Denali, Anchorage Temple, ATVs, and a Glacier

Labor Day weekend 2012.  It was the weekend I didn't know we really needed, that is, until we were headed back home.

---In order to spare you too much reading, I will try to keep the details from our trip to a minimum.---


Where's the rest of the temple, you ask? This is it! Yep, the Stake Center is bigger :)

 We left Fairbanks for Anchorage on Thursday, August 30th, and drove my Aunt and Uncle's home just outside of Palmer (about a 5 hour drive).  After a great night's sleep, Marshall and I drove to Anchorage Friday morning to go to the temple.  It was a rainy and cloudy day, but the experience I had inside the temple was really special.  When I was growing up, I thought a 1 hour drive to the Oakland Temple was a long trip.  Then I moved to Missouri, where the closest temple was a 3 hour drive.  And now it is 6.  It is a sacrifice, but I am happy to make the weekend trip every 2 or 3 months when Marshall can get a pass. We look forward to our trips every time, because it means more time with family too.

I felt so much happier and strong emotionally after being inside the temple.  Although I have only lived in Fairbanks for 3 1/2 months, I take advantage of the shopping in Anchorage every chance I get.  That said, we bought Marshall a new suit that afternoon. I was happy to buy something for him.  He rarely buys things for himself, so it was time.  While we were shopping for the suit, other shoppers repeatedly coming up to him, asking him if he worked there.  It just made me smile. I guess that's what happens when you wear a white button-up shirt and slacks to JC Penny's.

The most adventurous part of our trip took place on Saturday.  My Uncle Paul told Marshall about an ATV trip he likes to take visitors on, a trip where you ride 22 miles across mud, rivers, and dunes to a glacier.  Marshall was getting all excited about it, but every time I heard cold, muddy, and wet, I just wanted to cringe.  It was my inner girl coming out.  Neither Paul nor Marshall told me I had to go.  I knew I had to because I wanted the experience, no matter how uncomfortable it might be.  So out we went, me wearing a hoodie and a borrowed blue rain suit that was many sizes too big (I ended up looking like a blue Pilsbury Dough boy/Smurf).  Luckily for me, I got to ride behind my Sweetheart, and not worry about driving.  Oh I had my chance at driving.  It was the first half half mile or so.  As I was driving through a large puddle, I started to slow down and Marshall told me that I needed to keep on the throttle. Apparently I over corrected, because I flew through that puddle, with my eyes closed (whoops), and was grateful Paul was to my left, and not right in front of me because I zoomed right past him! With my heart beating like crazy and Paul laughing at my inexperienced driving, I smiled and said, "I think Marshall can drive the rest of the way!"  I was in good spirits, but I had had enough of driving for one day.  Marshall took over and I know he enjoyed driving fast and maneuvering over the dunes and rivers. Throughout the ride, I was squeeling and laughing. We only had one spill during the while trip, but it was a gracefull fall, if I had a say, because the ATV fell sideways into a mud puddle and Marshall held it off of us with his leg, so no one was hurt.   Seeing the white and blue glaciers up close was incredible.  I regret that we forgot our cameras, but my Uncle Paul took some with his phone.  The scenery was gorgeous.

 By the end of the trip, my cheeks and feet were so cold, I had mud in my hair and on my face, but only my feet were wet.  Success! I guess the blue smirf-pilsbury dough boy rain suit was worth it :)!  Our perfect day was capped off with a drive down to Anchorage to eat at an Indian/Tibetan restaurant called Yak and Yeti.  The food was amazing.  I am so happy my husband likes ethnic food! Because I just get tired of American food. 

We returned to Fairbanks on Monday, but we made a stop through Denali National Park along the way.  It was an "appetizer course" for what next summer has in store for us.  We drove down the 15 mile road into the park before we were forced to turn around, as no public vehicle can go any further into the park.  I think we were both in Heaven during the drive.  The colors were AMAZING.  While all of our other friends were enjoying the last unofficial day of summer, we were enjoying fall.  The reds, oranges, yellows, purples, greens, and browns on the mountains and trees made me speechless. These pictures don't even do it justice. 

At about 4 o'clock, we were both very hungry because we hadn't eaten lunch yet.  So we window shopped in the tourist shops in Denali and attempted to find food for no more than $20.  After stopping by all of our options, we decided to settle with Subway, because we figured we would be able to get 2 footlongs for $14.  When we realized they were $9 each in Denali, we were like, "NO WAY!"  And I think we enjoyed eating at an Alaskan fish n' chips place much better than the run-of-the-mill Subway chain. 

5 days of experiencing Alaska with my best friend and husband. Yep, it was worth it.