Past hogfamily Adventures

In the past we posted our hogfamily Adventures on a Mexico travel forum. It has been replaced by Facebook and I recently noticed some of the post have disappeared. I will copy and paste them here so they are not lost forever. They will not be in the order that they were originally posted.

A bittersweet community service that we provide for the residents of the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta is returning terminally ill patients back to their villages so that they may die with dignity surrounded by family. Almost all of these patients we know from when we medevac them from their village to the Bethel Hospital. Most of them are elders although occasionally we return terminally ill children. Our pilots will do a couple of low flyovers of the village tilting our airplane so the patient can see the village. This always brings a smile to their face, (and ours). This is not considered a sad occasion by family and friends but a celebration of the person returning to their home. Here is a few photos of a village elder being returned to his village and being welcomed home by family. I have to admit this always brings a few tears to my eyes seeing how happy it makes our patient and their family. Everything is big in Alaska, even our flying fish! Now a little of how we spent some of our summer vacation. Midnight June 23rd looking almost due North. The sun is just below the tree line. Contrast it to December 21, 2008 at 12 noon almost due South. It does get above freezing in Alaska! Our son Joseph, (having never seen how it’s done), created this ship in a bottle on his own. You have got to love his choice of bottles. Working hard on some projects. Fishing is a big part of the Hogfamily’s life. Travis and his first Silver Salmon of the year. From here…. ….to here in a couple of hours. Daniel catches his first Silver Salmon of the year on his birthday. His birthday wish was to catch a fish. And on another day…. Shane two, Danny one. Building a tree house. Kermit practicing for Isla. We would not be good Alaskans if we didn’t include photos of Denali, (Mt. McKinley). Even our fungus is big. Alaskan happiness, a full woodshed…. ….and how it got that way. Until next time…..

Huntsville then back home to Alaska.

Our last stop was Huntsville to visit our adopted family and to put our RV in storage.

We had time to visit the Space and Rocket Center. 

US Space and Rocket Center 


 All too soon it was time to head back home to Alaska.

Yup, Alaska luggage for sure.

After Boston it was time to head south. 

We have adopted family that live in Huntsville Alabama that used to live in Alaska. It had been about 15 years since we had seen them.

We also stored our RV in Huntsville. 

Hopefully in 2017 we will continue our lower 48 adventures starting in Huntsville. 

As we were getting closer to having to return home and we seemed to be constantly just staying ahead of bad weather, really bad weather. Although our trip south was a little hurried we still managed to see some great sights.

We had a great time at the The Submarine Force Library & Museum in Groton Connecticut.

"We like big guns we cannot lie. 

We like big guns and will tell you why..."

USS Nautilus (SSN-571) was the world's first operational nuclear-powered submarine. 

The vessel was the first submarine to complete a submerged transit of the North Pole.

While we were checking out the awesome displays in the museum we met a young Navy Submariner and his family. They were very gracious and spent about an hour with us answering our questions about serving on a submarine and what it's like like for his wife and children to be at home on the long deployments. Our service men and woman, and their families, sacrifices are truly inspiring.

During the Revolutionary War, the American submersible craft Turtle attempts to attach a time bomb to the hull of British Admiral Richard Howe’s flagship Eagle in New York Harbor. It was the first use of a submarine in warfare.
Read about the Turtle here 

The Submarine Force Library & Museum


Back on the road to Huntsville with a few stops.

Mmmm chocolate...

  

We met a most amazing American Patriot, Veteran, and Truck Driver at a rest stop. 
Mr. Derrick Whittle

Derrick Whittle, was selected as one of nineteen Professional drivers to represent the industry on the American Trucking Associations’ 2015-2016 America’s Road Team. The program, once again sponsored by Volvo Trucks North America, works to educate the public and communities about the importance of Professional Drivers and the trucking industry.

Mr. Whittle has driven 2.4 million miles over 22 years with Cargo Transporters. Among his many distinctions, he was named Driver of the Month for North Carolina Trucking Association in October 2011 and achieved 30 years of accident free safe driving from ATA. He currently operates one of three Ride of Pride tractors at Cargo Transporters providing community outreach services to school, veteran’s events and parades.

On the way to Gettysburg the hogfamily had to stop at the Hog Factory...