I am back from Amazing ALASKA..I want to share trip highlights with you!

[vieprivee]

ONE MORE TRY!

BACK by popular demand!

HI, fellow DOD members! I missed you all and hope you are all doing well! DO I EVER have a lot of catching up to do here! But first let me share trip highlights! PLEASE feel free to ask me any questions and ask for any clarifications if needed. Here it goes!


I am FINALLY back from Alaska and I had an AMAZING time. It is truly "The Last Frontier" and "Land of the Midnight Sun" all rolled into one....AND more! I flew into Anchorage and was greeted by my old friend from New Jersey that I hadn't seen in three years. She lives in Palmer, about 40 miles from Anchorage, a really lovely area. Her home has magnificent views of snow-covered mountains, including one grand mountain called Pioneer Peak. We toured the area around where she lives, including Hatcher Pass(a LOVELY area with a phenomenal view of bold mountains)and a closed gold mine, and Iditarod HQ(amazing dogs!), went to a musk ox farm too. We saw our first moose on the way to Hatcher Pass. We also went to see our first glacier(Matanuska Glacier), hiked above it and then walked to it and on it. SOME experience!! We ate our dinners at lodges overlooking lakes and mountains, everything very picturesque.
We visited the Kenai Peninsula too, going to Whittier(through a tunnel that is through a mountain and only one lane)to take a catamaran([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]) Prince William Sound. We passed the visitors center for what used to be Portage Glacier(receeded far too fast and NOT at the center anymore) and saw our first chunks of amazing vertical blue glacial ice, about 20 feet tall that had calved(broken off)from the glacier some miles away.. AMAZING! We saw LOADS of eagles on the way to Whittier, saw numerous adorable sea otters, seals, and orcas on our boat trip, and of course LOADS of glaciers and glacial ice.
We left Whittier and arrived at Seward, a really LOVELY town.([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]) This is where the cruise lines seem to embark, saw a humongous Princess Cruiseline ship there. We had our firsrea. Her home has magnificent views of snow-covered mountains, including one grand mountain called Pioneer Peak. We toured the area around where she lives, including Hatcher Pass(a LOVELY area with a phenomenal view of bold mountains)and a closed gold mine, and Iditarod HQ(amazing dogs!), went to a musk ox farm too. We saw our first moose on the way to Hatcher Pass. We also went to see our first glacier(Matanuska Glacier), hiked above it and then walked to it and on it. SOME experience!! We ate our dinners at lodges overlooking lakes and mountains, everything very picturesque.
We visited the Kenai Peninsula too, going to Whittier(through a tunnel that is through a mountain and only one lane)to take a catamaran([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]) Prince William Sound. We passed the visitors center for what used to be Portage Glacier(receeded far too fast and NOT at the center anymore) and saw our first chunks of amazing vertical blue glacial ice, about 20 feet tall that had calved(broken off)from the glacier some miles away.. AMAZING! We saw LOADS of eagles on the way to Whittier, saw numerous adorable sea otters, seals, and orcas on our boat trip, and of course LOADS of glaciers and glacial ice.
We left Whittier and arrived at Seward, a really LOVELY town.([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]) This is where the cruise lines seem to embark, saw a humongous Princess Cruiseline ship there. We had our first halibut there, ely area. Her home has magnificent views of snow-covered mountains, including one grand mountain called Pioneer Peak. We toured the area around where she lives, including Hatcher Pass(a LOVELY area with a phenomenal view of bold mountains)and a closed gold mine, and Iditarod HQ(amazing dogs!), went to a musk ox farm too. We saw our first moose on the way to Hatcher Pass. We also went to see our first glacier(Matanuska Glacier), hiked above it and then walked to it and on it. SOME experience!! We ate our dinners at lodges overlooking lakes and mountains, everything very picturesque.
We visited the Kenai Peninsula too, going to Whittier(through a tunnel that is through a mountain and only one lane)to take a catamaran([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]) Prince William Sound. We passed the visitors center for what used to be Portage Glacier(receeded far too fast and NOT at the center anymore) and saw our first chunks of amazing vertical blue glacial ice, about 20 feet tall that had calved(broken off)from the glacier some miles away.. AMAZING! We saw LOADS of eagles on the way to Whittier, saw numerous adorable sea otters, seals, and orcas on our boat trip, and of course LOADS of glaciers and glacial ice.
We left Whittier and arrived at Seward, a really LOVELY town.([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]) This is where the cruise lines seem to embark, saw a humongous Princess Cruiseline ship t halibut there, ely area. Her home has magnificent views of snow-covered mountains, including one grand mountain called Pioneer Peak. We toured the area around where she lives, including Hatcher Pass(a LOVELY area with a phenomenal view of bold mountains)and a closed gold mine, and Iditarod HQ(amazing dogs!), went to a musk ox farm too. We saw our first moose on the way to Hatcher Pass. We also went to see our first glacier(Matanuska Glacier), hiked above it and then walked to it and on it. SOME experience!! We ate our dinners at lodges overlooking lakes and mountains, everything very picturesque.
We visited the Kenai Peninsula too, going to Whittier(through a tunnel that is through a mountain and only one lane)to take a catamaran([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]) Prince William Sound. We passed the visitors center for what used to be Portage Glacier(receeded far too fast and NOT at the center anymore) and saw our first chunks of amazing vertical blue glacial ice, about 20 feet tall that had calved(broken off)from the glacier some miles away.. AMAZING! We saw LOADS of eagles on the way to Whittier, saw numerous adorable sea otters, seals, and orcas on our boat trip, and of course LOADS of glaciers and glacial ice.
We left Whittier and arrived at Seward, a really LOVELY town.([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]) This is where the cruise lines seem to embark, saw a humongous Princess Cruiseline ship there. We had our first halibut there, delicious fresh fish, caught right at the docks where we ate. The town is great, went to a sealife center there as well. After leaving Seward we went to Homer and stayed on the spit.([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]) It is so beautiful there, as is so much we saw. We did see LOADS of Dall sheep on the mountains on our way to the Kenai Peninsula, as well as bald eagles. A large brown bear even sauntered across the raod....shocking!
Our next adventure was in Fairbanks,
([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]) where we went on a GREAT riverboat ride and met Barbara Butcher of Iditarod fame(won a number of times). We went to Chena Hot Springs([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]), saw the Alaska Pipeline, visited the University of Alaska Museum, went to Pioneer Park ([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now] and did lots more including going to North Pole, Alaska!. I LOVE Fairbanks!!
Next destination was Denali National Park, the CROWN AND GLORY of my trip! ( [Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now] ) We saw caribou and Dall sheep all over the place even before we took our bus ride. You must go into the park in a school bus, light- weight and maneuverable around the hairpin curves on the dirt road. One can only drive in 15 miles by car, which we did, and hiked a bit, seeing caribu so close that it was amazithere. We had our first halibut there, delicious fresh fish, caught right at the docks where we ate. The town is great, went to a sealife center there as well. After leaving Seward we went to Homer and stayed on the spit.([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]) It is so beautiful there, as is so much we saw. We did see LOADS of Dall sheep on the mountains on our way to the Kenai Peninsula, as well as bald eagles. A large brown bear even sauntered across the raod....shocking!
Our next adventure was in Fairbanks,
([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]) where we went on a GREAT riverboat ride and met Barbara Butcher of Iditarod fame(won a number of times). We went to Chena Hot Springs([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]), saw the Alaska Pipeline, visited the University of Alaska Museum, went to Pioneer Park ([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now] and did lots more including going to North Pole, Alaska!. I LOVE Fairbanks!!
Next destination was Denali National Park, the CROWN AND GLORY of my trip! ( [Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now] ) We saw caribou and Dall sheep all over the place even before we took our bus ride. You must go into the park in a school bus, light- weight and maneuverable around the hairpin curves on the dirt road. One can only drive in 15 miles by car, which we did, and hiked a bit, seeing caribu so close that it was amazing(like 5 feet?!)We took our eight hour trip to Eielsen Visitors center...4 hours into the pdelicious fresh fish, caught right at the docks where we ate. The town is great, went to a sealife center there as well. After leaving Seward we went to Homer and stayed on the spit.([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]) It is so beautiful there, as is so much we saw. We did see LOADS of Dall sheep on the mountains on our way to the Kenai Peninsula, as well as bald eagles. A large brown bear even sauntered across the raod....shocking!
Our next adventure was in Fairbanks,
([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]) where we went on a GREAT riverboat ride and met Barbara Butcher of Iditarod fame(won a number of times). We went to Chena Hot Springs([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]), saw the Alaska Pipeline, visited the University of Alaska Museum, went to Pioneer Park ([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now] and did lots more including going to North Pole, Alaska!. I LOVE Fairbanks!!
Next destination was Denali National Park, the CROWN AND GLORY of my trip! ( [Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now] ) We saw caribou and Dall sheep all over the place even before we took our bus ride. You must go into the park in a school bus, light- weight and maneuverable around the hairpin curves on the dirt road. One can only drive in 15 miles by car, which we did, anng(like 5 feet?!)We took our eight hour trip to Eielsen Visitors center...4 hours into the pdelicious fresh fish, caught right at the docks where we ate. The town is great, went to a sealife center there as well. After leaving Seward we went to Homer and stayed on the spit.([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]) It is so beautiful there, as is so much we saw. We did see LOADS of Dall sheep on the mountains on our way to the Kenai Peninsula, as well as bald eagles. A large brown bear even sauntered across the raod....shocking!
Our next adventure was in Fairbanks,
([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]) where we went on a GREAT riverboat ride and met Barbara Butcher of Iditarod fame(won a number of times). We went to Chena Hot Springs([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]), saw the Alaska Pipeline, visited the University of Alaska Museum, went to Pioneer Park ([Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now] and did lots more including going to North Pole, Alaska!. I LOVE Fairbanks!!
Next destination was Denali National Park, the CROWN AND GLORY of my trip! ( [Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now] ) We saw caribou and Dall sheep all over the place even before we took our bus ride. You must go into the park in a school bus, light- weight and maneuverable around the hairpin curves on the dirt road. One can only drive in 15 miles by car, which we did, and hiked a bit, seeing caribu so close that it was amazing(like 5 feet?!)We took our eight hour trip to Eielsen Visitors center...4 hours into the park, stopping to see grizzly bears and cubs, Dall Sheep, loads of caribou, even a wolverine! I was just sorry we did not see a wolf, but you can't have it all. it was an amazingly beautiful day and we saw Mt McKinley in all its glory! We stayed here...[Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now] The weather was great, about 60-65 most of the time and not much rain at all!
NOW this is what we did while NOT attending my conference during the week.....THAT was a wonderful learning experience too!
All and all, ALASKA is a true GEM and I would love to go back and see so much more that I missed. AND I LOVED the 20+ hours of daylight..it NEVER got really dark! I am sure I forgot to tell you SO MUCH and if I remember anything significant I will post again!





FOR SOME REASON the DOD board will NOT let me post my trip info without portions being repeated over and over again, parts of one paragraph run into others and it makes no sense at all. Besides the links do not work. BUT I AM TRYING AGAIN...guess whatever appears is better than nothing!
[size=1]

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[b][Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now] The weather was great, about 60-65 most of the time and not much rain at all!
NOW this is what we did while NOT attending my conference during the week.....THAT was a wonderful learning experience too!
All and all, ALASKA is a true GEM and I would love to go back and see so much more that I missed. AND I LOVED the 20+ hours of daylight..it NEVER got really dark! I am sure I forgot to tell you SO MUCH and if I remember anything significant I will post again!





FOR SOME REASON the DOD board will NOT let me post my trip info without portions being repeated over and over again, parts of one paragraph run into others and it makes no sense at all. Besides the links do not work. BUT I AM TRYING AGAIN...guess whatever appears is better than nothing!


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Check out these [Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now], or go directly to [Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]
[Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now] EXP: 06.30.2003
Save 20% off of your purchase at ICE.com with coupon code BCD20-394800.

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[mama2calli]

Sounds awesome... I hope to get there someday too!

Glad you had such a neat trip & saw so many cool things! Even the weather was good!

[NaomiMarie]

First off, WELCOME BACK!!!!!
As far as your trip goes, all I can say is WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!!
I'm sure this is something you'll never ever forget!
I've always thought it would be wonderful to travel to Alaska, perhaps someday

Glad you're back safe and sound, I've missed ya girlfriend!

[bwsmom]

Welcome back vie!

I got to read the bulk of your post before you edited it.... it sounds AWESOME!!! Can't wait!! (We're finally going to book the Alaskan cruise I've been dreaming about for the last two decades!!!) I know it won't be nearly the up close and personal experience you had, but your post made me look forward to it all the more!!!

[AndersonGal]

Oh, I bet that was GREAT!!!
Try posting again the trip details. Pleeeease!
We were going to Alaska this year but changed it to Mexico.
BUT......I can't wait to go there myself.

Can't wait to read your story & glad you had a good time.

[vieprivee]

ANYONE who can get themselves to this wonderful place, PLEASE GO! As many of you might be aware, the tourist season begins June first and a lot of things do not open until that date. Apparently it is VERY busy from June 15-August 15 so the best time to go is late May through June 14th..the shoulder season it is called. I could actually see a great increase in tourists at the end of my trip so if you can book early, do so. Denali REALLy does not open a lot of the road until June first so IF you get to Alaska before that date plan Denali at the end of the trip as I did. AND be prepared for HIGH prices!ENOUGH advice, as if I am an expert! I BET lots of DOD members have been to Alaska more times than I have!

WHAT IS GOING ON WITH DOD? I have NO IDEA why my little story on my trip has so many repetitions...this is very frustrating....PLEASE skip all the repeated info!


AndersonGal, get thyself to Alaska. YOU WILL LOVE IT!

bwsmom, I am sure a cruise is GREAT....the Princess Lines seems to own a large chunk of the tourist trade in Alaska, to include lodges everywhere, etc. It is just that I am sure I would be seasick on any cruise..no sealegs whatsoever! NOTHING wrong with a cruise! PLEASE DO GO!


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Check out these [Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now], or go directly to [Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]
[Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now] EXP: 06.30.2003
Save 20% off of your purchase at ICE.com with coupon code BCD20-394800.

[3tbear]

Welcome back, it sounds like a wonderful trip!

I saw wolves the other day at a zoo in Rhode Island, Red wolves. They were so cool. They started howling. I'd only seen them on TV before that.


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[harrykwong]

I thought you went back and forth, revisiting some places a few times. Maybe the travel agent was inebriated when he/she wrote up your itinerary.
I've been lost before and occasionally found myself back at the same place I had been a few hours ago.










Just breaking your igloos, vieprivee.
I know that DoD's programs are misbehaving. As reported in the Error Reports section, long messages get scrambled, with paragraphs being repeated.

Look at the post Solution to DoD posting problem. I would incorporate the text from that post, but then the DoD software may cause this message to become scrambled.

[vieprivee]

I tried EVERYTHING to unscramble this message, spent over two hours on it! And I am the travel agent, arranged it all myself..but the way it posts(NO MATTER WHAT I DO) does appear to be a travel agent on crack or some other drug! Sorry for the mess of a message and I do hope you can make SOME SENSE of it!