AK: Preliminary Plans

My dear friends who may read this and many subsequent posts will find many entries documenting my upcoming Alaskan vacation. I'll try not to bore you.

You've heard of the bucket list. I have had one, but not in the morbid sense. Ever since I can remember I 've had a few things on my radar that I want to accomplish in this lifetime. Visiting Alaska is one of them.
I am fascinated by the Eskimo, the Inuit, as well as the Russian culture. [ I visited USSR in March 1975]. In the seventies when I was doing everything but reading, I fervently read a book called "Going to Extremes." I watched National Geographic documentaries on Alaska. I loved many of the movies "Call of the Wild" or that great movie with Anthony Hopkins , "The Edge" I love this stuff!

I've booked the flight from Regional Southwest to Fairbanks.... a 13 or 14 hour flight. Next morning, train from Fairbanks to Denali. Normally, the train would take me to the park entrance to get the bus to the backcountry lodge. But because I will have extra luggage (because of a cruise we'll discuss in a bit!) I need to leave the extra luggage at the Denali Cabins, which seem to be 8 miles south from the train station at the park entrance. A sweet speaking young woman named Crystal told me that their courtesy van would take me from the train station to the Denali Cabins to store my extra luggage. A good thing.

Then I'll get on the Denali Backcountry Lodge motorcoach from the park entrance to the backcountry lodge: an estimated 6 hour trip. [ i'm sure that includes potty breaks and photo opps]. We should get to the lodge around 8 PM: there's still 4 more hours of daylight.

I have three nights at this lodge. How stinkin' awesome! Hiking, biking, fishing, sitting, reading...lots of way cool wilderness, no distractions time. Please visit: http://www.denalilodge.com/

Train to Anchorage: I have read that it is a picturesque delight! The Alaskan Railroad is said to be absolutely breathtaking. I'll roll into Achorage sometime Saturday evening, and stay at a comfortable hotel. I have booked a cruise departing the next day out of Seward: here's where there's a bit of a disconnect - at least for the present time.

Tomorrow I'll firm up some of my cruise arrangements -specifically the transfer from Anchorage to Seward.
I do still have to book flight from Vancouver to Fort Myers.
I've put in for the time off and the boss signed off!
I am so having the best summer vacation!!!