From JuJu with Love

Puppies, Helicopters & King Crab

We started the morning strolling through downtown Juneau…and for the second day in a row, I bumped into my neighbors! At this point, I accused them of following me all over Alaska. What are the odds?

After walking around town, we headed out for the main event.

For months, this was the excursion I talked about more than any other. The one that terrified me. The one that made me question my sanity. The one that cost more than I wanted to admit. And the one I knew I’d regret forever if I didn’t climb into that helicopter.

So…I climbed in.

We took off from Juneau and flew toward the Mendenhall Glacier. The flight alone was breathtaking as we soared over mountains, waterfalls, and endless ice. But the real excitement began when we landed on the glacier and climbed onto a sled pulled by 10 eager sled dogs.

We took turns sitting in the sled and standing in the musher’s position as we glided about 1½ miles across the glacier. It started raining just enough to make the whole experience feel even more magical. Then came the best part…meeting the dogs, including puppies who were more than happy to soak up all the attention. (My Dog Mom hat suddenly felt especially appropriate!)

After spending time on the glacier, we met the rest of our group to see the face of the Mendenhall Glacier from another vantage point. Standing there surrounded by centuries-old ice was one of those moments that makes you feel very small in the best possible way.

Back in downtown Juneau, we celebrated the only appropriate way we could…with a bucket of Golden King Crab. Yes, it cost $400. And yes…it was absolutely delicious and worth every penny.

We finished the day shopping, wandering through town to walk off at least a few bites of crab, and then caught the tender back to the ship.

Some days you visit a place.

Some days you stand on a glacier, fly in a helicopter, mush a team of sled dogs, cuddle puppies, wave your Michigan flag in Alaska, pretend to be a bear, eat a king’s ransom worth of crab…and accidentally run into your neighbors 2,000 miles from home.

Today was one of those days.

But Juneau still wasn’t quite finished with us. We ended the evening at a comedy show in the theater onboard our ship before making what can only be described as a very responsible nutritional decision at 10:30pm. We ended up back at the buffet and somehow convinced ourselves that a slice of pizza, a salad, and two “tiny” desserts counted as a balanced meal.

Some adventures are worth saving for years. This one certainly was. From accidentally running into my neighbors in downtown Juneau to flying over Alaska in a helicopter, mushing a team of sled dogs across a glacier, cuddling puppies, waving my Michigan flag at Mendenhall Glacier, pretending to be a bear, and finishing the day with a $400 bucket of king crab…Juneau packed more unforgettable moments into one day than I ever imagined possible.

I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.

From Juju with Live 💙

Have you ever done something that terrified you beforehand but became one of your favorite memories? I’d love to hear your story.