Father's Day and a new Alaskan experience

Today started out like most Father's Day spent as a shift worker, waking up early because of a migraine at 4:30, then going to work an hour later for a day shift. But today was not an ordinary Father's Day. Today was our March of Dimes walk! What made it a little extra special was it was at the Whittier Tunnel.

Since we were on vacation during the Anchorage walk, we decided to join the Whittier walk. It's a great walk because it is THROUGH the Whittier Tunnel. If you are unfamiliar with the tunnel, it's the second longest highway tunnel but longest combined rail and highway tunnel in North America. It is 2.5 miles or 13,300 feet long!!

So at 10am, I had someone else finish my shift so we could make the hour drive to the start of the walk at the Portage Glacier Visitor Center. After quite a bit of waiting, standing around, confusion, chaos...we finally found ourselves at the tunnel entrance waiting for traffic to stop to allow us to walk.

 I should point out that the weather was PERFECT!!  You don't have to know much about the weather in Alaska to know that you have to be pretty fortunate to see blue skies and warm temperatures from Portage to Whittier.  Today was one of those days!

You may also notice the helmets.  Everybody that walked had to wear head gear.  We brought our bike helmets but were relieved to see that they had hard hats for us to borrow.

Quite a showing!

We helped count them down and then stepped to the side and let them all walk by us.

When we got in the tunnel, the temperature instantly dropped about 20 degrees.  It was pretty amazing!  We went from sweating to being able to see our breath in matter of a few feet.  And the walk was on.

Joining us this year was Kendra (and her kids Malena and Malachi), Mary-Beth, and Shaun.

Thank you friends for caring and supporting us!!!!

 2.5 miles is a long way when the scenery never changes!

Lisa and Katy nearing the end

and Alyssa is back into the sunlight!

Ladies discussing lunch options while the girls look at .... the rocks??

Whittier!!!  Couldn't have asked for a better day

If you haven't noticed, the pictures this year are a bit...lacking?  Well I forgot the good camera.  I took it outside and set it down on a trash can...and left it there!!  Was pretty disappointed when I realized that.  We had a great time regardless and will cherish this...our 5th walk that we've participated in!

After lunch, a bus ride back through the tunnel, some rock throwing/skipping on Portage Lake, and a slow drive back to Anchorage, we headed out for a late Father's Day dinner at the girls choice...Red Robin.  Come to find out after we arrive when Katy starts acting strange, her fever is back!  I guess all that walking and playing in the cold tunnel was too much for her body.  She made it home and into bed...just as something special was popping up to our north.

What was it??  Our first thunderstorms in YEARS!!!  

 About 5 seconds after I took that picture, a huge lightning bold shot down out from the base.  It was awesome.  Haven't seen that in a long, long time.

 I was so excited that I went and woke up Alyssa and brought her out. 

 Perfect ending to one of the most memorable Father's Days ever.