I do have a van here:p...
but probably will be in school:( since as FCYTravis reported earlier, the UA system is on break the previous weekend)...

I could join a couple in the BR though:D... and our school schedule is subject to change...

Speaking of which... isn't jackal supposed to be finishing his last semester then?

Well since jackal has no question, I decided to fool around with award availabilities and mirabile dictu, there they were, arriving ANC on Wednesday night and leaving on one of the Monday night redeyes.

So, whenever he gets around to compiling an attendee list, vysean can put us down as extremely probable for the first half of the proposed DO, since any more time than a few days in Alaska in the winter would completely congeal our South Florida blood. :o

My sincere apologies to all for the lack of routine updates - we've got about four months to go so I'll get some additional info on hotel options in the next week or two.

Looks like most people will be coming for the first part - which is a really spectacular time if the weather is remotely decent (and it has been the last two times I've done this).

For the second half, I'm going to play it by ear a bit more given the lack of interest. In previous years the second half would go like this:

ANC -> Seward
Kenai Fijords Tour
Tour Seward Sealife Center
Exit Glacier
Seward -> Homer (or overnight Seward)

Tour Homer
Pratt Museum
Homer -> Girdwood
Snowmachine trip (really awesome if the weather's decent - fun even if not)
Girdwood -> ANC
Earthquake Park
Art Museum
Mall (Iditarod Store there is great for souvenirs)

The Homer -> Girdwood -> Anchorage day is a long one, and I've nearly missed the snowmachine trip before because of it, so it would be best to make this two days (overnight in Girdwood before the snowmachine trip).

Additionally, the roads can be fairly treacherous between Girdwood and Seward, though they've been very good (in my experience) in and around Fairbanks and Anchorage.

Can everyone who has expressed interest in this review the attendees list on the first page and let me know if I've got you in the proper category and with the proper number of people?

Finally, is there any interest in a sled dog outing? I've done an overnight before and wouldn't recommend it unless you're very comfortable with outdoor camping in extreme cold weather, but a short day outing might be a possibility. It's a pretty incredible experience - gives you a lot of respect both for the dogs and for the mushers.

Once again, sorry for the delay in updates - I'll post some more updates very shortly... :)

Looking forward to seeing you all in a few months (if not before)!

Sean

I'm not sure of my March plans just yet (I may be in Florida camping in the Everglades and attending the Suwannee Springfest) It all depends upon what day I leave Fairbanks.

I'll keep an eye on this and hope to attend some of the Fairbanks area activities.

Thanks for the update, Sean. I'm afraid my plans for March have changed - my skiing group decided to go skiing that week in Co. Transatlantic on AA in Y - aaargh! (Thought about upgrading myself but didn't think that would go down too well with the rest of the gang ;) )

Unfortunately, you will have to count me out this time. Shame - I was looking forward to catching up with jackal and BOBWagain and maybe even managing the pint with aSiAnRiCk that proved so elusive last time around.

Hope you all have a great time. I'll be thinking of you

Too bad--but you're welcome any time! We'll miss you, though.

Would be great to meet Cholula and to see Seat 2A and monitor again if possible.

If we get a bunch more people interested, I have some connections in the travel industry here that might be able to get us group discounts on hotel rooms and rental cars.

Apparently jackal is present and accounted for but we have not yet heard from BOB W. He might as well declare himself in right now because we expect to spend much of the Thursday and Friday before the DO keeping warm by eating his food and raiding his wine cellar. :D

I just found out today, that it looks like I'll have 5 days of vacation rolling over to 2009 that I'll need to use in 1Q2009. This looks like a great (and productive) way to use those days.

Please add me as highly interested. I added a subscription to this thread, and will keep an eye out for updates, probably look at airfare after Jan 1. Main thing that would keep me away would be a cheap fare to Europe.

Looks like I'm in MIA for the 7th-15th... and then I have college upon returning to AK... so I might be able to join up for a dinner here & there...

It is an award flight I am on... so *maybe* I could change my flight to go MIA-FAI vs. MIA-ANC and join the FT crowd for monday... (but will have to see, as I am supposed to attend classes then... hmm...

Sorry to hear that, superscot, and I hope you have a great time on your trip! I have a feeling this will be offered again in 2010, and I hope that it's enjoyable enough for those coming in a few months that we'll see some of the same attendees at DO II.

Done, and I hope to change that to confirmed - would enjoy having you join us, though you might question that decision when you depart Phoenix's balmy spring weather for the cold reality of Fairbanks... :D

It'll no doubt be cheaper to fly to Europe than to ANC given the relative lack of lift up there. :(

How is there any question about this? :p Classes = every day. Random FTers not used to cold weather = once a year. If you're in town, you could at least join us the night we arrive and perhaps two days later before we hop the flight back to ANC.

I think a meal at the Turtle Club is in order since I've never eaten there but keep hearing how good it is. Otherwise, I've been somewhat unimpressed by the FAI dining options - Taco Bell, some steamship-looking thing, the pizza joint that's open late at night on the northeast side of town, the Princess Lodge, and Subway. I'm doing something wrong... :p

Oh well, there's a Thai joint one street back from where they run the dogs for the GCI sprint that was pretty tasty, and an Italian joint down the street that's not bad either (though I got it confused with the restaurant in the Marriott which is reputed to be one of the best restaurants in Fairbanks, if I recall correctly.)

I have heard incredible things about the Turtle Club, too. There are a few good restaurants in FAI--I lived there for five months and looked really hard for them (you have to, since FAI keeps them nicely hidden).

The one on the ground floor of the Springhill Suites, Lavelle's Bistro, downtown is, as you mentioned, one of them.

Some other top picks, as best I can remember:
Cookie Jar--good traditional Americana food
Chatanika Lodge--it may not be as good since Chef Alejandro's departure, but the international food he cooked up was some of the most diverse and delicious in Interior Alaska
College Town Pizzeria--Fairbanks's answer to Moose's Tooth. I prefer the latter, but this place whips up a unique batch of gourmet pizzas
Gambardella's Pasta Bella--derided by some as inauthentic, and maybe it was just because it was all I could get for the five months I lived there, but I still crave their chicken fettucine alfredo
Geraldo's--arguably the better Italian option in the city
Lavelle's Bistro--mentioned above, and probably the nicest restaurant in the city. The wine list compares with those from top restaurants in New York
Lemon Grass Thai Cuisine--I don't know what brochures for Fairbanks got mailed to Thailand, but for whatever reason, if you want good Thai, come to Fairbanks. Lemon Grass was my favorite of the many Thai restaurants there
Los Amigos--the halibut fajita I had here has not been matched by any other fajita I've had anywhere else in the U.S.
Pizza 4 Less--not sure about the pizza, but the Indian food the Indian owners cook up is spectacular (I've been craving their saffron rice with chicken for the last three years). Take-out/delivery only
Pump House--a historic building with great atmosphere. I can't recall much about the food itself, but the restaurant is always busy

I hope so too. Just make sure that you do in-depth research into the restaurants and bars so that we know exactly where to go during DO II!

*sigh*

I may have to change my "maybe" to a "no". It'll all depend on whether or not I find a job and if I have vacation time...and can take it at that point.

Just completed some hard research tonight at the Mooses Tooth ^

Really appreciate you guys going through such hardship to provide all of us with in-depth research :D