We had SO MUCH FUN traveling to ALASKA during the summer of 2008. We didn't do alot of planning ahead of time, so really had no idea what to expect when we arrived. The drive down the 2,000 mile ALCAN was slow and monotonous. We thought we would never arrive! One tree suddenly turned into another tree and we thought Alaska was just going to be one big forest. With anticipation mounting, we finally arrived in Fairbanks only to find a Walmart and McDonalds. This was Alaska that we had heard so much about? We were really disappointed. We tried to take some tours but everything was really expensive and after paying so much for gas (over $6.00 per gallon along the ALCAN), we didn't have much money left for fun. We felt the trip was a big mistake. That was until we started exploring the small towns and hiking the surrounding areas. We figured we would forego the tourist trap areas and forget about the planned tours, and take to the hills. We found free camping along sides of roads and hiked and biked everywhere. Suddenly, our Alaskan Adventure was coming to life. We were experiencing and seeing things like never before. We hiked to the top of an icefield summit, we stumbled upon a family of bears playing in a field, we watched a caribou cross our path along a riverbed, we panned for gold and fished for salmon. Alaska turned out to be a trip of a lifetime and we can't wait to go back!


      
       HARDING ICE FIELD                          EXIT GLACIER

       
         ALASKA STATE FAIR                          NORTH POLE

      
  Clamming at Ninilchik Bay               HATCHER PASS

Where can you see a Bald Eagle soaring gracefully across the open sky? Huge Black Bears napping in the sun with their cubs? Caribou running freely through the fields and streams? ONLY IN ALASKA!! The wildlife we encountered in Alaska was breathtaking. We saw animals in their truest form exploring their natural habitats undisturbed. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience!!

 
   Click on the BALD EAGLE to see some of our amazing
   wildlife pictures that were taken during our trip to ALASKA