Drove all day today with some really high winds through the plains and all the way into Montana. Ended in Yellowstone National Park. Only one word can describe this Park, “amazing”

Wish that I had more time to explore this place. Many animals to be seen in the Park, Bison; Deer; Wolves; Pelicans (yes there are Pelicans in this Park) and not to mention all the geothermal features which makes this place “amazing”

I would recommend the person visiting this Park to save at least 3 days or more to fully appreciate this place. A few roads were still closed due to snow. The workers in the Park were busy plowing the roads and making repairs to the damaged roads. Bison were plentiful in this place.

We are almost halfway in this journey across America. Part 2 starts in Seattle in a few days!

See our progress here: http://bit.ly/9NNB0v

Today we made headway North and West accumulating a total of 1,531 miles on this road trip. The ride through Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska & South Dakota was uneventful. Lots of farmland along the way. The smell was horrible especially in South Dakota. I think that it must have been cow manure. Battled high winds through the plains and tried wrestling with the vehicle the entire way!

One scenic stop along the way was Badlands National Park on the Western edge of South Dakota. The Badlands seems like parts of another world. A visit here will not be easily forgotten. I will post photos here later on.

Our company bought a van to use in Alaska. Since most vehicles in Alaska have excessive high mileage we opted to purchase the vehicle in the South. Our original intentions were to ship the vehicle by car carrier to Seattle and then drive it to Alaska the rest of the way. 

We contracted a company out of Seattle to ship the vehicle for us. Unfortunately, they failed to come through with the shipping. That left us no option bu to drive the vehicle from Atlanta to Anchorage. This would become the ultimate road trip, almost 6,000 miles of road are ahead of us!

Day one started in Suwanee, GA and took us through  St. Louis and on to Kansas City. Mileage logged: 826. On this day I traveled over several states along the way, Georgia - Tennessee - Kentucky - Illinois and Missouri.

I will keep a log of our progress as we travel across the U.S., Canada and up to Alaska. I think that we can complete this task in about 8 days, driving through some of the most beautiful country in North America!

Route Map: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=suwanee,+ga&daddr=Kansas+City,+MO&geocode=FaKVBwIdfCz9-imfFycpeZP1iDHtkRFpM-nd0A%3BFU6dVAIdedhc-imXmemvXvfAhzGiUapq5iWFVQ&hl=en&mra=ls&sll=50.792047,-113.554687&sspn=37.975459,114.169922&ie=UTF8&ll=36.491973,-89.296875&spn=23.902347,57.084961&t=p&z=5

Iditarod & Northern Lights Tour

Every March we visit the beautiful town of Talkeetna, which was the model for Cicely, Alaska—the quirky little town featured in the TV show “Northern Exposure.” If that’s not true, it could have been. Talkeetna’s entire downtown area is listed on the Register of Historic Places. Its wilderness location at the base of Mt. McKinley (aka Mt. Denali) and at the confluence of three wild rivers also makes it a center for outdoor enthusiasts, climbers, and tourists of all descriptions.

Talkeetna is remote—you don’t accidentally stumble across it. From Anchorage by road, it’s about 115 miles north on the Parks Highway and then another 14 miles down the (paved) Talkeetna Spur Road. It is also a scheduled stop on the Alaska Railroad, about 80 miles up-track from Anchorage.

Every March we travel to this quaint little town and enjoy all the winter activities this area has to offer, including great vistas and good times with the locals.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TOUR, CALL US OR VISIT US ON-LINE AT:

http://www.discoverak.com/iditarod.htm

About the Iditarod Race

You can’t compare it to any other competitive event in the world! A race over 1150 miles of the roughest, most beautiful terrain Mother Nature has to offer. She throws jagged mountain ranges, frozen river, dense forest, desolate tundra and miles of windswept coast at the mushers and their dog teams. Add to that temperatures far below zero, winds that can cause a complete loss of visibility, the hazards of overflow, long hours of darkness and treacherous climbs and side hills, and you have the Iditarod. A race extraordinaire, a race only possible in Alaska.

From Anchorage, in south central Alaska, to Nome on the western Bering Sea coast, each team of 12 to 16 dogs and their musher cover over 1150 miles in 10 to 17 days.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TOUR CALL US OR VISIT US ON-LINE AT http://www.discoverak.com/iditarod.htm

The field is set, the dogs are ready, the World is here! Let the 2010 Iditarod Race begin… Watch it here on our webcam tomorrow, March 6 at 10am Alaska time (2pm EST) Click the link below:

http://discoverak.com/anchorage_webcampage_large.htm

The Iditarod & Northern Lights Tour

Experience the unmatched excitement of the start of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race in Anchorage. On this tour you will enjoy the thermal waters of Chena Hot Springs and have an opportunity to view the Northern Lights.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TOUR VISIT OUR WEBSITE OR CALL US TODAY!

Planet Earth Adventures allows you to experience some of the most pristine places in Alaska. Our knowledgeable, professional and friendly staff have spent an extensive amount of time in Alaska. We are happy to tell you about the places you will visit, the activities you will experience and the amenities you will enjoy while on your trip.

With Planet Earth Adventures, you will enjoy first-rate accommodations, while you relax knowing your itinerary has been expertly researched and prepared. Your transportation, excursions, entrance fees and porterage will be arranged before your arrival. We work hard every day to provide you with top of the line service and amenities to insure that your experience with us is relaxing and worry-free. We take care of all the details so you may relax and enjoy yourself while you become immersed in the wonders of Alaska.

Harbor Seal on ice floe

Kenai Fjords is a 650,000-acre park on the Kenai Peninsula in Southcentral Alaska. It includes the 300-square-mile Harding Icefield, source of the glaciers that carved the fjords and provide some of the park’s most impressive sights.

Kenai Fjords National Park

At the tip of the Kenai Peninsula lies a land where the ice age still lingers. In Kenai Fjords, glaciers, earthquakes, and ocean storms are the architects. Ice worms, bears and whales make their home in this land of constant change. Native Alutiiq used these resources to nurture a life entwined with the sea. Explore this site to discover Kenai Fjords, its history, science and remote splendor.

Boat tours are a great way to experience the Park’s coastline, tidewater glaciers and marine wildlife.

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center - Anchorage

Grizzly at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center near Portage. Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (AWCC) is a non-profit organization that provides refuge for orphaned, injured and ill animals; cares for animals that cannot survive on their own in the wild; and educates visitors about Alaska’s wildlife.