Escapees November-December 2023

PHOTO BY LAURA KERNODLE # 131897

We shared potluck recipes, celebrated birthdays and anniversaries, cared for those who took time out to recover from injuries or illness and provided endless tips on which places to stay and dine were worth our dollars, came to each other’s rescue with needed skills and supplies and went on excursions together. We also continually helped to diagnose and repair RV issues. With an entire season and a bazillion miles of travel for most of us spending a lot of time on bumpy surfaces, it’s inevitable that things can go wrong with our wide spectrum of RVs. But, as you’d expect at an Escapees event, there were several decades of combined knowledge at each Hangout and capable hands willing to render assistance. And, what better way to appreciate the jaw-dropping scenery and excit ing wildlife sightings than with people who’d become trusted friends in such a short time?

We shared the thrill of so many uniquely Alaskan experiences with each other: the surprise of kayaking around a corner to face a brilliant turquoise glacier, the triumph of landing a salmon, the wonder of watching a mama bear lead her cubs across a creek, the delicious ness in fi nding and reporting on the best baked goods or seafood, the solemnity of historic fl oods and earth quakes, plus the fortitude and spirit it took to rebuild, the cultural enrichment of Native Alaskan traditions, the coolest places to buy souvenirs or pose for sel fi es, the scenic drives that were worth the mileage and, as ever, the best locations to boondock. None of it would have been possible, or as successful, without the combination of our Hangouts directors in the lower 48, and our team of hosts at each site: Lisa and Jason Reich #118627 brought us the Midnight Sun in Fairbanks, Joann and Charlie Kavanagh #132374 gifted us with glaciers and fjords in Seward and Laura and Rob Kernodle #131897 enriched us with the Gold Rush in Valdez. They spent the better part of

two years planning and organizing these events behind the scenes and served as our local concierges in each city so that we attendees could simply arrive and enjoy. Emily Rohrer #133970 Thank you, Emily, for sharing the

Alaska experience with all of us. As we end the year, from our family to yours, we wish you fair skies and smooth travels for 2024. Theres é Julo #139199, Hangouts Director

PHOTO BY JOANN KAVANAGH #132374

MEMBER SECTION

65

November/December 2023 ESCAPEES Magazine