards and Post-It notepads joking about mosquitoes, many dubbing the mosquito "Alaska's state bird". You also have a giant mosquito statue outside the Delta Junction visitor center at the end of the Alaska Highway. I don't think you have any of that in Kentucky.

Sounds like the state bird of the great State of Superior (da UP) in that regard.

[jpi]

Not sure for Steph and I, next year we plan on going back out west to the matchbox toy convention held in Albuquerque, NM every year and plan to get back up to the northwest, maybe see Yellowstone NP. will see how things go

[Alps]

I thought I would resurrect this discussion. Is there still any interest in an Alaska road meet for either 2017 or 2018? I definitely want to take a road trip to Alaska and back. It seems logical that a trip like that for me would be lined up somehow with a road meet, but it doesn't have to be. I just wondered whether folks are still thinking about this. I still am!

I still am.

[SSOWorld]

it would have to be an air hop for me to be in.  $$$ are limited.

[cl94]

Depending on when it falls, I'd consider it. If it was early August, I could easily swing it. I'd probably fly most of the way, but that's life when funds and time are limited.

[noelbotevera]

If this is in four years, I'll have to renew my passport (it's been expired for a couple years now) and drive there. I won't have money to fly.

[oscar]

If this is in four years, I'll have to renew my passport (it's been expired for a couple years now) and drive there. I won't have money to fly.

Driving is pretty expensive, unless you do it with a group to split expenses and/or do a lot of camping to cut down on overnight lodging costs. Flying is probably cheaper.

[Alps]

The plan was to drive the Alaska Highway to Fairbanks and have the meet there, including an excursion up to Prudhoe Bay and back. If we go around July, the road should be in good condition and we should have enough daylight to make it all the way up in one shot (figure 35 mph average, some stretches can be faster than others). So 3 days in Alaska, figure 6 days to get there and 6 days back, equals a nice 2-week trip. For those with more limited funds, just fly up to Fairbanks for the meet itself. Still to be determined is the starting point for the official drive. I'd probably want to save a few days by flying out to a Vancouver, Edmonton, etc., and spend the extra time exploring that area more.

[cl94]

The plan was to drive the Alaska Highway to Fairbanks and have the meet there, including an excursion up to Prudhoe Bay and back. If we go around July, the road should be in good condition and we should have enough daylight to make it all the way up in one shot (figure 35 mph average, some stretches can be faster than others). So 3 days in Alaska, figure 6 days to get there and 6 days back, equals a nice 2-week trip. For those with more limited funds, just fly up to Fairbanks for the meet itself. Still to be determined is the starting point for the official drive. I'd probably want to save a few days by flying out to a Vancouver, Edmonton, etc., and spend the extra time exploring that area more.

Up the Dalton? Man, that would be one hell of a long meet, but I'd be down if I can swing it. Google says 15+ hours each way from Fairbanks (if we're lucky).

[Roadrunner75]

The plan was to drive the Alaska Highway to Fairbanks and have the meet there, including an excursion up to Prudhoe Bay and back. If we go around July, the road should be in good condition and we should have enough daylight to make it all the way up in one shot (figure 35 mph average, some stretches can be faster than others). So 3 days in Alaska, figure 6 days to get there and 6 days back, equals a nice 2-week trip. For those with more limited funds, just fly up to Fairbanks for the meet itself. Still to be determined is the starting point for the official drive. I'd probably want to save a few days by flying out to a Vancouver, Edmonton, etc., and spend the extra time exploring that area more.

Up the Dalton? Man, that would be one hell of a long meet, but I'd be down if I can swing it. Google says 15+ hours each way from Fairbanks (if we're lucky).

And that's without encountering this guy:

[vdeane]

I could probably do a carpool, but I don't see doing the hotel costs and additional time (I would only do 8 hours of drive time if I didn't have someone to share that task) for driving up on my own.

And no, I don't fly.

In any case, sounds like fun... trip of a lifetime, really.

Not sure for Steph and I, next year we plan on going back out west to the matchbox toy convention held in Albuquerque, NM every year and plan to get back up to the northwest, maybe see Yellowstone NP. will see how things go

Northwest on the way to/from Alaska?

[kkt]

I'd be interested but my schedule is pretty constrained.  My teen daughter isn't quite old enough to leave her alone for a week at a time and we're committed to a trip for next summer's eclipse of the sun already.

[jpi]

If this is in four years, I'll have to renew my passport (it's been expired for a couple years now) and drive there. I won't have money to fly.

Driving is pretty expensive, unless you do it with a group to split expenses and/or do a lot of camping to cut down on overnight lodging costs. Flying is probably cheaper.

Also,  would your parents even allow you to take this BIG of a road trip by yourself??? I would love to do this, I have enough vacation time to make it work but I still doubt, but not completely ruling it out.

[A.J. Bertin]

The plan was to drive the Alaska Highway to Fairbanks and have the meet there, including an excursion up to Prudhoe Bay and back. If we go around July, the road should be in good condition and we should have enough daylight to make it all the way up in one shot (figure 35 mph average, some stretches can be faster than others). So 3 days in Alaska, figure 6 days to get there and 6 days back, equals a nice 2-week trip. For those with more limited funds, just fly up to Fairbanks for the meet itself. Still to be determined is the starting point for the official drive. I'd probably want to save a few days by flying out to a Vancouver, Edmonton, etc., and spend the extra time exploring that area more.

Are you thinking 2017 or 2018?

[A.J. Bertin]

I could probably do a carpool, but I don't see doing the hotel costs and additional time (I would only do 8 hours of drive time if I didn't have someone to share that task) for driving up on my own.

And no, I don't fly.

In any case, sounds like fun... trip of a lifetime, really.

My thought would be driving (with hopefully three other people) from Michigan to Alaska and back... taking a different route each way. I already considered where I might want to stay each night:

First night - Twin Cities (MN) area
Second night - Winnipeg
Third night - Calgary or Edmonton
Fourth night - Fort Nelson BC
Fifth night - Whitehorse YT
Sixth night - maybe Anchorage
And then drive up to Fairbanks on seventh day maybe.

Driving back I'd probably want to spend more time in the States... especially Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota. Of course, there would have to be some compromises to make everyone happy if I had three people with me (possibly taking turns driving, experimenting with different route options, etc.).