At Denali, as Ma said, we spent the first four days at Riley Creek. After that we went to Teklanika. One day we took a bus to the Eielson visitor center. On the bus, people can call out “stop” if they see an animal and the bus will stop. Sometimes people would call stop for a rock or something else that looked like an animal. On the way we saw some Grizzlies in the distance, little white  dots on the hill that were Dall Sheep, and lots of caribou that were really cool. When we got there (after almost three hours), we had great views of Mt. McKinley.  We went on a mile long hike with a 25% incline! When we finally got to the top, we were blown off our feet with what Ma guessed was forty mile per hour winds. The wind was so strong that I could lean back into the wind without falling over! Up there we also saw two caribou. After a little hunkering behind rocks to escape the wind, we headed back down the mountain.

On the way back to the campground, we saw plenty more caribou. We saw a grizzly bear with two cubs and stopped to watch them. The three came closer and closer until they crossed the road and began eating right next to the bus. They must have been three feet from the bus! After awhile we finally kept going. The rest of the drive back was uneventful.

On my birthday, my day started with surprise chocolate milk – In a striped cup that was super tall! After geting awesome presents from Ma and Pa, Aunt Nancy, and Grandma, we watched a movie on the computer.  Soon we ate delicious brownies cooked by Ma. After that, we took a walk in the campground. I met the campground hostess’s boys and spent the rest of the day playing with them, playing a game where we tried to push each other in mud, and many other games.  In the evening, Pa and I went on a cross country hike. First we took a trail over a hill, bush whacked across the tundra, and then climbed the hill on the other side. When we got to the top, we were very tired. On the way back we got stuck in a swamp and were wading for a while. When we finally got back home,  mosquito bitten and wet, we enjoyed ice cream.

After a couple of days we got on the bus again with plans to get off randomly and hike cross country. Unfortunately, at the place we wanted to get off there was a grizzly bear. The second place we wanted to get off there was a caribou in the middle of the road! Little kid then fell asleep and we went all the way to Eielson. At Eielson, we set off on a small hike. We soon settled in at a patch of blue berries and began eating. After that we got on a bus and headed back. We saw another bear that was right next to the bus! After a little more time in Denali we headed to Fairbanks.

Yesterday I got my birthday surprise from Ma and Pa – a rafting trip down the  Nenana river.  We went about eleven miles, with eight class three and four rapids. When Ma and I first got there, we waited for the rest of the people. Then we went through the struggles of putting on a dry suit. When I put my neck through the neck hole it felt like my ears were being pulled off. When I finally put everything on, I kept bumping into things because I wasn’t used to being so big.

Then we walked to the boat launch and got on the rafts. The first part was fairly mellow. Then we came to the rapids. Ma told the guide that I wanted to get really wet. He said to go to the very front if I wanted to get wet. I followed the guide’s advice, and I sure got wet! The rapids were very fun with lots of bouncing, and getting wet.

The guide had me stand on a cooler. Then he brought the rafts together and everyone sang happy birthday. It was very embarrassing. The rest of the trip was very fun, with rapids and calm parts. We also saw a rainbow.

At the end I was so cold that I could barely unzip my jacket. I was a little wet on the inside, but the dry suit kept me mostly dry. After a long ride back to town, Ma and I walked back to the campground.

Yesterday afternoon when we were driving from Anchorage to Talkeetna we suddenly heard a very loud and freaky  bumping noise. We pulled over and Ma and Pa ran out to investigate. I soon learned that the tread on one of our back tires had come off. Ma called our road side assistance service and they found someone in Anchorage, more than 100 miles away,  to help us. We waited about two hours. Finally, someone came with a truck that had all the stuff to replace a tire on the side of the road,  so we didn’t have to be towed to a tire shop. He replaced the tire. It was cool to watch him put on the new tire. We resumed driving about four hours after the tread came off.

This morning I woke to the sounds of Pa freaking out because the battery box had been bent sideways by the tread coming off. There was a mechanic in town, so dad took the RV there while Little Kid, Ma and I went to the playground. Pa said the mechanic bent the battery box back in shape. Pa met us at the park.

Two days ago on our last day in Seward, we went to the Alaska Sea Life Center.  We got to see the Steller Sea lion being fed.  It did lots of tricks like jumping out of the water, climbing up on rocks, and lying down. The keeper had really good aim when throwing fish and the sea lion was really good catching fish.   I learned that male full grown Steller sea lions can weigh from 990-2470 pounds, with the average being 1199 pounds. They are 9.3-10.7 feet long with the average being 9.8 feet long.  We also saw an octopus, salmon, puffins, live barnacles, seals, and many other things.  Then we got to touch some sea stars, sea urchins, hermit crabs, and anemones.  One anemone grabbed me when I touched it. It was cool!

Yesterday we drove from Seward to Homer.  On the way, we stopped to see the dip netting.  Dip netting is where people catch salmon with big nets and long poles.  You are only allowed to dip net if you have lived in Alaska for at least a year.   There were so many people it was crazy.  The people were chest deep in the water with their nets.  The gross part was that the beach was covered with fish heads.

This morning we explored the tide pools at the beach.  I found a bunch of little hermit crabs.  Little Kid and I went on a little spit to see some jelly fish.  A minute later we realized we were stranded because of the rising tide.  We had to wade back.  We had fun even though we got very wet.

A few days ago we were in Anchorage. While we were there, the Bear Paw festival was happening. First we went to the parade, and then to the carnival. At the carnival, I went on two rides. With Ma, I went on a spinning ride that made you feel like you are about to crash, and with Pa, I went on the ferris wheel. One day in Anchorage, we went on a short hike and saw a moose. Later that day, we saw a moose with two babies.

Later we went to a campground called Willy Wa, near Whittier. On one day we drove through a two mile tunnel to Whittier. While we were there, we went on two hikes. The first was almost straight uphill, but we were rewarded with amazing views of the Portage glacier. We saw the glacier calving. The next day we went on a hike to a snowfield. Jay loved and hated the snow. At first he ran up to it picked up some snow and started to run. Jay came back in a few seconds crying and saying, “snow is cold!” For the rest of the time the same pattern repeated itself. I had a small snowball fight with Pa, and did a little sledding with a bag. Later we saw the bore tide, which is a big wall of water coming down the arm. It was cool.

Yesterday we arrived in Seward. We took a small walk through town. This morning Ma and I went to a dog sled thing. We got to go on a two mile ride in a cart pulled by a team of sixteen dogs, who have raced in the Iditarod. Then we got to hold the puppies. Ma got a lick up her nose, and I was spitting out slobber at the end. After that I got to put on a super warm coat worn by a musher. When I took it off I was cold! It was fun.