http://www.google.ru/intl/ru/landing/transsib/en.html

Or you could virtually ride all 150ish hours of the Trans-Siberian Railroad! AKA Koobie's ride to work and back, or whatever!

Was planning to row/sail there before I got a job offer. Don't have time to spend 3-4 months in the wilderness now.

Next year.


But yeah, I'm pretty convinced this is the way to go. I'd probably give myself a week to get up there, worst case I arrive early. Or get eaten by a grizzly bear.

I'll be driving my '89 Toyota pickup. Extracab + a canopy, so plenty of room to store stuff. I've built a wooden platform in the back, above the wheel wells. Good storage underneath that, and awesome for sleeping on.

I'll be working as a deckhand-engineer with a tourboat company in Ketchikan.

You should totally smuggle something there just to make the trip more exciting.

It really should be possible to smuggle highly illegal materials (drugs) across the border without anyone detecting it. The first step is to seal the item in non-porous (or very small-pored) plastic bags (expensive) so that not even dogs can sniff them out. I'm thinking a material with pores so small that at a certain thickness no traceable materials can seep through. Then just stick them in some inconspicuous place on the vehicle. There are slots and holes inside the frame of my car where you could easily hide things.

Of course you'd also have to make sure that all handling of the material was done in an entirely sanitized fashion as to no transfer any detectable traces onto clothing, persons or other parts of the vehicle.

Erm, hope its in good shape. Good luck driving 1000+ miles in a 21 year old truck... I hope its been in cold weather situations before. An american friend of mine had his car's motor freeze over on his way to James Bay here in quebec (its up north).

I'm the 2nd owner, previous owner was an old guy who kept meticulous care of it. I guess its still pretty cold in the end of April? It's practically summer here around then. But yeah, I had no issues driving here the past two winters. Temperatures around 10-20f

My friend would probably want to take his guns. But those are legal to transport anyway.

I didn't think Canada allowed us crazy americans to bring our guns there...

Oh you know, I'm actually not sure what Alaska's weather is at this time of year. End of april is pretty mild in most of Canada, though. Probably the same out there.

http://www.consular.canada.usembassy.gov/weapons_into_canada.asp

Basically just rifles and shotguns unless you want to make it difficult.

Also yeah, looked at average temperatures along the route. Looks like about the same temperatures as WA.

Not actually driving in Alaska either. I'd drive to Prince Rupert, and take the ferry to Ketchikan.

Yea, southern Alaska shouldn't be much of a problem then. Sounds good. Keep us updated on the trip, its a great, scenic drive IMO. (if you love trees and landscape :OP)

Flying is faster and safer.

Where's the fun in that?!

People don't care about fun anymore. During summer break, the schools around here put stupid words up on their signs -- like "Have a safe summer." What's the point of being safe if you spend your entire summer cowering in your basement afraid of going outside?

I hear you!

Heck this year, the quebec government was trying to cancel halloween because of the swine flu

Average temperatures don't really tell you much. You shouldn't really have any problems. Like I said, I did the trip in a heavy laden Ford Escort but you are practically going to be driving across the tops of mountains in some areas and it will be cold and you will see snow. I assume you're going alone which means as much of an adventure as it may seem like it will be it will actually probably be quite boring and lonely. I'm definitely not trying to talk you out of it though. Simply doing what you're doing will be you in an elite group of people.

Are you saying Greenboy should be Han Solo?

I've never driven further than Louisville, KY to New York, NY (737 miles). We had to drive there overnight so we didn't get to stop anywhere. I've traveled to most of the states in the East but haven't really had much time to explore because it was almost always work-related. I have a friend that lives in Phoenix, AZ & we're thinking about driving there to stay for a bit & visit the Grand Canyon &/or drive up in to to California to see the Redwoods. I've been to AZ once before to look at a school but didn't really have time to do anything.

I will not accept anything less than you going all the way up to Barrow, AK.

What do you plan on doing with your truck while you're in Alaska for the six months?