The White House

The White House

Monday, August 3, 2009

Parks, Soccer and The Fair

Friday Emily, Olivia, Lucas and I decided to brave the smokey air and go to Pioneer Park aka Alaskaland (former name).


We started off our outing with lunch at the Grizzly Shack.


Then we played tourist.


Here you can imagine they are standing inside the pipeline.


Can't go to the park without playground time.


Then we rode the little train through the park.


Here's the Civic Center. Upstairs there is an art gallery and a theater for plays. Downstairs is rented out for a multitude of things from weddings to craft fairs to hockey parties...you name it it's probably been there.


In the background is the Salmon Bake. I've never eaten there, but it is filled every night with tourists. In the foreground is a gold dredge display which I must say I was very disappointed in. There has been no upkeep over the years and it doesn't even work anymore. The bucket used to filled up with water and then crash down to fill the sluice box which I think was gone. The "cannon" in the front used to shoot a stream of water over the pond. Fairbanks should be embarrassed.


There is the stern wheeler and inside all kinds of information about that era. The park also has an air museum and dozens of old restored cabins now used as gift shops. There is a carousel and a square dance hall. We saved some activities for our next trip to the park.


Of course, we had to have more playground time.


And more tourist stuff.


We ended our day at the park by feeding a mama duck and her five ducklings.


This week was the Kolh's Cup Soccer Tournament for Nick. Thursday's game was cancelled due to heavy smoke from the nearby forest fires, but the game was on for Friday.


The smoke rolled in and out quickly with the high winds so Elijah's football was cancelled early in the day even though they could have practiced. Since he was home we left Lucas to play video games and the girls came with me to cheer on their brother. It was a bit cold out and Em had some hot chocolate to survive!

This was my best action shot of the game....Nick doing a header.

The morning games were cancelled and tentatively schedule for later in the day. I decided to take a chance that he wouldn't play and took the other kids to the Deltana Fair a hundred miles from our home. (Nick ended up playing and losing so they are out of the tournament).
I had forgotten just how far 100 miles is with kids. The disagreeable teenager (Elijah) complained for the first 35 miles. He wanted to stay home. Then Olivia and Emily started picking at each other about every little thing. The final 40 miles was a chorus of Lucas crying because he was hungry and Elijah shouting because he was annoyed. That was the longest 100 miles I've ever driven.
The first thing we did was go to the mud bogs. I figured that might make Elijah happier to be stuck with his mom. The snow machines flew insanely over the mud.

Look at this buggy. This is my friends son. I think he is only ten!


These guys were really loud and fast.


Dad was at Pogo Mine working. The entrance to the mine is 20 miles before Delta so when he was done working he came to meet us. It was cold and we weren't dressed for it. Heather saved the day with a bunch of blankets from her motor home.
The far vehicle is Dirty Thrills driven by my friend Heather. It has some kind of nitrous (or something like that) and literally flies over the mud. Notice how clean the hood is. She is the fastest car at the mud bogs.


What's a fair without cows?


There were lots of Alpacas.


Pretty sheep, too.

Look at the head on the burro...it's as big as Lukey!! There were also pigs, chickens, turkeys and rabbits.

Emily took the little ones on the apple and had it spinning so fast. It made me sick just watching.



Look, the teenager is smiling. Maybe spending the day with your parents isn't so bad after all.




Small town fair in a farming community. Can you say tractor pull?

Then there were some little games for the little people with candy and bubble prizes when you were done.


Nope, he's not having any fun at all.

There were singing the "first week at deer camp" song. Notice the beer cans hanging from the bass.



Elijah played bubbles with the Wee People while we looked at quilts.

On the way back home we stopped where the pipeline goes over the Tanana River. That river is so big and fast. It's kind of scary standing on the shore. So much power.


Ahh, back home with red suns and choking smoke.

3 comments:

Queen-Size funny bone said...

You better bone up on your square dancing for next time. It sure looks like everyone was having lots of fun. I miss when my kids love to go places. Do they have anyh idea when they are going to have the fires under control?

Tara said...

Oh what a fun day! We had a really great day today, too...I actually blogged about it, so check it out :D

pattycakes said...

Looks like you had a great family day!