And he’ll have fun, fun, fun driving coaches in AK, USA…

I thought I might go through an average day in the life of a Driver/Guide for HAP Alaska, Yukon.  To do this properly, let us return to yesterday for a brief moment.  On Tuesday the 18^th, I had the distinct pleasure of driving through some of the most breathtaking country on this great planet of ours.

Standing on the Denali Highway ~ Gravel Roads FTW!

About 20 of us were taken on the Denali Highway Fam (familiarizing) Tour.  This drive took us from Fairbanks, AK to the Denali Princess Lodge, across the Denali Highway and back to Fairbanks via the Richardson Highway, a loop of about 436 miles.  The Denali Highway is about 134 miles long, approximately 121 miles of which is unpaved road.  We reported to the yard at about 5:30am and I got home at about 10:00pm that night.  Now, on to a regular day in the life of a driver guide…

3:30 A.M. – Alarm goes off… I shower and prepare everything for my 4 day road trip. 

5:15 A.M.  – I arrive at the yard, clock in, update my log book and check in with dispatch.

5:30 A.M. – I head out to coach 8898 and start my pre-trip inspection.   I am driving one of our luxury E-class models that were acquired in 2007 at the cost of $500,000.00 each.  The pre-trip inspection covers over 300 points on the coach and lasts about 90 minutes.

7:00 A.M. – I leave the yard and head to the Westmark Hotel, Fairbanks, AK.

7:15 A.M. – I help our luggage handlers load the guest's luggage into the coach bays. 

7:45 A.M. – I stage my coach in preparation to pick up our guests.  The coaches are to be staged at the Hotel entrance 15 minutes prior to departure time.

8:00 A.M. – The first guests start heading out to the coach.  All guests are loaded in about 15 minutes.

8:15 A.M. – We hit the road on to our first stop, North Pole, AK.  Our tour director spends the next 30 minutes telling our guests how cool North Pole, AK is.  How you can visit the Santa Clause House, read many letters that Santa has received over the years, mail their post cards stamped, “North Pole, Alaska” by the North Pole Post Office, grab some yummy cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate, etc…

101 St. Nicolas Dr., North Pole, AK, 99705

8:45 A.M. – Arrive at North Pole, give guests final instructions making sure they know to return by 9:15am.

9:00 A.M. – After 5 grueling minutes of giant mosquito attacks, our bus is reloaded by grumbling guests letting us know that North Pole, AK is currently closed… ruh-roh!  Someone on our coach must have been very naughty!  We are loaded and headed to Rika’s Landing.

10:00 A.M. – We pull over to take a quick 10 minute photo-op of the woven Tanana River with the majestic Mount Hayes and the Alaskan Ridge in the background.

Mt. Hayes and the Alaskan Range make a beautiful backdrop for the braided Tanana River.

11:00 A.M. – Snack and gift shop stop at Rika’s Landing.
11:30 A.M. – The coach is again reloaded and we are back on the Alaska Highway…

2:00 P.M. – Arrive in Tok, AK for a quick lunch of Red Snapper, Chicken Stew, Reindeer Sausage, Sweet Potato Fries, Buttermilk Biscuit, and Fireweed Salad.  Deeelish!!

2:45 P.M. – Back on the Highway and headed for the border!

The Alaska, US / Yukon Territory, Canada Border

4:30 P.M. – Quick photo stop at the Alaska/Yukon border.

5:00 P.M. – Clear customs and enter into Canada.

Look Closely and you can see the notch on the horizon where the border passes.

6:00 P.M. – Arrive at Beaver Creek, Yukon Territory.

6:30 P.M. – Post Trip Inspection and cleaning of the coach.

7:00 P.M. – Dinner Theatre (well a shower and blogging for me, I am too tired!)

8:45 P.M. – Finish blogging for the day and headed to bed.  No internet here so I will be posting this tomorrow night when we reach Whitehorse.

Good Night!

And, “Hello!” again.  Today’s itinerary read pretty much the same as yesterday’s; except I got to sleep in until 4:55 A.M. (3:55 in Alaska =P) and the names have been changed to protect the innocent.  We pulled out of Beaver Creek at about 7:15 this morning and arrived in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory at about 6:30 this evening, with a brief stop for lunch in Haines Junction.  I then spent about a half hour talking with my family on Skype (yeah internet), reading scriptures and now blogging and will soon be calling it a night.  Our morning starts tomorrow at 5:30 A.M. (4:30 in Alaska)

5:26 A.M. ~ Beaver Creek, Yukon Territory, Canada

We will be dropping our guests off in Skagway and then deadheading back here for the night before deadheading back to Fairbanks on Sunday.  It has been a fun tour, and I look forward to my next tour on Thursday the 25^th of May.  I will be posting some new pictures, probably tomorrow night, so look for those.  For now I bid you all adieu and send special HUGS and Kisses to Conner, Madison and J’Nell!