Many of you may be wondering why in the world we decided to make a nearly 5,000 mile overland trip with a group of people that we had never met before we took off on this trip. Good question! In almost five decades of travel, we have never once embarked on a cruise, group charter, or are any other configuration of group travel. We like many aspects of being solo travelers. But, and that’s a big BUT, this trip represents so many different challenges for us, which we were soberly reminded of as we passed a badly damaged, late model motorhome lying in a ditch about 75 miles from anything ( mentioned in Mary’s prior post).
For starters, we’re increasingly aware of Old Father Time, and the physical limitations he imposes on our bodies. Although we refuse to surrender to him, we keep getting not-so-subtle reminders of his influence on our minds and bodies. We typically hit the road in groups of two or three rigs. We all maintain CB radio contact, since cell service is almost non-existent up here in Yukon Territory and beyond. In a pinch, we can hail a fellow caravaner for assistance. The motorhome incident served as a reminder of how bad things can go in an isolated place. Subsequently, we heard that it may be a week or more before heavy equipment can be sent to pull those folks from the ditch.
With almost two weeks of caravan travel under our belts, we’re still sorting out our group, and learning new names. Our group comes from all four corners of the US. We’re the only representatives from New England. Most are from states west of the Mississippi. What we share in common is that we are all Airstream club members.
Since our rigs are getting a serious work out with mishaps along the way, our group’s collective knowledge of Airstream trailers is a great resource. Recently, one rig had its underbelly freshwater tank drop to the ground. A few members of our group pooled their knowledge and skills and got the tank refastened to the chassis. Now, we all regularly check our tank mounts!
In two days, we set off for the crossing into Alaska via the Top of the World Highway. We’ve received intel on this stretch of road from other travelers heading southbound. Knowing what’s ahead, we changed our minds on making a 100 mile side trip up the Dempster Highway to the Yukon Territorial Park to experience life on the Arctic tundra. It sounds wonderful, but we still feel a bit snake bitten. Stay tuned!