Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the 2016 Alaskan-Canadian Gold Prospecting & Mining Trip is a GO! I’ll be leaving on the night of May 18th or the morning of May 19th, and I’ll be documenting my trip via video and photos as I’ve mentioned before.

So right now I’m preparing finances, seeking out potential contributors and sponsors, and getting necessary paperwork together for the border crossing, such as veterinarian docs for Buddy, firearm declaration forms, getting my birth certificate, and getting my Michigan enhanced driver’s license. I’m also getting Bruno (my truck) ready, and I’m getting the mobile office (RV) ready. Those two tasks alone are insurmountable, actually.

And I also have to make accommodations for the use of my cell service while in Canada. That will cost either $2 a day or $25 a month to my existing plan. And then there’s preparation and costs for food, extra fuel for the generator, propane, lodging, etc. Diesel fuel alone is estimated to be $2,660, based on 12 MPG and at $3.80 a gallon. I hope my estimates are low on the MPG and high on the price per gallon!

I recently got off the phone with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and received a form requesting to transport in-transit my hand gun from border to border. It’s doable, but there’s one drawback… the license would only be for driving and sleeping. That means no Canadian sight-seeing, no Canadian gold panning, no nothing except for driving and sleeping. Well, I WANT to do a little sight-seeing and panning in Canada, so, that option is now out. At least for THIS trip. But next year, who knows?

I’m talking with a man in Edmonton, Alberta who manufactures high bankers, and we may come up with some sort of deal for one of his products. Time will tell. Time isn’t much in surplus at the moment though because there is sooo much that needs to be done.

I’ll continue to post updates on the trip as they arise, so stay tuned!