Land of Liberty

Dear Family and Friends,

View coming back down from Hatcher Pass.

Kitty writing this week. Hope you had a happy 4th of July! We had the special privilege of having a treasured cousin visit us after her cruise this week. Dianne is my mother's first cousin. She celebrated her 81st birthday on the cruise. My grandmother is her aunt. My cousin traveled with her best friend, Laura. They are both Catholic nuns and live with the Franciscan Sisters in Wheaton Illinois. It's always a treat to spend time with them. Dianne knew my parents well and we have a special love for all of our Egan relatives. Her grandmother, Anna, was born in Wrangell AK and is full-blooded Tlingit Alaskan Native. I wanted Dianne to take the cruise from Vancouver so she could see the land of our ancestors. Anna was my great grandmother.

Wildflowers on trail.

McHugh Falls.

My sister was also invited to share in the Alaskan Adventure. As soon as I heard they were coming I called my sister, Anne. I hoped she might be able to get away, and knew she would love spending time with Dianne. We were able to squeeze in a short hike up past McHugh Falls and attend the existing temple Saturday before Dianne and Laura arrived. It was a real help to have her entertain our guests while we were busy over at the temple site.     

Holland Cruise ship docked in port.

After attending church, we picked Dianne and Laura up in Whittier from their cruise. The tunnel is always an interesting experience. It's an engineering marvel and can be a little nerve racking driving over the train tracks with dim lighting. I was glad Farrell was driving. 

Glacier right of Whittier tunnel. 

We drove around for awhile after picking up our company before heading back through the 2 mile long tunnel through the mountain. There was a spectacular glacier just off to the right as we waited in line. It is one of the 100,000 estimated glaciers in Alaska.

View to right of Portage Glacier.

                                          After exiting the Whittier Tunnel we stopped at the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center. They had nice displays. We walked around and then had a nice picnic lunch surrounded by magnificent views while it sprinkled. 

View of Portage Glacier.

Next we stopped at the pullout overlooking Portage Glacier. The wildflowers were blooming and the view is always stunning. The rugged beauty and fresh air make you feel so blessed.

On observation deck at Alaska SeaLife Center.

It was short week at the Visitors' Center due to the 4th of July. The workers mostly left on Thursday for a long weekend. We had internet connection issues on Monday, but were able to finish our report on Tuesday. We headed to Seward, enjoyed the Alaska SeaLife Center. It's one of the few places we can see the sea life up close. We especially enjoyed the starfish, sea lions, harbor seals, puffins and other sea birds. They are so cute and colorful. 

View of mountains, glacier, and meadow from train.

Then the four girls took the train back to Anchorage. We had a nice boxed dinner. The scenery on the drive there and the train ride back were amazing. It's a relaxing scenic experience. I loved it.

View of seven waterfalls from train.

It's a 4 hr. 15 min. train ride and only about a 2 hour drive, so Farrell stopped and bought a hamburger in Seward. The service is always very slow and expensive, but at least he didn't starve. I hope he enjoyed the peace and quiet on the drive back:) 

View of glacier fed river from train.

View of lush green mountainsides from train.

View of quaint wooden bridge in shadow from train.

View of lily pads w. yellow flowers from train.

View of Turnagain Arm from train around 9:15 p.m.

View from Flattop Overlook.

                                

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

                                        We dropped off my sister and the next day were able to take a short drive and walk to the Flattop Overlook. It never disappoints and is a favorite. The view of the city, water, mountains, and sometimes a sunset are just spectacular.

Independence Mine. 

On the 4th of July we took a short tour of Independence Mine. It's around 4,000 feet and surrounded by rocky peaks and alpine tundra. Then we drove further up Hatcher Pass. There was still snow on the small Summit Lake. 

View heading up to Summit Lake.

Hatcher Pass watching hang gliders.

Fearless Laura and I hiked up a few rocky hills at Hatcher Pass and had an amazing time watching hang gliders take off all around us and sail right in front of us. She said it was the best 4th of July she had ever had. It was truly incredible. 

Laura watching hang gliders take off, glide, and land.

We learned a lot about hang gliding. They were actually waiting for the wind to die down a bit so they could take off. The young man who we asked to take our picture said he had just been up in the air for three hours! 

Watching the hang gliders at Hatcher Pass.

We sat on that big rock as we enjoyed the scenery. We had no idea there would be hang gliders! It was quite windy, but we were dressed warm enough and really enjoyed ourselves. It was too steep for Dianne so she sat in the car with Farrell to watch the spectacle. 

We are so grateful to be able to enjoy the beauties of nature. Our Heavenly Father has blessed us more than we deserve. We feel so privileged to be serving up here in Alaska. The winters are very very long, but the summers are spectacular. Have an amazing summer. Remember you can never go so far that our Heavenly Father cannot reach you. He is always as close as a prayer. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, His son, has already atoned for our sins. Lay them at His feet and rejoice in the Good News that He lives. Families are forever. #Think Celestial

Love always,

Elder & Sister Badger