CyclingInvestor
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
I just returned from an 18 day vacation in Southeast Alaska. I have been to Ketchikan
a few times before, but wanted to see more, so I decided to use the Alaska Marine
Highway ferry system. On one of my previous Ketchikan trips I had taken the 37 hour
ferry ride from Bellingham to Ketchikan and found it very relaxing. I made all my
ferry and motel reservations in advance. The Lonely Planet guide was very useful.
After flying to Ketchikan, I immediately hopped on the ferry for a 24 hour ride to Sitka.
The ferry terminal is 7m outside of town, so I took the local bus to downtown. Sitka is
a beautiful little town (pop 8000). I rented a bike and rode on most of the available
paved roads, took a local 2 hour bus tour, and visited the raptor center. It rained most
of the time (as expected). 2 days later I bussed back to the ferry terminal and took the
5 hour ferry ride to Juneau.
The Juneau ferry terminal is 15 miles from town with no bus service, but I stayed in
a motel which ran a shuttle, so no problems. I stayed 3 days in Juneau, much of it
almost immobilized in my bed with back spasms from an old imjury which comes
back a few times a year. Juneau (pop 31000) was very scenic, but when I tried to
get some excursions I found there were no cruise ships docked, meaning no excursions
were available. I was a couple weeks too early in the year. I also could not rent a bike
sine the only place in town that rented (my motel) had not pulled them up for the year
yet. It rained constantly (as expected). Overall, Juneau was kind of a bust. I should
have researched the cruise schedule first. I finally shuttled back to the ferry terminal
for the 5 hour ferry to Haines.
The weather cleared on the ride up. I arrived at the terminal 4 miles from town and
found the shuttle company was out of business, but an employee just going off shift
offered me a lift - surprising, since I am a very large, rough-looking guy. Haines (pop
2000) was my favorite town on this trip. Very non-touristy. I rented a bike and rode
around both days I was here. I stopped at a gold course just north of town and hit a
bucket of balls. When I ask where I could lock the bike they just laughed and said to
just lay it against the wall. I decided to walk the 4m back to the ferry. A lady offered
my a lift on my way, but it was such a nice day I declined and kept walking. People in
Alaska are very friendly and helpful, even to non-social people like me. I boarded the
ferry for the 1 hour ride to Skagway.
In Skagway (pop 800) the ferry terminal is right downtown for a change. Downtown
is very toursity, but is nice once you get even 1 block away. The weather stayed
uncharacteristically clear.
There are several very scenic trails with trailheads a few blocks of town, so I did some
hiking and relaxing. I tried to take the White Pass excursion, but realized it went into
Canada, and I needed my passport (which was safely back in CA). I got a shock
when I walked back to the ferry terminal and there was no ferry there. Schedules had
been changed so it could cover a more heavily travlled route which had mechanical
trouble. I walked over to the airport for a very scenic 20 minute flight to Juneau to catch
up with it. At the Juneau airport I asked a guy for directions - he gave me a lift to the
ferry terminal 5 miles away. I boarded the ferry for the 20 hour ride back to Ketchikan.
The weather continued to be great. I was in Ketchikan 4 days, 3 of them camping on
my friends remote property. Hiking, bug bites, cooking over a fire (and on the small
cabin's stove), reading, relaxing. On the last night we boated back into Ketchikan where
I stayed at a B&B - low morning tides meant we could only leave the property in the
afternoon or very early morning and I had a noon-ish flight.
Overall, a very relaxing trip - my first long 'vacation' since retiring almost 2 years ago.
a few times before, but wanted to see more, so I decided to use the Alaska Marine
Highway ferry system. On one of my previous Ketchikan trips I had taken the 37 hour
ferry ride from Bellingham to Ketchikan and found it very relaxing. I made all my
ferry and motel reservations in advance. The Lonely Planet guide was very useful.
After flying to Ketchikan, I immediately hopped on the ferry for a 24 hour ride to Sitka.
The ferry terminal is 7m outside of town, so I took the local bus to downtown. Sitka is
a beautiful little town (pop 8000). I rented a bike and rode on most of the available
paved roads, took a local 2 hour bus tour, and visited the raptor center. It rained most
of the time (as expected). 2 days later I bussed back to the ferry terminal and took the
5 hour ferry ride to Juneau.
The Juneau ferry terminal is 15 miles from town with no bus service, but I stayed in
a motel which ran a shuttle, so no problems. I stayed 3 days in Juneau, much of it
almost immobilized in my bed with back spasms from an old imjury which comes
back a few times a year. Juneau (pop 31000) was very scenic, but when I tried to
get some excursions I found there were no cruise ships docked, meaning no excursions
were available. I was a couple weeks too early in the year. I also could not rent a bike
sine the only place in town that rented (my motel) had not pulled them up for the year
yet. It rained constantly (as expected). Overall, Juneau was kind of a bust. I should
have researched the cruise schedule first. I finally shuttled back to the ferry terminal
for the 5 hour ferry to Haines.
The weather cleared on the ride up. I arrived at the terminal 4 miles from town and
found the shuttle company was out of business, but an employee just going off shift
offered me a lift - surprising, since I am a very large, rough-looking guy. Haines (pop
2000) was my favorite town on this trip. Very non-touristy. I rented a bike and rode
around both days I was here. I stopped at a gold course just north of town and hit a
bucket of balls. When I ask where I could lock the bike they just laughed and said to
just lay it against the wall. I decided to walk the 4m back to the ferry. A lady offered
my a lift on my way, but it was such a nice day I declined and kept walking. People in
Alaska are very friendly and helpful, even to non-social people like me. I boarded the
ferry for the 1 hour ride to Skagway.
In Skagway (pop 800) the ferry terminal is right downtown for a change. Downtown
is very toursity, but is nice once you get even 1 block away. The weather stayed
uncharacteristically clear.
There are several very scenic trails with trailheads a few blocks of town, so I did some
hiking and relaxing. I tried to take the White Pass excursion, but realized it went into
Canada, and I needed my passport (which was safely back in CA). I got a shock
when I walked back to the ferry terminal and there was no ferry there. Schedules had
been changed so it could cover a more heavily travlled route which had mechanical
trouble. I walked over to the airport for a very scenic 20 minute flight to Juneau to catch
up with it. At the Juneau airport I asked a guy for directions - he gave me a lift to the
ferry terminal 5 miles away. I boarded the ferry for the 20 hour ride back to Ketchikan.
The weather continued to be great. I was in Ketchikan 4 days, 3 of them camping on
my friends remote property. Hiking, bug bites, cooking over a fire (and on the small
cabin's stove), reading, relaxing. On the last night we boated back into Ketchikan where
I stayed at a B&B - low morning tides meant we could only leave the property in the
afternoon or very early morning and I had a noon-ish flight.
Overall, a very relaxing trip - my first long 'vacation' since retiring almost 2 years ago.
