Alaska so far

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We're getting settled into Alaska. The first month here, we stayed in a log house in the hills above Anchorage. A couple of weeks ago we moved over to Girdwood, a little ski village nestled among the mountains along Turnagain Arm, about 40 minutes from Anchorage. For much of April we still had snow on the ground but that is all gone now. I haven't spent a lot of time in this part of Alaska and I am amazed at how much sunshine we have had. Most of my time in Alaska has been spent in South East Alaska which has weather much like the Pacific Northwest. The long days are the best part of summers in Alaska. Outings after work can easily go until 10pm, at which point you are surprised it's nearly bedtime. Of course when you finally make it to bed it's hard to fall asleep with the sun streaming in.

VIDEO | Ferry to Alaska

Taking the Alaska Marine Highway (ferry) from Bellingham, Washington to Haines, Alaska through the Inside Passage was a great way to do an Alaska cruise on the cheap. There is not much time at each stop to explore but that could be remedied by booking each leg separately. Next time we will book a three-bed room which has a lot more floor space and the extra bed would make a nice couch.

North to Alaska!

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We just completed an awesome trip on the Alaska Marine Highway. For pics and more please go to our website at pacificsailors.com.

Favorite Boat Gear under $20

Here is a little list of items under $20 we use everyday. If you buy anything from Amazon after clicking on one of these links we get a small kick-back and you get the same low Amazon price as always. Thanks for clicking through us! For more of our favorite items (over $20) visit our Gear page. Stay tuned for more in a few days. Happy Holidays!

 Laundry Dryer - $7 - Great for small personal items you might not want to hang on the rail for the world to see. Folds up like an umbrella.

Removable Hooks - $7 - If I need a hook I add it, if it's in the wrong place, I move it. Simple, strong and no holes in the boat. I found that you need to wait a few hours before hanging really heavy items.

Traction Socks - $10 - Sometimes my feet get chilly but slippery socks can be dangerous on a boat. These socks have little rubber nubs on the bottom.

Quakehold - $5 - I use this to secure picture frames, shells and other decorative items. Sticks well and doesn't leave a sticky residue when you want to remove it.

Dinghy Tub/Basket - $14 - We use it to transport all of our gear in the dinghy - sandy towels, snorkel gear, etc. Easy to rinse the sand off the bottom and keeps things from sliding all over the dinghy floor.

Outdoor Blanket - $ - Great for chilly and damp nights in the cockpit. The outside can get wet, yet the inside stays dry.

Memoryfoam Bathmats - $15 - Very cushy on the feet and non-skid on the bottom. Also it's microfiber so it can absorb a lot of water.

(Mini) Van Life

Before buying a new car we thought long and hard about what to get. We'd been without a car for nearly two years while living on our boat in Mexico so it was a big decision. We like to go on long road trips but hotels every night are out of the question. We wanted a car we could sleep in comfortably, but it also had to have good gas mileage and space for toys like our SUP and inflatable kayak.

Our old 4Runnner had just enough space to sleep in but we couldn't even sit up in bed and it had no floor space or room for our things. For the big move south we had a Ford E350 van that had lots of space but it was a gas guzzler. A VW camper van would have been nice but we wanted something reliable and cheap to maintain or repair.

About a year ago we had to fly up to California from Mexico and rented a mini van for a month to run errands and do some exploring. With the seats folded down we squeezed in an air-mattress, and it made a great little camper van. Plenty of headroom, space for our stuff and decent gas mileage. So we decided a mini van would  be the best compromise. We chose the Toyota Sienna and it had be newer than 2004 because prior to this the rear seats didn't fold down flat. The Sienna boasts 20-27 miles per gallon but we get 22 mpg. Always. Not as good as a sedan but good enough.

I know a lot of people think a car is a status symbol and should be big and flashy, but I feel a car is merely a utilitarian tool that should be functional. Who cares what it looks like as long as it serves its purpose. I would rather have an older useful car than go into debt and appear hip. Of course, with an SUP on top even a minivan can look pretty hip.

Building the platform for the bed

Storage under the bed platform holds my kayak (this is the space the backseats usually fold into)

Foam under full size memory foam mattress

Lots of floor space when bins are moved to the front seats while parked.

Comfortable ride.

Cranberry Bogs and Desserts

After a week of visiting with friends near Portland, Oregon we are back on the road. Driving south along the Oregon coast on Highway 101 we saw a 'U-Pick Cranberries' sign. Having just gotten a new recipe for cranberries and never having seen a cranberry bog we made a quick stop. 

I was expecting to be wading through standing water but apparently they only flood the bog when it's time to harvest so the berries will float to the top while the machine pulls them off the plants.

This dessert is amazing! Give it a shot. It's easy and you will love it. The original recipe calls for walnuts but I think it's much better with almonds.

Cranberry Nut Dessert

• 1 1/4 cups cranberries
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup almonds
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• Powdered sugar

1. Butter a 9-inch pie dish and cover bottom generously with cranberries. Sprinkle with brown sugar and nuts.
2. Beat egg into a small mixing bowl. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar. Beat in flour. Slowly beat in melted butter. Pour batter over berries.
3. Bake at 325 for about 40-45 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Close Encounters

We're still in Denver enjoying the comforts of living on shore. Last week we took a little trip up to South Dakota to see "the heads" and some amazing wildlife. On our way back we nearly had a close encounter of a third kind in Wyoming...

Buffalo in Custer State Park

Devil's Tower (featured in the movie: Close Encounters of the Third Kind in 1977)

Prayer-flags at Devil's Tower

Mount Rushmore at night

At Bear Country

From the Ocean to the Prairies

After over a week on the road we just made it to our destination of Denver, Colorado where we are visiting with Mike's family. 

We've been camping out of our mini van, for which Mike built a platform-bed after removing the two rows of back seats. All of our clothes and most gear is stored in under-bed storage bins below the platform. Even my inflatable kayak is under there! 

We visited Utah's national parks from Arches to Zion, but the highlight so far was a 10 mile paddle down the Colorado River from below the Glen Canyon dam to Lees Ferry (where the Grand Canyon begins). 

On a side note, my folks are still in Mexico on their sailboat where they just finished the fifth installment of their TV documentary series Travel Secrets Mexico. The episode about La Paz is currently airing on TV or you can watch it (and all other episodes) here.

Cooking dinner

Kayak Storage

Bryce Canyon National Park

Raven

Picking apples in Fruita

Capitol Reef National Park

Rocky Mountains

Aspen

Even more photos...