Alaska and Dog Mushing

Hello my fellow Travelers.


This past week we flew up to Fairbanks to full fill some of my wfes bucket list items. Driving a dog team and seeing the Aroura.

The trip on Alaska Airlines proved only that the service of the airline industry had fallen a bit.

The Hotel we stayed in was a bit disappointing.  between the toilet not working and the noisey heating syatems and the noise fridge, we got a little sleep.

I will tell you that the highlight of the Vacation was Black Spruce Dog Mushing.  here is the link to their web page.  http://blacksprucedogsledding.com/index.html 
Now if you do not know the concept of Dog Mushing, or the care and love these dogs get, then you are blind.  The team we went out with, with Riely our guide, was to be at least above compare.  the love and attention he gave to the dogs, allowing us to pet and spend time with them, Of course,Tracy being a dog lover to the max, madfe an instant companion named Neptune.  see photos.

I can honestly tell you these dogs are well cared for, and the people who have them, at least the ones we were with, let them run free alot, and they come at the call of their name.  They are fed and handeled with love and attention.

It is in this mans honesty and humbled oppinon anyone who would accuse a dog musher of abusing dogs are untrained and uneducated about the sport.   these dogs love to run, and if they were not running in front of a sled, they would be runnign wild and probably by wolves.

They are trained. and cared for. we talked to Reiley and he said they see a vet every 3 or 4 months. and the money they spend on the care and feeding of these dogs do not make up in any way what they take in. alot of dog mushers and trainers do not even break even BUT they do this because they love the dogs....not the money...

I would engourage you to educate yourselves and go and talk to the mushers and not those who are anti-mushing and would lie to get the sport shut down.

We loved the time we had in Alaska and plan to return and do it again.

We visited Santa Claus House at North Pole. another highlight.

..

Did not know there was an Ice Mesuem in Fairbank. WOW, such a great tour...

http://www.alaska.org/detail/ice-museum

Tracy with Neptune

http://blacksprucedogsledding.com/index.html

University of Alaska Mesuem of the North

WOW you do not want to miss this

University of Alaska Fairbanks Mesuem Of The North

Everett Wa, To YellowStone, and Back A Grand Vacation

Hello All

Hope you are all having happy trails and smooth roads.

Just to remind you all this is a travel and RV Blog.... We are not here to critique locations jsut rv sites....

We  just returned to from a trip to Yellowstone, and lety me tell you the ups out weighted the down by a bundle

Let me first begin with some points of interest….

Let left our home and traveled over hwy 2, some know it as Stevens pass, and thru Leavenworth and Wenatchee.  We did have a few lessons we learned, when traveling over gravel make sure the mud flaps are all the way to the ground… that will cost us a new paint job on the front of the tow…

We are hoping these can be buffed out but do not know for sure….We arrived our first night at Nugget RV Park In St. Regis , Montana.. WOW what A GREAT  Deal and a Great Park…The accommodations were top notch, and the people who run the park were sincerely customer service minded. 

Well worth the price of one night….

We then went to a park in Ashton ID….the Good Sam Ranking was to say the most average…no wifi, and getting there was hard for our size motor home. The people who run the park , and you should know it is on the back of a Golf Course.  The showers/bathrooms were small, and not well kept up, they were used by the golfers and pretty dirty…The road getting into the park was a golf trail…for a 36 motor home pulling a tow was a challenge….

Aspen Acres RV And Golf course, should say GOLF first and RV 2^nd….if your driving a small rv it would be fine if you do not want Wifi…

We were there for three nights and the price was great as members of Travel America, we got a great discount.

BUT We moved on Wednesday and stayed two Nights at Valley View RV Park, by Island Park ID, 

great location from the road, price was a bit ruff, for Travel America, and the Wifi was off more than on…If you have to have your wifi all the time, I would be aware.    Valley View owners and people were Great very accommodating, and as I said the location right off the main highway was ok…we did not hear any truck or vehicles. And we were pretty close to Yellowstone…

 We did visit a Place Named Yellowstone Bear World Before we went to Yellowstone.

 

We did eventuall go to Yellowstone,,,We stopped at 

The Bear and Wolf Attraction in West Yellowstone...

Then we went to Yellowstone...

1.  Yes we did see a bear in the wild Just outside of the east gate

Now. While in Idaho we went to several attractions out side of the park. Jackson,Wy. was crowded, people everywhere, we actually thought we would go while school was in and we still barely got downtown.  The traffic was moderate, but being off season we thought there would be a better moving traffic.  We stopped at one store just east of Jackson and ask question and information was sluggish, for people who work and live in a town they did not know much about it.

 

We went to Grand Tetons, by the road between 

Yellowstone and Tetons was closed, so we had to go thru Jackson to come in from the south end…

 Miral Roon At Teatons

The last picture is of the ELK refuge in Jackson.

 

We did drive back thru Virginia City, Sheridan, and Nevada City Montana, Wonderful western style towns..

We arrived back home safely and had a wonderful vacation…

Safe Roads and Travels to all

The Mighty Have Fallen

Hello To All

I am sitting here today and I am trying to be careful not to judge a book by it’s cover.  I do not know when I have ever heard of a company selling a product they do not service or have a way of servicing.  But I have run across that recently.
 When we purchased our RV 4 years ago, Roy Robinson had a heart for customers, they went all out to support the customer base that they had, the RV side sell great RV’s and the people we have had dealings with have all been wonderful, and up until lately the RV service department was the same. But now we find out they do not work on diesel engines, they sell RV’s with diesel engines, but they do not know how to fix them if something goes wrong, nor do they have a system to send the RV out to get the engine worked on, they just tell you  to go find someone…What is that about.
 When we had our radio and sound system changed they replaced it no problem, now you have to take that out to somewhere else also..
 And, In the 4 years we have been recommending them, we have never had to return to have them fix something after they either installed it or worked on it. But we did, and when I went to pick up the RV today the work had only been half done. , amd after 4 years of recommending the RV service to my Brother in Law, he is upset because they did not do the Job he spent an hour explaining to them what he wanted.
  Now I do not wish to judge anyone at Roy’s, BUT I have put my name and this blog on the board to recommend them, and the mighty has fallen.
 We were looking to trade in our two cars for one, since we do not need two cars anymore, I spoke with and made an appointment with one of the salesmen at the Chevy side, but when We took time off and went to the store the person had forgotten to tell us he was going on vacation.  I contacted the sales manager at Roy Robinson Subaru and he took charge of the sale, and gave us a great deal, they are working on the new jeep and getting it ready to pull behind the RV, but we were supposed to be given a loyal customer discount, NOT, military discount, NO , I do love the Jeep, and our salesman on the Subaru side is great.

I’m not sure what has changed in the past 6 months for Roy’s to be like this , maybe they do not see Customer service as a viable commodity.
 In the ending, I can no longer recommend  Roy’s to my family or friends on this site. Until I hear they have changed the attitude.  Yes I was upset the way they did my friend, yes I did give them a scathing report a last month, BUT, I was willing to give the new management a chance. BUT, I leave this in your hands, I however will not be taking my RV to Roys or to Poulsbo RV, I am now seeking a new RV service center.  One who knows without customers you have no service.
 Pease to All, Happy roads and sunny trails…

Living Up To Rep..

                       My Dear Friends and Followers

Well it seems I was shortsighted and to quick to call it, but I have two friends who purchased vehicles and my Bro in Law had his motorhome repaired at Roys amd they are Both exstatic,,,

They are beeming about the cutomer service provided. and the service they received.. the vehicles that my friends purchased they are so bragging about the vehicle and how much they love them and how the service has been , the RV repair mine and my bro in law is being done and so far , even though they do not yet have a Diesel Machanic they are working on it... and they do have greaat people doing the work and great referable people...

If your ever in Marysville Washington and looking for a new or used vehicle or rv, you will be happy you went by Roy Robinsons and check out the inventory...

As for travel, we are off to three camping adventures this year, right now we are preparing for Aquafest , then the rest of the year camping and travel..
Hoping you all a great Summer, and Great travels...
Dusty

Changing of the Guard NOT so much

It seems that Roy Robinson feels like those who built a great company aand customer oriented company needs to be moved...

First they let a Great General Manager , The Best General Manager they could have in Mark King, who worked diligently to make Roys what is it.  

Now they Remove the Best RV Service Manager Matt Benjamin, and replace him with a man who none of the customers know and though I am sure he is a nice guy, has not the repore with the cusotmers Matt Had...

For 4 years I have been prazing the Customer Service and sales departments of Roy Robinson. But NOW they seem to wish to make drastic changes since the original owner and co-owner passed away.

I am not saying here that the people at Roy Robinson are not good people. BUT, as for this blogger, I think change is coming, and I do not see it as good change...

Remember the last time we moved for change, and how bad it got...I hope my wife and I are not going to be looking for a new RV sales and Service place....

Keep your eyes on the road, and keep camping.

Your RV Friend

Dusty