Skip to main content

Beards, Booze, and Bacon: The Southeast Alaska Episode

Image used with permission by copyright holder

What new bourbon are we pumped about? Which hiking trail are we exploring? Why is the next supercar so cool? The Manual is dedicated to helping men live a more engaged life. Each week, our editors and guests get together for a round-table discussion about what’s new, exciting, and unique in the men’s lifestyle world. So pop open your favorite brew, step into your man cave, and start streaming.

For this week’s episode of Beards, Booze, and Bacon: The Manual Podcast, the round-table — the associate editor of lifestyle, Chase McPeak, and the ever-affable host, Greg Nibler — have a tete-a-tete about America’s largest and arguably most beautiful state: Alaska. However, since Alaska is so huge, the guys limit their coverage today specifically to Southeast Alaska.

First, Chase discusses his recent trip to Waterfall Resort on Prince of Wales Island, where he spent a week fishing for king salmon among the islets and islands of Southeast Alaska’s temperate rainforest archipelago. He details how you arrive at the resort (by floatplane), how to fish salmon (mooching), and points out the finer bits of the adventure, like spotting bears, eagles, humpback whales, and even orcas.

Next, Greg does a deep dive into cruising around Southeast Alaska. He offers tips on multiple places to eat, drink, and be merry in multiple little Southeast Alaska towns, all while trying hard not to denigrate the cruise experience. One great takeaway is that a cruise allows you to take your home base with you, wherever you may be wandering; you only unpack and pack once, you always know where your bed is, and you gain a sense of comfort and familiarity on a cruise ship that you might not otherwise get if you were attempting to drive from city to city and natural wonder to natural wonder.

Hear all the great stories that came out of these two guys’ separate trips to Southeast Alaska:

Thanks for tuning in! If you have a question for The Manual podcast crew, give us a shout at podcast@themanual.com — we’re always around! Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter and keep an eye out for podcast polls so you can join the discussion.

Further Reading

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Chase McPeak
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Chase McPeak is the former Lifestyle Editor. Chase regularly appeared on Beards, Booze, and Bacon: The Manual Podcast where…
The 9 best Tumi backpacks you can travel with in 2024
Tumi

Avid and frequent travelers know the importance of owning well-made and versatile luggage. Whether that be a carry-on bag, backpack, duffel bag, rolling suitcase or trunk, purchasing reliable luggage makes traveling ten times easier and more efficient. Most of the time, the type of luggage you choose to purchase is dependent on your personal needs, the duration of your trip or how often often you will use your new bag or suitcase. No matter what type of trip you have planned on you calendar, a luxurious, high-quality and durable backpack should be added to your shopping list.

With so many luxury luggage brands out there to choose from, it might be hard to narrow down your choices. But that's why we are here to let you know that purchasing a backpack (or any kind of luggage) from Tumi is one of the best decisions you will ever make. Known as one as one of the best Rimowa alternatives, Tumi is a popular choice among professional travelers everywhere due to their classic designs, durable materials and luxurious look. If you are on the market for a brand new travel backpack, there is no better option than Tumi. We've rounded up the nine best Tumi backpacks you can travel with in 2024 that will help you explore new destinations with ease.
Tumi Montana Backpack

Read more
This airline now has peak pricing for checked baggage — will others follow?
How to avoid these baggage fees
Baggage claim in airport terminal. Suitcases on the airport luggage conveyor belt. 3d illustration

With the travel industry booming more than ever, airlines are recalibrating their strategies to adapt to changing demand in the behavior of consumers. JetBlue Airways, one of the nation’s leading airlines, recently announced a notable shift in its baggage fee structure, particularly during peak travel periods. These increased JetBlue baggage fees have many customers wondering how it will impact their budget, and whether or not other airlines will follow suit.
JetBlue baggage fees: the details

JetBlue already charges a different fee for checked bags based on how far in advance you check your luggage. If you check your bag within 24 hours of your departure time, you can expect to pay $45 for your first bag and $60 for your second bag. For transatlantic flights, you can expect to pay $65 for your first bag and $105 for your second bag. 

Read more
The most common (and weirdest) items found in unclaimed baggage at the airport
close up photo of airport baggage sign

Have you ever wondered what gets left behind at the airport airport? Well, wonder no more! Unclaimed Baggage released its first-ever "Found Report," giving us a glimpse into the fascinating (and sometimes bizarre) items left behind by travelers in 2023. For the uninitiated, Unclaimed Baggage is a retail store that sells unclaimed and lost airline baggage and its contents (after the airlines make every effort to return the luggage to their owners, of course). So what have they found?
The top 40 most fascinating finds of 2023

This list is a wild mix of the wonderful and the weird. Two live snakes slithering around at the airport? Now that's a travel story most people wouldn't want to tell!  Luxury finds like Birkin bags and Rolex watches make you wonder about the frantic searches at the baggage claim.  Musicians will be surprised to see a rare banjolele and a 4-foot tall Ethiopian harp lost in the shuffle, while gamers might mourn the misplaced Atari and Nintendo Super Famicom.  

Read more