Alaska's Gov. Sarah Palin shows us around Juneau
We had a wonderful visit with Alaska's Gov. Sarah Palin yesterday. We were filming a hike around Juneau in what was all-too-typical rain and slush. Accordingly, we opted for an "urban hike" and thought she would be a good guide for Alaska's Capital City.
Gov. Palin greeted us at the door of the Governor's House and hiked with us over to the Capitol Building. We brought along some Heritage Coffee as fuel for the journey.
In her office, Gov. Palin encouraged other Alaskans, especially young people, to come to Juneau and see the state government in action.
"Don't wait for a basketball tournament or another sporting event as an excuse to see your Captial City," she said. "Come and get involved in your state's government. Learn some of the history of our state from your brothers and sisters in Southeast Alaska," she said.
Watch for the special edition of the Alaska Podshow, which will feature Gov. Palin. You can subscribe to the Alaska Podshow podcast in iTunes, or go directly to the website at www.alaskapodshow.com
Anchorage-Seattle last-minute: $212rt
Be quick. Fly on Continental Airlines between Anchorage and Seattle this weekend (Preisdent's Day). You can fly south on Feb. 16 (Sat.), returning on Monday or Tuesday. Cost is $198 plus taxes, equals $212 roundtrip. That's about half-price. Don't wait. Grab this while it lasts.
Don't miss getting the Seattle Toursaver (www.seattletoursaver.com). You can pick up a copy on the Seattle Waterfront at Argosy Cruises for $79.95. There's $3,000 in travel savings . Everything is 2-for-1: hotels, activities, attractions, etc. Check it out.
See you in Seattle!
Winter adventure in Juneau
Juneau is a great destination year-round. But as an Alaska voter, I try and visit during the legislative session. Alaska Airlines offers some airline discounts for residents. They're called "Constituent Fares" and from Anchorage it costs about $300 rt.
Once you're there, I found three hotels that offer "Constituent" rates, including:
a. Driftwood Lodge for $39. It's on Willoughby St. downtown. Right next to my favorite breakfast spot, the Sandpiper Cafe.
b. Juneau Hotel. It's closer to the bridge over to Douglas. Big rooms. My friend Frank rents a room there. It costs $69 per night.
c. Frontier Suites. You also can stay out by the airport for $79.
I always rent from Avis. They do a great job.
Now is a pretty good time to go down and see the legislature in action. I had lunch with a friend yesterday who really likes the new, shorter legislative session (90 days). "For once," he said, "the legislators are working on the weekends." Hmm. I'm not sure if that's good or b-a-a-d. HA! jk
After fiddling with the legislature, I took a ride out to Mendenhall Glacier with my friend Jack Manning. Jack runs the Duck Creek Market. Check out the pictures. It was fabulous. Clear blue skies--we walked all the way out to the face of the glacier.
We even ran into Jill Homer, who rides her bike all winter. In another post, I'll give you the link to her blog, called "Up in Alaska". Ah heck. Here it is: http://arcticglass.blogspot.com .
So--we talked about the best breakfast spot: Sandpiper Cafe. My favorite lunch spot? The Island Pub over in Douglas. They make their own pizza dough and whip up a number of delicious hand-crafted pizzas in their wood oven. Very tasty.
I'm headed back to Juneau in a week. More reports to follow.
Trip report: Alaska Airlines and Southwest Airline
From Albuquerque to Denver, we flew on Southwest AIrlines. They really do a nice job. Plenty of leg room. Nice new leather seats. Friendly staff. High marks.
Here we are at the gate at Sea-Tac. Getting home bright and early at 12:55am. Can't wait.
Chena Hot Springs video
Watch the Chena Hot Springs video podcast we produced. You can see the flash version on the website: www.alaskapodshow.com . Or, subscribe to the podcast with iTunes to see the "HD" version. Very nice.
All the directions are on the website: www.alaskapodshow.com
Enjoy. s