Amazingly, We're Probably Going To Need More Camper Parks In The Coming Years
They're on their way & they'll need more places to stay. Back in the days of the "Greatest Generation" a flood of adventurers poured into Alaska. In the mid 1980's, Deb Harbison's parents, Rita and Jerry Chapman, bought the Sourdough Campground in Tok.
Deb describes what happened then:
They're on their way & they'll need more places to stay. Back in the days of the "Greatest Generation" a flood of adventurers poured into Alaska. In the mid 1980's, Deb Harbison's parents, Rita and Jerry Chapman, bought the Sourdough Campground in Tok.
Deb describes what happened then:
"Before that time, it had just been kind of a nice little campground. People came in tents and stuff like that: Winnebagos, Airstream Trailers. We had never seen the great big rigs -- the big motorcoaches and big fifth wheels."
Then something happened. A whole generation of people got out on the roads.
"That generation of people were retiring and they all bought motorhomes. The road was paved at the same time. It all meshed together. That was the beginning of the big boom We used to stand there in awe, watching some of the land yachts."
Then something happened. A whole generation of people got out on the roads.
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| A camper park in Seward, Alaska © L. W. |
"It was very unexpected -- that amount of traffic; that many people in those types of vehicles. Apparently Alaska was the 'go-to' destination in those years. It was the first time we had heard of 'full-timers' (people who live in motorhomes year-round.)"
Not every person coming to Alaska who is in the newly-retiring "Baby Boomer" generation is going to come by motorhome. But Alaska is a great place, and there will obviously be more and more of them, on their way.
Not every person coming to Alaska who is in the newly-retiring "Baby Boomer" generation is going to come by motorhome. But Alaska is a great place, and there will obviously be more and more of them, on their way.