A bus ride through four climate zones, gold rush punchlines, radioactive border drama, and a yard full of Alaskan husky puppies—Skagway delivered history, humor, and heart in equal measure.

A day in Juneau turned into fresh-caught salmon, a rogue sea lion, and one of the wildest tour guide backstories I’ve ever heard. Joyce and I explored the hatchery, learned about dog-food-grade salmon, and went “fishing” with a guy who literally survived the bends. Spoiler: we left with 20 pounds of Alaskan salmon and zero romantic sparks (boo hiss).