A weekend jaunt from our home base in Sacramento to the nearby town of Manteca.
We stayed at the Thousand Trails Turtle Bay.
This is a small (they say they are the smallest) Thousand Trails along side the San Joaquin River. It is down some narrow roads not far from the site of the now defunct Manteca Oakwood Lake Resort and it's famous water slide. Sadly nothing remains of the famous water park except perhaps the old RV park which seems to be full of permanent RVs.
A quick summary which I may cross post to the Thousand Trails facebook group
Name: Thousand Trails Turtle Bay
Location: Manteca, California
Sewer: Some. Have to request a sewer site
Water: Yes
Power: Appears to be 30Amp only
Cable: None
WIFI: Available for fee
Cellular: Good. (T-Mobile)
Comments: Spacious sites, very green. Appears to have a large day-use business of people picnicking and fishing (stripers). Friendly staff.
Thursday, February 13, 2020
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
Home From Alaska
We made it home and have started resuming our working lifes. 7761 miles and 1214 gallons later.
I thought it would be good idea to share some of what we learned on our 2019 trip:
1. The ALCAN is very drivable. There were sections that were under repair and a couple of sections
that needed repair. I would feel comfortable driving the ALCAN in any car in good repair.
2. Top-Of-the-World - not so much. We did it in a 37 ft Motorhome. Probably won't do it again.
3. Road contruction in Canada/Alaska can be a trial. Just take it easy and wait for the pilot car.
4. You can hear just about anything when talking to people. For example we heard everything about the Daulton from "put two wheels on it and it will destroy your car" to "its paved all the way to Artic Circle and a Smart Car drove it to Prudhoe Bay."
5. British Columbia and Yukon are a trip. They deserve much more from the Alaska Traveler that just a pass thru
6. Related...Liard Hot Springs should not be missed. Plan on spending a couple of days in Whitehorse.
7. For Ford owners: Tow/Haul is your friend but...
8. Disengage Tow/Haul before turning off the highway. The downshift can be impressive.
9. With proper fuel management, you can avoid the $1.90 per liter gasoline.
10. I was impressed with Fairbanks. Not so much with Anchorage.
11. Room darkening curtains are a must.
12. The best cinnamon buns in the world are at Tetsa River Glenn Lodge
13. Get your RV to Alaska 2020 stickers early. We missed ours.
We are going again next year.
Whitehorse to Anchorage
Destruction BayFrom Whitehorse, we continued on the ALCAN. Wildlife sightings weren't quite as prolific as they were during the previous leg - a couple of foxes were about it.
The run into Destruction Bay was pretty much a cake walk. The reason we mention this, is that Destruction Bay is one of the places that is legendary among ALCANers as having incredibly rough roads.
Well, the Canadian government finally got around to re-doing the roads. There were a couple of sections under construction that were not so much fun, but pretty routine.
Destruction Bay itself wasn't too much - just some houses and the usual road side businesses.
na
Alaska Border Crossing
After Destruction Bay, we crossed into Alaska at what I think is the second most remote border crossing. I had a brain fart and when asked if this was my first time into Alaska, I said "yes!" Even though we had all been many times via airplanes and cruise ships: I was thinking "first time driving."
Fortunately the Bofrder Agent laughed it off and proceeded to warn us about the road ahead.
He was not kidding. Just after the border station, was some of the worst road we had encountered to date. The road typifies the word "frost heave". We went up and down, up and down for quite a few miles before the road smoothed out
Tanana River
It was pretty late when we crossed into Alaska show we boondocked at a roadside boat launching ramp on the Tanana river. This is just off the highway immediately past the river. It offers reasonably flat parking, quiet and we were quite happy to boondock in the one of the long parking places designed for vehicles with boat trailers.
We will caveat this by mentioning that on the other side of the highway and the other side of the river is a rest top commemorating the old Tanana River Bridge. It is quite pretty and interesting but it is not RV - particularly big RV friendly - you can get turned around in there, but parking might be an issue.
Nobody came to launch or unlaunch a boat the time we were there.
Tok
They say in Alaska "All roads lead to Tok". And that is pretty much true.
Tok has a Valero station that is worth mentioning. Not only fuel, but it offers free dump and RV wash. It has earned a spot in the GPS. From Tok we took the Tok cutoff and met with many miles of construction.
One of the more spectacular parts of the Tok cutoff was the Matsunga Glacier. The road parallels the glacier and the runoff.
Anchorage
During this trip, we stayed in Anchorage twice. I was not terribly impressed with Anchorage. The only thing of note was the headquarters of Great Alaskan Holidays. It turns out none of the Ford dealers in Alaska can service Motorhome chassis and Great Alaskan is the recommended service center for Ford Motorhomes.
Hmmm. The Ford dealer in Whitehorse could service it....
The run into Destruction Bay was pretty much a cake walk. The reason we mention this, is that Destruction Bay is one of the places that is legendary among ALCANers as having incredibly rough roads.
Well, the Canadian government finally got around to re-doing the roads. There were a couple of sections under construction that were not so much fun, but pretty routine.
Destruction Bay itself wasn't too much - just some houses and the usual road side businesses.
na
Alaska Border Crossing
After Destruction Bay, we crossed into Alaska at what I think is the second most remote border crossing. I had a brain fart and when asked if this was my first time into Alaska, I said "yes!" Even though we had all been many times via airplanes and cruise ships: I was thinking "first time driving."
Fortunately the Bofrder Agent laughed it off and proceeded to warn us about the road ahead.
He was not kidding. Just after the border station, was some of the worst road we had encountered to date. The road typifies the word "frost heave". We went up and down, up and down for quite a few miles before the road smoothed out
Tanana River
It was pretty late when we crossed into Alaska show we boondocked at a roadside boat launching ramp on the Tanana river. This is just off the highway immediately past the river. It offers reasonably flat parking, quiet and we were quite happy to boondock in the one of the long parking places designed for vehicles with boat trailers.
We will caveat this by mentioning that on the other side of the highway and the other side of the river is a rest top commemorating the old Tanana River Bridge. It is quite pretty and interesting but it is not RV - particularly big RV friendly - you can get turned around in there, but parking might be an issue.
Nobody came to launch or unlaunch a boat the time we were there.
Tok
They say in Alaska "All roads lead to Tok". And that is pretty much true.
Tok has a Valero station that is worth mentioning. Not only fuel, but it offers free dump and RV wash. It has earned a spot in the GPS. From Tok we took the Tok cutoff and met with many miles of construction.
One of the more spectacular parts of the Tok cutoff was the Matsunga Glacier. The road parallels the glacier and the runoff.
Anchorage
During this trip, we stayed in Anchorage twice. I was not terribly impressed with Anchorage. The only thing of note was the headquarters of Great Alaskan Holidays. It turns out none of the Ford dealers in Alaska can service Motorhome chassis and Great Alaskan is the recommended service center for Ford Motorhomes.
Hmmm. The Ford dealer in Whitehorse could service it....
Seward and Homer
Seward
After the first stop in Anchorage, we went to Seward. Seward is a waterfront town that at one point was the shipping center of Alaska. It was virtually wiped out in the Alaskan Earthquake and it was deemed unsafe to rebuild the port facilities.
So the good people of Seward rebuilt their waterfront as a large recreational area with camping for both tenters and RVs. They charge a reasonable fee for nice flat sites
Homer
At Homer we stayed in two commercial RV parks and a city run dry camping on the spit
After the first stop in Anchorage, we went to Seward. Seward is a waterfront town that at one point was the shipping center of Alaska. It was virtually wiped out in the Alaskan Earthquake and it was deemed unsafe to rebuild the port facilities.
So the good people of Seward rebuilt their waterfront as a large recreational area with camping for both tenters and RVs. They charge a reasonable fee for nice flat sites
Homer
At Homer we stayed in two commercial RV parks and a city run dry camping on the spit
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