Have I mentioned before that I am a terrible planner? I think I have. Traveling mixed with poor planning has derived a direct link to questionable meals. Pictured above is prime exhibit number one: Pride hiding in his "nest" devouring his chocolate bar. Field rations had run dangerously low, requiring us to resort to brat and chocolate night. A plain bratwurst and a simple chocolate bar. Morning sent us on a mission into town to resupply. A few days later, full of dry camping in various parking lots and state camping sites led to a similar situation, and breakfast sushi.
I contemplated this meal long and hard, slightly reminiscent of liver night of childhood. Much to my amazement, unlike liver night, I would go for breakfast sushi again. I believe the night before this momentous meal was spectacular dining experience in it's own right...chips and bananas. I'm not really sure how the chips lasted long enough to be part of such a meal as they are typically the first of our supplies to be devoured.
Camper life hasn't been all about food or where our next meal is coming from, although the bbq is fired up and I am getting hungry (ribs, coleslaw, and corn in case you were wondering).
It has also been a beautiful adventure.
Going where ever the wind blows. Never sure what we'll see out our front door tomorrow.
One such day brought us back to Anchorage from the Kenai area. Making a brief stop for maintenance for our vehicle on our way to Fairbanks. While our truck was being worked on, we decided to take our dogs for a walk. The people working at Lithia Chevrolet were super nice, directing us to an open fenced area where they could run free. They had a blast chasing seagulls they would never catch. The kids and I noticed a raven hopping around at the back of the lot, then the dogs noticed. As they ran closer, the raven wasn't flying, and appeared more and more distressed. Pride noticed the problem and ran to the rescue as we called the dogs off their pursuit. The raven had a broken wing and couldn't fly.
As it turns out, the workers had been looking for the bird for days, they tried to catch him, unsuccessfully, as he was being pestered by seagulls. Once captured, he was able to be sent to a rescue. Afterwords off to Fairbanks to Chena Hot Springs for a bit of relaxation.
I should mention here, Chena hot springs has a very interesting decommissioned plane on the premises where you are allowed to take a peek inside.
Another fun fact about the plane, the emergency exit seen here at the nose of the nose is unlocked. Of course, we had to check.
After the hot springs, another drive was in order. Oh, the things we have seen, a bit of everything. From beautiful scenery to interesting town life. North Pole, of course it was a fun place to pass through.
From Santa to spontaneous combustion, or naughtiness I'm not quite sure which. Although, a bit of naughtiness was in our future. We ran out of fresh water as we rolled into another town, where we resorted to desperate measures (at this point I think I'd rather not say where we were).
I think the picture speaks for its self. Pride ducked and hid as soon as he saw me, ready to take this incriminating photo. We are now relaxing in what is probably the most beautiful area I have ever seen, Valdez. Between the mountains surrounding us and the ocean, I'm not sure which are more breathtaking. It has been a constant sensory overload. We spent the 4th of July here. I didn't realize the small town feel I had been missing so very much. Missoula has been a great place to raise our kids, but there is just something about a small town. Sure some can be harsh, but some strive to make whoever you are feel like you are welcome and are right at home. Valdez is one of those communities. From Uncle Salmon to kids just riding around being kids, lighting fireworks under the midnight sun, to burgers and a marshmallow roasting station, the people here make you feel like you are at home not matter who you are.
I'm excited for whatever our future holds. Throughout our travels we have found so many kind and interesting people that have shared their adventures with us. I hope to be able to share our experiences and maybe inspire others to find their own adventures whatever they may be. It is okay to set out unsure of the outcome, whatever your comfort zone may be, and to push it just a little. It maybe a slight departure from normalcy to an all out adventure. That being said an all out adventure is in the eye of the beholder. Until next time, find the joy in every day, strive to get out of your comfort zone to experience something new no matter how big or small it may seem, and lastly take a little time to slow down.
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