Traveling in Canada, Sticker Shock 101

Most of you know we have been on the road since 3/2011 going to Alaska. Diesel fuel is anywhere from $7.00 to $4.50 per gallon depending on how desperate you get. The best way to say it is "every 200 miles is almost a $100 bill" after saying that I need a beer. Well we have found a 6 pack of 12oz, Bud Light to cost from $11.45 to $14.50 plus taxes, so NO beer. These prices are current from the Yukon and BC. I do understand that shipping and moving these goods cost a lot of money. There is a lot of land between towns. Food is just as bad, a box of cereal in Florida cost $3.50 but in Canada it cost $7.00. It is hard to get used to high prices when my whole life I have been, as my kids call me, CHEAP!

But I wouldn't trade this trip for anything. We are having the time of our life. The trip really isn't about money, it is about Life and having Fun. Memories the wife and I will have the rest of our lives.

So darn the prices and go for IT!! Make that trip to Canada and Alaska!!

PS. The cost of campgrounds I have found to be the same as in the USA. So that is a good thing:)

Around the time you left for Alaska, the fuel prices started to rise. I discussed this with Oldelmer1 and we both agreed that as long as a family can afford it, you need to enjoy life and take that trip where ever you want to go. Life is short, and if we wait for the right moment, or the right price, we might have health issues, or pass on before we get to take that special once in a lifetime trip.
We can always make more money, but we can not add one minute to our life when our time is up.

I say bravo to you, and I hope you enjoy every minute of your trip.

I have always lived by the motto..."you can sit on the porch in older age dreaming about the things you could have done....or sit on the porch re-living the things you did!" I prefer the latter. Kudos to you and your wife!!! I hope to make the trip someday too. I hope your safe travels continue.

Reliving the things - definitely. Not having memories of things we've done would be so sad. But, as long as our health allows, we'll be going on new adventures and making new memories. Then we'll never run out of stuff to reminisce about.

Tater

I would try some local beer!! May be more affordable since it didn't have to cross a border!!

mga60tw wrote:
So darn the prices and go for IT!! :)

Our feelings exactly. Sometimes it gets expensive, but well worth it in my opinion.

Tater

Maxtor wrote:Around the time you left for Alaska, the fuel prices started to rise. I discussed this with Oldelmer1 and we both agreed that as long as a family can afford it, you need to enjoy life and take that trip where ever you want to go. Life is short, and if we wait for the right moment, or the right price, we might have health issues, or pass on before we get to take that special once in a lifetime trip.
We can always make more money, but we can not add one minute to our life when our time is up.

I say bravo to you, and I hope you enjoy every minute of your trip.

I agree. Health issues are already here and number of years to enjoy the WC are slowly coming to a close. Go for, max the charge card and do the installment plan.

moo2613 wrote:I would try some local beer!! May be more affordable since it didn't have to cross a border!!

There are some good beers in Canada. One of my favorites can be found near Winnipeg: Fort Garry Dark Ale.

Meet a Canadian couple in PA. on my last trip, They told me a case of beer is $48.00 and gas is about $ 5.00 a gallon. (That is for budlight)
They also said if they are across the border for more then 2 days they can bring back 2 cases. The guy was saying he went to a Maple Leaf hockey game and 4 large beers were $ 56. No Canada for me!!!! Oyeah and new trucks are about $ 10,000 more up there...

So now seeing what you have seen with our prices . Try living here knowing that they are screwing us everyday..Thank goodness for Ebay and other fellows that are willing to sell and ship to Canada.. I ordered a Progressive industries hardwired surge protector from Texas and saved 150bucks including shipping.. I also ordered my Rig from Ohio and saved around 9000bucks..
I can not wait till things are better here and the wife and I can make a long journey like that... Dont hate us Canadians and enjoy the drive...

DON R wrote:Meet a Canadian couple in PA. on my last trip, They told me a case of beer is $48.00 and gas is about $ 5.00 a gallon. (That is for budlight)
They also said if they are across the border for more then 2 days they can bring back 2 cases. The guy was saying he went to a Maple Leaf hockey game and 4 large beers were $ 56. No Canada for me!!!! Oyeah and new trucks are about $ 10,000 more up there...

Food or Beer. What a terrible forced decision.

Gonna make that trip next year for sure, a little faster than MGA60 but gonna do it. Any trouble with the WC after all those miles I wonder?

The Wildcat has been great!! no problems at all. We really have lived in ours since mid November 2010. We have been very happy with our 2006. The big thing when traveling Canada and Alaska is don't be in a hurry(keep your speed down) and watch the frost heaves. Watch me jinx myself:))

Frost heaves? What are frost heaves?

bumps in the roads caused by the winter weather. They are like speed bumps, but worse. There are certain areas of the Alaska Highway that are very bad and repairs are never finished as they happen year after year. Can really damage your camper if you hit one at 50mph. Most are marked by flags on the side of the road so you can usually slow down.

Ahhhhh.... Something like when the extreme heat causes roads to buckle - only different cause. Never heard that term - frost heaves. Thought heaving was something our tummys do when we eat bad food.

Tater

Food or beer? I once rented a 152 so the wife and I could fly down to Homer for the weekend. It came down to her or a 12-pack of beer. OK, more than a 12-pack but that was how close I calculated everything. I chickened out and took her. Funny thing was that we stopped in Kenai for a burger and fuel. They completely filled the, extended range, tanks and we were WAY overweight taking off from there because everything was based on halftanks (which is what I told the bozo who fueled us to fill to).

Frost heaves? As I tell everybody there's a secret to driving that rotten stretch. Find a big old mothership towing a small car/truck. Follow about 1/4 mile behind them. When you see their brake lights slow down. When you see the car/truck launch itself into the air from a bump really slow down. FWIW, rumor had it that the US was going to help pay to have the stretch from Beaver Creek (where Canadian customs is) to the US customs rebuilt. But I heard that back in 2007 I think.

Scruffy and Tater wrote:Ahhhhh.... Something like when the extreme heat causes roads to buckle - only different cause. Never heard that term - frost heaves. Thought heaving was something our tummys do when we eat bad food.

Tater

Minnesota (actually all of the northern midwest) is subject to BOTH frost heaves and buckles due to heat. Gotta love the place!

Bud in Canada is brewed in Canada. Load up in Alaska for the return trip. We did with vodka...

My wife and I took a cruise up to AK last year for our 15th wedding anniversary. The most beautiful place we've ever been and we've been around. I would LOVE to take my RV up there. It's just so expensive. Our entire cruise cost less than it would cost in fuel to get there and back. We're still hoping and talking about it, taking our 3 kids up. We'll see.

Welcome! Our trip budget was based on info from this site. Yes we did spend a bit more but was worth every penny. Cruise ships don't even come close on what there is to see. And the people? Wow!!!! We will do it again and yes we expect it to be expensive but I repeat myself bt saying it was worth it...