Thrive Outside

Okay, I was hoping to write you about the last journey of my 1000 miles around Alaska with the trip I was DYING to do.  It was the same route as the Fireweed race from Sheep Mt. Lodge to Valdez, AK.  However, my husband couldn't take this time off, so I had recruited four friends to bike with me.  Just before the ride about a week prior, I got the notification that 3 backed out because of circumstances beyond their control. Dang. But, I still had one to bike with me.  However, two days before we were to start he came down with the FLU. Oh no.  I had my support staff willing to drive down, but I was going to need to bike by myself.  I wasn't afraid, but with the weather looking awful (99.9% chance of rain).  I knew my spirits would not enjoy the wet ride alone. So, I called it off. I enjoyed a WONDERFUL week of rest and fun with my children and Hannah my eldest also had some unexpected time off of work.  I am so glad I stayed.  It continued to rain for about 3 weeks

Waking up in a proper campground with an actual outhouse, was a dream.  We got in super late (1 am) because of the road closure and construction.  It was a short night.  We ate breakfast in a REAL RESTAURANT in Cold Foot.  I loved all the history of how the Gold Rush went all the way up to the interior of Alaska.  I knew it went to Fairbanks, Nome, Juneau, and of course Palmer.  But, the gold rush drew people who were "late" and finding it a bit crowed in the Fairbanks area, miners would take barges up the river to the interior in search of gold. One story I read the river froze early, and some walked back but others just survived the winter sharing what they had off the barge until they were able to retreat in the spring. Feeling like we could conquer the world, we left our luggage (panniers)  with our gracious support car and Uppa (James' Dad who searched for us and was willing to drive over 600 miles to help us since we flew to Prudhoe and needed a ride back).  We he