Alcan In 1978

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Wheeldog

Wheeldog

Active member
Joined
Dec 30, 2017
Posts
26
Location
Wasilla, AK
Been hanging out at KOFA with some forum members. The subject of the Alcan came up. While it is quite tame these days as it is paved all the way to Alaska. Back in the late 70's it was mostly dirt. There was a few miles of pavement either side of Whitehorse,but that was it.  My wife and I headed up to Alaska in '78 in a '76 mustang II. Most people who have driven to AK will remember the sign forest in Watson Lake. It wasn't too big back then.

https://wheeldog.smugmug.com/Other/Alcan-1978/
 
WOW!  Love the pictures.
Two of my Uncles & Aunts traveled the Alcan in 1964 in a new Chrysler. After the trip, it was traded for another new Chrysler. They used up two sets of Firestone 500's and two spares. They told stories of eggs being $1.50 each for breakfast. Unfortunately, they didn't take pictures. Your photos give me an idea of what they drove through.
Thanks,
Indiana Journey
 
Nice pic. Wife and I did it on bikes in '02, didn't have a tent trailer though. Bet you had a FUN time like we did.
 
Those are pretty cool.  We drove from Fairbanks (Eielson AFB) to Omaha back in 1987.  It was all paved, except for the sections that were being repaired (a constant there).  It was me, my wife, and 2 kids in a 1986 Mercury Lynx, with a Sears car topper.  What an awesome trip and an awesome experience.  This is not a great picture (early days of scanning...I have to re-scan these some day), but this is from 1987.
 

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When I was 12 years old (1962), my cousin and I went with a YMCA group from Meriden, Connecticut to Alaska and back over a two month period. The only part of the Alcan that was paved was when we hit the Alaska state line. We traveled in a brand new VW bus and an International Travelall towing a U-Haul trailer. There were two adults that drove and the rest of the seats in both vehicles taken up with us kids. We got a new VW engine in Chicago (while us kids watched a zombie movie with something to do about a guy named 'Morgan'). We busted a back window in the Travelall when it threw up a rock that bounced off front the trailer. We went hiking, fishing, and panning for gold. We camped every night except for maybe once a week or so when we would spend the night at a YMCA, do some laundry and bathe.

My mother remembers burning my clothes and sleeping bag when we got home. The YMCA took the VW to the junkyard. The Travelall made a trip to California and Mexico. It gave me memories that have lasted me until today and I had told my parents that full-timing in a motor home and making the trip back there two more times a direct result of that trip. I had a little Olympus half-frame 35mm camera. I wish I knew where my photos went.

Thanks for bringing my memories back.
 
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