This trip had several objectives. The first was to meet with Dr. Lattin and give a breast cancer update talk at his hospital. The second was to achieve a brief rest and relaxation while meeting friends, including not only the Lattins whom we met in Bangladesh but also the Bankers, who attended Resurrection Presbyterian church with us in the past. We spent 3 nights in Anchorage, followed by three nights in Soldotna with the Lattins.
The first day in Anchorage was to simply settle in. We drove downtown and shopped for moose hats and other Alaska paraphernalia. Betsy fell in love with the moose.
The second day, we drove up to Wasilla, and then out towards Tok. The mountains were stupendous. In the evening, we met with Jeff and Ellen Banker and went out to eat. The seafood was incredible! The beer was quite good also.
The third day was mostly resting. I met with Jeff again, still recovering from hand surgery, and ran up to the top of Flattop Mountain. The most distinctive feature of Flattop Mountain is its flat top.
On the fourth day, we checked out of our hotel and headed down to Soldotna. The drive is quite beautiful, with the seashore on one side, and immense mountains on the other side.
On the fifth day, I gave my cancer talk. Later, we went out to dinner, and then drove to the beach in Kenai. We were able to see Mt. Iliamna and Mt. Redoubt.
The sixth day was a walk for life for Betsy and Anna, and a fishing trip for Jason, Nathan and myself. We drove down to Homer and took off on a chartered boat out into Cook Inlet.
We spent much time with the kids.
Joshua
Noelle
Esther
I let Nathan run around with the camera for a bit, and noted that he wasn’t taking care to compose his shots. To illustrate the importance of an adequate view in a photo, I took a photo of him. Included are photos Nathan took of the parents.
Nathan
Dad according to Nathan
Mom, according to Nathan
It was sad for Betsy and me to leave Alaska. It was more enjoyable than our last visit, and suggested returns, especially with friends. I also noted that the roads typically had quite wide shoulders thus making it quite conducive to cycle touring. All we need to worry about are moose and bear.
Special thanks to the Bankers and Lattins for making this trip quite special.
