Last week we boarded a ferry and headed to the mainland. I had a cardiologist appointment in Anchorage, so we thought we'd make a trip out of it. We'd never taken the ferry as a family so we thought that'd be an adventure. The trip to Homer took about 14 hours because we had two stops to make on the way. So we loaded up into the old explorer and headed out.
The kids had fun on the ferry and there were some beautiful views! It was HOT and our little cabin inside was roasting.
The Russian Orthodox Church settled many parts around here and this little church was at our stop in Ouszinkie.
I am so glad that we brought the playpen! We popped that right in the middle of the bunks and Ingrid could play in there. Sleeping was a different story though. By the morning my back was killing me from wrestling with Ingrid during the night and sleeping on that terrible bunk. But it was an adventure... right?!
We got into Homer at 7:45 am and took the 3 1/2 hour drive up to Anchorage. We got to see one of Lane's friends who is spending the summer in Soldotna, so Lane was excited about that! Then we stopped in Girdwood and hiked a cool little trail that Reese and Lane did last summer but I had just had Ingrid so me and the girls stayed behind. It's a 1 mile trail to this hand tram that goes over a gorge. You get in a cart and pull yourself across the gorge over a big creek/river. Lane and I did it this time while Reese watched with the girls. It was really fun and just like most things in Alaska, beautiful.
We headed to Anchorage and stayed at a fun hotel with a pool. Ingrid loves swimming! Lane got to do the batting cages in town, they saw a couple movies, I got to shop, and we ate at our favorite restaurants. Ingrid slept great there because we had a two room suite so she had her own space. I had my cardiologist appointment on the 17th. I am so so grateful at the healing that has taken place. I want to go into that in another post. But... I continue to improve! Last October my heart function was 10-15% and last week it was 45%. My heart has gotten smaller (that's a good thing!) and best of all, I feel good! Praise God! So she'll see me again in December! That appointment was out of the way and I went on enjoying my vacation! That afternoon we went car shopping and eventually bought a car and so now we had two cars that we need to bring back home.
I was on the way back to hotel with the kids while Reese was finishing up the car deal and that is when the trip turned Griswold (as in Chevy Chase's Vacation movies...). We've had a Griswold family vacation once before. Back in Christmas 2008 when a freak snow storm hit CA and it snowed our entire drive from Southern Ca up to Northwest WA, whiteout conditions, closed highways, no hotel rooms, frozen doors, a sheet of ice smashing into our cars... Here's the link to a little of that story.
Griswold Number One.
I was driving through Anchorage when I got a call. It was the Alaska Ferry calling to tell me that my June 21st Ferry had been cancelled.... but never fear they rebooked us for the July 8th sailing (2 1/2 weeks away...). WHAT!!! We live on an island in the Aleutian chain people, we can't just drive back home! I was super nice to the poor man on the other end of the line (note my sarcastic tone). I pulled into a parking lot, got off the phone with him and called Reese. By this time both Lane and Estelle were crying and Estelle exclaims "We are TRAPPED!" I say to Reese, "Cancel the whole car thing! We can't even take the car back!" After a few choice words, Reese calmed down too and always being the voice of reason, said, "Just calm down, I'll get back to the hotel and we'll figure it out." I made a couple phone calls trying to figure out some options. I had a couple people who me and the kids could possibly stay with etc. The next day was spent making lots phone calls. We finally decided to park the cars in Homer with a transfer company who will store and load our cars on the ferry on July 8th and we bought plane tickets to fly home. We still had plans to drive up to Denali National Park... but the wild fires were posing a risk. I was afraid we would get up there and then they'd shut the highway down and we'd be stuck... because you that's kinda how the trip was going. But we decided to go for it, cause that's how we roll.
Here is a good action shot of what was going on on the side of the highway. That wildfire was burning 650,000 acres. But a pilot car brought us through and we arrived safely in Denali National Park.
It was totally not what we expected! Really pretty and we stayed at a place called The Crows Nest. It was a cute little cabin. Ingrid didn't go to sleep real well. I had to put her in her car seat in the car for awhile so she'd fall asleep and then carry her to the cabin!
My three cuties by the park visitor's center
Mt McKinley! We were able to see it on the way in. I heard that it's like a 50/50 chance that it's clouded over and you can't see it at all.
We went on a little trail and saw one of the forest service cabins that the park rangers use during the winters while patrolling the park. We were only there for a really short amount of time, but I am so glad that we saw that park. The views were spectacular!!
The day before we flew home we had to drive from Denali to Homer which ended up being a 12 hour day in the car.
It started out looking like this....
And ended up like this. Her brain hurt...her words. Ingrid did beautifully though. Why? Because she is a wonderfully laid back baby and she had her big sister to entertain her!
We spent the last night at a quaint old house turned hotel over looking the beach in Homer. But, old house equals thin walls, which meant Ingrid couldn't cry it out in the playpen. So Reese got to drive her around that night!
We are back home... without cars. Reese has a truck that seats three. He's borrowed a car from work that we can all fit in, but I'm not allowed to drive it, so he is shuttling us around for the next two weeks which means I've got lots of time at home! I've organized the playroom, our storage closet and my dining room hutch so far this week! These Griswold Family Vacations!! Wouldn't trade these memories for the world!
