August | 2020 | Alaska on my mind...

Monthly Archives: August 2020

All Aboard!!

August 31, 2020 – 9:00 pm
Posted in Alaska, Family, Homeschool, Journey, Outdoors, Uncategorized
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Our new school year kicked off with a train ride field trip to Spencer Glacier.

Lil Mister was so excited to see and ride the big train. He kept inching closer and closer to the track when the train was approaching.Our Conductor Wanda.

Thanks to Covid-19, masks we’re a requirement on the train, so we acquiesced and have the pictures to prove it.

The trip to Spencer Glacier is a quick one, but we saw an eagle nest with protective parents watching over near by. Once we made it to our stop we were allowed some time to explore and hike to the glacier.

The kids found their friends as did we mom’s and we were off. The micro climate at Spencer Glacier is different than ours so we saw several new to us plants and fungi. It was a botanical wonderland.

There may or may not have been a person in our party who was collecting samples… And left with a large bag full. No names mentioned, but it wasn’t me, this time.

The bridge was pretty cool. The architecture of timber frame is one of my favorites. I love the enormous timbers and heavy metal joinery.

It was an enjoyable hike up to the glacier with 3/4 of us Solstice Sisters. We were missing Niki.

And of course all of our kiddos had a great time hiking and playing around.
We were reminded at the trail head to yield the right of way.
The glacier was impressive. A piece of ice was fished out of the lake and inspected by all before being launched back out into the water. The glacier is so blue. But this piece was so clear, with tiny bubbles throughout.
The wait for our return trip was filled with silly antics, arm wrestling and more specimen collecting.The return ride seemed far shorter and before we knew it our trip was complete. We were off to Coast Pizza for dinner and then the drive home.
#lovealaska

The North Road Extension

The summer of 2020 will go down in my mental history as the summer the road went in. Of course they’ve been working on it for two years physically and 30+ politically… But I digress.

It’s been bittersweet watching them progress down the trail. Seeing them passing the places where the “trail happened” to us, you know, like when Thing Two dunked himself, his sisters and the fourwheeler in the mud hole in the middle of Big Muddy. Or where my fourwheeler flooded in the creek with no name.

Then I think to myself, how would Dad feel about this road? Mixed feelings I’m sure. The ease of getting in and out is a relief for sure but what’s easier for us is also easier for everyone else, riffraff included.

The road ends just past Otter creek with a big parking/turnaround. Then it’s off the road and onto the trail, about a quarter of a mile to the cabin. Still have one mud hole to navigate for old times sake!

Word is that they’re trying to secure funding for another mile, which would put the road past us. Time will tell.