Showing posts with label alaska. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alaska. Show all posts

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Parks on Parks on Parks

Merry Christmas!

Denali National Park will be a major sight seeing stop. There’s tons of tours including flight-seeing of Mt. Mckinley and hanging out with sled dogs. Unfortunately there aren’t a whole lot of lodging options. There’s either camping in the car which is cold, or paying a lot of money for a bed and breakfast.



















63°20′0″N 150°30′0″W

♡Steph

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Anchorage or Bust!

Once we’ve finally made it into Alaska our first official stop is Anchorage! Anchorage is one the largest cities in Alaska so it has quite a bit to offer. We’ll stop at some breweries and museums during the day. Depending on when we’re actually in Anchorage, we might be able to catch the International Film Festival held there and there’s also a Christmas Village around December 20th.



Monday, November 17, 2014

Check, Check, 1,2,3

It's time for the monthly check in! Since not all of us will actually have updates every month (Connor), we've decided to combine all our updates into one joint post. First off, we have officially decided to go in June of 2016 instead of December so we don't kill ourselves! Yay! As mentioned earlier, we also got a third person, Steph's childhood friend Elena. We also recently spent about a week really ironing out our itinerary. We have all the stops we plan on making, how long it is to drive to each place, what we plan on doing and where we plan on camping out for the night. This also gave us a better idea of how much money it will really cost with all the activities we want to do. We are also keeping in mind that there may be more activities not planned, so we have decided to bring a little extra than the bare minimum.

After Steph talked to her about it a little bit, Elena has decided to move to the great, HOT state of Arizona to move in with her, in the middle of next year which will help her cut down the cost of flying to AZ for the trip. Elena sent in her paperwork for the correctional officer job, and should be hearing back from them soon with an appointment for an interview. Some of you are probably sketchy about her being so positive about getting the job, but her sister works there and is helping her out, and they also hire everyone. The mental and physical tests that occur after being hired determines her abilities. She has also decided to take a turn for the better and get her body healthy and in shape. She will be ready to climb mountains and run with Kota before no time, since Steph is so lazy.  So everyone should send her good vibes, and motivation! She has ordered a few other state maps and road trip booklets to help her make a sweet journal/ itinerary for the trip. Steph also made a bomb countdown out of the back of an old frame, some paint, chalk and stickers.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

The Third Person, Elena.

Hey y'all. First off, I would like to thank Steph and Connor for letting me come on this adventure with them. I have always had a passion for nature, and a sense for traveling. Although, this is first major road trip I will ever go on, I can't wait to get on the road. I am 22. Currently in school to be a Pharmacy Tech. My ultimate goal in life is to become a Marine Biologist which was Influenced throughout my childhood as I grew up on the beach in Norfolk, Virginia.  That is where I met Stephanie actually. We have known each other since the 8th grade, and it blows my mind that we are see each other again soon :) I lived in 4 states , Washington, Oklahoma, Virginia, and I'm currently living in Tennessee. Ive experience both worlds in a sense of city and country, and my heart seems to belong in both. I can't wait to start my traveling experience with an amazing trip with two awesome people!

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Summer Possibilities

Hey guys!

I've been reading a book about camping in Alaska and of course, most of it is about summer. Reading all of the great possibilities (not that winter doesn't have awesome ones as well) made me start thinking about moving the trip up a few months. I talked to Connor about it and we made a list of the different activities we could do along with the pros and cons which I've put below. This isn't set in stone, it's just another course of action that we're considering. We're always open to suggestions!

Festivals and Events
  • Fairbanks Farmers Market
  • Kodiak Crab Fest
  • Midnight sun (around June 21)


Activities
  • Bear and Wolf viewing
  • Hiking
  • Salmon fishing
  • Glaciers
  • Breweries/Wineries
  • River trips
  • Horseback riding
  • Marine wildlife kayaking (whales and otters!) (multiple times XD)
  • Dog sledding


Lodging
  • Camping in most places (car or tent) (saves on money)



Pros and Cons
+warmer
+save money on gear
+safer
+midnight sun
+more wildlife (whales, otters, salmon, bears, wolves, eagles and other birds) (FOOD)
+ Connor can drive anytime :D (yay!)
+easier on car
+extra week
+not missing any holidays
+more things open
+less things to bring (big bonus- less carry ons)
-possibly very rainy
-northern lights
-amount of time off (jobs)

-MOSQUITOS (eww GIANT ones) GROSS


♡Steph

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Check It Out

Hello All,

As Steph and I we're in the process of making our itinerary we thought it would be a great idea to start making a list of needed items. Everything from what we each needed individually, what Dakota (Steph's dog-sometimes referred to as Kota) needed, and what we needed for the car. As you can see I'm way more detail oriented (sorry Steph!). These lists cover everything and anything we might need ranging from the obvious to the less thought of, we will be in the middle of nowhere after all... and yes we had to put everything (it helps with planning).

As you guys can see a few items are bold and red. These are the items we need the most, yes I need my tripod. Last time I saw the Northern Lights (in Iceland if anyone was wondering), I had left it back home in New Jersey. And it helps for taking pictures of both of us when there's no one around. Just in case we cant find a 3rd friend to join us. The rest of the red stuff, besides Kota's rabies vaccination sheets (for access into Canada) are in case we get stranded/ items for the car.

Below is our check list.


Checklist:

Connor’s Stuff


  • Clothing
    • 7 shirts
    • 3 pants
    • underwear
    • swimsuit
    • PJs
    • hoodie
    • jacket
    • hat
    • scarf
    • gloves
    • socks
    • boots
    • sneakers
  • Shower/Toiletries
    • flip-flops
    • towel
    • wash cloth(s)
    • body wash
    • soap
    • shampoo
    • toothbrush
    • toothpaste
    • deodorant
    • razor
    • shaving cream
  • Camping gear
    • Sleeping bag
    • blankets
    • pillow(s)
  • Electronics
    • Camera
      • extra batteries
      • memory cards
      • RSR
      • tripod
    • Laptop
    • Cellular
    • Flashdrive (we can share, ill get it)
  • Miscellaneous
    • Passport



Steph’s Stuff


  • Camping gear
    • Sleeping bag
    • Pillow
    • Blanket
    • Sleeping pad (egg shell mattress cover/memory foam, queen/full size)
  • Mom’s camera (?)
  • Laptop
  • Passport
  • Shower
    • Shampoo
    • Soap
    • Flip flops
    • Toothbrush
    • Tooth paste
  • Clothing
    • Snowboard jacket, pants, socks and gloves
    • FreezeOut glove liners
    • Winter/fuzzy socks
    • All the hoodies in the world
    • Scarf
    • Jeans (three or four)
    • Leggings
    • Thermals
    • Long and short sleeve shirts
    • PJS (always forget)
    • Hat
    • Boots
    • Regular shoes
    • Underwear
    • Towel
    • Bathing suit (hot springs)



Both


  • GPS
  • Chargers for EVERYTHING
    • Phones
    • Laptop
    • Camera
    • Car Adaptors
  • Maps
  • MUSIC
    • CDs and Spotify
  • Medicines
    • Pain relievers (yes!)
    • Tums
  • Foods
    • Cooler
      • Snacks (bags on bags on bags of chips)
      • Water
      • Soda/Juice
    • Soup to go
    • Peanutbutter
    • Cookiebutter (its amazing)
    • CHOCOLATE (Spongebob fish voice, from that episode)
    • Plastic plates
      • silverware
  • Sunscreen (for the glaciers)
  • Tide Pods
  • Hand/foot heaters
  • Tent (borrow?)
  • Whiteboard with markers (pictures)
  • Flashlights
  • Matches
  • Extra batteries
  • Toilet paper
  • First aid kit
  • Two boxes of baking soda





Car Stuff


  • Plastic shelf containers instead of suitcases
  • Dryer sheets
  • Roof rack?
  • Tow strap
  • Garbage bags (inside box or container of some sort with baking soda)
  • Paper towels
  • Spare keys
  • Ice scraper
  • Corrugated cardboard (to cover radiator if it gets too cold)
  • Block heater
  • Battery blanket heater
  • Oil pan warmer
  • Flares
  • Candle sticks
  • Tin foil
  • Possibly borrow:
    • Air pump
    • Jumper cables
    • Shovel?
    • Gas cans
    • Tie downs/ratchet straps/bungee cords
    • Tow straps
  • Bag of kitty litter
  • Glove Box (or other easily reachable place)
    • Passports
    • Dakota’s rabies verification
    • First aid kit


Dakota’s Stuff

  • Rabies proof
  • Collapsible crate with bed
  • Travel bowls (spill proof water for the car)
  • Food and water
  • Leash/harness
  • Doggy bags
  • Treats
  • Booties
  • Sweater
  • Seatbelt
  • Pack
  • Dedicated closed container for poop with baking soda inside
  • LED light



☆Connor