Truth about the ALCAN

"Nampeej" <nampeejm> wrote in message
news:0hg830l9g869v56vitdin3efi28vas021h@...
> Hullo. Several years ago I heard that the Alaskan-Canadian Highway
> was an old dirt road. Years later, I heard that they were in the
> middle of paving it. Recently, I've heard that it's not a road you'd
> want to drive on. Just wondering if any of you have actually BEEN on
> it lately, is it paved? Is it gravel? Smooth? Pot-holey? Whats the
> deal? Thanks for the info!

1. Buy a copy of the MILEPOST.
2. It's paved from end to end, less any maintenance that may be occurring
when you pass.
3. Buy a copy of the MILEPOST.
4. I've driven the road 16 times in the last 20 years. Some sections have
been bad. Much has been good. Some has been excellent. In 16 trips I've
not even had a chipped windshield. I've collected my share of mud, though.
5. Buy a copy of the MILEPOST.
6. The deal is it is a great trip you cannot make in two weeks.

Did I mention you should buy a copy of the MILEPOST?

By the way, it's not been called the ALCAN for gobs and gobs of years. The
official name of the road from Dawson Creek to Delta Junction is The Alaska
Highway.
--
Dave Thompson

"Nampeej" <nampeejm> wrote in message
news:41i8301dolj00dv5p9s5iud6bs77j4m2qi@...
> Hmmm...maybe I should buy a couple of the MILEPOST.
>
> ...and it'll always be the ALCAN to me

No problem. Though, the US Army called it the Alaska Highway in 1942 when
they first built it. (G)

--
Dave Thompson

>
> "Joseph Myers" <joemyers@ev1.net> wrote in message
> news:ap1930l15q1p2l2a00pu6uuj378rk9pirr@...
> > How about a url for the MILEPOST.
> >
> > Joe
>

Type in "milepost" in Google. Hit enter. Highlite the first entry, hit
enter. Milepost.com comes up. Total elapsed time, five seconds.

HTH

Steve

"Nampeej" <nampeejm> wrote in message
news:41i8301dolj00dv5p9s5iud6bs77j4m2qi@...
> Hmmm...maybe I should buy a couple of the MILEPOST.
>
> ...and it'll always be the ALCAN to me

The Alaska Highway has always been just that, ALCAN was coined by somebody
that had difficulty pronouncing whole words.
Wade

"Dave Thompson" <davethompson@cmeforit.us> wrote in message
news:JBXYb.1987$CQ6.147@fed1read05...
>
> "Nampeej" <nampeejm> wrote in message
> news:0hg830l9g869v56vitdin3efi28vas021h@...
> > Hullo. Several years ago I heard that the Alaskan-Canadian Highway
> > was an old dirt road. Years later, I heard that they were in the
> > middle of paving it. Recently, I've heard that it's not a road you'd
> > want to drive on. Just wondering if any of you have actually BEEN on
> > it lately, is it paved? Is it gravel? Smooth? Pot-holey? Whats the
> > deal? Thanks for the info!
>
> 1. Buy a copy of the MILEPOST.
> 2. It's paved from end to end, less any maintenance that may be occurring
> when you pass.
> 3. Buy a copy of the MILEPOST.
> 4. I've driven the road 16 times in the last 20 years. Some sections
have
> been bad. Much has been good. Some has been excellent. In 16 trips I've
> not even had a chipped windshield. I've collected my share of mud,
though.
> 5. Buy a copy of the MILEPOST.
> 6. The deal is it is a great trip you cannot make in two weeks.
>
> Did I mention you should buy a copy of the MILEPOST?
>
> By the way, it's not been called the ALCAN for gobs and gobs of years.
The
> official name of the road from Dawson Creek to Delta Junction is The
Alaska
> Highway.
> --
> Dave Thompson
>

I don't want to sound like I'm discrediting you, but my in-laws traveled it
last fall and have photos of miles of the road that is gravel. According to
a guide book that they picked up up there, the road is always under constant
repair and can be gravel one year and pavement the next. And a windshield
fell victim to a gravel from a passing truck. They said it is definitely
driveable, but plan on rock damage and getting plenty dirty.

John

"spodely" <spodely@carolina.> wrote in message
news:lg9Zb.26671$jx3.3054769@twister.southeast.rr. com...
>
> "Dave Thompson" <davethompson@cmeforit.us> wrote in message
> news:JBXYb.1987$CQ6.147@fed1read05...
> >
> > "Nampeej" <nampeejm> wrote in message
> > news:0hg830l9g869v56vitdin3efi28vas021h@...
> > > Hullo. Several years ago I heard that the Alaskan-Canadian Highway
> > > was an old dirt road. Years later, I heard that they were in the
> > > middle of paving it. Recently, I've heard that it's not a road you'd
> > > want to drive on. Just wondering if any of you have actually BEEN on
> > > it lately, is it paved? Is it gravel? Smooth? Pot-holey? Whats the
> > > deal? Thanks for the info!
> >
> > 1. Buy a copy of the MILEPOST.
> > 2. It's paved from end to end, less any maintenance that may be
occurring
> > when you pass.
> > 3. Buy a copy of the MILEPOST.
> > 4. I've driven the road 16 times in the last 20 years. Some sections
> have
> > been bad. Much has been good. Some has been excellent. In 16 trips
I've
> > not even had a chipped windshield. I've collected my share of mud,
> though.
> > 5. Buy a copy of the MILEPOST.
> > 6. The deal is it is a great trip you cannot make in two weeks.
> >
> > Did I mention you should buy a copy of the MILEPOST?
> >
> > By the way, it's not been called the ALCAN for gobs and gobs of years.
> The
> > official name of the road from Dawson Creek to Delta Junction is The
> Alaska
> > Highway.
> > --
> > Dave Thompson
> >
>
> I don't want to sound like I'm discrediting you, but my in-laws traveled
it
> last fall and have photos of miles of the road that is gravel. According
to
> a guide book that they picked up up there, the road is always under
constant
> repair and can be gravel one year and pavement the next. And a windshield
> fell victim to a gravel from a passing truck. They said it is definitely
> driveable, but plan on rock damage and getting plenty dirty.
>
> John
>

What's to discredit? Re-read what I wrote. The Alaska Highway is a LONG 2
lane road through the wilderness, much of it tundra in one of the harshest
climactic zones on the planet. There is and will always be some section of
the road being straightened, rebuilt or repaved.

I said I was lucky to have never lost a windshield. That does not mean no
one has ever lost a windshield. I specifically said I took half the mud
from The Yukon home with me.

--
Dave Thompson

>
> You are saying exactly the same thing Dave said!! The Alaska highway has
been
> paved for years and is STILL paved EXCEPT where there is construction. The
> past 15 years the road has been rerouted and the hills graded so it's now
a
> relative easy drive up to Alaska EXCEPT where there is construction.

So, am I correct in assuming that the road is paved EXCEPT where it is not
paved? ;-)

Steve

I was over it last summer and I would have to say your assumption is
correct.

Brian
>
> So, am I correct in assuming that the road is paved EXCEPT where it is not
> paved? ;-)
>
> Steve
>
>

"Brian Collingwood" <bcwood@kingston.net> wrote in message
news:103b0kr2olpv3bb@corp..com...
> I was over it last summer and I would have to say your assumption is
> correct.
>
> Brian
> >
> > So, am I correct in assuming that the road is paved EXCEPT where it is
not
> > paved? ;-)
> >
> > Steve
> >
> >
>
>

I kind of thought I was right.

But then, I didn't read the MILEPOST.

I just figgered it would have bald spots and rough spots because of
maintenance, the country it traverses, and the weather extremes it endures.

Guess my brain IS still working properly.

Steve

"SteveB" <desert6traveler@cox.net> wrote in message
news:TJcZb.7409$CQ6.7372@fed1read05...
> >
> > You are saying exactly the same thing Dave said!! The Alaska highway has
> been
> > paved for years and is STILL paved EXCEPT where there is construction.
The
> > past 15 years the road has been rerouted and the hills graded so it's
now
> a
> > relative easy drive up to Alaska EXCEPT where there is construction.
>
> So, am I correct in assuming that the road is paved EXCEPT where it is not
> paved? ;-)
>
> Steve
>

Yep. the sections that were paved last year may not be paved this year and
the 8 mile section of gravel and dust you drove on year before last may well
be brand new paving.

It's all a plot to keep drivers guessing and the MILEPOST selling new
editions each year. (G)

--
Dave Thompson