Alaska Trip -- Days #10-13

I am back and coming to you from the Portland airport as I hang out during my five-hour layover...this last leg will finally get me home to St. Louis!  Here's a recap of the past week's activities and menus. :)

Sunday afternoon/evening (July 17) -- We arrived at Salmon Lake Bible Camp around 3 p.m., helped unload supplies and boxes, and I worked with Grandma to fix the treat bags that all the campers receive at the end of the week.  Agnes fixed a delicious supper of sausages, cold pasta salad, garlic bread, applesauce, grapes, and that cold water straight from the spring in the hillside.  We hit the bed early at 9:15.

Monday, July 18 -- With a good night's rest, I was awake at 7:15, figured out how to change my clothes without getting out of my sleeping bag (hey, it was cold and my clothes were cold...no need for undue suffering), and headed to the dining hall for a breakfast of a cinnamon roll, banana muffin, and milk.  The rest of the morning was spent waiting for all the campers who had arrived around 2 a.m. that morning to wake up and come down.  After a lunch of chicken-noodle casserole, carrots, and water, the group headed down to the lake for water playtime.  Another counselor, Laura, and I took a camper out in a canoe, along with several other groups.  Much laughter ensued as the other two canoes we were with ended up tipping their canoes over, then we got to freeze our toes helping to empty them!  By the time everyone was back to shore, most of the kids had shifted to swimming and were having a blast splashing and running around.  After a full afternoon of waterfront time, it was time for supper (hot dogs, chips, carrots, leftover casserole, Kool-Aid), camp rules since all the campers had arrived, a session taught by Pastor Brian, canteen run (I helped Grandma, and got a Butterfinger), Capture the Flag on the beach, songs and snacks (cupcakes with banana frosting), and bed at 11:45.

Tuesday, July 19 -- Woke up around 8:00; waited for all the campers to arrive for breakfast (pancakes, hot dog "sausages", oranges, milk); helped with our team chore (washing dishes); did cabin inspection with another counselor, Lillian; helped with a session and craft Grandma taught; had lunch (hamburgers, carrots, apples, water); did chores (hauling water); assisted with a canteen run (grabbed a Kit-Kat bar); and sent the kids off to Pilgrim Hot Springs.  Seats were more than filled, and I had gone four years ago, so I was happy to let others go who hadn't experienced it.  I spent the afternoon relaxing -- visiting with the other counselors who stayed, playing Skip-Bo, and even trying my hand at adult coloring (probably not patient enough to try it at home).  Then the kids were back for supper (salmon, rice, stuffing, fruit salad, water), games and a lesson, another canteen run (peanut M&Ms), songs and snacks (chocolate cake), clean-up, and bed at 12:45.

Wednesday, July 20 -- Each day's wake-up time gets a little later as the week goes on...today was around 8:45.  After breakfast (French toast, oranges, milk) and chores (we had set the table the night before), there was a session/craft time while I did cabin inspection with two other counselors, the ever-popular shirt signing, lunch (salmon salad sandwiches, chips, Nestle Crunch bar, water), final canteen run, and then the kids headed off to Pilgrim Hot Springs again.  It ended up raining yesterday and today, which prevents the campers from spending any time on the beach, so Pilgrim is a good "plan B".  Grandma and I spent the afternoon busily working on making canteen change for all the campers, finishing the treat bags, and packing away everything from the canteen.  What time was left I filled with reading my Bible, playing another game of Skip-Bo, finishing my coloring page, and helping set the table (we try to do that so when everyone gets back, they don't have to wait for supper).  Indeed, when everyone pulled in after their busy afternoon, supper (ham, mashed potatoes, corn, rolls, water) was much appreciated.  After our chores (hauling water), I ended up quickly packing and catching a ride back to Nome with Grandma, Agnes, and a few other people who had come out to camp just for the day.  It was unexpected but nice to get back into Nome, take a shower, talk about camp over the leftover chocolate-peanut butter-candy crunch ice cream, and go to bed at midnight.

Thursday, July 21 -- I woke up by 8:15, got ready, and had loads of fun fixing omelets for the three of us for breakfast.  I stuffed them with ham, cheese, and onions, and there wasn't a speck left on anyone's plate.  A little bit of a banana bagel with peanut butter and milk went with it really well.  After cleaning up and washing dishes, we hit several places for various errands, "just looking", and shopping -- Nome Senior Center, Nome Nugget newspaper office, Nome Post Office, Miruskiya's (I found a very pretty ivory ring), Hansen's, and two unsuccessful attempts to hit up Chukotka-Alaska (it hadn't opened yet).  A couple hours later, it was open and we marched in with high hopes.  I found my dream Russian nesting doll, which I had set my eyes on last week and really loved -- it's about one-and-a-half feet tall and pretty heavy.  I was obviously meant to have it, because my fairy godmother Val texted me saying she wanted to buy it for me, and it was still there after five days!  Along with it, I grabbed a few other small items (mostly free), and we headed back to the apartment.  Grandma got some great bargains, and Agnes nabbed all 413 Russian cards (assorted Christmas, Easter, etc.) for free!  She filled four bags full with them and didn't pay a penny!  We laughed and treasured our bargains over a picked-up lunch from Pingo Bakery & Seafood House (crab pizza -- crab meat, spinach, mushrooms, and garlic on sourdough crust; a lemon curd bar; water), then I carefully wrapped up all my delicate items and packed them strategically in my suitcase.  Hopefully the TSA in Nome, if they had to open and inspect my bag, replaced everything exactly the way I had it!  For my final hour or two in Nome, before Pastor Karen took me and two other counselors to the airport, Grandma, Agnes, and I had a little birthday cake ice cream with pieces of chocolate-chip and peanut-butter cookies from Pingo, then said our good-byes.  The flight from Nome to Anchorage was right on time, arriving just before 10 p.m.  I grabbed an Unalaskan Carry-On (a veggie-filled pita pocket) from Silver Gulch Brewing & Bottling Company in the airport, and enjoyed it (along with a little bread from a loaf I bought at Pingo, a Snickers bar, and water) while people-watching.  My flight from Anchorage to Portland took off at 12:45 a.m., which I was able to catch some sleep on despite less-than-comfortable seats on the plane.  I have now been at the Portland airport since about 5 a.m., and my final flight to St. Louis leaves around 10:30.

I'll make a brief final post when I have arrived home, but I'd like to give my "closing profound thoughts" (or something like that...I'm not really that eloquent) now.  This was a truly wonderful experience.  It was so lovely to come back to Alaska, spend some time in Anchorage, learn new things, try new foods, meet new people, and then see Nome again.  I got to be a part of what will hopefully positively affect 32 young people's lives.  I may have only had three short days with them, but they were days full of fun, laughter, and teaching them about Jesus Christ's love for each of them.  I didn't teach any lessons or crafts, or lead any games, but I was able to interact at mealtimes, during chores and canteens, and use my position as a counselor to show them my love for Christ.  Sometimes what we do means more to them than we realize...when I was getting ready to leave Wednesday evening, I was running through the dining hall and saying farewell to anyone with earshot.  One of the boys on my team was sitting by the door, and he stood up, moving toward me without saying anything but acting like he wanted a hug.  When I opened my arms to him, he just melted into them.  In this instance, actions spoke louder than words.  I didn't need to say anything, and he didn't need to say anything -- we just understood each other.  I probably won't ever see him again, but the sweet boy wanted to show his appreciation nonetheless.  Gosh, I won't hide the fact that I was fighting back some tears as we drove away!  It is as I said earlier before I headed for camp, if I could influence even one life, it was all worth it.  Considering I also had several girls hug me enthusiastically as I headed toward the van, I would say I accomplished that!  I loved being around all the fifth and sixth graders, meeting awesome people with a deep passion for sharing their faith with young people, revisiting with people I met four years ago, and drinking in the peaceful solitude of the camp.  I don't know if I'll ever be able to go back, but if I don't, this couldn't have been better.  Praise God for his many blessings!

Sleepy Dog Mountain covered with fog

Capture the Flag on the beach

Shirt signing

Almost all of the group -- campers and counselors

Our plane from Nome to Anchorage

On the way to Anchorage!  We were flying over the Alaska Range at this point and there were some mountains visible in the distance.  It was so pretty!

~Anna

Alaska Trip -- Day #9

Today I woke up around 7:00 a.m., did some exercise, had breakfast (peach turnover, oatmeal, milk), and read awhile until the church service at 11:00 a.m.  It was so nice to visit with the same people we saw four years ago, and they remembered me.  After church was fellowship hour, where we shared a wonderful lunch of caribou stew, fresh bread, crackers with caribou sausage and cheese, and lemonade.  Now we are getting everything packed up to head out to camp in about a half-hour, so this is the last post I will make for several days.  I ask for your prayers for all the campers' and counselors' safety, and for us to be effective at sharing Christ's love and forgiveness with all the children who attend.  As I remember saying four years ago, if I can even affect one life for Jesus, it's all worth it!  Blessings to all of you, and I will be back Thursday or Friday (July 21 or 22) with a full report on the week's activities!

~Anna

Alaska Trip -- Day #8

Today I slept in until about 10:00, which is so unusual, but a week of less-than-great sleep and getting stung by a bee yesterday can contribute to extra-tiredness.  After a quick breakfast of grapes, a peach turnover, and milk, I spent awhile on indoor exercise and Bible reading.  That felt great!  Then Grandma and I walked to Pingo Bakery & Seafood House, a tiny little cafe with three tables and 12 chairs.  Parties of two are asked to share a table, so we were seated with two nice ladies who work at the Nome hospital.  One of them was originally from Columbia, Missouri, so we had a good laugh over it being "a small world", and enjoyed visiting while we ate lunch.  I had the halibut pizza, which was really more like a flatbread -- fresh fish, tomatoes, cheese, spinach, and bell peppers on a soft, airy crust.  We split two cookies, peanut-butter and chocolate-chip, and took fresh cinnamon rolls to go for breakfast on Monday.  There is no scheduled breakfast time since many campers are still traveling in.  Across the street from Pingo is Chukotka-Alaska, or "the Russian store" as we call it.  Unfortunately, it is in the final stages of closing down, so everything was 75% off.  We were able to nab some fantastic deals on Russian-made products, so now I have a few surprises for my family when I get home!  Upon my brother hearing about the sale, I had to make a second trip back to get him a Russian nesting doll as he is "fascinated by them", in his own words.  I got the second-to-largest one they had, so it's pretty good!  There's 10 individual dolls; the largest is about 10 inches tall and the smallest is a tiny 1/2-inch (at most).  I have to admit he's not the only one fascinated by them...I love them, too, so we'll both enjoy it!

By about 6:45, it was time to start fixing dinner so it would be ready by 8:15 or so, when Agnes arrived.  She is Grandma's friend from Minnesota and the fabulous camp cook.  It was great to see her again and brought back tons of memories from four years ago!  We enjoyed visiting and reminiscing over a supper of chicken seasoned with Parmesan and sweet basil, peas, cinnamon applesauce, garlic bread, and ice cream.  Now it's time to go to bed!

Russian nesting dolls

~Anna

Alaska Trip -- Day #7

My apologies for being a day late on posting this.  We arrived in Nome safely and on time, but I was unable to have access to Internet until this afternoon.

Friday, July 15 -- Our week in Anchorage is over!  We woke up at 6:15, had a quick breakfast (yogurt parfait, fresh fruit, a croissant with slivered almonds on top, cranberry juice), loaded all our bags, and drove to the airport to return our rental car, check in, and wait for our 9:50 a.m. flight to Nome.  By 11:45, we had landed, picked up our bags, and were at our apartment in Our Savior's Lutheran Church, which is the church Salmon Lake Bible Camp is run through.  We have plenty of bedrooms, a living/dining room, and a bathroom, and we can use the church kitchen for any cooking or baking.  It's great to be back in Nome!  After lunch (peanut-butter/almond-butter bagel, pretzels/crackers, water), we spent most of the afternoon settling in (or napping).  I helped Grandma unpack a lot of the boxes she had mailed up here, and finally we headed out to walk around a bit, go to supper at Milano's Pizzeria (I had the eggplant Parmesan, served with a salad, spaghetti, and garlic bread), and come back to the apartment for a little ice cream.  Bed in our cozy rooms was around 11:00.

~Anna

Alaska Trip -- Day #6

Today I finally got to sleep in until about 8:30, which felt really nice.  After breakfast (yogurt parfait, an oat-raisin muffin, fresh fruit, orange juice), we drove north to Wasilla and visited the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Headquarters.  Highlights were riding in a "summer dog sled" (aka cart on wheels) pulled by Alaskan malamutes and Huskies that competed in this year's Iditarod, holding a little Husky puppy, and meeting Joe Redington, Jr.  He took us on the cart ride and is the son of the man who developed and organized the present-day competitive Iditarod.

A little before noon, we headed north again on the Parks Highway, stopping briefly to eat lunch (bagel with peanut butter/tuna wrap, banana, peanut-butter bites, water), and eventually arriving at the Denali View South.  Four years ago, despite entering and spending quite a bit of time exploring Denali National Park & Preserve, we were unable to see the crown jewel due to such thick cloud cover.  This time, it was brilliantly clothed in sunshine and the crystal-white peak was perfectly clear.  A short hike up a trail brought us out to an unobstructed view of the highest peak in North America (20,310 feet or 6,190 meters), Mt. Denali (formerly Mt. McKinley).  The sheer size and power of it, even from so far away, is utterly breathtaking.  For awhile, all you can do is just stand and reflect!

Finally, after drinking in the gorgeous views, we started the long drive back to Anchorage, stopping for maple-nut ice cream at Millers Store in Houston, Alaska.  It's really good, especially on an 80-degree day (not kidding).  We got back to our B&B around 6:30, got most of what we could organized and packed up for flying out tomorrow morning, had supper (various leftovers), and are now getting ready for bed.  We'll arrive in Nome around 11:30 in the morning tomorrow.  It's been a great week in Anchorage, albeit too warm!

Ready to "mush"!

Loving on a little Husky puppy

Mt. Denali

~Anna

Alaska Trip -- Day #5

Today we were up at 5:45, got ready and had breakfast (the rest of the yogurt parfait and cinnamon roll, assorted fresh fruit pieces, orange juice), and headed to the Alaska Railroad Depot in downtown Anchorage.  We boarded a little bit before 8:00 a.m. and were heading north by 8:20.  We saw several moose, which unfortunately I was unable to get any pictures of because they were always running away from the train!  We also saw many beautiful mountains, including Mt. Denali way far off, and glacier-fed streams rippling with icy water.  It was a clear, sunny, warm day, perfect for enjoying a short train ride to Wasilla.  Once we got there around 9:45, we walked to the Dorothy G. Page Museum & Visitor Center, operated by the city.  I think it will be my most favorite museum of the trip...nothing against the other ones we have visited, but this one hit my sweet spot.  There wasn't information overload or vast, seemingly-unending rooms full of outstanding relics.  It is small and simple, yet portrays the history of Wasilla, the area's gold-mining past, and the Iditarod connection extremely well.  It is divided into two levels, and I especially love the entrance to the basement exhibit room.  It has been painted to look like a mine shaft (see the picture below), and it's so realistic that I did a double-take when I first started down!  Across the street from the museum is a historic village display, with homes, shops, a school, sauna, and post office moved to their current locations when the city began expanding and "modernizing". They are very well-maintained, and it is a joy to see the city and individuals taking care to preserve their past.  We were able to eat our lunch (a bagel with almond butter, chips, an orange, a homemade chocolate-chip cookie from the Krazy Moose Subs shop -- housed in Wasilla's former country store, cranberry-grape juice) on a nice picnic table in the midst of all the beautiful buildings.  Finally, with some time to spare before our train came to take us back into Anchorage, we just browsed through a few shops, then went back to the depot.  It turned out that our train ended up being an hour-and-a-half late -- due to the unrelenting sunshine and unusually-high temperatures, the track was literally warping, and driving a train over it at high speeds could cause it to break.  Obviously, for safety's sake, they had to slow it down quite a bit, which delayed things.  It all turned out okay, we boarded and enjoyed dinner in the bistro/cafe car (Alaskan cod, rosemary-roasted potatoes, coleslaw, and splitting a lemon-lime tartlet and chocolate moulton for dessert), and by 9:00 p.m. we arrived in Anchorage.  It was a lovely day to ride the train and explore yet another Alaskan city.

Beautiful Alaskan wilderness on the Denali Star train ride

It is very hard to see since we were so far away, but in the middle of the picture, way off on the horizon, is Mt. Denali.

The stairway down to the basement of the Dorothy G. Page Museum.

Inside the Denali Star train

~Anna

Alaska Trip -- Day #4

Today we woke up around 6:30, got ready and had breakfast (some yogurt parfait, half a cinnamon roll, pineapple, cranberry juice), and headed to the Alaska Native Heritage Center to spend the morning there.  We went there four years ago, but there's always more to see and pick up on the second time around.  It is a non-profit educational and cultural center celebrating 15 years of preserving the history of the native people of Alaska.  There is a walking path that leads past six replica native dwellings of the Athabascan, Inupiaq/St. Lawrence Island Yupik, Yup'ik/Cup'ik, Aleut, Alutiiq, and Eyak/Tlingit/Haida/Tsimshian people; indoor exhibits; stage with ongoing demonstrations; theater with various shows; and much more.  We walked around the "village", watched impressive native games and song/dance demonstrations, caught a show in the theater about the native winter games, and enjoyed a beautiful day full of sunshine.  Then we went to a nearby park to eat lunch (tuna wraps, a banana, carrots, honey-oat bars, water), followed by a drive down to Alyeska Ski Resort.  We also visited there four years ago, but it was a lot warmer and way less snow-covered this time.  I hiked around for quite awhile at the top of the tram, dreaming about the day my whole family can come ski here and see this beautiful state that I love so much.  We purchased "ride-and-dine" tickets, so we got our suppers to go (Italian sandwich, fries, a pickle, "mystery bar", water) at the deli at the top of the mountain, then headed back to Anchorage around 5:00 p.m.  It is always wonderful to see more of God's beautiful creation, especially the mountains that I adore.  I could never get tired of seeing them!

Native Heritage Center

Driving out to Alyeska on the Seward Highway

At the top of Alyeska 

A view from the top of Alyeska

~Anna

Alaska Trip -- Day #3

Before I begin today's blog, I would like to recognize this post as my 100th entry!  I am so blessed to have enjoyed many amazing trips, and to be able to share them with all of you.  I hope you like reading them as much as I enjoy writing them.  Here's to 100 (and many more) posts!

Today we woke up around 6:45, greatly appreciating eight or nine solid hours of sleep instead of four!  After a good breakfast (English muffin with wild Alaska honey, blueberry muffin, fresh fruit, cranberry juice) and getting our stuff in order, we headed to the Alaska Experience Theater to watch the Earthquake feature.  It's a short, informative show on the Good Friday 1964 earthquake that was just unimaginably powerful.  It's hard to believe how much our planet can shift!  Next we walked to the Alaska Law Enforcement Museum, a free spot housing lots of great information and artifacts from the history of policing in Alaska.  A highlight is the restored  1952 Hudson Hornet patrol car (yes, like "Doc" Hudson in Cars!).  We also went to the Alaska Veterans Museum, another small non-profit (admission is $3) with information, photos, and items recognizing Alaska's involvement in military history.  The 1:72 scale model of a WWII-era aircraft carrier is especially impressive.

Following the "morning of museums," we went to the Anchorage Museum for the afternoon.  Prior to entering it, though, we ran into the Anchorage 5th Avenue Mall to go to the bathroom and get a little pistachio and vanilla frozen yogurt, topped with blueberries and cookie dough, to go with our lunch (a banana bagel with peanut butter, carrots, an orange, water).  The museum is the premier one in the whole state of Alaska, covering thousands upon thousands of square feet...and currently undergoing construction to expand it yet again!  Spread throughout the four floors are Alaskan art galleries, over 10,000 years of history, a discovery center, and much more.  It could be considered information overload at times; there's just SO much to see and read!

After spending our afternoon in there, we went to the Brown Bag Sandwich Company to get supper in said brown bags to-go.  It was only about 4:30, so we decided to drive down to the Hilltop Ski Area, the Anchorage community hill.  Its charming one chairlift, two surface lifts, 290 vertical feet, and handful of runs made me think about Hidden Valley, my home hill.  We met a summer operations manager, Rick, who was SUPER kind and unlocked the lodge so I could go in to get a trail map and brochure for my brother.  He also took us all the way up the mountain in his utility vehicle just so I could take pictures of the amazing views!  It was cloudy, so we couldn't see Mt. McKinley, but if it's a clear day, you can.  What ended up being a quick "picture stop" turned out to be an incredible adventure!

Finally, after a wonderful second day in Anchorage, we headed back to our B&B to eat our brown bag suppers (I had the Day After Thanksgiving sandwich, multigrain bread loaded with turkey, Havarti cheese, and cranberry relish; chips; a pickle; chocolate chip cookie; and water).  Now it's time for another day to end so tomorrow can come with more exciting adventures!  Blessings to you all...and if you are friends with me on Facebook, you can see more pictures and videos from yesterday, today, and the coming days as I add them to my album.

The 1952 Hudson Hornet patrol car at the Alaska Law Enforcement Museum

The view out of the fourth floor of the Anchorage Museum

Hilltop Ski Area

~Anna

Alaska Trip -- Days #1-2

I am back again, this time coming to you from Anchorage, Alaska!  Four years ago, my grandma, brother, and I were driving here for our seven-and-a-half week trip of a lifetime.  This time around, we just took the airplane.  Grandma and I are spending several days touring around Anchorage before flying to Nome on Friday for the Bible camp she has been helping with for 26 years.  I will be a counselor for the first week of camp, then I'll fly home alone.  She will follow two weeks later.  I am so excited and blessed to be able to get away for two weeks, and I owe a huge thank you to my mom for caring for my horses, and to my family for supporting my desire to get away one last time before I begin college in August!

Last night (Saturday, July 9), we flew out of St. Louis at 6:30 p.m., arriving in Seattle, Washington, around 8:50 (Pacific time).  Our flight from Seattle to Anchorage had a gate change, so we ended up walking around quite a bit of the airport.  We had just a few minutes before they started boarding, and by 12:30 a.m. (Alaska time), we had landed in Anchorage.  Getting our suitcases and rental car was a breeze, followed by a very short drive to our bed-and-breakfast, Bach's Bed & Breakfast.  Glenda Bach, the owner, was so welcoming and kind, even at such a terrible hour!  Please consider supporting her if you are ever in this area.  After settling in, showers, and bedtime routine, we were asleep at 2:30.

Just a few short hours later, we were up to have a delicious breakfast (blueberry muffin, yogurt parfait, orange juice), get ready, and go to Anchorage Lutheran Church for the 8:30 service.  We so appreciated the welcoming members and staff.  After a quick stop by the B&B to change and grab a few items, we drove to Kincaid Park to walk on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail.  We logged about three miles, saw two moose, and enjoyed beautiful views, sunshine, and perfect temperatures.  Then we headed to peaceful Sitka Park to eat lunch (tuna wraps, carrots, a banana, cheese curds, water), and back to downtown Anchorage to rent bikes for the afternoon at Pablo's Bicycle Rentals.  They were very nice and helpful, and we quickly set off for a fun few hours.  Grandma went on a three-wheeled bicycle at her pace, and I took off for somewhere between 25 and 30 miles.  I did the whole Coastal Trail, plus additional miles from where it ends in Kincaid Park.  We both had a fantastic time and are so glad we decided to do it!  It really gives you a different, greatly-varying perspective of Anchorage.  Of course, we were hungry after that, so we picked up a Hawaiian pizza at Uncle Joe's Pizzeria to take back to the B&B.  Yummy food to fill our tummies, a forthcoming shower, and early bedtime tonight will end the first day of our Alaskan adventure.  Please check back each day to see what else we do!

A moose on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

Looking toward downtown Anchorage on the trail

Bicycling along the trail

Grandma and me at the end of our rides

~Anna