Family Visit #2!

CA Boy!

Legoland--right before Neil started acting like a dog and lapping water up off the sidewalk--a favorite pastime.

Legoland

Legoland!

Panda at the San Diego Zoo!

Beach house

Sunblock is a must!

Crystal in CA! Sister time!

Crystal and Nolan arrived in Oceanside!  Nolan got off the plane in San Diego and said “this reminds me of Minneapolis.”  This is what he continued to say throughout his time in San Diego. 

Nolan learned the following in California:

-boogie boarding is fun, but you need a rash guard.

-kombucha is not his favored drink.

-three year olds do NOT make things different (according to Claire).

-that you should not fly a drone by seagulls.

-that the train was so quiet that the house shaking lulled him to sleep and closed the windows.

-he was never cold.

-how to sail from someone learning how to sail and the teacher only hit one other boat.

-how to use a mountain skate board.

-that we could have just went to the Legoland hotel for free.

-that pandas are worth the wait.

that cottages by the beach are cozy.

Claire learned the following in California:

-that condo’s by the beach with a pool are her favorite.

-she was shocked to see the beach erosion that washed away some of the palms on the beach following a big surf.

Family Visit #1

Craft time with Dorthea

How wonderful to have some precious time in CA with Dorthea who flew in from Chicago to join us at the beach.  Claire and Neil LOVED seeing Dorthea or "DeeFa" as Claire says play with them at the beach and at the Wildlife Park.

Claire and Dorthea play in the surf

Mead

Why did we set out from Alaska, drive to SD, then back to the west coast?  

There is a reason behind it all.  

Over the past few years, we have spent a lot of time looking at mead.  Paul and I made our first batch of mead around 2004 and since then Paul and I have taken numerous classes at the UC Davis Mondavi Institute and as of this year are in the investigation stages of launching a meadery—lots more to come on that through the upcoming months.  

What is mead?  First of all as grain is to beer, grapes are to wine, honey is to mead.  Mead is sometimes called “honey wine”.  

As South Dakota ranks in the top in the nation for honey production,  we would use South Dakota honey as its predominate raw material to create mead. 

Earlier this year I spoke with Golden Coast Meads when we were at a class at UC Davis together.  This month Paul and I are interning at Golden Coast Meads learning the day to day of meadery operations and having a bit of fun as well!  

It is fun focusing on something so different from each of our professions but pulling in many of the skills our careers have taught us. 

Oceanside!

Claire broke into song as we arrived in California!  She is ready for the beach.

After the beautiful drive across the US, we cut across the Mojave Desert Reserve and the weather got hot.  The Joshua Trees got bigger and bigger and then suddenly disappeared and it was just desert.   

We stopped to fill up with gas at this iconic Route 66 stop in Amboy.   The desert is a strange wild place and apparently, filled with Alaskan’s—seriously we met 5 people from Alaska in a day and a half.  One of them at this gas station—he pulled into say hello when they saw the Alaska plates on our vehicle. 

Driving across suddenly we came across these canals vibrant teal in the desert on the salt flats, salt ponds.  They were so bright we had to stop to look at them.  I guess they flood the canals and then the salt comes up and when dried is harvested. 

As we drove toward 29 Palms we saw all of these old houses, abandoned houses and well lived in secured houses every little bit.  In areas you could see the foundations of all that remained.  It was strange and foreboding. A little Google search let us to what this place was…Wonder Valley. The last homesteading in the lower 48 in 1938.  Seeing this place you understand why it was last and wonder about the people that tried to make a go of it here and those that still do.  

Finally Oceanside, the night  we arrived as we walked to the beach both Paul and I  felt like, wow this is real.  Till then it had not really set in, a deep breath as we emerged from the water after a high dive.  

California Bound and Good Morning Zion

Paul says that every trip is a scouting trip for future trips.  That’s what the drive to CA was, not enough time to explore--just see.  We really had no idea of the incredible scenery awaiting, I-70 and part of I-15 is by far the most scenic interstate in the US. Combined with some detours off the highway it was the most scenic drive through diverse terrain that we have been on. 

We didn’t make it out of Nina’s till the afternoon.  We had not packed up yet and the night before had been up till past , it was so beautiful sitting on the patio with the flowers and the birds.  Eventually  we finished packing and the first night we drove to NE and camped near Burwell.  The next day we headed to CO and had dinner with family after touring Hunter’s Moon Meadery.  The kids loved swimming at the hotel pool--the temps are in the 90's. 

The drive through CO was incredible so many places that we wanted to stop. a feast for the eyes  As we drove up to Independence Pass the water just ran alongside the road—everything was so lush and green between the switchbacks and sometimes one lane access.  Bursting with spring and then into winter yet up on the pass.  Always we were surrounded by water it ran along side the road and the rivers raged as the temperatures melted the mountain snow. 

We stopped in Grand Junction after driving through the beautiful Glenwood Canyon to have coffee with one of my college friends.  

After pushing the kids so hard and having them get a bit grumpy on us we decided no more driving and setting up camp in the dark—where ever we were at 6:30 that is where we would stop.  Thus at 6:30 we were in the middle of UT with nothing in site.  We stopped at a town and found a RV park—and were told that no tents were allowed.  He told us though that we could camp at the city park.  The city park was perfect.  Clean, well maintained facilities, great playground and outlets.  We set up camp, the kids played, watched the corrals next to the park and we made dinner.  So nice to not be setting up camp in the dark.  Then at 8pm the Park Caretaker came and said we could not camp there and had to move….(insert tired angry thoughts).  The nearest campsite was on federal land 10+ miles out of town.  We packed up everything and drove out of town to the nearest federal land.  Paul found a spot amongst the cow patties and sage brush and set up our tent in the dark as cattle roamed nearby.  It was scenic and is now memorable.  

We took off at 5 am the next morning and made it into Zion!  The morning sun shone on the rocks, the road was red from the dust from the rocks and all you do is look up and up try to take it in.   We found parking, got the bus into the park and had a late breakfast at the lodge for one of the best breakfast views ever an then hiked to the Emerald Pools!  

Then drives into Moab along the Colorado river, through rural UT, into Zion and the Virgin River Gorge.  

These links (who knew that people do time lapses of driving) show some of what we drove through:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iuzjc40Qf4

Utah Drive - I-70

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQpRY8JE3VY

Drive to Moab - Hwy 128

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8y3qVru1x8&list=PLAPSA_jt5N-9eEy0iMCbxkEvaBZNGXDTG

Coming into Zion - Hwy 9

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1HfvORXQO4

Virgin River Gorge - I-15

TOGETHER

Ten Years!  Wow!

At Nina's Farm and with Sheri's Urban Chicks

Claire and Neil are being immersed into small farm culture in South Dakota.  

Kitties, pigs and chickens fill most mornings with afternoon tea parties.  

Seven baby kittens!

New baby chick--just arrived. 

Gathering eggs!

Neil only broke one.

Sheri's neighbor provides free day old bread for the pigs--they prefer to eat it while lying in the mud.   Claire named one of the pigs weeks ago and finally got to meet Sally Bacon.  Paul choose the middle name. Her cousin named the other pig--Glitter.

Tea time!  

Montana, Wyoming and finally South Dakota

Hail and rainbows in MT!  Claire was fascinated by hail.  

Long day of driving on the 21st.  Montana is beautiful but we are feeling the push to wrap up the driving.  The kids were in the car for over 10 hours yesterday.  Neil talks more each day.  He saw a truck with two dogs in it and yelled out “two dog truck!”.  

We drove and then drove again and again through a hail storm in MT.  Stopping along the side of the road and waiting till it passed only to keep catching up to the storm again.  The hail was over an inch deep in spots.  We finally arrived in Gillette, WY at 8pm.  Paul ventured out to visit the local meadery.

On our final day we finished listening to Steinbeck’s, 'Travel’s with Charley: in Search of America'. For some reason, I just enjoy this   His portrayal and discussion of America is enlightening.  Even is some of the book is fiction—his gift for looking at our society and seeing it at the cusp of change is very relevant to today.

We stopped near the town of Philip—were my grandmother grew up and had a picnic lunch at the local schoolhouse.  

We were not able to find the train depot in Philip but it was nice to tour the town—next stop Nina’s!

Processing

We decided to leave, the house sold, friends were told and goodbye after goodbye was said.

Goodbye’s are hard, really hard.  We love Alaska and our friends.  We have learned so much and lived here in full for over a decade. We started our journeys of dating, marriage and parenthood here supported by so many incredible friends. 

It is hard to know how to be able to fully express our appreciation for everything that all our Alaskan friends and family did to help us embark on our journey.  I simply don’t have the words to say how full my heart was and how much we will miss so many.

It was a good thing to have 4,375 miles and 10 days (most of them without smart phones) to just process the past few weeks and the significant changes. I really don't have the words to express this--just a feeling of a full heart and an ache from the goodbyes. 

The drive through Canada was beautiful and the kids did incredible on the ultimate family road trip.  

Wells Gray

We spent a day at Wells Gray Provincial Park--site of AMAZING waterfall upon waterfall upon waterfall.  Paul says every trip is a scouting mission.  This is a place that deserves much more than a day.  We saw Helmken, Dawson and Sphats falls this morning--so lush.

Helmken Falls--about 3 times the height of Niagara Falls.

 Dawson Falls

Sphats Falls

Alaska Highway

Our first night camping and last night in Alaska.  Dinner and location (Lakewiew Campground) were great--camping not so much.  Glad we were the only ones at the campground.  Kids did not fall asleep till after midnight.

We crossed the border around 6am and kept driving till the kids woke up.  There are so many rabbits. Claire thinks they come to the road to watch the cars. 

Later in the day we stopped at Kulane Lake to let the kids play on the beach.  The rocky beach was filled with rocks of all colors.  Neil spent his time throwing rock after rock into the water.  Claire built sandcastles. 

One of the top stops of the Alaska Highway is of course Liard Hotsprings.  Relaxation and warmth in a remote hot spring. Perfect after lots of driving.  Good think we were relaxed.  We had set up our tent before heading to the springs and then it started raining and then proceeded  to turn into a downpour.  We put the kids into the car to head for dinner and within minutes they fell asleep.  Thus change of plans--we packed up the tent and drove till early in the morning as the kids slept.  We drove into the oil and gas development areas. 

A little road stop and hike into Sikanni Chief Falls. 

Third times the charm?  Camping went great!  Kids went to sleep and we were on the road again before 4am as they slept.  

Log of Animals Seen on Alaska Highway

11 Black Bears 

Lots of Rabbits

1 Moose

1Porcupine

1Muskrat

1Lynx

9 Bison

2 Elk

3 Deer

Fairbanks

Had a spontaneous change of plans and we decided to leave Alaska via Fairbanks.  Great decision!

We stopped in Willow at our friend's gallery!

Denali stood out clear on this wonderfully bright day bidding us well on our journey.

We visited Calypso Farms to see our nephew who is interning on this incredible farm near Fairbanks.  We were so impressed with this facility and all they are doing.  Paul did not want to leave.  Really this is such a great environment for learning and experiencing hands on farming.

Then off to Fairbanks to our incredible hosts for the evening at their beautiful home above the Chena Ridge.  Hot dinner, welcome baskets and an amazing view.  I would never want to leave home with a view like this--so peaceful.

Today

The day is here—not sure how this came so fast.  Today we say goodbye to 1601 Birchwood.  In between the goodbyes, the packing, the cleaning, the closing and the moving of the kids to different caretakers we suddenly found ourselves with a few minutes of waiting before the final walkthrough.  Paul and I just laid down and looked up at the blue sky from the backyard.  So peaceful and proud of all the work that we’ve done and just having a moment to reflect on the spirit of this place.

Our house was filled with love, parties and memories of friends and sharing meals.  Friends painted our house when I was on bedrest before Claire was born.  Claire and Neil both took their first steps here. We had so much fun gardening and harvesting.  Airport Heights will always hold a tender place in our hearts as our friends made it truly a home. 

Ten Years

Ten Years.

Wow, can’t believe it and now with two kids in tow.  

For 2016, we are set to say, “I do” to an entirely new adventure.  A gap year of sorts, a time to really celebrate who we are as a family,  to lay out plans for the next ten while using the skills and strengths we have gained from the past decade..

When Paul and I came back our honeymoon of six months of European wanderings, we said let’s do this every seven years!  Well that time passed but we feel the time is right, right now to pull up our roots in Alaska (not without real pain) and take this precious time that we have with our babies and do something that we will always remember.  Something that at times tugs against our risk adverse selves, is not the most financially safe thing to do but is the thing that we will always have.  

The one thing that comes clearer are clearer each day is that time as they say just marches on. 

Our family has spent a lot of time thinking of what our core values and have decided that our key drivers are:

Serve

Adventure

Learn

Together

So for the next year we will use these values to guide us on this most undefined journey.  We plan on taking trips, spending time (loads of it) just BEING with the kids experiencing new things and setting the foundation for a new journey…that will end in South Dakota. 

We are excited to see where the next year takes us and how this will all work!