Trip to Alaska! Part 1

Here we are in the airport, ready to go visit Grandma and Grandpa in Alaska for 9 days! We had such a fun time, even if it did rain most of the time, it was a nice break from the heat. We actually had to drink hot chocolate to warm up. We were able to convince my dad to come, so both grandmas and grandpas were there as well as Lori and Kara. Alaska has got to be the most beautiful state I have ever been to, and yes I have been to Hawaii. I love the green mountains, the water, glaciers, the wildife...there is no place like Alaska.

Daylen was so excited to ride in the airplane. When they called us to board we told him it was time to get on the plane and he gave a big "Yeah!! We are getting on the airplane!" As you can see they enjoyed looking out the window. We flew to Denver first, then to Anchorage, a little counter productive in my mind, but it was cheaper. It just made for a long 5 hours, but we made it!

Saturday was our first full day and Dave and Karen have neighbor who is way into gold mining, so he took us to Crow Creek Mine for a day of mining. This is serious stuff, he has a dredger that sucks the dirt and small rocks and gold from the bank, then we would pan for gold from that stuff. Here is my dad in his waders shoveling dirt to put through the sloosh (sp?), we didn't find as much that way.

I love Karen's outfit here, keeping warm while panning!

Brad and his brother, Chad, who lives in Anchorage as well, are running the dredger here. It was some seriously hard work. It took moving lots of rocks out of the way and plugging along. We found quite a bit of "flakes" between all of us, and even a small nugget. We were hoping to find enough to pay for the trip, but that didn't happen.

Some of us took off after lunch to hike to the hand tram. There is a picture farther down of it, basically its a little cart you use to pull yourself across the river way far below. Heather, Chad's wife, acted as tour guide. We did this hike the last time we were Alaska, but I was 7 1/2 months pregnant with Daylen then. This time was MUCH easier! Just a ways passed the tram is this bridge and fast, rushing river. It is a very beautiful area.

Lori, Kara, and I. It was pretty cold, fashion took a backseat. The flannel shirt I was wearing over my sweatshirt really did add a lot of warmth.

My mom and Kate. Georgous isn't it?

Here is the handtram, you can't really tell from the picture, but when you are halfway across, it is WAY down there!

This was just day 1, we jam packed out days full and took over 200 pictures so there will be more to come. I just need to pick and choose my favorites. It's going to be hard!