White Pass and Yukon Route Train Ride Skagway Alaska 10 02 2024

We had a great time on the White Pass and Yukon Route Train ride from Skagway Alaska!

Jellyfish Donuts Juneau Alaska

We stopped by Jellyfish Donuts while we were in Juneau Alaska!

Glacier Bay Alaska on our Norwegian Cruise

Taking a cruise through Glacier Bay National Park was a highlight of our Alaskan adventure!

Seattle Great Wheel Ride!

We had a nice ride on the Seattle Great Wheel!

Red Swing Coffee Parrish Ave Owensboro Kentucky

 

Check out Red Swing Coffee on Parrish in Owensboro!

The Westin Seattle

We had a very nice stay at the Westin in Seattle before our cruise!

Primate Rescue Center Kentucky Members Event 2025

We had a great time at the recent Primate Rescue Center Members Event!

Seattle Tacoma Airport & Sub Pop Record Shop

There is a Sub Pop Record Shop inside of the Seattle Tacoma Airport!

Seattle Mariners T Mobile Park September 2024

We got to see a Mariners game while we were in Seattle!

Venom Extraction and Snake Show at the Kentucky Reptile Z00 May 2025

Right at a month after being bit and injured by a poisonous snake, Jim Harris was back extracting venom at the Kentucky Reptile Zoo!

Lexington Legends Baseball 2025

Here is a quick look at the Lexington Legends!

Somerset Kentucky 2020

I filmed around Somerset a few years ago, then didn't do anything with what I filmed.  I figured after the recent tornado that went through Somerset, someone might find some value in what I filmed, so here it is.

Red River Gorge Bigfoot Festival Kentucky 2025

We went to what will hopefully be the "1st Annual" Red River Gorge Festival recently!  This was a great event!

Pike Place Market Seattle Washington

And we were able to spend some time at the legendary Pike Place Market while we were in Seattle!

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Seattle Washington

Seattle has a great, "Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park" covering the Gold Rush!

Pike Pub Pike Brewing Seattle Washington

We stopped for lunch at the Pike Pub while in Seattle!

Beatles Invasion Norwegian Encore October 2024

We enjoyed the Beatles tribute act on our Norwegian Cruise to Alaska!

"True Stories of Bear Attacks: Who Survived and Why" by Mike Lapinski

While on our cruise in Alaska, I saw the book, "True Stories of Bear Attacks" by Mike Lapinski at several gift shops.  I don't know about you, but I love books about bears in the wild.  I have mentioned some other similar books on this blog.  Anyway, I knew this was one to pick up to read while relaxing on the ship.

This book is well written, and interesting.  It is mostly a collection of people encountering bears while in the wild.  Chapters are separated by specific types of encounters.  I particularly enjoyed reading the chapter on photographers encountering bears in the wild, and some of their less than ethical ways to get good pictures.

Mike is very open about the pros of carrying proper bear spray when you go hiking in bear territory.  In fact, at one time I speculated that the book may have been funded by a bear spray company (they could give out copies of the book as promotional material).  He even says in the beginning of the book that the book's purpose is to encourage the use of bear pepper spray, for the safety of the user and for the bear.  He includes lots of stories about hikers and others saving themselves and friends by using the spray.  He also includes stories of epic bear spray fails (the users often picked up cheaper, generic sprays).

Each story is memorable, and Lapinski does include some graphic tales involving death and dismemberment.  He doesn't hold back.

One story that truly sticks with the reader involves a grizzly who becomes the subject of a children's book about a sweet bear tolerant of humans.  A month after the publication of the book, the bear would kill and eat a man (she and her cubs would be killed for the incident).

Sure, there are some dark stories like that one in the book, but this would be a good book for just about anyone with an appreciation for nature and the creatures you might encounter.

 

Bus Ride from Seattle Airport

On our cruise, Norwegian provided a bus ride for us from the airport to our hotel!  It was a very nice ride and arrangement.

Fremont Troll Seattle Washington

I love icon statues that come to define a city.  Well, Seattle has their "Fremont Troll."  I was super excited to get to see this guy!

Bruce and Brandon Lee Grave Seattle Washington

While we were in Seattle, we stopped by to see the graves of Bruce and Brandon Lee at Lake View Cemetery.

"Alaska Sea Stories" by Captain William M. Hopkins

While on our cruise, we stopped in the great Alaskan town of Ketchikan.  Norwegian docks at Ward Cove and then busses cruisers to the main town.

The whole process takes time, but it is a part of the adventure.  And, as you leave your ship and when you return, you go through a warehouse like building at Ward Cove.  The building, as you would expect, is set up selling lots of shirt, trinkets, books, gifts, etc.  Sure, I am certain most of the stuff here is sold by Norwegian, but we found some good deals, and some interesting selections.

As a book person, I was super excited to encounter Captain William M. Hopkins and his wife selling some of his books at Ward Cove.

They had 3 different volumes there.  Each book is small, and you can read each one in one sitting.  They clock in at about 50-60 pages a book.  Each one has 2-3 stories each.

Don't be fooled by their small size though.  Captain Hopkins is good with words, and you won't want to skim these.  He is giving descriptive nautical details that are fun to visualize in your mind and think about at length.  Each story has a purpose and a nice flow, but the reader will appreciate his descriptions of the ship crews, their conversations and what they are experiencing.  You will be able to smell the fish head stew he describes.

The stories often involve a ship getting in to some sort of trouble, often relating to the Alaskan weather conditions.  If you have been on an Alaskan cruise, and appreciate the state and its character, especially from a ship, you will enjoys these fun to read books.

It was a treat getting to buy them directly from the author, and chatting with him a bit about his life.
 

Cherry Street Coffee Seattle Washington

In September of 2024, before doing our Alaskan Cruise, we stopped by Cherry Street Coffee in Seattle!

Ward Cove to Ketchikan Alaska Bus Ride 2024

I know I have similar videos to this one up....  but I enjoyed the ride.

Victoria BC while on our Alaska Cruise 2024

We made a brief stop in Victoria BC while on our Alaska Cruise!