Posted on 07/16/2006 8:53:15 PM PDT by grey_whiskers
This is the first of a 3- or 4-part thread on my recent trip to Alaska. Partly to record it for posterity, and partly as a way of saying thanks to a number of FReepers (you know who you are!) who gave me advice and encouragement while planning the trip.
This will be a description of our recent trip to Alaska, liberally sprinkled with anecdotes and mentions of places I liked.
For the purposes of this trip, “our” is myself, my wife, “the Cubs”—our two teenage-type children, and “Auntie Em”, who has always wanted to visit Alaska. Oh, yes, and the cat, who for the purr-pose of anonymity, will be referred to only as “grey_whiskers”.
Attention Moderators: Please let me know if the mentions of specific restaurants is a no-no, I am not trying to advertise…
Our trip began with an early evening flight out of Phoenix. When we got to the airport, parking was not a problem, but the security lines were. Yes, you guessed it. Grey_whiskers was in a mandatory cat carrier, and absolutely *refused* to come out, even when the carrier was tipped up perpendicular to the ground. We finally had to remove the pad she was lying on, take off the front door of the carrier, and p-u-l-l slowly by one hind leg, one front leg, and the scruff of her neck. The advantage was that the security staff was laughing too hard to question me about being a possible FReeper.
The flight was very interesting. First, the in-flight movie was Steve Martin’s The Pink Panther; second, the sound system was provided by a colicky baby in the row behind me, preventing sleep; third, the sun never quite set. In fact, the sun first came close to setting, then slowly rose in the sky. Even though it was getting later in the evening, we were heading *Northwest*. You know, to Alaska. The land of the midnight sun.
When we arrived, it was 12:15 or 12:30 in the morning and kind of a grey twilight. This was partly due to the sun, partly due to overcast weather. We saw a number of fascinating things at the gate—the obligatory Moose and Caribou, but also a stuffed and mounted 400-lb halibut. A state record. As we moved down the concourse to collect our luggage, we stared at a stuffed and mounted Polar Bear (standing up) in a display case. But our scenery and our introduction to nature had only begun!
We gathered our luggage, and I headed off to the rental car agency. As it turns out, this was in the other concourse—yes, the Anchorage airport has two terminals, and we had arrived in the one without rental cars. While walking across to that terminal, I was chiefly aware of two wonderful things:
1) the temperature was in the 50’s or so – a relief from the 110+ of Phoenix
2) oh my God, MOUNTAINS!!! Beautiful, slate-grey, flecked with snow, overbearing. This was the Chugach range, which wanders around near Anchorage.
To be continued…
I will post more tomorrow :-)
Thanks again.
"to be continued"
Can hardly wait for the next installment!
Sounds like you enjoyed your visit. Looking forward to your "travelogue". Thanks for the ping.
Bookmark to read while awake.
I love Alaska.
First arrived in 1988 with the Navy.
Have tried to return every five years.
Unfortunately, the last time I was there was in 1998.
I missed out on 2003.
Perhaps I will go twice in '08...
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