Alaskan Cruise 2012

About a year and a half ago, we were discussing traveling with Richard’s best friend, Wesley, and his wife, Ashley. We told them about our plan to hit all 50 states and that Alaska was on our list for 2012! We found out that Alaska was on their “must-see” list too! Thus, the planning began. We have anxiously been counting down the months until our Alaskan cruise in Sept 2012. Since the trip was a day after our 4 year anniversary – we continued the celebration by arriving a night early in one of our favorite places – Seattle (you can never celebrate too much, right?)! The trip was a blast and beyond gorgeous. Our favorite part of the trip was accomplishing rock climbing in Skagway. Most. Difficult. Thing.…ever! So fun! We also loved chatting with the tour guides in each city along the way and hearing their crazy stories on how they ended up living/working in Alaska. One guy left Seattle after to college to backpack through Alaska with a buddy. He was in for a surprise.  His crazy adventures included: a whale overturning his canoe, a wave slamming him into the rocks and splitting his canoe in half, falling into the water (42 degrees) and having to swim to shore, his friend getting extremely sick…. and the list goes on. Also, Alaskans are required to purchase life flight insurance ($126/year) in case they have to be taken to the hospital in Seattle. One life flight is $86,000 and the Alaska hospitals are only level one (very minor things). Your life flight insurance is only good for one flight a year. Ekk!

Alaska!

Seattle, Washington

All Aboard! Leaving Seattle on our cruise ship!

Gorgeous view at dinner!

Elliott's

Yum!

Our cruise ship!

Highlights: The Alexis Hotel, Elliott’s Oyster House, The Bookstore Bar, Pike Place Market, Café Campagne; Richard also enjoyed a great 8 mile jog through Seattle in the early morning.

All Aboard! NCL Cruise Lines

Highlights: Rockwall Climbing Wall (on top of the ship), Basketball, Casino at Sea, Wine Lovers – The Musical, Whiskey Tasting, Ping Pong, Dominos, Bowling, Encore! (Broadway shows), The Not-so-Newlyweds Game, Liars Club Game, Second City, Food, Food and More Food

We are on a boat!

All this fresh sushi was a total of $24 for 4 people...insane! 

Cupcake decorating on the ship
(I totally didn't realize it was a little kids activity before dragging everyone along)!

Rock wall climbing on top of the cruise ship.

Random: We were super excited to see the Second City traveling comedy troop twice on our ship! We originally saw Second City in Chicago and loved it! All the big comedians come from Second City (i.e., Steve Carell, Tina Fey, John Belushi, Chris Farley, and the list goes on and on).

Juneau, Alaska

Highlights: Mendenhall Glacier, Salmon Hatchery, Salmon Bake, Red Dog Saloon

Random: Salmon swim around the world only to come back to the exact same water they were born to spawn (weeks before they die). Where can I get a GPS like that? JAlso, the Mendenhall Glacier is the most accessible glacier in the world and recedes at a rate of 150 feet a year. Did you know that “Juneau” that gets an average of 100 inches of rain a year?!

The cute cub...we didn't see. Ashley and Wes got to see it...
but we missed it b/c I had to go to the bathroom. Figures! 

On the bus after the Salmon Bake!

Salmon Bake...yum!!!!!!

Waterfalls during dinner!

Our Alaskan beers - brewed in Alaska!

Super windy haha

Loved our animals on the cruise ship.

Mendenhall Glacier...bears, oh my!

Skagway, Alaska

Highlights: Rock Climbing and Rappelling (on a mountain!), The Bonanza Bar

Random: Our tour guide looked just like Joseph Gordon Levitt! We learned that several of the tour guide companies offer internships and summer jobs for college credit (recruiting all over the US). Several of the tour guides were gaining degrees in recreation or parks – some were there just for an adventure!

Richard was such a fast climber!

I am actually begging the guide to let me down here...he kept telling me no.
LOL I made it to the top, not by choice. 

So scary!

Isn't this funny? They had a ton of Texas jokes during the trip.

Lunch in town - seafood was awesome!

Richard was beyond happy to watch the Dallas Cowboys games on the trip.
He only had to beg the staff for 2 days to play it...it worked! Check out the screen!

Glacier Bay, Alaska

Highlights: Massages, Glacier Bay, Brazilian Steakhouse, Wine - The Musical 

Random: Huge chunks of ice randomly fall off of the glacier (which can only be viewed from the cruise ship) – it’s called calving. When the ice falls in the water, it sounds like a huge thunderstorm or a wave of machine-gun fire (however, it is delayed so it is hard to see the ice falling before the sound).

Couple's Massage - great way to start the morning.

Glacier Bay

Glacier Bay + Us!

Hot chocolate and Glacier Bay 

Celebrating Wesley's 27th birthday on the ship at a Brazilian Steakhouse!

Wine - The Musical
Wine Tasting + A Musical = So Fun!

Ketchikan, Alaksa

Highlights: Duck Boat Tour, Crab Cracker Seafood Bar

Random: There is a street called Married Man’s Trail. In the early 1900’s, all roads led to the downtown area, known for its brothels. If you were a married man just trying to get into town for other business – you would not want rumor to spread since it was assumed that all men traveling these roads were headed to the brothels. Thus, Married Man’s Trail was created.

Quack!

Ketchikan was gorgeous! 

Hanging out in our stateroom on the ship.

Bowling on the ship!

Victoria, B.C. – Eh?

Highlights: Downtown Victoria, B.C., Wharfside Seafood Grill

Mini-Donuts! SO yummy!

Random: People rave about the mini donuts in Canada! They were very good! We also saw Darth Vader playing a violin on the street…definitely a new one. Richard purchased sour candy (the kind you fill up in a bag) at the 711 and you have to count how many pieces of candy before you purchase (i.e. 10 pieces X 5 cents = 50 cents). It was a very charming place! 

We only have 7 more states to visit! 

In loving memory of my Grandpa...

In loving memory of my Grandpa, who would have been 81 years old on Oct. 7th, 2012.

We will miss you, but know you have gone to Heaven!

2 Corinthians 5:6-8

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

A donation has been made in memory of Robert Beckwith.

With love, Bob's children and grandchildren

http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/

We have......what's that word? CABLE.

Actually, let me be more clear - we have actual TV stations again.

So, upon moving to New York City, we decided to hold off on cable to save money in the city that takes all your money. For the past 3 months we have been without cable (I know I just lost some of you)... and since we are in-between buildings, we were not able to even get news stations with the digital box and antenna. 90 days, no news, no sports, no reality tv, no sitcoms...basically no connection to the outside world.

To be fair, NYC has kept us quite busy - however, we still caved.

I am happy to say, I can once again watch shows like UFO Hunters, if I so choose. Just kidding...I'm not that strange...maybe.

Welcome back television, you have been missed!

Salt Lake City...and beyonddddd!

In an effort to finish our 50 state travels, we took a road trip to visit several new states! 

 “You can find your way across this country using burger joints the way a navigator uses stars.”
– Charles Kuralt 

Utah

:: Salt Lake City ::
lodging: Hotel Monaco... we love Kimpton Hotels. This one was great, with an interesting twist. Apparently Salt Lake City, Utah is just too boring for Hotel Monaco...so they have decided to try and "spice" it up a little with animal print robes and an interesting "collection" of items you can purchase from the mini-bar / basket. Ha! Who knew SLC could be so crazy...
dining: Ok, I know we live in the city that never sleeps, but c'mon...the entire town of SLC shuts down on Sunday. You could hear frogs croak outside it was so quiet. So, we had dinner at our hotel - and it was wonderful! We started the night with the hotel-hosted happy hour in a hotel suite with gorgeous city views (and a massage!), had dinner at Bambara and after-dinner drinks at The Vault.
favorite things: We toured Temple Square and Pioneer Park...really, we were just trying to walk off our food. ;)

Idaho

:: Downata Hot Springs ::
Us Texans were missing our pool time. Luckily, people in Idaho believe in swimming. I also needed a base tan before going to Bren's wedding in Florida! We found a natural water pool. We swam. It was glorious.

:: Idaho Potato Museum ::

We went to Idaho... to go to a potato museum. How can you go to Idaho and NOT go to a potato museum? It was totally worth it - just for visiting, they gave us free hashbrowns in a box (you know, the healthy kind). So thank you Idaho Potato Museum, my breakfast last week was awesome.

:: Idaho Falls ::

Well, we didn't see any "falls"...however, we were treated as royalty at Stockman's Restaurant. Sure, that is just because no one else was dining at 3:30PM (were were hungry after seeing all those potatoes!). Really though, they did Mexican food right. Thumbs up.

Wyoming

:: Yellowstone National Park - Lake Lodge Cabins ::

We had such a great day exploring Idaho, that we were afraid we would have to navigate Yellowstone in dark - and after all the crazy wildlife warnings (just wait), I was in no mood to wrestle a bear. Luckily, we got to our cabin (note: THIS is camping - I have pictures to prove it.) just as the sun was setting over Yellowstone Lake. It was truly gorgeous and cold! The next morning we had breakfast at the lodge (biscuits and gravy, that's right Wyoming) before heading over to Old Faithful.

There she is!

Inside of our cabin...camping!

BEAR SPAY! I've never laughed so hard...

lodging: Lake Lodge Cabins

dining: The Lodge - Lake Lodge Cabins

favorite things: Old Faithful, Wildlife Warnings


Montana

:: Livingston, MT ::
This was hands-down one of the cutest towns we have ever been to! Thanks to Travel Channel's Anthony Bourdain (who I still think is a pompous jerk, but has good taste in food) we had lunch on the patio at the Murray Cafe at the historic Murray Hotel. There was definitely a hometown feel in the air.

:: Miles City, MT ::
Our first Bed and Breakfast! We stayed at the Horton House B and B in Miles City after enjoying a southern-style dinner at "The Rib and Chop House" - a town favorite. We were the only people at the Bed and Breakfast that night and the lady and her daughter were super sweet! The next morning, she made a ton of food for us and we swapped travel stories. She lived in New York when she was younger.

In front of the Horton House Bed and Breakfast

North Dakota

:: State Line ::

ND is a state of few words, things and sights.... so we entertained ourselves at the state line with a game of checkers.

South Dakota

:: Rapid City, SD ::
We celebrated the 4th of July in Rapid City. An hour before arriving at the hotel I realized that we were staying at a haunted hotel - Ghost Hunters even did an episode on it! Wonderful. Luckily, we had no visitors that night. Very cute town and our hotel was in the center of it. We enjoyed drinks on the rooftop of the Alex Johnson and then headed down to the city's 4th of July festival to watch the hot dog eating contest - these were seiously the largest hot dogs I've ever seen! Afterward, we enjoyed an Italian dinner before joining the ghosts at the hotel. The following day we visited Mt. Rushmore and went to Bear Country U.S.A. (Richard was way too excited about this detour). 

4th of July in Rapid City, SD

Look how BIG these hot dogs were for the competition!

Richard's life is now complete

Grizzly Bear

Mt. Rushmore - it was really cool to see in person!

lodging: Alex Johnson Historical Hotel

dining: Tally's Silver Spoon

favorite things: Drinks on top of the Alex Johnson Hotel, Christian music at the city festival, Hot dog eating contest, Mt. Rushmore, (and for Richard, the bears)

Utah 

:: Salt Lake City :: - back to where we started!

Lunch: Relying on Travel Channel again (this time, our favorite, Adam Richman) we had the recommended machine gun sandwich at Bruges Waffles and Frites. It was good and very, very different.

I really can't explain this sandwich, so here is Adam's explanation: "It's a classic friterie sandwich called a "mitraillette," directly translated to "machine gun"--and a far more refined sandwich than the description lets on. The merguez is snappy and hauntingly spicy, made by acclaimed Utah lamb producer Morgan Valley Lamb; the frites, Bruges's specialty, are crispy and creamy and delicious outside a sandwich or within. And the tangy, mildly spicy andalouse sauce brings it all together." 

You know how every so often you have a "brilliant" idea pop in your head and you go with it? Yeah, that was Lagoon Park - Salt Lake City's Water and Theme Park. Stay away - far, far away. I'm not one for theme parks or water parks to begin with - but this one had very little water and was lacking normal people.  

The "fun" had just begun....

Dinner: And another Adam Richman recommendation - Crown Burger. We had the signature meal -- a charbroiled beef patty topped with a pile of pastrami. Pure genius.

Left: Machine Gun Sandwich / Right: Crown Burger

favorite things: FOOD.

Fun pianos all over Salt Lake City!

***

We have officially hit over 40 states! Let the travels continue.