[Travelandtourism] Ted Shelly response

[David Andrews]

Thanks for your descriptions.  It is only minus 1 here today (I am in 
Minnesota.)

I did the Alaska cruise thing, Scagway, Juneau, glaciers etc., and 
thought it was awesome.  I was really impressed, and want to do it 
again before global warming gets glaciers.  I also realize very 
different from your part of Alaska.

Dave

At 02:16 PM 1/4/2009, you wrote:
>Hi Ted,
>
>I'm hoping this response back to you is done correctly, my apologize if not.
>I actually live in Fairbanks, and have been here for almost 13 years now,
>making me what's known as a "sourdough", one that has survived more than one
>winter season in the Interior. It is definitely winter here in the Interior,
>with temps yesterday of -62, and airlines having difficulties with
>freeze-ups. My wife had her flight to New York delayed until last night
>because her plane froze up on her. The highs today may reach -44, but with
>ice fog, and less than 4 hours of sunlight, I'll bet against it.
>
>I came to Alaska back in 1995, just like all those "crazy" people who just
>packed everything up one day and headed out to the Great White North. I came
>with my wife at the time, and four kids in a conversion van filled to the
>gills, traveling from Wisconsin up the Alcan Highway and into Anchorage. On
>the way we hit deer, figuratively speaking, in Wisconsin, snow in Edmonton
>on the last day of summer, and sub-zero temps in the Yukon before we even
>got to Alaska. Anchorage was a nice place to live for a year, but we came to
>Alaska not to live in a big city, so in 1996 we moved to Fairbanks, and have
>stayed since. We have survived +90 degree temps, mosquitoes that could carry
>you away (exaggeration), the sun all day long in the summer, cold that would
>make the heartiest of men freeze up, and the most beautiful Northern Lights
>ever to behold. I firmly believe that God has blessed this land.
>
>I own an assistive technology business, and do quite a bit of traveling,
>including to Anchorage, Bethel, and to Barrow. Bethel and Barrow are
>classified as "the bush"  because there are no roadways that connect to
>them, so the only way in to them is via rivers or by plane, when they are
>able to fly to them. Travel is difficult at times, especially in the bush,
>because you may not catch a plane out for a day or two because of the
>weather, winds, snow, or anything else, so getting stranded does occur, but
>the generosity of the bush communities is just awesome, and they take you in
>until you can leave. Travel often times involve a one or two seat single
>prop plane, so when you fly over the mountains, or over the flats, it is
>like you are flying yourself, and is truly a unique experience.
>
>The Iditarod is quite a big thing here, but only once did it start here in
>Fairbanks, and that was because of the lack of snow in Anchorage and the
>trails out . It was so big, that schools closed, and a lot of businesses as
>well to get out to the starting spot, and on the outlying trail. We have the
>Yukon Quest here in Fairbanks, where the racers start or end , they
>alternate yearly, and end up in Whitehorse Yukon. The race starts/finishes,
>downtown on the frozen Chena River, and is lines with fans as far as you can
>see. I have seen the start only once, and have seen some of the late
>finishers when they have come in as I have crossed the river, but I haven't
>made it a point to see every year, the weather plays a big factor in that.
>
>My parents, who live in Milwaukee, treated myself and my wife, as well as my
>other family members to an Alaska Cruise last summer, and hit the Inside
>Passages. If you have the opportunity, this is something that should be
>done. The cruise was great, the sights were great, according to my wife, and
>to visit the other parts of Alaska that we cannot get to was a big bonus for
>us as well. The cruise line we were on, Princess, were very accommodating
>with myself being blind, and with aiding me with the needs of my seeing eye
>dog, even setting up a "litter box" for her in one of the crew areas, that
>was cleaned out twice a day. I had people bending over backwards for Rio and
>whatever she needed. Once on the land tours, the staff was just as
>accommodating to our needs as well, helping us with the train, walking on
>and off the boat, setting up rides to and from attractions if we needed
>them, and anything else we needed. So, yes, take the Cruise if you can, but
>take a couple of extra days to get to Fairbanks in the Interior to enjoy the
>real Alaska, and Alaskan hospitality.
>
>Thanks for your questions, please let me know if I can help you out any
>more.
>Bill
>
>
>
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