A Tour Guide in Alaska

Months ago, I thought I'd toss out the idea of a winter tour in Alaska to my Parkwest customers and, lo and behold, the first ever Arctic Quest tour begins this Thursday.  We've got 10 brave souls coming to Alaska in late January to visit Anchorage, Fairbanks, Chena Hot Springs, chase the northern lights, go dog-sledding, go snowshoeing, do a snow coach tour, meet a reindeer, ride the Alaska Railroad, fly to the Arctic Circle and visit a native village, and see the start of the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race.  I can't WAIT!

If you want to see ALL the details of this tour or our flying business, check out: Parkwest Air Tours.

So, if you're wondering just what kinds of tasks are left to the tour directors less than one week before the tour, here's a sampling of our weekend duties:

• Beg, borrow and steal numerous provisions and housewares from friends
• Research snowshoeing routes ONE more time
• Prep food for the coming long nights of aurora watching
• Attend the Yukon Quest fundraiser dinner; it was pretty much the two of us and the entire mushing community of Interior Alaska.  It was held at the Musher's Hall (all Alaska towns of any significant size have one), and DJ music was provided, primarily ABBA tunes.!@?  (Maybe mushing has some distant ties to Sweden?)  Mama mia!
• Ascertain whether or not a 14-foot trailer holding Dave, the reindeer, can turn around in our driveway
• String twinkling lights around the house
• Assemble an "Animated Buck"
• Answer lots of last-minute emails from participants who pose such vexing questions as: Will we be able to watch Downton Abbey on Sunday night?
• Ponder what it would be like to have a Parkwest tour experience a 7.1 earthquake, like the one that rocked Anchorage this morning
• Review various preparations of moose and caribou meat for our Farewell dinner