Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Knoxville to Anchorage
You just can't get there from here, at least not without a couple of stops. The best option we could find had us leaving Knoxville at noon, changing planes in both Detroit and Seattle, and finally arriving in Anchorage at 11:40 p.m. With the four-hour time difference, it took 16 hours gate to gate to gate to gate.
Upon arriving in Anchorage, we presented ourselves at Alamo to pick up the cheapo generic “mid-size car” we'd reserved through Priceline, and it was our good luck to be issued a Toyota Rav4. The extra ground clearance of a small SUV instead of a sedan will be great here.
We next desired a six-pack of beer to celebrate the beginning of our vacation, but with the vastly differing liquor laws in every state, we didn't know where to go, and it was getting late. First we tried a gas station. No luck there, but the clerk pointed us to a liquor store down the street. Also no luck, because they were already closed. Luckily, the third time was a charm, and we made it to Party Time Liquor at 12:45 a.m., just before their odd 12:50 closing time. More good luck!
At 1:00 a.m. we checked in at the Merrill Field Inn, a totally acceptable, non-chain, older motel at a decent price, with a big room with a microwave, fridge, in-room coffee, and free breakfast. I forgot to pack a bottle opener, but we popped open the beers on a door hinge and toasted our arrival in Alaska, the 49th state of the U.S., and the 50th state to visit for Tom and me!
Mountain view from Anchorage
Tom
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