It was a very long day, as we knew it would be, but we had nothing to complain about--our flights were smooth and on-time, none of our luggage was lost, and we were promptly picked up at the airport by a friendly employee of Great Alaskan Holidays.
Great Alaskan Holidays turned out to be as efficient and quality-run as we had hoped it would be. I wouldn't expect anything otherwise. Herb does not do anything without researching it to the fullest, and his inquiries among various RV groups had all pointed to using this organization.
After watching the obligatory 45-minute video on our motorhome (which actually was quite informative), we were given the keys to our 2006 Winnebago and sent on our way. The only extras we asked for were a BBQ, for an additional $18, and a toaster for $5. Everything else--linens, towels, pots and pans, plates, glasses, and utensils, coffeemaker, etc.--was included.
From Great Alaskan, out first stop was food shopping at a Fred Meyer's (similar to a Wal-Mart Supercenter) about 2 miles away. We were so tired and hungry at this point that we went right to the deli, ordered some dinner, and ate it right at dining area there. Now we were ready to get down to some serious food shopping. I always find this part of the trip stressful. It's difficult enough trying to figure out everything you need for the next 4 or 5 days, but it's even worse when you're dealing with an unfamiliar supermarket. We must have run back and forth through each aisle at least 3 times. However, the pleasant surprise was that all the rumors that food in Alaska was so expensive didn't appear to be true. In fact, the prices didn't really seem that much different from back home. Our friends, who were meeting us in a few days, were shipping out a cooler full of meat for this very reason, but it really wasn't necessary after all.
One thing I must say about the Winnebago vs. the Lazy Daze is that there is plenty of storage in the bottom compartments. I could have stored enough food there to last the whole 2 weeks. However, there is a price to pay for all that storage. Our Lazy Daze is much more stable, low to the ground, and smoother riding. For now though, I was really grateful to have all that space.
Fully loaded with supplies to last us the next couple of days, we headed north out of Anchorage on the Glenn Highway (Route 1) to look for a place to spend the night.
They are located at 9800 Old Seward Highway about halfway between Diamond Blvd. and O'Malley Road in Anchorage.