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Join us on a bicycle tour to the last great American outpost and the 49th state - Alaska!
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The vast majority of the bike routes are on dedicated paved bike paths with wide-open views of Alaskan scenery
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Ride overlooking the Turnagain Sound with mountains and glaciers in the distance throughout the ride
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We experience the ride from Johnson Pass and then ride to find Hope, our next stop
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Take an optional one-hour ferry ride to see a glacier up-close from the water
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We journey to Mirror Lake one of the most picturesque lakes in the U.S. via the Glenn Highway Bike Paths
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We ride on the Tony Knowles bike path, the most popular bike path in Alaska that overlooks the water onto Fire Island and in the distant Denali (formerly Mt. McKinley)
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We stay at the same hotel for the entire trip, so we only need to unpack one time
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Enjoy a free day to visit Denali; or go hiking; or visit the wildlife sanctuary to see moose, bison, bears and other wild animals up-close but with the safety of a fence, or ride the nation's longest zip-line, or take a half-day ferry ride to see multiple glaciers up-close; or ride your bike to the Alaska Native Heritage Center; or to the Eagle River Nature Center and go for a hike in one of the most popular hiking areas along the Eagle river.
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We experience the long days with light 24-hours per day (not to worry our hotel has light-blocking shades)
Orso
Anchorage, Alaska
- Panzanella - Baby spinach, sweet baby tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, English cucumber, toasted rosemary bread, blue cheese crumbles, champagne dijon dressing
- Soup - Always fresh and delicious
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Chicken Parmesan Orso Style - Parmesan crusted chicken breast, housemade tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, vegetable herb capellini
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Crab Stuffed Rockfish - Spinach, parmesan, artichoke, onion stuffing, vegetable couscous pearls, grilled broccolini
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Flash Seared Crab Cakes - Dungeness and red crab cakes, white bean corn succotash, pesto aioli, bacon, truffle oil fennel salad
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Orso Burger - Hand formed ground beef, creamy cambozola, kosher dill pickles, crisp bacon, stone ground mustard aioli, sliced tomato, toasted brioche bun, crispy fries
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Lemon Chicken Panzanella Salad - Baby spinach, sweet baby tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, English cucumber, toasted rosemary bread, blue cheese crumbles, champagne dijon dressing, balsamic glaze
- Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor
- Internet
- Adjacent to one of the many interconnected bicycle paths in Anchorage
- Brand new, opened in winter of 2016
- 37 restaurants within one block and 90 restaurants within one mile from the hotel
- Recycling containers in each room
- Sustainability: Sustainable elements have been incorporated throughout the hotel
- All suites hotel, fire pit, swimming pool, hot tub, fitness room, kitchenette, coin laundry and fitness room. Rooms are complete with dishwasher, microwave, refrigerator, coffee maker, crockery and cutlery. Gas grills located outside.
We mount our bikes early (Alaskan time is -4 hours from eastern time zone) on the hotel adjacent bike path to begin our journey and to enjoy the scenery of the ride. We will have plenty of time to take pictures before any tourists start challenging our views. Enjoy what one publication stated as "arguably one of the most beautiful stretches" of scenery in the United States. We leave Anchorage on bike paths before joining the Seward Highway and riding along the side of the mountain and overlooking the water...the best part is this part of the route is completely flat. We then merge onto the bike path as we continue to the small town of Girdwood with its small provisions (grocery) store and locally owned small restaurants. For everyone who feels they need a little bit more riding, an optional (slight uphill) extension will end at the Alyeska resort with a tram [$39 in 2017] that can take you to the top of the mountain. After eating lunch at your favorite place then we will van back to the starting hotel before heading to dinner.
- 400+ Breakfast combination
- Mix and match your morning breakfast with over 400 daily combinations. Choose from a variety of continental-style favorites like:
- Artisan-style breakfast sandwiches and bowls (rotates daily)
- Cereals
- Yogurt with choice of 9 toppings like fruit, granola & nuts
- Oatmeal with choice of 9 toppings like fruit, granola & nuts
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Grits
- Bread varieties with assorted spreads
- Bakery products
- Freshly baked multi-grain buckwheat waffles with 100% HFCS free syrup
- Juices and vitamin-enhanced flavored water
- 24/7 Coffee and Tea station (coffee, tea, hot chocolate and cider)
- Power outlets available at the Inspired Table™ to help electronics keep charged during breakfast
- Breakfast china and glass glasses to keep plastics out of the landfills
Anchorage, Alaska
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Starter Food Bar: Alaskan smoked salmon & rotini pasta salad, Matanuska potato salad, summer green salad, pineapple cole slaw, roasted beet salad, and watermelon salad with fresh mint.
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Grilled Lemon Rosemary Chicken Breast - Fresh garlic & olive oil
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Salmon Steak - Classic in the round, steak cut, simply grilled
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Rockfish Olympia - Oven baked with sauteed onions, parmesan topping
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Flat Iron Steak - Char broiled, bleu cheese butters
We take vans to the start of Johnson Pass then unload bikes for the ride on the dedicated bike path of Seward Highway. (U.S. Secretary of State William Seward was ridiculed at the time by Congress for the purchase of Alaska with the term "Seward's Folly," as we may remember from History class, for paying $7 million or about 2 cents per acre for what would become the state of Alaska.) We then proceed from the bike path down the tree-lined old and little used Hope highway. As we slowly descend and find Hope [we were going to insert a joke here, but since comedy can sometimes not be as funny as written, please insert your own "finding Hope" joke here] we will be able to look out over the waters of Turnagain to see the beautiful route we rode the prior day. If you would like to get a bite to eat, we will be stopping at the Creekbend Café (formerly Tito’s Discovery Café) with its homemade pastries, pies, panini's and sandwiches. Of course if you miss the cafe, it is not a problem, because the Hope Highway dead-ends into a forest in another mile. After assembling at the Creekbend Café we will load up the bikes and then proceed by van to the optional one-hour Portage Glacier Ferry [$39] to view the Portage Glacier up-close or visit the Begich Boggs Visitor Center or Portage Glacier Cafe. After viewing the glacier, we will van back to the hotel.
On your own. (30 restaurants within one block and 90 restaurants within one mile)
Day 5, Wednesday - July 25, 2018
On your own. (30 restaurants within one block and 90 restaurants within one mile)
Day 6, Thursday - July 26, 2018
After eating breakfast we take bike paths and ride on the Tony Knowles paved trail, the most popular and well-known bike path in Alaska. The route is famous for its wide open views of Fire Island and on a clear day the views of Denali in the distance. We will take a leisurely ride through Kincaid Park; though in the city of Anchorage, it still has an abundance of wildlife. We will then proceed toward the water and take in sweeping vistas as we use the paved bike paths and photo pull-outs to take pictures or just to enjoy the beauty of the moment. We will end the ride downtown at the Anchorage Downtown Bicycle Rental shop, where most people will drop-off their bikes and then take the van back to the hotel.
SeaGalley
Anchorage, Alaska
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All-you-can-eat Salad Bar
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Alaskan Snow Crab - 1 lb. served with drawn butter
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Top Sirloin - A tender flame broiled 10oz steak
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Coconut Shrimp - Coconut crusted tempura shrimp, sweet housemade colada sauce
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Alaskan Salmon Fillet - Pan fried or baked, served with lemon and cocktail sauce over herbed white rice
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Awesome Burger - 1/3 lb. patty on a fresh bun topped with jalapeno cheese, onion strings, BBQ sauce and bacon
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Chipotle Chicken Burger - Cajun seasoned, topped with bacon, swiss, lettuce, tomato, onion and chipotle ranch
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all choices served with choice of one of the following in addition to the all-you-can-eat salad bar: loaded baked potato, tater tots, french fries, twice baked potato, asparagus, rice, soup-of-the-day, clam chowder or caesar salad.
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$200 to reserve your spot and the remainder due 45 days before the trip start.
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Hotel lodging
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Ride packets including maps & cue sheets (directions)
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Fully sagged including ride leaders, luggage transport, van transportation and rider assistance.
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Breakfast each morning
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Dinner with the group three nights (see above)
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Great scenery, fun and enjoyment!
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Most riders rent bikes for the Anchorage bicycle tour.
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To rent a bicycle, please contact Anchorage Downtown Bicycle Rental http://www.alaska-bike-rentals.com/RentalBikes.aspx or 907-279-5293. They have plenty of bikes and styles, everything from road bikes (carbon, aluminum & steel), to hybrids to tandems
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Average High 68°F (July is the warmest month of the year for Anchorage).
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Actual high temperatures for prior year to the trip date on July 21-27: 71°F, 72°F, 77°F, 64°F, 62°F, 63°F & 67°F