Saturday, May 30, 2009

first hike in arraska.



Yesterday I took full advantage of my second day off.
Day off one I spent showering, doing laundry, hanging out with Jared in the ticket booth, and going on a little adventure to Anchorage with Ryan. It was a pretty good day, but I barely spent any of it outside (though it was pretty rainy the whole day).

So when I woke up yesterday morning and saw the sun shining I knew I had to get out and do something. I gathered my gear, which took me a while, since I couldn't decide if I wanted to use my pack or my messenger bag...I decided on pack and I'm very happy with that decision and the pack in general. I stopped by work for a minute saying hi to everyone and then was on my way down the highway.



I decided to head down to Moose Flats, since Ryan had taken me there the day before to show me it, and I noticed there was a trail that started there. Moose Flats was only like a mile away from the top of my road so it was a really easy walk to do. I got there and headed down the trail.
I was a little disappointed, since I realized it was basically just a gravel bike path, so when it crossed the highway I jumped off and headed back down the road.



I stopped for lunch where the trail would have ended if I had stayed on, which was a beautiful little lake. After I continued down the road, stopping off whenever I would see a little path or road to head down. I eventually came across a sign that warned of Avalanches...well I saw other people in the area so I figured it was alright to head down and check it out. I'm so glad that I did, this was one of the most beautiful places ever.



I arrived at the bottom of the mountain, which had this giant glacier coming down, so I hiked across the snow to this huge rock at the bottom and laid on top of it for an hour or so, reading Bukowski and listening to the water fall. It was a pretty awesome thing for sure. I explored the area a bit, and decided it was time to head back to the cabins. I gathered my stuff and was on my way.

I decided to take all of the Blue Ice trail back, just to see if there was anything interesting on it, since I had given up on it so quickly last time around. I found this path leading off of it, that takes you around the lake, and up the mountain into the trees, so I'm super stoked about that. I think Jared and I are doing a hike today so we will most likely head up that, and maybe camp out for the night.



After I got back from the hike, I stopped back at the AWCC and went to visit with the two baby moose we just got in the other day. Sooooooo cute! ahhh! I can't wait to get in their pen and hug them. Jack (who is about a year old) is cute, but these babies are soo much cuter (sorry jack)

Tomorrow Jared and I are heading to Anchorage with our awesome boss Eve to do some shopping, so that should be a really fun day too.
Man I love Alaska so much right now.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Arraasska i is here.

Well I suppose this blog could be re-named Kat-laska...but that's going a little far.
I'm on my 9th full day here, and I absolutely love it.
In case any of you didn't pick it up from the other post (maybe I didn't even write it...who knows), I am now working at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, and its amazing.
This place is so great, we take in injured and orphaned animals, and rehabilitate them and either set them back in the wild or they get to live here for everrr. I work in the gift shop/ticket booth/ cook in the snack bar. The cooking is my favorite though because behind me in the open air snack bar is the owl enclosure so I end up sitting and talking to them for a while.

But yeah things are great. We just got two baby mooses here yesterday and today, and they are adorable! There's also another orphaned moose named jack that they took in last year, and they all live up by the bunk house, so when I go to shower/laundry I get to go by them and pet them. Picts soon I promise.

I live in a pretty sweet cabin across the street from the center....well its more like down a really long road across the street but its tight none the less. I even have my own outhouse (no running water in the place, though we did just get internet). Its nice though, and the two boys I work with live a few cabins away from mine, so we hangout like every night. They are pretty tight guys for sure.

I'm feeling kind of lazy at the moment so I'm not going to put any photos up, but I promise I will put them up soon, I just found out I have the next like four days off, so there will be plenty of down time for surez.

I'm going on a hike tomorrow, so I'll post about how that goes.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Had the interview for on the ice, and the next day faxed back my official acceptance letter for primary janitor position.

So yes kids, its official, I am heading back down to the ice!
Crazy thing is, depending on when I leave Alaska, I may have as little as a week between the two!

I'm currently in packing hell, but think I have everything figured out and packed in my suitcase. I'm still a cronic overpacker, but I'm getting slightly better at it.

I got to hangout with Katy today, she drove up here to Manitowoc to shop and spend the day together before I leave. Pretty great time, and saw the new X-men movie. Totally not as amazing as the new Star Trek, but still pretty alright.

Flying out monday morning, hanging out in Mpls for 8 hours between flights with Justin and Sarah, and then arriving in AK at around 8:30 p.m.

Its going to be a long day for sure.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

lately.

Well posting should hopefully be happening more now, that I will soon have more going on in my life than sitting at my parents house.

I leave for Alaska on monday the 18th. I will be working at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, and I'm super stoked about it. Its looking like its going to be a great summer.

I also have an interview tomorrow morning for a job back down on the ice, so I will hopefully have good news about that as well.

Life is shaping up quite nicely at the moment.