Alaska 2015

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robert newby

Alaska 2015

Post by robert newby »

If your are interested in going to Alaska in 2015 go to the Born Free Factory's Web page and check out their 2015 Alaska Caravan.
robert newby

Re: Alaska 2015

Post by robert newby »

I have been asked for detailed information on the Born Free Caravan. It starts at Dawson Creek , BC and goes up the Alcan Highway , thru Fort Nelson , Muncho Lake , Watson Lake , Teslin Lake to Whitehorse in the Yukon. From there it continues up the Alcan to Beaver Creek , and crosses into Alaska , then on to TOK , Alaska. From TOK it continues up the Alcan to Delta Junction which is the end of the Alcan Highway. From there it goes up to Fairbanks , Alaska . After Fairbanks it goes to Denali National Park. After Denali it goes thru Palmer and on to Glacier View. From there it goes thru Glennallen and down to Valdez. After valdez it goes back up to TOK and on thru Chicken , Alaska to Dawson City Yukon. After Dawson City it goes down the Klondike Highway thru Whitehorse to Skagway , Alaska. After Skagway it returns to the Alcan Highway and returns to Dawson Creek.
Included in the cost are several dinners , Cruse down the China River on the Paddle Wheeler Discovery , Bus trip into Denali Park , Glacier boat trip at Valdez , dinner cruse on the Yukon River at Dawson City , All day trip to Juneau , Alaska out of Skagway , Alaska and other very interesting things on a fur filled Caravan.
The caravan is 33 days in length.
Other things that you could do include a day flight to Barrow , Alaska , the most northern point on this Continent , Day trip to the Yukon Circle , Gold Dredge 8 ,etc.
Any other questions?
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Mike Jean Bandfield
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Re: Alaska 2015

Post by Mike Jean Bandfield »

robert newby wrote: Any other questions?
Questions? Yes :!:

We need sign-up information immediately:
  • 1a. Is there a way to sign up and place a down payment electronically :?:
    1b. Brandon sent us the sign-up form and itinerary but forgot the address. So if you need the hard copy sign-up form and check where do I send them :?:

We very much want to lock in our reservation ASAP :?

It would be a nice option for us to take the Bellingham, WA ferry to/from the Skagway/Haines area and meet/leave the caravan at either the front or tail end of the excursion in the Skagway/Haines area. The routing looks perfect for that to happen!
  • 2a. Is this possible :?:
    2b If we have the option to choose the beginning or end of the trip for taking the ferry it would be nice to know what activities we would miss out on from Skagway-to-Dawson City (beginning of the excursion) ...or from Dawson City-to-Skagway (end of the excursion).
    2c. Would this change the price since we would miss some expenses :?:
    2d. What are the meet up dates (windows of opportunity) and the place to meet the caravan near Skagway :?:

We need specific dates in order to make the ferry reservations ASAP. We missed out last year because the ferry cabins were sold out already when we began making plans in March.

Nice work Bob :!: You have put a lot of thought and planning into a great itinerary :idea:
Mike & Jean
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bigdipper
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Re: Alaska 2015

Post by bigdipper »

We too have info from Brandon and would like dates of tour arrival and departure from Skagway. Might opt to take the marine way home.
Thanks,
Ralph
Ralph
2011 24RB
Former 2001 23RK
Ray

Re: Alaska 2015

Post by Ray »

Is there a map that lists stopping points, dates, and length of stay at each stop? Would be nice to know driving/walking distances. The mention of possible on your own day trips kinda indicates that there may be multiple day stops en-route? I have never been in this area so dont know what to expect.
robert newby

Re: Alaska 2015

Post by robert newby »

I have been asked for a more detailed day by day itinerary of the Caravan--- here it is ;
June 22nd -- meet at Dawson Creek
Day 2 -- Tour Dawson Creek
Day 3 -- Travel to Fort Nelson
Day 4 -- Travel to Muncho Lake
Day 5 -- Travel to Watson Lake
Day 6 -- Visit Watson Lake Area
Day 7 --Travel to Teslin , Yukon
Day 8 --Travel to Whitehorse
Day 9 -- Visit Whitehorse
Day 10 -- Visit the area around Whitehorse
Day 11 --- Travel to Beaver Creek
Day 12 -- Cross into Alaska and travel to Tok
Day 13 --Travel to Fairbanks
Day 14 -- Take the River Boat Discovery down the China River
Day 15 -- Many things to see and do-- maybe a Flight to Barrow Alaska
Day 16 --Travel to Denali National Park
Day 17 -- Bus Trip into Denali Park
Day 18 --Travel to Glacier View
Day 19 -- Travel to Valdez
Day 20 -- Boat trip to see the Glaciers
Day 21 -- Travel to Tok
Day 22 -- Travel to Dawson City , Yukon - stopping at Chicken ,Alaska on the way
Day 23 -- Day in Dawson City , Diamond Tooth Gerties that night
Day 24 -- Visit Gold Dredge and other things -- Dinner Cruse on the Yukon River
Day 25 -- Travel to Carmacks and camp on the Yukon River
Day 26 -- Travel to Skagway , Alaska via Whitehorse
Day 27 -- Day trip to Juneau , Alaska
Day 28 -- Visit Skagway and attend the " Days of 98 " show in the PM
Day 29 --Travel to Teslin Lake , Yukon
Day 30 -- Travel to Nugget City
Day 31 -- Travel to Muncho Lake
Day 32 -- Travel to Fort Nelsno , BC
Day 33 -- Travel to Dawson Creek
Day 34 -- Travel to home or ?
I tsrust this answers some of your questions
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Mike Jean Bandfield
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Re: Alaska 2015

Post by Mike Jean Bandfield »

I've got some additional info:
We're snail mailing our deposit and form to the factory in c/o Brandon. He also indicated they can take a credit card number over the phone and the sign-up form via email to Brandon.

Assuming it's OK, I'm posting the info I've received from Brandon via email (includes registration form). Since they are in the early stages things could still change. (It's much the same info as BobN has already posted.)

At this point we are strongly considering leaving the caravan at Skagway and taking the ferry back to Bellingham, Wa. We will miss the final week but it is ground we will have covered in the first week out of Dawson Creek, BC. The downside is that I can get awfully seasick and $3000 is a lot to pay to be green, ralphing and miserable for 3 and a half days :mrgreen: How do you manage seasickness?

Mike
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Mike & Jean
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shilohdad
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Re: Alaska 2015

Post by shilohdad »

Mike, as to how to handle sea sickness...

I may just be fooling myself, but a product called Sea Bands has worked for me. These are wrist bands with plastic knobs that place pressure on accupressure points that are supposed to control motion sickness nausea.

I and The Boss used to get pretty bad sea sickness. About 15 years ago we were on a Mediterranean cruise where we were supposed to get 30+ foot waves. We went to the purser's office to get Dramamine, but he recommended these bands. We put them on, and they worked! During dinner we started getting 20' waves. No problem. Before bed time our travel group gathered in the lounge at the front of the ship, then experiencing 30' waves. Now, the front of the ship experiences the worst of the pitching, and we were fine. Overnight the ship experienced both pitching and rolling. No problem.

I have used these bands while flying, also. Turbulence that used to bother me no longer does.

This could all be mind over matter, but who knows?

I have seen these bands sold at most major pharmacies.

Joe
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oliverpsmile
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Re: Alaska 2015

Post by oliverpsmile »

shilohdad wrote: This could all be mind over matter, but who knows?
I spent 10 years on ships. After leaving any port I was getting sea sick for about 2-3 hours. It is REALLY a state of mind. If you do not resist mentally the sickness is getting worse. One of my crew suffered for about 18 days. Finally the doctor got him up with an injection [distilled water, I learned later, causing pain and at the same time deflecting the mind from the sea sickness]. So, having good time with some libations would be the perfect solution for a minor problem :D .
Oliver P Smile
2005 26ft RSB
ddpjep

Re: Seasickness

Post by ddpjep »

Mike & Jean Bandfield wrote: At this point we are strongly considering leaving the caravan at Skagway and taking the ferry back to Bellingham, Wa. We will miss the final week but it is ground we will have covered in the first week out of Dawson Creek, BC. The downside is that I can get awfully seasick and $3000 is a lot to pay to be green, ralphing and miserable for 3 and a half days :mrgreen: How do you manage seasickness?
Mike
Disclaimer: I know nothing about medicine. However, I would buy and use the bracelets. Also, I would take meclizine 25mg tablets - one in the morning and one in the evening starting two or three days before sailing and continuing during the voyage to combat motion sickness caused by shaking the contents of the inner ears.

Dean
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bcope01
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Re: Alaska 2015

Post by bcope01 »

Get out on deck and look at the horizon.
Barb & Bill
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Escondido, CA
jlef123
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Re: Alaska 2015

Post by jlef123 »

Dean has got it right. Try the bands first. If they don't work switch to Meclizine. Meclizine is better than Dramamine because Meclizine causes less drowsiness. The downside of starting with the bands first is that you are best off starting the Meclizine before you get seasick. The other option not mentioned yet is "the patch" better known as Transderm Scop. Applied once every 3 days you don't have to worry about missing a dose. Both of these drug options do come with potential side effects and the Meclizine especially may interact with alcohol so watch the drinking. Check with your MD or Pharmacist about interaction with other drugs and medical conditions. Lastly if you have a choice consider choosing a cabin on a lower deck and as close to the middle of the boat as possible. That location has less movement.

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jlef123
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Re: Alaska 2015

Post by jlef123 »

Whoops, I forgot one more remedy. Ginger. Take some candied ginger with you on the boat and take some if you get nauseous. If you forget the ginger, stop by the bar and get some ginger ale. An old fashion remedy but it works surprisingly well.

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Joel & Sandy
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bigdipper
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Re: Alaska 2015

Post by bigdipper »

Sam,
I'm not sure what you expect in food and accommodations, but this isn't a cruise ship. Cabins have bunk beds and bath but are otherwise no frills. Food will sustain you, but you walk through a serving line and sit at tables with no table cloth. At some stops you can get off, walk around and see/do something. Others not so much. A Forest Service ranger on board gives interesting lectures. Concerns expressed about sea sickness are, IMO without merit.
Ralph
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Mike Jean Bandfield
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Re: Alaska 2015

Post by Mike Jean Bandfield »

bigdipper wrote:Sam,
I'm not sure what you expect in food and accommodations, but this isn't a cruise ship. Cabins have bunk beds and bath but are otherwise no frills.
Ralph
...and if the cabin and restaurant are over your budget you can opt to camp out on deck.

Overall, we're going for the scenery which is supposed to be spectacular! I'll let you know Sam.

Mike
Mike & Jean
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