Land of the Midnight Sun

I'm finally posting about my Alaska trip! It's not every detail, but the pics below show some of the wonderful highlights.

I started writing every detail of the trip, and honestly, it made me sad. It made me miss all of my Alaska cousins! So, here's the shortened version. Pics and memories of a fantastic Alaska adventure...

Sleeping Lady on the night I arrived in Alaska

Lauren, Jonas, Ahnna, Kathy, & friend

Sherri and the big birthday boy, Jonas

Out for coffee... Ahnna & Jonas

Shopping in downtown Anchorage... I was worried this might be the only moose I'd see!

With Kathy, shopping in downtown Anchorage...

Jon & me before my first ride in a float plane...

The view of the Spit from Jon's plane... the tide was out, and everything was bright & glittery.

Flying over Eagle Glacier

A little closer to Eagle Glacier...

I love this picture. We got down pretty close to the glacier. These chasms are huge, even though they look small. A person would seriously be a dot on them!

Uncle Bob & Aunt Darlene

Lovely dinner with the fam... (starting left & going clockwise around the table) Heath, William, Jon, Kathy, Aunt Darlene, Uncle Bob, Sherri

Me with Captain Cook

While William was at Civil Air Patrol, I drank in the scenery...

I think I could have stood and looked at this view for hours!

On the way to Seward... driving the route I had flown with Jon just days before. It was hazy like this all throughout the trip, but it gave the scenery this mystical, magical feeling. Gorgeous!

On the way to Seward... the water in the rivers & streams is this beautiful bright greenish blue from the glaciers. The picture hardly captures the color. It's beautiful!

On the way to Seward...

The drive to Seward...

The view from the Marine Life Center in Seward. Breathtaking... I could have stood there all day!

Sea Otters playing in the water

Exit Glacier

Kathy & Tena at Exit Glacier

Exit Glacier & Me

This sums it up. My whole trip was pure joy. I could hardly contain it in my body!

Jumping for JOY at Exit Glacier

Having fun hiking back from Exit Glacier. Ahnna & Tiny Tena!

Kathy & Tiny Ahnna!

Hiking back from Exit Glacier

Hiking back from Exit Glacier

Driving back from Exit Glacier

The drive back from Seward was stunning. This must have been about 11:30 or so at night. Everything was shades of blue gray with a peachy horizon. I took this by sticking my arm out the window as we were speeding along... that's the antenna of the truck in the middle.

After seeing two sets of moose mamas & babies, I was satisfied... then, along comes a big bull, just walking along the side of the road!

I couldn't believe my eyes... it was coming right toward us!

Close enough to touch as it walked by the vehicle!

Sunset in Anchorage. This must have been about midnight or so... the sun dips under for a few hours, but it never gets totally dark.

Ahnna & I coming in from an awesome canoe adventure. The loons swam so close to us... one even swam right under the front of the canoe. It was so amazing... it took my breath away!

Tena, Kathy, Ahnna, & William after canoeing at Otter Lake