All By Myself - Alaska

 My first week here was full of adventure and sighseeting!  Now that Jamie is gone, I've moved out of Jeremy's house and I'm more alone, things have really slowed down.    I'm spending a lot of time studying or pretending to study and not so much time touring. Part of that is my lack of car and while they do have busses here, I've been petulant about taking them.  For example, I wanted to go the library.  It was going to take- from the time I wanted to leave- about 45 minutes for me to get there via bus (most of that in waiting for the bus, not the actual ride. The actual ride would only be about 15 minutes).  If I walked it would be an hour and 15 minutes. So instead of waiting for the bus.  I walked.  My walk did take me through the woods, into the the Native Alaska Medical Center, past the University of Alaska, Anchorage and then finally onto a long strip of ugly road where I passed a RIDICULOUS real estate sign and ultimately stopped for lunch at the Turnagin Arm Pit BBQ Restaurant. (that's funny because the large body of water here is the "turnigan arm").  When I finally made it to the library where I was EXHAUSTED from my walking and probably more likely from by BBQ lunch, I napped for a while before I started "working".    Got about a solid hour of research in (currently on women during the gold rush) and then set back out again to meet Jeremy back at the UAA bookstore for a talk on "Hikes in South Central Alaska".    

The day before that epic walk (only 8 miles RT, really), I met with my "mentor" from my company. She came with all sorts of practical things about tour directing that I enjoyed looking at. Luggage tags, excursion paperwork, examples of all the tools she carries (blue tooth keyboard, file folders, best bag options) and, generally a lot of enthusiasm.  

We had our meeting at the local coffee shop, Kaladi Brothers. People LOVE that place here.  One of the women I met said that Kaladi Brothers made it onto her list of "pros" when thinking of moving to Anchorage.   They do have Starbucks here.  About 19, in fact.  There's about 10 Kaladi Brothers and then a whole bunch of other local coffee shops and roasters that I have seen around.  Infact, for as ugly Anchorage is - all strip malls- there's not too many cookie cutter stores.  I mean, don't get me wrong, there's definitely a Walmart, REI, home depot, etc but the little stores all around are more likely to be local little shops and I enjoy and appreciate that.   I'm still not sure what my schedule will look like. I was supposed to meet with her today and I was gonna have her give me the rundown on what her last June looked like for an example but she's sick today. If I figure anything out, I'll keep you posted. 

After our meetings, Jeremy picked me up and we went to visit our friend Sage. Another Ice Person.  She bought a house here (she's from here) and had a bunch of Alaska books for me to borrow.   She's also going to be letting me stay in her house in the month of May.  That'll be lovely.  Her house is a little two bedroom with a big picture window out the the big front yard and a huge back yard. She's going to let me stay in exchange for painting the inside of her house. I'm down! 

Yesterday was a total 'study' day.  I went to the UAA library and studied in their gorgeous green atrium. Incidentally, they also have a Foucault pendulum - that thing that swings in the MoS in Boston. They, however, don't have the little clay bobbles that it knocks over every hour.  that's a disappointment.  I'll make that recommendation.   After I lost motivation there, I moved over to the UAA bookstore and went to the café where I bought myself as much food as I could for as little money as I  could and ended up making a bagel with salami and melted cheese.  It was pretty awesome. After lunch, I was, of course, tired so I went and sat in the lovely, practically a greenhouse walkway, where I took a nap on a bench. I woke up to a whole bunch of dogs walking through and visiting people studying (technically to support students for finals but I got a little snuggle in too).   

After my afternoon of hard work, Jeremy picked me up and we went to his house where he had a bike all set up and ready for me to borrow!!  It was GREAT!  I feel so liberated!  I can go ANYWHERE!!!   Also, he had made pork chops and green beans for dinner and we watched a few episodes of The Good Place. Perfect night!  

I'm hoping to do some more adventuring this weekend.  Jeremy is going to visit his brother in Portland and will let me borrow his car.   I might drive down to Seward and Homer this weekend.  Nothing definite but a high possibility. 

Hope everyone on the other side of the world is doing well.  

This was on my walk. I love anything that makes noise.  It was a whole little park with noise makers.  Incidentally, when i was looking for the name of this park, I stumbled upon a website talking about how Anchorage is leading the nation in accessible parks! 

University Of Alaska, Anchorage

The library atrium. Isn't it spectacular?! 

The cuddle dog. So fluffy! 

Here's my Couchsurfing Digs

Couchsurfing Kitchen

Couchsurfing Hottub

End of the week and Jamie's Departure - Alaska

 Hi all!

This weekend has been a both a bit of a whirlwind as well as very mellow.

Jamie left on Friday. Jams and I sent him off with a delicious trip to a conveyor belt sushi bar.  We love a conveyor belt sushi bars! We dropped him off all together too early for his flight as he got through security in 5 minutes and was just sitting at the gate. Ah well.  He certainly didn’t miss his flight. Jams and I then spent the afternoon studying up. Me on Alaska and him on his Human Services degree. Around 6pm made dinner and ate while watching Roma.  Winner of the Foreign Film category at the Oscars. Spectacularly stunning film, very clear examples of class distinction in Mexico, overall uplifting but I’m not sure I’m interested in seeing it again.

The next day we lounged around for awhile before we decided to get Jams back on his training schedule for his Half Marathon on June 22.  We decided on a short 3 mile run along the Tony Knowles Trail. Tony Knowles was the democratic mayor of Anchorage for two terms in the early 80s and then Governor of Alaska from 1994 - 2002. The coastal trail is 11 miles and while we didn’t do all of it, our little 3 mile run turned into 5.63 so I’m really suffering today. After our run we called Jams’ friend Joe and went over to So Thai!

So Thai is the restaurant owned by the sister and mom of one of my students from the EFL school I teach at in Boston! Crazy coincidence, huh?  The mom came out to say hello and I sent the picture off to her daughter. The daughter/my student (Prae) will be out in Alaska in August and I’ll see her then.  

As you might have guessed from the restaurants we visited, Anchorage has a huge collection of international foods and restaurants and LOTS of thai food. Thus far, they have been good. I’ll keep you posted as I eat more.   

After our lunch we went home to freshen up for our night of music and dancing. The music started off at the Alaska Performing Arts Center.  The Anchorage Civic Orchestra, with their non-audition community orchestra with 70ish members- was performing their free concert! The theme was The Sounds of Futures Past.  They played some classics - Oklahoma, 2001, A Space Odyssey, The Blue Danube and the Star Trek Theme Song. It was pretty spectacular! Especially for a non-audition community orchestra!    The theater itself was pretty great too as it was designed specifically with Alaska in mind. The seats were upholstered with a Salmon Berry design and the carpet was of Alaskan Poppies. They tried to make the atrium mimic “big trees” with the tall columns and lighting (that effect was..ok).  Even the bathroom stalls had ferns painted on them.

After the show we went to the winter pop-up “La Potato” for a night of Djs and dancing. We met up with our friend Antarctica friend Sage, ordered some french fries (obviously as we were at a place named The Potato) and drank some beer while we waited for the DJs to start playing some actual dance music. Ultimately they did but by this time is was 12:30 and my ride was leaving. So off we went!

We woke up this morning to make Hot Cross Buns for Easter and by “we” I mean, Jams woke up, prepped the dough and then went out for coffee with a friend.  I slept until 10am and then rolled out of bed in time to pre-heat the oven for his return. And pack. I had to leave Jams’ house today as his roommate is coming back and so I found a couch to surf. I think you all know that couch surfing is a community online where people offer up space in their house for you to stay for free.  The place I found happened to only be 3 minutes from Jams’ house and here I am. I’m the only couch surfer. There’s two permanent residents, Wil and his daughter, and then there’s three renters. I’ve met most of them. The place is super communal. I’ve already been fed some Elk Chili, used the hot tub, met the massive Malamute dog and there appears to be a beer fridge - with keg.      I’m really glad it’s a chill environment because I am BEAT today. I’ve been drinking pretty much constantly for three weeks, have been trying to cram a lot of Alaska knowledge into my poorly organized brain and have been constantly networking. I spent most of today napping/hot tubbing/organizing photos. It’s been a nice break. Honestly, being surrounded by strangers had been surprising relaxing.  I’ll be moving into a friends house in May with the exchange being that I will paint the inside of her house for her. Ok! June is still up for grabs but I have a potential tiny house to move into.

As for spinning back up some studying, I’m back into the fray tomorrow as I meet with my company “mentor”.  I’m curious what she’s going to tell me. And I’ll try to get back to some touring as well. Maybe tomorrow will be my Museum day!   

Thanks for reading these guys!  I appreciate it when you let me know you like it or are, at least, reading it. It keeps me motivated!

Come to Alaska!  

here's some pictures:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/wjwHxAoTKLhXXPSq8

Also, don't forget that my phone works- just like a normal phone! 

Feel free to text!

AND!  Congratulations to Jess Rentsch for finishing her Masters of Social Work!!!  YOU DID IT!! 

Poppies!

Poppin' Dance Floor

Just snow.  

Wil and the Malamut puppy (who's name eludes me)

Day Three - Alaska. Anchorage to Hope

Pulled out the Milepost and we started driving!  Took awhile to get to that point though. 

Let me backtrack to Jamie and the Auction.   Antarctica (yes, i've just jumped to the other side of the globe) has a bi-yearly auction of things that are still serviceable but not really useful anymore in Antarctica.  This years lot included a skid-loader, a few snow mobiles, brand-new in-package kitchen knives, kitchen shelving, Big Red Canada Goose Jackets, bunny boots, and what Jamie was looking at- inverters, radio stuff and scientific equipment.    And he won it on auction!  That part, while nerve-wracking as it was an auction, was easy.  The next part - getting it - was less so.  Once won it meant there's 8 pallets of things that he's got to ship back to the east coast and house somewhere.  Figuring out large scale shipping for the first time was a little nerve racking. Ultimately he went with UPS but some of the vagaries included a $6,000 price jump from the online quote, unbelievably rude and unhelpful people on the UPS service line (multiple), finding a place to leave the items for an extended period of time and generally, worrying that all the "i's" had been dotted and "t's" crossed and that you had made the best choice at the least cost.   

So, while I had indeed pulled out the Milepost, the reality is that I spent about 3 hours looking at it before we started driving.  

While waiting, Jeremy and I took a fun trip to get coffee!  Kaladi Brothers is a local coffee roasting company and as Jams had worked on the North Slope he gets a 50% discount. Thank God as 4 pounds cost 35 dollars (with the discount).   When we were there they were getting ready to send out the first shipment of coffee to the Red Dog Mine, the largest Zinc mine in the world.  14,000 lbs as the initial batch.  They provide coffee to the North Slope employees (oil) and have little coffee shops all over Anchorage.  The woman, Margaret, that we visited yesterday made us Kaladi Bros Coffee and then told us that this company was one of the factors in their decision to move to Anchorage. 

As we were finishing up that chore Jamie messaged to say he was finished, had done a headspace meditation to mentally step away from  the stress and was ready for road-tripping! 

Jams and I returned home, we loaded up the car and were on our way! 

Our first stop was 10 miles away but still inside the city limits of Anchorage (bigger then Rhode island, remember?). We stopped at Potter Marsh Boardwalk.  An accidentally manmade marsh that is now home to all sorts of nesting and migratory birds. We assume. It is, admittedly, a little early in the season.  We saw some mallards, a tern and a little bird that Jamie was trying to talk to but he must have offended it because it flew right off.   Most exciting thing at the marsh was a big dead animal that I'm looking forward to watching disintegrate as the season progresses.  

How was it manmade you ask?  In 1917  an embankment was built for the railroad along the edge of the Turnigan arm. There were, however, streams that emptied into the arm and with the embankment,  No where to go and Viola! Marsh!  

Our next stop was a Beluga point and, while beautiful, there were no Beluga's to be seen. A bit early. They come in chasing the salmon and it's not quite the right season for that.  We also bust with the Dall Sheep which we had been promised were always at Mile marker 106.6.  But, no.   

We continued on our merry way surrounded by steep snow covered mountains and following the water. It was spectacular.  

We are currently in Hope, AK.  About 1.5 hours from Anchorage in a swanky cabin being built by friends of Jams in the first Gold Rush Town in AK.   The people that live here (totaling 125ish) still live in the old goldrushers log cabins built at the turn of the century (one before last) and this place truly looks like a scene from "Paint your Wagon" (without the selling off of women and whore houses, of course).  As it's a bit outside the tourist season, nothing is open but I'm excited to see the contrast in the coming months. 

I'll tell you about the cabin we're staying in tomorrow.  Hope all is well with everyone. 

Potters March Boardwalk

Beluga Point

Hope, AK

Begich Visitors Center (and their temporary iceberg)

Anchorage Alaska - Day one!

ALASKA!  

Here we are.  I've gotten a job with Premier Alaska Tours for the summer and I'll be doing coach tours (off the cruise ships) from Seward up to Fairbanks.   Jamie is here during his April vacation and we'll have a week hanging out with our friend Jams until he leaves. 

I'm trying to review each day and write it down. I'm hoping it will help me solidify information for my tours as well as help me get a running list of "things here that I have done" to talk to my tour guests.

This isn't really edited as I need to move on to memorizing things about the various cities but this is what happened yesterday if you want a snippet! I'll be *fingers crossed* doing this every day for a bit to help me focus my studying. We'll see how it all works out!

This morning we went to Glen Alps Overlook in the Chugach State Park.  After checking out the parking via a webcam (not kidding), we headed out. We drove past the hilltop ski public area to get here.   We started with a trip to the bathroom (thank god) and then walked out to the overlook were we got a spectacular across the Cook Inlet. We could see both the Turnigan arm and the Knit Arm from there.  We could look across the bay 110 miles and see MT Redoubt 10,197  (Iliama 10,000ft and Spur are the two other volcanoes we could see).  All three of those are at Lake Clare national park. 

After admiring the view, we went to hike the Powerline Trail. Literally a powerline walkway. While out there we saw tons of people walking their dogs, a cross country skiier, two fat tire bikers, and also some hikers who had surprisingly hiked UP the mountain to then ski down it. 

Afterward we cruised to downtown Anchorage to go and visit the Holy Family Church. The co cathedral of Anchorage (with the Our lady of Guadeloupe) but we couldn’t get in.  The outside was  a bit lackluster. I was hoping for a big old exciting church but it was simple construction.  Built in the 1940s in the Art Deco style this became the seat of the archdiocese in 1966 and was upgraded to Cathedral.   As we were unable to get in, I can’t tell you anything about the inside and as I’m disinterested in going to Mass today...it’ll probably be awhile. We killed some time by going over to the Cook Hotel. There were SO MANY eateries in the Cook Hotel but before that we stopped into the little gift shop inside and talked to Barbara. She’s moving to Reno for her retirement as her husband has died but she’s worried about finances.  She decided that she would have to pay a lot of money to fix up an old place so she might as well but a new place and get everything she wants. She also told us that Anchorage is expecting an influx of 15,000 Chinese tourists this year AND that they are getting more cruise ships than this year than years past. The shop was adorable.  Lots of lovely little trinkets including Mammoth ivory, soapstone carvings and miniature totems.   It was a delight.   Aside from this store there was a great photo gallery, a chocolate shop, a figurine/sculpture shop, another trinket shop and, like I said, SO MANY EATERIES.   At least 4 on the bottom floor and there’s another on the 20th. 

After we left the Cook Hotel we stopped at Fred Myers (other grocery stores? - Carrs, Walmart, Costco, Three Bears) for shrimp, Romaine lettuce, and beer (in the same building but another store).    We were looking for Singha beer as we were going to a Thai dinner for the Thai New Year but they didn’t have it. When I asked the guy he said that he didn’t think there was anywhere in Anchorage that had it.  Lots of local craft brews though.   We bought a local beer that had been named after some friends of Jeremy’s and then went off to our dinner with a few ice friends.  

Kristin and John hosted dinner (Antarctica peeps) made lap moo, pad thai, tom yum soup, egg rolls, mango sticky rice, coconut custard and had lots of beer. It was all together too much food.  We met two other ice people that we hadn’t know,  and then another one that we had worked with, Dugan, arrived and we had a nice little reunion!   Dugan is here working as a surveyor.   He told me lots of fun little things about his hometown, Homer AK.  

For example: 

Jewel comes from there and her family stars in a reality TV show called : Alaska, The Last Frontier (but she’s not in it). 

The Time Bandits, a boat from the deadliest catch is from Homer AK. 

Homer boasts that it’s “at the end of the world” because it’s at the end of the highway that leads out to the over the Kenai Penninsula. 

 

It’s also the “Halibut capital of the world”. 

Thus ends Day One In Alaksa.

View from our friend Jeremy's porch:

View from the porch again:

Our friend Jeremy!

View of Anchorage from Glen Alps

Pano from the same area:

Powerline Trail (note the powerlines)