Long House Alaskan Hotel Anchorage

... the bears (most of them are brown bears or grizzlies) can get all the food they need before hibernating in the mountains. You have to be very careful when visiting the region because bears are everywhere and you may meet them at any moment! As soon as you arrive at Brooks Lodge, the rangers tell you what to do – and not to do! – if you happen to encounter a bear: you should talk to him while ...

Took the train from Talkeetna to Anchorage yesterday...another nice ride. We saw a moose as we crossed through the grounds of Elmendorf Air Force Base. It was dark and rainy so no pictures of him.

I am now sitting at the Anchorage airport waiting for my flight home. It will be a little more pleasant as for an extra 10k frequent flier miles I was able to get first class seats for the return trip. That will be nice on a red eye ...

... catch. The glaciers were awesome and as a whole breathtaking beauty all around.

On arriving at Whittier we went through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel which is 2.5 miles long and at the other end we popped out at Portage Lake where we had lunch and we were in luck and had another clear view of the glaciers although we had loads of knats hanging around.

Along the Turnagain Arm we looked out for the Beluga Whales and guess what ...

... Healy)163m. 3.5 hrs.
Denali - Rafting Trip
Dinner - Lynx Creek Pizza
Lodging - Ridgetop Cabins Healy


Friday July 24
Denali Shuttle Bus 5:45 AM - 6:15 PM
Dinner - Black Diamond Inn
Lodging - Ridgetop Cabins Healy


Sat July 25

Healy to Anchorage 211m. 4.5 hrs.
Do Market in Anchorage for a few hours
Dinner - Gwennies Old Alaska

The last night at Alaska. No specific schedule, just shopping, and easy short drive to the berry farm to see the chocolate fountain. Our flight was like 1:28 a.m., so we got to the airport around 10 p.m. Finally, the night fell. I was so glad to see the night. My eyes felt comfortable. No wonder we all felt sore for the eyes, the sun's been shining all day long!

... stepped out first, the other two guys waited and gestured for me to step out next and I did, thanking them and wishing them luck in their evening pursuit. Amused beyond what is probably normal, I went to the front desk, got my quarters (are you aware there's only 19 quarters for $5 bill? -- oops!) got my Aquafina and nearly ran back to the room to share my adventure with my online buddy. "Are you sure its just water you're drinking?" my ...

... how good they are to me, was not in my career plan. Other than stopping through for a few days or visiting, I haven't stayed with my own family since I was a sophomore in college. Let me tell you, it is an adjustment. Pretty much coming back in general is an adjustment. We don't have to live out of a bag, wear the same clothes for 3 days or make do with what we have ...

... sleep. Watch the movie. Can't, jumpy boy is all over the seat with a giant orb of cranium blocking my view no matter how I sit. His parents are checked out. You can almost here them say, "whatever, he isn't making any noise". Speaking of noise, the pillow therapy must have worked on that tantrum back there. In between movies the plane flying over the map of the globe pops up to taunt us. I think the clock is slow. As my feet swell, the evening snack comes along. I can recognize ...

... challenge for beautiful views of Resurrection Bay, the surrounding mountains, and the town of Seward. We only got up about 2/3 of the way because we had a late start. It was well worth the challenge, though, and I would do it again and aim for the peak if I had another chance. We ate at a crab restaurant (expensive) in town before finding the RV park next to the water as a decent place to spend the night.

Sunday, July 10 - Today has been a free day, just in time! We have enjoyed not being on a bus, although we will be on one on Monday and Tuesday. Thought perhaps a word about gas prices might be appropriate (Bob Sortland asked so may others are curious. To tell you the truth, I try not to think about it very much - it is easier to enjoy what we are doing. Last night we filled up at a nearby station and paid $2.119 per gallon. This is about the best we have ...