MVPA 2012 Alaska Highway Convoy

[CatMan]

MVPA Announces 2012 Alaska Highway Convoy

To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the building of the ALCAN military highway thru Canada and Alaska during WWII, the Military Vehicle Preservation Association (MVPA) will convoy our historic military vehicles on the famous Alaska Highway in August 2012.

All military vehicles from any era are welcome to join up. Drive all or part of the route. Make history again. 4 weeks. 3,046 miles. A once in a lifetime trip.

Look for more details in Supply Line Magazine, on the MVPA web site www.mvpa.org or contact Convoy Commander at 1-800-365-5798 or hq@mvpa.org. Look for the Alaska Convoy on Facebook too.

 

[MASIC]

Good idea! I just did this roadtrip in the Spring and my a$$ and arms are still sore

 

[Green_gator]

I would love to do that ride. I will have to see if I can talk my brother into taking his deuce from Colorado for part of the trip. No way I can take a solid month of vacation though. They are looking at about 100 miles a day in driving if they drive every day. Could take a detour and go north to Dead Horse.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

I'll be rolling through there a year prior in the m109. I'd wait a year, but I already pushed it back once.

 

[Stalwart]

The painfully slow pace is one of the reasons I'm sitting on the fence on this trip. I don't want to drive anywhere at 25-30 mph unless the terrain is THAT difficult as to require it. All of Alaska's portion is supposed to be paved with some frost heaves in places and Canada's portion is supposed to be mostly paved with some portions of gravel. Gosh, they say a good sound car or RV is OK for this route. My worry is some old MV limiting top speed to 20-25 like often happened on the Liberty Highway excursion last year. Their plan to drive 4 days and have 1 off seems fine but with that schedule they only expect to travel 127 miles per day! That is only 3 hours per day driving at 40 MPH!!!!!!!

 

[MASIC]

Too bad its the end of the world!

 

[clinto]

The painfully slow pace is one of the reasons I'm sitting on the fence on this trip. I don't want to drive anywhere at 25-30 mph unless the terrain is THAT difficult as to require it. All of Alaska's portion is supposed to be paved with some frost heaves in places and Canada's portion is supposed to be mostly paved with some portions of gravel. Gosh, they say a good sound car or RV is OK for this route. My worry is some old MV limiting top speed to 20-25 like often happened on the Libery Highway excursion last year. Their plan to drive 4 days and have 1 off seems fine but with that schedule they only expect to travel 127 miles per day! That is only 3 hours per day driving at 40 MPH!!!!!!!

I suspect all of that has to do with the advanced age(s) of the drivers more so than than the equipment.

The MVPA is a slightly older demographic than SS.

 

[Stalwart]

I don't see spending about $4500 on 1150 gallons of fuel to drive that slow is something I can stand. Besides, having a crane on my 8x8 truck, I might be asked to fix or tow everything that breaks.

 

[bulldog_mack13]

I convoyed with a DUKW 3 weeks ago to a swim in Raleigh.. wow, sir talk about lugging almost every gear. Id be just as concered with the much older vehicles and there speed on the trip. Now a truck with a auto tranny wouldnt be so bad.
I agree , this Forum has some younger members that the MVPA Orginazation and il bet that plays a big part too.

I think I will actually be in this convoy , just helping driving another truck.

 

[blybrook]

I have to admit that everything that is in AK is NOT paved. Based on the trip plan, they're running across the Taylor highway, which is currently washed out, and most is a chip seal at best.

I can only hope that it is properly fixed by the time this convoy is headed through. Most of the frost heaves we have can be handled at 45+ with little or no effort. I've driven most of the proposed route in my pickup.

Those that do take this trip, plan for flat tires (as always), have a couple of spares with you and a fuel tank or two extra. Some service stations are far & few between.

Current price of diesel in Fairbanks - $3.59 / gallon. Little less in Anchorage, but not much.

Best of luck to those that drive the route.

 

[srodocker]

sounds likes fun but going so slow....

 

[wehring]

Odd man out.....

I guess I am the only one on here that is looking forward to the slow pace! It is not an age thing because I am 37.

I am mounting 3 of the gss cobra seats on a roof rack on the 5 ton ESP truck and I can't wait to park my butt up there and see AK at 30 mph.

Camping on day 4, sitting in the hot springs, cooking on the grill.... Oh yea!

Justin Wehring

 

[bratpackdad]

Thats a long time and alot of cash for fuel. Justin, if you go SEND PICS!!!

 

[markmontana]

Justin- you're not the only one who enjoys a slow-ride every now and then. I am committed to doing at least one trip to Alaska in the next year or two in my M185. It's always a good motivator- I tend to get things done when I have an event to plan for.

Looking forward to a laid back road trip, with friends...

 

[quarkz]

Stalwart
I know how you can drive slow and save fuel....
Flat tow my 5 ton flat towing Scotts deuce flat towing some thing else and so on.
when we make it to where you can only do 40mph, we will stop adding vehicles.
Then collect the gas money form all the riggs you are towing.


PS I want to go to AK also.
Maybe have to get the 5 ton gull wing up to snuff and act as the convoy's mobile repair shop.

 

[srodocker]

hahah. you guys should do the alaska trip next year aug 2010.

 

[MWMULES]

If any on here are going maybe we should begin planning a convoy to get to the start point in Dawson Creek. I am in KC and google says it is a 1,966 miles, 34 hour drive from here. That is computed at posted road speed without stops! So say you average 45mph,(m109 shop van), That puts it at 43 hours behind the wheel.
wehring you are 763 miles south of me.

 

[wehring]

yes but...

I just spoke with a man in Denton TX that is driving the trip to DC, BC. I am sorry to say that I will not be driving there so I will miss a large portion of the journey across the US.

PM me off line and I will put you in touch with each other.

Justin Wehring
979 997 3112

 

[Thunder in NWOR]

2012 Alaska Highway Covoy Planners are working on "feeder route" convoys from different parts of the US, with routes, timing and meet/pickup points along the way. All timed to meet the '1st Gear' kickoff at Dawson Creek. These are still in planning and will be made available in the future.

These feeder route traveling groups will give folks the opportunity to support each other, and to hopefully expidite things along the route.

I have found that the best way to experience a trip - scenery, people and a self satisfying and fufilling adventure - is at Convoy speeds.

The trip is not made for the arrival, but for the trip in and of itself....! That's the adventure.

(My son and I signed on to this one last spring.)
Mark

 

[Stalwart]

I have found that the best way to experience a trip - scenery, people and a self satisfying and fufilling adventure - is at Convoy speeds.

And what speeds are those? Please, do tell . . .