Most days of our travels in Alaska, we chose our adventures. There were some days filled with travel to get us from one place to another, but for the most part, we had options even during the section of our trip that was more structured. 

That’s how I started a recent post, which seems ironic, because today’s post is about one day where we indeed travelled with our small group but still had plenty of time to choose an adventure (or, in my case, two). Of course, having nearly 24 hours of daylight helped. We drove from Fairbanks to Denali, settled in, ate lunch, then it was time for our Fat Truck Tour. Here’s the description:

Come off-road with us in a fully-enclosed search & rescue amphibious Fat Truck/Sherp. These enclosed, climate-controlled vehicles take you off-road and into the real Alaska while keeping you warm, dry and safe from bugs & wildlife.

And that’s all we knew. It sounded like something we might only be able to do in Alaska, so why not? It was so cool! Before we even climbed into the SHERP, we learned a lot and caught the owners and drivers’ enthusiasm. They were pretty much just little boys all grown up with big boy toys that cost a lot of money. Plus, they did a lot of great work with those expensive toys. They search for and rescue people in very difficult terrain. The tours were the second thought, a way to make sure the vehicles don’t just sit. Why not introduce them to others? 

There are plenty of ATV tours in Alaska, but this was next level. We were off the Alaskan beaten path in an amphibious vehicle I’d never seen or heard of. Its tires are the most buoyant I’ve ever seen. Along with the body design, it can maneuver obstacles and challenging surfaces, including sand, boulders, water, ice, marshes, snow, and more. It can climb steep grades. We reached a great vantage point and walked around. We could see moose foraging not to far below us. The shadows shifted across the surrounding hilltops as the clouds drifted between us and the sun. A bi-plane landed on a lake in the valley, a lake we were later drive into to let the SHERP “swim.” 

We continued our drive through a small forested area that opened into a large river bed. The water forged small rivers that apparently shifted continually. We splashed through the water, climbed the rock piles, and raced along the bedrock before stopping to explore on foot. We searched for interesting rock shapes and colors. Several children climbed on the mountainside near us. It was fine sediment, most likely left by glacial erosion. They’d make some progress then slide downward, getting filthier with every attempt. I had a creek bottom and ravine in my backyard; they had a glacial-formed mountain. A little different, but the entertainment value to kids is about the same. It started to rain and I thought about what a mess they were about to become but what fun they were having. Of course, as a mom, I asked one of the guides how dangerous it was for them to be climbing on the loose gravel and breathing in the dust. But how dangerous was it for me to do half the things I did growing up on a farm?

The rain drove us back into the SHERPs, and we headed toward Otto Lake, where the biplane we’d seen land earlier was tied. Our guide mentioned it was probably a couple who had flown in to eat at a nearby restaurant. After all, flying is the easiest and quickest way around the area. We swam (via the SHERP) around for a while until driving onto the loading dock and returning to our starting point. We received our custom videos of our trips, because, of course, these guys who like to play with fancy vehicles are also licensed drone pilots. 

I didn’t know what I was getting myself into when we booked the Fat Truck tour, but I’m glad we took the risk. Would I personally drive one? Probably not. And definitely not if I was in the mountains of Alaska. But I absolutely highly recommend it. Do the unexpected, the unfamiliar. Take the chance, whether you’re in a new place you’ll only be in once in a lifetime, or if you’re in your daily routine. It might take you somewhere you wouldn’t otherwise get to see.