Cedar Point

Today I woke up at 7 AM, got ready, had breakfast (two biscuits with strawberry jelly, a mini-egg omelet called an ouef, peach yogurt, doughnut holes, and apple juice), went to church at a place called Trinity Lutheran near our hotel (the traditional service -- great experiencing another church's way of proceeding through a service), came back and changed, checked out, and headed for Sandusky, Ohio, where the amusement park, Cedar Point, is.  When we arrived at 11:30, we had lunch at Mr. Smith's Coffee House -- the chicken sandwich is delicious, and with a side of coleslaw and root beer for a drink, it's the perfect portion size.

At 12:15, we came to Cedar Point.  Below is a list of all the rides I went, including a small description.  We rode 14 rides in six hours!

Raptor -- It's like Batman at Six Flags St. Louis, with corkscrews, twists, loops...all with your feet dangling.
Skyride -- A gondola transportation ride; we joked about not having our skis with us.  When we ride gondolas, it's usually winter and we have skis and poles with us!
Iron Dragon -- Suspended cars hang down from the track, and you sit in them.
Mantis -- Our very first stand-up roller coaster!  You have a bicycle-type seat to rest on, but you're on your feet.  We went through several tight turns, rolls, and loops.  It was very rough.
Millennium Force -- This exciting roller coaster went 92 miles per hour and had an 80-degree drop...we all agreed that it was definitely fun!
Cedar Creek Mine Ride -- Various turns and little "drops" -- kinda boring compared to the others.
Maverick -- Twists and tight curves...all while cruising just above the water in ponds.
Gemini -- This roller coaster has two sets of cars that race -- my mom and I were in the red car, and we beat my dad and Matthew in the blue car!
Magnum XL-200 -- This has a fun lift hill at the beginning, where there's plenty of time to look around before dropping into tunnels and turns.
Windseeker -- Tall swings spin you around high above the beach and Lake Erie at around 40 miles per hour.
Skyhawk -- Two big swings oppose each other and go parallel to the ground (and even a little above).
Wicked Twister -- This roller coaster shoots you out of the station (getting up to 72 mph), up and around a twisted "tower", back through the station and up the other twisted tower, and repeats a few more times before stopping in the station.  My mom thought the twin pair of twisted towers looked like Texas longhorns; I thought they looked like pronghorn antelopes...either way, I'm sure you can imagine how strange they looked.
Giant Wheel -- A very tame ferris wheel...but it does take you to a bird's eye view of the entire park, lake, beach, and beyond.
And introducing...Top Thrill Dragster!  Okay, so at Six Flags St. Louis, our own theme park, the fastest roller coaster is the 70 mph Mr. Freeze...and this year, it was even more exciting with the reverse blast.  But I went 20 mph above that on Maverick...and 50 miles per hour above that on Top Thrill Dragster.  Yes, you read right.  This exhilarating roller coaster reaches 120 miles per hour, 420 feet up in the air...all in 17 seconds.  It's the fourth fastest in the world and the second highest in the world...and just think, I rode that scary thing twice!  And seriously, to go 120 mph and feel all the G-forces -- all I can say is WOW!

At 6:15, we left the park tired yet very happy.  My mom and I were thrilled with our accomplishments of riding such scary roller coasters, and overall, it's always fun to try new things and conquer your fears.  I mean, going 120 miles per hour and 420 feet up in the air is nothing to laugh off.  It's absolutely breathtaking.  But once you've done it, you've achieved something you didn't think you could do, you've become braver...and, in truth, you want to do it again!

We're now on the road, and tomorrow late morning we will arrive back home.  Hope you enjoyed reading about my weekend adventure!

~Anna~

HCEA Show

Yesterday evening, at 5 PM, my family and I headed for Fort Wayne, Indiana.  We stopped for gas and supper at White Castle just inside Indiana, and finally arrived (exhausted) at a Holiday Inn in Fort Wayne at 12:20.  I went to sleep at 1 AM. 

This morning, I woke up around 7:45, got ready, went down to have breakfast (biscuit, cinnamon roll, cereal, and milk), and headed out.  Around 10:30, we arrived in Bowling Green, Ohio, the headquarters of the Historical Construction Equipment Association (HCEA).  The HCEA has an annual show where all those old-equipment lovers can come and have fun.  Like my mom said, it's big boys with big toys!  Last year, the show was in Penfield, Illinois, and we took our old 580 backhoe.  I got to drive it in the parade!  This year, it was too far and too expensive to haul anything, but we did bring ourselves and had a blast.  There were graders, tractors, old cars and trucks, bulldozers, steam shovels and tractors, and so many more pieces of equipment.  Some people bring their equipment/vehicle just to show off, others get really into it at the "work area", and nearly everyone participates in the parade, where you can see pretty much everything that's there and learn a bit more about it.

We arrived, watched all the equipment at work for awhile (there's just a big patch of dirt that the operators could plow, grade, etc.), looked around at some of the equipment/vehicles on display, and sat down to enjoy the parade.  After that, we had lunch -- I had an Italian sausage, fries, a White Castle, and ice-cold, sweet lemonade.  Next, we looked around some more at the rest of the equipment/vehicles on display, checked out the tents/building with all the sale items in it, and watched the operators a bit more.  My favorite part of the day?  I got to see a pair of sorrel Belgians giving free hayrides, a pair of fleabitten grey Percherons pulling a water tank, and an eight-mule team pulling a plow.  They were all so fun to watch -- old days indeed!

We left at 5:15 after enjoying a long day of exploring.  We arrived at 5:45 in Maumee, Ohio, at our Comfort Inn & Suites, showered, headed for Luna Pier, Michigan, and had supper there at Chateau Louise.  I had shrimp, barley-tomato soup, a salad, a baked potato, and pie...very satisfying.  The restaurant, which serves mainly seafood, is right near Lake Erie, so we got to go touch the white froth and gaze out at the big boats, little sailboats, and curling waves.  The beach was even groomed! 

Finally, we came back and are now ready to go to bed (it's 10:30 here).  Have a great Sunday!

~Anna~

Final Thoughts

The Lord will keep you from all harm -- he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and your going both now and forevermore.  (Psalm 121:7-8; NIV)

Since I was born, I have been surrounded by a loving family and the strong Christian faith.  I've read through my Bible nearly two times, I've been baptized and confirmed, and I am constantly talking to God through prayer.  I dedicated my life to Christ when I was 12.  And especially since then, I have been very focused on getting closer and closer to my Lord.  When problems arise, I call on him.  When joyful things happen, I praise and thank Him.  And when we left on our trip July 2, I asked for His protection.

For anyone who doesn't believe in Jesus, I'm here to tell you that this trip showed me more than ever that He DOES care, He DOES listen, and He is ALWAYS watching over you and me.  We drove a lot of miles...and I mean a LOT.  We saw so many gorgeous things -- monuments, museums, paintings, pictures, views, animals, so much!  And just think...God made all those.  Every time I saw a beautiful snow-covered mountain, I was amazed!  It didn't matter if I had already seen 20 mountains earlier in the day; I still took moments to gaze in wonder and lift up a prayer to God, saying, You are awesome, Father, and I just thank you for all your beautiful creation, especially these mountains I'm looking at right now! 

See, all 53 days (seven-and-a-half weeks) I was gone were such a learning opportunity -- to see, learn, experience, do, and take away memories of all the stuff we did was terrific.  And in those 53 days, I know I grew closer to God.  I loved the whole trip, but a few things especially stand out:  Camp, where I was able to be a witness to so many kids; Climbing Sleepy Dog Mountain -- every step with my own brother by my side; Having my mom join us in Calgary; and all the National Parks.  There's lots out west and up north to explore.  If you have the opportunity, seize it...to see more of God's creation, to marvel at His masterpieces, and to feel SO close to Him is so amazing.

Finally, I just want to personally thank each and every one of you for calling, supporting, praying for, and loving me.  I pray that God will bless each and every one of you.  I hope you've enjoyed reading about this incredible journey.  May God be with you in the coming months!

~Anna~

Broomfield to Wildwood...Home!

Today I woke up at 5:20, got ready, loaded the car, had a quick breakfast (breakfast burritos, cantaloupe, and apple juice), said good-bye to our wonderful cousins, and headed for good old STL at 6:20.  Three hours later, in Burlington (still Colorado!), we got gas, went to the bathroom, stretched our legs, and were back on I-70 10 minutes later.

In Salina, Kansas, we had lunch at Wendy's.  I had a berry-chicken salad with raspberry vinaigrette dressing, yum.  It had strawberries and blueberries mixed in it!  Grabbed a strawberry shake to go.  There was a funny story that happened here, and I just HAVE to tell it because (hopefully) it makes you laugh.  Okay, so we'd ordered and my mom and I were just having water with our meal.  So we asked for two cups and headed on over to the soda machine.  Normally, on soda machines, you either press and hold the button in for your drink, or push the cup up against a lever that distributes the liquid.  The water had a button.  So I stuck the first cup under, pressed the button, filled the cup, let off...and the flow of water continued to come! Well, I still had to fill the second cup, so I did that.  Again, the water continued to flow out freely into the basin at the bottom of the soda machine...you know, where if there's ice cubes or spilled drinks it can go on down.  So at least it wasn't gushing all over the floor!  But a repeated series of attempts to shut the flow of water off (by shaking the dispenser, pressing a hand up against the flow, and punching the button from different angles and with different degrees of pressure) failed.  Finally, my mom stepped back, waited a bit, and quickly punched the button hard.  It FINALLY stopped!  But then, after we got our food and went over to a table to eat, we looked back over and it was flowing out again!  My goodness, we have such stories, and my mom and I were coming up with crazy headlines:  MISSOURI PEOPLE FLOOD SALINA WITH WENDY'S WATER MACHINE:  Cows stuck in mud, barns floating by in water, Missouri people say they couldn't do anything!  It was so hysterically funny, we just laughed and laughed about it...especially Matthew.  I am sure it was quite easy for him to laugh since he hadn't run into such a mishap. :)

Anyway, after that, we fueled up the car and drove straight on home (well, we did stop ONE short time for a bathroom break).  Pulled in our gorgeous driveway at 8:15.  I was so thrilled, so beyond words, that I got out of the car and immediately bent down to touch the ground.  I was truly thankful to be home, with my whole family around me, in MY bed (my mom surprised me by putting monkey sheets on my bed...so cool), with everything around me.  We did unload the entire car before having hamburgers and pasta for supper.  I showered, happily crawled into my cozy bed, and fell asleep by 12 AM.

Laramie to Broomfield

The final two days of the trip were long, exhausting, and too late at night to blog.  I know you all are wondering if we just stayed in Laramie forever!  No, we did not...we got home safely Wednesday night.  I finally am able to get on my computer, so there are three blogs that I will post today...one from Tuesday, one from Wednesday, and an overview/thoughts of the whole trip.  Enjoy reading and thanks for your support and prayers.  They worked, because the thousands of miles we drove went safely.  

Today, I woke up at 8 AM, had breakfast (chocolate oatmeal and apple juice), visited with our friend for a bit more and thanked her for putting us up, fueled up the car, and headed on at 10 AM.  We drove through the Roosevelt National Forest and finally entered Rocky Mountain National Park.  We had lunch there at the  Egg & I Restaurant, where I had an apple-chicken-walnut salad with raspberry vinaigrette dressing.  Also took a cookies-and-cream smoothie to-go.  It was a great lunch.

Then we drove on the Trail Ridge Road (still in the park).  It was gravel and took us to 12,183 feet.  We stopped at the Alpine Visitor Center, which is very near the top at 11,796 feet.  At the visitor center, you can walk through a small museum (it tells mostly about high altitude -- animals, people, climate, all the changes that occur at such high elevation), as well as visit the store.  Of course, we got hatpins and I got a book.  On the way back down, we stopped at an old ski area called Hidden Valley.  Interestingly, that is the name of our hometown ski area, so of course we could not just drive by! :)

At 6 PM, we arrived in Broomfield, Colorado, where we stayed with cousins.  They fixed us a delicious, hearty supper of steaks, corn on the cob, potatoes, salad, yummy bread, and ice cream with strawberries and chocolate syrup for dessert.  They were all so kind, hospitable, and welcoming, and it was really nice to visit with them.  I went to bed at 11 PM.

The view from the Alpine Visitor Center.

~Anna~

Jackson to Laramie

Today, I woke up at 7 AM, had breakfast (ham-and-cheese on Pilot bread with milk...trying to use up the food!), loaded the car, checked out, went to Snow King Ski Area (just to take pictures, get trail maps, drive through a really cool tunnel), fueled up, and headed out on the road at 9 AM.

At noon, we came into Riverton and had lunch at the Bread Board, which has terrific sub sandwiches.  I had the Piggyback -- mayonnaise, Canadian bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, and bacon on Italian bread (Harvest Cheddar Sun Chips and root beer, too).  Then back on the road, driving past cattle, Painted Desert-like buttes, sagebrush, snow fences...and that's it!  In one whole hour, we only met two RVs, a few trucks, and an oversize-load.  But, in my opinion, I think it's beautiful.  I don't care that much for skyscrapers, buses, crazy city life, bumper-to-bumper traffic, and shoulder-to-shoulder sidewalk traffic.  I need open land, beautiful countryside.  Just give me a few horses, some land to explore, a place to live, some food, and just let me have fun.  I'll be happy!

We headed over Snowy Range Pass (10,580 feet), went up in a little overlook "castle" (gorgeous views!), and I took a little trail (about 1/4 mile) through the "fragile alpine tundra".  Don't worry, I didn't step on any fragile plants; I stayed on the trail.  We also went to Snowy Range Ski & Recreation Area (in the Medicine Bow National Forest), took pictures, got trail maps, and dreamed of coming back (as we do at all ski areas we visit...no matter how big or small they are, we want to ski them).

We arrived in Laramie at 5 PM.  We are staying at a friend's home.  She actually stayed at our house a couple of weeks ago because she was in town for a funeral.  She took us to The Library (yes, and old library converted to a restaurant), where we had fried pickles and a special dip with vegetables/bread to dip in, as well as yummy pizzas.  Also drove around the Wyoming University campus (where our friend works) for an hour...really enjoyed seeing all the buildings and the football field (we walked right up to it!).  Now I've showered and I am ready to get in bed and sleep.  Tomorrow is our final vacation day; Wednesday will be a very long drive back home...but I don't care.  I'll be happy to get home, see everyone, and look back fondly on this amazing trip.  God bless you!

~Anna~

Jackson, Wyoming

Today, I woke up at 8:15, got ready, had breakfast (oatmeal and apple juice), and headed to the A-OK Corral (about 10 miles south of Jackson), arriving at 9:45.  The A-OK Corral, part of Horse Creek Ranch, offers one-, two-, and three-hour trail rides, as well as half-day and full-day.  In the fall, they do overnight hunting trips.  We did a half-day ride (from 10 AM to 2 PM...$92 per person including a $7 sack lunch).  Round-trip, it was about eight miles.  I was on a beautiful pinto Quarter Horse-draft cross named Geronimo.  He was surefooted, responsive, well-behaved, and a fun horse to be on for four hours!  Our ride took us along a road and the Snake River, then up into the forest (very steep, rocky ground and lots of switchbacks), and finally out into a pretty meadow looking at Horse Creek Valley, hills, mountains, and wilderness.  We stopped at noon for lunch (ham-and-cheese sandwiches, chips, an apple, water, a granola bar, and fruit snacks), crossed a creek and let the horses drink, and headed back to the ranch.  My mom and brother came along, as well as two men from Chicago and two ladies from Wisconsin.  Including our guide, a bubbly and kind 18-year-old girl who'd been around horses her whole life, we had eight people, which made for a nice small ride.  It was beautiful scenery and I was finally back on my favorite animal...for four whole hours!  Loved it!

After the trail ride, we quickly went into the Jackson Visitor Center, which has lots of stuffed animals (a grizzly bear, lots of elk, a baby elk, a coyote, a wolf, and more).  I found a postcard and loved the view from the top of the visitor center (out into a beautiful prairie).

Then we went to Teton Village/Jackson Hole Ski Area -- we rode the tram to the top; marveled at the view; took a small, short hike; went back down and had supper at the Cowboy Cafe (I had The "Med" -- tomato, basil, and mozzarella cheese on yummy toasted bread; side of Idaho French fries); and returned to our hotel (the same one we stayed at last night) at 7 PM.  I'll be home in a few days and I CANNOT believe how quickly this trip has gone by.  I've enjoyed seeing so much of God's creation, and I hope that you have enjoyed it just as much through my blog and pictures.  God bless your week!

Here's a video of our trail ride.  I'm sorry it's sideways; you will have to turn your head or tip your computer sideways...you have many different options of viewing my award-worthy video.  I am sorry, but do realize I was on a horse and trying not to drop my phone.  Enjoy to the best of your ability.

Atop Geronimo

~Anna~

Yellowstone and Jackson

Last night, the Internet didn't work again, so I was not able to post a blog (obviously!).  I apologize, but like the other night, I'll include what I did both yesterday and today.  Enjoy and thanks for sticking with me!

Yesterday (Friday) -- Woke up at 8:15, got ready, had breakfast (Mini Wheats and juice), and headed out at 9:40.  We are staying in the same place that we did Thursday night; it's really nice not to have to haul all our stuff out for one time.  First, I ran into Grant Village Visitor Center and stamped my passport.  Then, on the way to Old Faithful, there were some elk by the side of the road!  There were several females, two babies, a young male with small antlers, and a majestic big bull elk who was whistling when we drove by!

Headed to Old Faithful and saw it erupt at 10:50 -- it was cool to see, but not as majestic as other times.  We also walked all over the boardwalks (about three miles) to see the beautiful geysers.  Some people wonder how many different geysers you can look at without getting bored, and I just can't believe anyone would think that!  Every single one is so unique, so different, so beautiful, and a true show of God's amazing power.  At the very end of the path, where we turned around to head back, we saw a real treasure -- I would probably say it was my favorite.  A geyser called Morning Glory had DEEP blue water that seemed to go down endlessly, surrounded by an array of other colors.  It was stunning and many people have their pictures taken there... understandably so!  After walking around for awhile, we went into the Old Faithful Lodge, where we had ice cream (I had a scoop of huckleberry and a scoop of Moose Tracks).  We also ran into the store and got hatpins, discounted Christmas ornaments, and two postcards.  After that, I went into the Visitor Center to get my passport stamped, and when I came out, Old Faithful was blowing again -- more impressively this time, which made it really neat.

After that, we drove on Firehole Lake Drive, then to Fountain Paint Pot Area.  We had lunch there (I had half of a bean-cheese pita, fruit cocktail, Sun Chips, and strawberry lemonade sparkling water), and walked the half-mile trail to see all the pretty geysers and a mud pot!  It was burbling with mud bubbles all over the place, which made us laugh...just the sounds and everything is so hilarious.  Next, we drove on Fountain Flat Drive (short, but it had a little round-a-bout that Matthew drove around a few times...it made me laugh!) and on Firehole Canyon Drive (a pretty drive through the woods and beside a river that people were swimming in).

Went to Artist's Point, a pretty view of Lower Yellowstone Falls.  We were there around 5:15, and the sun was setting and pointing straight into my camera lens.  A good opportunity to use my polarizer!  It was gorgeous.  So then we headed on -- saw two herds of bison and one had a new, cute little baby!  We also saw a single bison down in a valley with Canada geese surrounding him before walking the 3/4-mile loop through Mud Volcano Area.  We saw more funny burbling mud pots there.  And to finish off the day, we went in the Fishing Hole Visitor Center, I got my passport stamped, and we looked at all the stuffed animals (most were birds).  There was a pretty chandelier made out of skulls of animals and antlers, as well as a detailed Lake Yellowstone geological map.

Finally, we came back to our hotel, my mom showered, we headed down to the Lake House Restaurant (just down from our hotel...I had the bison burger), and then we all came back up, got ready for bed, and were asleep at 11:20.

Today (Saturday) -- Woke up at 6:400, got ready, had breakfast (granola and milk), loaded the car, checked out, and were on the road to Grand Teton National Park at 8:15.  We went to Colter Bay Visitor Center (in Grand Teton) and proceeded to take a wonderful hike for two hours.  We went on the Swan Lake-Heron Pond Trail (3.5 miles) and half of the Lakeshore Trail (1 mile).  Before starting out, we talked to a ranger and she said the area was very active with bears.  However, one small can of bear spray was $45, and we were not going to get it for that price.  So we headed out without the spray, and I kept up a running commentary to scare them away.  There were a few trail ride groups and several other hikers, and we were always aware of our surroundings...and I prayed.  Everything worked, and we didn't see a bear.  We DID see a mama moose with two adorable babies and they were PRECIOUS!  The mama was in Heron Pond, eating lily pads, and the babies were up the hill exploring.  It was such an amazing encounter!
So yes, the hike was very good and it always makes your body feel refreshed after a nice hike.  I love hiking (especially to the summits of mountains) and it's the best way to see God's creation...up close and personal!  At the store, I got a birch wood postcard and a hatpin after the hike, then we drove up Signal Mountain (which you can hike up...and I will someday, trust me).  At the summit, there is a gorgeous panoramic view at mountains, a deep valley where you could possibly see some animals in the morning/evening, and much more.

So then we went to Jenny Lake, had lunch (ham-cheese sandwich, Sun Chips, carrots, and a huckleberry slushy), looked at the beautiful lake, and got on Antelope Flats Drive.  That took us to the Gros Ventre Landslide...but on our way there, we saw several huge herds of bison.  Some were lying down and relaxing, some were standing and eating, some were nuzzling, some were running across the road (they have a mind of their own)...and there were a lot of babies.  There was one BRAND-NEW, tiny little baby -- he was so little he could have walked under his mom's belly.  He was nursing and just looking cute, as all babies do. :)  We saw the landslide after that, walked a half-mile trail to a pretty overlook of a lake and the landslide, and headed for Jackson, Wyoming, arriving at 5 PM.  We're staying in the Kudar Motel; actually in a rustic cabin.  There's lots of space inside and we've arrived at our destination early.  We're going to clean up, head out for dinner (hopefully at the Sweetwater Cafe), and then just relax and get to bed.  Tomorrow morning, I get to go on a trail ride (half-day) with my mom and brother, and I am stoked.  I REALLY miss being on the back of a horse, and I can't wait.  Check back tomorrow to see how it goes, and for now, enjoy the pictures and God bless you.

THURSDAY'S PICTURES

A young female elk looks at the big bull.

Old Faithful

Morning Glory...SO pretty

The lobby of Old Faithful Inn.

A burbling mud pot...so funny.

SATURDAY'S PICTURES

Matthew and I pose with Mt. Moran behind us on our hike.

We saw two baby moose today...

...and their mom eating lily pads in Heron Pond.

Some of the view from Signal Mountain.

The tiny baby bison peeks out from behind his mama.

Gros Ventre Landslide Area

~Anna~

Yesterday & Today

Yesterday we didn't have Internet access and my phone didn't have signal either (we can use it as a wireless hotspot), so I was not able to blog.  I'm sorry!  So included on today's blog is also what I did yesterday.  Enjoy!

Yesterday (Wednesday) -- Woke up at 8:15, got ready, had breakfast (Mini Wheats and milk), loaded the car, and checked out.  We took a nice walk around before heading to the Interagency Fire Control Center.    Our tour guide, a rookie "Smokejumper" was very knowledgeable and took us all over the building and grounds.  We saw all their paraequipment (food, water, survival supplies, firefighting equipment, chainsaws, etc.), lockers (each jumper has their own with gear and such), where they hang up the parachutes to dry/air out after a jump, the sewing/repairing room (ALL the clothing/parachutes/etc. are made there), the outfits they jump in, and one of the airplanes they use.  We actually got to climb in it for a few minutes and see where the jumpers sit, where the gear is stored, the cockpit, and more.  At the end of the tour, we all got T-shirts with the "Smokejumpers" logo on it.  It was a great tour...and free!
Next, we went to the Earthquake Lake Visitor Center (closed for renovation).  We were still able to see the lake and all the rocks and devastated trees.  There was even a pretty lookout down at a valley with a rapids-filled Madison River.
After that, we drove on to Norris Geyser Basin to have lunch (turkey/ham/Colby Jack cheese pita, Sun Chips, carrots, an orange, and juice) at 1:30.  Then we walked on some boardwalks/trails to access the geysers.  They were beautiful blue-green pools, and one was spouting pretty high when we were there!  It smelled like sulfur -- familiar from our visit here eight years ago, and Pilgrim Hot Springs!  They also had a small museum there with good information, as well as a shop (I found a postcard).
Next, we drove on the Virginia Cascade Drive (about 2.5 miles), which took us past a pretty valley and the huge, white, roaring Virginia Falls.  We laughed at the tiny creek that forms the monstrous falls.  Then we checked in at 4:10 to Canyon Creek Lodge.  Our room had rustic forest-type furniture, mugs, tea/coffee, glass cups, and a bear-shaped bar of soap.  After checking in and getting situated, we drove to Yellowstone Falls and walked down a steep switchback trail to view the falls up close.  We came back to our hotel, went into a shop (I found a cute stuffed bison and a T-shirt...cheap!), had supper at a cafeteria (BLT wrap, salad, orange juice), went back to the hotel, showered, and went to bed at 10:45.

Today (Thursday) -- Woke up at 8 AM, got ready, had breakfast (granola and juice), loaded up, headed out, got some National Park passport stamps (I have a National Park Passport and I can get stamps at each park I go to...it's cool), and drove up the Chittendon Road.  On the way there, we saw a lone bison walking along the road.  Throughout the day, we saw several more lone ones, as well as a large herd this evening.  It took us up to a pretty viewpoint, and then we hiked a bit higher to get a really gorgeous panorama.  Then we drove on Blacktail Creek Road -- gravel, dusty, and a tiny bit bumpy (but nothing compared to the road to camp!).  Lots of pretty scenery, and we even saw a happy coyote who had just eaten a squirrel or mouse.  He was beautiful, fat, and healthy.  We also saw two big bull moose with huge racks of antlers -- they were happily eating up in the forest, paying no attention to anything else.  It was fun to see them!
We had lunch in Gardiner, Montana, at the Raven Grill (I had lasagna bolognese...yum).  For dessert, we all shared huckleberry creme brulee...so sweet and good!  After that, we went into a shop to find huckleberry pancake mix and syrup.  I got some postcards and huckleberry licorice.  We also went into a saddle shop and saw all the Western items and I was happy!  Then we went through the historic entrance with the big archway and took pictures.  Also went to Mammoth Hot Springs -- Upper and Lower Terraces.  Took pictures, walked a bit on the boardwalks, saw Mound Spring (burbling heavily, flowing way down).  The Visitor Center at Mammoth was good, too, with lots of great exhibits, including stuffed animals (there were baby wolves and a little baby elk...aww).
Drove on to Grant Village (saw four female elk and a baby) and checked into our hotel.  Got our stuff situated, then my mom and I went out for a nice little walk.  We saw Yellowstone Lake and people were kayaking on it!  Came back, had a huckleberry licorice strip and some carrots, showered, had supper (chicken-bean-cheese pitas and huckleberry-blackberry sparkling water), and are now ready to go to bed.  I can't post any pictures because it's late and I don't have fast Internet, but I hope you have an idea of what we're seeing.  It's fun!

~Anna~

Kalispell to West Yellowstone

Today I woke up at 7:20, got ready, had breakfast (a small waffle, a piece of raisin-bread toast, strawberry yogurt, a peach fruit cup, and apple juice), checked out, fueled up, went to a grocery store to get a few things for Grandma, and got on the road.  At about 1:20, we came to Three Forks (where the rivers Jefferson, Madison, and Galatin meet to form the Missouri River), where we had lunch (ham/turkey/cheddar cheese pita, chips, carrots, apple slices, and pina colada juice).  Then my mom and I went wading in the river...it was 90 degrees and the water was so cold and it felt refreshing!  Then we drove on to the Big Sky Ski Resort (huge, lots of awesome runs...we should go there someday!); also the mall (we went into the ski shop and found discounted pants for me...ski season is just around the corner).  Then we drove on to West Yellowstone, arriving at 6:45.  We're staying in the Alpine Motel, owned by a husband and wife who are very friendly and helpful.  Coffee, tea, apple cider, cocoa, gum, candy, and travel essentials are all at the front desk as well, making it a wonderful place to stay.  Then my mom and I went to a supermarket and got some groceries; then we came back and had supper (pizza, salad, apple juice) and dessert (a chocolate-chip cookie treat and apple cider).  Now I'm going to get my shower and go to bed.  God bless you all!

Three Forks

My mom and I are wading in the Missouri River!

~Anna~

Waterton Park to Kalispell

Woke up at 8 AM, got ready and took a shower (because I didn't take one last night...we stayed up late and talked with a very interesting teenager from Saskatchewan), had breakfast (cookies and cream oatmeal and hot chocolate), went to the Visitor Center and found some brochures, went to the Prince of Wales Hotel (big, fancy, got Waterton Park hatpins in the store there, employees wearing kilts), went into a shop because Grandma wanted a Canadian shirt (found a few good books), drove up a mountain road that ended by a creek with a mini-waterfall, then left Waterton Park.  We crossed the border at noon -- there were no problems and the officials were really fun and energetic.  Then we came into Glacier National Park and drove on the Going to the Sun Highway.   It was NOTHING in comparison to scary Mt. Washington, but it was still gorgeous views and kind of exhilarating when you looked down into the valleys.  We saw plenty of snow-covered mountains, and then we got into road construction, so we had to wait for 20 minutes until the traffic from the other direction came.  There were 160 vehicles...we counted every single one!  While we were waiting, though, we could look out one direction and see a huge valley with mountains and a creek and lots of trees.  On the other side, we could see various kinds of wildflowers in a rainbow of colors, from purple (fireweed...we've seen so much of it) to red to yellow.  We had lunch at Lake McDonald -- I had a turkey/ham/cheddar cheese pita, Harvest Cheddar Sun Chips, pineapple, and pina colada juice.  Then we went to the Apgar Visitor Center (I found two pretty postcards), as well as wading in Lake McDonald.  It was so cool and refreshing, the water was clear, it was so warm, and I couldn't resist!  My mom also came in and we had fun.  There were lots of little minnows swimming around, but we couldn't ever catch one...they were just too fast!

Then to Whitefish, where we met Karen (the pastor from Nome) and her husband George, at Mackenzie River Pizza.  It was so good to see them and I'm glad our trips crossed paths at the right time.  My mom and I shared a tomato-basil pizza that was excellent.  Then on to Kalispell (staying in a Super 8), showers, and bedtime soon.

We saw some female bighorn sheep (and a sweet little baby!) today!

On the Going to the Sun Road, looking out at mountains and more of the road.

~Anna~

Calgary to Waterton Lake

Today I woke up at 8:45, got ready, had a great free breakfast (yogurt with granola, sausage, eggs, and milk), relaxed a bit, loaded the car, checked out, then got in the car and drove on a LONG detour to the airport.  My mom's flight was late, and we were late, so it worked out well -- we were pulling up as she walked out.  She was waving, I was getting super excited, and then when she got in, we gave each other a huge hug (regardless of stuff piled nearly to the ceiling in the middle seat in between us!).  Then we proceeded to the Calgary Olympic Park, where we saw the ice rinks (there were three rinks; one was being used by female hockey players), bobsled/luge/skeleton track (a bobsled came down while we were watching!), and ski area/jumps.  There was lots of action going on, from mountain-biking to hiking to just enjoying the view.  After the Olympic Park, we had a late lunch at Fatburger, where we all had the Hawaiian Burger -- a beef patty loaded with mayo, bacon, cheese, and pineapple.  So yummy!  Fatburger started in 1952 in Los Angeles, so that was kinda cool to see the history of it while we were waiting for our food.

Then on the road, traveling past lots of cattle, horses, fields full of wheat (some was being harvested), and mountains way off in the distance.  We entered Waterton Lake Park at 6 PM, arrived at our hotel 20 minutes later, checked in, dragged our stuff in, and drove on a beautiful road called Akamina Parkway (through a great-smelling forest) that ended at a beautiful huge lake.  Across the lake was a tall mountain called Custer...and it was in America!  So I was standing in Alberta, Canada, and looking across at Montana, USA!  That was cool.  After the nice drive, we came back to our hotel, had a little food for supper (I had apple slices, water, and hot chocolate), and are now ready to shower and go to bed.  We're staying at the Bear Mountain Motel, which has free hot chocolate/coffee/tea, a nice big room with two queen beds, and a friendly staff lady who helped us with everything we needed.  Tomorrow we enter the United States...and stay there for awhile, I hope!  God bless your week, everyone!

We got to see a bobsled on the track!

The ski jumps at the Calgary Olympic Park.

~Anna~

Jasper to Calgary

Today I woke up at 8:30, got ready, took some stuff to the car, then went with Matthew to eat breakfast at the hotel.  It wasn't a free breakfast, but we had only snack-type foods left...and since we weren't just driving all day, I needed more than a cereal bar!  So I had a sausage, bacon, French Toast, a croissant, a cranberry scone, and apple juice.  It was so filling!  There was also eggs, hash browns, pancakes, cereal, oatmeal, muffins, orange juice, and milk.  It was a buffet and we went away very satisfied.

Then we finished loading up the car, checked out, drove through town a bit, and were on the Icefields Parkway, heading south, at 10:15.  It was a beautiful drive along a glacier-fed stream, lots of trees, and snow-covered mountains (some were "rippled" -- very unique).  We came to the Columbia Icefields, where we stopped and took pictures.  Matthew and I also walked up to the Athabasca Glacier (about 3/4 mile roundtrip)...you can't actually touch it (unless you are on a tour bus group), but we did enjoy the walk.  There were signs along the way talking about glaciers, and little posts saying where Athabasca had been at certain years, so it was kind of interesting to see its retreating path.  It was a good stop.

At 2 PM, we arrived at Lake Louise, where we had lunch (I had a summer sausage sandwich, Pringles, and pineapple juice) and looked at the ski area.  We also went into the lodge and looked around...see, whenever we visit a ski area, it is top priority for Matthew to find a trail map, so that was our quest.  It's kinda fun to see a ski area in the non-skiing season because all the trails are silent and green, and everything is just quiet.  Of course, I was sad because I couldn't ski on any of the beautiful runs!  After our stop there, we went to Sunshine Village, in Banff.  That's another ski area, but unlike Lake Louise, there was no activity at all...everything was locked up and shut down.  We still took pictures before continuing into the town of Banff.  And how overwhelming that was!  There was bumper-to-bumper traffic, people overfilling the sidewalks, one lone horse-and-carriage trotting down the streets (I said I wouldn't want to be driving anything in this craziness!), the biggest hotel I've ever seen in my life, so busy and crowded...it was scary!  I'm so used to little Nome, where you might meet five people walking down Front Street.  This was so crazy, I was happy when we had driven through and said good-bye.  Can you tell I REALLY need my empty country around me?!

After Banff, we drove on to Calgary, arriving at our hotel (this monstrous Residence Inn with a shower you could get lost in, an Olympic-sized swimming pool...almost, a huge exercise room, and so much more that I could go on forever about) at 6:45.  We checked in, brought our bags in, went out to get some groceries, and came back to our hotel to make a special supper.  We have a full kitchen, so I fixed cannelloni, chicken lasagna for Grandma, and stove-made crescent rolls.  We thought we had an oven, but we didn't, so I had to figure out how to do them on the stove in a saucepan.  They were kind of like pancakes, but they actually tasted pretty good!  Matthew and I also had a blast cutting up a really cheap pineapple.  Grandma made corn on the cob, Matthew served the mango-passionfruit juice, and we had a full-course meal!  After supper and clean-up, we all watched the Olympics while Grandma and I wrote postcards and Matthew blogged.  Then, after awhile, I served up dessert -- special chocolate-chip cookies with peanut butter-chocolate ice cream.  Then I showered, and now I'm going to bed...it's 1:30 here!  Tomorrow, my mom flies into Calgary's airport around 11 AM, we pick her up...and in 10 days, I will be home.  Where did all the time go?!  Thanks for sticking with me, everyone, and God bless you!

Driving along on the Icefields Parkway, we saw many beautiful mountains, such as the one above.

Athabasca Glacier, which Matthew and I walked up to.

Lake Louise ski area

~Anna~

Smithers to Jasper

Today I woke up at 8 AM, got ready, and went down for a great, hearty breakfast (pancakes with delicious Canadian maple syrup, ham, sausage, oranges, grapefruit slices, grapes, toast with blackberry jam, hash browns, orange juice, milk, cocoa, coffee, and tea).  There were also specially-made eggs; Matthew got scrambled.  The people who served us were so friendly and always making sure we had everything we needed.  After breakfast, we loaded up the car, checked out, were on the Trans-Canada Highway at 9:20, and stopped for gas in Burns Lake.  After that, we just drove along past lots of farms -- it was kind of different to see cows, pastures with bright green grass, and homes closer together!  I even saw some horses, which, of course, excited me.  At 12:30, we came upon Vanderhoof, where we quickly stopped at a Tim Horton's to take lunch to go.  I got a Tuscan Chicken Panini and a chocolate chunk cookie, both delicious.

After lunch, more driving until McBride, where we got gas at 4:30.  Ten minutes later, we were back on the road heading toward Jasper National Park.  Before entering the park, we rounded a corner and right before us was this HUGE mountain covered with snow!  Shortly after, we figured out that it was Mt. Robson, the tallest point in the Canadian Rockies.  And we got to see all of it because it was a clear, sunny day, so the whole mountain was visible.  It is 3,954 meters (12,972 feet).

At 7:20, we came into Jasper, where we checked into our Best Western.  Grandma and I went swimming for a little while, we came back, showered, put various foods we had together to make a supper, and are now ready to go to bed.  Below are a few pictures from yesterday and today.

The Signpost Forest in Watson Lake.

Here I am with the beautiful overlook behind me.  We ate lunch yesterday just down the hill from here.

One of the SIX black bears we saw yesterday.

Mt. Robson

~Anna~

Watson Lake to Smithers...Finally!

Today, I woke up at 6:45, had a nectarine and milk for breakfast, packed up, loaded the car, checked out, and drove to the “Signpost Forest.”  It started with lonely soldiers traveling through – I guess they just started tacking signs up, and it continued to grow.  People still put signs up…there were some from 2012.  Basically, it consists of city/town limit signs, state signs, street signs, license plates, creative signs (there was a toilet seat someone from British Columbia had tacked up!), and homemade signs.  There were a few license plates from Missouri!  Right in the middle of the signpost forest is some historical equipment and a picnic table, and outside the forest is a tiny shop covered with license plates from all 50 states, plus provinces and some foreign-country plates.  We were visiting the place at about 8 AM in the morning, so everything was quiet and shut down.  After spending about 15 minutes there taking pictures and gazing at the signs, we got gas and then got on the Alaska-Stewart Highway.

Around 11:45, we pulled into Stikina, British Columbia.  There was a sign saying the road we were on would be closed at a bridge (just one bridge!) on August 8 and 9 from 10 AM until 10 PM, which totally screwed us up.  There was no other shorter way to go, so we just had to make do.  First, we drove around town a little bit until we found a hotel where a lady let us call our hotel for tonight to tell them we would be arriving very late.  Then we decided to take a scenic drive on the Telegraph Creek Road – a packed-mud/gravel road that, 70 miles from where it starts, is the town of Telegraph Creek.  We drove about 40 miles of the road to a pull-out spot where we ate lunch (I had a sandwich – half chicken, half summer sausage; Pringles; and pineapple juice).  Just a short walk up a hill from where we ate lunch was a small prairie looking out at the Grand Canyon with trees.  It was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful!  I can’t describe how gorgeous it was!  You could see snow-covered mountains all around, trees as far as the eye can see, a gushing mountain creek way down in the valley…it was just so spectacular!  We spent a little bit of time up there, taking pictures and video and enjoying the pretty views.

From Stikina to where we turned around, then back to Stikina, was 80 miles and we really didn’t have anything else to do because no one could go through the bridge repair.  The drive was actually very cool with lots of trees, plenty of flowers, flowing mountains streams, and even some horses!  They were just by the side of the road, happily grazing and looking as beautiful as ever.  I got really excited because I hadn’t seen horses for so long (they don’t have any in Nome…or at least I didn’t see any)!  Once we were back to Stikina, we got back on the Alaska-Stewart Highway and drove until 5:15, where we arrived at Tatooga Resort.  We got gas there, went to the bathroom, stretched our car-weary legs, and looked inside for a few minutes at all the stuffed animals people had shot – there was a HUGE moose, a black bear, wolves, and others too.  At 5:30, we were back on the road, driving along all by ourselves.  If you see a vehicle, you almost want to pull over and talk because it’s so lonely, so desolate, so far from any civilization! 

Finally, we arrived at the Bell-2 Lodge, about 25 miles from the closed bridge.  We had some supper (chili and apple juice), walked around the place (it's also home to the world's largest heliskiing area), got some ice cream sandwiches for treats, and then drove on down to where the line for the bridge started.  As we were on our way down there, we saw two black bears.  Then, when we got in line, there was one right by the side of the road, happily eating grass.  A lot of people had gotten out of their cars and were taking pictures...and getting way too close, like 10 feet away.  Thankfully, the bear just climbed on up the hill eventually, but I felt like telling those people that they were putting themselves in a very unnecessary spot.  Then, later on when we were sitting in line, we saw another black bear up in the woods, and a little bit later, there were two just disappearing behind bushes.  It was like Bear Central!  At 9:25 (35 minutes earlier than expected), we drove on across the bridge.  Then Matthew did a great job passing two motorcycles from Switzerland and England and two big RVs.  After that, we drove fast through the darkness, occasionally coming upon a slow car, which we quickly passed.  I was on "Wildlife Watch" for the rest of the Alaska-Stewart Highway, then I tried to sleep a bit on the Trans-Canada Highway, which finally took us to our sleeping place, the Stork Nest Inn (our room and bathroom are HUGE!), at 12:30.

This was totally unexpected; we couldn't do anything about it.  I thank God for His protection -- keeping us safe from animals at night, keeping Matthew (and me for Wildlife Watch!) alert, and just getting us to Smithers safely...regardless of the time.  I call it a miracle because although things didn't happen the way we planned, everything still turned out perfectly, and that's definitely the hand of God.  I was praying the whole way to Smithers!  

We got to bed at 1:10, and now we are up, have had breakfast, and are ready to head out.  Have a great weekend, and God bless you all!

~Anna~

Whitehorse to Watson Lake

Today, I woke up at 8:30, had breakfast (a granola bar, blueberries, and milk), loaded the car, checked out of our hotel, went to a post office to get some Canadian stamps (they are more expensive than American ones...and different!), and went to the Yukon Transportation Museum.  The museum is home to the world's largest weather vane, a Douglas DC-3 airplane.  It moved slightly a few times we were looking at it.  Then we went into the building, where you can sit in the cockpit of a Piper Pacer airplane and do all the controls; sit in a trolley and watch a documentary; marvel at a model train and depot -- so cute; read lots of detailed signs; see stunning photographs; and learn about cars, trucks, Army vehicles, planes, and engines by seeing them up close and personal.  The museum also has a small shop selling books, postcards, and kid's toys.  The museum was really wonderful and I especially enjoyed sitting in the cockpit of the plane and seeing all the historic vehicles.

After the museum, we enjoyed lunch at Kentucky Fried Chicken upon Grandma's request.  We shared an eight-piece family basket, which included the fried chicken, macaroni, mashed potatoes and gravy, French fries, and sodas for everyone (I got a Mug Root Beer).  It was one of those incredibly healthy meals, right?  After lunch and fueling up the car, we drove on to Watson Lake, arriving at 7 PM.  We checked into our hotel, the Bighorn Motel, had supper (chicken, summer sausage, and Havarti cheese on sourdough bread; yogurt-covered raisins; some little snack cookies; and mango-pineapple-peach juice), and are now showering and getting ready for bed.

The world's largest weather vane at the Yukon Transportation Museum in Whitehorse.

Here I am in the cockpit of a Piper Placer...all set to fly!

The "Father to the Snowmobile"

~Anna~

Whitehorse

Today, I woke up at 7 AM, got ready, went down for breakfast (ham-and-eggs, blueberry-walnut pancakes, cantaloupe, and orange juice), loaded the car, and said good-bye to the B&B owners.  They were so friendly and hospitable, and I greatly appreciate all their kindness.  I had a wonderful night's sleep and breakfast was delicious...especially those Alaskan blueberries.  We went into the town of Delta Junction, where we took pictures at the official endpost of the Alaska Highway...yes, this evening marked a historic event: we drove the entire Alaska Highway!  We did not do the stretch between Delta Junction and Whitehorse earlier because we had to go a different route, but we finally got every inch of it.  We were kind of excited!

After taking pictures of the end of the Alaska Highway, we got on the road and drove.  When we got to the Alaska/Canada border, we took some pictures of the official welcome signs.  I even stood in two countries at the same time because there was the official line...so I put my left foot in Canada and my right foot in the USA.  There was also a bench that had half in Alaska and the other half in the Yukon.  I was joking that I felt like sitting in America...but no, actually I felt like sitting in Canada.  It's fun to joke around like that.  The border crossing was about 25 miles into Canada, and we got through it just fine by showing our passports and answering all their questions (more than we'd ever had...but we got through).

In Haines Junction, we stopped at a bakery to get sourdough bread for lunches and our supper.  The egg salad sandwich (very filling) and giant chocolate-chip cookie are very yummy, I can tell you that!  After our stop there, we headed on to Whitehorse, arriving there at 8 PM.  We checked into our Best Western (that we stayed at exactly one month ago...yeah, to the day!), unloaded, and Matthew and I went to get some groceries.  Then we came back, showered, got ready for bed, watched the Olympics, and are now ready to go to bed.  Today has been kind of bittersweet, as I left my companion for a whole month (Alaska)...I'm going to miss it and all the special memories!  But I am also REALLY looking forward to seeing my mom (this Sunday!), having more adventures in Canada and the USA, and finally getting home.  I miss my room, being home, and everything, but don't worry...I'm still having fun, I just really appreciate the comforts of having your own place that you sleep in every night.  All the little things that you don't think about...they come into perspective when you're away for so long like me.  God bless you all!

The end of the Alaska Highway in Delta Junction, Alaska.

The border -- the near side is the USA, the far side is Canada.

We saw lots of beautiful mountains today, but this one had the most snow...Matthew and I wanted to ski on it.  It's actually a glacier.

~Anna~

Fairbanks, North Pole, & Delta Junction

Today I woke up at 7:20, got ready, had breakfast (granola, yogurt, orange juice, and milk), loaded up the car, and went to the University of Alaska-Fairbanks Museum.  That was definitely a good decision because it was absolutely amazing.  The museum is two levels; on the first (main) floor, there is the Gallery of Alaska, Alaska Classics, and the Arnold Espe Auditorium.  The Gallery of Alaska is composed of several different alcoves with informative signs, well-thought-out displays, beautiful animals ranging from polar bears to the arctic fox (very cute), historical artifacts, gems (I saw my birthstone, the garnet!), and many biographies of Alaskan pioneers.  There was a special small exhibit on Alaska and World War 2, which was absolutely incredible.  There were so many signs to read, and unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to read many of them because we had to leave soon.  But the small bit that I did read was excellent.  Also on the Main Level is the Alaska Classics, an art gallery focusing on the beauty of Alaska with dozens of different pictures and paintings of everything from natives to mountains to cities.  The auditorium showed lots of half-hour videos throughout the day (we didn't go to any because it was an extra $5...and we needed all the time we could get in the museum).

On the upper level, there is the Rose Berry Alaska Art Gallery, The Place Where You Go To Listen (yes, every word is capitalized), and the Living Room.  The Rose Berry Alaska Art Gallery was...interesting.  It had a lot of very unusual artwork, but it also had a large focus on the natives -- baskets, clothing, jewelry, toys, hunting items, and much more.  The Place Where You Go To Listen was a room (that you must enter quietly) where you could sit on a bench and listen to Alaska sounds.  Grandma and Matthew went in and said it was kind of weird.  The Living Room was a place to sit, relax, and reflect on the museum...which, I must admit, is kind of good to to do because there's a LOT of information to absorb at a museum like that.

The museum also has a store with lots of items, including all those expensive ivory carvings.  Matthew and I found hatpins, a postcard of Otto (the grizzly bear that welcomes you into the Alaska Gallery...he's HUGE), and I found a $10 necklace made out of leopard jasper in the shape of a bear.  It's pretty.

Next, we drove to North Pole, Alaska!  There, at the Great Alaska Pizza Company, we found a Meat Lover's Pizza and Italian bread to eat at a pretty park as the sun shone down and a cool wind blew.  After our yummy lunch, we went to Santaland.  Basically, it's a monstrous store packed from floor to ceiling with everything ever made for Christmas.  Christmas songs play continually, and you can even sit on Santa's lap (except on Sundays and Mondays...he has to rest).  Also at Santaland is a fudge shop, a photo opportunity to sit in Santa's sleigh, and a chance to see Santa's (real) reindeer.  We saw several happily walking around their pen.  Unfortunately, I think Rudolph was out with Santa.

From before Fairbanks all the way on to here, we've noticed these little coffee houses alongside the road.  It's not uncommon for one to pop up every half-mile or so, and in several places there are two or three just 100 feet apart!  Finally we decided to check one out.  We aren't coffee drinkers, but they served us up some creamy, rich, yummy milkshakes!  I can settle for that.  Mine was vanilla ice cream with chocolate/peanut-butter syrup.  The place we went to (in North Pole) was called Sunshine Bagels & Espresso, and it sold breakfast and lunch items, plus sodas and fancy coffees.  The menu was simple, you can only drive up to it (it's so small you couldn't even walk in and have any room!), and it was lots of fun!

We also went to Rika's Roadhouse, but I stayed in the car because I was really tired.  We even got to see the Trans-Alaska Pipeline again when it crosses the Tanana River.  Around 6:45, we pulled into the Garden Bed & Breakfast, a lovely place out in the country with a large, luscious, colorful garden.  I am going to go check that out now.  Thanks for reading, everyone.  God bless you all!

A women's ceremonial robe could take up to a year to make!

A women's cuspuk-parka.

One of Santa's reindeer.

Santaland in North Pole, Alaska.

The Alaska Pipeline just after it crossed the Tanana River.

~Anna~

Fairbanks

Today we woke up at 7:30, got ready, had breakfast (Fruit Loops, a Teddy Grahams Softpaw, and milk), loaded up, and were on the road at 8:35.  We drove along and saw beautiful views, mountains, and open wilderness.  When we came into Fairbanks, we went to the Visitor Center, which has a fabulous museum showing information about life in and history of Fairbanks.  They also have a good shop, where I found some beautiful postcards.  One has a little baby bear on it, which I would love to see by the side of the road when we're driving along!  They are so cute...but don't get too close, because Mama Bear wouldn't like that.  Also at the Visitor Center is an antler arch, made out of more than 100 antlers nailed together.  It's beautiful.  We also saw a World War 2 lend-lease between Siberia and USA monument.

Then we went to the Fairbanks Community Museum, which is actually like two museums in one building.  One is focused on the history of Fairbanks and the gold rush.  The other is on dog mushing, with special information on the Iditarod and Yukon Quest dog races, the hardest two of the "marathon" dog races.  We even saw several dog sleds, all different designs.

Then we went back to the Visitor Center, where we had left our car (it is better to walk to most of the places in Fairbanks because parking is limited).  We had a yummy lunch of ham-turkey-cheese pitas, Pringles, peaches, chocolate pudding with marshmallows, and Snapple tea.  After lunch, we checked into our hotel so we could get our bags and stuff in early and then just be able to relax.  The room, which we got for only $85, is probably the fanciest one I've ever stayed in on this trip.  It's a Marriot, and it has a four-person couch (it's HUGE!), two luxurious queen beds, a nice big bathroom, a separate sink (so someone can be showering and another person can brush their teeth at the same time without invading on the person's privacy), a huge flat screen TV, a secluded alcove with a big comfy chair and a large desk, a wet bar with another sink, lots of space in general, and a nice second-floor view.  It's absolutely perfect, and it's a true miracle to get something so wonderful for so cheap.

After checking in, we drove up Mt. Aurora to the ski area, Skiland.  It has the farthest north chairlift in North America (and possibly in the world...they don't know).  Of course we had to take pictures of the double chairlift.  It was a pretty view up top.  Going back down into Fairbanks, there was a Trans-Alaska Pipeline viewing area, so we stopped there and took a look at the big pipe.  We took pictures and even touched it in one place.  There were also a few signs talking about the design of the pipeline.  It was a good stop.

When we got back, I went down and exercised for about a half-hour, then swam for about 20 minutes.  That felt good, then I came back up and showered before we all went out to supper.  We went to Gambardella's Pasta Bella, where I tried the Lumache -- four giant sea shells filled with ricotta cheese, topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.  It was very good.  After dinner, we came back and watched the Olympics for awhile.  Now we're going to get ready for bed and go to sleep.  Tomorrow we will check out a bit more of Fairbanks and go to North Pole...I wonder if I'll see Santa?  Check back to see how it goes. :)

The antler arch at the Visitor Center in Fairbanks.

The WW2 monument.

One of the dogsleds at the Fairbanks Community Museum.

The farthest north chairlift (a double) at Skiland on Mt. Aurora.

Here I am with the Trans-Alaska Pipeline behind me.  It's BIG!

Have a good week, everyone.  God bless you!

~Anna~