Howdy,

(I figured the Vanagon list may be interested in this, so I'm cross-posting it.)

I picked up a new toy... Automap Road Atlas from Microsoft.  I immediately
began running some trip calculations through it...

Leaving Vancouver, taking Tobin's route north, it's 1,951 miles to Inuvik.
If we drive continuously 10am to 4pm, this would take a tad over 7 days.
Using my van's fuel consumption (17/19 at $1.50/gal), this would take $155
worth of fuel.

The route south, using *my* preferred route of
     Inuvik -> Dawson -> Haines, AK -> Sitka -> Ketchikan ->
          Prince Rupbert -> Vancouver
takes a tad over 8 days (and $132 worth of fuel and LOTS for the ferry...
see below.)  This time doesn't count lay-overs (since the ferry trips are
fairly short.)

The Rt. 5 route south between Vancouver and Cupertino, California adds an
extra 3 days each way and $75 in fuel.  (This is primarily of interest to
Martha and myself :-)

So, the one-month trip starting and ending in Vancouver, driving 10-4 each
day, is 16 days of driving and 14 days of leisure.  Sounds pretty comfortable.

As for the ferry, I'm thinking the following route:
     Haines -> Sitka (staying overnight or several days.)
     Sitka -> Ketchikan (staying overnight)
     Ketchikan -> Prince Rupbert

The cost is high:  $282 for the van and $132 for each passenger.  This isn't
much higher than a through-trip.  (Perhaps a $50 difference on the van price.)

I'll probably do this, since I'd love to see the panhandle.  Is anyone else
interested?

Ron
--                                       
Ron 'Coyote' Lussier         /\_/\      ____             Chaco Communications
(408) 865-0657              (     )     \ _/__        10164 Parkwood Drive #8
coyote@chaco.com             \   /       \X  /       Cupertino, CA 95014-1533
(1990 VW Westfalia Camper)    \_/          \/    http://www.chaco.com/~coyote