Sunday morning we wake up to voices. The spot we chose to camp had a magical view, but apparently it is on some website or map because every other car stopped!

Laurie and Andy were up around 630am and chatted for about an hour. This is the first time we’ve had a chance to have an actual conversation at length without interruption from kiddos needing this or wanting that in over a month!

After our chat we snoozed again and all woke up around 9am. The skies were grey and Andy wanted to drive the remaining 22 miles of the dirt road before more rain fell.

For the most part the road is in good shape but there are many sections with potholes. Andy took his time and kept the RV as smooth as possible. Today was special because he had a copilot. Miles rode in the front seat with dada while the gals hung out in the coach. The speed limit on this dirt highway is 50 mph. Andy was doing 20 – 25 mph most of the way so it took us almost an hour to get to Brushkana Campground, a BLM campground along the banks of the Brushkana River.

We weren’t sure if we were going to stay here or check out another location 1 mile further mentioned in the Milepost but with Miles getting antsy and the rain coming down harder we decided to find a site and call it home for the night. Andy went to level the RV and unfortunately but rather predictably, Miles made a lot of noise after promising to whisper and woke Ani from her nap. We have to settle for a 40 minute nap.

We spent the afternoon hanging out in the camper until about 2pm, when Andy took Ani out to play in the rain and look for blueberries, giving Miles a chance to nap. After about an hour Ani wanted to go back and Andy obliged when he heard noises coming from the camper. Miles was having a snack and playing while Laurie was in the bed over the cab. Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around? (:

Around 4pm Andy strapped Ani to his chest and took her out for her nap. As soon as they left the RV Ani was out like a light. Laurie got Miles dressed and they too left the RV in search of blueberries. We are too late for this location but Laurie still managed to collect a Talentis worth of blueberries. We all had fun picking blueberries while Ani slept and returned to the RV when she woke up.

Before going in, we looked in awe at how dirty the RV got on the drive. The sides and rear of the RV were caked in mud. And the bikes, oh the poor bikes. You couldn’t even tell what color they were!

We had a mellow evening and went to bed early with hopes of an early-ish start for the 4 hour drive back to Anchorage. Laurie wanted to stay one more night out of the city, but Andy (with good fore thought) wanted us to have time to pack and organize.

We left our campsite at 9 am and made our way south. It was another gray and rainy day. The spot we had camped 2 nights ago looked totally different on the way out.

The kids did great and we made decent time. We stopped for lunch and to stretch our legs about 30 minutes north of Anchorage.

Ani and Miles walked the nearly 1 miles loop around Relfection Lake. There were no mountain views but we were happy to be out without raincoats.

We had hoped to get some of our town chores/travel prep done today but realized it was Labor Day and everything was closed. So we had a mellow evening in the RV park with hopes of an early bedtime and full last day.

Tuesday was our last day in Alaska. Laurie woke up feeling bittersweet. Trip endings are always a little sad for her as she mourns the end of an adventure. Even though at times it was exhausting and frustrating, Laurie loves being an “adventure mama.” Trips and adventure make her heart sing. Andy, while he also likes to travel and be out, is very excited for the move to Boise. And Miles, he is just excited to be going on an airplane and to get his UPS truck he has been promised when we return to Oakland.

We make the morning special by stopping at a bakery on the way to Pablo’s bike rental to rent a burley. We intend to do the coastal bike path again- this time with Andy and Ani. Despite having bikes and seats for all, we decide to rent a burley so Ani is more comfortable, and hopefully more content, and Miles can ride his bike or sit on the seat behind Andy.

The bike ride is lovely but we don’t see any wildlife. Miles rides about a mile before proclaiming he is tired and wants a break. We squeeze out another mile using dried mango and races as motivation. Laurie then straps his bike to her rack and Miles sits in the seat behind Andy. Andy has a heavy load but doesn’t mind. Our ride continues like that- start and stop.

Around mile 7 Laurie separates and rides to the end (mile 11) while Andy and the kiddos return to the RV. Laurie loves the feeling of the wind on her face and her heart racing- the first real exercise she have gotten in over a month! We meet up at a playground about a mile from where we parked. We all have fun running around, swinging and sliding.

Miles happily gets back on his bike to ride the 1 mile to the start. His smile quickly faded as we get to a small incline. Despite having pedals, his strider bike is 1 speed and his legs get tired spinning super fast on the flats or downhill. Encouraged by those walking the trail, he makes it to the top. We walk our bikes up the final hill to meltdown central at the RV. Both kids are tired.

Ani wants to walk and squirms as Laurie tries to wrangle her to avoid cars in the parking lot. Miles is hungry and tired but doesn’t want anything we offer. It is just one of those times.

We head to Fred Meyer (the store that has it all!) for a few last minute items before picking up Moose’s tooth pizza for dinner.

Our final evening is more of the same: Miles starts to play with his trucks but doesn’t want to share with Ani. When we give Ani something to play with Miles wants that instead. Both kid cry. And so the cycle repeats until it is time for bed. Neither kid took an afternoon nap so resiliency is low.

After packing up the duffel bags with what we need for 6 days in Oakland, Laurie takes a shower. Five minutes later when we go to shower Miles we discover there is no hot water. Between Fred Meyer and Moose’s Tooth we had stopped to fill the propane tank and apparently forgot to turn the knob back. Laurie’s shower drained the hot water tank and it didn’t refill. Wet wipe shower it is for the kiddos!

The past few nights we have tried a new sleeping arrangement with Laurie and both kids sleeping in the bed over the cab. This works since we all go to sleep at the same time and Miles is a heavy sleeper and doesn’t wake up to Ani shifting and asking for milk. Plus, it is good practice for the next week when we will inevitably all share a bed in Oakland!

The flight home is smooth. Miles takes his role as “mama’s helper” very seriously. Ani sleeps for the first 90 minutes of the 4 hour flight and is reasonably entertained by food, beads, toys and the iPad for the remainder of the time.

Joanna graciously picks us up at SFO. When walking outside to wait for her Laurie turns to Miles and asks, “what is this?” Squinting back he looks confused. The sun! We have missed the brightness and warmth of the sun.

Despite all the gray and rainy days, Alaska is magical. Similar to our experience in Nepal; before even leaving we want to come back! But maybe with older kids or just as a couple so we can actually hike and explore the enchanted land!

Next stop: Oakland for 6 days and then off to start our new chapter in Boise.

We opened our eyes around 9:30 am to the sound of rain. We met with Jeanie, Matt and Arya briefly in the Costco parking lot before parting ways. They would stay in Anchorage another 2 days and we had reservations at Denali State Park (or so we thought).

The 2.5 hour drive turned into 5 with stops when the kids were hungry or fussy. It poured as Andy drove so each stop we stayed inside. It was nice having space to stetch without having to get wet but it was evident we all needed some fresh air. Once at K’esugi Ken campground we realized we didn’t know our site number. Laurie had made the reservation 2 weeks ago over the phone but never received a confirmation email.

This created frustration for all of us. We were all ready to be at camp but it was after 5 pm so the offices were closed and there was no ranger or camp host on site. We drove the loop twice but our name wasn’t on any of the posts. Luckily we found 1 first come first serve RV site and claimed it. This would be our home for 2 nights and we would call Reserve America in the morning.

Ani, our water child, picked up her shoes, her sign that she wants out. Dressed in snow boots (thank you Jeanie and the Anchorage Goodwill!), rain pants and a raincoat she explored. Miles, our fair weather child, took some convincing. Eventually we all wandered around, until we realized it was 7 pm and we still needed to make dinner.

Once again, we were eating at 8 pm and the kids were going to sleep at 9:30. Andy feels like we are doing the kids a disservice by keeping them up late; Laurie feels it is part of traveling. Sometimes these different view points offer balance, more frequently it feels like we are on different teams.

We eventually fall asleep to the sound of the rain. Ani wakes up about 90 minutes later screaming. She had a fever which persisted throughout the night. Miles offered Ani his singing/star projecting octopus which quieted her down for a few moments. Andy and Laurie take turns holding her all night. Around 2 am Miles wakes up soaking wet. He rarely has accidents but tonight was a big one. We took it in stride, both laughing at the chaos and ensuring we took care of both kids.

Despite having pee from his knees to his armpits, Miles adamantly refused to shower. Not wanting a power struggle, Andy got him new pj’s and Laurie changed the sheets. Just as Laurie was closing her eyes, Miles said he was itchy and wanted to shower. Up again, we cleaned him off, got new pjs and snuggled back into bed.

During moments like this we work well together. We both remained calm and took turns holding an uncomfortable Ani and attending to a wet Miles. Despite many moments of frustration stemming from our, at times, very different parenting styles, we are glad to be out traveling and spending this time together as a family.

We take the following day as a “zero” day. We plan to do laundry in Denali NP the following day so, for the first time in a month, we don’t move the camper. We don’t drive anywhere! We listen to the rain, color and play with trucks. Ani takes a 2.5 hour nap as Laurie walks in circles around the campground. This is one of the nicest State Park campgrounds either of us have visited. The electrical hookup is convenient and lets us use the air fryer – our new favorite appliance 🙂

We spoke with someone at the Alaska State Park office and they confirmed we were booked for 2 nights. Apparently the Ranger had neglected to write our name on the post so someone else took our spot. It all worked out and we were grateful to have secured a first come first serve spot.

We chatted with a woman and her 23 month old daughter who were out walking circles around the campground in the rain. They were a family from the Czech Republic who had been traveling since January, starting in Panama and traveling north. We commiserated about the challenges of traveling with young kids. She and her daughter were flying home the following week while her husband drove across Canada to Halifax where he would ship their truck home. She was envious of our spacious RV, particularly on a rainy day like today, and Andy loved their built out Land Cruiser.

Wednesday we drove to Denali National Park. We do laundry, dump and fill the tanks and eventually make our way to the train depot. We had hoped to get there early enough to put more coins on the track but, as per usual, everything takes longer than we anticipate and desire.

Jeanie, Matt and Arya arrive on the train from Anchorage at 5:45 pm. We are busily picking blueberries when we hear the train whistle. We discovered this blueberry patch 3 weeks ago and have yet to discover a better one!

Jeanie and Matt intend to get married the following day so we spend the following hour figuring out logistics and taking them to their hotel.

We rush back into the park at 6:45 to borrow car seats from the bus depot which closes at 7pm. We learned our lesson about buses and car seats and want to have them in case we take the bus. Andy has no interest in busing to see wildlife but who knows what the next 3 days will bring and we want to be prepared with lightweight options.

No matter what we do, we seem to rush. This annoys and irritates Andy. “What is the point of going on vacation if we are constantly rushing?” It is a fair question, but Laurie feels that if we don’t rush we literally wouldn’t leave the RV because each of the 4 of us typically has different needs and speeds. Andy feels there’s a way to do things we all want to do, while serving everyone’s needs without rushing. And that secret is to plan less. But Laurie’s head would literally explode if she didn’t plan so we butt heads every day, whether we’re traveling or at home.

We succumb to the fact that we will get to camp at dark. We eat dinner at a pullout about 5 miles into the park. We smile as cars slow down or pull in behind us thinking we have spotted wildlife.

Within 10 minutes of driving again we see 3 cars pulled over. There, on the right side of the road are 3 female moose about 150 yds away. As Andy looks to pull over we notice on the left side of the road that Denali is visible!

We are more excited about Denali than the moose. Others see us looking and come to see what we see. In no time at all the right lane of traffic is backed up with everyone stopping to see the moose (a moose jam as the locals call it) and the pullout Andy pulled into is full of people taking pictures of the elusive mountain. At one point Andy was carrying Ani in his arms and Miles on his shoulders while Laurie ran across the road multiple times taking in the sights and chatting with other excited visitors.

Seeing Denali tonight was especially memorable because of the constant rain and grey days we’ve had on this trip.

Eventually Andy’s arms get tired, Miles gets bored and Ani looked to be getting cold so we piled into the RV and continued on our way. Ani refused to ride in her car seat and Miles was restless so we decided to have Miles ride shotgun in the borrowed car seat. Laurie tried to entertain Ani with a few Cocomelon songs. The moment Miles heard the music from the back the novelty of being dada’s co-pilot flew out the window and he wanted out of the car seat and into the back with Laurie and Ani.

For Andy this proved what he already believed about how powerful screens are and how important it is to limit screen time for kids, no matter what they watch.

It has been only 3 weeks since we were here with Joanna, but the seasons have changed. The hillsides are yellow and red and there is a definite chill in the air.

We pull into Teknalika campground around 9 pm and are pleasantly surprised to find it relatively empty. We choose a spot and get ready for bed.

We wake up excited Thursday morning because it’s wedding day! Miles is excited to eat the macaroons we bought for the occasion and Laurie and Andy are excited to celebrate the union of our friends. The camper shakes with the large gusts of wind. The weather forecast is for rain after 1 pm, but as we all know, the skies tell a more accurate story.

Jeanie, Matt and Arya arrive just before 1 pm and the sun is shining! Andy walks around with a sleeping Ani, Laurie walks with Arya to get her to sleep and Miles hangs with Jeanie and Matt in the RV while they get ready. The ceremony is lovely despite the wind, a brief rainstorm and whines from all 3 children.

We hang together for another few hours in the comfort and warmth of the RV. It is moments like this, and ALL the rainy days, that we feel grateful for the upgrade in rig size. Four adults and 3 children comfortably fit in this RV whereas 2 adults and 2 kids stand on top of one another in monster truck.

We fell asleep that night the earliest of any night thus far – 8 pm. Miles, Laurie and Ani have colds and we were worn out from the excitement of the day.

Friday is another rainy day. We hold off on making plans with Jeanie and Matt, knowing very well that things change. After a pressured morning and fresh blueberry pancakes, Laurie wants a plan for the day. She wants to do something, Andy, who now has the cold the rest of us had a few days prior, wants Ani to sleep. It was too rainy to hike with the kiddos so we decide to try to meet Jeanie, Matt and Arya at the sled dog kennel. Unfortunately by the time we make it to the dog kennels, they have left.

This trip is starting to wear on all of us. The consistent rain is contributing but we feel like we are all ready to be in a larger space with the ability to take breaks from one another. Miles needs friends, Ani needs safe places to walk and stumble, and we need a break from it all. As Andy keeps repeating, “it is unrelenting.” We are either entertaining/taking care of the kids, driving or cooking and cleaning. There is rarely downtime when both kids are occupied or asleep (when we are awake).

And the ridiculous rules around car seats on buses and the long bus rides in Denali National Park certainly add to the frustration. Given all of it, this trip is still worth it. We are making lots of memories, some better than others, and hopefully engraining a sense of adventure into our kid’s psyches.

At the sled dog kennels we pet a few dogs. Unfortunately it started to rain harder. We took shelter where the sled dog demonstrations takes place and ate lunch. Even though there was only 30 minutes to go before the next demo, we decided to catch a shuttle to the bus depot to make our way back to camp. Jeanie met us there for a quick hello and hot chocolate. Luckily there was room on the 2:30 bus so we could take one bus back to the campground without having to transfer multiple times in the rain. Both kids fell asleep so we rode the bus past our campground to the Teknalika rest stop, 1.2 miles further down the road.

Both kids woke up when the bus stopped. Since it wasn’t raining we decided to walk back instead of riding the bus another hour to mile 43 and back to the campground. On the muddy walk back Laurie’s 6th sense for blueberries kicked in and before we knew it she was knee deep in blueberry bushes.

Andy and the kiddos followed. It was the best patch of blueberries we had found thus far, surpassing the ones at the visitor center. We picked for about 10 min before continuing on, hoping to make it back to the RV before the rain came. It sprinkled as we walked, but never a downpour. Miles hiked the whole way, distracted by swinging between our arms or racing.

Once settled back at the RV, Laurie jumped on her bike and headed back to the blueberry patch for another 30 minutes of picking before dinner. She returned with 1.5 Talentis full – enough for blueberry and ice cream for dessert.

We have not used our bikes as much as we had hoped on this trip. Partly this is due to the rain and partly because our burley didn’t fit in the RV and Ani doesn’t like the seat on the back of the bike. It is nice though when we get in a little ride. It makes Laurie feel better about bringing them up here!

Saturday morning we woke up to blue skies. The Teknalika campground is nestled down by the river so we weren’t sure what views we would have but we wanted to make the most of the sunshine. We hurried and left camp by 10. It was gorgeous. The yellow and red trees and bushes were more vibrant under the clouds, but the view of Denali against the blue sky was magical.

We stopped a few times to watch caribou and gaze at the landscape. Miles became fond of looking through the binoculars, even though he often naturally looked through the wrong side.

We were almost at the high point of the road when we came across an especially scenic turnout. Shortly after pulling over Miles and Laurie spread some of (Laurie’s mom) Sue’s ashes. We are not sure if we mentioned this already but Sue lived in Anchorage for 7 years in the 70’s. It remained a special place and one she returned to many times with Laurie. Many of the places we visited on this trip Laurie had been to previously with Sue.

After spending her ashes, Laurie spotted blueberries. The sun was blissful, but the wind was bone-chilling and the kiddos did not want to be outside for long. Surprisingly Miles stayed out with Laurie for about 10 minutes while Ani drove the RV, grinning from ear to ear. From time to time she remembered “bro bro” and “mama” and wanted to venture out and see them but the moment she felt the wind she wanted back in the RV again.

After pulling away from the blueberry bushes with pleas from Miles that he was cold, we hoofed it to the railroad crossing near the entrance of the park. We made it just in time to see the train but we were too late to put coins on the track.

Andy and Miles enjoyed hanging out near the railroad crossing under the sun and blue sky. Thankfully it wasn’t windy in this part of the park. Laurie was in the RV with Ani asleep on her boob.

We thought there was another train coming soon but we were mistaken. The next train wouldn’t be arriving for another 3 hours, and that’s if it was on time.

So when Ani woke up, Laurie took the kids on a short 2 mile looping hike to Horseshoe Lake. Andy would dump the tanks, fill the fresh water tank and then meet them on the trail.

The kids had fun walking. Miles discovered that when instructed, Ani would promptly sit on the trail, as if she was a dog. This made Miles feel very proud of himself. And Ani was okay with it because she got some of Miles’ snack.

The trail was beautiful. There were a few clouds in the sky and when the sun would shine bright, the deep green color of the lake was majestic. The trail paralleled the swollen river before climbing back up to the train tracks and trailhead. Eventually Laurie carried Ani while Miles and Andy played games bringing up the rear. Spurred on by being swung into the air by both of us, Miles hiked the entire trail back up to the trailhead.

We waited and waited for the train. Finally around 4.30 we left the coins on the track and went to the train depot. There, Andy learned that the train was going to be 2 hours late- arriving around 5:45. By now it was close to 5 and we had waited this long, so we decided to continue to wait because we weren’t going to drive very long to camp that night.

Andy took Ani for a walk so she could sleep while Laurie drove back with Miles to catch the train. Laurie was getting more comfortable driving the RV and Ani seemed to sleep longer on Andy’s chest than Laurie’s.

The train blew it’s horn incessantly as it passed us, probably to make sure everyone was off the track. To access the very popular Horseshoe Lake trailhead one has to walk alongside the train track. And on a blind corner no less. If you don’t know the train schedule, or if the train is running late, things could get spicy.

After a 45 minute snooze, Ani woke up to Andy reading a text from Laurie that the train had just left the crossing and they were collecting the coins.

Andy was excited to see the coins, but knew we had to hit the road. So we did, after a snack break for Miles of course. We are by no means complaining but that boy sure can eat! His hunger feelings seem to come most frequently when strapped in his car seat.

Our plan was to drive 5 to 8 Miles east on Highway 8, also known as the Denali Highway, outside of Cantwell. It’s mostly a dirt road but from reading the Milepost it is usually in decent shape.

We chose to go here because Jeff, our fishing guide from weeks earlier, had recommended going to a campground further east on Highway 8 for the blueberries. So tonight we wanted to get close to minimize tomorrow’s drive.

And what a drive it was. All the rain we had gotten in Denali NP had resulted in snow in the higher elevations. The front range had received a dusting, but the mountains of the Alaska Range had received a lot of snow. Andy wondered how many Alaskans call out sick when the sun is out. It was a truly beautiful day and we were grateful for the views, the warmth and dry shoes.

We stopped at a large turnout at the mouth of a lake and called it home. There was a fire ring and room for at least half a dozen cars. The snowy mountains reflecting in the calm blue waters of the lake was breathtaking. We soaked up the views from the camper and had dinner. Laurie slightly burned the grilled cheese sandwiches so we went outside for fresh air after opening all the windows of the RV.

Not surprisingly we chatted with many people who stopped to take in the view. One such group Andy chatted with were from Boise. Not knowing this, when Andy mentioned we were moving to the Boise area, the older gentleman mentioned how they “have been inundated with Californians”. Andy validated his statements and the conversation remained very pleasant. After they had soaked in the views and taken pictures, the man wished us well in Boise and they loaded up in their rented SUV.

Miles and Ani ran around and played in pothole puddles until the sun sank behind the mountains. Fall has come and the days are getting noticeably shorter.

Many more people stopped to take in the view as we got ready for bed. Tonight the rain is forecasted to return and stay until we leave this beautiful state in 3 days. We’ll see what the weather does, but in the meantime we will continue to soak in the views as long as we have them.

Our friend Jeanie, with her daughter Arya, and Jeanie’s friend Nancy arrived in Anchorage on Saturday afternoon with plans to spend a week together in the Seward area. With 3 kids under the age of 5, areas with no cell service and 3 different nap schedules, it proved to be difficult to plan outings.

We made a plan to meet up Sunday afternoon. This would allow them time to settle in and for us to avoid rushing as much as possible. Rushing often equates to Andy and Laurie getting frustrated at one another and eventually having less patience for our kiddos.

Sunday morning we went on a nice hike up to Carter lake. Laurie read the trail description (3.7 miles RT) but unconsciously rounded down when she relayed the info to Andy. This infuriated Andy midway up the trail as he firmly believes 2 miles round trip is an ideal distance to hike with both kids, 2.5 is doable and 3 miles is pushing it. Typically, if we hike longer, both kids’ naps are affected, the hike takes longer than planned (only a surprise to Laurie when this happens) and everything gets delayed, including bed time.

Thankfully both kids took naps while being carried up the trail today. After climbing up the steep and muddy trail we were greeted by a lake and lush meadows with speckles of purple flowers in a basin of green. Ani discovered the joys of wild blueberries and for the first time we heard her say the word “more” when asking for more blueberries as we hiked.

We dipped our feet in the lake while eating lunch and then both kids hiked a bit before heading down to the RV.

Our hike turned into a whole day affair (shocking right?) and we were over an hour late to meet our friends for dinner. With no way of communicating we would be late, they headed out for an evening walk. With help of the resort owner we got on wifi and received messages along with the door code to their cabin. We made dinner in their cabin while waiting for their return. Laurie felt like Goldilocks, eating and relaxing in someone else’s home.

Sunday night we found a lovely level spot at a trailhead about 10 minutes down the road with promises of a 1.4 mile hike to a lake and blueberries!

Monday morning we woke to low hanging clouds that gradually lifted over the course of the morning. We ventured up toward Meridian and Grayling lakes. The trail was beautiful! Bright green moss carpeted the lush forest floor with bright speckles of color from a variety of mushrooms. The trail was well maintained with wooden planks and boardwalks over excessively wet areas. Ani slept while Miles walked in search of blueberries (the wet summer is making for a poor blueberry season down in Seward) and sticks for the fire that evening.

We met up with Jeanie, Arya and Nancy around 5 pm and made a feast of our freshly caught salmon, potatoes, veggies and salad. Andy and Miles made a fire to keep the mozzies away, cook the salmon and for s’mores.

We returned to the same trailhead to sleep. It was nice knowing there was a level spot waiting for us.

Still with no service, we made a plan to meet at our campsite in the morning. The kids were up around 9 with the excitement of seeing the 10:35 train pass by a tenth of a mile from the parking lot. We put a penny on the track and Miles was excited to note it grew and got smoother from the weight of the train.

Our friends pulled up around 11 while Ani and Miles dug in the gravel with their construction toys. Moments like this remind us what makes days successful – plans that often change and lots of unstructured time for free play.

With a few hours to spare, we went to an RV park to dump and fill knowing we would only have access to electrical hookups for a few days. Andy has done great learning on the go and problem solving all things RV as issues arise. Unfortunately, this dump became a literal shit show as the hose moved out of the sewer hole. Andy was frustrated and embarrassed. Luckily there was a playground at the RV park so Laurie kept the kids occupied and distracted while Andy borrowed a shovel and cleaned everything up.

That afternoon we had an experience of a lifetime – a chance to feed and touch a giant pacific octopus at the Sea Life Center in Seward. They are amazing creatures and their suction cups are incredibly strong. One inch diameter suction cups can hold up to 30 lbs! After our private backstage tour we wandered around the aquarium watching the sea lions, fish, harbor seals and puffins. Ani slept on Andy and Miles was most interested in driving the mock fishing boat. It was super windy near the water but we took some time to throw Miles’ toy airplane and soak up the sunshine with mountains and glaciers in the distance.

That evening we had another communal dinner before parting ways to put the kids to sleep. Jeanie, Nancy and Arya were staying in a yurt and we parked our RV on the same property with an electrical hookup. We ended up cooking dinner in the yurt each night but it was nice to have a way to charge the sound machine and phones.

That evening while Laurie and Jeanie were chatting after the kiddos went to sleep, they saw a mama and baby moose walk through our campsite. Seeing large wildlife never gets old!

Wednesday started off cloudy and gloomy but by early afternoon the sun was out. We spent most of the day at Exit Glacier. We walked about 0.5 miles to the glacier moraine and the kids had a great time playing with the rocks, sand and water. It was nice watching Ani navigate the uneven terrain with her still new-ish walking legs and Miles got very creative building roads through the sand. Arya and Jeanie played with us for a bit before returning to the trailhead to meet Nancy. Laurie walked around a bit more to give Ani a chance to sleep while Andy and Miles ran around the parking lot checking out adventure rigs.

Much of the areas we have explored in this beautiful state have been easy to navigate with an RV. Since many tourists rent RVs, there are designated RV parking spots at National and State parks. Driving around Anchorage was a bit more tricky but Andy maneuvered the beast well. Laurie has driven a few times but only on long open and straight roads.

That night and most of the following day it poured. We had a lazy day. Miles and Laurie colored and read books while Andy and Ani napped. We got take out Thai food and did laundry at a laundromat.

The following morning we parted ways with our friends as Nancy was flying home the following morning and Matt (Jeanie’s fiancé) was arriving. We did a nice 1 mile loop around a public park in Seward before getting in the RV to drive back toward Anchorage. Initially Miles did not want to hike but once engaged in a game of tag, he readily ran through the lush wet forest. Ani too, hiked along. Unphased by the many roots across the trail, she stumbled along, occasionally asking for our hand for support.

With no time constraints we decided to spend 1 more night off the grid. We pulled into the Johnson Pass North trailhead and found a decent spot that was off the road and on gravel (not dirt) in case the flood warnings came to fruition.

As we leveled the RV the rain stopped. We grabbed our bikes and went for a short 20 min ride down the bike path. It felt good to stretch our legs and breathe in the fresh air but the path paralleled the highway and the noise from the cars was too much for Andy’s sensitive ears. Ani wants to be involved (often bringing each of us our helmets) but once on the bike she cries. With the turning weather and noise, the ride didn’t last long.

That evening and night it POURED! In the morning we discovered a huge puddle near the kitchen window. The water seemed to be coming in from behind the microwave, and while we didn’t see any holes or a break in the caulk around an external vent, we hoped that was the location of the leak. We reinforced the seal with Flex Seal tape (with Laurie sitting on Andy’s shoulders to get extra height) and so far it has been working to keep water out.

Once back in Anchorage we did our usual town chores – shop, empty and fill the tanks. We had dinner with Matt, Arya and Jeanie at their Airbnb while making plans for the next day.

Rain was in the forecast for the remainder of our trip. We hoped for some grey days and not continuous downpours but we would have to wait and see.

Sunday morning, despite Laurie and Andy waking up early, we still didn’t manage to leave the RV park until 10:30. The plan was to ride the 22 mile coastal bike trail. Jeanie and Matt rented bikes and a Burley downtown and we met them a few miles along the trail. Since Ani doesn’t love riding on the back of a bike, the sky was dark and threatening to rain AND it was her nap time, Andy opted to stay with her at a park while Miles and Laurie rode. While Miles enjoys and is a good little bike rider, he would’ve be able to ride that far. Instead he sat in the kid seat and Laurie rode. It turned into a great day. It was nice to have some 1:1 parent/kiddo time and we needed some time apart.

The people at the bike shop promised Jeanie she would see a moose. We kept looking but made it to the end of the trail with no spottings. Laurie could tell everyone was a little bummed.

It rained on and off as we rode. We took breaks to eat snacks, run around and read some of the informational signs. The trail was beautiful! It wound through the forest offering glimpses of the bay. As we neared the airport, planes flew very low overhead- which excited both Miles and Arya.

On the way back, as we coasted down a wet hill, we encountered a group of people. This, like in Africa on safaris, typically means there is an animal sighting. There about 150 ft from the trail was a male moose. We found the elusive promised moose! Unfortunately all we could see from the trail was a huge rack and wiggling ears. After watching for about 10 minutes hoping he would stand, we continued on our way.

Another 3 miles down the path we encountered a female moose, this one was ON the bike path. She slowly made her way off to one side, munching on greenery. We slowly rode by, one at a time. You could tell who was a local and who was a tourist by the amount of attention each passing individual offered to the large animal.

That afternoon we tried to take advantage of a break in the rain to let the kids run. Anchorage has amazing and plentiful parks and playgrounds. As we opened the RV door at the playgriund we discovered we were missing one of Miles’ shoes. It had likely fallen out when we climbed in after our bike ride. Oops!! After an hour plus of giggles and playing on the slides, Andy and Miles drove back in search of the shoe while Laurie walked around to give Ani a late afternoon nap.

With our late wake ups, sometimes as late as 9:30 am, her nap schedule is all out of whack. And at 16 months she is in the gray zone of 1 vs 2 naps. She tends to be a light sleeper who rarely sleeps longer than 45 minutes unless held so we hope to stick with the 2 naps as long as possible to maximize her daytime sleep. Sometimes that works, other times it doesn’t.

Andy found the shoe kindly placed on a short fence 3 ft from where we had parked. In the meantime, Jeanie has graciously gotten us a backup pair at a thrift store. Now we will be prepared if this happens again (which is pretty likely given our pile of shoes on the 2 step entryway to the RV).

We joined Jeanie, Matt and Arya for dinner at their Airbnb, making plans to meet up in the morning (if timing and weather permitted) or in a few days in Denali National Park.