We had an adventure packed day.  Our first adventure was to hike two miles at Creamer’s Field, a migratory bird refuge.  Scott’s cousin’s family met us out there. Brooke loved having someone to run at the field with and play with at the playground they shared with us.  Besides having a beautiful walk and playing on a playground near the field, we were able to see some cranes.  The temperature was a little steamy, especially in the sun, so the kids were having a tough time walking.  Once they had some snacks, water, and shade they were back to smiling status.

After a quick lunch we were off to the riverboat Discovery.  The boat came highly recommended and was well worth the time.  The educational and entertaining tour went down the Chena River.  We were able to see a bush plane take off twice next to the boat on the water.  We were also able to see the home and dog training grounds of four time Iditarod Champion Susan Butcher.  The three hour ride and tour around the Native Athabaskan mock village was well worth it, but difficult for the two cuties to sit through.

This is Susan Butcher’s home, children, and husband.  They have carried on her mission of training dogs for dog sledding.  They keep the dogs in shape in the summer by having them pull a four wheeler without an engine.  The dogs were pulling Susan’s husband and daughter at about 20 mph.

We learned the difference between caribou and reindeer.  Caribou become reindeer when they become domesticated.  We were even able to see a baby caribou.  Babies must be able to walk and follow their parents within seven hours after birth or they are left behind.

This is an example of drying salmon and a fish wheel, an Athabascan method of catching salmon.

Granite was Susan Butcher’s dog that helped her win the Iditarod four times.  She has a book she authored with her husband by the same name.  It is aimed at late elementary and middle school age children because Granite was the runt of the litter.  Everyone told Susan to get rid of the runt, but Susan felt she was also a runt having dyslexia.  She was determined to work with Granite and make him a champion.  She wanted to pass on the message that everyone might feel like a runt sometimes, but there’s a champion hiding in all of us.  It tugged on my heart to know that Susan’s daughters who are only ten and fifteen are without their mother who lost her life to leukemia in 2006.

These are left over pipes from the Alaskan oil pipeline.  The owner of the Discovery ships bought the pipe from a large garage sale.  He uses them to help lift his boats out of the water every five years for the Coast Guard to inspect the boats.

Cody finally fell asleep on the boat.  Yeah!  I think the staff was worried I was going to wear out the carpet before he finally fell asleep.

Last, but not least, we were invited to a very nice dinner at Scott’s cousin’s house.  It would have been even more fun if our little Miss wasn’t in the three-year-old, “what’s mine is mine and what’s yours is mine” stage.  When does this end?  We were still able to have some great food and company.  Thanks again.