Friday, April 01, 2016

The Letter A: Alaska

I know I haven't been around a lot lately, but I hope I can make up some presence by participating in this April's A-Z challenge.  My theme is "my travel bucket list."  These are places I've yet to visit.  We start at the beginning...  The Letter A.





There are many places that begin with an A I’ve yet to visit.: Africa, Athens, Amritsar, the Amazon and Alaska.  

Today, we're going to look at Alaska.  I have flown over the state heading to Asia, but I’ve not set foot on the ground.  So my first visit on my bucket list is to the one of the two last states to join the union.  Alaska was purchased by the United States from Russia shortly after the Civil War.   Russia had approached the United States before the war, during President Buchanan’s tenure, but the split of the Union postponed any additional sale.  The deal, negotiated by Secretary of State William Steward, was known as Steward’s Folly or Steward’s Ice Box.  Many people thought it was a waste of money.  Seven million dollars for a vast territory of ice was a lot of money in 1867 (7 million works out to approximately 2 cent an acre).  After gold was discovered there in 1898, folks realized what a deal that Steward negotiated.   And then came the discovery of oil.  Alaska was a good deal. It’s also beautiful.



I would love to take the ferry up from Seattle, through the Inland Passage, perhaps take the White Pass and Yukon Railroad out of Haines, up over the mountains.  Then, I could catch a bus to Fairbanks.  While in Fairbanks, I would have to see about getting up to the north along the road that parallels the Alaska Pipeline before heading south via the Alaska Railroad.  I’d stop and visit Denali National Park, before continuing on to Anchorage.  After seeing Anchorage, I could head back south on a bus or boat, seeing as much of the country as possible from ground level.

26 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. my idea isn't the cruise as much as backpacking on the Alaskan ferry (but then I have been on a cruise to Greenland, which was incredible!)

      Delete
    2. my idea isn't the cruise as much as backpacking on the Alaskan ferry (but then I have been on a cruise to Greenland, which was incredible!)

      Delete
  2. My parents have done two Alaskan cruises and loved it. I hope to get there some day.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lana and I have strongly considered an Alaskan cruise. I think it would be incredible

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think I might take the ferry instead of a cruise ship, but that's just me

      Delete
  4. It's long been on my travel bucket list as well.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I haven't been to Alaska, either. My mom has. She says it's beautiful. I hope you get there someday. You'd probably enjoy it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Alaska is becoming more and more appealing to me. Thanks for these how-to travel details Sage! I look forward to the rest of your bucket list and fear not, I've only written a few posts ahead of time so far, as well.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Alaska is becoming more and more appealing to me. Thanks for these how-to travel details Sage! I look forward to the rest of your bucket list and fear not, I've only written a few posts ahead of time so far, as well.

    ReplyDelete
  8. mmmmmm - Alaska! Certainly a place to see. I'd love to go there too. Good luck for the A to Z Challenge.

    from
    kalpanaawrites.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sounds like a great trip. I've never been there, but I have some friends who have. They loved it!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Alaska is a must see place. One of nieces lives in Anchorage, so I've been a few times to explore the place. You have some great spots on planet earth to visit.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Alaska is a must see place. One of nieces lives in Anchorage, so I've been a few times to explore the place. You have some great spots on planet earth to visit.

    ReplyDelete
  12. My sister and her husband loved Alaska - they were stationed at Fort Richardson in Anchorage. I am still sorry I didn't visit when I could have stayed with them. :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. I've taken the inland passage to Alaska, as far north as Glazier Bay. It's quite beautiful up there and well worth the effort of getting there.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Alaska sounds beautiful but I'd never be able to go...too cold for me!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm actually surprised you haven't marked this one off yet. I can certainly see you there taking in every adventure Alaska has to offer. Despite the cold I would love the adventure. It would be a photography dream.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Everyone who I know that visits Alaska comes back with tales of its breathtaking beauty. Nice theme, sage!

    Cherdo
    Cherdo on the Flipside
    "Favorite Characters, Favorite Lines" on the A-to-Z Challenge 2016

    ReplyDelete
  17. I know quite a few people who've been to Amritzar, I went out with a girl who taught school in Manaus, and being to Africa isn't at all unusual here. But I know Athens, better that I know Dublin truth be told.
    Alaska used to be on my list from way back. I had a thought of seeing the ice barrier break around Ax Point, on the Mackenzie River. The spring melt some years builds up under the Great Slave Lake so that it bows the ice. But air pressure keeps it in place. So the pressure builds and is forced out along the frozen river channel so much so that bus sized chunks of ice are hurled out of the channel.
    Thence to Skagway up and over and down the Yukon through Dawson and out into Alaska proper.
    Of course them were the days when a self made cabin in the Canadian far woods was the 'dream'.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Great theme for the A-Z Challenge. Thanks for your comment. I'm now following you. Can't wait to see what "B" will be

    ReplyDelete
  19. It's okay, I haven't been here as much either, with work and life it gets hard to keep up sometimes. But as I just commented on your B for Boston post I look forward to seeing these posts. Take good care of you.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Glad to get caught up with you, Sage!

    ReplyDelete
  21. I'd like to visit Alaska too! A friend of mine from the Compuserve Writers Forum lives up there and posts some gorgeous photos now and again...

    ReplyDelete