tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42697109269442216442024-03-19T00:13:19.244-04:0072 Hours To GoDetailed travel itineraries so you spend more time exploring, and less time planning, your next 3 day adventureAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11608795039469425315noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-9029924584387237572016-07-02T08:54:00.001-04:002016-07-02T08:54:44.976-04:00Website Has Moved!<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11608795039469425315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-60740379484801438042016-04-06T19:13:00.001-04:002016-04-06T19:13:04.951-04:00Contest - Detailed Itinerary Giveaway!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh75q9g9CwST3LSLSGx6x7votwU1jXY5STzxTtz0rI88yp_cTuQENBuOxqHWuM9AljxfK1HBRLDBwRpVa9nFtBoFU-iZBsG4ZRxjgU7m_KIsl6_pm5lFWGclirk-tnF9VTnFzOvxXDzM98/s1600/72+Hours+To+Go+-+Blog+Giveaway+-+Itinerary+-+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh75q9g9CwST3LSLSGx6x7votwU1jXY5STzxTtz0rI88yp_cTuQENBuOxqHWuM9AljxfK1HBRLDBwRpVa9nFtBoFU-iZBsG4ZRxjgU7m_KIsl6_pm5lFWGclirk-tnF9VTnFzOvxXDzM98/s320/72+Hours+To+Go+-+Blog+Giveaway+-+Itinerary+-+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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How would you like to have your next long weekend completely planned for you? All you have to do is book some easy to follow reservations and pack? Check out the giveaway happening on my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/72hourstogo/" target="_blank">Instagram for @72hourstogo</a> for all the details. Contest goes through midnight on Friday. Look for the red giveaway image - all you need to do is like that photo, follow the account, and leave a comment with what destination you would want planned out for you. For a bonus entry, tag a friend who you would want to travel with sometime. That's it!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX9eOlbDwtN2VEIp3y49BVCUsHFMxpMVXMJuhdJiKOOtj31cxDA2s2qGGQNf1NRerW5bPHtQJNejmCIBQ998G_h5HPiuQslmhLU0URmJp8lv44XIwCiDhn6r6fWoqO5IeJWGFnJA43Lvo/s1600/72+Hours+To+Go+-+Blog+Giveaway+-+Itinerary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX9eOlbDwtN2VEIp3y49BVCUsHFMxpMVXMJuhdJiKOOtj31cxDA2s2qGGQNf1NRerW5bPHtQJNejmCIBQ998G_h5HPiuQslmhLU0URmJp8lv44XIwCiDhn6r6fWoqO5IeJWGFnJA43Lvo/s320/72+Hours+To+Go+-+Blog+Giveaway+-+Itinerary.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And for anyone who doesn't have Instagram but wants to enter, leave a comment on this blog post with your dream destination and I will enter you into the drawing. For bonus entry, forward the link to this blog [<a href="http://72hourstogo.com/">http://72hourstogo.com</a>] to a friend and encourage them to check it out - leave another comment if you do that for a second entry into the drawing.<br />
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Winner will be announced after midnight on Friday and will be contacted with more details so I can start working on a custom itinerary for your next vacation. Can't wait to see what destinations you come up with!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11608795039469425315noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-22018098039230967032016-03-01T12:05:00.000-05:002016-03-01T12:05:14.458-05:0072 Hours to Go - Breckenridge Ski Weekend<span style="font-family: inherit;">Trusting someone to provide travel recommendations for somewhere they have never been is rarely a good idea. That is why I am only writing itineraries for places I have personally visited. To help give you a little more insight and trust into my research and planning, I am sharing my personal itinerary for an upcoming trip before I go. After the trip, I will report back on what worked and what needs to be changed and will update the itinerary for future use now that it has been vetted. Super thanks to my friend Kel Nino who is local to the area and advised on what kind of things we should do for the weekend!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWdi1XVEzpKOk3XXQOrYoPoPphfrpIUtpVdb0-h7qPU0VtdTjUGJssx3lFBAgLO1d-Vrw5qi4RW45nK7p-x4ySwQrdjg_v4Rv4Ha-NaYdq2luAess7-4eot7_tdGymbBtbQlUoTUIxDi8/s1600/72+Hours+Timeline+Breckenridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWdi1XVEzpKOk3XXQOrYoPoPphfrpIUtpVdb0-h7qPU0VtdTjUGJssx3lFBAgLO1d-Vrw5qi4RW45nK7p-x4ySwQrdjg_v4Rv4Ha-NaYdq2luAess7-4eot7_tdGymbBtbQlUoTUIxDi8/s640/72+Hours+Timeline+Breckenridge.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Itinerary</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<h4>
<span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Day 1</span></b></span></h4>
<ul id="docs-internal-guid-591437a6-2f5f-ce22-d875-225a611c8db9" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 20.2308px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">catch evening flight from home to Denver, Colorado</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">pick up rental car at airport</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">stay at hotel near airport and turn in for the night</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<h4>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Day 2</span></b></h4>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Attire for the day</i> - comfortable clothes for the drive and a short hike; have warm layers and snow gear handy for the dog sledding in the afternoon</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">8:30 am - depart hotel for the mountains [note: I am planning to stay on East Coast time, so anticipate being an early riser, but you could easily shift this to meet your time zone preferences]</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">9:30 am - arrive in <a href="http://redrocksonline.com/the-park/recreation/trails" target="_blank">Red Rocks Park</a> (60 min drive from airport)</span></span></li>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">park opens ~7:30 am</span></span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 20.2308px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">9:40 am - 10:45 am - Hiking in the park</span></span></li>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 14.66px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiEweWAkp7LAhWDdh4KHYQRCjAQFggdMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fredrocksonline.com%2Fimages%2Ffiles%2FRedRocks_ParkMap.pdf&usg=AFQjCNGQV9g-YNYL3qIfAQX3iEeBmwQl8w&sig2=HeNmjeT_oZK746VBf0JWlQ&bvm=bv.115339255,d.dmo" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Red Rocks Trail Map</span></a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Trading Post Trail is 1.4 miles in length, and goes through spectacular rock formations, valleys and a meadow; wear hiking boots</span></span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">10:45 - 11:30 am - Eat at the Ship Rock Grille with fantastic overlook views of the park; opens at 10:30 am</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">11:30 am - depart Red Rocks for Wildernest (60 min drive)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">12:30 pm check into rental</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If not ready to hand off keys, at least fill out paperwork and come back to get keys later</span></span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 pm - depart check in center for dog sled location (30 min drive)</span></span></li>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Head towards Frisco</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">From Frisco, head South on Hwy 9 (Summit Blvd) towards Breckenridge.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Drive about 6 miles until you get to the stop-light at the Tiger Road intersection</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At Tiger Road, turn left and continue on for 6.5 miles until the road dead-ends in our parking lot. Don’t second-guess yourself just keep going until you get to us!</span></span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">NLT 1:45 pm - check in for dog sledding with <a href="http://www.goodtimesadventures.com/dogsledding.html" target="_blank">Good Times Adventure Tours</a></span></span></li>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 20.2308px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">dress in warm layers for a snow/ski type outing; bring camera</span></span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2:15 - 3:30 pm - dog sled excursion</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4 pm or 4:30 pm - Breckenridge Distillery Tour</span></span></li>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1925 Airport Rd, Breckenridge, CO 80424</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(970) 547-9759</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline;">daily</span><span style="font-size: 14.66px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline;">every half hour from 11 am to 5:30 pm; call ahead to place on tour list or just stop in</span></span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After 5:30 - Dinner in Silverthorne at <a href="http://www.dambrewery.com/" target="_blank">Dam Brewery</a> or (if there is a wait) <a href="http://thebakersbrewery.com/" target="_blank">Baker’s Brewery</a></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">pick up groceries for breakfast and pick up keys to condo if not already procured</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">get settled in condo and turn in</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 20.2308px;"><div>
<span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 20.2308px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
</span><h4>
<span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 20.2308px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Day 3</span></span></h4>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Attire for the day:</span></i></span></li>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">ski clothes, goggles, hat, gloves, boots</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">water bottle and a snack bar</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">money and ID</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">change of clothes for evening in Breckenridge</span></span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">7:00 am - depart condo for Breckenridge (40 min drive)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">7:45 am - park in North or South Lots and pay at lot</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">8 am - BreckConnect Gondola opens; 10 min ride from parking lot to Peak 8</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">8-8:30 am check in at Peak 8 Base Camp for <a href="http://www.breckenridge.com/plan-a-trip/book-ski-and-ride-lessons/lessons-selector.aspx" target="_blank">Breckenridge Ski School</a>; pick up gear that you pre-reserved</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">8:45 am - 3:30 pm - first timer group for ski lessons; lunch break TBD within the group</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3:30 pm return gear and take Gondola back into Breckenridge Village</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">~4 pm - apres ski drinks at Angel’s Hollow.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">~5:30 pm - dinner at Angel’s Hollow or The Dredge</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">back at the condo - soak sore muscles in the hot tub</span></span></li>
</ul>
<h4>
<span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Day 4</span></span></h4>
<div>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Attire for the day</i> - snow gear in the morning, keep change of clothes for car ride and airplane handy</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">8:30 am depart condo and drop off keys</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">9 - 11 am - self guided snowshoeing at the <a href="http://frisconordic.com/" target="_blank">Frisco Nordic Center</a></span></span></li>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(970) 668-0866</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">616 Recreation Way, Frisco, Colorado 80442</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">walk ins welcome; $20 rental and $20 trail permit pp; 2 great trails start from the center</span></span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">12 pm depart for the airport (2 hours minimum drive, plus allow for weekend traffic)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 20.2308px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">mid -late afternoon return rental car and flight home</span></span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 20.2308px;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Getting There</span></h3>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Most people fly into Denver International Airport, which is about 2 hours from Breckenridge and Copper Mountain, the first two big ski areas along Hwy 70, with Vail being an additional 30 min away</li>
<li>If you plan to move around, as suggested in the itinerary above, you will need a rental car. Easiest pickup is at the airport.</li>
<li>If you are a slopes fiend and are planning to stay on a resort with ski in/out, then skip the rental and use a transportation service to get you to the ski town and back. Breckenridge is very walk-able and has good local transit for free once you are there.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Where To Stay</span></h3>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Near the airport</li>
<ul>
<li>Best for arriving late or departing early; no frills just a clean, safe place to sleep; <$120 per night</li>
<li><a href="http://www.ihg.com/staybridge/hotels/us/en/denver/densb/hoteldetail" target="_blank">Staybridge Suites Denver International Airport</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/denver/denmf/hoteldetail" target="_blank">Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites</a></li>
</ul>
<li>Ski in/out in Breckenridge</li>
<ul>
<li>If you want to spend as much time as possible on the slopes or in the fun little town of Breckenridge, its worth paying the premium for the resort with ski in/out and privilege of early access on Friday morning; also will save money because you don't need a rental car. Prices vary greatly by date of travel.</li>
<li>3 stars - <a href="http://www.breckenridge.com/Plan-a-Trip/Lodging/Lodging-Details.aspx?Code=THE-VILLAGE-AT-BRECKENRIDGE-RESORT&filtercriteria=|||the%20village%20at%20breckenridge%20resort||?intcmp=BR000059" target="_blank">The Village at Breckenridge Resort</a> is a ski-in/ski-out property at the base of Peak 9, close to boutique shops and award-winning restaurants along Main Street in the historic downtown area.</li>
<li>4 stars - <a href="http://www.breckenridge.com/Plan-a-Trip/Lodging/Lodging-Details.aspx?Code=DOUBLE-TREE_HILTON-BRECK_BH&filtercriteria=127,|||||?intcmp=BR000055" target="_blank">The DoubleTree by Hilton Breckenridge</a>, located directly across the street from Peak 9 at world-renowned Breckenridge Ski Resort, offers a true mountain experience with spectacular Rocky Mountain views. This full-service resort hotel is within walking distance of the Beaver Run SuperChair as well as historic Main Street. </li>
<li>4 stars - <a href="http://www.breckenridge.com/Plan-a-Trip/Lodging/Lodging-Details.aspx?Code=MOUNTAIN-THUNDER-LODGE&filtercriteria=|||mountain%20thunder%20lodge||?intcmp=BR000056" target="_blank">Mountain Thunder Lodge</a>, an elegant all-condominium-suite retreat, is situated in a beautiful wooded area in the heart of historic Breckenridge – a perfect location for your relaxing mountain escape.</li>
</ul>
<li>Condo rental in the mountains</li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.vrbo.com/" target="_blank">VRBO </a>is the best site to rent a condo for a few days. Properties in Breckenridge are at a premium so if you are willing to stay about 30 minutes away there are great options with 2-3 bedrooms for ~$200/night in Frisco, Silverthorne, and Wildernest.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What To Pack</span></h3>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;">ski jacket and waterproof pants</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;">base layer (long underwear or moisture wicking pants and shirt)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;">polar fleece or warmth layer</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;">hat and headband</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;">scarf or muffler</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;">sunglasses</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;">sunscreen</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;">ski goggles</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;">gloves and hand warmers</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;">hiking boots and/or snow boots</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;">hiking socks and ski socks</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;">dressy casual evening wear</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.66px; line-height: 1.38;">swimsuit</span></li>
</ul>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05105638273007544930noreply@blogger.com0Breckenridge, CO 80424, USA39.4816537 -106.0383517999999939.383636200000005 -106.19971329999998 39.5796712 -105.87699029999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-48026111348871602182016-02-18T19:49:00.000-05:002016-02-26T19:49:56.287-05:00Southern Caribbean - Day 6 - Basseterre, St. KittsWell I am just over a week late in posting this but between trying to enjoy the vacation and the severely weak internet on the cruise ship I was unable to keep up with the live posts. Will try to plan better for the next adventure (spoiler alert - Denver and Breckenridge Ski Weekend coming soon).<br />
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On Thursday we docked in the capital of St. Kitts, Basseterre. We opted for a ship excursion in the morning, with a local company called Kantours, to try SNUBA and left the afternoon free to either chill on the beach or explore the town, depending on weather and how we felt. For anyone who has not yet tried SNUBA, I highly recommend it. It is essentially snorkeling, but instead of wearing a snorkel and being limited to only going down about 6 inches in the water, you have a mouthpiece connected to a 15 ft hose, connected to air tanks on a raft floating on the water. Therefore, you are sort of SCUBA diving, but you don't have to wear the tanks or worry about your oxygen. Its a great way for someone who loves to snorkel but is afraid to try SCUBA or has issues equalizing your ears in the depths, because you can choose to stay near the surface or ask for more weight in your belt which will help sink you towards the bottom.<br />
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We were a total of 6 for SNUBA that morning, so Tom and I went first with the other couple. We have done SNUBA a few times before so we immediately asked for weight and stayed on the bottom for the whole 45 minutes of the underwater adventure. The instructor was great and although the site we were at was murky and therefore not ideal for viewing fish and coral, our highlight was seeing 2 huge sea turtles from about 5 feet away! Not sure exactly how deep we were, but I would say about 10-15'. Our companions were new to SNUBA and they both took some time to getting OK with the concept of breathing underwater. He opted to stay near the surface the whole time and she eventually made her way to the sea bed by the end. Breathing underwater has never been off putting for me, but I can understand how it would throw people off, especially because you only breathe through your mouth.<br />
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While Pete and Ellen took their turn, the four of us lounged in the chaise chairs along Carambola Beach and the guys gallantly went on an adventure to the nearby clubhouse to procure glasses of rum punch. I mean it was 10 am so we were already behind on the vacation day drinking...<br />
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We returned to the ship via transfer from the Kantours tour company, and then spoke to some of the taxi drivers along the pier to get quotes on an afternoon trip to the nearby Brimstone Hill Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage site. After a quick change on the ship, we met with Joseph, known locally as 'the historian', on the pier who led us to his thankfully air conditioned van, and we drove about 30 minutes along the coast to reach the fort. Built between 1690-1790, it sits on a shelf created by the volcano under the island and is constructed out of brimstone blocks, hence the name. It has an incredible vantage of the waterways connecting St. Kitts, Nevis, and Montserrat. Although it was not a formidable offensive capability, it was considering a stronghold and a lookout to help secure the first large, deep water port that was established after Columbus arrived in the region. Much of the fort has been restored with displays on military life in the tropics, accommodations, rations, and health care. There are some places that were not yet restored so you also could see what things looked like without regular upkeep, i.e. dungeon so full of mold that I could only stick my head in before the nauseous smell sent me running. Our guide Joseph gave us great narration along the drive to prepare for the visit, helped us spot the local and prolific monkey population, and then left us free for about an hour to explore at our own pace, read the ample signs, and watch a mediocre video that explained the history and prominence of the fort. I highly recommend a visit if you are free for a couple of hours. I think we paid $20pp for the taxi, plus $10pp entry to the fort. Note that the sun is strong and it is breezy, so dress in light colors but not short skirts, and bring water with you.<br />
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<em>Burn some calories on the uphill climb from the parking lot to the fort entrance</em></div>
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<em>Entrance to the inner keep and parade grounds, complete with bridge and moat</em></div>
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<em>Note the incredible view in the background of the volcano on the island of Montserrat</em></div>
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<em></em>By the time we returned to the pier it was past 2 pm and we were past ready for lunch. Taking recommendations from our driver in the morning, we tried Lemongrass, a Caribbean/Asian fusion restaurant across from the pier. We sat on the second floor balcony and enjoyed people watching in the town square while relaxing in the shade with a nice sea breeze. We split curried shrimp and the steamed whole snapper which we had been told was the local catch and quite delicious. Tom was in charge of deboning the fish, having closely watched the waiter on the ship perform this with surgical precision at the dinner table the previous night. Food was excellent and the service was good if you are looking for someplace to eat that is just steps from the ship.</div>
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We made it back on board in time for late afternoon trivia then relaxed poolside or on the balcony until dinner time. After dinner we caught the magic show which was interesting and yet we are all so disenchanted with these shows nowadays because we know its not really magic but they never explain how the tricks are done. The performer was really great with slight of hand and cards in particular. We then turned in to get ready for Friday which is the last port of call in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05105638273007544930noreply@blogger.com0Saint Kitts, Saint Kitts and Nevis17.3433796 -62.755904317.1008356 -63.0786278 17.585923599999997 -62.433180799999995tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-20689910840475851472016-02-18T18:04:00.001-05:002016-02-18T18:04:10.569-05:00Southern Caribbean - Day 5 - Roseau, DominicaWednesday we docked on the small island of Dominica (pronounced dom-muh-NEE-kah) like the name Dominque but with an extra syllable on the end). It is a small island about 29 miles long and 15 miles wide. All four of us took a third party excursion to go snorkeling, cave swimming, and hiking to a waterfall. In short it was a great, but rainy day and we loved getting to know the interior of this small but resilient country.<div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-vC5t7oDuvsDT0SA6uwK7BpdeqwPOuGVj4qqEc2u8ITR4xtZ4wjsYoxM8sbpeuN4AjOOI5oNT1QVMJ0zG6aWZQasJX5eF7vo0VKLm43Vt1yqy3hp_5BU0XCRfaHwN2-Ajs9ZkcGQ4xXk/s640/blogger-image-1629329388.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-vC5t7oDuvsDT0SA6uwK7BpdeqwPOuGVj4qqEc2u8ITR4xtZ4wjsYoxM8sbpeuN4AjOOI5oNT1QVMJ0zG6aWZQasJX5eF7vo0VKLm43Vt1yqy3hp_5BU0XCRfaHwN2-Ajs9ZkcGQ4xXk/s640/blogger-image-1629329388.jpg"></a></div><div><br></div><div>We met our group at 8:45 am just off the pier and they had clear directions on where to find the representatives. We were in a van of 8 cruisers with a guide, Kasha and a driver, Asha. The day started with a snorkeling tour of champagne reef, an area where the volcanic activity under the island causes warm gases to flow through the reef so there are tiny channels of bubbles that you can actually swim through! Tons of great fish, eels, and other aquatic life. After an hour on the reef we swam back to shore, dried off, and piled back in the van for a 15 min drive to stop #2.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVVJjOU-Px1JcMUW6ZwGXP4I9_dIBMl4ySByt6vMcOp1LHWHqPxuTCTCoOsBzvfC7j4gfM8dElm9iOpSBA_B8pbRqYnC83077Nou49A4hcn1iUY7WG74X87WHlbTimtPtmV647nQIYaY/s640/blogger-image--1661218764.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVVJjOU-Px1JcMUW6ZwGXP4I9_dIBMl4ySByt6vMcOp1LHWHqPxuTCTCoOsBzvfC7j4gfM8dElm9iOpSBA_B8pbRqYnC83077Nou49A4hcn1iUY7WG74X87WHlbTimtPtmV647nQIYaY/s640/blogger-image--1661218764.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br></div><div>Titou Gorge might have been the highlight of the whole trip. Unfortunately we have no photos because the waterproof camera has died! We stripped down to just swimsuits, water shoes, and float belts and after a short walk we then walked down some stairs into a very cold river that flowed down a waterfall and into a cave/gorge. We swam up river through the cavern to the base of the falls and then using a life ring and some rope, our guides pulled us through the base of the falls to a pocket next to the falls. It was freezing but exhilarating and very cool! Since we don't have pics, here is a screenshot from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean - Dean Mans Chest which was filmed here. Therefore I have unofficially swam with Johnny Depp now!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMW9ZtbjeFZJgTyHYzEf0LYKaWvVCdxFWvUSf-KC6u7c0hdiWg-aJ4qWX2DXqKkFTobwbeenxr70fQBv73qtfQbEyWhLbrhAFrFMwUmDsCRe8gepPsseGDG49GFo82eOcp2dQYoCoGfuA/s640/blogger-image-907914441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMW9ZtbjeFZJgTyHYzEf0LYKaWvVCdxFWvUSf-KC6u7c0hdiWg-aJ4qWX2DXqKkFTobwbeenxr70fQBv73qtfQbEyWhLbrhAFrFMwUmDsCRe8gepPsseGDG49GFo82eOcp2dQYoCoGfuA/s640/blogger-image-907914441.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br></div><div>I should mention that all day it was overcast and raining but in strokes of good luck, every time we drive between spots, it poured, and when we got out for an activity it lessened or stopped. Raincoats came in handy today!</div><div><br></div><div>After the gorge we dried off and drove about 20 min to an area called Trafalgar Falls. A 10 min hike and some stairs took us to the two falls. The island survived a bad tropical storm this fall which left 30 dead, whole villages buried in mud, washed out roads, and the thermal springs at the base of these falls were also destroyed. The people of the island are very resilient and are working hard to rebuild and continue to encourage tourism to help restore what was lost.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8uZ0N642RV_uPoT1RhFzFC-gJXfodAtFLE4toPX1-EKliThyphenhyphenMwVkG3GDZY9QO0FO_4B3Pn3M4HBOIH8Z9UyEqPn-BHcrbmZuo3-rJDxiteTtBzU2SDEEFQmoVViVKwpiYSeCmf6Wpn-I/s640/blogger-image-2056356045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8uZ0N642RV_uPoT1RhFzFC-gJXfodAtFLE4toPX1-EKliThyphenhyphenMwVkG3GDZY9QO0FO_4B3Pn3M4HBOIH8Z9UyEqPn-BHcrbmZuo3-rJDxiteTtBzU2SDEEFQmoVViVKwpiYSeCmf6Wpn-I/s640/blogger-image-2056356045.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mjlYbm4lhri-bnO9uhoRReKzamRhhTe38JZz9f7cIfnfuyZrecbUFdnaj8l2Jku5qzTJ8EvbxnyAiVpE2JfcXybeivJqT4UBRVF1HzV8LSzIo0KPdMYL-cSrVbwCsUzYKEqw3SHbiDM/s640/blogger-image--2087229038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mjlYbm4lhri-bnO9uhoRReKzamRhhTe38JZz9f7cIfnfuyZrecbUFdnaj8l2Jku5qzTJ8EvbxnyAiVpE2JfcXybeivJqT4UBRVF1HzV8LSzIo0KPdMYL-cSrVbwCsUzYKEqw3SHbiDM/s640/blogger-image--2087229038.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>One of the coolest things we saw was the hydroelectric system which supplies 40% of the islands power. In a feat of timeless engineering the pipeline is built from wood, like a 20 mile long barrel.</div><div><br></div><div>Overall it was a great day and we liked getting to see the interior and learn more about the islanders from our guides. Bumping Tours was excellent and I would highly recommend them for any excursion.</div><div><br></div><div>We finished the night with dinner in the modern restaurant which tries to make food fun. iPads are the menus and everything is fusion or served in a playful manner. The dessert menu was a puzzle cube you had to open in various ways to see all the options. My favorite dish was the disco shrimp and the sushi lollipops with crab meat that were covered in Doritos dust. Group consensus was that it was fun to try but not a repeat. To cap off the night, literally, we won at majority rules trivia and each got baseball caps! In this game they ask a question and you write down what you think the majority of the purple in the room will respond. Example - what kind of pet would be cool to have, but a pain to keep? Answer: Monkey. Ellen and Pete were the heavy hitters here and supplied nearly every answer we gave. Hats off to them!</div><div><br></div><div>Thursday we are in St. Kitts </div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11608795039469425315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-80867209948329463802016-02-17T06:42:00.001-05:002016-02-17T06:42:48.731-05:00Southern Caribbean - Day 4 - Fort de France, MartiniqueTuesday morning we docked on the French island of Martinique, one of the largest islands in the Southern Caribbean. A member of the EU, the island is on the euro and all the inhabitants speak French and we had been forewarned that English although English may be spoken by some it is not to be assumed everyone will speak it and much like in France, the locals expect you to at least try to speak their language first. That meant that Pete and I were translators for the day!<div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs5Y4PMoiqQ4kPCBrEQhcwNZUNmytNrMPhhpgk39bqKvWKHPDFNJLxb8BpAhI8XRa8foVvP3JijR9Ya0ldqKhc1O9-oJw2zU7aMcuKtzI72kvbnU40bsaKTujnQlqV9jlLREEhE35ZeGA/s640/blogger-image--1803489877.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs5Y4PMoiqQ4kPCBrEQhcwNZUNmytNrMPhhpgk39bqKvWKHPDFNJLxb8BpAhI8XRa8foVvP3JijR9Ya0ldqKhc1O9-oJw2zU7aMcuKtzI72kvbnU40bsaKTujnQlqV9jlLREEhE35ZeGA/s640/blogger-image--1803489877.jpg"></a></div><br><div><div><br></div><div>Tom and I had breakfast on the balcony and then met our group at 8:30 am for a morning of kayaking in the mangroves. We booked the tour though the ship and overall we would give it 3/5 stars. A nice excursion but we did not see much wildlife in the mangroves, didn't have the opportunity to explore on our own in the kayaks, and the flotilla of 15+ kayaks would have been better split into small groups. That being said, our guide was great and spoke English and taught us about the mangrove. We paddled through a channel in the middle of the mangrove island so it was a nice slow pace so you could look around. </div><div><br></div><div>[Sorry no kayaking or beach photos since the waterproof camera seems to have died!]</div><div><br></div><div>We then boarded the boat that took us out to the mangroves and stopped at St Marin nearby for 30 min. I had read great things about the beaches here, but was unimpressed with the small beachhead and overcrowdedness. There is a ferry that runs from where our cruise ship docked to three beach areas at least 1x per hour and it seemed easy to use, yet from what I saw I could not recommend the beaches.</div><div><br></div><div>We returned to the ship around 1 pm, enjoying some cake and the local cocktail called ti ponge (tee-ponj) which is a pinch of sugar in the raw with a squeeze of lime muddled in 2-3 fingers of local rum. We preferred the mellowed dark rum which is barrel aged over the clear which had a strong bite to it. We liked the mix best with some juice in it as well so it was more of a punch and less of a shot that you sipped.</div><div><br></div><div>Tom and I quickly changed back on board the ship and although we had missed our original meetup time with his parents, we called their room and luckily they were still here! <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Pete and Ellen had relaxed on the ship in the morning and after we missed our appointed meetup time they made a valiant attempt to hire a taxi to the botanical gardens but after negotiations in both French and English resulted is too steep a price and realizing they had forgotten to bring a credit card, they returned to their rooms for money and that is when we called so it was perfect timing!</span></div><div><br></div><div>All four of us met on the pier and walked into town for a late lunch and some exploring. We walked about 7 minutes to the covered market which sells fruits, vegetables, spices, spirits, souvenirs and has restaurants lining the balcony and back end. We scoped out the options and settled on Chez Carole which I had read in several reviews online. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2HJEF04Vww0l5WOjZ8X0cAkbQ55ypakF7xCJaH0FrIZ5IYvMFkrvfRHCuaJvg1pCG_6cB8CF5JBC_TbpjRphwJuQue5dIZ30oVozvJpZsWpj5FZPD6j5icv5Hy159xvoz-kdV7LPqVns/s640/blogger-image-1177406586.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2HJEF04Vww0l5WOjZ8X0cAkbQ55ypakF7xCJaH0FrIZ5IYvMFkrvfRHCuaJvg1pCG_6cB8CF5JBC_TbpjRphwJuQue5dIZ30oVozvJpZsWpj5FZPD6j5icv5Hy159xvoz-kdV7LPqVns/s640/blogger-image-1177406586.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrMCqlTESKniyusodrNV11Kr_Xy5kZnCyKNE6AU0kwRhkEwkRxxB-rBcUSMyxTfi2ndfsxCWPNsMpxG5GXUfv-ayMhx6OlKLEsARryqfbPv-01NXQPfDSEMiTXKGj_ESQbL34yPnXDAkg/s640/blogger-image--1811378077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrMCqlTESKniyusodrNV11Kr_Xy5kZnCyKNE6AU0kwRhkEwkRxxB-rBcUSMyxTfi2ndfsxCWPNsMpxG5GXUfv-ayMhx6OlKLEsARryqfbPv-01NXQPfDSEMiTXKGj_ESQbL34yPnXDAkg/s640/blogger-image--1811378077.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>This is the point where Tom said if he did not have a French speaker he would have gone elsewhere for lunch. Note that some friends of ours are clearly more adventurous than Tom in this regard and although the didn't speak any French they are nearby and just pointed at the menu and ate what was served. The menu is all in French and although the proprietor, Carole, spoke English, the rest of the wait staff spoke French so we did our best to translate menu options to our companions, practice our French when ordering and asking for refills and just enjoyed the experience. It was a prix fixe menu so you got a drink, an appetizer, an entree, and a dessert, or could order anything a la carte. We started with more ti ponge (with extra fruit juice), a fish beinget and salad, then shared 3 entrées- chicken colombo (curry chicken), conch fricassee, and prawns. All served with lentils and rice. It was all delicious, but none of us particularly like conch so that was not a favorite. We finished by splitting an order of coconut flan which was denser than flan as we know it, almost like a rice pudding thickness, but quite flavorful.</div><div><br></div><div>After lunch we drifted through the market, decided we didn't want to have our bags searched by TSA when we tried to bring home spices, and hit the streets in search of sunscreen and pastries. Found the sunscreen at a nearby convenience store and stopped for pastry at a shop we passed coming from the pier. When Tom and I visited France on our trip in 2014, he went to Normandy for the day and didn't get the chance to eat fresh pastry. I told him how you could taste the butter and it was different from a croissant anywhere in the US. We decided on a pain au chocolat (think chocolate filled croissant) and a pomme/framboise chaussette (apple raspberry turnover). Both were delicious and we all split them as we walked back to the pier. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7qfTUhTrxKi64X8KYfzy8ho6EnH13nCOa1EVNW9Gqy-Mi8YWMI77I8X6lwW3ttM2cUJ6oB421e_caa1C8nJkX_jfbtWw4fnzF-IRL-2jfYyeV5BYVVyjwsWOnPNBnwwDsakzmXd8bSs/s640/blogger-image--2135788367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7qfTUhTrxKi64X8KYfzy8ho6EnH13nCOa1EVNW9Gqy-Mi8YWMI77I8X6lwW3ttM2cUJ6oB421e_caa1C8nJkX_jfbtWw4fnzF-IRL-2jfYyeV5BYVVyjwsWOnPNBnwwDsakzmXd8bSs/s640/blogger-image--2135788367.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKQkVKgXCQs1hGSZsLv-yrrQti6SAPzE2ezXQt66vKN-S_Fvnkwk4uA0DWPqSeaUeDyMgQAQBUEG7LGL1FZHMxY0mp0HT8v9JgpRSQ_UG867gaPGAgUFxqmtsUFtbwgK6sxkvmvLnWMw/s640/blogger-image-1207730134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguKQkVKgXCQs1hGSZsLv-yrrQti6SAPzE2ezXQt66vKN-S_Fvnkwk4uA0DWPqSeaUeDyMgQAQBUEG7LGL1FZHMxY0mp0HT8v9JgpRSQ_UG867gaPGAgUFxqmtsUFtbwgK6sxkvmvLnWMw/s640/blogger-image-1207730134.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br></div><div>My sun hat had been looking pathetic lately so when some sun bonnets caught my eye in the shops along the pier I stopped to peruse and settled on a new one with a strong brim. It looked perfect with my white eyelet dress and I think I can swap out the ribbons for different looks in the future.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizH6WYP3IOYNyQxTg8cp46N9uK8rKqHamsY4gP5hSxBe4_0uenvuIfgu89eGogMABWwC2NW4U-kX7nstBrRLm9znFzIh95EqxV4ztBbL4DgW0vHkFnL_cxl609uhmn9kIMjzaWt0mslP4/s640/blogger-image-1042165715.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizH6WYP3IOYNyQxTg8cp46N9uK8rKqHamsY4gP5hSxBe4_0uenvuIfgu89eGogMABWwC2NW4U-kX7nstBrRLm9znFzIh95EqxV4ztBbL4DgW0vHkFnL_cxl609uhmn9kIMjzaWt0mslP4/s640/blogger-image-1042165715.jpg"></a></div> Old Hat</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL0d3cbAU7HD5XDAyyHkEFBd7H3Lt9EsCMqJY2WGb_u_5CwowkTS_Ix9cAGzimCzBnHkBb9QqYBSij-kD6DNLWnkNUokbk1pXUjQ5QOIPHEVr9xqj0sKEKWlsSEBqE_DOHcANV7Cz9wrU/s640/blogger-image-656572853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL0d3cbAU7HD5XDAyyHkEFBd7H3Lt9EsCMqJY2WGb_u_5CwowkTS_Ix9cAGzimCzBnHkBb9QqYBSij-kD6DNLWnkNUokbk1pXUjQ5QOIPHEVr9xqj0sKEKWlsSEBqE_DOHcANV7Cz9wrU/s640/blogger-image-656572853.jpg"></a></div> New Hat</div><div><br></div><div>We finished the day with some rounds of trivia, reading and sunning on the balcony, and dinner in the main dining room. Dinner was unimpressive last night, as was our wait staff service, but that was the first time all week we were not happy with the food or dining experience.</div><div><br></div><div>Wednesday we dock in Dominca (dom- eh-NEE-ka).</div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11608795039469425315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-17257854958671571802016-02-16T17:21:00.001-05:002016-02-29T20:07:22.672-05:00Southern Caribbean - Day 2&3 - Tortola, BVIMonday we docked on the island of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. The four of us had booked a semi private boat charter with Aristocat Charters and were in for a day of sailing and snorkeling.<br />
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After a little confusion on following the directions from the pier to the boat in the marina [note to self to write them better walking directions to give their cruise guests] we boarded the Lionheart and set off by 9 am with a total of 14 pax and 2 crew. Captains Luke and Scott were outstanding - friendly, capable, customer service oriented. We sailed for about 45 minutes across the channel to Norman Island. Tom and Ellen sat our front on the netting suspended between the pontoons where you got great views and the salty spray breeze. Pete and I opted for the back where it was less bumpy and we could talk to the Captain and some other guests about the region. Highlight of the sail out was passing the yacht currently taping the Bravo TV show "Below Deck". It's the ridiculous kind of trashy reality tv where we all know it's not real, but we love it anyways, especially Tom.</div>
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We stopped for 45 min at Norman Island for snorkeling. Aristocat Charters provided the fins and masks and noodles to float on if desired. We brought our own snorkels and masks but borrowed some fins and headed out to the reef. There were tons of fish, some coral, huge sea urchins, and best of all almost no one else there!</div>
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After getting back on board we sailed for about 20 min to a nearby cove with a beach where we grabbed a bouy to tie off and we were given an hour of free time while they prepared lunch. Tom hopped in the water and made a brave first ever attempt at paddle boarding. He took to it right away and impressed all the others on board with his balance. They asked me if he was really athletic and all I could do was laugh. I followed him into the water and swam to the beach doing an Australian crawl so that I could carry beers for us and my hat in my free hand. Again, all the guests on board commented that their wives would never do that for them, LOL. Ellen joined me and we drank on the beach while she tried paddle boarding with some coaching from Tom. I also tried, but stayed kneeling, knowing that my balance was not good on solid ground.</div>
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After an hour of paddling and swimming lunch was served as a large buffet spread in the cabin. All of it was delicious and it was accompanied by all you can drink soda, beer, rum punch, and dark and stormy mixed drinks (ginger beer and rum). After lunch we sailed for another 20 min to The Indians where we snorkels for a half hour. All four of us agreed that this was the top snorkeling we have ever done, including Hawaii and the Western Caribbean because of the plethora of fish and the colors.</div>
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We sailed back, arriving about 30 min before all aboard. After a long day in the sun and all that rum, everyone headed straight back to the ship for showers and naps. We dressed up for dinner as it was Velntine's Day and the onboard dress code called for 'evening chic'. We had reservations in the French restaurant onboard where everything was delicious, albeit service was slower than desired. My favorites were the crab and salmon parfait starter, venison with red cabbage and the cheese course before dessert.</div>
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All in all it was a great day and I was the only one who got too much sun (although I blame the husband/cabana boy since everywhere I applied it I didn't burn).</div>
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Monday we spent at sea and there is nothing significant to report - breakfast on the balcony, slept in, watched a top chef cooking challeneg in the theater, lunch, trivia, cocktails, dinner. Pete and Ellen have been sampling all the musical venues/artists on board so I will have them dictate a review later.</div>
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Tuesday we are in Fort de France, Martinique which is a French speaking country so Pete and I are on duty for all conversation! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11608795039469425315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-4505825185389050122016-02-14T06:57:00.001-05:002016-02-14T06:59:04.728-05:00Southern Caribbean - Day 1 - Travel and EmbarkationSaturday morning we set off with our in laws for a week long adventure to the Southern Caribbean. We chose to sail out of San Juan, Puerto Rico on the Celebrity Summit as it had great ports of call, and minimized sea days since you are already "there" when you embark.<div><br></div><div>The flight from DC was about 4 hours and we watched some movies in Amazon instant video and slept most of the flight. DC was 18 degrees F and snowy when we left, so first act upon landing was to change into our tropical attire we had packed in the carry on.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4KdtIYVV4qc9-qD-Z7xgpb0Tq2e585M4T98T_PMMFKjnqPDGro8KAvkAEXUOypwz-Ha2PJvsoQL6COMbTHNdRVuqSzFGYRlmXtNU4Hi12WSIWt5poNTt8kOeSI0fjyxJ846Oh7HGnIOI/s640/blogger-image-2053238784.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4KdtIYVV4qc9-qD-Z7xgpb0Tq2e585M4T98T_PMMFKjnqPDGro8KAvkAEXUOypwz-Ha2PJvsoQL6COMbTHNdRVuqSzFGYRlmXtNU4Hi12WSIWt5poNTt8kOeSI0fjyxJ846Oh7HGnIOI/s640/blogger-image-2053238784.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br></div><div>Tip: Anytime you travel, but especially for a cruise pack 24 hrs worth of clothes, meds, and a swimsuit in your carry on so that if your bag is delayed and the ship sails, or if your bag doesn't immediately get delivered to your cabin, you can enjoy all the activities on board.</div><div><br></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Note for SJU that you cannot enter any baggage claim areas from outside - only way in is from the gates, so plan to meet your party out side by the taxi stand at a specific terminal, and set contingency plans for if not here by X then proceed without us because cell phone service on Verizon was sub par while AT&T was good.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgxFH2ZbihDtfdLgoRbFuERgASzD0q3vIPQZtS1clVF0flKsrk4PQPJoAoyaFoSysOECoVcB8R4gdVb7k9hDF9pQG6rur-YFmRcy9m-sq3q4vCNEmeiPplwL6djNYqp72c3Veg78vKWBM/s640/blogger-image--1674904951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgxFH2ZbihDtfdLgoRbFuERgASzD0q3vIPQZtS1clVF0flKsrk4PQPJoAoyaFoSysOECoVcB8R4gdVb7k9hDF9pQG6rur-YFmRcy9m-sq3q4vCNEmeiPplwL6djNYqp72c3Veg78vKWBM/s640/blogger-image--1674904951.jpg"></a></div><br></span></div><div><br></div><div>We met up with my in laws at their terminal and got a Taxi Touristico to the cruise terminal. The taxis are either metered or flat rate, and the taxi stand agent will ask your destination, get a headcount and luggage count, and write the destination and total amount due on the slip of paper for you so it's really easy. It was $25 for all 4 of us and luggage (plus tip) for the <15 min ride to the pier. Super easy and a much better rate than paying the cruise line for a transfer which is usually $15-25 pp.</div><div><br></div><div>Embarkation was relatively easy at the terminal - Tom and I had our bags tagged and taken by the porter, were checked in and in our room changing into swim gear within a 10 min window! We opted for a room with balcony on deck 6 and love it!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-he0fG8fgCFiUhrB5dm9YmUtWvBHxSREwRm95xhXE8epRkt4UqN9xhR8o3lz_iBaRVictxHY1KIPY-tn76g8gyntxI4mIGeb6n3im4Zm7YUzsx_1Lyot-eILv4lpecEicfWE4zl6BLs/s640/blogger-image-1116202895.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-he0fG8fgCFiUhrB5dm9YmUtWvBHxSREwRm95xhXE8epRkt4UqN9xhR8o3lz_iBaRVictxHY1KIPY-tn76g8gyntxI4mIGeb6n3im4Zm7YUzsx_1Lyot-eILv4lpecEicfWE4zl6BLs/s640/blogger-image-1116202895.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div>We spent the afternoon sunning by the upper deck and enjoying the warm salty water of the Thalassotherapy Pool. Afterward we changed and did an early dinner in the main dining room, Cosmopolitan, before the mandatory muster drill at 7:45 pm. Dinner was very good - we tried almost half the menu between the four of us. Highlights included the mushroom soup, roasted beets with feta and tomato, and the beef spring roll. Entrees were fine, the home style porkchop being the standout. The drill lasted about 45 min and it is very apparent that after some recent maritime disasters around the world the cruise lines and staff are taking safety very seriously and want the guests to know what to do.</div><div><br></div><div>Tom and I turned in early since we had been up at 5 am to make our flight. First port of call on Sunday is Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. We will spend Valentine's Day snorkeling and sailing ⛵️</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11608795039469425315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-14253174979521515262016-02-05T20:28:00.002-05:002016-02-06T09:12:36.119-05:00Why I kept my head down at Create & Cultivate Dallas<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">[Author's note: Normally this blog will be devoted to travel posts only, but I wanted to take a moment to talk about a recent conference I attended to help inspire me and grow by business. The usual travel fodder will be back next week.]</span></i><br />
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The last weekend of January I took a weekend trip to Dallas, Texas to attend <a href="http://www.createcultivate.com/" target="_blank">Create & Cultivate</a>, a conference for women entrepreneurs in the digital space. The experience was a whirlwind of networking, beautiful decor, inspirational speakers, and motivating conversations. Over 400 women attended, not including the speakers, mentors, and organizers. After the event, the Create & Cultivate team posted pictures on Facebook and while flipping through I came across this photo which made me pause -<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwME4usMfe4kWJjUki2OZUw2oGtEdRBNdwZMU-Ke6YawdKG3XwHIXBeWcHuV05cEvWTWtYLGVCwtJUVLfI5JhCGGMtW1lGQV97_Kn8T59iGidNhV48pSvMGha7wS9Jvg8moR12cea8_po/s1600/IMG_0431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Why I kept my head down at Create & Cultivate Dallas - by 72 Hours To Go" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwME4usMfe4kWJjUki2OZUw2oGtEdRBNdwZMU-Ke6YawdKG3XwHIXBeWcHuV05cEvWTWtYLGVCwtJUVLfI5JhCGGMtW1lGQV97_Kn8T59iGidNhV48pSvMGha7wS9Jvg8moR12cea8_po/s400/IMG_0431.JPG" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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Stop and look at it for a moment<br />
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What do you see?<br />
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Bright eyes, delighted expressions, cameras snapping away....<br />
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and one girl with her head down in a sea of smiling, wide eyed faces.<br />
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That's me.<br />
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There were 200 women in my track for the conference, and I am the only one in the crowd not looking at the panelists. I've got my head down and I am taking notes. So why did I keep my head down at Create & Cultivate? Because I mean business. <br />
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I signed up for this conference in the fall before I had even started this site. I had a passion for travel and planning and had been dreaming about doing something with it for the longest time and when I saw the conference signup it was a catalyst for me to finally do something. I made a plan that if I signed up I had to start a website, <a href="http://72hourstogo.blogspot.com/search/label/72%20Hours%20in%20Anchorage" target="_blank">post at least 2 itineraries</a>, purchase <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BAmczdTwydn/?taken-by=72hourstogo" target="_blank">business cards</a>, and create an <a href="https://www.instagram.com/72hourstogo/" target="_blank">Instagram account</a> before the conference took place. Create & Cultivate Dallas was a forcing mechanism for me, and when I got to the conference itself I kept that drive going. I kept my head down during almost every panel. Sure I looked up enough to take in my surroundings, catch a glimpse of some of my favorite writers in the digital space, and appreciate the fabulous decor and pop ups shops, but I focused on listening and capturing information I would need when I got home. Admiring how others look and think and act will only get you so far, and for me the power of the conference was in the takeaways. I took pages of notes! Quotes that inspired, ideas for posts, successes and failures of the speakers, and 6 months or a year from now I have the power to look back at those notes for guidance on where to go next, or pride on how far I have come in seeing the items I was concerned with at the start of this venture. This photo captures the side of me that is structured and detail oriented and why I think I have a unique voice to contribute to this crowded world of travel writing. Because with less than 72 hours to go somewhere, you have to pay attention to the details in planning and learn to appreciate beauty in quick moments of pleasure.<br />
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Here are some of the best snippets from the conference that stuck with me:<br />
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On creating an anonymous brand: "A brand lasts a lot longer than a face." -- Sophie Max of <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiJj83kqOPKAhUIWz4KHaSXBr4QFggcMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.beyond-the-mag.com%2F&usg=AFQjCNHWaB4zmjtj7CwSbtvqTs5i05W0Gw&sig2=dhlbXJpwacoDQ0HQF42_Lw&bvm=bv.113370389,d.cWw" target="_blank">Beyond the Mag</a></blockquote>
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On success: "Negative comments are better than none at all because it means they took the time to care and we are forcing people to think and engage in something." -- <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwi2keDbqOPKAhXGWz4KHUETArcQFggcMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.betches.com%2F&usg=AFQjCNFc5kK1P1fGz10Alstpc4G75WZniQ&sig2=EIQhQh6DXxpg-YCtdfDD3w&bvm=bv.113370389,d.cWw" target="_blank">Betches</a></blockquote>
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On gaining followers: "Use the analytics within tools like Pinterest. Find out where people already are discovering you and make the connection bonds stronger there." --Julia Engel of <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwjZuvzSqOPKAhXCFj4KHXpqDLoQFggcMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgalmeetsglam.com%2F&usg=AFQjCNEOor4vrTS2fDiqPYkg9Wm1ehgGzg&sig2=rOlKs6FW9uaEoeWSM7YVWA&bvm=bv.113370389,d.cWw" target="_blank">Gal Meets Glam</a></blockquote>
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On knowing your audience: "Use google analytics to know their age, their gender, their salary then make a picture of your average user in your mind. We shop for our style and their price point." -- <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwiGxsPLqOPKAhXDeD4KHfZQALcQFggcMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lunchpailsandlipstick.com%2F&usg=AFQjCNGL1KMjjalGb8dcLc9R0Qynon6uuA&sig2=pioAaFZDS1cWlB5V1uECpg&bvm=bv.113370389,d.cWw" target="_blank">Lunchpails and Lipstick </a></blockquote>
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On using Pinterest to drive readers to your site: "Only 15% of pinterest users actually pin new content - most just repin things they find by searching. If you are someone who regularly pins new content you are considered a power pinner and the Pinterest algorithms will automatically boost your content in searches." -- Amy Locurto of <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwijoJizqOPKAhXKdD4KHY5gDrsQFggmMAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.livinglocurto.com%2Fblog%2F&usg=AFQjCNFQvdtl9MQOTuBtQ3pMTcrqQnrLnA&sig2=7uCrnNs4YhRCKKqP5jgkPA" target="_blank">Living Locurto </a></blockquote>
And that is why I kept my head down at Create & Cultivate, and will continue to keep my head down when it comes to 72 Hours To Go. But I am going to put this photo up on my desk, so I can look up and remember why I started and why I know I can succeed.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05105638273007544930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-39459590108424656282016-01-22T13:48:00.000-05:002016-01-27T17:45:32.636-05:00Best Gear for Alaska TripAfter spending a total of 21 days in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, there were some definite all stars in the gear we brought. These picks are based on input from both males and females, ages 20-55.<br />
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Best Hiking Boots</h4>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mc2dISM-ZDQ/VqA67wmH5VI/AAAAAAAAAGU/QfG84pQOiTU/s1600/DSCN1095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Best Hiking Boots for Alaska" border="0" height="288" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mc2dISM-ZDQ/VqA67wmH5VI/AAAAAAAAAGU/QfG84pQOiTU/s320/DSCN1095.JPG" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
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For Him:</i><br />
Tom loved his new hiking boots, the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008O5B0OS/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B008O5B0OS&linkCode=as2&tag=72hotogo-20&linkId=6BYAUMRQDX7GBCIK" target="_blank">Vasque Breeze</a>, and appreciated them on the glacier trek as well as the day hikes.<br />
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<i>For Her:</i><br />
For every day walking, short hikes, comfy car rides, and glacier walks these <a href="http://www.rei.com/product/788282/the-north-face-janey-winter-boots-womens" target="_blank">North Face Janey boots</a> in brown were the MVP of the trip. They have grips on the bottom, are super comfy and stylish, and totally waterproof with a little <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ZTXPJ6/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B003ZTXPJ6&linkCode=as2&tag=72hotogo-20&linkId=GDPDIKAT74CP4ZGI" target="_blank">spray</a>. Unfortunately, they are no longer made but you can find them on <a href="http://www.ebay.com/bhp/north-face-janey-boots" target="_blank">Ebay</a>.<br />
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I didn't do any hiking over 3 hours, so I didn't need boots with lots of support, but if you are going to be more active or do technical hiking, I would recommend these <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008NKVR0Q/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B008NKVR0Q&linkCode=as2&tag=72hotogo-20&linkId=PJPUH7EVB57QFA5Z" target="_blank">Vasque Breeze boots</a> which I purchased later in 2015.<br />
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<h4>
Best Sandals</h4>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wyqkfjj57jw/VqA7OaDaI6I/AAAAAAAAAGc/CuBd_dKJKRA/s1600/IMG_0626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Best Sandals for Alaska - Chacos" border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wyqkfjj57jw/VqA7OaDaI6I/AAAAAAAAAGc/CuBd_dKJKRA/s320/IMG_0626.JPG" title="" width="240" /></a></div>
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These <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008FSJB90/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B008FSJB90&linkCode=as2&tag=72hotogo-20&linkId=ZNIPRGNZ6H7AZ443" target="_blank">Chaco Z/2 Yampa sandals</a> were another MVP of the trip. I wore them anytime we did water activities, whenever I needed to let my feet breathe, and even for light hiking. You could get away with only 3 pairs of shoes for the entire trip if you did the Chacos, the North Face boots, and a pair of nice flats for anything dressy.<br />
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<h4>
Best Rain Gear</h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-gCt49dB9iPQ92NYuKKh6dwFXTGW0en7h_AxYnogiGfgdS2tzQTxFT2lvuDfGPAPbNF1iJPX_8q4-TJgpIBpXA63-6oo1nrLlrNWFmNlclEyrNe8pttWhDxxEkYvbzznAc_XZZIkjG_8/s1600/IMG_20150812_095208667%257E2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Best Rain Gear for Alaska" border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-gCt49dB9iPQ92NYuKKh6dwFXTGW0en7h_AxYnogiGfgdS2tzQTxFT2lvuDfGPAPbNF1iJPX_8q4-TJgpIBpXA63-6oo1nrLlrNWFmNlclEyrNe8pttWhDxxEkYvbzznAc_XZZIkjG_8/s400/IMG_20150812_095208667%257E2.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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I loved my <a href="http://www.rei.com/product/843960/rei-rainwall-jacket-womens" target="_blank">REI Rainwall jacket</a> (no longer made in this model but <a href="http://www.rei.com/product/878343/rei-rainwall-jacket-womens" target="_blank">newer version here</a>) and my <a href="http://amzn.to/1Qjravm" target="_blank">Marmot rain pants</a>. They kept me warm and dry. On the coldest days (glacier cruising) I layered a North Face fleece under the rain jacket and topped with a scarf, hat, and gloves. <br />
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Tom preferred this <a href="http://amzn.to/1SBM0JL" target="_blank">all-in-one from North Face</a> that has a wind/water resistant outer layer and a fleecy interior. He has had the jacket for nearly 2 years and it is his absolute favorite down to about 45 degrees F.<br />
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<h4>
Best Daytime Look</h4>
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Note that everything in Alaska is casual. You wear the same activities for daytime and evening. Dressing for dinner just entails putting on something not wet or muddy.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EuEfxEEyrUg/VqA7d9-JFaI/AAAAAAAAAGk/Nwc5ron9Xns/s1600/IMG_20150807_105152934_HDR%257E2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="What to Wear in Alaska - For Guys" border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EuEfxEEyrUg/VqA7d9-JFaI/AAAAAAAAAGk/Nwc5ron9Xns/s400/IMG_20150807_105152934_HDR%257E2.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>For Him</i>: The guys preferred jeans (casual), or shorts/zip off pants (for hiking) and a <a href="http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/category.do?cid=1031103#style=1031104" target="_blank">moisture wicking shirt</a>. They mostly wore boat shoes or light sneakers.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bNolwb-JaTQ/VqA7qy5KrXI/AAAAAAAAAG0/w_pTDF0icQc/s1600/IMG_20150731_151347783%257E2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="What to wear in Alaska - For Girls" border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bNolwb-JaTQ/VqA7qy5KrXI/AAAAAAAAAG0/w_pTDF0icQc/s400/IMG_20150731_151347783%257E2.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>For Her</i>: I most comfortable in <a href="http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=1036836&vid=1&pid=353173002" target="_blank">stretchy workout capris</a>, a t-shirt, my sandals, and my rain jacket. As you can see from the photos, I wore some combination of this almost every day.<br />
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<h4>
Best Daypack</h4>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PoF0HWnWqNw/VqA7kraUCUI/AAAAAAAAAGs/KWPCcH6c62w/s1600/IMG_0588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PoF0HWnWqNw/VqA7kraUCUI/AAAAAAAAAGs/KWPCcH6c62w/s400/IMG_0588.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I loved this <a href="http://amzn.to/1QjwFtT" target="_blank">Osprey 22 pack</a> that I used for my carry-on and my daybag. It was recommended by <a href="http://www.thecollegeprepster.com/2015/05/what-to-pack-for-alaska.html" target="_blank">The College Prepster</a> after her own Alaska trip and it lived up. It has a waterproof top compartment, lots of pockets and expandable storage, and compartment to hold a <a href="http://amzn.to/1QjwXRD" target="_blank">3L water bag</a> with a sip line holder on the shoulder straps. Comes in male and female versions with slight sizing differences and different color choices, but I liked the basic black/gray best.<br />
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<h4>
Best Water Bottle</h4>
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Water bottles are a source of great debate within our household. There are strong opinions on straw versus not, and one handed opening versus twist. My all time favorite is this <a href="http://amzn.to/1WBrIz4" target="_blank">Contigo</a> version that has a one handed opening, and a caribiner clip built into the handle so you can attach it to your pack, pocket, or the seat in front of you on the airplane. Tom prefers this similar version made by <a href="http://amzn.to/1QjxBOT" target="_blank">Nalgene </a>which has a flip top covering on the mouthpiece to keep it clean.<br />
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<h4>
Best Guidebook</h4>
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To prepare for the trip, I took advantage of my Kindle Unlimited membership which gave me access to Lonely Planet <a href="http://amzn.to/1SBSvfy" target="_blank">Alaska</a>, <a href="http://amzn.to/1WBsoVg" target="_blank">Seattle</a>, and <a href="http://amzn.to/1NpUrzQ" target="_blank">Vancouver </a>guidebooks for free. They had good general overviews but I then went to blogs and trip reports online to fill in the logistical details - one of the reasons I established 72 Hours To Go was so that readers don't have to jump all over to find this information anymore!<br />
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<h4>
Best Audiobook</h4>
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Before any trip, and especially road trips, we like to download an audio book. We use <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Audible-Free-Trial-Digital-Membership/dp/B00NB86OYE/?ref_=assoc_tag_ph_1422899139880&_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=pf4&tag=72hotogo-20&linkId=JQ2K56PJXQZ6VKF2" target="_blank">Audible</a> which has a free trial, and 2 book downloads for free! Lately we have enjoyed the <a href="http://clive-cussler-books.com/category/books/fargo-adventures/" target="_blank">Fargo Adventures by Clive Cussler</a>. They are exciting and engaging, yet predictable enough that if you fall asleep for a bit you won't miss too much of the plot. I recommend them in chronological order, starting with <a href="http://amzn.to/1NpURpT" target="_blank">Spartan Gold</a>, but you could pick them up anywhere in the series.<br />
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<h4>
Best Headphones</h4>
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You should always bring a good pair of <a href="http://amzn.to/1NpV1xC" target="_blank">basic in-ear headphones</a> on any trip. They are so useful for music, a movie, a podcast, etc. Bonus points if you bring a <a href="http://amzn.to/1NpV7VQ" target="_blank">splitter </a>so you can listen to something with a travel buddy. Keep both in your daybag since you might need them at museums for audio tours.</div>
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If you want to splurge, Tom loves his <a href="http://amzn.to/1NpVCiG" target="_blank">Bose around-ear wireless headphones</a>. They block out the engine noise from the airplane so you can really enjoy whatever you are listening to. They do take up space, and require charging, so not good for every day, out and about, use.<br />
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<h4>
Best Camera</h4>
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Overall consensus from our group was that for amateur photography the cell phones worked perfectly, even when compared to some of the nicer cameras we brought. I used the Google Photos app to edit and curate my album<br />
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<b><i>Tip</i></b>: You can edit and save photos while in airplane mode so I used downtime on long bus rides to curate as I went making it quick and easy to organize and share after the trip</blockquote>
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<h4>
Most Useful Thing To Pack</h4>
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Plastic baggies! We used sandwich and gallon sized bags to hold electronics, snacks, maps and contain muddy/wet clothes and shoes as we had to move hotels every couple of days on the land portion of the trip. A close second would be the aforementioned rain jacket since it was the perfect windbreaker/dry layer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOTRDnSB-msf_YTO4DpOgw0Wn0pVQOFwKou1hHAKkxhKVOhDpq4TAHwlmppSSz2BXnWVoYRNF8eBzrYsYlLdUn2LudQv6LUaBgCfRpAguXpgJUXmGoT1m6a8YRznXHwu7Q4O5_kyFsms/s1600/download_20150730_191807%257E2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOTRDnSB-msf_YTO4DpOgw0Wn0pVQOFwKou1hHAKkxhKVOhDpq4TAHwlmppSSz2BXnWVoYRNF8eBzrYsYlLdUn2LudQv6LUaBgCfRpAguXpgJUXmGoT1m6a8YRznXHwu7Q4O5_kyFsms/s400/download_20150730_191807%257E2.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<h4>
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What else are you thinking of packing? For those that have been to Alaska or the Pacific Northwest, what else would you recommend?<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05105638273007544930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-68330573118063304632016-01-17T20:28:00.001-05:002016-01-18T11:17:15.108-05:0072 Hours in Dallas, Texas for Create+CultivateAt the end of January, Create + Cultivate is going to Dallas and there are approximately 400 women who can hardly wait to attend, myself included. <a href="http://www.createcultivate.com/" target="_blank">Create + Cultivate</a> is a creative conference & online platform for female entrepreneurs in the digital space. They create inspiring environments that seek to enlighten, entertain & inspire both online & offline. The one day conference promises learning, networking, inspiration, and growth. For everyone that is going to be a part of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/createcultivatedallas/" target="_blank">#createcultivatedallas</a> here is a custom detailed itinerary for making the most of this career opportunity in a wonderful city. <br />
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<i>Planner's Note</i>: There are of course tons of places to eat, things to do, hotels to stay at, etc., however this itinerary is optimized for those staying in the downtown/uptown area or at the conference sponsored hotel who arrive Friday and depart on Sunday. See the end of the post for hotel recommendations and how to get around town.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbAB8qZNkPrVesC7AeMZSKgW_QiTBXcUxPP8ym_dMdPzA5i8EviprrQlHPQH4YH-g2LJjZq3erW75zHJ_0hPlXYP4ZXUJdrnT8eOjPXX4SqWbslceJX_jNRzPbQKsdrRjRgBhf9JP0AA/s1600/Copy+of+72+Hours+Timeline+Dallas+-+Instagram.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Detailed weekend itinerary for Create+Cultivate in Dallas from 72 Hours To Go" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbAB8qZNkPrVesC7AeMZSKgW_QiTBXcUxPP8ym_dMdPzA5i8EviprrQlHPQH4YH-g2LJjZq3erW75zHJ_0hPlXYP4ZXUJdrnT8eOjPXX4SqWbslceJX_jNRzPbQKsdrRjRgBhf9JP0AA/s400/Copy+of+72+Hours+Timeline+Dallas+-+Instagram.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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<h3>
Your Itinerary</h3>
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<h4>
Friday, January 29, 2016</h4>
<ul>
<li><i>5 min - Connect</i></li>
<ul>
<li>Before you leave home, <a href="http://www.createcultivate.com/blog/2016/1/14/vylknnk560819wdvw5mh0mpbd1o620" target="_blank">download the C+C app</a> so you have all the latest info at your fingertips</li>
<li>Download/copy the list of speakers and mentors to your electronic device before your flight so you can read bios and brainstorm questions</li>
</ul>
<li><i>morning: Travel</i></li>
<ul>
<li>If you are arriving by air, or will be without a car, see the recommended transportation section below for some tips</li>
</ul>
<li><i>late morning: Pit Stop</i></li>
<ul>
<li>drop off bags at hotel and check in if possible</li>
<li>Tip: If your room is not yet ready, ask if you can at least check in now so that all you have to do later is pick up your keys since they will already have your card and guest information on file</li>
</ul>
<li><i>12-1 pm: BBQ Pit Stop</i></li>
<ul>
<li>Grab some barbecue for lunch and savor the flavors of the South - brisket is the specialty in Texas if you want to eat like a local at this non-chain, low key lunch place</li>
<li><a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g55711-d460713-Reviews-Sammy_s_Bar_B_Q-Dallas_Texas.html" target="_blank">Sammy's Bar-B-Q</a>, 2126 Leonard Street, Dallas, TX 7520</li>
</ul>
<li><i>1:30-3 pm: Shopping</i></li>
<ul>
<li>Visit <a href="http://www.createcultivate.com/blog/2016/1/14/favorite-dallas-finds-highland-park-village" target="_blank">Highland Park Village</a>, an outdoor shopping center, to peruse some high end merchandise and #treattyoself or dream of what you will do when your entrepreneurial dreams become a reality</li>
<li>Address; 47 Highland Park Village, Dallas, TX 75205</li>
<li>If you landed later, or BBQ isn't your thing, stop in Mi Cocina for some delicious Tex-Mex, or re-caffeinate at Starbucks</li>
</ul>
<li><i>4-5:30 pm: Refresh</i></li>
<ul>
<li>Return to your hotel to check in, refresh, and get ready for the networking happy hour. Be sure to hang up, or iron out, whatever you plan to wear to the conference tomorrow so it is wrinkle free and instagram perfect for Saturday</li>
<li>Private message 3 people you connected with on social media before the conference and make plans to meet up during the happy hour, or grab dinner afterwards</li>
</ul>
<li><i>5:45 pm: Transit</i></li>
<ul>
<li>Depart for the networking happy hour via Uber</li>
<li>Don't forget to bring your business cards and practice your quick self-introduction in the car ride over</li>
<li>Tip: keep a pen handy and jot a quick note about why you connected with someone or what you want to follow up with them about on the back of their business card right after you meet.</li>
</ul>
<li><i>6-7 pm: Happy Hour</i></li>
<ul>
<li>The Common Desk - Deep Ellum, 2919 Commerce Street, Dallas, TX 75226</li>
<li>Beer, Wine, Light Food to be served</li>
<li>Push yourself not to be a wallflower! Some people will know other women at the conference and some people are venturing solo into a brave new digital world, so put yourself out there and remember that almost everyone likes to talk about themselves so ask them about their business and what they hope to get out of the conference</li>
</ul>
<li><i>7:30-9 pm: Dinner</i></li>
<ul>
<li>Invite some of your new acquaintances to continue the conversation over dinner - there are plenty of restaurants within a few blocks of the happy hour venue</li>
<li><a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g55711-d464673-Reviews-Pepe_s_Mito_s_Mexican_Cafe-Dallas_Texas.html" target="_blank">Pepe's and Mito's Mexican Cafe</a>, 2911 Elm St, Dallas, TX 75226, features great Tex-Mex cuisine in a laid back atmosphere</li>
<li><a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g55711-d8120468-Reviews-Braindead_Brewing-Dallas_Texas.html" target="_blank">Braindead Brewing</a>, 2625 Main St., Dallas, TX 75226, features great brews, burgers, and salads</li>
</ul>
<li><i>9 pm: Retire</i></li>
<ul>
<li>Transit back to the hotel and get everything physically and mentally prepped for tomorrow because it will be a marathon, not a sprint!</li>
<li>Charge your phone and your extra battery pack</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<h4>
Saturday - January 20, 2016 - The Conference</h4>
</div>
<div>
For full conference details and schedules, <a href="http://www.createcultivate.com/conference-info/" target="_blank">read the C+C post</a> or use the C+C app</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><i>7:45 am: Transit</i></li>
<ul>
<li>Head on over to The Lofty Spaces, 816 Montgomery St, Dallas, TX 75226</li>
<li>Don't forget to bring a government issued ID for check in, along with your business cards, phone, charger, and something to take notes with</li>
</ul>
<li><i>8-9 am: Check In</i></li>
<ul>
<li>Get your badge, track number, and schedule for the day</li>
<li>Enjoy breakfast and get to know the other conference-goers</li>
</ul>
<li><i>9 am - 4:30 pm: Conference Tracks</i></li>
<ul>
<li>Follow your schedule for the majority of the day</li>
<li>Tip: If you are Track #1, lunch is not until 2 pm, so be sure to grab a refreshment and snack during the break at 12:40 pm to keep you energized and focused</li>
</ul>
<li><i>4:30-5:30 pm: Break</i></li>
<ul>
<li>Refresh and check out all the vendors</li>
</ul>
<li><i>5:30-7 pm: Keynote</i></li>
<li><i>7-8 pm: Happy Hour</i></li>
<ul>
<li>Unwind and celebrate the end of a great day</li>
<li>Exchange cards with anyone who you connected with</li>
</ul>
<li><i>8:30 pm: Dinner</i></li>
<ul>
<li>Grab some new friends and get some dinner to talk about everything you learned </li>
<li>Near the W-Victory: <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g55711-d3739159-Reviews-Naga_Thai-Dallas_Texas.html" target="_blank">Naga Thai Kitchen</a>, 665 High Market St., Dallas, TX 75226</li>
<li>Near Downtown: <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g55711-d9598509-Reviews-Americano-Dallas_Texas.html" target="_blank">Americano</a>, 1530 Main St, Dallas, TX 75226</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<h4>
Sunday, January 31, 2016</h4>
<ul>
<li><i>7:30 am Coffee Talk</i></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you have an early flight, make plans to meet up with someone staying near you to talk business over morning lattes and pastries.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Near the W-Victory: <a href="http://www.wdallasvictory.com/cook-hall" target="_blank">Cook Hall</a> or <a href="http://www.wdallasvictory.com/livingroom" target="_blank">The Living Room</a>, inside of the hotel, are the closest places to grab coffee early on Sunday morning</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Near Downtown: <a href="http://ahhweekend.com/" target="_blank">Weekend Coffee</a>, 1511 Commerce St, Dallas, TX 75201, Espresso drinks, pour-over coffee & pastries served in a hip, bright space inside the Joule Hotel.</span></li>
</ul>
<li><i>9 or 10 am: Power Brunch</i></li>
<ul>
<li>Take advantage of some connections made this weekend, or collaborative ideas brewing and make plans in advance to meet for a working brunch over coffee and mimosas</li>
<li><a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g55711-d3977968-Reviews-Lark_on_the_Park-Dallas_Texas.html" target="_blank">Lark on the Park</a>, 2015 Woodall Rodgers Freeway, Dallas, TX 75201, reservations recommended, the pastry basket is worth the carbs</li>
<li><a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g55711-d4765872-Reviews-Mercat-Dallas_Texas.html" target="_blank">Mercat Bistro</a>, 2501 N. Harwood St., Dallas, TX 75201, opens at 10 am, reservations recommended, enjoy crepes, pastries, and quiche</li>
</ul>
<li><i>Spare Time</i></li>
<ul>
<li>If you don't have to leave right away, here are some ideas for how to spend a nice Sunday in Dallas</li>
<li>If the weather is nice, head to the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g55711-d140769-Reviews-Dallas_Arboretum_Botanical_Gardens-Dallas_Texas.html" target="_blank">Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens</a>, 8525 Garland Road, Dallas, TX 75218, $5 admission gives you access to walking trail and the lovely winter blooms. This is a perfect setting to do a photo shoot in the natural light.</li>
<li>If the weather doesn't cooperate, head to the <a href="http://www.thedallasartsdistrict.org/" target="_blank">Dallas Arts District</a> where you can duck between museums. Start at the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g55711-d126956-Reviews-Dallas_Museum_of_Art-Dallas_Texas.html" target="_blank">Dallas Museum of Art,</a> 1717 North Harwood, Dallas, Texas 75201, opens at 11 am with free admission to main museum, where you can see a temporary exhibition on Pop Art, and gather inspiration for your home in the Decorative Arts and Design Collection, or visit the international art wings to satisfy your wanderlust. <a href="http://www.dma.mobi/" target="_blank">Download the tour app</a> to your phone before you go.</li>
<li>Departing out of Love Field? Check your bags early then stop at the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g55711-d559934-Reviews-Frontiers_of_Flight_Museum-Dallas_Texas.html" target="_blank">Frontiers of Flight Museum</a> to learn about aviation and take photos of your OOTD with all the planes as a metaphor for how your career is going to take flight after this conference; 6911 Lemmon Avenue Dallas, Texas 75209; open 1-5 pm today; $10 admission</li>
</ul>
<li><i>Departure</i></li>
<ul>
<li>If departing by air, plan to arrive at the airport 1.5 hours before your flight to check in and get to the gate, especially if you are flying out of Dallas-Ft. Worth because it is a major hub airport.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<br /></h3>
<h3>
Getting There, Around Town, and Back Again</h3>
If arriving by plane, you will fly into Dallas Love Field or Dallas-Ft.Worth airports.<br />
<br />
<i>No Need To Rent a Car</i> - To get around town, I would not recommend renting a car unless you plan to venture outside of downtown. All of the conference activities are in the same part of the city and you can easily get to venues via car service, and all of the recommended eateries in this itinerary are within walking distance of the venue or the hotel.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Use Uber to Get Around</i> - If you have never used it before, download the Uber app on your phone and <a href="https://www.uber.com/invite/393ql" target="_blank">use my referral link</a> to get a free ride up to $15 (and I get one too!) Its easy to split fares within the app if you make friends and share cars to and from events during the weekend.<br />
Some fare estimates for UberX:<br />
<ul>
<li>DWF Airport to W-Victory Hotel = $23-30</li>
<li>Love Field Airport to W-Dallas Victory Hotel = $10-13</li>
<li>W-Dallas Victory to Highland Park Village = $8-11</li>
<li>W-Dallas Victory to The Common Desk = $5-7</li>
<li>W-Dallas Victory to The Lofty Spaces = $5-7</li>
</ul>
Note: You could also use Lyft, but the presence is not as well established in Dallas, therefore statistically you will be able to get an Uber pickup faster. Here is a <a href="https://www.lyft.com/invited/CHRISTINA016572" target="_blank">referral code for new customers</a> to get $50 in credits.<br />
<h3>
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<h3>
Where to Stay</h3>
<div>
The official hotel of Create+Cultivate Dallas is <a href="https://www.starwoodmeeting.com/events/start.action?id=1509256099&key=146AEFBC" target="_blank">The W-Victory</a> with a special room rate available until January 20, 2016. It is located between uptown and downtown, near the Victory Metro Station, within a few miles of all the weekend activities and my recommended eateries or outings.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
If you prefer to stay elsewhere, there are great deals for ~$100 per night on Hotwire right now. Some people I know ended up with a room at The Adolphus, a four star boutique hotel in the downtown area.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05105638273007544930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-88036397202485340472016-01-16T12:31:00.001-05:002016-01-23T15:25:06.966-05:0072 Hours in Anchorage, AlaskaAlaska is a beautiful state and there are so many things to do in Anchorage or Alaska in general that 3 days hardly seems enough time. Whether you are just dipping your toe in everything that the chilly Bering Sea has to offer on a long weekend getaway, or this is just one stop on a greater adventure in the last frontier, here is a detailed itinerary for a 72 hour trip to Anchorage, Alaska. See the end of the post for arrival information and hotel recommendations.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOtknPG4A1VKAuBcE3S05cE-xa4zBYHu6IVTwBvRrpyF1-GADcrK6PljK8G2IA0dLL7op4OMSFQaQmdqJ1AIBQFB5_qv-5Fwr7wSTK3v2Chw6KMC6AtEEexbQz08RmBYwIxxZ2X724Z_c/s1600/72+Hours+To+Go+Anchorage%252C+Alaska+-+Blog+Image+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Detailed itinerary for 72 hours or less in Anchorage, Alaska" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOtknPG4A1VKAuBcE3S05cE-xa4zBYHu6IVTwBvRrpyF1-GADcrK6PljK8G2IA0dLL7op4OMSFQaQmdqJ1AIBQFB5_qv-5Fwr7wSTK3v2Chw6KMC6AtEEexbQz08RmBYwIxxZ2X724Z_c/s640/72+Hours+To+Go+Anchorage%252C+Alaska+-+Blog+Image+%25281%2529.jpg" title="" width="426" /></a></div>
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<h3>
My Itinerary</h3>
<div>
Check out a <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CLUEbMTHbD5GofescU-iAYyCtP9vnfJXUMXDT98993E/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">copy of the super detailed itinerary</a> that I made for my family when we had our trip to Alaska. <a href="mailto:72hourstogo@gmail.com" target="_blank">Contact me</a> if you would like me to build you a detailed itinerary based on the general itinerary below, or customized to other activities you are interested in.</div>
<h3>
Your Itinerary</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifAoGtAfBEkvxS8YOZ6C6Rztl2jpgGPDVu8DST_D7cZ6G0-FcZItTCaTrQCd6lr86EpAmJ8XaU-arjts5h6HEwlPHFtlvqGJwyJgCAWJKkD8FzCaYQOOIeUNEdkJsCBq8YpI7HMYo1i5U/s1600/72+Hours+Timeline+Anchorage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Detailed Itinerary for 72 Hours in Anchorage, Alaska" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifAoGtAfBEkvxS8YOZ6C6Rztl2jpgGPDVu8DST_D7cZ6G0-FcZItTCaTrQCd6lr86EpAmJ8XaU-arjts5h6HEwlPHFtlvqGJwyJgCAWJKkD8FzCaYQOOIeUNEdkJsCBq8YpI7HMYo1i5U/s640/72+Hours+Timeline+Anchorage.jpg" title="" width="425" /></a></div>
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<div>
<ul>
<li>Day 1 - plans for 4+ hours based on travel in the morning with an afternoon/evening arrival</li>
<ul>
<li>For more details and photos, check out my <a href="http://72hourstogo.blogspot.com/2015/08/day-4-turnagain-arm-alaska.html" target="_blank">trip report from the field</a> for this day</li>
<li>30 min: Pickup rental car from airport and head towards the Turnagain Arm </li>
<li>Optional 15+ min: Stop along the road at the <a href="http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=viewinglocations.pottermarsh#_=_" target="_blank">Potter Marsh Bird Sanctuary</a></li>
<ul>
<li>walk along the .5 mi of boardwalks and use your binoculars to check out the wildlife</li>
</ul>
<li>30 min: See the boor tide</li>
<ul>
<li>Check the <a href="http://www.alaska.org/advice/alaska-bore-tide" target="_blank">tide tables</a> and see if you can park the car, find a good lookout spot near Beluga Point, and sit down to catch a view of the boor tide</li>
</ul>
<li>30+ min: Grab dinner at <a href="http://www.turnagainarmpitbbq.com/" target="_blank">Turnagain Arm Pit BBQ</a> in the little town called Indian</li>
<li>30 min: Follow Seward Hwy towards Portage enjoying the views</li>
<li>1 hour: Visit the <a href="https://www.alaskawildlife.org/" target="_blank">Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center</a> </li>
<ul>
<li>Open until 8 pm May-Sept; go within 2 hours of closing to have the place to yourself </li>
<li>Note: Allow at least 45+ min to see all the animals, less if you drive around, more if you want to get out and walk the loop.</li>
</ul>
<li>Optional 20+ min: Take a detour on Portage Glacier Road</li>
<ul>
<li>Catch a glimpse of the tunnel to the port of Whittier and some great glacier and water views</li>
</ul>
<li>~1 hour: Return to your hotel</li>
<ul>
<li>Settle in for the night; be sure to draw blackout curtains since the sun is out late and up early</li>
<li>Charge the camera since you will want it on the glacier hike tomorrow</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li>Day 2 - plans for the entire day</li>
<ul>
<li>For more details and photos, check out my <a href="http://72hourstogo.blogspot.com/2015/08/day-5-anchorage-alaska.html" target="_blank">trip report from the field</a> for this day</li>
<li>Wake up and gear up: pack a day bag with water and snacks, and layers for an outdoor adventure</li>
<ul>
<li>You probably want zip off pants, or something that will transition well from the warmer temps in Anchorage to 40+ temps on the glacier face</li>
<li>Boots recommended today for the hike, but sneakers will work; no flip flops or sandals on the ice</li>
<li>Pack water, sunglasses, sunscreen, and an outer layer that is windproof to keep you warm</li>
<li>Bring a trash bag or something to put muddy shoes in after the glacier hike; wear or bring another pair of shoes/sandals to change into</li>
</ul>
<li>45 min: breakfast at B&B, hotel, or nearby cafe</li>
<ul>
<li>TIP: Take it to go for the car if you slept in because of jet lag but don't skip breakfast because you will need the fuel for the glacier hike!</li>
</ul>
<li>2.5 hours: drive from Anchorage to the <a href="http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/matsu/matsuglsrs.htm" target="_blank">Matanuska Glacier State Recreation Area</a> at milepost 101on Glenn Hwy</li>
<ul>
<li>Stop at <a href="http://local.carrsqc.com/ak/palmer-1739.html?utm_source=G&utm_medium=Maps&utm_campaign=G+Places" target="_blank">Carrs/Safeway Grocery in Palmer</a> along the way to get supplies for a picnic lunch</li>
<li>Enjoy the scenic overview of the glacier and read about the history and how the glacier formed; tables to have a picnic if you are ready to eat now</li>
</ul>
<li>15 min: drive to milepost 102 on Glenn Hwy and take the turn for the <a href="http://www.matanuska-glacier.com/" target="_blank">Matanuska Glacier Park</a></li>
<ul>
<li>follow the gravelly road to the main office/store where you need to pay an access fee and sign your life away but can then drive up to the glacier and hike around on your own</li>
</ul>
<li>Explore the Glacier</li>
<ul>
<li>Option 1 - 1+ hour: park the car, gear up, and hike about 15 min across the gravel and mud to the face of the glacier. Walk around on your own and take pictures for as long as you like. Bring your lunch stuff to eat at one of the picnic tables.</li>
<li>Option 2 - 1.5+ hours: If you want to explore more than just the face of the glacier, pre-arrange a guided glacier trek with <a href="http://www.micaguides.com/" target="_blank">MICA Guides</a> who offers high and low adventure options</li>
</ul>
<li>1.5 hrs: Drive to Thunderbird Falls</li>
<ul>
<li>Ditch the muddy shoes in the trunk then get back in the car returning towards Anchorage, but plan to stop at <a href="http://www.alaska.org/detail/thunderbird-falls-trail" target="_blank">Thunderbird Falls</a></li>
</ul>
<li>45+ min: Explore Thunderbird Falls</li>
<ul>
<li>Enjoy the lookout from the viewing platform, or take a short 1 mile hike to the face of the falls</li>
</ul>
<li>45+ min: Return by car to your hotel in Anchorage</li>
<li>45+ min: Clean up and power napping if needed</li>
<ul>
<li>be sure to rinse your muddy boots/shoes so they dry overnight</li>
</ul>
<li>1.5 hrs: Head to <a href="http://www.humpysalaska.com/" target="_blank">Humpy's Alaskan Alehouse</a> for dinner</li>
<ul>
<li>Be prepared for a wait time if it is a Friday or Sat night but you can grab a drink at the bar and relax</li>
<li>Ask for seats on the back patio</li>
<li>Try the local brews if you are a beer fan</li>
<li>The fresh fish is excellent, but there are plenty of carnivore options for non-fish eaters</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li>Day 3 - plans through late afternoon, assuming evening travel back home or to the next destination on your Alaskan Adventure</li>
<ul>
<li>Wake up and take breakfast to go on a morning stroll to the waterfront</li>
<ul>
<li>If you are staying downtown, Resolution Park has a beautiful overlook of the Knik Arm, and the Alaskan Mountain Ranges visible from Anchorage</li>
</ul>
<li>Packup and check out of hotel</li>
<ul>
<li>leave bags in car or with front desk</li>
<li>attire for today is casual; no special gear needed other than the usual day bag and something comfortable for an easy bike ride</li>
</ul>
<li>2+ hours: Head to the <a href="https://www.anchoragemuseum.org/#_=_" target="_blank">Anchorage Museum</a> </li>
<ul>
<li>Learn more about the culture and heritage of Alaska</li>
<li>Start at the Alaska Native Cultures exhibit, then branch out to whatever catches your interest</li>
<li>Catch a docent led tour for a 45 min overview of the museum highlights; daily at 11 am, 12 pm, and 1 pm; included with museum admission</li>
<li>Note: museum buffs could be content to spend the entire day here</li>
</ul>
<li>45 min: Grab lunch at the <a href="http://www.midnightsuncafeak.com/home" target="_blank">Midnight Sun Cafe</a></li>
<ul>
<li>Tip: Call 30 min ahead for to go orders if you want to take it on the trail with you</li>
</ul>
<li>30 min: Head to <a href="http://anchoragecoastaltrail.com/#_=_" target="_blank">Pablo's Bicycle Rentals</a> and pick up bikes and helmets</li>
<ul>
<li>Tip: Use coupon on their website for a free drink</li>
</ul>
<li>2+ hours: Cycle along the <a href="http://anchoragecoastaltrail.com/index.php" target="_blank">Tony Knowles Coastal Trail</a> </li>
<ul>
<li>Enjoy views of wildlife and the Cook Inlet</li>
<li>Use <a href="http://www.trailsofanchorage.com/Maps&Links/TrailwatchMap.pdf" target="_blank">this map</a> to decide your route based on how much time you before your departure</li>
<li>Its about 4.5 mi from the rental place south on the trail towards Earthquake Park which is a good visit, and a good turnaround point for an afternoon outing. Plenty of stops along the way to rest and enjoy the view.</li>
</ul>
<li>If departing by air:</li>
<ul>
<li>plan to arrive at the airport 1.5+ hours before your flight to return the rental car and check in</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>
Getting There</h3>
Most travelers arrive in Anchorage by plane, or by cruise ship. If you fly into Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, it is relatively small, but still has all the standard amenities. Plan to pick up your rental car before you leave the airport. <br />
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If you are arriving by cruise ship, most likely you will dock in the nearby town of Whittier. Books tickets in advance to take the 6:45 pm <a href="http://www.alaskatrain.com/routes/whittier-anchorage.html" target="_blank">Alaska Train</a> from the port of Whittier directly to downtown Anchorage. The train has dome cars and plenty of windows and external platforms to enjoy scenic views of Portage Glacier, Turnagain Arm, and Anchorage over the 2.5 hour journey. Plan to pick up a rental car at the airport once you get to downtown Anchorage.<br />
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<h3>
Where to Stay</h3>
If you prefer to stay downtown, which puts you closer to shops, restaurants, and the airport, I recommend two options:<br />
<ul>
<li>Save - <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiokYn7xq7KAhVGzz4KHVxbCQ0QFggdMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ihg.com%2Fholidayinnexpress%2Fhotels%2Fus%2Fen%2Fanchorage%2Fancsp%2Fhoteldetail&usg=AFQjCNGUYDO6i_MT7Vqe3GkVI9ijGRlOSQ&sig2=LdSVp-D3H6W5NuOu7lnV3A&bvm=bv.112064104,d.cWw" target="_blank">Holiday Inn Express Anchorage</a></li>
<ul>
<li>budget friendly and breakfast included; slightly further away from the main streets of downtown but if have your rental car you can easily drive where you want to go</li>
</ul>
<li>Splurge - <a href="http://www.captaincook.com/" target="_blank">Hotel Captain Cook</a></li>
<ul>
<li>4 star hotel with posh rooms and quality service; breakfast not included but there are some great places to eat within a 3 block walk if you want to avoid the pricey and unmemorable dine in or takeout options within the hotel</li>
<ul>
<li>Nearby <a href="http://snowcitycafe.com/" target="_blank">Snow City Cafe</a> has the best rated breakfast in town; if you have time to sit and eat this should be your pick</li>
<li>Just across the street, the K Street Convenience Store is handy if you need something quick to go, or snacks for the day</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
If you are willing to stay 30 min outside of town, I personally recommend:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://turnagainviewbnb.com/" target="_blank">The Turnagain View B&B</a></li>
<ul>
<li>We stayed in the Rock Room but all three of the guest rooms looked wonderful</li>
<li>The owners were so warm and welcoming and made a fabulous breakfast spread</li>
<li>In July 2015, they had a litter of puppies that were tons of fun to play with if you have children</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11608795039469425315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-87326843582707138112015-08-16T16:01:00.000-04:002016-01-23T15:24:51.176-05:00Alaskan Adventure - Day 18&19 - Vancouver, B.C., Canada<br />
Saturday we continued our adventure just as a party of 2, since the others needed to head home. We spent the weekend in Vancouver, taking advantage of great weather, a slower agenda, and fresh sushi whenever possible.<br />
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Saturday morning Tom and I opted to walk off early carrying our luggage, instead of having the cruise line take it ashore for us. First time we have done that and it worked really well since we were able to disembark right at the time we had been asked to vacate our rooms. Would definitely recommend this option if you can handle your luggage and don't want to wait on the ship.<br />
We caught a cab to our boutique hotel in the Yaletown area of downtown and got breakfast at the Twisted Fork nearby. We actually had to search for some time to find a place to eat since we had walked off the ship at 6:30 am and most places were not even open yet on a Saturday morning. After a hearty breakfast, the plan had been to do a hop on/off bus tour, but it turns out there was a marathon happening downtown so many of the streets were closed until noon and the tour busses were not running! It was a bit of a scramble to figure out what to do since we were tired and did not have a backup plan, and it was too early to check into our rooms which is what we really wanted to do. We had already bought the bus tickets, so we hopped a cab to the Aquarium in Stanley Park to visit for a couple of hours and then started our bus from that area. The Aquarium was really nice, and had many large sea mammals and a great exhibit on British Columbia area sea life, however not as good overall as the one in Atlanta.<br />
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We finally managed to get on the bus tour around 1 pm and spent the afternoon doing the two routes around the area, stopping for Tim Horton donuts (think Dunkin Donuts for Canadians) and the Maritime Museum which was an impulse stop but we both really enjoyed the ship they had dry-docked within the museum. It was the first to cross the Northwest Passage, and went with a fascinating exhibit about the quest for a way across North America by sea.<br />
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We had dinner at a fantastic sushi place near the hotel. Their specialty is fish that is pounded flat and then lightly flame broiled before being placed in layers of sticky rice. It's called aburu oshi and this restaurant pioneered the technique a few years ago. Apologies - I forgot to take many pics today.<br />
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On Sunday, we got up fairly early and ventured about 20 min north via Uber to the Capilano Bridge Park and Grouse Mountain. Capilano Bridge is a huge swinging suspension bridge that stretches 450 ft across and 230 ft high over the gorge. I was terrified to cross but managed to make it by holding the rail and not looking over the side and was rewarded with a canopy treehouse to climb on the other side and beautiful views of the river. Tom also braved the cliff walk which is a narrow path that goes along the ledge, but I opted to sit that one out. <br />
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After exploring the bridge park for a few hours, we caught the local bus to nearby Grouse Mountain where we took a gondola up to the top of the mountain (instead of the 2800 stairs up) and explored the animal habitats and exhibits they had. They have 2 grizzly bears that were rescue animals that we got to see up close. I was disappointed I never got to see a bear in the wild, but at least I got to see a grizzly bear up close in a natural habitat. Also saw some hawks and eagles and caught the lumberjack show. The wolf did not make an appearance for us, which was disappointing.<br />
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The Canadians appreciation for nature and the outdoors is clearly evident in the way they have these parks set up. They treat these as a family outing the way we might go to 6 Flags. Families of all ages and handicap levels were everywhere, as well as the usual tourists. We also saw lots of young adults from Australia and New Zealand, as well as local, working at these summer jobs which was great to see. Everyone was very friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable, which is a refreshing change from some of the jaded workers we see at DC tourist attractions.<br />
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Tom and I turned in very early on Sunday as we are both fighting a cold that was going around. The last few days of the trip are low key so we will rest up. Monday we rent a car and travel by ferry to Victoria and then back to Seattle where we fly out on Tuesday.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11608795039469425315noreply@blogger.com0Vancouver, BC, Canada49.2827291 -123.1207375000000249.1169101 -123.44346100000001 49.4485481 -122.79801400000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-16729513696857680962015-08-13T15:53:00.000-04:002016-01-23T15:24:44.069-05:00Alaskan Adventure - Day 16 &17 - Ketchikan, Alaska and the last day at seaThursday we docked in the fishing town of Ketchikan, which is only accessible by water or plane - no roads in or out! We explored the town, saw some Totem Pole replicas, enjoyed fresh crab on the docks, and finished the day with a flight seeing tour of the Misty Fjords National Monument. Overall a really great day! Friday we enjoyed our last day on the ship, and since there was no Glacier cruising on the agenda, we had nothing to schedule around. A nice ending to the week long cruise.<br />
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We arrived in Ketchikan around 9 am Thursday and headed straight off the ship to explore the town. We were docked right in the center of town which was so convenient not needing a shuttle. Pete and Ellen slept in again, still trying to shake whatever bug they had, but Carl, Tom, and I (after getting a little confused on the pickup point) caught the local bus to Totem Night State Park, about 20 min north of town. This is a small state park on the water that features original and replica Totem poles along with a clan house from the First Nations. This area was settled >10,000 years ago by those who crossed the land bridge from Asia. Totem poles were works of art commissioned for births, deaths, tribe crests, or significant achievements. They feature local animals like wolf, bear, orca, bird, and otter and often told legends and creation stories. I thought the area was fascinating, but you can see from the attached picture that Tom was not as enthralled (he thought state park = trees and hiking).<br />
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We took the bus back to town (with Tom wishing we had rented a car for the day the whole time) and met Pete and Ellen on the docks for fish and crab. Tom and I had been waiting all trip to enjoy fresh crab on the waterfront and we were not disappointed! We had cod fish n chips along with king crab legs. Ellen and Carl tried the Dungeness crab, and liked it better than the king crab they had tried previously on the trip. We also had great blackened salmon tacos.<br />
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After lunch, Carl, Tom, and I walked along Creek Street which is a series of boardwalks over the creek that runs through town. We made it to the fish ladder, which is a concrete structure that allows spawning salmon to route around the large waterfall that they otherwise cannot traverse upstream. We saw several fish make it through but we also saw lots of dead fish in the water. This is the tail end of the silver Salmon run and the fish are absolutely exhausted and unable to breath since they are used to salt water, so many die en route to the lakes where they spawn. I think only 2 out of 1000 salmon make it to the spawning grounds.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Cute door stop outside of an artisan shop in Creek Street</span></i></td></tr>
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We met at the pier under the liquid sunshine gauge (note, Ketchikan gets over 200 inches of rain per year; currently at 180" for 2015) to find our flight tour operator, Island Wings. The flight left from a nearby dock and we had the plane to ourselves. Although I have been in small planes many times, I had never done a water takeoff and landing. It was much smoother than I expected! We flew through the Misty Fjords and had beautiful views since it was an extremely rare sunny day.<br />
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After 45 min or so, we landed in a lake and got off on a floating dock to look around and stretch. Fjords are Glacier carved inlets from the ocean, so despite looking like lakes, they are all salt water and connect to the see. We also saw some fantastic alpine lakes high in the mountains, left by glaciers or made from accumulating rain water. They often form long, beautiful waterfalls that cascade down to the ocean. We were lucky enough to visit Ketchikan on one of the sunniest, most beautiful days of the year, therefore we did not see any mist in the Misty Fjords, but the views and experience were still breathtaking and well worth the cost of a flight seeing tour.<br />
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We headed back to the ship and made it just before all aboard (with Christina stressing about the time the whole last 20 minutes). Enjoyed some fresh made, Napoli style pizza in the pizzeria on board as we watched the sail away and then everyone retired to clean up and nap before dinner. That night Tom and I caught the magician performance and really liked it.<br />
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Friday everyone slept in and then we met up on the lido deck to sun in the lounge chairs. It was pleasantly warm and you could sit out in swimwear as long as you were not wet from the pool. After lunch on the lido deck we returned to the sun deck and caught glimpses of orcas and birds. We finished out the day with a visit to the bar for happy hour (buy 1 get one free every afternoon), a round of trivia, and a beautiful sunset as we ate dinner.<br />
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Saturday we arrive in Vancouver early and part ways, with Ellen, Pete, and Carl flying back home directly. Tom and I will stay on in Vancouver and then make our way back to Seattle, via ferries, stopping in Victoria, BC on the way.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11608795039469425315noreply@blogger.com0Ketchikan, AK 99901, USA55.342222199999988 -131.6461110999999855.306106699999987 -131.72679209999998 55.378337699999989 -131.5654301tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-28276103891536155782015-08-12T15:35:00.000-04:002016-01-23T15:24:36.848-05:00Alaskan Adventure - Day 15 - Juneau, AlaskaWednesday we docked in Juneau and unfortunately we had the worst weather of the trip - cold and very rainy. Many people did not even venture off the ship that day. Pete and Ellen were both getting over colds, and Carl opted to sleep in, but Tom and I donned rain gear and headed out to Mendenhall Glacier.<br />
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So thankful for my <a href="http://www.rei.com/product/884735/rei-rainwall-rain-jacket-womens-2014-closeout" target="_blank">REI rain jacket</a> and <a href="http://amzn.to/1n8swzd" target="_blank">Marmot rain pants</a> today! First time I have needed the pants the whole trip and they worked great. We hiked 2 mi roundtrip to Nugget Falls which is near the face of the glacier. The glacier is receding so you can no longer get close to it unless you hike around the other side of the peninsula, or get a helicopter to drop you off. I got a video clip of the roaring glacial falls. <br />
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Saw all types of moss and lichen along the trail that made beautiful natural, but miniature waterfalls in the rain. We also walked along the Steep Creek Trail where the silver salmon were running, but unfortunately, the local bears were not making an appearance right then. Although we saw bears at the conservation center in Anchorage, it would be spectacular to see a bear in the wild.<br />
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We took the shuttle from the Glacier back to town and stopped for a beer and a bowl of salmon chowder in the saloon in Juneau. The Red Dog Saloon is the local, campy watering hole complete with sawdust floor, corseted barmaids, and an old time piano player. Some impressive taxidermy too. See the bear chasing the lumber jack up the pole in the photo?<br />
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Original plan was to meet the others for seafood in town but since the weather was so awful we headed back to the ship and met them there for lunch. Ship sailed at 3 pm so everyone took advantage of the quiet afternoon to read, play trivia, and then nap before dinner, which was our second formal night. All the food has been great on the ship, and we only ate at the specialty restaurants twice, instead opting for the main dining room for dinner on the other nights. After dinner, we usually catch a show or go somewhere to listen to music. Pete and Ellen particularly liked the piano player/crooner Liam Ryder who played in the piano bar most nights. On Wed he did a 1 hr show in the lounge and all of us really enjoyed that.<br />
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Thursday we are docked in Ketchikan, the last port of the cruise.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11608795039469425315noreply@blogger.com0Juneau, AK, USA58.3019444 -134.4197222000000257.236388399999996 -137.00150920000002 59.3675004 -131.83793520000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-44191619546827987922015-08-11T15:31:00.000-04:002016-01-23T15:24:24.677-05:00Alaskan Adventure - Day 14 - Skagway, AlaskaTuesday we docked in Skagway, Alaska which is tucked away in the fjords of Southeast Alaska. We split up today, with Tom and Carl ziplining in the morning, while I explored the gold mining town, and then everyone but Carl went kayaking in Canada and then took a scenic train ride on the White Pass and Yukon Railway back across the border. Carl did rock climbing and rappelling in the afternoon, and we all met back at the ship to attend an art lecture on Thomas Kinkade and dinner.<br />
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Southeast Alaska is known for milder weather than the interior, but with that comes lots of rain. We got to experience that first hand - thankfully it didn't rain all day. Skagway was founded just before the gold rush and was used as an entry point for the 500 mile trek into the Yukon Territory where gold was found. Miners had to bring 1 ton of supplies such as flour, feed, beans, etc. by Canadian law to enter the Yukon as proof they could survive. The town itself is very quaint with a few original, but mostly rebuilt houses in bright colors. Instead of sidewalks, they have wooden boardwalks along the shops. I walked around the town in the mid morning when it was misty and a little rainy.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Town of Skagway, Alaska</span></i></td></tr>
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Met up with Tom, Pete, and Ellen to do our kayaking and rail tour. We were picked up in a small van and then drove about 40 minutes north, up through the White Pass and crossed into Fraser, British Columbia, Canada. The mountain pass was completely covered in fog so you could not see into the gorges we crossed. As we passed into Canada, the fog broke and we arrived at Glacier Lake with mist, but no ground fog. Our guides got us into paddle jackets, skirts for the kayaks (think suspenders with a short, elastic hoop skirt that you pull tight around the hole of the kayak so water doesn't go in). The paddles had wet suit gloves attached to keep your hands warm too. We paired up for the double kayaks and set out. We paddled around the lake for over an hour, staying close to the shoreline to see birds, shrubs, and other plant life. The kayaks are very stable, and even had a rudder that you control with your feet to make steering easier.<br />
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After kayaking, we warmed up in the snack tent and then boarded the White Pass and Yukon train to return to Skagway. The train was originally built to carry stampeders and their gear, and then went into disuse for many years before it was restored as a scenic railway. We traveled for 1.5 hours down the mountains, back to sea level. All the tunnels and cuts were made with black powder. As we did the switchbacks, we caught glimpses of the wooden trestles we had just crossed and the architecture is incredible!<br />
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After arriving at the depot in Skagway, we browsed the shops and made our way back to the ship. Ran into Carl in town who had been rock climbing all afternoon, and loved it even if his hands were roughed up and he could barely move the next day. Tom particularly liked the train vehicles that were on display outside the depot. See pic of the huge snowblower car that can be pushed by 2 engines to clear the tracks. Exhausted, everyone took a nap before dinner. Ellen is getting over a cold and Pete appears to have picked up something, so we are all trying to get some extra rest when possible. <br />
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We dined in the Grand Princess main dining room after attending a lecture on the work of Thomas Kinkade, an artist known for luminous landscapes. The lecture talked about how his childhood influenced his paintings and explained the lithograph (aka print) process he used, since he never sold his canvases after his first art show. Dinner was Italian themed and very good. After dessert we called it a night since we dock in Juneau at 630 am on Wednesday.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11608795039469425315noreply@blogger.com0Skagway, AK, USA59.458333299999993 -135.313888958.943614799999992 -136.6047824 59.973051799999993 -134.02299539999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-48399581392603481902015-08-10T15:27:00.000-04:002016-01-23T15:24:16.947-05:00Alaskan Adventure - Day 11.5, 12&13 - On board the Grand PrincessI sent my last update on Saturday when we reached Valdez around mid-day. We got off the bus and walked to the nearby 'Drunken Mermaid' as it had the best sounding name for lunch options. Enjoyed more Alaskan brews and a smoked salmon pizza.<br />
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Shortly thereafter we boarded the Catamaran in Valdez and it was a good thing I sent my last post during lunch because we had no data service on the phones when we got to Whittier. As we cruised for 4 hours through Princess William Sound we saw otters sea lions, birds, and a humpback whale. We mostly sat indoors on the lower deck and played cards, but we did venture up top side to the outdoor viewing area to enjoy beautiful views, crisp sea breeze and spray, and spot wildlife with the binoculars. It was a good dry run for dressing for the glacier viewing days on the cruise! Inside they were serving hot cocoa with peppermint schnapps at the bar, so that was my drink of choice to warm back up.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Map of the cruise across Prince William Sound</span></td></tr>
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We docked in Whittier and said goodbye to John as he then headed back to Anchorage via the train and then on to Atlanta since Georgia Tech starts fraternity rush preparation now. The remaining 5 of us boarded the Grand Princess cruise ship and we each did our own thing for evening activities and dinner the first night. They always have a muster drill which is mandatory, but otherwise you had a choice of trivia, a show in the theater, the main dining room, or the buffet on the lido deck. Being trivia junkies, Tom and I made a beeline to that and then enjoyed a quiet dinner in the main dining room which did open seating for the first night. Near the bridge, they posted maps of our entire voyage plan for the week.<br />
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Since the first two days of the cruise (Days 12 and 13 for those keeping track) were at sea days they have been fairly relaxing with trivia, movies, and art lectures, etc. being our activities of choice. Carl, Tom, and I drank ourselves from one of the ship to the other on Sunday starting with a pint at the British pub lunch, then the champagne art auction, followed by a scotch tasting as we learned about watches, and finishing with a vodka tasting. Carl and I really liked the smoked salmon vodka - would be great in a bloody Mary for brunch! We capped off the evening dressed to the nines for the first formal night. I got a new necklace on board that is a replica of the one Audrey Hepburn wore in Breakfast at Tiffany's. It was perfect with my black dress, just wish I had packed my elbow gloves!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tom spotting tiny icebergs from the lounge where we played trivia</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My fabulous new necklace from the Audrey Hepburn collection</span></td></tr>
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Monday we all took up various outposts on the upper decks to enjoy the glaciers as we cruised through Glacier National Park. Two rangers boarded the ship in the morning and started with a PowerPoint lecture that was broadcast in various lounges of the ship, and then they narrated as we passed each glacier, which was broadcast over the speakers outside. I found a good spot on deck 15 where we were outside and could hear the glaciers cracking and groaning, but we sat behind a glass panel as a windscreen so that we were not as exposed. We had a misty rain/fog all day which was quite chilling, but bundled up we were fine to be outside. We passed Marjorie Glacier, Johns Hopkins Glacier, and Lampugh Glacier over the course of the day. The scale is massive and the blue is electric. Carl, Tom and I finished the afternoon with a wine tasting seminar and then met Pete and Ellen for an excellent dinner at the Italian specialty restaurant. After dinner, some of us (aka not Tom) went up to the disco hoping to dance, but the party scene was not happening so we called it quits after some time in the cocktail lounge.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Santa's doppleganger was on our cruise. He wore a red hawaiian shirt with surfing santas (or a similar motif) and red short every single day, no matter the weather</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bundled up to survive the elements and get up close and personal with the glacier faces</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Face of the Marjorie Glacier</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tom and Ellen enjoying the view from our perch behind the windscreen. Binoculars were very valuable on this trip as a whole, but in particular while viewing the glaciers and wildlife.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Face of the Lampugh Glacier with its electric blue coloring</span></td></tr>
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Today we are in Skagway doing ziplines, rock climbing, kayaking, and a scenic train. Details and pics to follow at the next port!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11608795039469425315noreply@blogger.com0Whittier, AK, USA60.773055600000013 -148.683888960.649052100000013 -149.0066124 60.897059100000014 -148.3611654tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-61376120130493215982015-08-08T20:33:00.000-04:002016-01-23T15:24:07.538-05:00Alaskan Adventure - Day 10&11 - Copper Center, Alaska and then to ValdezFriday we stayed in Copper Center, at the Copper River Princess Lodge. We chose to split up in the morning. Tom and I caught the dog sled demonstration where a local who raises sled dogs brought 4 of his 16 dogs and hitched them to a cart with wheels and took us for a ride around the property as we learned about the care and method of training the dogs. He is definitely a strange ranger, but one comes to expect that from someone who lives by himself in backwoods Alaska with 16 dogs. And he clearly cares so much for his animals and communicates well with them. The dogs are a mix of husky and short hair, so they are small and lean and he puts sweaters on them in the winter. The others had done the dog sled demo the night before and had the same assessment.<br />
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After the dogs, we met up with Carl and John and caught the free shuttle to the nearby National Park visitor center. Wrangell - St. Elias Park is the biggest National Park in the US. It has over 100 glaciers, and 3 of the top 10 tallest mountains in the entire country. Mt. Wrangell is an active volcano. The hikes from the visitor center were slightly disappointing in how short they were, but the views of the river and mountains were nice. We hiked all of the trails they had in under an hour and got back on the shuttle. Pete and Ellen did laundry in the AM and then watched a moving picture, narrated show about the Aurora. We all met for lunch at the pub at the lodge.<br />
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In the afternoon, Carl took a jetboat tour and went salmon fishing in the Klutina River. The rest of us went on the "wild and scenic back country rafting" trip. This time, we did not have the option to paddle, but instead were ferried down the river. Our guides explained that it's safer to do it this way because when you paddle you are not looking at what is coming at you and you are not holding onto anything, therefore more likely to get tossed out of the raft. Although I liked the excitement of paddle rafting better, this option was nice in that we got to look at the surroundings much more and could take pictures. I got a short video of us going into a big rapid and will share a link when I can. We saw baby eagles and other birds, and even passed Carl with his fishing group along the way. Carl caught a 45 lb salmon, but opted to release it because the guide explained that looking at the color it was older and the muscles were deteriorating due to the migration strain and would not have tasted great. They give you the option to ship back home whatever you catch, but this particular fish would not have been worth the shipping cost compared to buying fresh salmon from the market back home.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Carl was so focused on untangling his line, he didn't even see us when we rafted by his jet boat!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">45 lb salmon catch on the Klutina River</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pete and Ellen model the utilitarian, yet quite garish water gear provided for the rafting. Unlike the first rafting adventure, these were not dry suits, although if you buttoned up the collar you stayed fairly dry.</span></td></tr>
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After excursions, we got cleaned up, packed, and I did some laundry before dinner. We enjoyed dinner while watching the sunset behind Mt. Wrangell. This was our last night as a group since John has to return to Georgia Tech and will not be joining us on the cruise. We had asked to get a wake up call if the Aurora showed either night we were there. We checked the Aurora forecast and consulted my dad for the expert weather forecast and decided the conditions looked promising on Friday night, as log as there was not too much smoke from forest fires. Around 1:30 am we got a call that it was showing. We bundled up and stood outside for about 15 minutes and then it started to appear. It goes in bursts and although we didn't see colors, it looked like milky whites waves across the night sky. We watched the entire burst for about 5 min. and when it ended decided we had seen enough and went back to sleep. Overall it was disappointing, but clearly we were not seeing it at peak season and the fact that the sun never really sets this time of year means the ambient light was definitely interfering. Although I can technically check it off the bucket list, I think I want another shot at the Aurora Borealis.<br />
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Saturday morning, we left at 8 am by bus destined for Valdez and are driving a very scenic route through the mountains. We stopped at Worthington Glacier for a quick bathroom break and photo op and the kids hustled up to the leading edge to see the ice cavern and get some pictures. We raced back down the glacier to make it to the bus. The bus also stopped at a nearby waterfall and we took some more family photos before we prepare to part ways this evening. <br />
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We are now pulling into Valdez for lunch and I am going to try to find WiFi and post this, so you will have to hear the rest of the details about the cruise across Prince William Sound and getting to the cruise ship in the next bulletin. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11608795039469425315noreply@blogger.com0Copper Center, AK, USA61.955 -145.305277861.8356545 -145.6280013 62.0743455 -144.9825543tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-83688986101906324612015-08-06T23:21:00.000-04:002016-01-23T15:24:00.921-05:00Alaskan Adventure - Day 9 - Denali to Copper Center, Alaska<br />
Thursday we departed at 730 am for a 9 hour bus ride across the unpaved Denali Highway to reach the next lodge in Copper Center. I woke up early and took some pictures of the property as the sun rose and then went on a coffee run with John who is the brew snob of the crew and had researched a great local coffee shop, Black Bear Coffee House, across the street.<br />
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The bus ride was fairly non eventful, and with the exception of a few very rough bumps, not uncomfortable considering the road conditions. Most of us read or napped as much as we could. Throughout the trip, Tom has been keeping a tally of things we could have done better on our own, versus going through Princess. He was very thankful that he did not have to drive that road and instead got to sit back and enjoy the view. Halway through, we stopped at the one place to get food along the whole route, the MacLaren Inn. They served a great lunch of sandwiches and chili, and their summer special dessert of wildberry pie and homemade vanilla ice cream. Along the ride, we learned about the tundra, and how the area was formed by glaciers, spotted some moose and caribou, and caught up on sleep. Arrived at the lodge around 4 pm and took some short walks before a nice dinner at the lodge.<br />
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Since there is not much interesting to report about the bus trip, I wanted to share some information about Alaska and the lodges we have stayed at. It's also a chance to practice my recall so we can prepare for trivia on the ship. Alaska is the 49th state. The territory was purchased in 1867 for $7 million. It is the northernmost, easternmost, and westernmost state, since the Aleutian Islands cross the date line. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: small;">Restaurant placemat with more facts about Alaska</span></span></td></tr>
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We have learned a lot about the terrain. The tundra that we crossed yesterday on the bus is not arctic tundra covered in snow, but rather a mossy spongy top layer of the ground. Almost no trees grow on it, but there are lots of shrubs. It is favored by moose and caribou because they can see predators coming easily. Almost all of Alaska is permafrost, meaning that even in the summer only the first 2 feet thaw, so the trees all have very shallow roots that travel in a network underground. Because of that network and the air inside the roots, fires can smolder under the ice all winter and then pop up again once the top layer thaws. For the most part, they only try to control the fires if they are headed towards towns or the highway, otherwise they let them burn naturally. There are currently several fires in the Wrangell Mountains where we are now, and you can smell the smoke and see it hanging in the air when we stopped the bus. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">The tundra almost looks like the foggy cover around the Great Smoky Mountains, but it is actually smoke from the forest fires!</span></td></tr>
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There are so many edible plants here! On our ATV ride we saw and tasted something similar to a cranberry. Tom and I saw at least 10 different kinds of mushrooms on our hike in Denali. Blueberries and raspberries are also in season, but have not seen any bushes of them yet. Have enjoyed them in pies though!<br />
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The lodges have all been very nice and on the rustic side. McKinley and Denali had a main lodge with a great room for sitting, coffee shop, restaurant, gift shop, bus stop, check in, etc. and the rooms were in separate building spread across the property. Copper River has a similar main lodge, but the rooms are upstairs in the lodge, like a hotel. It is also the smallest of the three we stayed at, with less than 100 rooms and only 2 places to eat. McKinley and Copper River had short hiking trails around the property. All three had nice decks or fire pits to sit out on and relax. The rooms all have blackout curtains which are greatly appreciated!<br />
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Friday we are hiking, rafting, and fishing along the Copper River.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11608795039469425315noreply@blogger.com0Copper Center, AK, USA61.955 -145.305277861.8356545 -145.6280013 62.0743455 -144.9825543tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-57820407894784112392015-08-05T21:01:00.000-04:002016-01-23T15:23:53.639-05:00Alaskan Adventure - Day 8 - Denali National ParkSo far we have had great luck with weather, but the forecast for Wed was for rain and thunderstorms in the afternoon so we tried to make the most of the day early on. Tom and I got on the 9 am shuttle to the National Park and hiked the Meadow View trail and the Horseshoe Lake trail. Note to future hiking self - something "view" trail means you will be hiking *up* to look out on that something, not hiking *around* that something. 2 hours and 4 miles later we had 10,000+ steps, 3 mosquito bites, and lots of great views. Along the trail, we crossed Pete and John who took the Mt. Healy Trail.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Getting great use out of my new pack with Camelback insert</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">John and Pete took a great photo from the top of the Mt. Healy Overlook Trail</span></td></tr>
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Although we chose to go hiking, we had the option to go on a 5 hr bus tour into the park. People said this was a great chance to see wildlife, but with all the busses we are riding this trip we opted not to do it. The people who went really enjoyed it, but as I sit on the 9 hr bus ride writing this up the next day, I am happy with my decision to go hiking.<br />
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Ellen and Carl slept in and answered some emails from work and we met them for lunch at the King Salmon restaurant at the lodge. We have been very impressed and happy with the food served at the restaurants on property at both lodges so far. I enjoyed a seafood Cobb salad with fresh crab. Pete and John were just coming off the trail so we got wraps to go for them and met them at the main lodge to board the bus for our rafting adventure.<br />
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Although we encountered some light rain, there was no lightning so we were able to go rafting on the Nenana River. They offered two options for trips. - Ellen, like Cleopatra, opted to have the guide ferry the raft down the river with long oars so she could enjoy the sights and take photos. The rest of us did paddle rafting, rationale being that if the glacial water is 35°, we would rather be moving to stay warm when you get hit by the waves. They outfit everyone in dry suits that cover you like a turtle neck at the top and have booties for your feet. You wear regular clothes underneath, with socks, and then put your river shoes on top, capped with a helmet. Overall they kept us fairly dry, as proven by Carl who rode up front and got hit by almost every big wave. I chose to sit in the back left and although I got splashed a good bit, my head never got doused (which I was totally OK with).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ellen tried to get a good shot of our raft, but we were spaced apart on the river for safety</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ellen's guide to ferry her and 5 others down the river</span></td></tr>
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We rafted for about 2 hours, mostly class III+ rapids. No flips and no one fell out! The rivers vary greatly year to year, based on the glacial flows, so the guides have to learn the rapids again every summer. At a calm stretch, our guide said we could jump in if we wanted, but none of our crew opted for it. One person in our boat did and he regretted it instantly because his neck gasket was loose and filled his suit and clothes with icy water! Overall we really enjoyed the rafting, and look forward to doing it again in Copper River.<br />
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After rafting we all showered and changed for dinner. Everywhere in Alaska is casual attire, so changing just means clean clothes and non muddy shoes. We heard good things about the Salmon Bake restaurant across the street, from our rafting guide, so we went there for dinner. Ellen and Carl had the Red King Crab special and it came out with two of the largest crab legs imaginable. The were pulling out pieces of crab the size of twinkies! Tom and I split halibut and salmon. Pete tried the cod tacos. We enjoyed beers from the local 49th State Brewing Company which is located in the next town over.<br />
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After dinner, we found a deck outside of a bar at the lodge and enjoyed Irish coffee and blueberry mojitos while watching the sun glide behind the mountains and a rainbow appear. Turned in a little early because we have to put bags out at 630 and we depart at 730 am for Copper Center.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Not a bad way to end a great day of adventure</span></td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11608795039469425315noreply@blogger.com0Denali, AK, USA63.825717299999987 -149.7317834000000462.013800799999984 -154.89535740000005 65.637633799999989 -144.56820940000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-19020895768854459382015-08-04T20:28:00.000-04:002016-01-23T15:23:44.220-05:00Alaskan Adventure - Day 7 - Train Ride to DenaliMost of the crew slept in on Tuesday, but I got up early and ate breakfast at the lodge restaurant, then sat on the deck and enjoyed the incredible view while drinking cocoa. Tom and John joined me at 9 and we hiked some trails around the lodge before meeting the bus at 1030 to depart for the rail station. Bus ride took a little over an hour due to construction delays. They have to do all the roadwork in just a few months, so there is always construction, and they use pilot cars to guide the traffic from alternating sides of the road.<br />
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We had some time to kill at the rail depot, but boarded about 20 min after we arrived. 80 people were seated in each car on the upper deck with the glass dome. Underneath was the dining car, restrooms, and the viewing platform. Each car had a bartender and a tour guide that narrated the sights and shared facts and jokes about Alaska. They were very entertaining! Train ride took about 5 hours and we particularly enjoyed the lunch on board - smoked salmon chowder definitely being a highlight, along with the reindeer chili and a very good seafood salad sandwich. We also spotted some great wildlife, including several moose, but I was not quick enough with the camera to get a decent picture.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our quest to find great Alaskan brews continues on the train. <br />What else are you supposed to do on a 5 hr ride?</span></td></tr>
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Once we reached Denali, we transferred to a bus for a short ride to the lodge. The lodge here is right in the main town, so its conveniently walkable to all the trip outfitters and places to eat. We dropped off our day packs in our rooms and then returned to the main lobby to meet our evening excursion group.<br />
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We went for an ATV adventure, but instead of the traditional ATV, we picked an outfitter that had Argos, which are basically tiny tanks. They float in the water and can go over all kinds of terrain. Tom and I saw them while watching the Ultimate Survival Alaska TV show and so we sought them out here when we were doing trip planning. Took a 30 min ride to the office and then after a safety briefing we hit the trail in pairs of 2. They had speakers in the helmets so that we could hear instructions and narration from our guides. I rode shotgun with Tom and we floored it through every muddy puddle we found whilst doing his best <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB0QtwIwAGoVChMIsNLk7eeYyQIVAxweCh047wTf&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DygBP7MtT3Ac&usg=AFQjCNFnB4yPNSNEXv15MXAFZDAEgxOSXw&sig2=MnSSx5pjDVXKB2RPM7QEXg" target="_blank">Jeremy Clarkson impression from Top Gear UK</a>. I loved it! Very bumpy and I wish we had a harness to hold you in rather than just hanging on to the railing but it was very fun, albeit a little bruising. John's argo broke down in a hole when the chains got caught on something, and had to be abandoned. The windscreens kept the mud off of you which was nice, and every 10 min or so we would stop so the guides could wipe down the windows.<br />
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We got back around 1030 pm and split up to grab pizza for us and Chinese/Thai takeout for the other 2 rooms. Both of us thought the food was really good. After 12 hours of travel and adventure we were ready to eat, shower, and turn in.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11608795039469425315noreply@blogger.com0Denali, AK, USA63.825717299999987 -149.7317834000000462.013800799999984 -154.89535740000005 65.637633799999989 -144.56820940000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-10199717703552792302015-08-03T23:00:00.000-04:002016-01-23T15:23:33.707-05:00Alaskan Adventure - Day 6 - Talkeetna, Alaska<span style="font-family: inherit;">Monday we departed from Anchorage to head north via bus to the Princess Lodge at McKinley, just outside the town of Talkeetna. On this trip, Princess handles all the luggage for you, which is fantastic, but it means that you have to put your bag outside the door for pickup at 6 or 7 am each day of travel. That essentially means that you pack the night before and put your bags out before you turn in and have to carry any toiletries you need for the morning in your day bag. Not ideal, but we have all managed. Today, we had to put bags out by 6 am. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In this crew, I am the only early riser, so I have been waking up around 640 and reading, eating breakfast, and walking around the grounds. In Anchorage, I walked down to Resolution Park which overlooks the Cook Inlet. Pretty views of the surrounding mountain range, and a huge tide that leaves miles of mud flats at low tide. Met up with the rest of the crew as we boarded the bus for 3 hr drive North. Tom and I listened to an audio book so we could keep our eyes on the scenery. Our driver told some great stories about his encounters with bears and moose.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We arrived at the lodge and grabbed a quick to go lunch before hopping on the shuttle for an hour long ride to the town of Talkeetna, where all of the excursions are based. It was frustrating because we had driven near Talkeetna on the way in, and had we been in our own car, not the group tour, transport would be much more efficient. The views of the mountains from the lodge were outstanding and there are several hiking trails around the property.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Tom posing in front of the best view from the main lodge</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We got to town and scouted a place for dinner, then walked about 15 minutes to the Talkeetna Air Taxi offices near the airport. We had arranged a 2.5 hr flight that went all around the mountain and landed on the Ruth Glacier halfway through. The flight was outstanding! We all loved getting to see the jagged peaks and snow capped mountains up close. My dad, who has a private pilot's license, would love flying up here. It was fascinating to watch us circle, looking for lift to be able to climb high enough to fly out of the low spots. Everyone keeps telling us how lucky we are that the mountain is showing all the way from the base to the tip. It only happens a few days a year. We saw all 20,430 ft, and landed near base camp at 12,000 ft.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I think we found our Christmas card!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After the flight, we went to Denali Brewing Co for dinner where we enjoyed local microbrews, fresh fish, and reindeer meatloaf. John who has been in Australia all summer where the drinking age is 18, is slightly frustrated that he cannot enjoy the beers with us as he turns 21 in October. After a nice evening on the stone patio, we caught the 730 shuttle back to the lodge.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Cold beer and good conversations at the Denali Brewing Co. patio</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Before we turned in, we reviewed our plans for Tuesday and figured out that Princess had booked us on an excursion that returned after our bus left for the next town! We talked to the front desk and unfortunately the only option they could offer was to cancel our kayaking trip and give us a refund. It was disappointing, since the train to Denali did not leave until 1230, so there was plenty of time to do everything but we did not have a way to get from the lodge to the town to catch the train. Princess should have caught that! Oh well...it gave everyone an excuse to sleep in the next morning. I did some things for work on the patio as we watched the sun set (not until 11 pm here).</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">11 pm and the sun still has not completely set across the Denali range</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Tuesday morning we take a train across the backwoods to the entrance of Denali National Park.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11608795039469425315noreply@blogger.com0Talkeetna, AK 99676, USA62.320904600000013 -150.1066220999999862.084490600000009 -150.75206909999997 62.557318600000016 -149.4611751tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-67881337401774821262015-08-02T23:45:00.000-04:002016-01-23T15:23:24.594-05:00Alaskan Adventure - Day 5 - Anchorage, Alaska<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
Woke up to a beautiful day on Sunday. Our hosts were very friendly when we finally got the chance to visit with them at breakfast (as we had been out driving most of the evening the night before). We had fresh pumpernickel, eggs, homemade reindeer/moose sausage, and rhubarb with spiced apples for breakfast. Despite the place being lovely and comfortable, Tom and I decided we are not really B&B people in general because it takes extra effort to make small talk and meet new people who expect you to chat. We tend to be more direct and down to business with overnight stays, especially when we are really only sleeping there for a night. Would highly recommend this place though!</div>
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After breakfast, we got into our hiking gear and decided to go north to the Matanuska Glacier and maybe hike some small trails as well. Pete, Ellen, and Carl were all awake and up for the adventure so we picked them up at their hotel and piled into the Malibu. We stopped at a grocery store on the way for picnic supplies, and ate our lunch at the scenic view point, a few miles from the edge of the glacier.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Matanuska Glacier, flowing into what becomes the Matanuska River</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">The glacier is on private land, so after signing several waivers, the owners will let you walk around on your own for the first 1/2 mile or so. After that point, you either need to go with a guided tour, or know how to traverse glaciers safely. We opted to explore on our own and had a great time. I recommend hiking boots for the best comfort, but Ellen and plenty of others we saw wore sneakers. It was about 65° in the parking lot, and closer to 50° on the surface of the glacier. You hiked about 10 min across mud flats until you reach the edge of the glacier which is ice with some gravel.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After walking through mud, we crossed a few hundred yards of gravel and silt. These metal planks serve as foot bridges across the crevasses.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful and yet terrifying to look down upon as you cross a crevasse</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rocking the boots with the fur! These were perfect for hiking the glacier.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone loved this adventure. We could have stayed here for another hour just exploring.</td></tr>
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After hiking for over an hour and taking lots of pictures, we threw the muddy boots in the trunk and headed back to Anchorage to check into the Captain Cook Hotel. This was the first stop on the Princess land tour and they had everything ready for us at check in including information packets and room keys. Took some logistics to get the rental car back to the airport and all the luggage to the hotel, but the guys managed it while Ellen and I scouted out dinner and repacked some bags since we can take only 1 for the land portion and then we send the others ahead to meet us at the ship. We ended up eating at Humpy's Alaskan Alehouse which had great local brews and fresh fish. Too tired for dessert, we walked back to the hotel, finished the baggage shuffle, and turned in. John arrived from New Zealand, via Sydney and LA around 11 pm.</div>
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Monday we start the Princess land tour as we head North to the town of Talkeeta, and Denali (Mt McKinley) base camp.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11608795039469425315noreply@blogger.com0Anchorage, AK, USA61.2180556 -149.9002778000000360.2359631 -152.48206480000002 62.2001481 -147.31849080000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-8889795008189065362015-08-01T20:09:00.000-04:002016-01-23T15:23:14.103-05:00Alaskan Adventure - Day 4 - Turnagain Arm, Alaska<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Saturday, August 1st, Tom and I flew from Seattle to Anchorage. We rented a car and drove around the Turnagain Arm, viewing the bore tide, the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, and returning to our B&B on the bay. Pete, Ellen, and Carl arrived Sat evening from NYC and stayed near the airport. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The flight from Seattle to Anchorage is 3 hours, so we planned our arrival for mid afternoon. [insert from Tom] "I was greatly displeased with the lack of Emerald Aisle selection and got stuck with a crappy Chevy Malibu." [/end rant] We headed south of Anchorage to the Turnagain Arm, a body of water off of the Cook Inlet. We had checked the tide tables ahead of time and arrived at Beluga Point in time to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFW6FtLxRuA" target="_blank">catch the bore tide</a>, which is when the tide comes in via one large wave. We positioned ourselves at the narrowing entry to the Inlet, but we never saw a big wave as advertised. The tide did grow several feet in a matter of minutes, which was still impressive, but nothing you could surf on which is what we were expecting. </span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Our vantage spot for the bore tide at Beluga Point</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We also continue to see a lot of "dumb" as Tom calls it. On road signs, we constantly see signs not only telling you to buckle up and don't drink and drive, but they actually post the legal BAC! As we waited for the tide, you had to cross railroad tracks to get to the best vantage point. People were crossing about 200 ft in front of the moving train blowing its horn! With small kids! I know I tend to be more cautious than most, but that seems so stupid. Clearly Alaska is Darwinism at its best.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i> Watching the train run from Whittier back to Anchorage. Cars had glass domes for great viewing.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After watching the tide come in, stopped for barbeque nearby. The motto was "southern exposure to northern smoke" and they had great Carolina style BBQ. Tom and I both tried the Alaskan Brewing Co. specials on tap, which were served in mason jars! The BBQ came with sweet corn bread, served with cinnamon honey butter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Tom relaxing at Turnagain Arm Pit BBQ</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After a great dinner, we hopped back in the car and drove 30 minutes to the town of Portage where we visited the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. It's an outdoor nature preserve, with a 1.5 mile dirt road in the center for you to walk or drive by the enclosures. The animals are kept in natural habitats, and many are raised as herds with the intent to release back into the wild, including Wood Bison, Musk Ox, and Elk. Other animals were found severely injured, or abandoned as babies, so they are being raised here but cannot ever be released. We saw reindeer, moose, brown bears, a bald eagle, a fox, a lynx, and an owl. It was neat to see the animals up so close!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Summer camp for Santa's reindeer</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We continued along the scenic drive and stopped by the Portage Glacier view point before heading back to our B&B. We stayed at the Turnagain View, which has 3 rooms and is situated on a cliff overlooking the water. Alaska is 4 hours behind East Coast time, but even at 1030 pm, the sky was still bright, so blackout curtains are a blessing as we turned in for the night.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11608795039469425315noreply@blogger.com0Alyeska, AK 99587, USA60.96083 -149.1108299999999660.714541000000004 -149.75627699999995 61.207119 -148.46538299999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269710926944221644.post-74024306770294189892015-07-31T19:52:00.000-04:002016-01-23T15:22:57.744-05:00Alaskan Adventure - Day 3 - Olympic Peninsula, Washington<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Friday, July 31st, we woke up early and rented a car so we could drive around the Olympic Peninsula. Our epic day trip involved a train, a ferry, 400 miles of driving in a convertible, 7,000 ft elevation gain and descent, a hike above the treeline, a drive in the temperate rainforest, and circumnavigating the entire Olympic Peninsula. 16 hrs later, we had a great day!</span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Map I made to document our epic daytrip</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We took a car ferry from downtown Seattle to Bainbridge Island - about 30 min to cross. We breakfasted on the sun deck as we enjoyed the early morning views of Puget Sound. After docking, we drove across the northern end of the Olympic Peninsula to the town of Port Angeles. Had a hearty brunch and then drove into the National Park, up to Hurricane Ridge. The rental place had offered us a convertible for the day and it was the perfect vehicle to enjoy the panoramic views and sunshine. We parked up there and hiked 3 mi round trip to the peak - about 700 ft elevation gain and a total height of 7300 ft. Could see 360° around the park and admired several glacier capped peaks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Tom's sweet ride for a perfect sunny day</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Hiking above the treeline was a new experience for both of us</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Panoramic view from the top of Hurricane Ridge</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After the hike, we got in the car and continued around the northern side of the peninsula, driving by the glacier fed Crescent Lake and passing through the town of Forks, WA made famous by the Twilight books and movies. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Pulled off the road to enjoy the icy waters of Crescent Lake</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Its a *very* small town!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Didn't spot any signs of vampires and werewolves, so we continued to the Hoh rainforest. Neither of us knew what to expect from a temperate rainforest, but it reminded us of the Ewok village in Star Wars. Lots of moss and lichen and beautiful, tall trees.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Hoh Rainforest aka the Ewok Village</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We had a picnic dinner on Ruby Beach on the western coast. First time we saw clouds and fog the whole trip! The weather comes in off the Pacific and drops all the moisture on the western side, hence the lush rainforests, whereas the Eastern side was desert like. After the beach, it was equidistant to either return the way we came, or keep driving around so we opted to circumnavigate. Got back to the hotel around 11 pm and crashed so that we would be ready for the flight to Alaska on Saturday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Foggy evening on Ruby Beach</i></span></div>
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</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0