Alaska

We just got back from two great weeks in beautiful Alaska.  It was an amazing trip from start to finish, but the best part of all was getting to experience this great place with Ryan and Kelly as our tour guides.  We have missed them so much and really looked forward to getting to spend this time with them.  Riley talked non-stop about going to Alaska to see Bunky Ryan and Auntie Kelly, and was also pretty excited to see moose and bears.  This was her first plane ride with her own seat and she did perfectly on the very long flight up north.

We spent our first couple of days in Anchorage before heading out on our RV adventure to explore the Kenai Peninsula. 

Downtown Anchorage...the flowers were amazing

Roo and Bunky Ry on Sesame Street

Riley and Auntie Kelly

At the Iditarod starting line

The next leg of our adventure was the Kenai Peninsula, and we decided that the best way to get see this part of the state would be to travel by RV. We spent 6 days traveling the Kenai and I'm sure with the RV or "big truck" as Riley called it and 2 extra cars we looked a little like the Griswolds,  but we loved it.

   

Bon Voyage!

Pointing out the salmon swimming upstream

 Most kids first experience with an ocean involves a bathing suit, sunscreen, sunshine, soft sand and warm waves...not Riley's.  Riley's first beach was in Seward Alaska, where the water was freezing,  we were bundled in warm clothes, the wind was blowing and it was raining.  So, needless to say there was no splashing in this ocean, but she still enjoyed watching the waves and throwing rocks into the water.

Riley with Bunky Ry on the beach

Seward also has an Alaskan SeaLife center where we met Woody, a 2000 lb Sea Lion and Riley got to touch some very cool anemones.

The rain continued as we stopped for the night and Bunky Ryan and Auntie Kelly thought that it was perfect time to break out a surprise for Riley, her very own pair of Xtra Tuffs.  An Alaskan staple, they are the ultimate rain galoshes.  Riley LOVES her new boots and had so much fun getting out and splashing in the puddles.  We easily spent a half hour watching her run the puddles like they were bases in a baseball game and splashing as she landed dead center on each one. 

The next day we hit Exit Glacier, the first of many we would see on our trip and it was amazing to be able to hike right up to the base of it. 

Always our little daredevil, Riley's favorite part was getting out of the backpack at the top and being able to run and jump off of every rock that gave her a little bit elevation.  The best part of our hike was the unexpected wildlife that we encountered on our walk down, a black bear momma and 2 cubs!

We had turned around to watch Riley showing off her backwards walking just in time to catch the 3 bears walking across the path.  We were so excited to see them.

Our next stop was Homer, which is the southern most tip of the Kenai Peninsula and a little bit of drive from Exit Glacier.  Here is Riley after about 3 hours in the RV...

We had a great beach front camp spot to park the big truck that was right on the Homer Spit.  We were surrounded by beautiful views and Riley had so much fun combing the beach for sea shells.

Checking out the boats at the harbor on the Spit

As we started on our way back up, we stopped in Anchor Point for 2 days of fishing.  The guys had a great time on the river and Riley had fun watching the fishing.

Riley and Bunky Ry with his catch.  She wasn't too sure about the actual fish...

Riley was loving the fun hot pick fly that Popdaddy was fishing with

Our last stop on the way back to Anchorage was Whittier, where we took a half day, 26 glacier cruise of Prince William Sound.  The glaciers were amazing, but it was also great to get to see sea lions and sea otters up close. 

Here is a pic of Kris and I in front of one of the glaciers because this is how Roo spent most of the cruise...

She also missed out on the margaritas that were made with glacier ice...

But she woke up a happy camper when she saw the new sea otter that Gigi bought while she was sleeping

While we were disappointed with the wildlife we had seen on our trip, there were a few animals that had evaded our view, namely moose, which are supposed to be a shoe in up there. So we decided to stop by an animal conservatory on our way back into Anchorage so that we could get up close and personal with some Alaskan wildlife.  Here are a porcupine and moose, two of Roo's faves.

For our last few days, we went North to Willow where we stayed in a beautiful cabin on a very quite lake.  We spent most of our time up there just relaxing and hanging out together.  Riley loved the wild berry bushes and the gardens around the cabin and had so much fun picking and eating berries, especially the raspberries.  She was shoving them in her mouth just as fast as she could . 

Picking carrots with Gigi

Riley also had her first experience with smores.  Here she is roasting marshmallows with Bunk.

Checking out the sled dog puppies after our ride with some Iditarod dogs.

Ready to head home...

While we were ready to head back home to some sunshine and warmer temps we were very sad to leave Ryan and Kelly.  We had the best time and are so lucky to have had the opportunity to go and vacation in such an amazing place with some of our favorite people!  We can't wait to go back and visit again someday.