From JuJu with Love

Steamboats, Sled Dogs, and Shalom

We traded the train for a steamboat this morning as we cruised the Chena River in Fairbanks—and the adventure started immediately.

Our first stop was a seaplane demonstration. We watched the pilot take off from the river, climb into the sky, make a graceful loop, and land right back alongside our boat. It was incredible to see how effortlessly those planes use the water as their runway.

A few minutes later we pulled up to a sled dog kennel for another demonstration. The dogs raced around the property with all the enthusiasm in the world, and then—just like kids after recess—they finished their run and jumped straight into the river to cool off and play.

The highlight? The 10-week-old sled dog puppies. 🐶❤️

As we continued down the Chena River, we spotted caribou along the shoreline.

About halfway through the cruise, we stopped at Chena Athabascan Indian Village, where we met reindeer, learned how Alaska Native families traditionally used the hides of local animals for clothing and survival, and got to pet some of the hardworking sled dogs.

And the funniest part?

We were only one hour into our three-hour riverboat cruise. Alaska just keeps delivering.

After our riverboat adventure, we had the afternoon to explore Fairbanks on our own.

First stop? Lunch at a local Thai restaurant. Alaska might not be the first place you think of for Thai food, but it absolutely hit the spot after a busy morning.

Then we wandered through downtown Fairbanks, where we found colorful murals, quirky attractions (yes, there’s an Ice Museum!), and learned a little more about life in Alaska.

Our final stop was one of the engineering marvels of North America—the Alaska Pipeline. Seeing it in person really puts its scale into perspective. It stretches more than 800 miles from Prudhoe Bay on Alaska’s North Slope to the port of Valdez, carrying oil across mountains, rivers, and even earthquake zones. Standing underneath it made me feel tiny!

After our afternoon exploring Fairbanks, we have one more special experience waiting for us.

This evening we’re meeting a local rabbi and members of the Fairbanks Jewish community. No matter where I travel, I always love seeing how Jewish life exists in every corner of the world. There’s something comforting about finding a familiar sense of community thousands of miles from home.

After that, we’ll gather one last time for our farewell dinner before heading home tomorrow.

It’s hard to believe this Alaska adventure is coming to an end. We’ve cruised through glaciers, flown over mountains, ridden behind sled dogs, watched bears in the wild, crossed Denali off the bucket list, and somehow managed to fit in floatplanes, steamboats, reindeer, puppies, and the Alaska Pipeline too.

Tomorrow we head home with a camera full of memories and a suitcase full of souvenirs.

Alaska…you were everything I hoped for and more.

From Juju with love 💙