Wednesday, June15

Today we all headed different directions.  Tim and Margo

went hiking and to see the dogs of Denali.  Denali is 

the only National Park that has it's own sled dogs.

They are used to patrol the park during the winter months.

Our moose count is over 25 with Tim, Margo 

and Chris seeing 5 each today!

Margo takes the most beautiful flower pictures and 

there have been a lot of flowers to photograph

on this vacation!

Tom and the boys went hiking and shopping! 

Had to laugh when they told about the difficulties

Josh and Luke had in buying their dad a Father's Day

gift without him knowing about it!!  

                                      

I got up at 3:45 a.m. and the sun was shining on the

mountains outside my bedroom window.  I had a 

plan of how I was going to get a good seat in the 

tour bus, but it backfired and I ended up in the back

with some new friends from Wisconsin and Pennsylvania!

Denali from the north was amazing but the rest of 

the bus ride was less than stellar!!  The driver drove

so fast on the curvy gravel roads that it was difficult to

look for wild animals and when we did find some, he

was reluctant to stop.  I am still glad I went but 

won't be going again!!  The best wild life picture was

taken in the parking lot of where the bus picked me up!

 Denali's northern exposure.  The driver said that

rarely do people get to see Mt. Denali like we did

today!  

The park ranger told us about Fannie Quigley, a 

woman born in the early 1900 who lived out in the

rugged Alaska frontier, making a living for herself 

by cooking for the miners, gardening and 

doing gold mining herself.  She was born in 

Woo Hoo, NE.  That's near where Nickole Fenske 

grew up!!

Keep in mind that this is one way in a school bus

on gravel, narrow roads!!

We gathered together in the evening for a relaxing, 

Alaskan dinner with time spent laughing and 

telling Josh and Luke some of the funny things

his dad and Uncle Tim did!  We then gathered

at the gazebo near Tim and Margo's cabin for some 

backgammon and "No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal"

cookies, just like Mom (Grandma) used to make!

Can't be around water without skipping a rock or two!!

Tomorrow we pack up for the last time during this 

trip!  I can say that I am looking forward to putting 

my suitcase away but other than that, I could 

continue the adventure for a long time!  I'm sure 

that tomorrow will bring some laughs, so will 

post one more time!

Denali-Tuesday, June 14

Today was all about Denali!  The first glimpse was as we 

were driving down the mountain at Eagle River (250 miles away)

and we continued to get more impressive views the closer 

we got to the park.  

Indigenous names for Denali can be found in 7 different Alaskan 

languages. Translations include: "big mountain", "the high one",

"the tall one".   All describe this mountain  

which is the highest peak in North America with

summit elevation of 20,310'.  

 The boys love to skip stones but it is extra 

special to skip with this backdrop!

 

We arrived at our destination for tonight, 

McKinley Creekside Cabins with a cute cafe on the

property.  

Tim & Margo are staying in a little cabin

right on the creek and the rest of us in a house.  Tim found

moose droppings not far from their cabin and we found a

critter hanging off the wall (inside wall!) above the front door!

After a bite to eat, we drove the 15 miles of park road

that cars can travel.  The guys are planning out 

a hike tomorrow and while they hike, I'm riding

on a school bus for 12 hours (92 miles 

one way), on gravel roads to hopefully see an 

animal or 2 and the back side of Denali!

What was I thinking??

It's 10:45 pm and the sun doesn't set tonight until 

12:20 a.m. and rises at 3:48 a.m.  It really is the 

"Land of the Midnight Sun".

Monday, June 13

They survived!!

While the guys foraged for grubs and wild berries, 

Tim, Margo and I went to Anchorage and experienced

Alaska dining with the locals!

Took a little drive around town and saw 3 moose!  

We have spent hours driving the back roads and 

all the time didn't realize they were city dwellers!

Ran across a guy painting in the park.

Came back to the house, relaxed a bit and went 

to Anchorage to have dinner with our Uncle Bob 

and his family

We had planned our trips without knowing what the 

other was doing and it turned out that we 

were both in the Anchorage area on Monday.

Brenda & Ben live in Washington state, Bobby (guess

he is Bob now:) & Jill, Tina & Kevin and Uncle

Bob, all live in Arkansas.  It was great fun 

to catch up.  The last time we saw most of them was 

when Josh was 2-3 and he just turned 20.  

We, including Josh and Lucas, all commented 

on how much Uncle Bob reminded us of Dad. 

They have just started their vacation and we 

hope that they make as many memories as we have!

Tomorrow we leave our comfortable home 

in Eagle River and travel to Denali!  

Sunday, June 12

What in the world?!?!  None of us can remember one day 

to the next what happened.  So this is a best as I can recall!!

Josh took an early morning hike to the top

of Mt. Harp.  

 He tried to jump to get the 3' that would

have given him an elevation of 5000' but

it didn't work!!

He came home with another geocache from 

the top of the mountain!

He has been leaving our mark on some

very interesting places!

When he got back we all took a stroll on 

Tony Knowles Coastal Trail.  The

scooter and the walkie talkies have made

the trip so much easier!  Anchorage skyline.

Later in the afternoon we packed up the guys and 

headed to Eagle River Nature Center, where 

they spent the night in a yurt!

We said goodbye, leaving them to face: 

wild animals, rain, cold, and rugged

conditions...or so we thought!

They didn't have to fight off any bears, 

but did have a moose visitor.

Tim and Margo got to visit with a friend, Tom and his wife,

in the evening.  Tom was in their wedding nearly 32

years ago and it has been 28 years since they have been 

able to spend time together.  Good friends just pick up 

where they left off!!  They were sent home with some 

amazing smoked salmon and good memories!