Lake Chelatna Trip - June 2009

Hi Everyone.....

Well, it has been awhile hasn't it??? I know...I'm bad....and I promised! Now I am having to remember how to post something! Anyway, onto something interesting!

I finally had the pleasure of visiting a friend's remote cabin up at Lake Chelatna! How exciting....an hour long float-plane ride, landing in beautiful teal blue water, to a beautiful location of serene and quiet. Just my kind of thing.....ahhh.

The cabin was built in 1970 and is 'perfectly rustic'. While dreams of updates swirl around, I don't think it will loose it's charm. We flew out on Thursday and fortunately, I didn't get sick in John's plane, and arrived back on Sunday. I was in desperate need of a shower and a nap by then. We were visited by a family of porcupine, loons, beaver and jumping fish, very little sunshine and some rain. No bears, although the overturned fire pit and fresh claw marks on the cabin were a reminder that they aren't too far away. And fortunately, the bugs were not as bad as I had imagined. I think everything imaginable for keeping the mosquitoes away is in use at the cabin! You can check my web album of this trip here: http://picasaweb.google.com/julie.saddoris/LakeChelatnaJune2009#

Many of you have been wondering how the MS 150 bike ride went. Well, I can say it was one of the toughest things I have ever done. It was mentally challenging to say the least. I made it from Hope to Seward in 7 hours, that's 80 miles. The last hour or two was in the rain. I didn't ride the way back on Sunday and said I would never do this ride again, it wasn't fun. Well, of course, I am signed up to ride this thing again! It's even later in September which means a better chance of rain. Wish me luck.

Speaking of bike rides, I did get talked into riding a 120 mile ride from Houston, north to Talkeetna, and back, in early May. Only three weeks to train for this, after sitting inside all winter (and it was a long snowy winter). This ride benefited the Special Olympics and we couldn't ask for better weather, or a better view of Denali all the way up and while at the lodge. You can see pictures of this ride here: http://alaskadigitalvisions.com/photos.htm. Look for the section with Special Olympics pictures. There are a couple of me at the lodge under #16 and 17, lodge 1 and lodge 2...that is me in the light blue shirt with members of our team. Great ride....

We had an early spring, and lots of sun and warmth. But the past couple of weeks have been cooler than normal and full of clouds. While I was downloading pictures and typing this, I watched the clouds gather on top of the mountains, real dark, saw some rainbows...pretty neat. But now it is clearing and I see there is fresh snow at the peak of one mountain and a light dusting on the top of another! I hope this isn't the end of our summer....I just picked some fresh spinach from my garden!

Well, I think this will be all for now. I'll try to post more...often! :) Hope to get out more with the camera than I have been. Oh, and I finally experienced my first earthquake in Alaska...exciting...on the 3rd floor in a meeting with a client. It was a good one at 5.4 that lasted a good while.

Ciao for now!
Julie

Labor Day Weekend

Happy Labor Day Everyone!

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted but I finally have something to share! Over the weekend, I went for a bike ride and after 15 miles of riding, met a friend for lunch….who knew someone…who was thinking of flying to McCarthy. It was such a beautiful day this last weekend of summer (literally), so why not??? Instead of riding back the 15 miles, I got a ride to the car and feeling guilty, headed home to take a flight over the Chugach Mountains to McCarthy…home of Kennecott Mine, http://www.nps.gov/archive/wrst/kennecott.htm . We left Anchorage in a 4-seater Cherokee, heading over the Chugach Mountains to McCarthy. We flew over lots of mountains, glaciers and Kennecott Mine. I hope you enjoy ‘some’ of the pictures I took. It’s nice to have friends in high places. Enjoy the flight: http://picasaweb.google.com/julie.saddoris/McCarthyFlight .

Also, some of you have been hearing about my yard ‘make-over’ and small garden. I ordered 10-yards of dirt to be delivered Memorial Day weekend but I think they brought me 20! Thankfully, I had some unplanned help arrive to get it all moved. After filling my yard with all it could take, the rest was wheeled around the neighborhood to anyone who would take it! It has been a pretty cold summer…cloudy, about 10 degrees below average…not the summer we like, or our plants for that matter. But, the plants are in and growing a bit….setting their roots for the winter (hopefully). I can’t imagine what they’ll be like next year! Maybe I planted too much??? Is that possible??? Ask any gardener…plants are my addiction! Enjoy a stroll through my garden: http://picasaweb.google.com/julie.saddoris/Yard2008 .

Well, I am off for a bike ride. Last chance to be ready for the MS 150…it’s this weekend. As fall is officially here with wind and rain, I’m hoping for just clouds for this ride. Cross your fingers! Also, I am still trying to reach my goal in donations for the MS Society. I’m close but still need some help. If you can help me out, I would be forever grateful! Here’s a link to donate: http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/AKABikeEvents?JServSessionIdr012=o4d06zkbt1.app329a&px=4485404&pg=personal&fr_id=8772 . I’d like to thank those who have contributed already.

Next update…probably in a week or so, after the MS 150…if I’m still alive and can move! Till next time…

MS Bike Ride

The first weekend of Sept, I will be riding in the MS Bike Ride from Hope to Seward, and back. Roughly 150 miles round trip. Your support and pledge would be greatly appreciated. Click here to show your support and help me achieve my goal!

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/juliesaddoris

Summer Solstice 2008

Summer solstice is a big deal in Alaska....not only is it the longest day of the year but it reminds us that autumn and winter are coming. Don't get me wrong, it won't be a while until we actually see darkness again, real dark anyway. Anchorage gets around 20 hours of daylight on the longest day of the year. This is from sunrise to sunset...and it doesn't mean that it gets dark...maybe more like dusk. Just ask Kelly and Randy...they were up for a week and the first night they were in town, they were up until about 3 a.m. playing 'bean bag toss'!

Kelly & Randy came up to join Mitch on a road trip to Deadhorse and the Arctic Ocean. I hear they actually went in....photos to follow? :) I spent the day with Kelly, Randy, Mitch & Jan on a much smaller road trip to Seward, one of my favorite places in Alaska. This link has a few pictures of the trip: http://picasaweb.google.com/julie.saddoris/Solstice2008.

As for summer here in Anchorage, it has been colder, cloudier and windier than normal. We have yet to reach 70 degrees....I just wish we could see more sun and have a little less wind! I have been working on my yard (pictures to follow in the near future, before & after). I am planning on dipnet fishing in a couple of weeks. I may have to invest in a freezer for this salmon I am going to catch. This weekend was an air show at the air force base nearby. I didn't attend but lots of planes flying over the house. Glad it isn't like this all of the time! They are quite loud.

Here is a link to some of the photos from the late snow storm we had back in April. I did a posting but not with pictures. http://picasaweb.google.com/julie.saddoris/WinterSnowstorm2008

I hope everyone is doing well.....and I am still waiting for visitors! :)