I'm flying down to Las Vegas in August to bring home to Alaska my no-longer-for-sale '06 Mini Cooper S. To make it a more entertaining ride, I'm going to pack my sister, her 9-yr-old son, and a toothbrush. I'm looking for route advice, things to do or see along the way, and car-care tips. For example, is there a protective cover for the bonnet? As for a route, I'm leaning towards the "classic" route, up through SLC, Idaho, Montana, Dawson Creek, Whitehorse, etc. We will make quite a crew...my sister does spy games in Vegas for a living, and my nephew is in Cirque du Soleil's "Love." As for me, I'm pretty unremarkable (see my profile). Would anyone be interested in a Mini meet-up? Would this be the forum for posting pix when we land in Anchorage? Can't wait to hear what you have to say! Thanks for your time.
-K

 

How'd it go?? Pics?

 

Maybe it was a bust...

 

No, it was actually great! The only downside (as I said in another post) is that I can't get the car serviced within warranty up here. I would have to take it down to Vancouver or Seattle! I would say that part was definitely a bust.

 

One user...AKINDMINI...I think....says MINI paid to have his car put on a ferry and taken to Seattle for warranty work....I believe he is in Kodiak AK.
I did a Kenai AK to Manchester NH drive about 10 years ago in a non-mini...it was a blast!! Then again....I drove 5500 miles in 5 days....so I didn't have much time to see anything!! If I could find the time, I'd do it again!! And In a MINI would be great!!!

 

How fast did you go? Assuming you only drove 12 hours a day, that is something like 92mph average.

 

I wish....the Alaskan Highway, even in its most modern, current incarnation is more of a county level road. I drove 20+ hrs per day for the first couple days, and did not truly stop for a full 12 hrs till I was in Indiana....Amazing what you can do when young, stupid, and broke!!
Fortunately I did the drive pretty late in the year...after most of the motor homes+RV's were long gone, but still, with the construction season just ending in the North, and a few sections of the road still gravel, it was a fun drive!! In the Canadian territories, the MAX speedlimit had been repealed in many areas, but he signs were still up as the recommended max. Let me stress this wast way up north..by the Northwest-territories....but anybody who stopped for gas in one of these typicality tiny gas stations will remember them starting up the Generator so you could get gas....I think I found 2 places like this!!
I remember driving for hours in a car....with one single tape cassette, (ACE OF BASE, the Sign)a tape deck that was so worn out it made every song sound like it was sung by the Chipmonks, and only getting FM or even AM radio for 20 minutes every few hours as I passed through tiny towns of 50 or so. I can also say I would drive 2 or 3 hours some days, and 4 hours or so at night between cars!!
My drive was a blast!! It was an experience....and the wide open spaces of the plains after that will never seem so empty...heck people are everywhere in comparison almost everywhere else on any main road!!
I would love to hear about caine32 experiences....heck we most likely ate at the same road-houses, where the menu is what ever they cooked, and they are open till it is sold. Get there too late...and you might not eat!!
My most memorable thing was the US/Canadian boarder crossing...leaving AK. The US station was on the boarder....the Canadian station was many miles inside Canada....so you drove for many miles in Canada before clearing customs. Those Canadians, being so practical, put the Welcome center+Customs entry station next to an airport near s town, far from the boarder!!

 

Remember MINI in the Mountains is Aug. at Winter Park, colorado..
Would be lots of fun for a meet..of lots of folks from around the lower
48...

 

Sounds like quite the trip.

 

caine32, I just found this post today.. .... I've been looking for a fellow NAMer for almost 2 years in Anchorage. We should meet up... I've seen alot of mini's in Anchorage, but none of em appear here on NAM that I know of.

Only other active Mini I know is AKINDMINI, but he's on Kodiak Island.

 

I'm starting to put together an ALCAN trip (bucket list ) for next year ('11). I was thinking mid-August. A caravan would be cool with a couple of other MINI's. Anyone else ever considered ALCAN?

 

Research the weeks you plan to go...I was doing my drive very late in the year....the last of the motorhomes were gone, and the road was wide open!! I do know people that have done it during the summer....not nearly as much fun.
Tip...bring octane booster...some places have only 87/89 octane....things may have changed in the past few years...but having a few bottles might be a good idea!!

 

Hey now...I've been on NAM for about 8 months now. And AK.JCW, I believe you even replied to some of my winter-tire related threads...

I'm putting together an Alaska MINI Club, I figure you guys would be interested! I've got a few other Alaskan MINI owners that are interested as well... Let me know your feedback as far as when would be a good day/time to meet up in Anchorage. As soon as I get the go-ahead from NAM, I'll have it officially up and I'll send out PM's to all Alaska MINI owners here on NAM for a meetup day.

 

Zippy, you mentioned "late in the year". What months / dates did you mean? I'm sure you're right about RV's, etc. I was trying to account for weather / road conditions, etc.. Thanks.

 

SOOoooo..... be ready for a lot of "OMG"!! We have made the AlCan trip 10 times!! Last time down was in 92!! The road was ALL Paved and 90+ MPH was an easy and good drive! ( not that it is recommend..LOL) We used the "Mile Post" magazine/map that shows ALL the different routs and the History "every mile post.. along the way!!"

when it says last gas for 250 Miles.. believe it!! LOL We towed a car up and down 2xs.. made a trip in the winter with all the snow and -40* in Yukon. Yes we did the trick in the Yukon River to qualify !! MOOSE/ Deer/ Caribou/ Black and even a brown bear... Beaver/otters... it is all there.. thus the OMG!!

And as you are in Alaska.. this is just old hat for you!! For the people here in the lower 48..it is JUST A Dream!! Wish we were still there....

Just me..............................

Thumper

 

Thumper, any suggestions as to the best time of year to do ALCAN?

Yes, agreed, a friend who lives in AK recommended MilePost. I'll get a copy..

 

When I did it, it was the very end of the AK summer...it has been a bit, but I think it was September (right after most of the schools open)....the leaves were changing, and falling...nights were just getting into the 30-40's, and it was beautiful!!
Be sure you have good struts on your car...hit some of those frosthreaves/bumps at 90+ mph....it will make you think you are on the Dukes of Hazard!!
Driving one way...getting the car ferry the other might be a nice way to see the coast...but the drive is a blast. I know sooo many people, like thumper, that say, if I could move back, I would in a heartbeat. Now the "big box" stores are in Ancorage, it seems less isolated, but there is so much to do/see!! I had a blast living in Kenai, and I wish I had more time to enjoy the drive back to the lower states.
For a mini, I would definately bring a full size spare....unless you don't Ming getting stuck for 2-3 days waiting for a tire to be delivered.

 

One tip...even though the road is paved, when I did the drive multiple 4-5 mile or so sections of road are unpaved/torn up during "construction season"...bascialy all summer...you might want to put a bra, or at the very least a clear bra on you car...the alcan does beat up cars....but it is still worth it!!
Doing it convoy style if you could, like the trip a bunch of guys did to the artic circle in Canada did a few years back would be a great thing!!

 

Here are some pics from the drive up (notice the Alaska tags, which got a nice response from most people on the way up). We had so much fun, we might do it again! My only advice, give yourself at least two weeks and take the time to stop and stay.


My clown car crew, leaving Las Vegas


One of several times crossing the Divide, this one in Yellowstone


Glacier National Park, don't miss it, excellent Mini mountain driving


The Mini holds its own in the Yukon Territory


Mini Totem

 

Great pics Caine,

Yeah, I'm estimating 2-3 weeks for the trip in '11.

 

Intriguing. I am looking into a motorcycle-type travel trailer to pull behind my 06 S Cabrio model. Wonder if it would make that trip. Something to consider.