Alaskan Adventure, August 2005
A Two-Week Drive Through Alaska
In
2004, we went to Hawaii. This
year, we decided to go to Alaska. Sarah says it’s because we’re
visiting all the states in descending order of their statehood (Arizona, you
must be next!). I say it’s because Hawaii and Alaska are right next
to each other (of course they are--haven’t you ever looked at a map?).
In any case, Robert arranged for an unprecedented two weeks off, we got a
Cingular cellphone that was supposed to work (even with many expected dead
spots, dropped calls, fuzzy networks, etc.) better than our Sprint phones,
we culled Alaskan tips from anyone who had them, we used some of our many,
many frequent flier miles to get two first-class tickets, and we set out.
(Photo at right: view from plane just before landing in Anchorage at 9:30
p.m.)
Total miles driven: 1407
Total rental car cost (including gasoline) per mile driven: $.50
Total nights in Alaska: 13
Average price per night for cheapest available private room/private bath lodging for two: $100 (9 nights)
Percentage of our motel rooms large enough to walk on both sides of the bed: 44% (4/9)
Percentage of our motels with an amenity as fancy as an ice machine: 14% (1/7)
Number of national parks visited: 3
Number of glaciers touched by Robert: 2
Number of hours on boats: 17 (3 trips)
Number of salmon we caught: 6 (3 each)
Number of meals with Alaskan king crab: 2
Number of meals with fresh local salmon: 17
Number of meals with fresh local halibut: 11
Introduction
| Day 1 | Day
2 | Day 3 | Day
4 | Day 5 | Day
6 | Day 7
Day 8 | Day
9 | Day 10 | Day
11 | Day 12 | Day
13 | Day 14