RV Home Yet?

Dreaminar - today

2009-07-16T08:57:56-07:00

Jaimie will be the guest on today's Dreaminar. What's a Dreaminar? A Dreaminar is a Webinar for the new Workamper.com site - Workamper Dreamers. This goal of this site is to "provide as much information as possible to assist you in educating, investigating and evaluating your ability to begin and maintain the Workamping lifestyle."

This event is the second in the series of free Webinars for members. Check out the Workamper Dreamer Web site for more information. Workamper and Dreamer subscribers can attend free of charge. Cost is $10 for non-subscribers - go to the Workamper News Store, click on Training to register.

The Dreaminar is at 7 CDT. You'll view the Dreaminar on your computer screen and listen on your phone or computer. Hope to see you there! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Denali - Kantishna experience

2009-07-15T22:33:44-07:00

Denali National Park has about six million acres. One road goes into the park that is 91 miles long. Private vehicles can only drive the first 15 miles unless they are camped further in. Then they receive a pass to go in and out one time. Past Savage River, you must take a park shuttle or bus tour to go further.

To see as much of the park and learn as much as we could, we signed up for the all-day Kantishna Experience tour. Shuttles go to Kantishna, the end of the line, but don't include the narration, ranger tour or lunch. Both take 12-13 hours. Ugh...

Buses leave from the Wilderness Center near the entrance to the park. We snagged prime seats up front opposite the driver so we had both a windshield view and a side view. Our driver, Laurie, had a PhD in biology and several years driving the park so was knowledgeable about the park. She had to be to talk to us for that length of time! We had restroom stops every one and one-half hours or so plus we stopped for wildlife, though we didn't get out for wildlife.

We had a glorious sunny day. We got excellent views of Denali. But that meant, wildlife was scarcer than it might have been otherwise because it was so warm. Also, seeing wildlife is a little bit of luck. If you are there when that bear crosses the road, what a sight. A bus coming along a few minutes later may only see the bushes moving or nothing at all. (Ptarmigan to the right.)

We saw one bear. We could kinda sorta tell it was a bear but the photos look like golden dots. George had his 28-105 mm lens on his Nikon D70. He has debated getting a longer lenses, but then the panoramic photos don't come out well and, for many shots and the big lenses, you need a tripod. It's a trade off. So the photos I've included are zoomed in on and cropped. They bring back the memory of seeing that animal.

For me, most thrilling was seeing three foxes hunting. George caught this one mid-air as he jumped on some sort of little critter. He had just finished munching on a meal before that. The other thrill for me was seeing golden eagles. I may have seen a golden eagle in the wild but did not know what I was seeing so that doesn't count. I've seen plenty of bald eagles, condors and vultures but these were the first confirmed golden eagles.

The landscape changed as we traveled. Wide river beds with only small streams flowing swiftly, filled with water gray from glacial silt with tall mountains rising on either side. Sometimes the mountains were bare - above timberline, which is around 3,000 feet this far north. Sometimes they were rocky, other times smooth. Kodachrome Pass had a medley of colors. And then, of course, we sometimes saw Denali - snow covered and awesome.

Denali is certainly one of the highlights of our trip for me. It would be fun to work here and have a whole summer to experience the park. I say that when we had mostly 70 degree days. Last summer, Laurie told us they had only two days that even reached 70! We were lucky. Still one bus trip through the park only left me wanting more. The number of vehicle trips in the park per year are limited to protect the wildlife and environment. Even if you had time to take more trips, it isn't cheap to take even the shuttle and costs would quickly add up if you took more than one. I'm glad we could do this one experience. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak Photos by George Bruzenak

Why you should love mosquitoes

2009-07-14T23:04:08-07:00

You might be thinking there is nothing to love about mosquitoes. They are annoying even if they don't bite. Ever try to sleep with that buzzing around your head? Waiting for the mosquito to land and take a chomp out of you? Or have a big lump - their present after sucking your blood? Mosquitoes about drive caribou wild. They feed while moving to keep the mosquitoes at a minimum. A caribou can lose up to a pint a day of blood from mosquitoes. They will seek out patches of ice to get relief from mosquitoes, though then they can't eat on ice so they can't stay too long.

I would have agreed that there was nothing to love about mosquitoes before our trip to Denali. Here I learned an interesting fact. Mosquitoes are actually pollinators, pollinating flowers as they feed. The males live entirely on nectar; the females do need blood but also pollinate too. Amazing!

Mosquitoes have always loved me. George told me that if you take vitamin B2 and load up on it for several weeks before you'll be around mosquitoes, it will repeal them - usually. We tried that a couple of summers ago. It did not work for either of us. I got just as many bites.

However, this summer I have gotten very few bites. At most one when we are out for quite a while- even without repellent. I do have to admit I haven't been where there are black swarms of them, though. But for the most part, mosquitoes are leaving me alone.

I have two theories and no proof of either. Both of us are taking odorless garlic and have been for several months. That's one. The other is that we are eating very little sugar or processed foods. Something in could affect body chemistry and be attractive. A caribou doesn't eat sugar so that theory may not hold water. In any case, I am delighted to no longer be attractive to the little buggers! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak Photos by George Bruzenak

A few Denali wildflowers:
Monkshood
Cinquefoil
Mountain harebell
Dwarf fireweed
Larkspur

Blue buffalo and baby musk ox

2009-07-13T12:08:26-07:00

Fairbanks is a small big town. It's large for Alaska but easy to get around. Probably the outstanding museum in Alaska is the University of Alaska Museum of the North located there. It packs tons of information into a relatively small space. Exhibits include paleontological, natural, geological and cultural displays. A huge grizzly bear greets you as you enter the main exhibit. I'm glad he is dead!

This blue buffalo was intriguing. The blue color comes from phosphorus in the animal's tissue reacting with iron in the soil producing a mineral coating of Vlvianite, which becomes blue when exposed to air. Mammoth bones have been found up north. Their molars are enormous!

Another fun place to visit was the Large Animal Research Station, also part of the University Alaska. It was a hot day so we were extremely fortunate that all the musk ox were out grazing - even the babies. They look large in the photos, but their backs only come to thigh level. They are not ox at all, but related to sheep or goats. For closer photos of the babies, go to their calving update page and click on individual photos to enlarge. Musk ox in Alaska were wiped out in the 1800s. They have been reintroduced. In the wild, you would have a chance of seeing a small group of them on the Arctic plains.

We weren't so fortunate with the caribou and reindeer that they also do research on here. All but this male caribou were under the shade of trees. Reindeer and caribou and related, with caribou in North America, and reindeer in Europe and Asia. They can and do interbreed. As this caribou walked, we could hear a cracking sound. It wasn't arthritis. Instead, caribou have adapted so they use tendons instead of muscles to move as a protection from the extreme cold. We had stopped at Santa's Village at North Pole southeast of Fairbanks. The reindeer in the pen made that noise too. Even though reindeer no longer migrate, they still have that adaptation. I thought the poor fellow was in pain. It sounded like the clicking of castinettes! The photo on the left is the caribou at the Large Animal Research Station. The one on the right is a reindeer at the North Pole.

Leave your RV at Wal-Mart or the RV park and drive your tow or toad vehicle. You must pay for parking at the museum and parking is limited at the Large Animal Research Station. Both places are worth a visit while in Fairbanks. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Photos by George Bruzenak

Home study course: RV Volunteers Make a Difference

2009-07-12T21:04:16-07:00

RV volunteers can do much more than be a camphost. Take this new home study course and find out the many possibilities. Here's the press release from Workamper University:

Workamper News and Workamper University are excited to offer another home study course on CD from Workamping expert Jaimie Hall-Bruzenak with RVLifestyleExperts.com. This new course is called RV Volunteers Make a Difference, and will spell out why RVers volunteer and what they gain from it.

Have you thought about volunteering on the road? An AARP study found that helping out others in some form or other is something 80 percent of Americans age 45 and older do. They are an important force in our economy, volunteering 8.2 billion hours a year, which is worth more than $147 billion. RVing broadens the horizons and opens up many new possibilities. In addition to volunteering in communities, RVers volunteer at national parks, state parks, wildlife refuges, and for Habitat for Humanity, among others. They help out during natural disasters. If you thought of volunteering as being a camphost, you were right—AND, it can be much more than that.

Volunteering has many rewards and can have a positive impact on the budget too. The 60-minute course shows you where to find these opportunities and how to go about getting them. Even more important, it helps you ask essential questions before accepting a position. This CD is available in the Workamper News Store online for $29.95. Visit the Workamper News Store for more information and to purchase.

Instructor Jaimie Hall-Bruzenak is a seasoned RV Workamper and volunteer and the author of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider’s Guide to Working on the Road and other RV books. Along with the audio visual classes you will receive a PDF file with a complete list of resources to get you started finding the right volunteer position for you.

If you are interested in purchasing this class or other courses on CD, visit https://store.workamper.com and click on the Training link. You can also call the Workamper News office to obtain information, 800-446-5627, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT, M-F.

And the question is??

2009-07-11T20:01:05-07:00

Seen on the road to Talkeetna! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

In hot water - again!

2009-07-11T09:01:32-07:00

By now you probably know how much we like hot springs. About 60 miles east of Fairbanks is Chena Hot Springs. We fortunately picked a weekend; about half the road is under construction during the week. The road needs it, for sure. Lots of potholes to dodge.

The drive out goes through the Chena River State Recreation Area. Lots of RVs were boondocked along the river. Probably fishing for greyling. We thought salmon, but someone said it is a little early and not many salmon are coming back this year.

Chena Hot Springs resort has built a beautiful outdoor adults-only pool since George was there in 2003. The water is quite hot but a fountain of cool water helps bring the temperature down. Past the fountain is much hotter than the rest. The one improvement I'd like is benches or rocks to sit submerged in the water. It was wonderful! Oh, and a better layout for the locker rooms. The locker area was L-shaped and tiny, making it difficult to access your locker or change clothes when crowded. A ticket good for all day was $10/adults or $8/seniors 62 and up.

We soaked, had lunch in their understaffed restaurant, then got back in. Just as we were heading back outside to the rock pool, a moose came up to a little pond right in the compound for a drink. Two large dogs - Rhodesiam Ridgebacks, I think - were tied to a tree about 15 feet away from the moose but that didn't seem to make a difference. When people came out with their cameras, that did make the moose nervous and he headed back into the nearby woods. Finally a thunderstorm got rather close and the idea of lightening encouraged us to call it a day!

In addition to soaking, the resort has a number of activities plus RV parking for $20/day. You can go in the Ice Museum and drink an appletini. We decided the $15 each admission fee was not worth it. (The appletini - served in an glass made of ice - is another $15) Chena also produces its own geothermal power and is participating in research with the federal government. They offer a tour of the plant. Other activities include horseback riding, dog sled ride, flight seeing, mountain biking - and more. In other words, it is a full fledged resort.

On the way back we saw another moose feeding in the Chena River, her head totally submerged. She was undisturbed by us watching her, other than to keep an eye on us between bites.

Chena and Liard are definitely the two nicest hot springs we've been to on this trip. The drive through the Chena River State Recreation Area is very scenic too. Just watch for potholes - a fact of northern life! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Beware - RV gelcoat scam

2009-07-09T18:04:49-07:00

RVeNews had another article on scammers working the Southern California area. The scam reminds me of the old "reseal your driveway" scam of years ago. A truck pulls up and the drivers have just enough materials left over from another job to reseal your driveway so they'll do the job for a bargain price. The job is guaranteed, they say. They paint the driveway with black paint instead and leave, never to be heard from again. They aren't licensed contractors nor registered with the Better Business Bureau, and in fact, have out of state tags so they can't be tracked down.

The gel seal scam is similar. They too have left over materials from another job. However, they apply a machinery grease instead of gel, which can damage the RV if not removed. An active child distracts the owners so they don't pay attention to the product being applied. They too are not licensed and any guarantee is meaningless.

These scammers target vacationers at the beach driving RVs with fading gel coat, promising that the RV will look brand new. Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Following the Ice Road Truckers

2009-07-07T09:21:40-07:00

I crossed the equator when I went to New Zealand and now have also crossed the Arctic Circle! Above the Arctic Circle, the sun never sets from May 10 to August 2. Of course in the winter from November 18 to January 23 it never rises.

We took the Fly/Drive Arctic Circle Adventure by Northern Alaska Tour Company. We left Fairbanks at 5 a.m. in a van with Mike our guide and a couple with their grandson. Our destination was Coldfoot, about 60 miles north of the 66 degrees, 33 min line.

Outside of Fairbanks, we picked up the Elliott Highway. Telephone and electric service ended in about 10 miles, except for satellite phone and generators. We stopped first at Joy, AK. One of the neat things about going with a guided tour is that instead of driving by things wondering what they are - or no clue at all - your guide gives you background and explanations. At Joy, I don't remember the exact numbers, but the family who runs the trading post had 5 children of their own, adopted a dozen or so others from all over the world, and fostered another 40 or so kids. When they first moved there, no road had been built! They came up the by river.

At around mile 73, the Elliott Highway turns off to Manley Hot Springs while we continued straight ahead on the Dalton Highway or "haul road." The Dalton was built to bring materials and supplies to build the Alaska pipeline. We had heard horrible things about the Dalton. Take extra spare tires, etc. The TV show, "Ice Road Truckers," featured drivers along the Dalton last season. Hairy road! However, in summer, we saw RVs all the way to Coldfoot. Many were boondocked along the road, perhaps fishing. There were a few spots that George would hesitate to take our 5th wheel, but for the most part, the road was in much better shape than I expected. The haul trucks were flying down the highway! They have the right-of-way.

It was 4th of July weekend and a fair amount of traffic. I thought we might see lots of wildlife. We did see many arctic hares- they are in an up cycle now - one bull moose and a linx. It all depends on the day and a holiday weekend wasn't the best. Caribou might be seen, as well as bears and other animals.

Ever present was the Alaska pipeline. I was expecting a larger pipe. Mike gave us some background on its building and we later watched a documentary at the Interagency Visitor Center in Coldfoot. It was quite a feat. Where we stopped to get out and look, it was 17' 6" above the ground. About 380 miles of the pipeline are below ground and 420 above ground.

Since the trip started so early, we ate lunch at the Yukon River bridge at 9:30. We brought our own, though you could order a box lunch. Yukon River was one of the pipeline work camps and is now a truck stop. The pipeline is attached to the side of the bridge at this point.

Driving through the tundra told a fascinating story. Most areas get burned about every 100 years. When you look at the spindly black spruce and other trees, you can guess they are at most 100 years old. Their height depends on how far below the surface the permafrost lies. You can have a patch of tiny trees right next to a patch of very tall ones because the permafrost depth is different. We stopped at one spot where the tundra averaged about a foot below the surface. Mike stuck what looked like a giant oven thermometer into the ground. It is registering 28 degrees.

Another interesting fact about the tundra is that it similar to a desert. It only gets a very few inches of precipitation. The permafrost holds moisture in. The surface thaws in the summer and supports life, then refreezes in the winter. The tundra is also nutrient poor. For example, in the Kenai Peninsula area you can find one grizzly per square mile; in the tundra, one bear nears several hundred square miles to get enough food. In places where the permafrost is very close to the surface or on more exposed areas, the plants are tiny. Pictured is a blueberry bush with 3 or 4 berries total. No wonder a bear has to roam!

A few years ago, 11 million acres in Alaska were burned by wildfire. Fires are not put out unless they threaten human property so may burn all summer. Fires started on Saturday so our trip was smokey when we started out in the van and very smokey on the return flight. However, all the burned areas were covered with fireweed. This flower is so named because it is an early colonizer of burned land.

We stopped right at the Arctic Circle marker for photos, a certificate and an arctic dessert to celebrate. Then we drove another 60 miles to Coldfoot. The company has a camp here with food, fuel and rooms plus stages additional tours out of here. We visited the Interagency Visitor Center. Nice exhibits and a selection of DVDs to watch.

Soon it was time to fly back. Our pilot, Steve, is from Hawaii and was in his second season of flying for this company. Others had flown up rather than driven so there were 7 of us returning. We flew over the edge of the Brooks Range - gorgeous mountains - hoping to see caribou escaping mosquitoes on a patch of ice, but no luck. We did see 4 forest fires (photo) in the distance. The smoke from those and other fires impaired visibility on the return flight but we still got some incredible views of the mountains and the Yukon River.

Having driven the Dalton, we realize we could have taken our own truck probably safely (other than perhaps a cracked windshield, maybe a flat tire). There is an agency in Fairbanks that rents vehicles just for the trip if you don't want to drive your own. Or, you could take a tour. For us, the tour was worth the money. We got to concentrate on the scenery instead of dodging frost heaves and potholes and didn't risk our vehicle. We had a knowledgeable person giving us background and stopping at some key places. Flying back gave us a whole different perspective as well. Boondocking above the Yukon River like this 5th wheel could be tempting, though.... Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Photos mostly by George Bruzenak

3rd nite free camping in NY

2009-07-06T16:55:21-07:00

Select campgrounds in New York state are running a promotion. If you pay for consecutive two nights, you can stay the 3rd night free. The promotion is valid June 10, 2009 – September 7, 2009. Be sure to mention “Camp Two Nights, Get a Third Night Free” when you make your booking.

Two campgrounds are mentioned on the promotion page. A number of members of the Campground Owners of New York members are also offering this promotion.

Another way to save a few bucks if you are traveling in that area this summer. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak