Alaska 2010, Day 5

A very unhappy rainy morning "Doody-Duty"

  About halfway into our trek for the day, Mr. Bullington realized that we were taking a 4-hour round trip tour so that I could go to North Pole, Alaska. A whimsically themed little town outside of Fairbanks.  Also, home to The World’s Largest Santa Claus! We’ve not yet had many opportunities for “World’s Largests” in Alaska, but I felt this one would encapsulate the arctic “feel” of the area and my ever-growing need for tchotchkes and Christmas ornaments.  It did not disappoint (me). Aside from the 42-foot-tall fiber glass Santa who reigns over the sadly empty parking lot (Thanks Covid, now you’ve pissed off Santa). Visitors also have the opportunity to visit “Santa Claus House” where one is privy to all of the Christmas décor and homemade fudge that money can buy! You can even meet with St. Nicolas should you plan your trip accordingly and arrive on a day that is not a Tuesday or Wednesday. On this particular Tuesday we were afforded opportunity to gaze longingly at Santa’s empty throne and his vacant workshop. But Mama found a little nativity with Jesus being ushered into the stable on a little Alaskan dogsled! Just like in Bethlehem! 

Even the Mickey D's got in on the holiday action!

Largest Santa in THE WORLD!

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I'm not gonna lie, my selfie game is strong, on opposite day. 

The original plan was to stay in the Fairbanks area, but adventure was calling Mr. Bullington. He began to ask probing questions like “How far are we to the Arctic Circle?” and “Can you drive there?” I had to literally google “The most dangerous road in America” and when the Dalton Highway showed up as #1, he cooled his jets. No more Ice Road Truckers for you, Mr. Bullington, you are stuck with Santa and me.  Instead of staying in Fairbanks, we headed south towards Denali. On the ride to Denali we spotted TWO Moose/Meese!

 We landed in an RV park right outside of the Denali park entrance. An RV park that would’ve normally been a hub of activity full of tourists that now sat empty. The only restaurant open was this little Serbian Place. In precedented times my kids would’ve scoffed at such because they had their palates geared towards pizza and chicken fingers, but during these unprecedented times they were happy to dine on Serbian fare. It was so delicious. The owner, Maja, was a delight and apologetic that we had to wait for a table as the restaurant could only operate at half capacity. The food was amazing and the children gobbled up dishes that they never would’ve tried during normal times. We later learned that this humble little establishment has been written up in Food and Wine magazine and is one of the top restaurants in America on Trip Advisor. Both well-deserved titles! Our waiter was an Alabama boy and the folks at the table next to us were from Paulding County! How’s that for a small world! We made our way back to the RV, past boarded up and empty store fronts, only passing a few other people along the way. So many lives affected by StupidCovid.

A bright spot occurred when Sporty Spice (Charlotte) asked Mae (Theater Kid) to throw the football with her. (Charlotte is trying to perfect her spiral and Mae is working on her Jazz Hands.) Hilarity ensued.

Okay, Football. This is a thing. I'm not giving away my shot.

NFL, Here I come!

Alaska 2020-Day 4

The sun rose  The sun was right where we left her when we awoke for day 4. Mae whipped up some muffins for breakfast and we slowly gathered ourselves for today’s adventure!

First stop was an anticlimactic trip to the Iditarod headquarters and museum. During precedented  times, we would’ve had the chance to snuggle some little racing pups. Instead, we got to sit and watch a glitchy DVD about the history of the famous dog race as the sole employee stood around the corner and sprayed disinfectant into the room where we sat. After disinfected, we still peppered that little gal with a bunch of questions which she dutifully answered masked and at a distance. Then, we pulled the RV into the shade of the empty museum parking lot and had leftovers for lunch.

Andy was a good ol' sled dog

 Next stop, Williams Reindeer Farm! The Williams Family makes their living raising reindeer and charging folks like us to get up close and personal with them. Did you know that Reindeer don’t have teeth on the top, so they can’t bite you? What they can do is lip you and drool on you. But, they are so cute up close so we didn’t mind the drool! It was so fun! Our normally adventurous Thomas stuck to petting the baby reindeer because an adult Reindeer in your face can be a bit much for a little guy. He then opted to feed the Moose that was behind a fence.

My boyfriend is the cutest! 

Mae Made a friend

Moose Kiss!

Ew, Reindeer.

 

After loving on all the animals, we set out for Healy, Alaska. Mr. Bullington almost had a coronary when we got a glimpse of ALL OF DENALI!!! The top is usually obstructed by clouds, but we got to see her in all her glory on this clear day! What a treat! 

Thar she blows! 

We landed in Healy at what is quite possibly the worst RV park of all time. It was situated behind a gas station called the Fireweed which I quickly read as Freeweed and I’m not 100% certain that they misspelled it. The whole reason I picked it was because it was walking distance to the 49th State Brewery which is known for its awesome food (and I was tired of cooking in the RV) and its replica of the “Into the Wild” bus.  The actual bus has been recently plucked from the wilderness because of all of tourist trying to see it and dying in the process. We’ll stick with the fake version.

I guess we're not THAT far from Thailand

Don't live here. 

Mannequin Life Goals

After dinner,  we shimmied our down a slightly treacherous hill behind the brewery back to the RV Park.  I liken it to parking your RV smack in the middle of Burning Man but without any cool costumes. Head thumping house beats rattled our windows and weed wafted through the walls. Those folks were  hootin’ and hollerin’ like it was Cochella and I was just trying to rest up for the Christmas Village……Dern teenagers! Shakes fists! Feels 80. 

July 2020-Alaska-Day 3

Day 3

The early morning rustlings of the RV park woke me up, birds chirping, children laughing, neighbor dude cracking open his breakfast beer.  It was so nice not to have to pack up everything and re-load the car. I made myself a cup of coffee and went back to lounge in bed. I mean, this is LIVING! I get credit for sorta camping and I have running water and a coffee maker! Wheee! 

Hide and Seek time...Has anyone seen Thomas?

Mr. Bullington and Mae (who drew the short straw for doody-duty) disconnected us from all the things,  drained all the waters, and the next thing you know, we were on our way to Seward. Seward is this cute little town nestled in Resurrection Bay (Praise Hands, UP!) on a fjord of the Kenai Peninsula. That is a lot of landforms and bodies of water, friends. I’d booked this trip before the Covid, back when it was supposed to be a boat crammed with tourists who overpaid for a prime rib and salmon feast buffet. Today we were fortunate enough to board a ½ full boat of die-hards who ate turkey sandwiches and LIKED IT! I ache for Alaska’s tourist industry, but the folks of Major Marine Tours were at the top of their game. Safety first, then lots of wild life viewing! It was a banner day for all the Bullingtons who don’t get seasick. There may be a Bullington in our midst who does not love the bumps and waves of a boat ride.  You might remember her from the Key West deep sea fishing trip. It was nothing some fresh sea air and a couple of Dramamine couldn’t fix! While sicky slept, the rest of us learned so much! 

Did you know that at group of Jelly fish is called a “smack” and did you also know that little brothers think it’s hilarious to bop their sisters every time they see a Jelly fish and say, “SMACK, it's a jellyfish”. Then they all hug it out and giggle because we are just that perfect a family. After viewing glaciers, whales, Puffins and Sea Lions aplenty, some of the deck hands hauled a chunk of glacier ice up from the water chipped it up and added it to the margarita drink special! Don't mind if I do! 

Margarita on the rocks!

Smiles after a long winter's nap

That's Killer!

Alaska Hair Don't Care

Ice Ice Baby

After a long drive up to Palmer, we settled into our second RV park of the trip. This locale was a little less scenic and nestled square behind the Carpet World right off the highway. Tonight we’ll be lulled to sleep by a symphony of 18-wheelers and fire trucks. We didn’t really get to know any neighbors tonight because it appears that we are just intruding in a very established RV park. Like, grass growing under the tires RV Park…..Um, I think this might just be a regular trailer park…..

July 2020- Alaska-Day 2

The Smokey to my Bandit

Alaska Day 2- Mile 4294- Mr. Bullington and I woke weary but excited for our big reveal! You see, the trip we’d planned a year in advance had not let the Bullington children in on one little secret and the clock was about to strike RV:30! We snuck out of the room while they slept to make our way to the Great Alaskan Holiday RV rental place! I mean even the name sounds like a party on wheels! We watched an informative videotape on how not to mix up your black water with your drinking water or some such. I’m sure we’ll be fine. I mean, how hard could it be?? I'll admit, I was suprised that they basically just tossed us the keys, even after I asked 2.3 million questions and requested a walk-through for some hands on learning. We literally had no idea how to work this modern marvel.  Thankfully, this smoky lady with a sandpaper voice and a camel red dangling from her lips took pity on us and demonstrated how to cut on the stove. And fortunately, I'd had some logistics help from my friend Dana who has the cutest Airstream Camper and more experience in this realm. I called her a couple of weeks ago and she gave me all sorts of tips and recipes, so now I think I’m pretty much an expert RVer just by osmosis.  And, I know all you smart-alecky science friends that know how osmosis actually works are making fun of me. Stop making fun of me in your head! I can hear you! We hopped aboard and gingerly steered our vacation vessel into the Marriott parking lot, eager to introduce Winnie to her new inhabitants. The reactions ranged from pure joy (Thomas) and cheerful acceptance (Mae) to guarded skepticism (Charlotte) as the reality of sharing tight quarters set in. 

You mean, we get to spend MORE time together???

After settling into all the little nooks and crannies of our new home, we did what any red-blooded American does when they need to outfit an RV, we headed to the Wal-marts!  We procured all the necessary items for a 10 days on the road, food, drinks, and a DVD of Girls Just Want to Have Fun which brings together the acting chops of Helen Hunt, Sarah Jessica Parker and a very young Shannon Doherty in a coming of age tale of love amid a cut-throat TV dance competition. If only Camel Red Lady had shown us how to work the DVD Player.... I hadn’t planned many stops for today as I figured learning to drive and adjust to our humble house on wheels would be enough. En route to our stop for the night, we took a side trip to a little town called Whitter. I’d read about it when doing my research for this trip. Not only do you get to travel through the LONGEST TUNNEL IN NORTH AMERICA to get there, but the entire population of the town (250+ people) all live in the same building.  The building has apartments on the top floors and businesses on the bottom. We couldn’t go in because StupidCovid,  but got to see it from the outside which was about as anticlimactic as you can imagine. 

Errybody in Whittier lives here

The drive to Whittier was beautiful though, a hulking mountain,  glacier, lake, or waterfall around every turn. Alaska is hands-down the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. 

A little roadside rock skipping

I Wonder as I Wander

And, I take expensive naps

Afternoon Fish 'n Chips Scooby Snack

   

I swear she had on pants.

 We finally arrived at our first RV park of the trip. Back when I’d first booked this location, I snatched up the last spot available, but now the park was less than halfway full. Thanks, Covid! We had a lovely little place right on the creek and were greeted by our new neighbors! The family on one side had one set of grandparents, one set of our-age parents, and 6 kids under the age of six all sharing the love in one RV.  Grandpa had three little kids and his adult daughter had three little kids. Grandpa was also drunker than Cooter Brown. Can’t say that I blame him…While we were getting to know the set of parents that were around our age and much less plowed than Pee-paw, this pair of Bald Eagles swooped through the campsite! I squealed and probably scared their little Eagle selves half to death, but it was glorious! I cooked my first RV meal while the boys built a fire and the girls explored the campground.  We nestled into bed at 11:00 in broad daylight. The 24-hour sunshine is slightly off-putting and very disorienting, but I’d call day two a success!

What this fire needs is more oxygen!

Cheerful little Kitchen Helper!

Bipedal Bullingtons

July 2020, Alaska, Global Pandemic Edition

Mile 0.0- It’s funny to consider the hastily scribbled itineraries of 2019. My travel process usually goes like this. I return from an installation of “See the Nation by Graduation”, pig out at La Parilla, sleep for a day, unpack and do 18 loads of laundry, go to the grocery store, pour a glass of wine and plan the trip for the next year. It drives Mr. Bullington crazy because his eye twitch has barely had a chance to subside before I begin pebbling him with questions/fun facts/potent potables about the next year’s destination. “How should we see Alaska?”, I probably asked. I had immediately crossed out cruises as:

 #1- I’m just not that into you, Cruises.

 #2- We have 5 people and that would cost a fortune.

Or maybe, my Ouija board told me that cruises wouldn’t be a thing in 2020 and now I’m a palm reader.  Anyhoo, we settled on the concept of RVing because it was a goal for at least one of our trips to involve an RV situation of some sort as Mr. Bullington likes camping and I like walls and microwaves.  The RV was picked and the deposit laid down 11 months in advance! Oh, the Naiveté!  Version 2019 Sarah exclaimed, “What fun it will be next summer to settle in for an extended amount of time in a confined space with our two middle school daughters and feral son, who, by summer, will be exhausted from their busy school/sports/social lives and will be just craving a little family time! With an RV, I can cook dinner every night!.” 2019 Sarah was so hilarious! To read the itinerary that she penned a year ago …I mean, what a gas! She actually planned to check out a taxidermied critter from the Alaska Resources Library (because you could do that pre-StupidCovid). She’d set her sights on a Honey Badger that she was going to name Roger and dress in hilarious outfits and photograph at all the destinations. 2019 Sarah is so 2019….Now, 2019 Sarah has been replaced by Super-Anxious-Stress-Bot-Sarah who spent 2-hours hitting refresh on her computer so that she might secure an appointment to get a rod shoved up her snout and the snouts of her loved ones so that they would hopefully test negative for StupidCovid and have the opportunity to board a flight, bathed in hand sanitizer, adorned in hazmat suits, with a day’s worth of food for each person crammed into carry-ons and NO DRINK SERVICE. Whew, that was a long sentence. But, there are a lot of feelings these days.  

Alaska travel restrictions dictated that, in order to enter the 49^th state and move about unencumbered, one must test negative for StupidCovid 72-hours prior to departure. I secured appointments for everyone a couple of weeks ago for Wednesday morning that would’ve had test results back to us in 48 hours. This was right before the numbers spiked, labs became overwhelmed, and results began taking 5-10 days. Because I couldn’t guarantee that the results would be back in time, we opted to take a second test on Wednesday at a rapid results sight. Thanks to Mr. Bullington’s stealthy computer skills we scored appointments for the rapid test.  That’s two nasal violations in one day. Not fun, but Praise hands UP! Errybody tested negative! I had erroneously assumed that we had a little Typhoid Mary in our midst, but alas, we checked out and now we can check out! The travel prep commenced as I set to remembering all the things. Because of Stupid Covid, the camp director (me) had to re-work  and reschedule essentially our entire trip, and then rework things again, then completely reverse our trajectory and rebook everything. But, I love lots of things, most of all a challenge! Builds character!

Our first day’s journey was divided into two parts, Atlanta to Minneapolis, layover, Minneapolis to Anchorage. All in all, we spent about 12 hours traveling completely masked. I switched to a gaiter a few hours in and was much more comfortable.  Honestly, after the last few months cooped up, it was an absolute pleasure to travel. Delta is at the top of their game and provided a safe and comfortable journey.  Also, Mr. Bullington and I were upgraded for the second leg, therefore we were privy to the limited beer and wine selection not offered in coach, which is where we left the children. They’re fine. It’s fine. Everything’s fine. And in the current polarizing climate, you either think I’m a genius or the world’s worst parent. I’m probably a little bit of both on most days.

Plastic cup wine in the time of Covid

  

Mile 4310- We landed at 11:00pm (3am our time) and it was still daylight. Fun fact, It never gets dark in the summer in Alaska. And the airport was full of taxidermy. We tired. Nighty-Night.