Day 7, Monday, July 25

 We are in Anchorage for a full day of sightseeing and a surprise for Barb.

Ed first went up to the Lounge for his free breakfast and the quantity and quality of the food was very good for a US Marriott.

After breakfast we left to go the Visitors Center and took the Anchorage Trolly at 10:00am.

The trolly took us on a 1-hour sightseeing ride around the city and it was fun.

One of the major facts about Anchorage was the earthquake that occurred on March 27, 1964 which was the largest in US history (magnitude 9.2 on the Richter scale) and the second largest ever recorded in the world. Only 115 people died because it was a holiday.

The main road downtown in Anchorage was split right down the middle with one side dropping 14 feet!

The driver showed us an area out by the airport that and entire section of houses were destroyed when the earth also dropped there by 14 feet!!

The other amazing site was the airport for private planes.  There were hundreds of them and there were several lakes actually at the airport where the small float planes were docked and could take off and land from.   

After the tour, we went around the corner to have an early lunch at the F Street Station because Rick Snow had recommended it and it was very good.

Then it was time to go to the Anchorage Center for the Performing Arts where we received a private tour by the Stage Manager (who had been there 30 years) of an amazing facility.  They have multiple auditoriums for different sizes of performances.  Back stage we walked down an isle that had posters and signatures of all the performers and staff that had appeared there, including Jan Leno who was the initial performer.

Then Ed stalled until it was 3:00pm and went to Sullivans Steakhouse to meet Lil and Bob Crow who we had met in Puerto Rico a number of years ago way out in the countryside when we were driving about the island.  Barb was really surprised.  There are now living 2 hours north of Anchorage and living on several hundred acres off the grid.  They had amazing stories and we had a fun couple of hours talking about their life in Alaska.

We then went back to the Performing Arts Center to see a movie about the Aurora Borealis and it was very interesting.

Finally, after 13,000 steps we made it back to the hotel and our busy day was finished.

Tomorrow we are still in Anchorage and have some wonderful things to do.

Stay tuned for tomorrow.

Night - Night

                                                            One of the runways at the airport

                                                Flowers are amazing here - everything is 

                                                bigger than back home.  These are 3' tall!!

                                                            Lunch at the F Street Station

                                          The main stage at the Center for the Performing Arts

                                                            Backstage walkway

                                                               Lil and Robert Crow

                                                                   Ahi Tuna for dinner

                                             It's 10:00pm and sunset is at 11:00pm but it be

                                                light out all night!!   This is too weird

                                                It's after 11pm and the sun has set!!

Day 6, Sunday, July 24

 

We slept in as there was nothing we wanted to do except get on the train. We left the hotel at 11:00am because that was the latest the hotel shuttle was available to go to the train station.The train was right on time so we took off at 12:30pm for 8 hour trip to Anchorage.

Soon after we left they called us to breakfast which was very good. We enjoy our lunch sitting with a couple from California.

Then it was just a long train ride for 6 hours when we stopped at the town of Talkeena to left a large group off.

For dinner we were joined by a couple from West Virginia and had a very good meal with a nice couple.
Then we passed be the little town that Rick Snow lives in.


As it is close to Anchorage there were regular houses and stores. Rick lives out of town in a house he built with his own airplane hanger!

We were delayed getting into Anchorage due to the tracks being overheated and the train had to slow down. Then as we were already late, we had to pull of on a siding to let a large freight train pass.


We finally made it into Anchorage about 2 hours late and then we took a Uber to the Downtown Marriott.

We are going to have a fun couple of days in Anchorage.


Night - night

Our Train to Anchorage for the next 10 hours
 

The view from the train as we were on our way

Going over a very long bridge

                                                                Great seat location

More mountains - these are smaller ones then in Denali

Our huge room at the Downtown Marriott until Wednesday

Day 5, Saturday, July 24

This day had been secretly planned for a very long time as a special occasion for Barb.

At 9:30am we left the room and went to the little local airstrip.  It is not an airport as there are no buildings there and it is just a one short landing strip next to the train station.

There we were first fortunate to see a mother Moose and her two babies come out of the bushes between the airstrip and the train tracks and walk right towards us.  It was amazing to see something that close just walking around.

Then Barb went into the train terminal and Ed waited for an old friend of Barbs family who used to live just north of us to arrive in his plane.

At 10:00am Rick landed and walked over to the train station while Barb was still inside.  Ed went in and told her there was another Moose and she came out and was totally, totally surprised to see Rick standing there.  It was an amazing moment.

After catching up for a few minutes, Rick, in his two-seater Piper Cub took Barb up for her first small plane ride for an hour or so and Barb loved the ride and the experience of seeing Denali Park and the Mountain from the air.  The Rick took Ed up and both of us had amazing flights around Denali.

When the flights were done, we took a cab into town, had a late lunch and spend a lot of time talking about the time when Rick and his family were in Merna.  They lived just north of us and Barb has known them since they were little kids.  Rick is now 71!!

We then took Rick back to the airstrip and he flew home, which was abut 2 hours away.  We make plans to hopefully meet Rick and his daughter Allison in Anchorage Monday or Tuesday for dinner.

We walked across the road from the train station to a bus stop within Denali Park where we bought tickets for a 4 ½ hour round trip into the park as far as the road will let you.

We boarded the bus at 4:30pm and since it was one of the last busses for the evening, there were only 2 other people on this big bus with us.  So, it was almost like hiring your own personal tour guide. 

During the trip, we saw some Mountain Goats, Cariboo and a couple of Wolverines so it was eventful.

The view however was the real attraction, including Denali which is the highest mountain in North America.  We were told that there have only been 5% of the people visiting the park have seen the entire Denali Mountain without any clouds and we were so trilled to see the mountain several times in all its beauty!

We arrived back at the hotel at 9:30pm, packed for tomorrow’s trip to Anchorage on the train and finally went to sleep.

Night from Denali and tomorrow is Anchorage.

                                                        Barb meeting Rick Snow in Denali

Momma and her babies

Barb and Rick - ready to take off

Rick Snow flying Ed in Denali

Rick Snow flying Ed low in Denali

 

The three of us - what a great day!!
 

                                    Denali Mountain - actually Mt. McKinley from 60 miles away

Day 4, Friday, July 23

Train Time!!

We were at the hotel shuttle at 6:45am for the trip to the train station.

Our train trip for the 3 train trips is the Alaskan Railroad and on their Gold Star Service.  This means we will be one of only 2 cars on the train that will have seating in the dome as well as in each of the 2 cars, its own dining room and kitchen on the lower.  In addition, each of the 2 cars has its own bar and bartender.  We get unlimited soda, water and 2 drinks per person on the trip.

We left the station at 8:ooam, right on time and spent the next 4 ½ hours on the train.

Immediately after the train left the station, they asked us to go down for breakfast.  We each had a biscuit, scrambled eggs, potatoes and rain deer sausage and it was pretty good.      

For the first 3 hours it was just a lot of pretty scenery; however, Barb did see a Bear and a Moose while Ed saw a Mountain Goat high up one of the big hills.

The last hour+ the train followed a stream and we were able to get some great pictures to share with all.

We arrived in Damali at Noon and were picked up by our hotels shuttle and taken to our cabin in a place called The Crows Next.   The cabins go up the mountain in 4 levels and we originally had a king cabin on the 4^th level which would have been impossible for us to climb the steep drive so they moved us to the lobby level and into the only room available, a twin but the room is a perfect little cabin.

We took the hotel shuttle to the Denali Visitor’ Center and then a park bus to the dog sled area for a chance to see their dogs and listen to a speaker on how they train the dogs.  At the end of the presentation, they brought down 5 brand new puppies that were just starting their training and attempted to get them to run back to their kennel area – it was hilarious!!

When we came to the dog’s area, it started to rain and it continued to rain gently for the next hour.  We were able to be under a shelter as we watched the dog demonstration.

Then we watched two short movies about the park and its 6 million acres as well as a movie about the dogs.  It is amazing how they train the dogs and because of environmental impacts, most of the part is only accessible by dog sled.  We spent some time with a Ranger and they take the dogs our in 3 person teams for 3 to 4 weeks at a time when the temperatures are 20 to 40 below zero!!  Fortunately, they have cabins that they stay in each night.  The cabins are stocked by dog sleds also.  The longest they go is to the far reaches, which is 90 miles from their home in the park – all by dog sled.

Then it was back to the hotel and we ate our best meal of the trips at the hotel’s restaurant called The Outlook. 

For a lot of these days, we will post videos at the end of the entire trip on one blog page.

Tomorrow is going to be a fun day as no rain is predicted.

You will not believe what we are going to do.

Stay tuned – night from the side of a big hill in Denali

Breakfast on the train

Our car

Just great views

 

One of the Sled Dogs on his house

They live in these year around, even at 40 below!!

At least it keeps the rain out!

5 pupies in training - there will be a video at the end of the entire blog

Our cabin

 

Finishing a wonderful dinner with a Baked Alaskan

Day 3, Thursday, July 21

A perfect start for the day as we slept in until about 10:00am.  Then it was off walking to the Fairbanks Cultural and Visitors Center.  

On the way we stopped at the Ice Museum and watched a video about their annual ice sculpturing festival which last most of the winder.  After the movie, we put on warm coats and walked into a 20-degree area with a whole bunch of ice sculptures including a small sled run which both of us road down and it was a lot of fun.  Then we watch a demo of making a small ice sculpture.

After that we continued out walk to the visitor’s center whch was a huge building with a large number of displays about the history of Fairbanks which was really interesting.   This was a huge building with a large number of displays about the history of Fairbanks which was really interesting.    

About a couple of hours there, we walked back to the main street in town and ate at a nice little restaurant.

Alaska has Burroughs instead of counties and the Fairbanks Burrough has about 100,000 people, not the town which has only about 7,000 people. 

After lunch we took a Uber to the University of Alaska Museum of the North.  As we were walking into the building the power went out for the University and about ½ the town of Fairbanks. 

So, we walked about a mile downhill to the botanical gardens of the University which was amazing.

After spending about an hour there, we took their shuttle back to the Museum and spent until they closed at 6:00pm and then we took an Uber back to hotel, changed and took an Uber to a restaurant called The Pump House.

The Pump House is on the National Historical Registry and inside was an amazing assortment of “stuff” from the past.  We had a wonderful maple glazed salmon dinner followed by an apple dessert with a side of vanilla/caramel ice cream. 

Then it was back to the hotel to pack for tomorrow which will be riding the Gold Service Alaskan Railroad to Denali for a couple of days of fun.

Night from Fairbanks

Inside the Ice Museum

Soooo Cute!!  Sooooo Cold!!!

The Gardens

Lots of displays of the aminals of Alaska

The Pump House Restaurant

Dinner

and desert!

Alaskan Cruise – 2022 - Days 1 & 2

Day 1, Tuesday, July 19

Finally, our trip to Alaska.  We had this scheduled for 2020 and 2021 and of course they were cancelled.

This trip is different in a lot of ways from our typical cruise. 

First of all, we are going to 5 different cities, Seattle, Fairbanks, Denali, Anchorage and Seward  before boarding our cruise ship the Celebrity Millennium on the 29^th of July.

Barb is going to be very, very, surprise at two surprises that are planned for her – stay tuned.

We started our day at 3:30am as our flight from Bloomington – Atlanta – Seattle was to take off at 5:50am.  There used to be an 11am flight out of town, but Delta cancelled it leaving only early morning and late afternoon flights.

We arrived in Atlanta with plenty of time to relax in the Delta Sky Lounge and thank goodness for that perk as the airport was jammed.

Our flight to Seattle was 5 hours and 16 minutes -   really long flight.

After retrieving our one piece of checked luggage, the took the hotel to the Airport Marriott, about 15 minutes away.  It would have been nice to stay downtown; however, the drive is about an hour and $50.

For $7.00 for a round trip ticket, we took a very nice train into the center of the city and walked to the famous Pikes Market to first of all eat. 

After we had a nice meal of Salmon and then walked around and down to the entertainment area where we took a ride on their big ferris wheel.  It was fun.

 Finally, at about 9pm we took the train back. 

We made the mistake of sending pictures to the kids and all of a sudden Barb realized that at 9am it was midnight home!!  Whoops.

By the time we got to bed, we had been up 23 hours!!

Day 2 – Wednesday, July 20 - 

We took the hotel shuttle to the airport at 9am and had breakfast in the Delta Lounge before boarding our plan at 11:30am.  It was another long flight, this time 4 hours. 

 We checked into the Wyndham Bridgewater Hotel, for the next couple of day, unpacked our carry-on bags and looked at all we are going to do in Fairbanks.

Tonight we went to the Alaska Salmon Bake & Palace Theater.  It is about a 2 mile walk from the hotel so we took a Uber.  Much to our surprise the driver was a volunteer fireman and the vechile he was driving was a Ford F150 truck!!

The food at the Salmon Bake was about about average+  and the show was fun  It is billed as Alaska’s top comedy revue.

At 6pm as we are about to go out, the tempteture was 69 degrees.

The sun sets tonight at 11:45pm as this is now the time of the Midnight Sun and that's really going to be weird!!

Night from Fairbanks

                                                        Becker didn't want us to leave!!

                                                  Breakfast in Atlanta in the Delta Lounge

                                                        Mt Ranier from the plane

                                                        Dinner at Pikes Market - Seatlle

                                                                 Will she go on it??

                                                        Yes she did - just a little apprehensive!!

                                                        Mt Ranier from the ferriswheel

                                                                Gas in Seattle

Breakfast in Seattle

                                                                    Maybe Denalli

Our Uber

The cooks

Eating dinner out in the woods.  Barb had the Pacific Cod and Ed the Salmon

Part of the show

                                     More of the show - yes the person in the middle is a man!!

Sunset at 11:00pm