LA-SLC-Calgary-Anchorage-Seattle-LA WVO Road-Trip

nick · #1 05-15-2008, 03:13 PM

Hi Everyone,

My friend and I are embarking on another epic adventure on WVO. This would be our fifth roadtrip across North America on VO and this time we are going big. Next month we will begin an 8900 mile adventure from as far south as Southern California to as far north as Fairbanks, Alaska.

Places we intend to visit or pass thru are...
Death Valley, Rachel NV, Great Basin NP, The Great Salt Lake, The Grand Tetons, Helena & Missoula MT, Glacier NP, Calgary, Edmonton, Whitehorse, Fairbanks, Denali NP, Anchorage, Prince George BC, Vancouver, Seattle, Crater Lake NP, Redwood NP, San Francisco, and back to Los Angeles.

To see our previous trips, please visit our WVO website.

We have posted this on the Frybrid Calendar also.

Here is a link to a Google Map of what will probably be the route we take. (The link is rather long, so it may not work.)

Our trip will be taking place from June 27th through July 14th. We will be bringing with several cubes, and with our estimates this will get us close to half-way. Glenn and I have contacted a few other greasers and we may have enough contributions to complete our mission, but any help is greatly appreciated. If you are based near our path, send us an email or post to this forum and we'll work out a game-plan. Plus, it's always great to meet up with fellow greasers and check out each others rides.

Lastly, we'd love to stop by the Frybrid shop if possible. And JeffNLisa, we are still on for grabbing a bite to eat again, right?

Thanks in advance,

Glenn and Nick

Pir8Darryl · #2 05-15-2008, 03:25 PM

What vehicle will you be driving? Any chance of hauling a trailer with an IBC or a couple barrels?

Sounds cool!

nick · #3 05-15-2008, 04:23 PM

Quote:

What vehicle will you be driving? Any chance of hauling a trailer with an IBC or a couple barrels?

We contemplated pulling a trailer (even 3D modeled up some neato designs for digital wind tunnel simulation

), but concluded that stashing the '98 Jetta with as many cubes as possible would be the best plan of action. That's been our usual fuel transport method for previous trips.

Also, we couldn't pull a trailer because I don't have a hitch.

I'm think my custom undermount tank would interfere with the installation of a hitch.

If we need some more room for our backpacks, food, etc, I may bring my car-top carrier, but that's a last resort.

FrenchFry · #4 05-15-2008, 10:35 PM

Count me in. I'm in San Francisco. Let me know when you are coming through and I'll have clean oil waiting for you.

-Fry

moon161 · #5 05-16-2008, 09:16 AM

I've thought about making one of those hitch-mount boxes you see. Could make a neat one out of sheel Aluminum or glass. Maybe even help your Cd.

nick · #6 05-16-2008, 10:20 AM

FrenchFry, thanks for the quick response.

We've calculated that we may be a little short by the time we pass thru Vancouver, Oregon and Northern California, so if you could hook us up with three cubes, we should be set for the backstretch.

I will PM you closer to the trip departure date to obtain details. Also, its a good thing you mentioned "clean oil." I forgot to mention that since we aren't on-board filtering, so any contributions would need to be dewatered and filtered.

moon161, we considered a hitch mount box as well, but my Jetta is sitting pretty low with several cubes in the trunk and back seat. I called around to see if any suspension places would install adjustable shocks or anything, but they claimed that having 1100 pounds in a Jetta would be over it's limits and they didn't want the liability. (1100 lbs = 700 lbs of VO + 400 lbs of human)
The unfortunate thing about my home-made design is that the tank, filterhead, pump, and first heat-exchanger are all underneath the trunk, so excess weight on a hitch-mount would probably force those essential items closer to the pavement.

The fortunate thing about my under-mount design, is that I have a completely free trunk.

Lastly, we are hoping to find one or a couple more suppliers in AK, Whitehorse, and/or British Columbia. Any little bit of VO will help, so if you are on the path we'd greatly appreciate it.

We're looking forward to meeting up with all of you who've pledged some oil.

john_galt · #7 05-16-2008, 10:24 AM

You've never driven the Alcan highway in any vehicle have you? It will be an educational and enlightening experience. Good Luck!!

nick · #8 05-16-2008, 10:35 AM

No we haven't been that far up north. I've made a post in the Canada section inquiring about hazards I should know, and I've extensively reviewed www.themilepost.com and http://www.bellsalaska.com/myalaska/alaska_highway.html.
Any suggestions from experienced travelers would been great--and encouraged.

akghound · #9 05-16-2008, 07:45 PM

I'll have some good clean oil for you if need be. I live just south of Helena Montana. Send me an email at akghound{at}gmail.com
I may have a contact in Fairbanks for you. When I get the email I'll pass that info on.
You might want to look at the Casair Highway for one of your legs of the trip. It is West of Prince George, Turn North at Kitwanda (not sure of the spelling) In 2001 my wife and I rode a motorcycle and pulled a trailer up there using that route. Pretty good road then, should still be good. It comes back to the Al-can just out of Watson Lake, check it out.
Good Traveling .... Ken Gardner

alaskanvegi · #10 05-16-2008, 09:15 PM

I drove the Cassiar in '06 and it was horrible! They had done culvert installations so every 1/4 mile or so was a 3 foot wide gravel ditch, then about a 15 mile stretch of dirt road bed and of course it was raining which made it sloppy and slippery. If you take the Cassiar you have to back track about 150 miles to get to Liard Hotsprings which is a must stop for most folks. The Cassiar is not as straight or improved as the regular hiway (97). If I'm here in Wasilla, AK (40 north of Anchorage)I can get you some oil, with advance notice.

My first time over the hiway was in '68, 1200+ miles of gravel in a '63 Ford Falcon.