Imagine being a resident of an Alaskan
town of 900 people and watching thousands of passengers
debarking from six massive cruise lines! Similarly, settlers
bombarded this pristine stretch of land in the mid-1800s,
heeding the lure of the Gold Rush as they moved in among the
mountains, dormant volcanoes, glaciers, and vast forests. An
Alaskan adventure is a great trip for history buffs. The
Alaskan Native people lived in some of the worst conditions and
used whale and moose for food with historic mines all
around.
In Juneau, a classic Alaskan tour is the "Four Glaciers By
Helicopter & Dog Sled Adventure." The unparalled excursion
will not only provide close-ups of goats, bear, caribou and the
awesome moose, but you'll fly above the massive glaciers of
Dead Branch, East Twin, Hole-in-the-Wall and Dead Branch. When
you land on Norris Glacier, you will find your Alaskan malamute
and an Alaskan husky dogsled team waiting for you. To explain
every aspect of this 1000 mile Iditarod race, you will have a
guide. The race incidentally moves from Anchorage to
Nome. For two hours of ethereal zen, you will enjoy exploring
crevasses and streams. Those who are fit, brave, curious and
oblivious to the freezing temperatures are best-suited for the
adventure.
Are Alaskan cruises just not the answer to
fulfilling your passion for the water? Are you wishing for
a wildlife-viewing event that is both original and
relaxing? The "Wildlife River Adventure" in Haines,
Alaska, may suit you better. First on the agenda is a bus
trip through a quaint one-house town, followed by a visit
to the world-renowed Chilkat Bald Easgle Preserve. The
narrow glacial channels of the frigid Chilkat River will
be your jet-boat highway as you venture deeper into
Alaska's pristine natural wilderness, full of fauna from
the majestic eagle's nests high in the trees to the
mud-and-snow-hut dens of the friendly sea otter. The
expedition comes to a close with a cup of hot cocoa around
a campfire, or if you prefer, inside the heated
pavilion.
You will want to take in the "White Pass Scenic Railway"
that takes you to see views of Alaska that the gold seekers of
the past may have seen. Traveling in an old fashioned parlor
car, you'll pass Bridal Vein Falls, Inspiration Point and Dead
Horse Gulch to reach the top of a 2,800 foot mountain. You can
choose between a round trip or a bus ride. It's one of the most
popular tours because of the extraordinary history it reveals
about Alaska.
Sarah: How a Hockey Mom Turned Alaska's Political Establishment Upside Down
Average Customer Rating: 4.0 Review (rating: 5): Just FYI: Obama operatives are creating phony "conservative" reviews to spread lies and smear Palin---trying to dissuade moderates and independents. Last year, Newsweek magazine had an article praising Governor Palin's "pragmatic, postpartisan approach to solving problems, a style that works especially well with the large numbers of independent voters." You can read it at: http://www.newsweek.com/id/42534/
Into the Wild
Amazon Price: $11.16 Used Price: $3.99 Average Customer Rating: 4.0 Review (rating: 5): and for me - Jon Krakauer's writing is the kind of stuff that makes for late nights and tired workdays. I can't pay him a higher compliment. This one was a bit different than his other efforts in that Krakuer plays more the role of detective/sociologist rather than an an insightful expedition biographer. However, the story was as rivetting and perhaps even more powerful. I'm anxiously awaiting his next one! I'd also recommend reading Georgiou's masterpiece-- THE FATES, Fates (classic) if you haven't yet. I stumbled upon it at a book store and can't stop talking about it. His writing style is very similar to Jon Krakauer
The Milepost 2008 (Milepost)
Amazon Price: $18.45 Used Price: $18.44 Average Customer Rating: 5.0 Review (rating: 4): Excellent reference guide for trips to and within Alaska by road. We flew a small plane to Alaska and found it very useful once we were on the ground and moving around by car. Information is detailed, well-organized, and unbiased.The Milepost 2008 (Milepost)