The folks I feel sorry for

I have a close friend that now lives out on the East End road in Homer, that rode his bicycle, twice from Eugene, Oregon to Kenai, Alaska. He was discharged from the army in Ft Sill, Okla and needed something to do, so bought a bicycle and headed south, making it as far as Guatamala, where he turned around and made it back to the U.S. on the ride south, he decided he wanted to attend graduate school in Eugene. Arrive in Eugene in the early spring, applied and was accepted to their graduate program. Only problem was he was broke. He heard one of the Kenai canneries was looking for fishermen to fish the company owned boats on the shares. The only way he could get to Kenai, was to ride his bike, which he did. He made enough money to fly back to Eugene and attend school that winter. The next summer was a repeat trip by bike from Eugene to Kenai, about a six week trip. Made enough money fishing commercially for salmon, to fly back to Eugene and finish grad school. He was able to get a job in Alaska over the phone , borrowed the money to fly back to Alaska, fished for the canery one last summer, in a company owned boat, made enough to buy his own boat. Now owns three fishing boats, several permits including Bristol Bay gill and set nets, which his three sons now fish on a share. LOL he never did get over being sea sick every time he went out to fish.

Ductape wrote:
I suppose walking there is the only real way to do it.

Each year there are a few people who do this. One fellow is still doing it now, in winter temps.

Last summer there was another fellow pulling a small cycling trailer that hiked his way northward on the Alaska Highway.

And another fellow, "Walking John" Frey who went through Beaver Creek in the 1950s
Star News, October 30, 1958

In 2009 we took a 14 day cruise on Princess Cruise Line. My brother and his wife went also as they still worked and that was all the time they could get. We stopped in 9 different ports. From Ketchikan to Kodiak to Victoria and every where in between. Took day trips to see as much as we could. Saw so much wildlife and sea life we cancelled our last tours in Juneau as we were day tripped out. The part we remember most was the trip from Kodiak to Hoonah across the Gulf of Alaska in a big storm. The Captain even apologized for the weather as he said they had not been informed it would be as bad as it was. So we sat in the lounge on top and watched the storm. No one was allowed outside. Had a great time. Great food and great shows.

obgraham wrote:

korbe wrote:
Some people would require a week to "experience" the Grand Canyon. All's I needed was about three hours and I was done.

And here I thought I was the only one!
Hour or so -- look in. Big hole. Hazy. See ya!

yep, x2
bumpy

I have spent about 30 nights below the rim in the depths of the Grand Canyon. I have also spent 20 or so nights on the South and North Rim of the canyon. I totally enjoyed all the time in and around the canyon. I have also spent over 150 nights in Canada and Alaska. I totally enjoyed my time pulling a trailer. I have also traveled the Alaska Marine Highway. In the future, I plan to take a cruise to Alaska. None of us should judge others as to what is the best way to see or travel these wonderful places.

Landed on a Glacier(Mendenhall) on a helicopter tour from a cruise ship, watched calving ice splash into the water in Glacier Bay Nat'l Park on a cruise ship, had fresh halibut caught by the captain from a ship's tender.......so yes, many people who cruise have experienced Alaska although the cruise experience certainly differs from an RV adventure. Still, I'd take another cruise to Alaska any day not instead of a land adventure but in addition to!

korbe wrote:
Some people would require a week to "experience" the Grand Canyon. All's I needed was about three hours and I was done.

And here I thought I was the only one!
Hour or so -- look in. Big hole. Hazy. See ya!

My opinion is that you are correct but not everyone has the same type of travel even when going to the same region. I personally considered the trip to and from Alaska to be equally worth while to travels IN Alaska but wouldn't be satisfying if I had to give up EITHER of them. Out of the 60 days we spent going and coming plus touring the state we spent 15 days in a RV Park/campground and the rest of the time was boondocking in the back country. AS long as each person making the trip gets what THEY want from the experience I'd recommend it to anyone.

Well, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but the motorcycle tourers (which sometimes I am) believe that travelling in an RV or even a car you are not experiencing anything, you are insulated from it.

And the bicycle tourers are sorry for everyone else, including the motorcyclists.

I suppose walking there is the only real way to do it.

I would love to roam around Alaska with my camper but just getting to Anchorage is a 20 day round trip of 8500 miles and would cost over $1000 in gas, not to mention meals, etc. That doesn't allow time to see anything on the way up and back. A cruise with a few interior tours would be a great deal for me and that's what I'm looking for next. I can get the camping experience much closer to home and I can look at similar scenery in the Rockies but I would like to see a few of the things unique to Alaska. It's great if you have the time and location so that Alaska is doable more completely but that option is just not available to most of us.