The kids love Alaska. For lots of reasons. Late bedtime. Freedom to roam. Permission to get as dirty as they like.
Rides in Uncle David’s skiff.
Making angels in the sand.
Playing in the nets.
Sitting on really big piles of really big rope.
And standing on the edge of the bluff looking down upon the world below.
But their favorite thing to do by far is climb onto a four wheeler and gun the engine.
Or, at least, to try to gun the engine. The unfortunate fact of our four wheeler fleet is that they are all so old and broken down that the auto-ignition switches no longer work. Which means starting any of them up requires a swift pull of the starter cable.
August understood this in principle.
But lacked the arm strength (and arm length) to accomplish the deed. Even Kato was not equal to the task. For this we were quite grateful.
But really, who needs a running four wheeler? It’s just as fun (almost) to simply sit on one. Even small children, it seems, are not immune from the intoxicating thrill of the ATV.
Minivan at home. Four wheeler on the tundra. It’s our “other” family car. It’s all a matter of context.
Here’s one for the 2013 Christmas card.
And here’s Robbi’s brother and his family, looking good in four wheeler chic.
Four wheelers, long days, endless stretches of beach…
Life on the tundra is, quite literally, an occasion for jumping for joy.
Alden has already started asking how many days it is until we go back.