Since I had to wait a little more for my drone package to arrive in Fargo, ND, I thought I would take advantage of the time to be sure I really had everything I would need, through my entry into Alaska.

I realize there are stores in Canada and Alaska, but they will become more and more sparse, and expensive.

In the last 2 days, I’ve purchased:

• 2 quarts synthetic oil
• dozen 30 amp fuses (the tongue jacks keeps blowing them)
• 2-gallon jug of DEF

I also keep a full-sized Touareg tire, ready to mount on a rim if needed. I’ve had them blow out before, and they can take days to order – even in the US.

I have these items, even though I have a VW warranty that covers service, DEF top-offs, and tire blowouts.

Is this overkill? I thought so, until I really looked into the distance between Volkswagen dealerships in Canada and Alaska.

The last dealership I will pass in Canada is in Grand Prairie, Alberta. In Alaska, there is one in Anchorage – the only VW dealership in the land of the midnight sun.

With just 1,661 miles between them…

😲