The best part of Alaska was spending time with Rick and Sharon. I was made to feel like family. They are 2 of the nicest people you can ever meet. I had so much fun, such a blast, and the majority was because of the company I was with. You can't end up in the middle of Alaska, and have the absolute best time of your life, unless you are with some truly great friends. It was so obvious that they extended themselves to ensure I had the trip of a lifetime. And I did!! And I won't soon forget. And I have the photos and videos to prove it!! But yeah, while the wildlife was just awesome, and the scenery simply incomparable - the company and the fun we had just left me grinning from ear to ear for every last second I was there!

I had a very good conversation with one of Rick's closest friends while I was there. He told me how Rick and the family met, and how he knew Rick from when he was a little one growing up off the river we were at. Just listening to the conversation was a treat in itself! Alaska is just simply amazing. But he spoke of the cabin, and how isolated it is, and how it's unique in what no one else can ever experience. I had a tour guide like none other. Folks who spent the entire time showing me the best of the best - while those who spend many thousands to go via Princess or Norwegian Cruises or similar, all get horded around like cattle, have little time and all see the same crap for limited amounts of time. What I got to see and experience was what one would likely take 10 trips to Alaska to see and experience, and then even then, they still wouldn't get to see and experience all that I did. Hell, I got to meet Sharon's Mom and brother, and they were so friendly and awesome as well!!

Now let me tell you about Rick, and roughing it, and growing up with this. This is NO JOKE!! Rick is a beast. Calves the size of a bear, and forearms and biceps to match! Staying at the cabin is heaven on earth, but is also a lot of hard work you have to put in to make it all come together. It kinda shows that Rick and Sharon and the others have all done this before - while the New Yorker was getting his ass kicked daily!! I survived it all, and I think I carried my own weight at least - and mind you, I lost 14lbs while on vacation! LOL Oh, and Rick tried to off me a few times too!! The best time? Putting a 30 gallon container of gas on the back of a 4 wheeler. That 4 wheeler was backed out in the water about 10 feet or so in 1/2 a foot of water, in order to unload this 240lb beast of a container. My ONLY job was to kneel with the gas to hold it steady. That lasted literally about 3 seconds until Rick hit the first big rock. First Jim did a back flop on his head and landed squarely on his back in that water - followed very closely by that slightly heavy container landing on my left leg and kinda pinning me in that shallow water! Rick thought I was dead. LOL I had the adrenaline going and only cared about the gas!! I sure as hell didn't want to go spend the next 3 hours to repeat the process. We all survived though and got a good laugh at the dumb NY'er! Mind you, that was only one time out of 3 I fell in, if I recall correctly.

Btw, the tough New Yorker lost 14lbs over the duration of Rick trying to beat me to death!!

I'll post the videos today, but the pictures will likely be spread out for awhile as there are like 700 of them or so.

It all started as I got to watch NY get smaller and smaller through my little airplane window: