Hi John:
A couple of years ago, my wife Penny and I visited your booth and film exhibit at the Seattle RV show. We purchased two Alaska videos and subsequently a third. We really enjoy having them and have shared them with friends who will be traveling with us.
Two rigs (both Class A 34 and 35 feet) headed from Seattle to Alaska June, 2009 is the plan. Probably six to eight weeks. First timers to Alaska for all four of us. The question is: would you recommend taking at least one “toad” with us?
Mark,
Glad you enjoyed the DVD’s It sounds as if you are going to have a great trip! Take the whole eight weeks if you can, you will never run out of things to see!
A “toad” is a luxury in Alaska, not a necessity. When I made my first video about Alaska I drove a 34ft Class A with no toad. I spent 3 months in the state filming. There were times I wished I would have had one but most of the time I was happy not to drag it along. It cuts down on your MPG and takes a beating behind the Class A because of all the gravel. If you do decide to take a toad make sure it is well covered and protected.
You might want to think about getting Joe & Vicki Kieva’s new DVD “Alaska: How to Prepare & What to Expect”. They go into more detail about some of your questions. It’s available on our website.
It seems a case could be made for enough to be seen for first timers along the main routes. What side trips are a must that would require a toad? The primary interests are wildlife, waterfalls, glaciers, Denali and the scenery that Alaska has to offer. Mines, major cities and museums and things like that are probably secondary, just to give you an idea or our type of itinerary.
There will be more than enough to see on the main roads. You can take all of the side trips in the DVD’s without a toad and get close to wildlife, waterfalls, and glaciers. Don’t forget you can rent a car in almost any town in Alaska. I think that would be cheaper that towing it all the way up there. It is a personal decision on your part.
We are seriously considering the Inside Passage for the return trip.
I can’t say enough about what a great trip the Inside Passage is! If I had to choose between that and the highway I would pick the passage. The good news is you don’t have to pick, you can do both. Take the highway up and the ferry down. Don’t forget to stop in a few towns along the ferry route. We like to get off the ferry every night so we can sleep in our own bed and eat our own food.
Please feel free to call or email with any more questions.
John Holod RV Adenture Videos