Click the above link to read about a journey to the Arctic Ocean by Michael Perez.

The post The Haul Rd: Dalton Hwy first appeared on Alaska Gun Shipping.

Answer: Shotgun

Driving through Canada to Alaska is a wonderful experience. The majestic landscapes never cease to fill me with awe. Once you pass into Western Canada, the majority of the remainder of your journey will be in remote regions. It is common to see eagles, hawks, and owls as well as other birds of prey. One time, I came around a corner somewhere in British Columbia and had to break hard to avoid running into a half dozen Great Horned Owls standing in the middle of the road. They glared their contempt at me—probably for disturbing their meal, which at this point was quite unrecognizable but for a few clumps of bloody brown fur but when, as one, they launched into flight, their wingspans seemed to cover the entire width of the road. In seconds, they cleared the treetops and were gone.

On more than one occasion I have encountered wolves, caribou, moose, elk, deer, and bears. Speaking of bears, I have nearly always been armed in bear country. The exception is Canada and that’s because of their strict gun laws. Most of my journeys through Canada have been in the winter, which minimalizes the chance bear encounters but a good friend of mine, Will Koehler, was charged by a grizzly bear in January when temperatures were averaging thirty below zero. The bruins are known to wake up from hibernation now and then for a stretch and a snack. Luckily, Will was fast food and proved too fast to be a snack.

Will Koehler had ridden his snowmachine out to his cabin in the Wrangell Mountains only to find the front window broken out. He was gazing at this when he heard a woof behind him. The bear came for him and he climbed up on the cabin’s roof — the bear followed him. He jumped off the roof and then in through the broken window to find his cabin in ruins. He dug through the piles of debris piled up by the bear in search for his rifle. Just as the bear began to climb in the window after him, Will laid his hands upon his rifle and shot the bear. Will and his wife, Jaia, own and operate Wrangle Outfitters.

Now, when I travel through Canada, I ship my handgun but I bring a shotgun with me. Most shotguns are easy to bring through Canada without a lot of hassle. Non-restricted firearms refer to ordinary rifles and shotguns which have not been modified, like with a hacksaw or grenade launcher attachment. Folding or telescoping stock shotguns that can be fired when the overall length is reduced to less than 26 inches is classed as restricted by the Canadians. More on non-restricted, restricted, and prohibited firearms can be found here => http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/faq/index-eng.htm#a3.

If you do not possess a Canadian Possession and Acquisition License (PAL), you will need to fill out a Non-Resident Firearm Declaration (form RCMP 5589). If you bring more than three long guns, you will need the Non-Resident Firearm Declaration Continuation Sheet (form RCMP 5590). 

A shotgun is good bear defense but, unlike a near-to-hand holstered handgun, often gets laid down or leaned against a tree. Of course, that’s when the bear wanders in between you and your shotgun. Alas, there is no hope for packing your handgun in Canada unless you’re willing to risk gigantic fines and prison. Bring the shotgun but don’t leave it in the vehicle when traipsing into bear country; it may be cumbersome but it is comforting.

In a vehicle or RV, a shotgun is unwieldy, especially if accosted by two-legged undesirables but it is better than no gun. In 2002, I researched violent crime in various counties as compared to the U.S. and found in that year and preceding years that Canada had a 7.5% higher violent crime rate per capita than the United States. I deducted that criminals, knowing that the general populace is unarmed, assume their random targets are easy prey.

Unfortunately, liberals feel that since drug laws got all the illegal drugs off the streets, we should do the same thing with guns. We no longer have an illicit drug problem in America—right? No one, not even criminals, can obtain drugs anymore—right? If we outlaw guns, criminals can’t get them—right? Their logic boggles the mind.

Another tidbit of advice when bringing a shotgun into Canada: never claim that it is for self-defense. Self-defense is illegal in Canada. That’s right, you’re supposed to submit to whatever crimes or heinous acts against your person before violating a criminal’s rights. Tell any official who asks that your shotgun is for target shooting, hunting, or competition. If you have pepper spray, be sure it is designated as Bear or Dog spray. If you have a cat, say nothing about cat spray—border guards generally lack a sense of humor. Mace or undesignated pepper spray will get you turned around at the border.

Canadian laws can seem oppressive and intimidating to a United States citizen but don’t let that stop you from making the trip. Canadians are nice people for the most part, friendly, and fun-loving with the exception of one road construction sign holder who was having a bad day. Many Americans feel a sense of relief when they cross the border into Alaska. For many, me included, that sense of relief transcends being back on U.S. soil. There is a sense of freedom in Alaska that goes beyond the other states with only a few exceptions. When you are out of the country, your country awaits your return. Visit Canada and enjoy its beauty and its culture and then come to Alaska and enjoy ours.

The post Can I Drive with Canada to Alaska with Guns? first appeared on Alaska Gun Shipping.

In a man and woman household, some tasks seem to naturally fall to one partner or the other. For instance, Barb doesn’t change the adjustments on my chainsaw and I don’t rearrange her kitchen even though she helps me with firewood and I help her with cooking. When it comes to RV maintenance, she’s in charge of inside stuff and I take care of the outside issues. I would not even think of suggesting that she dump the waste tank, at least, not if I’m around to do it. So, if you will excuse the pun, I will plunge on.

Wanting to avoid a crappy mess catastrophe like the one in the movie, I read the brief explanation in our travel trailer’s owner’s manual but the information was vague. YouTube is a great source of how-to information but even there, one must filter through the less than expert instruction. I found several vids really like a vid called “Dump Station Adventures” under YouTube tag, Long Long Honeymoon. The vid is titled, “For Beginners – Top 10 Tips for Surviving the RV DUMP STATION.” If you would like to see it, click here => https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5jMhd6ntGo.

The vid is well-presented by Sean and Kristy Michael. They call their series the Loloho Show. Tip #1 is Don’t Rush and so I never hurry at the dump station even if there is a huge line behind us of impatient, full of crap, RV-ers. Due to the thought of what can result from making a hurried mistake, my slowness can only be rivaled by DMV.

Tip #2 is Wear Gloves. I figured this one already. Being a mild germophobe, I had purchased a pair of thick rubber gloves. As I grew accustomed to the process and using our own hoses and the ‘stinky slinky’ at locations with full hook-ups, I found that a pair of regular work gloves sufficed for my needs—my hands/gloves never get wet. Our equipment is clean and dry but when using a dump station’s unfamiliar equipment, I use my stout rubber gloves and they never come inside. After all, how many people use those public sewer hoses? How good are the seals and how cautious are the other users to avoid leaks and pay attention to cleanliness?

Tip #3 is to be sure your hose connection is sealed tight and correct. I double check this and I’d like to think that most RV-ers do this as well. If one end isn’t sealed… well, watch RV. You can watch Sean and Kristy’s video for the other seven tips so I can keep this short and finish my story.

Barb and I recently worked a gun show in Kingman, Arizona to advertise our Alaskan gun shipping services. We took our time returning to our family in Yuma and spent a night in Parker at the Blue Water Casino at which there were at least a hundred RVs enjoying the free parking lot camping. It’s not really free unless you win at gambling but it is a good trade off. As it turned out, Barb won enough to pay for dinner so we had fun. However, there were no hookups nor was there a sewer hookup at the Kingman Fairgrounds where the gun show was held. Our septic and grey water tanks were full by the time we got to Quartzsite. We thought it prudent to stop at The RV Pit Stop, which you can guess is a dump station.

Thousands of RVs winter in Quartzsite. There are some paid spaces but there are several desert areas designated for free no-hookup camping. The RV Pit Stop is on the north side of town on Highway 95. They had several dump stations and a steady line of RVs pouring in and out. By the crowd, one would think they had displayed a ‘Free Beer’ sign.

They first directed us to a station that had the dump pipe higher than our drain. This of course could not work and I was not about to try any improvisation with such sensitive material. I drove back around and got into another line, this time with a lower dump. Things went quickly and soon it was time for the fifth-wheel ahead of us to take his turn.

Still RV novices, Barb and I watched what we assumed would be an expert if not an adept journeyman at mobile feces disposal. The middle-aged gentleman seemed to know his business but we were shocked, to say the least, when, with a self-confident no nonsense manner, he grabbed the station’s worn, dirty, and nasty looking sewer hose with his bare hands. He connected it to his dump pipe and opened the valve. We could hardly believe our eyes. All of our sources on this subject advised wearing gloves, which I would have done anyway even without urging.

As the eau de turds washed down the hose, the man frequently touched his face and nose and occasionally wiped his hands on his shirt. He could not hear our exclamations of, “Ooh,” “Oh no,” “Ick,” and “That’s freaking nasty.” A light breeze carrying the effluvium of the facility only compounded our distress but when the man put his fingers in his mouth, we gaged. I can’t say why he would do such a thing. His tank emptied and since there was no flushing hose, he had to carry buckets of water to dump down his toilet. This completed, he went on his way and it as our turn but I used gloves and hand sanitizer afterwards.

The post RV Dump Station in Quartzsite, Arizona first appeared on Alaska Gun Shipping.