CARLBROTHERS

Was looking for passenger car tires and one of the local dealers has a policy of only accepting it for passenger/TOAD vehicles when the RV has tires purchased as well. The nuances of the marketing and implementation are not lining up to make for a happy customer, but then again it is the weekend and there is another dealership chain to check with before I go another route.

My Visa Debit card was treated as a credit card everywhere because it had a chip in it. All of my charges were converted properly.

A year ago we crossed the border into Alaska, after driving from FL... Some elements to consider, your cellphone will be useless for much of the journey north of Edmonton until you get into a town. As out trip happened in July, the gravel used in the road that they call a highway was not as sharp, therefore our tires remained intact, however we did have a full size spare mounted on a rim and a properly sized bottle Jack, impact wrench and a torque wrench. On the topic of tires, we also have the Flow Through TST507 kit installed to help monitor and avoid any issues with the tires. If your rig does not have an air compressor, get an air comressor kit that is rated for the big RV tires, as this will save a lot of time searching for an airpump OR waiting for that $40 walmart pump to bring a 22" tire to 80PSI under a load... Ensure you have a good working knowledge of your rig and its systems, because you are your support. Bring tools, glues, sealants, windshield repair and roof repair equipment and ensure you can work all of them in case you need to. We tend to drive great distances which is fine in the lower 48, but up there the summer sun stays up later than the gasstations, so fill up like we vote in FL, Early and often. In Canada you will get sticker shock at the pump because of the cost and unit of measure (liter), but to help defray some of that, get a costco membership and plan as many gas stops around those locations when possible. On our trip, Costco was 10cents a liter cheaper than any other gas station throughout most of our trip in Canada. Milepost as ealrier mentioned is a GREAT resource, because their POIs while still not 100% are WAY better than the POIs in my updated garmin RV unit. Check your fridge door hinge, if it is a Norcold with a plastic hinge, buy the $30 kit to add a metal reinforcement to it. Ours failed at the Arctic Circle, many hours from civilization... On the Dalton Highway, we paid over $5 per gallon at the Yukon River camp. In Canada, you should use your debit or credit card to pay to avoid issues with conversion rates at banks and by local store owners. Way easier... Check out the Wynn's series on Youtube about their alaska travels as well as Chris & G travels on youtube.

Hey there, We are a growing family of 5 or six travelers depending on when the boy in college flies the coop... We are based in FL, love spending time together on the road exploring things. I am still working as I am a long way from retirement, but that has not prevented some rather epic journeys. We used to tent camp, moved to a PopUp under the guise that it would be easier, then found a gently used Class C with Bunks, and have upgraded to a Jayco Greyhawk that actually has a bed for mommy and daddy. We do a lot of long distance treks, doing dry camping along the way, which is why our 2015 has 25,000 miles on it. We rejoined FMCA after learning of so many of the benefits included in the membership, which one does not think of much until you really need it. If there are any chapters in the Southeast that like little kids that do loud very well, then we would like to hear from them and meet up. Last year we Drove From FL to Alaska in the course of a month, so if you are considering this journey, we can provide a number of things that can help you have a less eventful trip. Carl & Dawn

My jayco Greyhawk came with their Jride package which is essentially bigger track/sway bars front and rear, Bilstien shocks, and Hellwig helper springs in the rear. As was mentioned earlier, many manufacturers get the cut cab E450, build the coach, and never look at the effects it has on the front suspension. The end effect that we as owners are left to contend with is a vehicle which will change direction when someone stares intently at the side of the vehicle, so imagine what happens when a truck or a crosswind hits you (you nearly change lanes if you are not braced for it). The issue was widely discussed on the Jayco owner forums and I was able to make Jaycocover the repair under warranty, which cost me $275. Since that time I have logged 25,000 miles in my rig (half of it was FL to Alaska). The Jride suspension makes a HUGE difference in the handling of the unit, especially when compared to our old 2008 Winnebago View 24P based on a Sprinter van chassis.