home from Alaska! (off topic)

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-02-2003
home from Alaska! (off topic)
2
Thu, 07-28-2005 - 5:28pm

Hi everyone!
Well, I just got back from my trip to Alaska. Remember, I was going solo? Well, there was another woman on the tour who was also going solo! So it worked out pretty well, we got paired together for alot of the activities, plus alot of the older folks "adopted" me during the trip, making sure I was always included on things. It was pretty funny, even during times when I would have appreciated a quiet moment to myself, they would seek me out to see if I'd like to join them in whatever activity they were doing. They'd save a seat for me at dinner and insist that I share a wine toast with them. It was kind of cute.

During my trip I spent a day visiting Fairbanks, Alaska, in which I got a tour of the northernmost substantial city in Alaska, (just 100 miles shy of the arctic circle), visited the site of the trans-Alaska Pipeline, visited the University of Fairbanks Museum, went on a riverboat cruise, and attended a wine and cheese reception, all in one day! (btw, the sun never really went down. There were 2 hours between 3am and 5am where you could call it "dusk").

The next day we were off to Denali National Park and Preserve for 2 days to see the tallest mountain in North America - Mt. McKinley - bright as day and covered in snow. It was magnificent. I was told that only 20% of visitors get to see the mountain, because it is always surrounded by clouds so we were indeed lucky. I took the Tundra Wilderness Tour into the park and saw 6 grizzly bears (including a mother bear and her cub), 8 caribou, 2 wolves, many dall sheep, a moose, and LOTS of ptarmigans (Alaska state bird) and squirrels.

Later that day I went to visit Jeff King (Iditarod Champion) and his dogs. That was fun. He let me hold a couple of his puppies, but no matter how much I flirted with him he wouldn't let me take one home. LOL

Next up was travel by train in a glass domed rail car to a small town called Talkeetna. This is far from city life. These folks enjoy their wildnerness and they have a "Moose Dropping Festival" as their main event every year. LOL Then off to Anchorage, which I've been to many times and love.

I had a really great time, and being alone wasn't so hard after all, although I guess if I had NOT been adopted by all of these nice people or had the other solo to get paired up with, it could have been a little more lonely or awkward for me. But I had a blast!

Hope everyone is doing well!

Avatar for myprecioustwo
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-08-2003
Fri, 07-29-2005 - 3:33am

Sounds cool! Awesome that you had such a great time! Glad to see your back. :-)

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-13-2005
Fri, 07-29-2005 - 11:39am

Welcome back!! Your trip sounds just wonderful. I have always wanted to see that area!!

I just looked up the Iditarod dog and no wonder you would want one - they are gorgeous!!

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