Considering a move from Michigan to Alaska (Anchorage, Wasilla: sale, renting)

[HemiMoparGuy1981]

Hey All,

We have been considering a move to Alaska for about a year and a half now. We have heard that the easiest way is to sell just about everything and repalce it when we get there. The problem with that is just about all of our stuff is less than 5 years old, and we bought pretty high quality expensive stuff and to sell it for pennies on the dollar doesn't seem to make a lot of "cents". I already own a newer 4x4 truck and a large enclosed trailer. I also have had a CDL since I was old enough to get one (can't remember what that age was) and have driven many different types of vehicles requiring a CDL so I have an extensive amount of experience to enable me to make this trip.

While willing to take any advice I can get, my biggest issue is googling (and Yahoo and Bing, etc. I tried to research this pretty well before posting) the route, it is being a PITA to get it to show me fuel stops and hotels along the way (not too far off course) so that I can try my best to plan the trip around the cheaper hotels and make sure I fill up at every fuel stop I can along the way.

As to avoid repeated information or how ever you want to refer to it, I will explain a bit about my truck. It is a 2006 and I've owned it since brand new so know the service record on it. It has less than 100,000 miles so should be adequete for the trip. It is technically a 1500 but I have upgraded the suspension to that of 2500 and but lower gears for more towing power (4.56) and airbagged the rear suspension beefing it up even more. I have the Super Chips tuner that can adjust the computer for shift points and stuff to be best suited for towing mode. I have the PIAA lights for my headlights and fog lights and also have installed extra set of driving lights in the grill as well as long range lights mounted on a roll bar...while I know they are not legal to drive with, I'm sure as long as I am really careful to make sure I turn them off when I see oncoming traffic that I will be ok...And I have the big towing mirrors installed as well, only thing left that I can think of is purchasing a set of tire chains just in case, which also reminds me, I have brand new Nitto Terra Grapplers tires.

Can anyone else think of anything to help better equip my truck? And any other ideas/advice for my first concern or anything else I may have missed? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank You in Advance,
Eric

[tigre79]

Sounds like you'd be fine towing your stuff up. For the drive go get a copy of the Milepost, which lists pretty much everything along the Alcan and all the Alaskan highways as well. You ahould be able to get it at any major bookstore. Couple of questions though, where exactly are you planning on moving to, and do you have a job lined up?

[Frostnip]

If you're staying on the road system it's not as nonsensical to bring furniture as it would be in other cases, and it sounds like you have the transpiration sorted. But one of the problems with hauling up a lot of large items is that in most parts of the state finding housing can be challenging. There isn't much point in hauling up nice items if they're just going to moulder in a storage unit.

If you already have a home lined up, though, never mind on that front.

[HemiMoparGuy1981]

I don't have a job lined up, but my fiance sort of does. She works at Walgreen's and actually a manager she worked with her in MI transferred to a Walgreen's in Anchorage, and we messaged her on facebook that if we move up that way, can we have some jobs, to which the response was, absolutely. So my finace would have a job and I would have a temp job if needed.

With that said, it's kind of obvious that we are interested in the Anchorage area, but also according to our freind up there, Wasilla is much cheaper cost of living and not a bad commute to Anchorage if that is where we find employment.

Housing is another issue though. We have looked on Craig's List and such and found that there is kind of a lot of housing that will work out for us, but don't have anything exactly set yet. Haven't decided if we want to fly up there and look for a place, then fly back and load up and head up, or if we just want to load up and hope for the best once we arrive and live in a motel or whatever for a couple weeks.

Thanks for the responses

[AKStafford]

As mentioned, you'll want to get a copy of the The MILEPOST: Alaska Travel Guide and Trip Planner.
I personally would want to fly up first to get a feel for things. But, that is an added cost and more time.
Wasilla is about an hour from Anchorage. A lot of people do the commute. Most tolerate it, some absolutely hate it.
Wasilla also has a Walgreens...
Good luck on whatever you decide.

[HemiMoparGuy1981]

Yeah, that's about what I heard about the commute...but the Wlgreens our friend is a manager at is Achorage and she lives in Wasilla...atleast when we talked to her, she was talking about moving into a house instead of renting, but we haven't heard much since...So anywya, the job that would be guaranteed we'd be commuting, but yeah we may just be able to use her as a reference to get into the Wasilla Walgreens. We keep wanting to move up there when we are getting very irritated with our jobs, or our landlord. Luckily (or not so much) we were irritated with our landlord and moving out and were down in the dumps cuz we couldn't find our price range in the area we want to be in, so we were like screw it, lets start Alaska. Then something popped and became available. So the trip will be sort of off for a while...as this new place is a month to month thing until it sells...which is prolly gonna be a LONG time. Anyway I hvae found the Milepost at my bookstore for $30 but I can get it shipped from Walmart.com for $20, and since I'm not in a hurry to get it anymore, I think I'll save the little cash. Thanks for the advice/replies

Eric

[Newtgirl]

I'm in Michigan currently, and have a 2011 (maybe it's 2010? Definitely no older) Milepost copy I'll sell you for the cost of gas to deliver it (or maybe mail it, if you're way up north).

Send me a message and we'll work out the details.

[akravenlady]

Definately get a Milepost.

[Lunabell]

The 2011 copy is on sale at Amazon for just under $20. If you are willing to wait a couple of extra days, you can do the super saver shipping and get the shipping for free.

Milepost