Cross Country Skiing Rules!

So another adventure with some awesome Anchorageans. First cross country skiing ever was a success!

And a little post Holiday humor. Family, don't take this the wrong way... but you know it has some truth!
Pearls Before Swine Comic Strip, December 26, 2013 on GoComics.com

Christmas Day Snowshoe and Beardcicles!!

I started my Christmas Day with preparing a slow cooker boneless turkey breast in preparation of hosting dinner for other East Coast transplants. We had Maryland, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Connecticut and Florida represented for dinner!

Then we went for a snowshoe from the Prospect Heights Trailhead and Mt. McKinley and Denali decided to peek out in the distance.

View of Mount McKinley

We saw two moose bedded down and one grazing on the side of the ravine

Jeremy (Florida), me and Mike (Connecticut)

And finally, the new trend of which I plan on posting as many pictures as possible: the Beardcicle!

In their defense, they had already started melting by then.

Different day, different conditions, Adam (Michigan)

And then, as I was leaving a patients home on the 26th, this cow runs past me so I had to go out a different exit.

Happy Holidays!!!

Outdoor Trifecta

The way I'm going, I'm gonna be outdoors every daylight hour possible. (Don't let that deceive you, we don't have many!) But as of yesterday, the days are officially getting longer!
Sledding happened all night Friday night followed by bonfire for the winter solstice last night and snowshoe today! Meeting great people! Jameson even had a golden retriever buddy named Solomon who is the same age!

Happy Holidays!!! 

Let it snow!

Cause when it snows, I get to play. We finally had a nice snowfall!

Jameson pounced around! He loves it! Then I went for a nice snowshoe on the Turnagain Arm Trail. It cleared off for us for some beautiful views. We even saw a moose!

 

We snuck up on her unintentionally so I only got a few pics.

 

 

Looking back towards Anchorage.

Random Christmas tree on the trail!

Snowshoeing is one way to get your cardio workout in!

Talkeetna Bachelor Auction pays off

Alright, well I may not have found me a bachelor at this year's event but it looks like I'll get a free try next year!
I'll have to practice up for the Wilderness Woman's Contest so I dominate.
And randomness has it that I received the text from one of the only two bachelor's living in Talkeetna who were originally from Pittsburgh, PA.
It's a small world after all...

Talkeetna Bachelor Auction

Sneak preview! We caught us a bachelor! More pics will be posted at a later date. I have to focus here!

Nancy, Valerie, Jennifer, Dela, me and an awesome Talkeetna bachelor named Jeff

Mangy Moose Cabin

And it begins...

The Gangstas of Love

They pulled off the Kmart Jingle Bell commercial amazingly well.

Wilderness Woman competition - Carry two 4 gallon buckets of water down and back main street, Make a sandwich and open a beer, Cut a log, Place wood on snowmachine and keep all in sled, Catch a salmon, Shoot a rogue moose, and whatever else they had to do while I was at the Fairview having some Jameson with the guys.

Dating Game - getting to know the bachelors a little better

The half dressed chick in the middle won!

 

All other pictures were too much for this blog to handle. Sorry ladies! 

Wreath Making Class

I think the only live greenery I'll have this Christmas is the wreath I made tonight.

Two foot trees cost $30 and five foot trees are $79!! Hopefully I can find one cheaper somewhere!

Mount McKinley, Snowshoeing, Moose, and Glaciers

Iza flew all the way from McAllen, TX to visit Alaska! We had a great visit. She was like a good luck charm with clearing the clouds to see Mount McKinley, calling the moose and snowshoeing successfully!

Majestic mountains along the Turnagain Arm

Who needs a sunset when you can have a sunset volcano?

View from the top where we were snowshoeing. Zoom into the middle - in the far distance you can see Mount McKinley

Iza came to visit! We did not plan the jacket colors!

 

Jameson at Portage Glacier - you should have seen him pull a Bambi on the ice!

The closest ski resort - opens November 28th!

The many icefalls had ice climbers all along Turnagain Arm.

Action shot! He luckily loves snow!

My first snowshoeing trip - thanks for joining me Iza!

Out for a snowshoe with my buddy.

My second moose of Alaska!

Thanks for coming Iza! I had a great time!