waypoints - on worldtrip since 2005

August 2018

Edy's Salmon Catch

Alaska is the fishermen’s paradise

To be able to go fishing in Alaska an official fishing permit is required. For foreigners and for longer than 14 days it costs 145 US$. We organised one at Delta Junction.
In several large and rather rapid rivers my attempts had to be booked under «practicing». Locals told us that it was still too early for salmon.
In Valdez I managed to do everything right. Weather, passing salmons and thus I succeeded in reaching the daily allowed quota of six fish per day several days in a row. Now we have the comfortable problem that in our 30l freezing compartment apart from the salmon – filleted by Brigitte – there was only space for some Magnum ice creams and ice cubes!

July 2018

Bald Eagle

Denali Highway and National Park

The Denali Highway with 220 km is situated outside the Denali National Park and leads through Alaskan Wilderness. Its centre piece is Mount Denali = Mount McKinley. In the Denali National Park, one is only allowed to drive the first 24 km in own vehicle. For the remaining 114 km a shuttle bus has to be rented. Travel friends of ours highly recommended us to book this 11-hour tour.
When we wanted to book a camping spot and the tour we were informed that the campsites were fully booked for the next couple of days and seeing the full busses made us feel claustrophobic. We thus abstained from this touristic highlight.
By now we have managed to view all the game expected inside the park, just as well on the outside.

June 2018

Husky

Sundowner just before midnight

To be able to charge our 2 x110 Volt AMG Batteries during the long sunny hours – days with over 19 hours of available sunlight in Yukon and Alasca -  faster whilst parking, we had a second solar pannel mounted onto our Northern Lite. This required quite some effort.
Our preferred, special-sized panel would have been deliverable within one day in the USA and Canada. But we received the information of a waiting list for the fitting of the panel of 2 to 6 weeks. Ridiculous, if one knows that the part supplemental to the first panel can be fitted in one and a half hours maximum.
Flexibility is definitely not an option in the huge, styled brand garages and the many large motor home vendors in USA as well as Canada.  Extreme, obstinate bureaucracy and red tape are unfortunately predominat. We took a turn on Vancouver Island and were back in Vancouver in time for the long-awaited appointment for the fitting.

May 2018

RAM with Northern Lite Truck Camper

Northern Lite our new Truck Camper

Brigitte’s wish was to have an oven again like she had in our vehicle Robusto. Yes, and I have been studying options as to where to store our new golf equipment. Why not?

After visiting one of the many RV dealers the exchange of our Cirrus for the new Northern Lite Truck Camper was quick deal.
Our new vehicle also offers other advantages. Five-star rating over the past 15 years and a 6-year structure warranty on a very well isolated hard-shell polyester suitcase. With the same total weight as the Cirrus we have more storage space suitable for our needs. On the same width we now have gained 30 cm interior space thanks to differently mounted hydraulic stabilizers.  Technically and qualitatively better processed and equipped than the Cirrus. But also more expensive.  

April 2018

San Francisco Skyline

Undulating San Francisco with the infamous prison island

We spent several days on the large parking area of the view platform Vista Point at the northern end of the Golden Gate Bridge. During our visits to this interesting town using Hop-On Hop Off busses, our vehicle was well guarded by the many tourists taking pictures of the Skyline of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge. The sheriffs also had a watchful eye on the place.

Our recorded impressions of San Francisco