We have decided to drive to Alaska - next year. I know this is early to start my blog, but we are not taking The Beast: so there will be lots of "getting ready" for this trip, including purchasing a new RV. We have decided to get a new to us 5th wheel and pull it with The Truck as we already own this vehicle.) The Truck is a 2006 Diesel GMC 1 ton dually crew cab - so we are still talking comfort here. But why go to Alaska with a different RV? Well, we are kind of protective of The Beast and suspect that more can go wrong with it on this type of trip than a 5th wheel with no slides and much smaller tires. Just fixing a blow-out on The Beast is a major hit to the pocket book, let alone finding a place to carry its 22.5 " spare and then getting it put on if needed, but a 15 or 16 inch light truck tire is easier to carry, easier to find if you need more than one and much more affordable. Then there is the ground clearance. We know there will be gravel to deal with, pot holes and road construction and the 5th wheel we are buying has an ultralight aluminum frame with aluminum siding, not fiberglass while The Beast has a fiberglass body that I would rather protect for several years to come. There are other reasons, not the least of which is that we have a lot of money invested in The Beast and for a minimum of money we can take the 5th wheel and as Bruce says, beat the heck out of The Truck instead and then sell the 5th wheel are recoup some of our money.
So what is this new RV we are getting. She is a 27' Sunnybrook 5th Wheel, with a full kitchen including a table and 2 chairs, bath with shower, separate bedroom, couch and chair, microwave, cabinets galore, limited outside storage (no that does NOT make Bruce happy) and ONLY weighs 5000 lbs. Yes, quite a difference from the 22,000+ of The Beast - in fact not much more than our normal tow vehicle, the HHR. Should pull easily and still give us all the space we need (we hope) for the full menagerie (yes both cats and the dog will be joining us) and both of us to be comfortable. We pick her up Thursday morning in Chipley and drive home, hopefully with no problems. Then the "outfitting" begins. Some minor work to the ride height (at least that is what Bruce keeps telling me) and new tires first thing. Then our first test camp, we hope, right after the 4th of July. There will still be some Beast trips before we leave too and I will include them as we go through the next months, so stay tuned for the ongoing saga as we begin the process of getting ready for The Grand Adventure. 
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