Alaska and The Iditarod

The Iditarod Trail's Finger Lake Checkpoint

and

The Winter Lake Lodge

Videos Below

It was day 4 of the Iditarod and all the mushers had made their way through Rainy pass and were heading toward McGrath. For Alice’s airplane to get though Rainy Pass the weather needs to cooperate and on this day it did not. So our travels took us to the last Iditarod checkpoint before the pass called Finger Lake.

On the shores of Finger Lake sits the Winter Lake Lodge. www.withinthewild.com

The Winter Lake Lodge is only accessible by an airplane with skis or floats. It is a culinary destination for people who love the outdoors and love food. We did not get to eat anything except for a chocolate chip cookie (which was amazing), but chef Kristin has won the best chef in America award, while her daughter, the sous chef at the lodge, has worked at the French Laundry in Napa. The aroma from the kitchen made me wish we could stay for dinner but the snow was starting to fall so we had get going or sleep there overnight.

Alaska

As I sit on Alice's basement couch, I can hear a plane landing in her back yard on the frozen Campbell Lake. That is Alaska and that is what I experienced today.

After pushing the plane out of the hanger, Alice (pilot) gracefully took off with Burkes' (pilot instructor) calm and minimal instruction... very impressive. We took a quick right turn and headed for the Chugach mountain Range. Burke took the controls and flew us into places you would think a helicopter, not a plane, could get that close to. Amazing!! The most untouched beauty I have ever laid eyes on.

We made a quick stop at the village of Willow but the race hadn't started yet. So we headed home.

Tomorrow's itinerary consists of checking out various Iditarod checkpoints, where hopefully we will see some dog teams in action. Maybe Andrew will even fly us home.

Honeymoon: Day 1

Hello everyone! This is my very FIRST blog and I am happy you have decided to read it. Ben and I thought it would be beneficial for us to keep track of our travels and adventures so that we can help others who may be going to the same places we have been to. Our purpose is to offer tips, advice and our opinion on everything from the hotel accommodations, transportation to and from the destination, great restaurants to check out (and not so great ones to avoid), best beaches to visit, reveal local hidden "gems" that the average tourist would not know about etc...

When Ben and I go to a new place we waste no time sitting around the pool...except for the very necessary sunset cocktail ;0) We get some local maps, hop in our rental car and hit the road.

Our first blog will be about our recent trip to Hawaii. We visited Maui and Kauai. This trip will probably go down as one of the most memorable trips of our lives.

Day ONE: Getting to Hawaii

FLIGHTS: If you live on the East Coast, getting to Hawaii is no easy task! Ben and I spent a few days in San Francisco (where his brothers family lives...we will have more info on SanFran in a later blog) before flying Hawaiian Airlines (www.hawaiianair.com) into Honolulu. The flight was very comfortable with lots of room to move around. Unfortunately, I was sick with the flu the whole way there so I didn't really get to enjoy myself! The flight was a little under 5 hours and flew by. We landed in Honolulu and had to catch a smaller plane to Maui. We took Go! Airlines (www.iflygo.com), which was fine except for the 2-hour delay we had to endure in the airport. The flight to Maui only took 30 minutes.

Once in Maui we picked up our rental car from Alamo Car Rental (www.alamo.com). A CONVERTIBLE!!! At first we were only going to rent a tiny car but Ben decided to go for it and get the convertible for only $77 more dollars! What a deal. We do NOT recommend going all the way to Hawaii and renting a normal car.... you MUST get a convertible. There is no better way to experience Hawaii. There really is something about having the wind go through your hair and you drive by the ocean. Once in the car we headed out to find the Ritz-Carlton at Kapalua (www.ritzcarlton.com). The drive from the airport is approximately 1 hour. On our way we went past the most incredible panoramic view of the ocean....breathtaking! It is truly something that cannot be described, the absolute beauty of the water. It was about 25 minutes into our drive that we had our first whale sighting! Now, we live on Nantucket for half the year and not once have we ever seen a whale. They seemed to be a dime a dozen out in the ocean. You knew they were there because of the stream of mist shooting into the air from their blowholes.... it was amazing to watch. Stream after stream shooting up into the sunset, it was almost as if they were welcoming us into their world...that was the exact moment when Ben and I knew we were about to have the trip of a lifetime.

Getting to The Ritz-Carlton:

One word: WOW. This is how Ben and I could describe the feeling of seeing the hotel for the first time. What I first noticed was the underlying scent of pineapple and something else sweet. It was a tropical dream you could say. You walked into the lobby and could immediately see the ocean through the other of the hotel. There was a warm breeze flowing through the lobby. The decorating was outstanding...Hawaiian chic. It had a minimalist style but with bursts of color everywhere you looked. Very tasteful. We were greeted at the front desk with 2 beaded necklaces and a warm ALOHA! A really welcoming young girl led Ben and I to our garden view/ocean view suite. We had no idea what to expect. Then she opened the door and our mouths dropped at the same time...WOW...this was the most gorgeous room we had ever stayed in. It was 900 square feet with a kitchen, living room, 2 flat screen TVS, a huge king size bed, Jacuzzi tub, separate shower, big closet and about 100 square feet of deck overlooking the 10,000 square foot pool. We also had a fantastic view of the ocean. The decorating gave us the same feeling as the lobby...not overdone but totally Hawaiian and relaxed. A little later Ben decided to order room service, I was still not feeling that great, so he went with the turkey club with bacon and avocado and fries. Ben still talks about that meal, he said it was "the best meal turkey club I have ever eaten" and trust me, he has had a lot of turkey clubs.

Then there was a knock at the door...we were greeted by a nice young man who was carrying a bottle of champagne with 2 glasses and a plate of fresh cheeses, dried fruit and crackers! We couldn't believe it, we felt so special. There was a note from the Ritz Carlton accountant welcoming us to the hotel and wishing us a happy honeymoon. There was also the mention of Justine (who works for Ritz-Carlton as well), who really helped us out with getting such an incredible rate for the room. We worked for Justine and her family on Nantucket last fall. Ben cooked a few dinners for them and she told us that Hawaii was the BEST place to go on a honeymoon…so far, she was right! We decided to put the champagne and food away for later and go to bed...we were too tired to stay up and we wanted to wait for the perfect moment to pop the champagne.

Day 2: Waking up in paradise

After the most relaxing, comfortable sleep ever, Ben and I wake up at 6am. Keep in mind we went to bed at 7pm. Both of us were exhausted from the trip and I still wasn't feeling 100% but the long sleep sure helped. We were up and excited to start our day! First things first, COFFEE. We both really enjoy a great cup of coffee in the morning and our room came with a Cuisinart coffee maker and great coffee. I decided I was feeling well enough to workout and I really wanted to check out the gym facility. Nothing gets me more excited in the morning than knowing a great workout lies ahead in a beautiful gym-I'm a little nuts over working out, I know-so I head down to the lobby and find the INCREDIBLE water stand with ice cold water that has pineapple in it. What a great idea! Everyone should try it sometime; it really adds a refreshing aspect to the water. After guzzling down 3 cups of it I head to the gym. Once inside I see all my fitness dreams coming true...it’s a brand new gym with one side facing the ocean. The treadmills and other cardio equipment have front row seats to the gorgeous ocean and enormous pool. Now this is the type of gym where running on the treadmill doesn't get boring. They also have great weight machines and all the little extras you could expect in a top of the line gym.

While I was working out, Ben decided to venture out and find a grocery store so we could stock up on some food to put in our fridge. We love to be able to make our own lunches in the room and have healthy snacks on hand. He found this great little coffee shop and thought that maybe he should buy some coffee for the room and then he saw the price...$32/lb!!! He couldn't believe it and asked the cashier why it was so expensive. She told him that most coffee you buy in supermarkets/coffee shops has been sitting on the shelf for about 6 months to a year BUT their coffee was picked LAST week! It is probably the freshest coffee you can buy. Needless to say, he did not buy the bag but opted to try a cup when he and I came back together...Ben is pretty thoughtful like that :)

Later that day we decided that a couple’s massage was in order! We were both a little achy and LOVE to try different spa treatments when we go to new places. The massage was a gift from Ben's brothers and their wives (thank you Kim, Emilee, Steve and Dave!!!) We went into the spa an hour early to try out the steam rooms; whirlpool tubs and just plain relax. We walk in and are immediately greeted but a calm woman who makes us feel completely welcome. The Ritz just completed a renovation of the spa and it is perfect! Very earthy and smells terrific. We are led down the bamboo hallway to the co-ed lounge area, which has refreshments, yummy treats and plenty of comfy chairs. Ben and I go are separate ways into the locker rooms. Once inside, I am again greeted by a fabulous employee and shown to my locker where I receive my robe and sandals. *Ben loved the robes so much that he brought one home* I change into my lounging attire and head to the steam room area. As I am about to go in the employee comes back and congratulates me on my wedding and asks if I would like some champagne...of course I would! I am not a girl who turns down a drink. I have a few sips-delicious-and step into the wet sauna that has eucalyptus essence flowing through the mist. I feel completely relaxed and emerge 30 min later feeling like a million bucks!

I get my robe back on and head to the co-ed lounge to meet up with Ben. We sit and relax for a little while and then we are taken to an outdoors room to have our first couples massage. It was such a peaceful setting. We could hear the birds, the ocean and the breeze. How could you NOT relax in a place like this?!?! When it was over we realized that the week had only begun and the feeling of euphoria was going to stay with us until we left. If only we could feel like this everyday.

That night we only wanted something light. Our appetites still were not normal and we didn’t want to waste a good meal on our sickly selves. We drove to a little town called Lahaina that was only 15min from the Ritz. It was right on the water and had tons of cool shops and restaurants. It was slightly touristy but had many options. We decided on a beach restaurant called the “Mixed Plate” (www.alohamixedplate.com). It was a casual place with a very relaxed vibe. They served the dishes on paper plates that also gave it a BBQ style. I had the mixed plate that came with BBQ chicken, teriyaki steak and grilled Mahi Mahi. It was great! Ben had a chicken and Mahi Mahi stir-fry with rice. His had a little too much sauce but a good flavor.
We headed home for another early nights rest. We knew by the next day we would be rejuvenated and ready to go!

Day 3: Road to Hana

On the 3rd day we decided to drive the “road to Hana.” This is a famous 54-mile trek with switchback and hairpin turns to the central east coast of Maui. We heard many great things about the drive and also of the “best banana bread in the world” that is sold alongside the road on the way. I had to find out if this was true! Up until that point my Nanny (my dad’s mother) made the BEST banana bread in my mind and it was time to challenge that notion. The weather was perfect and we set out, with the top down of course. Ben had told me about the coffee shop with the $30 coffee and we wanted to taste it to see if we could tell the difference in freshness. So we bought 2 cups, one regular and one hazelnut. It was pretty good coffee I must say! Normally I don’t finish a cup but I drank the whole thing. It did taste a lot more fresh. On our way we stopped at a market to pick up some fruit for the road. The local strawberries were so sweet and the apples very crisp. You can’t forget about the pineapple from Maui. It is sooo incredibly tasty and sweet. I ate it every single day! They are grown on the island, so freshness is always guaranteed.

We came upon a town that caught both our eyes. It was called Apia (www.paiamaui.com) Ben and I have both been to Australia before and it reminded us some of the hippy towns we saw there. We loved it. It had very unique restaurants and people. We wanted to stop but decided to wait until the way home. We wanted to get to Hana. As we enter to what I call “the beginning of the really windy roads” it becomes very dense with greenery. We had the sense that this was the land that time forgot. The road kissed the sides mountains and hugged every curve. It was hard for Ben to take his eyes off the road because they were SO narrow. About half way to Hana we came to a roadside stand that had banana bread and my mouth started to water in anticipation. Ben came back to the car with a freshly baked, still warm loaf of banana bread and we ripped it open and ate the whole thing! I don’ we think we have ever tasted anything so out of this world delicious. It was buttery, smooth and perfectly baked. We were in heaven. Sorry Nanny but this one may just beat you out. We continued on with full bellies but didn’t quite make it all the way to the end. I tend to get motion sickness a lot quicker these days. The roads were just too curvy for me and I was beginning to feel nauseas. So we headed back towards our hotel. We stopped in Paia on our way back to check it out. We really enjoyed the vibe and hung out for about an hour. We looked in the stores and read the menus at different restaurants.

When we got back to the Ritz Ben and I made our own cocktails in the room and headed down to the pool to relax a little. The pool is such a great people watching spot. We sat back on lounge chairs and enjoyed the afternoon with beverages in hand. That night we wanted to check out the hotel restaurant “Kai” which is the Ritz-Carlton signature sushi restaurant. Before we sat at a table we sat up at the bar in the lounge for a drink. It had a very soothing vibe. Ben ordered a Bikini Blonde beer (made in Maui) and I had a glass of red wine. The bar snacks were to die for! Sesame seed coated pecans, sweet and salty almonds and marinated olives. I could have just eaten that as my dinner. As we were about to pay for the drinks and move into Kai a VERY generous man sitting at the bar offered to pay for our drinks! Out of the blue! We hadn’t even been talking with him. I didn’t even notice he was there. It was such a nice gesture, something that Ben and I will never forget. He said it looked as if we were on our honeymoon and then he said something we will never forget “it is so rare to see two people so much in love.” And he is right; we are so much in love!

Our sushi dinner at Kai was fabulous. We had edamame, spicy tuna roll, caterpillar roll and a vegetable roll. They were superbly rolled and the presentation was crisp and elegant. We really enjoyed it! But the best part was dessert. It was simple homemade vanilla and chocolate ice cream in an edible caramel bowl. It was so simple and tasty!!! The bowl was pretty much made from brown sugar and butter and you would take a bite of it with each ice cream bite. We almost licked the plate. We were both tired and decided to go to bed early so we could wake up feeling ready for the next day.

**This was the night that our blog idea came to life** I feel bad that we did not start something like this earlier. We now vow to record and keep track of all the travels we go on. Good night!

Day 4: Hiking Day

On this day Ben and I woke up at 7am, which was considered sleeping in to us because we had been getting up around 6am the previous days. It felt good to get a little more shuteye and we were anxious to get out and start exploring the grounds around the Ritz. We headed up to the “Adventure Lodge” on the property, which helps guests plan different adventures around the island. A very helpful employee told us of the old golf course that had now been turned into a walking trail. It sounded perfect. It was only 3 miles and Ben could check out the old course. We took a map and headed out. First we walked towards the water to see the lava rocks along the coast. Beautiful. It was a good way to see the ruggedness of coastline. Then we headed up towards to old golf course for our hike. It was neat to walk around an abandoned course. It felt like a ghost town! It had a LOT of hills that were good for me but for the average walker it was pretty steep but the views from the top were so unexpected! You could see sooo far. Ben and I stopped just to take it all in. The walk took us about 1.5 hours and by the time we had finished we were ready for lunch. We stopped into the Ritz general store and picked up a few things to make lunch in our room. The rest of the day was going to be spent doing absolutely nothing but relaxing by the pool and ocean. Because we had such a good food experience at Kai we decided to try another meal at the hotel. We really loved the bar/lounge atmosphere so we kept it casual with dinner that night. The dinner was anything but ordinary though! We shared a chicken Caesar salad and a burger trio plate with fries. There were 3 mini burgers with cheese and bacon…YUMMY! We pretty much devoured that dinner. For dessert we had ice cream again with cookies instead of the bowl. Good stuff. Once again, we called it a night and went to bed for a good night sleep.