Yukon Ho!

Skagway is such a wonderfully easy port to maneuver. A very short walk from the ship puts you right at the station for the White Pass-Yukon Rail station, but it's also just a quick walk into town and is of course looking very much as it did back in the 1890s the heart of gold rush days.

My excursion package was a White Pass train combo, which actually was the reverse of many of the ones that are readily available. Instead of taking the train first, for my group, it was a bus first, followed by the return trip on the train. We drove about 72 miles north of Skagway into the Yukon (my mind kept thinking of Calvin & Hobbes and "Yukon Ho!"). Shortly after starting up the mountain we encountered a good bit of fog - actually about 20 minutes of our drive was very hard to see anything outside the bus, but thankfully after we'd crested the White Pass summit, we also left the fog behind us as the sun shone brightly.

We passed many beautiful lakes, streams, and some historic mining sites as we reached nearly 3,000 feet - but kept going. Along the way, we heard fascinating tales of how the gold rush came about, and how prospectors had some extreme conditions to face as they moved up from Skagway into the Klondike and the Yukon.

We enjoyed lunch near Carcross, Yukon, and there I got to meet Kenai and Fuzzy, along with other beautiful mushers. The dogs train in the off-season for the Iditarod at this facility in the Yukon. Since there's no snow in the summer, they use special sleds with wheels instead of runners and give rides to visitors. They LOVE to run, and of the nearly 90 dogs there, they all were seeming to bark out "pick me" as their handlers were selecting the dogs that would pull our sleigh. It was great fun, and I'm thrilled to have been able to experience it, as I doubt I'll ever experience the Iditarod for real.

After that, it was time to start trekking down the trails again, and we drove down from Carcross to Fraser, BC, where we picked up the White Pass train south to Skagway. Riding inside the car was nice, but honestly, I loved riding on the platform between cars for most of the way. It was awesome!

The scenery was spectacular as we passed through the Alpine Tundra, and then over the sub-continental divide, which separates the water flow to the Pacific down by Skagway, or way out west at the Bering Sea and down through the rainforest that is around Skagway. It was such fun, I'd love to do it again! It is absolutely a must-do recommendation for all my clients.

Best kept secrets/finds of the day? The arctic desert in the Yukon, and beautiful beach Lake Bennett. Whoo-hoo, some new sand for my "sands of the world" jar.

Glaciers & Whale Watching

Today we arrived in Juneau. Whales were spotted off the sides of the ship this morning long before we arrived, and it was spectacular to watch one fully breach. Breaching is a typical part of the mating ritual, per the naturalist on board, and not commonly seen in Alaska (usually in Hawaii where the humpbacks migrate to each October). It may have been a calf learning what he needs to do once he starts his own mating rituals soon. Calves are born about 12 feet long weighing in at about 2,000 lbs and zero body fat, but then start to add upwards of 100lbs per day throughout their first year.

Upon arrival in port, I went out on a fun excursion that included both a visit to Mendenhall Glacier and whale watching. There I learned that every single humpback has a unique diagram within their skin on the bottom side of their tail...it's their "fingerprint" if you will. Researchers at NOAA here in Juneau photograph the whales and are able to track them that way, vs. tagging them or other methods. And while it isn't exactly known how long they all live, the average life expectancy is about 50 years. Females have one calf at a time, and usually have another calf every two to three years, and will continue to give birth for almost their entire life. Calves learn everything they need to survive within their first year of life, and are then essentially " on their own" from that point on, even though they tend to travel in pods.

Here are few pictures from each part of that fun-filled and informative afternoon.

Greetings from the Inside Passage

Greetings from the Inside Passage. Just a few quick images before I go to the first class of this trip. We set sail yesterday from Vancouver and are working our way north. Tomorrow is Tracy Arm and Juneau. Today is cloudy (at least this morning), but the forecast is calling for great weather for most of the rest of this trip. The stars last night were fantastic, and we're supposed to have fantastic visibility of the meteor showers this week. More to come later.

Happy Sunday all!

Advice from a Travel Agent...Fly in the Day or Night Before Your Vessel's Scheduled Departure

I ALWAYS recommend flying in the day before a cruise and staying overnight, as there are just too many possibilities of things going wrong that you have ZERO control over. This is exactly what happened to me on my flight to Vancouver. Thankfully I made it safely to Vancouver, but it certainly wasn't a trip without incident! Delayed flights due to other airport issues, sitting on the tarmac entirely too long waiting for the gate to open up in the connection city, nearly missing a connection because of both previously mentioned things. All things that could absolutely ruin a trip and cause people to miss their ship if flying on the day of sailing. It was all too much stress and frustration for one day, but I'm very thankful for arriving here safely...even if it was nearly an hour later than it was scheduled to be. The stressful part is over. Now I can relax and get a good night's sleep as I look forward to heading to the ship in the morning rested and relaxed. I'm so looking forward to this adventure, and hope you'll follow along with me on the journey.

Setting Out for the Last Frontier. Thinking of my Grandfather.

On this date many years ago - August 5th, 1979 - we got word that my grandpa died. He and my grandma were living in Alaska at the time so it had been quite a while since we had last seen them in person. They were teachers throughout their careers, and in retirement spent a couple of tours of duty as teachers in a missionary school in remote Unalakleet (west coast, south of Nome). That year I turned 9 but was only 8 still when he died. Of course, being so young I didn’t know him for the man he’d been most of his life, but I have some fantastic memories of the man that I knew him to be… kind, fun-loving, gentle, a great outdoorsman, avid fisherman, and a great teacher – he was my Papa Les. Some fun memories include going to their house in the woods of Oak Glen, riding on his motorcycle with him, sledding in the snow in winter down the hills, taking walks with him, and the teacher in him coming out as he shared what the different flora and fauna that we passed were.

I’m thrilled to be departing today for an Alaskan Seminar at Sea and no doubt will be thinking of him as we sail past some amazing flora and fauna. I fly to Vancouver this afternoon, and then board the ship tomorrow morning. My adventures during the week ahead will take me nowhere near where they lived all those years ago (opposite side of the state), but it’s a fun little connection back to a man I loved so much, and miss still all these years later.

While so much of the rest of Facebook is increasingly filled with negative political junk, my little corner of the neighborhood will be filled with a few pictures and maybe some video from a few beautiful places from God's creation over the next week. Come along with me virtually! I’m happy to share my adventures with you…

Where in the World Wednesdays - Destinations to Explore Before Leaving This Life

Death Valley National Park - California

Located within the northern end of the Mojave Desert in California, Death Valley National Park is the hottest spot in America – literally!  Summer time temps typically reach 125° F and hotter… topping out in July 1913 at 134° F.  In this below-sea-level basin, steady drought and record summer heat make Death Valley a land of extremes. Yet striking contrasts exist throughout the park - towering peaks are frosted with winter snow, and rare rainstorms bring vast fields of wildflowers.  It’s hot and arid, but home to over 307 species of birds, 51 species of mammals and over 1,000 species of plants that are native to the area.  It has a striking beauty to it, despite only receiving about 2 inches of rain every year.  The area originally got its’ name in 1849 by pioneers moving west in search for gold, and became a national park in 1994.  

 Highlights of the park include Deadman Pass and Dry Bone Canyon, and the soaring Telescope Peak at 11,049 feet above sea level.  Two slowly rising mountain ranges surround the desert park, created by a plate of crusty salt flats that are sinking, giving the appearance of the desert park being a valley.  It is filled with mineral deposits that have colored the surrounding hillsides with striking oranges, pinks, purples and greens, in an area known as Artist’s Palette.  At Dante’s view, a mile-high sand dune, visitors can take in striking 360° views for 100 miles – allowing visitors to see both the highest and lowest points in the U.S.’ lower 48 – Badwater, at 282 feet below sea level and Mount Whitney, at 14,191 feet above sea level. 

The park boasts a beautiful stone and adobe Mission-style resort, the Furnace Creek Inn, which is an oasis of hot springs and palm trees with a beautiful spring-fed pool.  It also features an 18-hole golf course (the lowest in the world), and a restaurant offering striking views.   

Death Valley National Park is located about 121 miles west of Las Vegas, and about 286 northeast of Los Angeles.  For more information about a visit to Death Valley or other national parks, call 855.776.1733 or submit a vacation quote request at my websites:  www.neverlandadventurestravel.com or www.neverlandadventurescruises.com.  Be sure to follow me on Twitter, like my page on Facebook, circle me on Google+, and pin me on Pinterest. 

stopher's theme park adventures - Father-Sons Adventure to Star Wars Weekends - May 2009

This past week marked the 10-day period prior to our next trip to the World.  Yes, that's right, we're heading south once again, going to Walt Disney World.  I'm getting pretty excited.  It's been over a year since the entire family was there together.  I've made two, or is it three, solo visits down there since our last family excursion... it's time for the whole bunch to be there together once again.  We'll be staying at Kidani Village, at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. We have a 1 bedroom, Savannah View, villa, and I've already done our online check-in. Fun stuff! 

This is going to be another No Parks trip for us.  Our first such trip was last year - the last time that we were all there together - though on that trip we did go to a water park.  But there are so many things to see and do at WDW, that you don't HAVE to go to theme parks.  Sure they are the primary draw for guests, but I mean really, with 43 square miles - there's a lot to see and do without ever stepping in the parks.  Plus the entire family is pumped about being able to sleep in.  We're at the stage in life, with 2 active teens, and 1 getting active elementary aged child, that we're on the move constantly going here, there and everywhere. The entire summer this year has been filled (will continue to be filled) with one activity or another - many of which taking one, two or more family members away from home for a night up to a week at a time.  This ONE WEEK where we're going to be in Florida is the ONLY week where we will ALL be together at the same time, for the entire time.  So way back in the early spring when we figured that out - we grabbed this reservation, deciding it was better to get away together - than be at home together and ultimately allow the temptation of friends pull our teenagers away from home for this, that, or whatever.

So we're looking forward to sleeping in, hanging out in the room, playing games (regular, wii and whatever the Community Hall has), exploring other resorts, checking out the horses at Fort Wilderness, exploring Downtown Disney in a non-rushed manner, heading over to the Atlantic for a beach day... and whatever else suits our fancy.  There are other activities that we could do - several I've discussed previously in the blog - and we might do them, but we might not.  We're pretty much going to take each day as it comes with NO AGENDA.  Whatever we do, it will be nice to just be together.  Time with our eldest at home is fleeting now, as he prepares to begin his Junior year of high school, and soon enough prepares to head off to college.  We're grabbing the moments that we can and savoring them before life changes again. 

This past week was also the Fourth of July - Independence Day.  It's been very, very hot and dry here in Central Indiana, so our county banned all private fireworks for safety precautions.  While somewhat sad, I was pretty pleased that they made that call.  Just days prior to the decision, a grass fire was ignited in the common area behind our house... just about 4 houses away from our house. How did it begin?  By carelessness with fireworks.  The burned patch was pretty big too.  When I walked my daughter out there to take a look at it the next day, I commented to her that it was larger than her bedroom, she replied, "No daddy, it's much bigger than my room!"  We were both amazed at the size of it, but of course fire spreads - and quickly.  So there were no fireworks at our house last week.  The boys were bummed, my girls were sad for no sparklers - but all in all, it was ok.  Plus we'll have the opportunity to watch fireworks in just a little over a week now.  We've decided one evening - whichever it ends up being I cannot say yet - that we'll try to watch the fireworks either from the Top of the World lounge at the Bay Lake Tower (since DVC just opened up that perk to any DVC member staying on points at any DVC resort for a limited time), or from the beach at the Poly.  We've never done either... so we'll see which one works out for us.  (I've watched the fireworks from the ferry dock at the TTC before... but the family has only ever seen them from inside the Magic Kingdom). 

The BIG thing for us on Independence Day was going to the movies.  That is really not something that we do all too often, simply because of how expensive the whole experience has become - but from time to time we do it.  But an Independence Day Movie has become somewhat of a tradition for us.  This was the 4th year in a row that we've done that, but sadly this year we separated and went to two different films.  While I wanted to see The Avengers with the boys and my wife, neither of us felt that that movie was appropriate for our daughter.  Julie had been watching all of the other Marvel action hero flicks with the boys in preparation for The Avengers, so she went to see that one, and I took Annie to see Brave.  It was a good flick - I think it would have been better as a mommy-daughter venture, but I did enjoy it.  I most loved spending time with my daughter.  She's very much into Daddy right now... so I'm soaking it all in while it lasts.  

Coming up this week on Wednesday - the 2013 resort reservations will be available at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland.  Plus it is highly rumored that a new round of Free Dining at Walt Disney World will be made available for the late fall months in 2012.  It's shaping up to be a good week for vacation planning. 

And now, it's time for another installment in stopher's theme park adventures (the continuing entries of trip report narratives originally posted over on the DIS boards).  This time we go back in time to May 2009, when I took my boys on a Father-Sons Adventure, for Star Wars Weekends at the Walt Disney World Resort.  We had a great time on that particular weekend in May, though both boys were a bit disappointed in that the events at Disney's Hollywood Studios were not Star Wars "enough" for their liking.  Neither one cares for the "Clone Wars" adventures that have been released in the past few years, and were very disappointed that any part of that was included in the weekend events. They WERE both very happy to have gotten Peter Mayhew's autograph, however.  The autographed pictures still hang in their respective spaces at home.  

Father-Sons Adventure - Star Wars Weekends 2009

Until next time,

stopher's Theme Park Adventures - A Daddy-Daughter Adventure

For the past several years I have written down thoughts, impressions and general experiences that I have had inside Disney parks at both the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts, and shared those in the online Disney community known as the DISBoards.  While I had fun writing these at the time, and enjoyed the comments and feedback that others in that community shared as they read through the adventures, I have stopped writing them simply because they became too time-consuming for me, as I simply had too many trips to Disneyland and Walt Disney World to "document".  My participation in that online community has also dwindled following the career change I encountered in 2011.  I have less time to give in that arena, as practically all of my time now is devoted to the continued building of my own travel business.  Anything that I write now is geared for my own website, this blog page, and my other social media outlets.  While I miss the camaraderie and friendship that I enjoyed over there on a semi-regular basis, I still enjoy interacting with several of the "regulars" from that world in this world that I've created for myself. 

So with that, and not wanting to lose those entries, rather desiring to keep them "for posterity", I decided it might be fun to post links to those threads here inside stopher's stuff.  While the artwork above should probably read "stopher's theme park adventures" - I just kept it the same as the blog title itself... stopher's stuff.  

Each adventure that I post will have its' own entry.  For this initial entry, I'll start off with the Daddy-Daughter Adventure that I took with my sweet princess in September of 2010.  

A Daddy-Daughter Adventure TR - Sep'10@AKV 

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A long time ago, well not really that long ago in the scheme of things, but about 6 years ago… I had two sons that I treated each to their own Father/Son Adventure … to Walt Disney World. Both of them. Individually. Just my son and I. And both trips were awesome! The elder was just 8 at the time, and the younger was 5. And we had such fun together… making lots of cool memories that they both still talk about to this day. 

Earlier in that same year, my daughter was born. Now while we did in fact, as a family, take our daughter on a plane and head west when she was just 6 weeks old (and enjoyed both Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure on that trip), her time would just have to wait to be able to fully enjoy a special one-on-one trip with her dear old dad. Well that time arrived this year, and that’s what this little narrative is all about: My Daddy Daughter Adventure with my own little in-house princess. A tale full of Disney princesses, characters, animals and other fun stuff.  for more... click the link  A Daddy Daughter Adventure - Sep. 2010

Until next time,

Where in the World Wednesdays - Destinations to Explore Before Leaving This Life

Yosemite National Park – California

Yosemite was established as a National Park back in 1890, though parts of it were set aside for preservation and protection as far back as the 1860’s when Abraham Lincoln was residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  The park itself contains more than 800 miles of hiking trails and 300 miles of paved roads within the approximately 1,189 square mile park (about the size of the state of Rhode Island) – and about 95% of the park is designated wilderness. 

Yosemite ranges in elevation from 2,127 to 13,114 feet and boasts five major vegetation zones: chaparral/oak woodland, lower montane forest, upper montane forest, subalpine zone, and alpine.  Of California's 7,000 plant species, about 50% occur in the Sierra Nevada and more than 20% within Yosemite, and Yosemite boasts about 160 rare plant species.

Highlights within Yosemite Valley, the parks central area where the majority of the park’s established camping and lodging facilities are located include numerous waterfalls (Yosemite Falls being the highest waterfall in the nation), as well as a variety of well-known mountain formations popularly documented in famed photographs by noted photographer Ansel Adams, such as Half Dome, and El Capitan – the largest single granite rock on the planet.

Activities abound within the park, for naturalists and adventurists alike. Hundreds of miles of hiking trails, as well as nearly 20 miles of scenic Class IV rapids for white water rapids enthusiasts. The moderately strenuous Mist Trail offers a close-up look at Vernal Falls, a 317-foot waterfall on the John Muir Trail, as well as Bridalveil Fall, a 620-foot waterfall.  The John Muir Trail itself works its’ way through 211 miles, and up to 11,000 feet in elevation.

Lodging within the Yosemite Valley includes hotel accommodations, tent-cabins and traditional campsites.  The beautiful and majestic Ahwahnee hotel, constructed in 1927, is a master showpiece of stone and native timber, with heart-stopping views and breathtaking public spaces.  Winters at the Ahwahnee are a glorious experience, especially during the holiday season when the lodge features its’ beloved, traditional, Bracebridge Dinner, which dates back to the 1930’s, and features Old English Yuletide cheer. 

For more information about Yosemite, or to explore the possibility of creating your own vacation memories in or near this crown jewel in America’s portfolio of National Parks, don’t hesitate to visit my website, or call 855.776.1733. 

Where in the World Wednesdays: Destinations to Explore Before Leaving This Life

So way back in January, I thought about starting a new feature about destinations.  It never quite got off the ground as I tried it once, and never got back to it.  But in thinking over what I've been doing, and what I'd like to do, I decided it was time to mix things up a bit, and add in to the mix.  So the shuffling process began last week when I decided to stop doing "Wordless Wednesdays", and instead, moved the wordless photo feature to Fridays with the renamed, "Featured Foto Friday". In doing so, it freed up Wednesdays for what I truly do hope to be a new regular feature here in stopher's stuff - "Where in the World Wednesdays: Destinations to Explore Before Leaving this Life."  

Let's face it, we all have bucket lists for our lives, and many of our lists include places to see or explore.  Many of us are stuck in the same rut of going to the same place for vacation year after year.  I grew up doing that, as my parents would take us to the same mountain resort community for a time of fishing, horseback riding and just enjoying nature.  I have family and friends who return to the exact same place year after year... some have been doing so for 50+ years; I also have family and friends who mix it up and like to explore new places every time they go on vacation.  Everyone's different.  Some own cabins or beach houses, some own timeshares, some own nothing and always look for something new.  While there is nothing wrong with returning to places that feed our soul, or bring joy and happiness - the world is truly FULL of wonderful locations.  Many of which are, even in the 21st century, still somewhat remote and full of beauty.  As I continue to research and share about destinations, I will touch upon many that I have been to personally, and others that are on my own bucket list.  When appropriate, I'll add my own photos, when it's somewhere I haven't been, I'll add a photo or two that I secure someplace else. I hope you enjoy this new feature, and please, comment and share it with your friends.  

The Columbia River Gorge – Oregon & Washington

Separating the states of Oregon and Washington, along the trails that Lewis & Clark explored more than 200 years ago when they first saw the Pacific Ocean, lies the great Columbia River Gorge.  This 80-mile-long gorge passes through the Cascade Mountains, and is one of the most dramatic destinations to explore in the Pacific Northwest.  It was designated by Congress as the first of America’s National Scenic Areas in 1986. 

The mountains as seen from inside the Skamania Lodge
 on the Washington side, spring 2009

The river itself is about a mile wide, and is flanked by the majestic volcanic sentinels of Mount Hood on the Oregon side, and Mount Adams on the Washington side.  It is the only sea-level passage through the Sierra and Cascade mountain ranges, and therefore has served as a major transportation corridor for centuries, and was the final passage along the “Oregon Trail” for pioneers seeking a new life on the western frontier.

Multnomah Falls, from my spring 2009 visit

Throughout the gorge, along the banks of the river on either side, travelers will find charming towns and villages, as well as bountiful farming communities and vineyards.  Hiking and biking trails abound, providing access to many of the beautiful waterfalls found along the Historic Columbia River Highway along the Oregon side of the river.  Multnomah Falls is the most spectacular of these waterfalls, and is the second highest year-round waterfall in the nation with a 620 foot drop, second only to Yosemite Falls in Yosemite National Park in California. The gorge is home to the greatest concentration of waterfalls in North America.

In addition to a number of charming resorts and inns along the river, the Columbia River serves as a wonderful destination experience for river cruising passengers.  There are a couple of different lines providing exceptional service for guests, especially during the splendors of the fall season when the foliage is at its peak and the wineries are at their peak of production. 

For more information about the Gorge, or to explore the possibility of creating your own vacation memories along the Columbia River Gorge, don’t hesitate to visit my website, or call 855.776.1733. 

Destination Today: Places to See Before You Leave This Life: Denali National Park

Getting in to this travel world on a professional level has been interesting and fun.  Being a die-hard Disney traveler, I know an awful lot about the various domestic Disney theme parks, resorts and destinations; and a good amount about the international locations as well.  But this whole business venture has challenged me about so many other destinations.


Prior to the creation of Neverland Adventures Travel, I used to pride myself on having been to 44 states within the U.S.; to Canada & Mexico; and having traveled a lot for both of the companies that I worked for over the past 19 years.  But I always lamented over not having yet taken trips to Europe, South America, Asia or Africa. I've dreamed of those places many times, but always figured I'd get to them... someday.  Fast forward to today, and here I am selling those destinations and so many others.  Time to take a crash course in destinations, as well start sampling them for myself - thus I've entered the world of FAM (familiarization) travel available to the professionals within the Travel Industry.  But FAM trips take time and effort on the individual professional's part to accomplish, time that isn't always a resource in plentiful supply when clients want to know about a possible destination they're interested in visiting themselves.

Over the past few months I have gone through various training courses with the various cruise lines that I market and sell, as well the land providers and other destinations, and I've learned a lot about the geography of the world that I never learned in school.  Not physical geography of the land - but rather PORTS OF CALL, and the numerous attractions to be found in and around those port cities.  Which has led to me do additional research on various "must see" attractions, in cities and destinations around the world.  While researching some of those attractions at my local Barnes & Noble store, I found this interesting little book standing on the shelf.   "1,000 Places to See Before You Die - A Traveler's Life List", by Patricia Schultz.  I was intrigued, and so I picked it up.  After thumbing through for just a few moments, I realized I must have this book.  And over the course of the past few hours, realized that I would incorporate a new feature into stopher's stuff, using this book as a guide - inspiration, if you will, for me, but also for you.  Places that Cruise Planners~Neverland Adventures Travel can help you get to, either by land, air or sea.  But even if you just plan it yourself, destinations of some historic, geographic, or visual significance that will enrich your life for having visited.


So welcome to the first installment of DESTINATION TODAY: PLACES TO SEE BEFORE YOU LEAVE THIS LIFE.  I'll be sharing destination information in the vein of the aforementioned book, without using or abusing the source material, all the while going in no particular order.  The book breaks down the world in the following chapters:

• Europe
• Africa
• The Middle East
• Asia
• Australia, New Zealand & The Pacific Islands
• The United States of America & Canada
• Latin America
• The Caribbean, The Bahamas & Bermuda

Today we'll take a look at Denali National Park in Alaska.

Mount McKinley, 20,230' is the tallest peak in North America, is the primary attraction in Denali National Park.  The mountain is named after the 25th US President, but is also referred to locally by indigenous Athabascans of central Alaska as Denali.


The park is located about 125 miles south of Fairbanks is accessible by car during the months of May-September.  The Alaska Railroad operates from June - early September.  The best times to visit are June for the wildflowers, or August & September for the fall foliage.


This 6 million acre park is filled with grizzlies, moose and golden eagles, and contains vast tundras of subarctic splendor.  The glaciers, massive peaks of the Alaska Mountain Range, as well as McKinley itself keep visitors returning year after year.  Throughout the summer you can enjoy 16-20 hours of daylight each day to take in the dazzling scenery as you cam or enjoy North Face Lodge.  Numerous plane and helicopter sightseeing excursions are available to get up in to the back country, not accessible by car or rail.  You might also enjoy the 365 mile rail journey aboard the Denali Star, which takes you from Anchorage to Fairbanks, traveling through frontier towns of Wasilla & Takleetna, along with numerous "middle-of-nowhere" stops along the way.


This is a national park not to be missed, and can be added as a land or cruise tour to many Alaskan cruise itineraries.