Driving to Alaska as a Mother Daughter Vacation

My daughter and I are about to drive to Alaska from Tennessee. We are calling it the mother daughter trip of a lifetime. The excitement is building.

This will mark the first time my daughter and I have gotten away together. When my younger daughter was being homeschooled we visited Texas and Charleston, South Carolina. Those were good trips that built fond memories. My older daughter, Allie, did not want to be homeschooled so she missed out on those trips.

We are driving to Alaska as part of the mission team from La Follette United Methodist Church. We'll be carrying food items and other necessities for the team. Along the way, we'll be discovering a lot about each other and what we can and can't do.

Reactions to our trip have been interesting. Most people are supportive. Some are shocked. In 2009, we are still confronting age old biases. It's interesting to be told many times that women shouldn't travel alone. It was even more interesting to be told that women should not try to make a trip "that long".

Women have traveled throughout time. We all reached this continent some way. My paternal grandmother arrived here from Italy in the early 1900's. My maternal family traces lineage back to just after the Mayflower and through some Native American Cherokee roots. No one can argue that travel today is much easier than it has ever been.

Getting to meet the people of Willow, Alaska is exciting. The people we've talked with all have glowing reports. Building a new home touches me. Our team is going to install doors, insulation and windows. It will be new both me and to my daughter. Sharing the experience with her will make it all the more memorable.

I can't wait to get started.