Anchorage, Alaska
I recently accepted a job with Northern Air Cargo as a Flight Crew Scheduler. I spent two weeks of classroom training and a week of desk shadowing in Phoenix, and then they sent me to Anchorage for desk training. I had never been to Alaska before, and this trip would truly be an adventure.
Northern Air Cargo, LLC (NAC) is an American cargo airline based in Anchorage, Alaska. NAC was founded in 1956 by Robert "Bobby" Sholton and Maurice Carlson as a charter freight service. Out of Anchorage, NAC operates a Boeing 737-400 and a Boeing 737-800NG within the state of Alaska. NAC is a division Saltchuk, and through Saltchuk, oversees other 737 and 767 operations in both Miami and Honolulu.
 
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In the evenings and on my days off, I could explore as I wanted. In Anchorage, I ate at Moose's Tooth Pub & Pizzeria and 49th State Brewing - Anchorage, both were highly recommended and did not disappoint. Moose's Tooth was awesome pizza, but 49th State Brewing had the most Alaska pizza ever, the 49th State Pizza. The 49th State Pizza was amazing, and had both ground elk and sliced reindeer sausage on it. Also, I grabbed lunch one day at a downtown hotdog cart near my hotel, having the spicy reindeer sausage dog.
Speaking of my hotel, I stayed at the Hilton Anchorage right in the heart of downtown. Being on the 16th Floor gave me both a birds-eye view of Anchorage and an amazing view of the Chugach Mountains.
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One Saturday, I spent the day with a longtime friend, and we went out along the Turnagain Arm to Portage Lake. And while we stood along the frozen lake, it was raining and cold, and it seemed like it was the perfect weather and location to completely experience Alaska. We then spent some time at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and Lake Hood, as well as taking in the views of Anchorage from up in the Chugach Mountains. Thank you, Bob, this was a most excellent Alaskan adventure!
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On another evening, I met a friend from California for an evening of relaxing and airplanes. We drove out to Earthquake Park, via Lake Hood, and watched aircraft arriving and departing from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. While we are friends through aviation, it was also the beauty of Alaska that we enjoyed this evening. Thank you, Curtis, it was great to see you up in Alaska, and this was an awesome end to an amazing day.
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Both the arrival into and departure out of Anchorage were beautiful. Our arrival was shortly after 11pm and our departure was just after Midnight. It was great that there was enough light for both to be able to see the mountains to the northeast of Anchorage.
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Alaska is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. It's a wilderness of snow and forests, sand and water, and glaciers and wildlife, with a unique culture founded upon a strong connection to the land. This blend of history and nature makes Alaska a truly beautiful place. Rylan and I already have plans to go back to Alaska in September, and I am really looking forward to another visit.