Travel Route 3

09/11/2026

Meet our 1953 Packard Clipper, a mostly original survivor that had been stored and sitting for more than 20 years when we bought it.

The car still wears nearly all of its original paint, with decades of natural patina. The driver’s front fender and doors were repainted many years ago, but the rest of the car still shows the character and history of a long-preserved Packard.

Under the hood is Packard’s Thunderbolt straight-eight engine. After sitting for so many years, one of our first questions was simple: could we bring this classic Packard back to life?

This video is the introduction to our ongoing 1953 Packard Project on Travel Route 3. We’ll be sharing more of the car’s story, repairs, mechanical work, discoveries, and progress in future videos.

If you enjoy classic cars, vintage automobiles, automotive history, restoration projects, survivor cars, Route 66, travel, and Americana, follow Travel Route 3 for more.

We touched on this project years ago, but now we are hoping to get busy on getting this classic back on the road!

09/11/2026

09/10/2026

The Wild Side of Alaska’s WWII Barwell Island | Sea Lions & Seagulls

We previously showed the World War II military remains hidden on Barwell Island in Kenai Fjords National Park near Seward, Alaska. This time we passed along the other side of the island — a dramatically different view filled with steep rock walls, seagulls and sea lions resting along the shoreline.

The natural sound was one of the best parts of the experience. Between the calls of the seagulls, the sea lions and the boat moving through the water, this felt like one of those moments where Alaska speaks for itself.

Barwell Island sits near the entrance to Resurrection Bay and was used by the U.S. military during World War II as part of the defenses protecting the Seward area. Today, wildlife has largely reclaimed these rugged cliffs and rocky shores.

Another look at Alaska from our 1,200+ mile Alaska 2026 road trip and Kenai Fjords adventure.

Travel Route 3 — Travel, Cars, History, Route 66 and Americana.

09/09/2026

1,200 Miles Across Alaska — Why I’d Rent a High-Clearance SUV or 4x4

We drove more than 1,200 miles across Alaska, and a lot more of it was gravel than I expected.

The drive to and from McCarthy alone meant roughly 120 miles of gravel, and then we hit gravel construction zones again and again on Alaska’s main highways.

Some were smooth. Some were rough. Some went on for miles.

We had great weather and never needed four-wheel drive, but I was very glad we had a higher-clearance SUV. Had it been raining, I would have wanted that extra capability even more.

If you’re planning an Alaska road trip, especially beyond the main paved routes, I’d think carefully about what you rent.

09/09/2026

Take a look at 25 original vintage advertisements featuring the legendary 1955, 1956 and 1957 Chevrolets — the Tri-Five Chevys.

Of these 25 ads, 19 were produced by Chevrolet, while 6 were advertisements for other companies that feature a ’55, ’56 or ’57 Chevy in the artwork.

I’ve always had a connection to these cars. From 2017 to 2020, I worked for Danchuk Manufacturing, a major U.S. manufacturer of Tri-Five Chevy restoration parts.

These original ads are a great look at how the ’55, ’56 and ’57 Chevrolets were presented when they were new — the styling, colors, road trips, families, products and advertising artwork that helped make these cars such enduring American classics.

All 25 original vintage ads are available, in 140 frame/mat combinations to match your decor, on our Travel Route 3 Etsy store…

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TravelRoute3

Which year is your favorite — ’55, ’56 or ’57?
And please share this video with someone who loves Tri-Five Chevys.

09/09/2026

All of these ORIGINAL Vintage Ads are available on our Travel Route 3 Etsy store in 140 different frame/mat combinations to match your decor. All can be seen here…

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TravelRoute3

09/09/2026

Take a look at 25 original vintage advertisements featuring the legendary 1955, 1956 and 1957 Chevrolets — the Tri-Five Chevys.

Of these 25 ads, 19 were produced by Chevrolet, while 6 were advertisements for other companies that feature a ’55, ’56 or ’57 Chevy in the artwork.

I’ve always had a connection to these cars. From 2017 to 2020, I worked for Danchuk Manufacturing, a major U.S. manufacturer of Tri-Five Chevy restoration parts.

These original ads are a great look at how the ’55, ’56 and ’57 Chevrolets were presented when they were new — the styling, colors, road trips, families, products and advertising artwork that helped make these cars such enduring American classics.

All 25 original vintage ads are available on our Travel Route 3 Etsy store.
Click on our profile to find the Etsy store link.

Which year is your favorite — ’55, ’56 or ’57?
And please share this video with someone who loves Tri-Five Chevys.

09/08/2026

Inside America’s Tallest Freestanding Wooden Structure | Kennecott Mill, Alaska

What’s inside the massive Kennecott Concentration Mill in Alaska?

During our tour of the historic Kennecott Mines in Wrangell–St. Elias National Park, we went inside this incredible 14-story wooden mill building and saw some of the machinery once used to separate valuable copper ore from waste rock.

In this short clip, the tour guide explains the vibrating gravity-concentration tables. The tables shook back and forth while water flowed across them, helping separate the heavier copper-bearing material from lighter waste rock. The National Park Service confirms that the mill used rooms of these gravity concentration tables as part of the copper-processing operation.

The Kennecott Mill began taking shape in the early 1900s and operated until the mines closed in 1938. Today it remains one of the most remarkable surviving structures from Alaska’s early copper-mining era.

Our Kennecott tour guide described it as the tallest freestanding wooden structure in the United States — and standing underneath it, it certainly feels enormous.

Travel Route 3 — Travel, Cars, History, Route 66 and Americana.

09/04/2026

Hundreds of Bush Planes in Anchorage | Lake Hood Seaplane Base

While exploring Anchorage, Alaska, we got a close look at just how important small aircraft are to life in the state.

From our trolley ride, we watched a floatplane take off from Lake Hood Seaplane Base, and later saw another small plane flying overhead while we were at Earthquake Park.

Lake Hood sits right beside Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and is known as the world’s busiest seaplane base, with parking for roughly 400 floatplanes and hundreds of additional small aircraft nearby.

Seeing row after row of bush planes really gives you a sense of how much Alaska depends on aviation to reach communities and wilderness areas that aren’t accessible by road.

Another memorable piece of our Alaska 2026 adventure.

Travel Route 3 — Travel, Cars, History, Route 66 and Americana.

09/03/2026

Driving Along Alaska’s Matanuska River | Glacier Melt Beside Highway 1

While driving Highway 1 from Anchorage toward Glennallen, we followed the beautiful Matanuska River through the Alaska landscape.

The river is fed by meltwater from Matanuska Glacier and carries that distinctive silty, glacial color as it winds alongside the highway.

This was one of those stretches of road where the scenery just kept getting better the farther we drove.

Another view from our Alaska 2026 adventure.

Travel Route 3 — Travel, Cars, History, Route 66 and Americana.