Lots of driving......
Drove to Dawson Creek, Mile 0 of the Alaskan Highway. Weird that I need to drive 2000 miles to get to the beginning of the Alaskan Highway, but whatever.....maybe we make the road a little longer and make mile 0 in Sterling.
Gassed up, checked the tire pressures as well as the air pressures in the airbags that stabilize the camper and truck bed. Amazingly the readings did not waiver from my first checks back home.
Some cool things about the Alaskan Highway so far?
-The woods has been cut back from both sides of the road for about 50 yards along the entire route. This seems to increase opportunities to see roadside animals. It sort of increases the area where animals may be visible. It also helps in that you can see mile down the road much easier. Less surprises if you will.
-The daylight......doesn't get dark now until after 11. The dusk, again the best time to see animals, seems to last forever. You can get a ton of driving done late in the day. This has become my favorite time to drive. Get up early, 6ish, drive for 4 or so hours, nap, and keep driving until 10:30ish.
-The road is well paved and simple to drive on....pleasurable actually. Gas stops are pretty abundant so that's not a problem either.
I guess the best way to describe it is to imagine a road that's like route 12 that runs the same distance from Sterling to Miami, Florida.....through nothing but woods, fields, rivers, and an occasional gas station. Surprisingly enough, I'm really enjoying it. The traffic is light and really nonexistent. I've driven for stretches of 8 hours with no one in front or behind me.
I've seen loads of animals. .....moose, coyote, bison, elk, many black bear (one strolled across the street about 10 feet in front of my bumper),some kind of badger looking beast, and a million deer.
The larger pullouts aresprinkled with trucks and campers at night. You've got to love the guy that pulls his 18 wheeler in at about 1am......then proceeds to practice his reversing skills.....beep, beep, beep......very tactful.
Video below shows one gas stations interesting hat collection.
