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A Lap Around Alaska: An AlCan Adventure
Find out what it's really like to cross 1,400 miles of the Alaskan Highway and travel some of the loneliest and most spectacular parts of America and Canada, all without leaving the comfort of your easy chair. Join author Shawn Inmon and his twenty year old Subaru Outback on his epic solo road trip through British Columbia, Yukon, and Alaska. Part personal odyssey, part travel memoir, take an expedition into one of North America’s last remaining wildernesses.If you dream of packing up your four-wheeler, your snow boots and camera, and setting off to explore the wilderness, A Lap Around Alaska will give you a rare glimpse into the Land of the Midnight Sun, of moose, bear, and bald eagles, of monumental glaciers and scenery so staggering it brings tears to your eyes.If you hunger for adventure and want to discover untouched beauty and to experience the majesty of the pristine North for yourself—Shawn saved the passenger seat just for you. This book also includes two bonus memoirs of life in Alaska in the 1970s—My First Alaskan Summer and My Matanuska Summer.
- GenresNonfictionTravel
232 pages, Paperback
Published July 19, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 6, 2022
I’m unlikely to visit Alaska but if I ever do, I would like Shawn Imnon as my chauffeur to show me the sights, the wonderful landscapes, and the wildlife. In this travel guide to the wildest place in the 51 states, Imnon not just tells you about his trip, but drags you into the passenger seat for the ride. And what a ride it is, with few metalled roads, plenty of the white stuff, and wildlife sightings galore, as well as some the most stunning scenery, all captured on Shawn’s camera for the reader to delve even deeper into this magnificent state.
Thanks for the ride, Shawn.
Thanks for the ride, Shawn.
February 19, 2021
A Lap Around Alaska is actually only 158 pages long, but this eBook included two other short stories, which were just alright: My First Alaskan Summer (1974) and My Matanuska Summer (1976), making it 227 pages total...not bad for $1.06!
I really enjoyed this little read because this is exactly the way me and my husband travel. We are 55 years old. We pick an interesting destination that we’d like to see. We plan a few key points of interest to definitely stop and see and photograph along the way. Other than that, we pack clothes and snacks and travel by the seat of our pants. We let the road dictate, we’re always up for surprises, and we cross our fingers for a motel somewhere along the way to have a good night’s sleep.
This author is 57 years old, just two years older than us. He lives in Seaview, which is a part of Long Beach, Washington. He decided to set out in mid-April on this 22-day solo Alaskan adventure from one end of the Alaska Highway, which connects Alaska to the U.S. from Dawson Creek, Canada, via Whitehorse, Yukon, and runs to Delta Junction, Alaska, in an old 1997 Subaru Outback Wagon. He was smart and had all his belts changed out and put four brand new tires on the vehicle before setting out.
Follow along his route with a map of Alaska, or better yet, have your cell phone handy so you can follow along with Google map. I would LOVE to one day make this trek. It took him 3 days to reach the AlCan Highway from Seaview, Washington. His first stop, and beginning of his Alaskan adventure, was a night over at Tok. Skipping to Day 8, he had made his way to the Dalton Highway, (the Trans-Alaska Pipeline), beginning at Valdez...considered to be the most dangerous and the loneliest highway in America (p. 64). He made Denali National Park, then drove the Parks Highway headed north to Wasilla, town where Sarah Palin is from. He drove from there down the Glenn Highway to Eklutna to see the 1830's Russian church and colorful graveyard with their spirit houses. Then he headed south to Anchorage through the Matanuska Valley, reported to be one of the most beautiful places on earth, and a place where he and his older brother tried to grow some dope back in 1979…but moose ate up all their profits. Next stop, on Day 12, 13 and 14, he made the round trip on the Kenai Peninsula, stopping at Seward, Soltdotna and Homer, to where the road ends at Homer Spit, then headed back up to Kenai, and Anchor Point...the most westward point in the U.S. On Day 16, he drove off the Kenai Peninsula and back to Valdez. This route pretty much concluded the "road" trip tour through Alaska. To view other parts of Alaska, one would have to take bush planes or travel by boat.
His goal was to experience as much of the local culture as possible by travelling along the backroads, eating at small local diners and cafes, sleeping in roadside motels, and taking advantage of what ever the road offers up to him along the way. Make note that mid-April may not be the best time to travel Alaska, as the snow is just melting and everything outdoors is covered in thick grime and mud. Mud everywhere! Google says the best time to travel Alaska is between mid-June and mid-August, and if you go at the ends of either one of these, you’ll most likely run into a lot of rain or snow.
I really enjoyed this little read because this is exactly the way me and my husband travel. We are 55 years old. We pick an interesting destination that we’d like to see. We plan a few key points of interest to definitely stop and see and photograph along the way. Other than that, we pack clothes and snacks and travel by the seat of our pants. We let the road dictate, we’re always up for surprises, and we cross our fingers for a motel somewhere along the way to have a good night’s sleep.
This author is 57 years old, just two years older than us. He lives in Seaview, which is a part of Long Beach, Washington. He decided to set out in mid-April on this 22-day solo Alaskan adventure from one end of the Alaska Highway, which connects Alaska to the U.S. from Dawson Creek, Canada, via Whitehorse, Yukon, and runs to Delta Junction, Alaska, in an old 1997 Subaru Outback Wagon. He was smart and had all his belts changed out and put four brand new tires on the vehicle before setting out.
Follow along his route with a map of Alaska, or better yet, have your cell phone handy so you can follow along with Google map. I would LOVE to one day make this trek. It took him 3 days to reach the AlCan Highway from Seaview, Washington. His first stop, and beginning of his Alaskan adventure, was a night over at Tok. Skipping to Day 8, he had made his way to the Dalton Highway, (the Trans-Alaska Pipeline), beginning at Valdez...considered to be the most dangerous and the loneliest highway in America (p. 64). He made Denali National Park, then drove the Parks Highway headed north to Wasilla, town where Sarah Palin is from. He drove from there down the Glenn Highway to Eklutna to see the 1830's Russian church and colorful graveyard with their spirit houses. Then he headed south to Anchorage through the Matanuska Valley, reported to be one of the most beautiful places on earth, and a place where he and his older brother tried to grow some dope back in 1979…but moose ate up all their profits. Next stop, on Day 12, 13 and 14, he made the round trip on the Kenai Peninsula, stopping at Seward, Soltdotna and Homer, to where the road ends at Homer Spit, then headed back up to Kenai, and Anchor Point...the most westward point in the U.S. On Day 16, he drove off the Kenai Peninsula and back to Valdez. This route pretty much concluded the "road" trip tour through Alaska. To view other parts of Alaska, one would have to take bush planes or travel by boat.
His goal was to experience as much of the local culture as possible by travelling along the backroads, eating at small local diners and cafes, sleeping in roadside motels, and taking advantage of what ever the road offers up to him along the way. Make note that mid-April may not be the best time to travel Alaska, as the snow is just melting and everything outdoors is covered in thick grime and mud. Mud everywhere! Google says the best time to travel Alaska is between mid-June and mid-August, and if you go at the ends of either one of these, you’ll most likely run into a lot of rain or snow.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2022
It was around 1976 when we migrated to Alaska from Iowa via the AlCan Highway. I was a pretty young kid then, but I remember the road being dirty and gravely. If I remember correctly, a lot of vehicles had mesh wire over their windows to protect the glass. We made the trip in a box truck my dad used for work. My single father, brother and my father's friend started the trip. I don't remember how long it took, but at some point my dad's friend bailed. He must have flown home or hitch-hiked. My dad ran out of money somewhere in Canada, and a lady (I think she was a waitress) paid him to build a room onto her single wide trailer. We ate so much Spam driving up there, just the smell of it turns my tummy.
We lived in Anchorage, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, Butte and for a bit, in a renovated school bus and van *literally* down by the river. I left Alaska when I was 18.
So...I really enjoyed reading about Shawn's trip up the AlCan more recently. It sounds like it's in much better condition. But I more so enjoyed the two short stories recounting his Alaska trips (via airplane) as a kid. His adult trip was just a trip; a drive. His teen trips were adventures; experiences. Priceless memories. This book made me reminisce and it painted a very clear and accurate picture of the places he visited. Which reminds me...this is the first kindle book I've read that included actual pictures. I didn't think that was possible, so I was very pleasantly surprised. I highly recommend this book.
We lived in Anchorage, Palmer, Wasilla, North Pole, Butte and for a bit, in a renovated school bus and van *literally* down by the river. I left Alaska when I was 18.
So...I really enjoyed reading about Shawn's trip up the AlCan more recently. It sounds like it's in much better condition. But I more so enjoyed the two short stories recounting his Alaska trips (via airplane) as a kid. His adult trip was just a trip; a drive. His teen trips were adventures; experiences. Priceless memories. This book made me reminisce and it painted a very clear and accurate picture of the places he visited. Which reminds me...this is the first kindle book I've read that included actual pictures. I didn't think that was possible, so I was very pleasantly surprised. I highly recommend this book.
September 17, 2018
Interesting and sometimes baffling (who starts a trip to Alaska in April? Not just snow but never-ending mud!) travelogue describing Shawn Inmon's road trip up the AlCan and around Alaska. This is a rather light-hearted read with sufficient meat to make it a worthwhile read. I enjoyed Shawn's insights about traveling in somewhat inhospitable environments and about learning about the places you travel. Sometimes I wished I were riding along with him; at others I was just as happy that I was sitting on my sofa.
A nice addition are a pair of short reminisces of his summers in Alaska as a teenager. These are not coming-of-age tales but do a nice job of looking at new places and experiences through the eyes of a young teen with just enough adult insight to let the reader know, "I learned something from this, but I didn't really realize it until later on."
A nice addition are a pair of short reminisces of his summers in Alaska as a teenager. These are not coming-of-age tales but do a nice job of looking at new places and experiences through the eyes of a young teen with just enough adult insight to let the reader know, "I learned something from this, but I didn't really realize it until later on."
July 21, 2017
A great read for everyone
I will be honest. Before I opened this book, I already had it in my head that it was going to be boring. But I had read Shawn's other books so I figured I could power through it. However, to my great surprise, the book drew me in immediately and I ended up finishing it less than 24 his after I started.
I think the reason for this is because Shawn doesn't just talk about where he started and where he ended each day. He is a master storyteller and knows how to weave in anecdotes that complement the story he is trying to tell. There were a few times I laughed out loud as I was reading.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading a good story. You won't regret it.
I will be honest. Before I opened this book, I already had it in my head that it was going to be boring. But I had read Shawn's other books so I figured I could power through it. However, to my great surprise, the book drew me in immediately and I ended up finishing it less than 24 his after I started.
I think the reason for this is because Shawn doesn't just talk about where he started and where he ended each day. He is a master storyteller and knows how to weave in anecdotes that complement the story he is trying to tell. There were a few times I laughed out loud as I was reading.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading a good story. You won't regret it.
September 25, 2017
Ever thought about a trip to Alaska--you definitely need to read this book. i have a friend that did a cruise and her brother did the driving trip and said we definitely have to do a driving trip. Really enjoyed this book and it was easy to see when he left the hustle and bustle of traffic and got to the land of maybe the phone works and maybe it doesn't. Shawn's telling of his trip let me see where I wanted to go and which roads I didn't want to travel. He included several pictures along the way and at the end he had two chapters with his first trip at 14 to work with his brother in Alaska. I am excited for a road trip but it is a long way from central Florida so not sure when I will make the road trip.
April 25, 2022
I read this book on the road from Alaska to Minnesota in April, and enjoyed Shawn's perspectives on some of the same territory I was seeing myself. His 'extras' at the end held a lot of appeal too--one set in Seward, where I was born, and both set during times when I still lived in Alaska.
Shawn's trip was also in April--early season for traveling the Alcan. I enjoyed his photos along the way. A fun read for those planning a drive to Alaska, though not really a "travel guide" as that kind of info goes out of date too fast. Recommended!
Shawn's trip was also in April--early season for traveling the Alcan. I enjoyed his photos along the way. A fun read for those planning a drive to Alaska, though not really a "travel guide" as that kind of info goes out of date too fast. Recommended!
January 10, 2018
I have never been to Alaska so I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but I actually really enjoyed this book. I loved the photographs and also the sense of humour, finding myself chuckling at times. This book is like a cross between a novel and a travelogue written in a simple yet evocative style, and I loved the two additional stories at the end about the author’s time in Alaska as a teenager. Well worth the read
August 7, 2021
Priceless if you are planning to visit Alaska
Gives a good insight into what it’s like to visit Alaska through a mixture of descriptive writing and strategically inserted photographs.
Following Shawn’s route on google maps, as I read the book on kindle unlimited, combined with the detail he provided on where he stayed, ate, as well as what he saw and did, has given me the raw material needed to properly plan my own trip to the last frontier.
Gives a good insight into what it’s like to visit Alaska through a mixture of descriptive writing and strategically inserted photographs.
Following Shawn’s route on google maps, as I read the book on kindle unlimited, combined with the detail he provided on where he stayed, ate, as well as what he saw and did, has given me the raw material needed to properly plan my own trip to the last frontier.
February 25, 2018
Another fun adventure with Shawn. I love the photographs included in the book, specifically of the mountain scenery. I actually liked the teenage memoirs included at the end the most- he was able to capture the wonderful youthful innocence of his early memories in Alaska. Denali has beeen on my bucket list for years, and now I have a few more Alaskan must-sees.
September 2, 2018
Fun!
Very enteraining, but why didn't you take a quick trip i to Whittier? It's worth the treck just to drive through the train tunnel... I take all of my " outside" guests there. Anyway, the book was very reminiscent of my first trip to Alaska where i eventually made my permanent residence over 21 years ago. I cant imagine ever living anywhere else!
Very enteraining, but why didn't you take a quick trip i to Whittier? It's worth the treck just to drive through the train tunnel... I take all of my " outside" guests there. Anyway, the book was very reminiscent of my first trip to Alaska where i eventually made my permanent residence over 21 years ago. I cant imagine ever living anywhere else!
August 14, 2017
A good read....entertaining and insightful....
When your like me and you aren't given the chance to travel....a book like this is a great way to travel from home....the author paints a beautiful picture vivid and colorful with interesting pictures as well...enjoy
When your like me and you aren't given the chance to travel....a book like this is a great way to travel from home....the author paints a beautiful picture vivid and colorful with interesting pictures as well...enjoy
October 14, 2017
Shawn's Road Trip around Alaska
I REALLY enjoyed Shawn's account of travelling around Alaska by car! I also enjoy going where the road leads me and to the end of it! What an adventure!
I REALLY enjoyed Shawn's account of travelling around Alaska by car! I also enjoy going where the road leads me and to the end of it! What an adventure!
February 23, 2019
Fabulous!
I loved A Lap Around Alaska. It was a nicely paced tour guide to some of Alaska's scenic delights.
I have to say, however, that I truly enjoyed Shawn's summer adventures from the seventies so much more.
I loved A Lap Around Alaska. It was a nicely paced tour guide to some of Alaska's scenic delights.
I have to say, however, that I truly enjoyed Shawn's summer adventures from the seventies so much more.
March 29, 2019
An interesting, chatty memoir
Another perspective on the drive to Alaska, the book has a lot of useful observations about the road conditions and accommodations early in the season. Not a trip for the unwary! An enjoyable read.
Another perspective on the drive to Alaska, the book has a lot of useful observations about the road conditions and accommodations early in the season. Not a trip for the unwary! An enjoyable read.
May 29, 2019
Enjoyed the photos of Shawn's trip on the Alaskan Highway. Needed more in-depth descriptions of the scenery though. Overall didn't find this to be what I had expected. The last portion about trips to visit his brother was more entertaining.
March 5, 2018
Fun read about author going to Alaska, first as an adult driving he AlCan highway, then looking back as a teenager to work on a crabbing boat and getting into agriculture the following year.
July 10, 2022
This made me want to go to Alaska and I loved all of the photos he included. The 2 short stories were really fun and I felt invested.
January 14, 2023
I found the second part of the book far more captivating
April 6, 2023
I learned a lot about Alaska - interesting
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April 25, 2019Guy drove his 20 yr old suburu outback from Portland, OR to Anchorage.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews