As the Frisbee and Toothbrush Fly...

Quick blurp! A friend at work discovered a group that plays ultimate frisbee every Wednesday night. So as usual, it is infiltration time. We showed up at the park and had enough people to play 2 separate games! It rocked, there were no boundaries! People were running to catch frisbees in the street amongst cars! I mean, whoa easy, it was no backhanded compliment. They weren't as witty, as skillful, as good-looking (obviously), or as backhanded complimenty as you guys, so no fear your position as #1 ultimate frisbee team remains unscathed. My loyalty is to you, and you alone. And also, I didn't wear the official Miller Lite headband so in all honesty, I don't know if it even counted as playing ultimate frisbee. But anyway, just wanted to share! Oh and our team won! Yay!

Now on a more somber note, I was just walking to take out the trash while brushing my teeth when I noticed about 3 spiders overhead. They were threatening my life while I walked through the entranceway, so in a fight for my life I started throwing my hands around as they attempted to capture me in their web. This was when I hit my face with my hand, thus smacking my toothbrush and hurling it from my mouth to the dirt. Typical, this left me toothbrushless with toothpaste all over my face and a somber heart. I share this story to everyone so it will be known, I am terrified of spiders. In fact so terrified, my one prized possession, my toothbrush, was a causality. As I walked back into my place of living, all I was thinking of was raid. Raid will be my toothbrush's vengeance...but only with the 15ft spray distance.
Or my next step is this, there were 3 of those big mommas remember...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErXVnhKqwpI&feature=related 
I do put a warning label on this for inappropriate language...earmuffs.

Dip-Climbing

On Saturday, a few of us decided to explore a place called Hatcher Pass, or more specifically Independence Mine. It is an old gold mining town that was working up until the 50s. It is now a state park and pretty nifty. But it is always an adventure with us and in true exploring style we got lost on the way there. So we stopped in a pleasant little town named Wasilla (which many of you may have heard of due to the Palin years) at a liquor store to ask directions. As we entered the liquor store, we asked the young woman cashier if she knew where Hatcher Pass was? She responded, "of course I do, I'm a local." Well here were the directions from miss local. 

Thankkkkkkk you. So many jokes to say, but not enough souls to lose in saying them. 

So after stopping at a gas station, we finally found our way to the gold mine (literally): Independence Mine. 

An amazing place. Totally destroyed sadly, but it adds to the appeal! 

And so do we! We needed our own exhibit! Also, see how I am the mule here? Typical. But yes, this was a historic preservationist's dream! Do much to do, so much to touch!

Anyway later in the day, we all decided to go for a hike aka climb up this hill or mountain or...land mass. 

Well...Kathryn and I got a little overzealous, we climbed until about 50 feet from the top! And on the way up, we discovered this. 

Miller Lite in the flesh! Cue sweatband! 

We also found some pretty spectacular views at the top!

See those white buildings in the background? Those are the buildings pictured above!

Eventually due to hunger, we started our descent down cat-calling Kelly along the way. Can you find her? Where's Kelly?

And after reaching the bottom, some of us (aka Kathryn and myself) felt a little dirty...can't imagine why.

(the new infamous picture) 

So we did another hike to a glacier-fed lake. 

Where in true mischievous style, we took a dip to clean our dirty selves. 

The causalities of our dip. Yup, glacier cold water in this. Hello polar plunge. 

So all-in-all, it was a dip-climbing sort of day or should I say a climb-dip? Either way, we climbed, we dipped, we saw...and apparently, so did everyone else.  

An Order of Chicken and Smoked Salmon, Please!

Last Friday (as in 2 days ago), I went out with #9 of the Week Worth Whiles. We started walking downtown to decide where we were going to wreak havoc and we ran into #4 again...on her same bench.

Now this is no ordinary chicken...

She poses for the camera...

And she smokes.

Really she does! Quite the talent! Open wide!

And she insults. While myself and #9 were standing there speaking to her, there was a native Alaskan woman on the bench next to chicken. So #9 and I were asking why she did this? (Because it is fun) why is she a chicken? (Because she is too fat to fit into another costume, but she wanted to be a giraffe) does she sit on the bench every weekend? (Every night she is off work), the native Alaskan busts out, "you fat chicken!" To which chicken says, here goes fish face again. Fish face: You fat, you fat chicken. Chicken: Someone let smoked salmon out of the bag. Smoked Salmon (aka Fish Face): I be native, I real! You just fat chicken! No one want you fat chicken. Chicken: Shut up fish face...

Then #9 started getting a little scared and wanted to leave before a fight broke out. I agreed although deep down inside I really wanted to stay and watch!! So we left. :(

But you can see chicken on facebook! http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Chicken-Anchorage-Alaska/229653310382729

A couple of pictures to leave you with...

This is what 3:30am looks like in Alaska...still dusk. 

This is what roomie, Kathryn, looks like sleeping at around 8:30am. What is happening with that foot? It just creeps out there and creeps me out. 

Also, Happy Birthday to my dear friend Chellie DeGelleke!!!!!

A Couple of Cirque Freaks and Moraines

Bonjour! Today is about glaciers! So last Sunday, we went down to Portage to check out Byron Glacier. We actually were able (sneakily, ok, not really) to hike around on it! Check it out!

So we arrive and see this...I had high hopes. Also, check out right above the bear warning, you won't be disappointed...

Glaciers!!

Hiking around on a glacier!

Cirque (Freak) and a Moraine...

Greatness to the right of the moraine...

Skiing on the glacier! I so wanted to do this!

In case you don't know my wardrobe, I was actually wearing my favorite (and most famous) shorts while trekking on this large slab of ice and snow. 

While we didn't see a bear (tear), I did see a cirque and moraine. No not Ashley and Kathryn, how rude, honestly...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirque

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moraine 

Week Worth Whiles

Hellllllo all!

Here are the updates since I was last on...

#1. The past two Fridays I have ridden a mechanical bull. Evidence? You betcha.

Was I alone in doing this? 

The first Friday, yes...and when I fell off the bull, the handler did some inappropriate gestures with it. It was funny and fantastic. 

Yesterday? Nope! I had my good Montana friend, Kathryn, right there with me. In fact, we wore the same trucker camo hat that said Alaska on it. 

Oh and Miss Kathryn did a little routine on the bull where she took off the hat, flipped her hair back a couple of times, and put the hat back on. Yup, cheeeeers all around. 

#2. I met a fella from Chicago at the movie theater who had just returned from Chicago after seeing the Cubs play the Brewers...lucky dog.  

#3. I met another fella in the grocery store who graduated from...MARQUETTE!! Goooo Goooo Go Marquette Go Go Go Go! Small world! 

#4. Walking to the bars last night, there was a woman dressed in a chicken suit sitting on a bench outside of a park. Confusing? Absolutely! But I did give her a high five. 

#5. Went the weekly Scrabble gathering at the local used bookstore. Just taking my time ladies and gents, I am ready to infiltrate and hustle at Scrabble. 

#6. Saw Harry Potter...cried

#7. Saw Thor and X-Men...had great dreams

#8. Went to the neighborhood dive bar named Carousel Lounge. It. Was. Amazing. We had an elderly guy keep coming up to us saying "Thank you." Me: For what? Him: For being here. And then he played for us Stevie Ray Vaughan on the jukebox in our honor. This place was unreal...it could become my hang out. HA! 

#9. Met another fella at the bull riding pad who went to the University of Wisconsin. Seriously, kinda creepy how small of a world it is...and how I always seem to smell out those from the Midwest. 

#10. Smoked hookah in Alaska! Chalk off another state!! Crazy it is a fad here!

#11. Went out of a co-worker's 48th bday. We went dancing and he has a cane. It was great fun. All the young pups were watching us as we owned the dance floor. And when I say we I mean him, I, and the cane. 

#12. In case you were wondering...bars apparently don't close until 4am in Alaska and it is still dusk out at 3am. 

#13. Today we watched a local team play baseball...name? The Anchorage Bucs. Game was fun but the chick I was sitting next to went to Marquette for a year! She was from Conn and moved to Milwaukee and realized she couldn't stand the weather! She loved the summer but the winter got to her. Oh and she loves the CUBS!

#14. Ok so I realize this should have been titled small world section...but at dinner after the game at a pad called Moose's Tooth, a fella walked by in a Marquette t-shirt! I mean honestly! Two in one day! He was from Alaska and has family who went to Marquette. He is a huge fan! So great!!

So here is what I leave you with, another interesting picture from the Last Frontier

Yup, hands in the pants. 

City Slickers Meet Small Town

We had a couple days at Glacier Bay to enjoy what the small town of Gustavus had to offer. And let me tell you, it had some fun lined up! On Sunday night, we trekked it down to the local K-12 school (the Gustavus Foxes, where 2 people graduated from this year) to a dance. Yup, we infiltrated and got our groove on to actually an awesome blues band! So we mingled with the townies, shook our butts polaroid style, and listened to some "rad" music. A fella by the name of Thomas also decided to rock out while the band took a break. He was great! So I of course struck up a convo with him outside. Whilst doing so his uncle, Skip (fantastic name), came over and started chatting. Soon we got to talking about the parade that was happening the next day... 

I say "I'll be there!" And Skip being the smooth, old man talker he was says, "You'll be in the parade!" To which I say, "what? as the newbie?" His response, "no you'll be on a float as the Princess of Gustavus." While I laugh and think hmph I think I could like it here, an extremely drunk girl goes, "I am Princess of Gustavus." And I answer, "why yes you are, the title is yours." Skip didn't like that, so I had to ask the girl to be the Queen while I am the lowly Princess. At this point, I knew we were in for trouble. So we make some friends and eventually call it a night, anxiously awaiting what on earth 250 people could come up with for a parade. 

Next day = 4th of July

Innocent City Slickers (waiting for the parade) meet...

Pirates...

Represent!!!

Woman in a shoe... 

Belly Dancers... 

Amazing Blues Band!

Puppets...?

And lastly, Wonder Woman.

The parade was a success, I mean one local man fainted, a dog was almost run over by an airport vehicle, and Kathryn had a pretty substantial sugar high with all the children around her. 

After the parade though was where the small town got to meet the city slickers. So since the 4th of July is the king of all holidays here, we decided to enjoy it. We made our presence known...no not by drinking too much or being loud, or even donating money to the community. No, we made our presence known by participating in the events held. The events such as the egg toss, pop the puffin (our given name), the sack race, and the three-legged race. Kathryn (K-Rex) had apparently packed her competitiveness and had packed enough to share with me as well. 

So first...

Egg toss - lost this one, although I believe it was rigged. A faulty egg landed in these hands...literally.

Next, pop the puffin...I suppose I should explain the rules.

You have to fill up a large tube with water until the puffin's head pops up. I think you'll get it. 

The football player, K-Rex's team lost but not without some good form! 

Now the main event, the sack race...

My quizzical look...or disgusted/judging look. I probably didn't agree with the rules (of course)...

But as always, in it to win it! And I was! The heat was on!

We were duking it out! Go big or go home! I wasn't going to go down without a fight!

But then that's what happened...I went down. And hard. 

[I have another picture to put here that is of me eating it (and it's fabulous), but I am waiting for it.] 

In fact I went down so hard, the announcer said "Clean up in Aisle 5" into the loud speaker. Believe me, the town got to see all of this city slicker. And the city slicker got to see all of the town's dirt (some of which is still on her jeans). 

But hey, it's all fun and games right? Well, until K-Rex decides to traumatize some poor, innocent, new friend of ours. "Three-legged race?" he asks to K-Rex. I laugh and declare good luck...K-Rex says yes. 

Friendly. 

Cruising!

New friend falters aka Rob...

No pity, K-Rex drags on...literally drags new friend. 

Now here is where I would also insert a picture of the bruises on new friend's leg. Yup, 5 mins after the race they were in full bloom. They were pretty ridiculous too. K-Rex's leg you ask? Unscathed. Of course. 

So after the festivities, city slickers - 0, townies - 4. I suppose the title of this entry should have been, small town eats city slickers. 

But then again, my ego is still bruised as well as my knees.