North to Alaska 8-2-07

Well, we just retuned from our trip to Alaska and it was absolutely amazing. Our goal is to post our daily adventures for each of the 11 days we were gone. We have over 800 pictures and countless stories to share, but we will try to post some of the highlights from each day.

Day One:

The day had finally arrived. After months of researching, planning, and preparing, we departed on our trip to Alaska. We left Rochester at 9:30 am on a flight to Detroit. After a short layover, we took off again to Minneapolis/St. Paul. We again changed planes and left for Anchorage. The total flight time was 8.5 hours in the air, however the last 2 hours provided some absolutely stunning scenery as we flew over the Canadian Rockies, Alaska's Inside Passage, and Glacier Bay National Park.

When we landed in Anchorage, we were greeted by a mounted brown bear in the airport that got us excited about what we might encounter in Alaska. We hopped into the rental car and headed north to the bed and breakfast where we were staying. We were depressed that the weather was rainy and overcast (that would change!) and we could not see the tops of the numerous mountains that surrounded the city. Once we got to the bed and breakfast (which was beautiful), we unpacked, chatted with the owners, and went to bed. It was 1 am East Coast time and we were exhausted!

*Travel Tips: Book your flights early, sit on the right side of the plane going into Anchorage (window seat if possible), stay at the Bear Foot Inn Bed and Breakfast in Peter's Creek, Alaska. It's about 30 minutes from downtown, but well worth the drive.

*Next up... Anchorage, Route 1, and Soldotna