Just a little weekend trip...

I made it back to AK safe and sound, and my first few days at work flew by.  I started off on the first day with a class visit and spent the rest of the week in the office. 

Last weekend, Heather invited me to come on an overnight trip with her family to a cabin on the wildlife refuge.  We had a ton of fun! The cabin was about a mile away from the road on the other side of Dolly Varden Lake, so we packed up some sleds and set out across the lake (it was totally frozen).  One huffing and puffing trip later, we made it to the cabin where we roasted hot dogs for lunch, played in the snow, made s'mores, ate a delicious dinner cooked over the wood burning stove, and spent the rest of the night playing cards and farkel.  Heather and her family had never played before, but now they are hooked.  Fortunately, the wood burning stove kept the cabin warm all night, and we woke up the next morning, ate breakfast, packed up and left. 

Heather, Shaun, and Wyatt at the cabin:

Dolly Varden Lake/our trail:

Inside our cabin:

 (more pictures here)

It was a great way to come back to Alaska.  We were really lucky that the daylight hours were totally bright and clear, and it never got too cold (in fact, I think it was warmer here than in Tennessee).  Everybody had a great time, and we all took a moment during the sun set Saturday night to remember how amazing it is to be living in Alaska!