I have just been through the Alaska Airlines holiday gladiator gamut. I was scheduled to fly from…read moreTampa to Anchorage on the 29th, through Seattle. Here are some numbers of what actually happened: 7: number of flights that were cancelled 4: number of flights it took to get back to Anchorage 4th: date I actually got home 2: number of nights I stayed in Juneau 2: number of nights I was without my luggage, once I finally got back into town I got the bags back last night. Alaska Airlines is using BAC to deliver them. (no idea if this is typical, I've never had this done before) All I've really known of BAC before this is that they are slickly dressed in black, and hold signs for people they are waiting for at the airport. I have most commonly seen them unloading luggage out of vans at the more expensive hotels in Anchorage. Your initial question might be: "Andrew, why didn't you just go to the airport and pickup your bags?". Good question, a couple reasons: 1) The airport is an absolutely war-torn jungle right now. The last thing I want to do is go wait in another 45 minute line...or more...and then have to pay for airport parking because Alaska misplaced my bags. 2) After 50 hrs of travel in 4 cities, I had a splitting headache...similar to the one I had when I got my vaccine booster. So I was not going to unnecessarily expose anyone while waiting for results. (Andrew from the future here, it was negative, whew!) Alaska told me my bags would be delivered on the 5th...and they weren't. I called again on the 6th...and they said they were there with a note saying I was going to pick them up? They re-asked for my info, like they did on the 5th, and said they would be delivered at 4pm. 4pm came and went, no bags. At 6:30pm, I got my COVID results back, negative! I went to go get Pho to celebrate. Still no bags. I thought I was probably going to have to nag Alaska Airlines again. (this time I would just go get them myself) As I was leaving the Pho place (Phonatik, my favorite), I saw 3 missed calls. (my phone is on silent when I'm dining with my partner, I'm not an animal!) 2 from BAC, and 1 from my neighbor. No text messages from BAC, but there was one from my neighbor. They were going to leave my bags in the snow in front of my house because they didn't want to go up the stairs. So my neighbor offered to take the bags in for them. *deep breath* Few things about this: 1) Why could a professional company like BAC, that slings bags for retirees all summer long at The Captain Cook not go up the same stairs I, FedEx, UPS, USPS, and Door Dash drivers go up daily/weekly? No idea. (Why this matters: the bags are out of view from the street when they are up the stairs in front of my door, they are VERY VISIBLE from the street where they planned to leave them) 2) They didn't know I have an amazing relationship with my neighbor...but they just dropped them off with him anyway? Not impressed BAC. Learn how to walk up some stairs. It's the least you can do when you are 3 hours (or 2 days) late for a delivery. Also, try texting as well as calling.

We used BAC for all our transports to and from hotel and airports. Every driver was courteous,…read moreprompt, and friendly. All vehicles supplied a bottle of drinking water which was much appreciate. All vehicles were clean. We would use this service again.

I am an airline pilot and was staying at the Hilton right across the street from Anchorage Downtown…read moreTours. I walked in and asked about a 3 to 4 hour day tour of Anchorage. The owner, Russ, was very accommodating and set me up for a tour starting only two hours later. Eventually the group grew to three people and Russ picked us up at the Hilton promptly at 11. This was exactly what I was looking for. I spent a very enjoyable four hours with Russ, who grew up in Alaska and who knows the state backwards and forwards. Russ has a great deal of civic pride as well! Russ gave us a comprehensive look at the after-effects of the big earthquake during the 60s, where entire homes were moved up to two or three city blocks! The ground shifted so much it made a once perfectly flat neighborhood into a neighborhood with lots of hills! Russ has a sharp eye for wildlife, and besides mountain goats and sheep, we actually got to see a moose! Ross absolutely loves his home state, and you will learn a lot driving around with him. And have a pretty good time doing it, as well!

So TODAY's Alaskan Adventure... Hiking the Matanuska Glacier…read more My First hike in Alaska & WHAT a Breathtaking 3 mile hike it was! Thank You to Anchorage Downtown TourGroup http://downtowntourgroup.com & Paul for getting me to the glacier safe and sound & for the yummy lunch! On today's tour I learned that 99 million gallons of water flow under Matanuska Glacier each day; Glacial water comes out of her at 28 degrees & can freeze at 29 degrees; she is moving 12-16 inches a day(normal is 10 inches)and that a loud Popcorn sound IS never a good sound! Kimberlee at Travel with Kimberlee on FB.