Sourdough Starter

Back from Alaska, exhausted, enraptured, and espoused. Had a great time: great people, great food, great scenery, great adventures... great everything.

But because we collectively shot over 9G of images and video over the 15 days out west, it's going to be a while before I get everything online.

So, here's a 'by the numbers' account of the trip:

Date married: 08/08/08
Guests/relatives in attendance: 12

Ports visited by ship: 5 (Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, Seward)
Cities visited by land: 4 (Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali, Fairbanks)
Cities visited by air: 2 (Coldfoot, Wiseman)

Distance from Hubbard Glacier at closest approach: 0.3mi (by ship)
Distance from Norris Glacier at closest approach: 0.0mi (by foot)

Days on ship: 7
Hours on train: 10 (2hrs + 3hrs + 5hrs)
Hours in air: 15 (helicopter x 1, twin-engine plane x 2, commercial plane x 12)

Number of reindeer meat meals: 4
Number of Tex-mex meals: 5
Number of times I ate halibut, salmon, or other seafood: too numerous to count (highlights being halibut quesadillas, salmon tacos, scallops on the Millennium & smoked salmon on the riverboat)
Net weight gain (lbs): 5

Methods of transportation used: 20
* car (relatives', rentals, hired), taxi (first time in a hybrid!), limo, shuttle bus, motorcoach bus, city bus
* helicopter, twin-engine plane, commercial plane
* cruise ship, tender/rescue boat, kayak, stern wheeled riverboat
* train car (2-level glass-domed Wilderness Express), train car (White Pass)
* climbing harness on belay (up a climbing wall), climbing harness + zipline (between trees)
* horse-drawn trolley
* cablecar (tram)
* feet (walking, hiking, swimming, spinning in the gym on the Millennium)

And a quick overview by map:


View Larger Map

Towel Day @ Le Nordik

This past weekend in Ottawa-Gatineau, it was Race Weekend, and by complete coincidence, I was in town for it to visit my Grandmother and my Dad's ex, both the NAARB annual meeting. Sunday morning we got up and discovered that the road in front of our hotel was entirely blocked by the marathoners, so we opted to walk back over the bridge to Ottawa to meet them for breakfast.

Sunday was also Towel Day, and so we decided to drop in to Le Nordik Nature Spa just north of Gatineau for some quality time with our towels in the Nordic baths & saunas. HIGHLY recommended.

On Walkabout

As a break from cycling, went for a 7km walk with Paul and the dogs down the Doris McCarthy Ravine/Trail, across the beach path under the bluffs, up at Galloway and over to my inlaws' place for turkey-day-leftovers lunch.

Hike, Walk or Cycle: Ravine Dr to Galloway Rd

Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

Then, to further break in my new Hydration Belt, I went for a 4.5km jog/walk up to Mr. Sub for dinner.