2013 Trips: Alaska - Kenai Peninsula
OVER THE RHINE to the Last Frontier
September 2-7, 2013, Exploring the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska with Over the Rhine and Lucy Wainwright Roche
Join Over the Rhine, Lucy Wainwright Roche and Roots on the Rails for an unforgettable adventure to the last frontier - Alaska! Our first trip to Alaska features the Kenai Peninsula - home to stunning scenery and an amazing diversity of wildlife. From towering mountains, pristine lakes and rivers, dense forests to wide bays and vast glaciers, we'll travel by rail, boat and highway to storied port towns like Homer and Seward, across Kachemak Bay to Seldovia, over Moose Pass and along Turnagain Arm and Resurrection Bay. We'll be in the land of moose and bear, wolf and Dall sheep, sea otter, bald eagle, puffin, salmon, crab and halibut.
Anchorage has frequent, reasonably priced jet service to the Lower 48. For those wishing to extend their trip, additional hotel nights at our group rate in Anchorage are available.
MONDAY 2 September
Anchorage hotel check-in in afternoon. Welcome reception and private mini-concert with Lucy Wainwright Roche.
TUESDAY 3 September
In the morning we board our chartered motorcoach for the four-hour trip through the Kenai Peninsula to Homer, 'The End of the Road' in Tom Bodett's tales. Homer is the southern terminus of the Sterling Highway, nestled on the vast shore of Kachemak Bay; glaciers and mountains rimming the shoreline and active volcanoes looming in the distance. It's an eclectic town - with folks who are friendly and helpful, artsy and outdoorsy, hardy and self-reliant, fun-loving and free spirited... We'll get settled into our hotel - our home for the next two nights - and have a show in town that evening. Lunch and dinner are included.
WEDNESDAY 4 September
We'll start with a scenic boat ride across Kachemak Bay and a guided tour through the seabird rookery, where we stand an excellent chance of seeing bald eagles, sea otters, harbor porpoises and whales (Humpback and Orca sightings are common, but dependent on the presence of their food resource). Once in the quaint fishing village of Seldovia, reachable only by boat or plane, you can wander the streets and boardwalk, explore the famed Slough, and enjoy (if all goes as we hope) an afternoon concert with our artists before we head back across the bay to Homer for the night. Be aware that if we see whales on the way back we may be delayed (you know how whales can be).
THURSDAY 5 September
We are up early for the motorcoach ride to Seward, where we board modern catamarans for a six hour water tour of the Kenai Fjords National Park, a land where the ice age lingers. Nearly 40 glaciers flow from the Harding Icefield, Kenai Fjords' crowning feature. Wildlife thrives in the icy waters and lush forests around this vast expanse of ice. Native Alutiiq relied on these resources to nurture a life entwined with the sea. Today, shrinking glaciers bear witness to the effects of our changing climate. Alaska glaciers account for less than one percent of the Earth’s area currently covered by ice, but a recent study suggests this ice is melting quickly. Enjoy the views of wildlife and scenery out on deck, however the winds can be surprisingly cold, even on sunny days. Plan to dress in warm layers that include a windproof and waterproof outer shell, a warm hat and gloves or mittens.
It wouldn't be a Roots on the Rails trip without at least one train involved, and after our return to Seward, we board the Alaska Railroad's Coastal Classic for the return trip to Anchorage. Moose, bear, Dall sheep and even wolves are often spotted from the open-air observation deck. We'll enjoy a full dinner on board, and arrive back in Anchorage at 10:15 pm, where we head to our hotel for the night.
FRIDAY 6 September
The day is free to explore Anchorage, Alaska's largest city, and the staging area for a dizzying list of activities. Biking, hiking, kayaking, bear viewing, horseback riding, museum-going... the possibilities are endless. That evening, a concert finale! Hotel accommodations are again provided.
SATURDAY 7 September
Hotel checkout and return home (additional nights at our group rate are available with advance notice).
Sign up today, by e-mailing Sarah at trains@sover.net, by calling 866-484-3669 (toll free in the US & Canada) or 802-258-1397.
PRICE
$2,789.00 per person for five nights hotel (shared room), public and private Over the Rhine concerts as listed, open mics/picking parties, chartered motorcoach, boat tours, Coastal Classic first-class "Gold Star" train service, some meals as listed, continental breakfast provided at hotels. Airfare to/from Alaska, gratuities and other transfers not included.
Solo supplement (private hotel room each night for solo travellers wishing additional privacy) $400.00
Credit cards (Amex, Visa, MC, Discover) and checks accepted. $300 per person non-refundable deposit to hold space. Payment plans happily accommodated. 2% discount for entire payment or series of postdated checks received within ten days of sign up (offer ends 6/1/13). Payments outside of deposit are refundable until 60 days prior to departure. Reservations are transferable. Liability release signature required.
Sign up today, by e-mailing Roots on the Rails at trains@sover.net, by calling 866-484-3669 (toll free in the US & Canada) or 802-258-1397.
THE FINE PRINT
The Fine Print: The payment of a deposit or any part or full payment for a reservation shall constitute consent to all the provisions contained herein. Flying Under Radar, LLC shall not be held responsible for property loss or damage and/or any damages resulting from illness, personal injuries or death which may be sustained by reason of, or while engaged on, any trip or tour whether due to the ownership, maintenance, use, operation or control of any vehicle, hotel, common carrier or any other conveyance used in carrying out these tours. We can assume no liability due to any cause whatsoever whether caused by failure or delay or other irregularity, acts or omissions occurring during a tour under which the means of transportation or other service thereby is offered or supplied by owners, operators or public carriers for whom Flying Under Radar, LLC acts only as agent. Flying Under Radar, LLC reserves the right (at its discretion) to alter or omit any part of the itinerary, or change any reservation, feature and/or means of conveyance without notice or for any reason whatsoever and without allowance or refund and with extra costs, if any, resulting therefrom paid by the passengers. Although all artists are contracted to appear, lineup is potentially subject to change due to illness or force majeure. We reserve the right to cancel any tour prior to departure, in which case payment will be refunded without further obligation on our part. Flying Under Radar, LLC shall not be responsible for any injury to person (whether or not resulting in death) or damage to property. Flying Under Radar, LLC strongly urges individual passengers to obtain appropriate insurance coverage. Baggage is at the owner's risk entirely. The transportation companies concerned are not to be held responsible for any act, omission or event during the time passengers are not aboard their carriers or conveyances. The passenger contract in use by the carriers concerned (when issued) shall constitute the sole contract between the transportation companies and the purchaser of these tours and/or passage. By accepting the ticket the passenger also agrees to its terms and conditions. By forwarding of deposit, the passenger certifies that he/she does not have any mental, physical or other condition or disability that would create a hazard for him/herself or other passengers. Flying Under Radar, LLC reserves the right to cancel or withdraw any person as a member of the tour at any time. Flying Under Radar, LLC and Roots on the Rails management reserve the right to refuse service to anyone whom it considers incompatible with the best interests of its services or its guests.
