Nobody likes being bored. Nobody likes being bored on a trip either. In my family, there are seven people (five kids and two parents), and everyone does their best to prevent boredom while we're traveling, but this is no easy task, especially with limited space.

Taking a cruise in Alaska is on just about everyone’s bucket list, and for good reasons. The beauty of Alaska is extraordinary – and what better way to see it, than from the water?

I race down the concrete track, wind tearing by my face. Trees whiz by as I accelerate down the hill, gripping the handlebars tightly. A turn approaches from up ahead. I lean into it, and come out perfectly. I see a sign that says “Merge!” where another run joins into this one. Next I go through a tunnel, and several other signs warn “Slow Down!” The track narrows to a third of its old width, and I bounce off the wooden bumpers a couple times as I navigate the last bends.