Alaska!

The rainbows, clouds, mountains, greenery, that arctic vegetation, the mist, bays, glaciers, icefields, the nip in the air, Strawberry Shortcake, Cabernet Sauvignon and the stiffness still in my legs as I write this....I wonder when I will experience such bliss again.

Pictures? Yeah, ok. Will post few as I collect and recollect. But Alaska is not the place to take your camera! It was amazing.

Itinerary:

Friday: Flew into Anchorage around midnight. Stayed at Days Inn.

Saturday: Drove north to Denali National Park. Couldn't see Mt. McKinLey b'cos of the cloud cover! Went on a short wild hike near the Savage river inside the park. Avoid that tour Bus! The arctic circle was only 200 miles further north but we didn't go there! Returned to Days Inn for the night.

Sunday: Drove the scenic Seward Highway to reach the Kenai Fjords national park. Hiked probably the most strenuous and exciting trail I have done yet, the Harding Icefield Trail. You go from 3000 to 6000+ feet in 3.8 miles flat. How about that? And you have the small matter of going along side the Exit glacier to touch the Harding Icefield at the top!

Had dinner at Apollo, a decent Greco-Italian restaurant. The South African Cabernet Sauvignon was better than White Zinfandel! Stayed at Marina Motel, Seward.

Monday: Went Kayaking in the Resurrection Bay. The views - seeing is believing! Drove to Portage Lake up north. Went on the 1 hour Portage Glacier Cruise. Crossed the longest tunnel in North America (2.5 miles) to reach Whittier. Returned to Seward for the night.

Tuesday: By this time you would expect us to be exhausted, we were! Drove to Girdwood. Biked for a while. Showered in a falls on Timberline Creek. Sticking your head out to the icy cold water does get it spinning! Rode the Tram to the nice restaurant up the mountain at the Alyseka Resort. Strawberry short cake, yummmm...

Wednesday: Reached office having flown overnight via Denver!