Forty pairs of eyes scan the countryside looking for movement, any movement. With binoculars and cameras at the ready, we hoped for a bear or a moose, but were willing to settle for some Dall sheep high up the mountain. Not a passenger aboard the bus maintained a semblance of composure. We scurried like kids from one side to the other, eager to be the first to announce the next sighting. Such was my introduction to the Tundra Wilderness Tour, a 5-5 1/2 hour excursion into Denali National Park& Preserve, one of the highlights of my Gray Line Adventure Tour through interior Alaska.

Another year comes to an end. Is it just me or are things getting worse every year? Sure, I could list the craziness out there but why spoil the party, huh? Instead, let's thank God for the good that happened.