People often comment on how my life appears to be straight out of “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.” They assume that I’m always on some grand adventure and leading a fabulous life. Well, I do go on a lot of adventures and I am pretty fabulous, but my life is a lot like the other aspects of the film. Walter has to track down a famous photographer for a missing frame and ends up chasing him around the globe, getting out of his comfort zone, trying things he was afraid of, and finding confidence in who he is. My trip to Alaska was eerily similar to that part of the film.
The Journey
I was going to Alaska for work. I had a show with a famous photographer in Anchorage and while he wasn’t missing any frames, in the digital world he was missing something equally important: his USB drive. He had been speaking at an event in New York earlier in the week and forgot it. The host of that event was meant to overnight it to me, I would get it on my last day in the office, and bring it with me. Easy, right? Wrong. An incorrect address mishap had me calling around town and visiting FedEx locations for six hours. Eventually I camped out on the floor of the Washington, DC shipping center until they found the package. A couple hours after I arrived, I had the drive and headed home.
A few short hours of sleep later I was up, packing, and headed for the airport. Security was a breeze and I was soon at my gate anxiously awaiting my adventure. A maintenance issue delayed us from leaving DC and by the time I got to Denver I was afraid I might miss my connection. A delay at finding a gate didn’t help, but soon I was off the plane and sprinting through the terminal. I got to my new gate in time to see the plane out the window, but find the door already closed. Believe it or not, this is the first flight I’ve ever missed. After a couple of hours hanging out in Denver, I was on my way to Anchorage (now via Seattle. But, hey, Seattle is beautiful. Why not take an extra stop there?).
The Destination
By 9:00 pm I had crossed the 48th state off my list when I stepped out of the Ted Stevens Airport. I’d made it. Let the adventure begin! Tomorrow. I needed sleep.
My room was nice and I was exhausted. I slept a few hours, was woken by a text at 3:00 am (4 hour time difference, east coast friends. Text responsibly.), and then every few minutes there was a horrible sound coming from the heater. Like someone was hitting it with a wrench…from the inside. So, no more sleep for me.
Exploring Anchorage
I’d heard that the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail is a must in Anchorage and to cover more ground I decided to rent a bike. I researched bike shops online and found one that opened at 8:00 am. Perfect! Let’s go.
Anchorage is a ghost town at 8:00 am on a Sunday morning. Absolutely deserted. Aside from the lack of people, Anchorage appeared to be like any other town in the lower 48. This wasn’t what I had expected Alaska to be.
I finally found the bike shop and although it was after 8, no one was around. I called the number from the website and got a recording telling me that during the month of October they don’t open until 10. Oh. I had some time to kill. I wandered down to the railroad depot and out to Ship Creek (and to think I went without a paddle **wink**). Ship Creek is known for salmon and therefore my biggest fear – bears (not salmon. I’m not afraid of salmon). From the observation platform I actually saw some salmon. Now I was starting to feel Alaskan.
I decided to take a walk up Ship Creek (hehe) but due to the salmon I decided it was time to strap on my Bear Bells. I had never heard of bear bells until I was planning this trip. Everyone was cautioning me about the bears and told me to make lots of noise while I was hiking so I didn’t surprise any bears. Well there’s only so much noise I can make while walking so someone suggested I buy a couple Bear Bells.
Bear Bells are essentially giant jingle bells with a velcro strap that you attach to yourself to let the bears know you’re coming. I know. It sounds made up. It’s not. They’re real. I wore them. Typically one on my shoe and one on my trekking pole. And you know what? No bears! I’m sure I scared lots of other things away (including the locals) but I had a bear free week, so it was worth it.
After my hike I dashed back to the hotel for a warm up tea then back to the bike shop. To my surprise people were actually out and about in town now. There were already 3 customers in the bike shop. I’m a born and raised Northeasterner. The Protestant work ethic is alive and well in me along with its need to get everything done as quickly and efficiently as possible. Things are a bit different in Anchorage. In October. On a Sunday morning. It was a struggle, but I did my best to embrace the slower pace and even began chatting with one of the customers.
He too had just gotten in the night before. He asked which flight I came in on so I told him my tale of barely missing the plane in Denver and taking two more to get me there later. He had been on that flight that left me so he’d been in since yesterday afternoon. He was in Anchorage with his son and they were doing the same trail I was today. At some point it came up that they were leaving that night. Wow! What a quick trip! “In yesterday afternoon and out tonight?” I said. “Um…yeah.” he said. “I’m a pilot. I was actually flying that plane that left you. Sorry.” WHAT!?!?!?!?! Are you kidding me?! The one person I’ve had a conversation with since arriving in Alaska is the PILOT that left me stranded in Denver yesterday. Of all the bike shops in all the northernmost state….
Tony Knowles Coastal Trail
After such an ironic and hilarious conversation I finally had my bike and was ready to get this Alaskan Adventure underway!
THIS was the Alaska I’d been imagining. Nature. Snowcapped mountains.
Early on, the trail winds through a narrow strip of land between the airport and a cliff to Kink Arm. I stopped to take some photos across the Arm without realizing I was in the flight path. I was thankful for all those trips I’d taken to Airport Beach in Saint Maarten over the years. If I hadn’t had as much exposure to planes taking off right over my head, I may have stepped back and fallen off the cliff!
Throughout the rest of the trail I saw 3 more moose. One was a baby.
Instead of taking the same trail back I decided to go through Lake Hood – the largest seaplane base in the world. Riding in a seaplane is still on my bucket list, but I enjoyed biking through here and looking at all the planes. I even got to see one land and another take off.
I biked back to town and checked out a local pub and a local brew that night. I had 2 of the best days of my career and a week of adventure still ahead of me.
Keep reading for stories about pickup trucks, icy roads, a rainy cruise full of seasick passengers, and a co-pilot’s look at Denali.
Keep Reading
Alaskan Night to Remember – Photographing the Blood Moon, Lunar Eclipse, and the Aurora Borealis
Sailing Seward – Exploring the Seward Highway and cruising through Kenai Fjords National Park
Trip to Talkeetna – The drive north, the Iditarod, and the town of Talkeetna
Denali National Park – My first steps into Denali
Denali Flightsee – A look at Denali National Park from above
Independence Mine State Park – a quick look through an abandoned gold mine
