I have a Dream

For over 20 years, I have dreamed of going to Alaska.



My dream is to load up my boys and gear and take off to Alaska in a van. A month or so on the road. Stopping at many National Parks, National Monuments, and Points of interest along the way.



In my perfect dream world, I would be driving an eco-friendly vehicle.



I would load up my camping gear, camera gear, tons of tunes, movies, art supplies, food, and computer. I would document all of our adventures on the way to Alaska, and back to Kansas City. I am sure my sons would contribute to documenting the journey on a blog.



The places we would visit and see would be amazing learning experiences for my family. My sons would learn about history, geography, geology, meterology, astronomy, and many more important lessons.



The route would be something like this:

Leave Kansas City.

Badlands, South Dakota

Black Hills. (spending a day or two exploring Pine Ridge, Black Hills, Wind Cave, Crazy Horse Monument...)



West to Battle of Little Big Horn (aka Custer's Last Stand) and Devil's Tower

towards YellowStone, NP.



Spend a few days in Yellowstone/Tetons. (I would love to go backpacking there, and see some wolves in their natural habitat, among many other amazing creatures.)



From there, we would head North to Glacier National Park, Montana.

(again, a few more days there to explore)



Then we would cross the Canadian Border to Banff/Jasper National Parks in Alberta, Canada.

(we can spend a few more days exploring the turquoise lakes, and jagged mountains of the Candian Rockies.)



From Banff, we would head west to Vancouver, BC.



Take a Farry ride up the Inside Passage from Vancouver, BC to Alaska. Ideally, we could take a farry to Homer or Anchorage, Alaska. (I need to research this part.)



I would love to see Alaska from the boat! see the glaciers. Visit Glacier Bay.



Once in Homer, I'd like to take a day trip to Kodiak Island to see the Grizzly Bears. Then head north to Anchorage, and then to Denali National Park.



We would probably spend at LEAST a week in Denali and area before we start the journey back homeward.



HOMEWARD BOUND would start with Fairbanks, Dawson City, White Horse to Skagway.



Skagway, load onto a Farry South to Vancouver.



From Vancouver, we would go to Seattle and Olympic National Park. (again, a few days to explore) Mt. Rainier



South through Oregon, Mt. Hood.



Mt. Shasta (california) Redwoods, Tahoe, Yosemite, Mammoth, Sequoias, BristleCone Pines, Mount Whitney, Death Valley towards the GRAND CANYON.



Grand Canyon/Page/canyon Lands to Moab, Utah.



Arches, Utah to COLORADO.



Across Colorado to Kansas and back home.

The trip is roughly 10,000 miles of driving. phew! that's a lot! Now, if i could get sponsered by Coleman, The North Face, REI, Family Fun magazine or some places like that, it would make funding the trip a lot easier. :) Until then, the boys and I have set up a "vacation fund", change jar. Any change or spare dollar we have, we put it in the Vacation Fund. Sometimes it's called the Alaska fund.....

sigh, someday... a girl can dream, right? :)

Walk a Mile in My Boots

These boots have walked countless miles.

They have been all over Colorado, California, South Dakota and all over between. They have crossed glaciers, wandered through many forest paths, soaked in many rivers and creeks, summited mountains, covered in desert sands...

They have been my favorite boots for over 12 years!

I hope to put many more miles in these boots.

I'm ready for another good hike or camping trip in these boots, but until then, they will help me shovel the snow off the driveway, and keep my feet warm in the freezing cold.

My Boys

Random Photos of my favorite guys!!!

Spencer is 3!

William on his 8th birthday

Bubble Bath to the Extreme!

Will's favorite birthday gift.

PEACE!!! ( that's my boy)

Christmas Time...yeah i have tree topper star issues.

my sweet baby!!!

Loves his blanket

JUMP!!

Has Blanket, Will Travel

I can't even begin to say how much I love these guys!

Gathering Pumpkins on the Farm

Waiting For April

There are many reasons why I am waiting for April. This winter has been especially hard on me. The weather has been very extreme. Many days with fog, snow storms, blizzards, arctic blasts of cold, and many MANY grey overcast, cloudy days.

Life has thrown me a few challenges lately, and i am standing to them, conquering them. I continue on my path, but it's a slightly different path than i originally set out with. That is fine. I am still going to enjoy the views.

I digress, I am looking forward to April. For several reasons. April is usually when things start to turn green again. the sky is usually blue. Storms come and go. Regrowth. Renewal. Rebirth.
My birthday is in April. I have a bittersweet feeling towards my birthday, but this year, i choose to celebrate it. :) Soon after my birthday, i am packing up my camera gear, my favorite road trippin' tunes, and i am heading out of dodge! Mini Road Trip, through the Kansas Landscape. It will be good for the soul! Singing at the top of my lungs. Mooing at the cows. Windows down. Stop to photograph any old barn or decaying cabin, if i want. When I get to my destination, I will be meeting over 100 other photographers. Many of whom i have been online friends for several years. Many I respect greatly. Many I just want to meet and have a drink with. hahaha! I am taking a few photo classes. This excites me, because I have so much I want to learn. That's one thing I love about Photography. You can always learn something new. I am excited to expand my horizons. This mini vacation is the only DEFINITE thing in my life right now. A Definite thing to look forward to. So much of my life, as of late, has been changed, and I have found it hard to make any definite plans with anything/anyone.

so as i look forward to April, and wait out Winter, I will document things i have done, or life, now.
Many of these photos may not mean much to you, but they reflect my now. as i look forward to Spring. As I wait for April.

Cold Days

Late nights, writing in my journal, with my music, phone, books and computer.

"The Smiling Portrait of You is Still Hanging on My Frowning Wall..."
Jimi Hendrix

brrrrr...

My New Journal and My Tunes

Journal


The Sun came out today. Though it was SO COLD, we sat in the sunshine, and soaked it in.

Spencer snapped this. I didn't know he hit the shutter again. :)

Winter's Chill

It's been a long, cold winter here.

snowball fight

heart shape wind swept snow

Sweet Snow Spencer

Will Sledding