Disproving the phrase, "Nothing _____ than a day in Whittier."

Setting the scene:
Whittier, Alaska -
Fishermen Town

Population: 250

Of which, 90% live in one building...creepy? Just wait it gets better...

Accessed through a one lane tunnel (the only way to get in and out unless on a boat),

2.5 miles long, every hour people are freed from Whittier and every half hour people from real world can enter Whittier. That triangle is the entrance and the tunnel goes right through that mountain complete with glacier on top! 

Tunnel, dun, dun, dunnnnn...

So why on earth are we going to this town? Because we want to go...

CAMPING!!!! (And kayaking, but that will be added later)

And camping we did! As well as utilize our great location. 

What is wrong with this picture?

Correct! Why are there only 7 beers in that great cooling spot which is fed by a glacier? 

But oh don't worry we had more, and clearly we were quite entertaining...

I mean Kathryn looks thrilled!

Anyway, we started a fire like good ole wilderness women!

And we hiked around!

I mean really, LOST anyone?

And we did not fight explosive fires,

but not due to lack of trying. 

And we took family photos!

We played at the park!

And most importantly, we saw boat names like this...

Yup, had a few of those. 

Can't say anyone would like that. 

And well I've had my fair share of benders in my day, but taco bender? That's a new one and in contemplating it, I think a new one worth trying. Taco Bell time! 

Whittier was great fun and quite beautiful! And to be honest, the phrase "nothing shitter than a day in Whittier" is definitely mistaken, I mean, who can go wrong with a place that has a glacial river perfect for chilling brewskis? 

Oh and P.S. we purchased Bailey's here and drank it only in realizing post return to Anchorage that it expired in 2008. Perfect vintage. 

Maverick and Goose, Move Over!

Many of you have been asking me questions such as...

What are you doing in Alaska?

Where are you working?

How do you like working for the Park Service?

I didn't know there was a Regional Office, does that mean you aren't at a park and dressed in that goofy outfit with the hat?

My answers are thus...

I am working for the summer as an intern.

I am working for the Park Service.

I enjoy working for NPS as long as the government continues to fund me! :)

And no I don't wear that goofy outfit with the hat but...

I wear something better...

Call name: Ruskin 

And I have the need for preservation.

Meaning, we nosedive it in and attempt to save old buildings. Why? Because we like them! We have the National Register on our side!

Basically these days it is Ruskin versus Maverick...

And well...I think I have charisma on my side...as well as better glasses. 

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.