_      My heart raced. My eyes snapped shut against my will. My grip was so tight it it was  as if I were holding on for dear life. I never thought I would see this day come to a close. I was going to die!

Last year for Christmas vacation my dad's side of the family, which included my family, traveled to Tampa Bay, Florida. I was ecstatic for months leading up to it, and every day I just sat daydreaming. As we boarded the plane in Anchorage, excitement rushed through my veins, almost as if it had replaced all the blood in my body. I had not flown in nearly six years, and it is something I find pleasure in (well travel in general). I tried for hours to sleep; afterall, it was past midnight, but I just couldn’t sleep, unlike my brother who was using me as a pillow to drool on and the large man by the window as a foot stool. This was how I spent the first leg of the trip to Phoenix, Arizona. Once we landed, it didn't take long for us to realize the extreme temperature difference. It was nearly 110 degree in temperature change from home. Our second leg of the journey was much shorter, but much hotter!

We made it to Florida and became reacquainted with our relatives. Boy was that nice! In the days to follow, my uncle decided to take my sister, brother, myself, and our two younger cousins to Busch Gardens. This is a very large amusement / adventure park.

Once we arrived and had made it through the gates, we split up. My 10-year-old brother wanted to see the lions and alligators. My sister and I, along with my cousins, wanted to go on the roller coasters. We had never been on one. My cousins Mia and Jackson seemed amused at this, and decided to take us to the roller coasters. We stood in line for almost an hour for the first coaster, getting to tell our cousins a little bit about living in Alaska -- it was tricky to explain.

Once we reached the front of the line, my stomach dropped. I kept replaying my uncle's words as the roller coaster made its way up and up. “Just go with the flow of the ride; most people get sick because they try to go against it.” After the first drop of the coaster, where I was almost hyperventilating, I discovered what he meant.  The rest of the ride was a blast. We exited the coaster area and took off for the next ride.

 The next roller coaster we came upon was not any ordinary coaster. This coaster is known as the ShieKra for a reason. As you sit with your feet dangling, strapped to a chair, this coaster struggles to carry 40 or more people to a height of 200 feet and then proceeds to hold you over a 90 degree angle. Ooopppsss, it drops you, sending you towards the ground at 70 miles per hour!

My sister protests as we get in line, “yes, no, yes, no” were the words that kept coming out of her mouth. Finally she bailed. I was left in terror with my cousins who loved extreme roller coasters. Let’s just say I was like an elephant staring into the beady eyes of a mouse. Fear racked my body.

As we got onto the ride and strapped ourselves in, I thought I was going to pass out. Nothing but pure adrenaline was coursing through my body. Up and up we went. You could see for miles. Then it happened; we were hanging over a 90 degree drop. Staring straight at the ground. Blood rushed from my limbs into my head. Ooopppsss, we were falling, falling, falling... and then up we went again, through a couple loops to another drop, into a tunnel, and across some water! I SURVIVED! The picture was epic as Mia was laughing her head off, Jackson looked afraid, and I couldn't even open my eyes; in fact I probably looked like I was going to cry.

I will never forget that memory filled that day. I believe it was probably the most exhilarating time I had had in a long time. I conquered my fears, and now know that I love roller coasters! So bring it on senior trip!

_ There it sat for thousands of years, rippling in the wind, untouched by mankind. The summer sun would cause it to warm, while frigid winters ceased activity. It sat forlorn for it had no visitors, except the occasional bird. One day Silt Bog thought life could not get more lonesome, but then Silt Bog heard a noise. Turning to look Silt Bog saw a sight it had never seen before. Strange creatures were stumbling down a hill through a thicket of alders. As they came into view, Silt Bog saw that these creatures had four limbs coming from a core body, strange patches of hair on their heads, and some sort of material covering their bodies. Silt Bog was startled as smiles and screams creased the strange creatures’ faces.

They came hurdling towards him and soon they were encased in his mud. Silt Bog knew not who or what these creatures were, but it was content as more creatures came to join the others. As they went to leave, Silt Bog had hoped that one day he could experience that joy again, and until that day; Silt Bog would have to be content with the occasional squawking bird.

The story above describes another fun filled memory of 11 high school kids and 10 adults as they made their way down the rugged Copper River, studying and filming for the Copper River and Northwestern Railway documentary project.

On one of the last nights we spent on the river some of the more rowdy students found a puddle that had formed in the sand from recent flooding of the river. This was no puddle that you would find in your backyard, it was almost more of a swimming hole. The bottom made of sand would suck you into its grip if you stood still too long, and it was probably a good four to four and a half feet deep in some spots.

Kristi Knutson and I had gone down with some of the other students, who said they were going to get clean. We did not want to get wet, but before we knew it, we were being dragged through the sand. As we fought getting thrown in there was a sudden realization; we were not going to win against three strong boys. As we caved, they shoved us into the deepest part of the puddle. We chased Wesley Voley around for quite some time trying to get him in but he had shoes on, and ran off into the woods. We found a spot that smelled terrible but was filled with mud and before you knew it we were covered in mud, running through the guides’ camp, spraying mud everywhere as we went.  The students who thought they were going to get clean, ended up dirtier in the end than they had planned.

This is just one more memory that I will cherish about my time here at Kenny Lake School, and the great times that I have shared with so many different people. Thank you Mr. Voley for an outstanding trip and memories that I will treasure for a lifetime!