A Quick Peek at Alaska Trip 2009

I am back from a whirlwind trip to Alaska!

As expected, I had a wonderful time! Man, I love this place.

I have been super busy but I at least wanted to get some of the awful pictures (would have been better with a decent camera and decent photographer) blogged!

My wonderful friend, Michelle came with me. We were able to see some beautiful sights, visit with my parents and hang with my bro Matt and his wife Tiffanie (and their kids). I had a blast at my 20 year reunion too!

Let me start with my nature shots:

There is a moose in this picture...can you find it?
One of our many gorgeous views of Anchorage from Flattop mountain.

Another view of some of the trails we had just ascended...

Here is Michelle climbing up a rather steep part.

A view from the bluff off my neighborhood...turnigan arm is in the distance.

The other view from the bluff. Many, many a day were spent playing in these woods. Behind them now are huge neighborhoods.

We took the tram up Alyeska Ski Resort to the top of the mountain. I so DID NOT enjoy the 42 temps and very windy conditions. But the views were spectacular!

Looking down the mountain. You can see Turnigan Arm. By the way, we were lucky enough to see a very disappointing Bore tide (they only occur every so often...this is when the tide is rolling out and the new tide is rolling in...it was supposed to be a huge 8 foot wave)...where along with hundreds of people saw nothing.

Our tram view from the top. Matt did a race here last year where the goal was to see how many times one could run up this trail in 9 hours. Really? Is that fun?!

A glacier (on Michelle's camera it looked much prettier and blue).

My daddy-O

The best shot from like 6 attempts of me taking a picture of us...

My nephew, Josh making an attempt at the Skinny Raven shop pull-up record. He did 22 getting his name on the board!

My Brother Matt, making the same attempt. He got 18. Just enough for the free t-shirt. Boys...

I could do one (girls have to do 9)...barely.

Was it windy on our hike you ask?!!

Yes. It was windy. Very.

20 Year High School Reunion! Totally fun.

Some of my high school gal pals. Kristen (on left) had a little get together before the reunion. People asked me how I got so tall...heels baby...high uncomfortable ones.

Matt eating Thai food. So good...ha ha ha (he was speaking with a thai accent saying, "so good, ha ha ha....")...had to be there.

We have entitled this picture, "Summer in Alaska." We were freezing but no, we didn't wear my mother's furs out in public.

My darling mother! It was so great to see her.

Michelle, Tally and I freezing...where were the fur coats here!?

Flowers, flowers everywhere. Alaska is one flowered up place! Had to take a picture with these HUGE blossoms.

Eating lunch with Tiffanie, Liz and Tally. We did a lot of eating.

Feeding Tally honey for lunch. Look at the angelic light shining down...

One of the bears we saw...

The other bear...

Picture by glacier waters and large glacier (the name of the blasted thing escapes me).

The other "hot" bear we saw...you would have kissed him too...look at his six pack abs!

We were too "hot" girls in a very "cold" environment but we still had the best time ever!

I can't wait to go back!