The next four days.

The first four days with the whole family were fun, and filled with lots of driving.   While knowing that Alaska is the largest state, we still spent a lot more time than expected driving across just a part of Alaska.  We began our Tuesday morning meeting up with all the others in the RV.  After breakfast we started to make our plans.  It was decided we would head north, see what we could on the way. 
We started out visiting a reindeer farm in Palmer.    We all were given a cup of food and the reindeer soon crowed around pressing each of us for food.   Even Grandma and Grandpa was in the fray.  It has been a really long time since we were all out doing something together.  We really made up quite the tour group everywhere we went.
 
After spending a couple of hours with the reindeer we headed out again, to stop just a little while later at a musk ox farm.
 
It was great seeing the little cousins playing together.  This was the first time that my kids have spent much time with my sisters kids. 
Here is Connor with Aspen’s son Elden.  Ashurity’s daughter Piper is coming out to find them.
  
After the Musk ox farm we hit the road again.  We only made it as far as Willow that night before we found a great camp ground and circled the “wagons.”    The guys had a chance to hit the creek to fish, we got dinner going in the RVs and everyone settled down to play games, watch movies, and enjoy the company.

The next day was filled with more driving.  We stopped at a War Memorial where we got lots of pictures, and tried to view Mt McKinley.  I say tried because we were not able to see much more than a snowy spot through the clouds.  The whole week was cloudy, chilly, and threatened rain.  We still had a good time, and the memorial was a good chance to stretch our legs and let the kids run around.
 
Back Row:  Connor, Lark, Alyssa, Spring, Lacey, Tarry, Wes and Constant                                                                                                                                                                       
Front Row: Troy, Aspen holding Paylor, Daniel, Crystal, Kaylin, Cheary holding Eliza, Rockhard, Sam, Ashurity holding Piper, Mom, Chad, Carsen, and  Travis                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
missing: Dad, Elden, Grandma, and Grandpa  (anyone else?)
We stopped just outside of Fairbank at an overlook.  What a beautiful countryside.

And finally we made it into Fairbanks.  2 days, over 360 miles, and lots of fun on the way.   
The next day we visited Santa’s village in North Pole.  The kids got to meet Santa, see his reindeer, and play in the sleigh.  It was great meeting Santa.  He knew all about where each of us were from.  He talked to us about places in Utah, Idaho and everywhere else we had people from.  He talked about Kodiak and took time to visit with each little kid. 
    
After visiting Santa, we went back in time to Pioneer Park.  Mom, Dad, and Grandma and Grandpa loved this place.  Walking through a frontier village, visiting old homes and reading history about the people who lived and survived in the Alaska wilderness. 
     
It wasn’t just the little kids that got busy playing at the playground.  Even the “big kids” got involved.
 
Once we all climbed aboard the RVs it was time to go again.  One last stop around Fairbank (on Dad’s must see list in Alaska) the Alaska Pipeline.  Dad’s uncle Dale has a patent for a seal that is used in the pipeline.   I’m still not sure we have everyone in this picture.  Did we get one with everyone?  We tried, but it is too hard to keep track of 28 people and get them all in the same place at the same time.  It became the motto at each photo opportunity, just Photo Shop them in.  Notice some of the identical black jackets?  Chad and I already had ours from earlier because they were a Wal-Mart special, and they are warm.   About 1/2 family got them on this trip, 1. Because it was cold and not many had warm clothing.  2. Because they are  Alaska Summit.  Some families do reunion shirts, we had a reunion coat.

Back Row: Tarry, Constant holding Paylor, Lark, Grandpa, Cheary, Daniel holding Eliza, Ashurity, Mom, Dad, Travis, Wes, Carsen, and Lacey                  
Front Row: Troy, Rockhard, Aspen, Elden, Alyssa, Spring, Crystal, Samantha, and Kaylin                                                                                                                       
missing:  Chad, Connor, Ashurity, Piper, and Grandma
The locals were very clear on their thoughts of the oil pipeline.  
 
This almost ended Thursday, August 19.  We got back on the road and drove until dark before finding a small RV park somewhere around Denali.  We pulled off the road to grab some dinner and get some sleep. 

We had to get back to Anchorage the next day for Temple reservations, and so that Aspen and Troy can catch their plane home.  We stopped again at the memorial and the clouds had lifted.  We were still not able to see much of Mt McKinley, just the foothills.  The peak of the mountain would be up in the clouds somewhere.  

I love to see the rugged land of Alaska.  I love being able to call this great state home!  I am not just a visitor here, I live here!