January 2014

I don’t really have any pictures for the things we have been doing lately.  But we have been busy fixing.  We have replaced windshields in 3 vehicles, and fixed up the suburban to get it ready to sell.  Duane has replaced all the boards on my (our) 16 foot trailer and had a guy make ramps that somewhere got misplaced. 

The Altima with a new windshield.  Its crack was all the way across right at the height you look through.

If anyone can remember the suburban door….even a blue armrest is exciting !!  (we had fun at a auto savage yard that was ‘you go get the part’.  So we tromped through stickers and crawled over cars and found just what we wanted)

…and lastly….Pendleton has been fogged in for about a week.  It’s a little dreary without any sun for that long.  So I talked Duane into taking our daily walk at Deadman’s Pass today.  We went through fairly thick fog up Cabbage but when you get to the top it is so pretty to see blue skies and sun !!  I didn’t factor in the fact that it is still 28 degrees up there in the sun  : )

Alaska Jan 2-6

Duane and I went to Palmer Alaska (40 minutes north of Anchorage) for a reception for Mike and Jaimi.  Jaimi has lived there all her life. 

Friday morning we went on a ‘snow machine’ tour.  (we were given it for Christmas).  It was so much fun.  I have never driven a snowmobile before.

This is Duane talking with the guide (Matt) and a picture of our styling snowsuits. 

The machines were so easy to drive and so much fun.  We even got a lunch of Caribou hotdogs.

The crazy thing about Alaska is that it doesn’t get light there until 10am right now.  So being early risers we learned to take our time and enjoy breakfast : )

 

This is the inlet that we drive right next to to get to Girdwood where we went snowmobiling.  Huge chunks of ice everywhere. 

Beautiful snow covered mountains.  They said they hardly had any snow this year though. 

Frozen waterfalls all over the place

…and can you see the glacier coming down the valley.  They are sky blue because they are all ice.  Most of them were covered with snow so it was hard to see them.

 

We saw this guy just on the side of the road.  Crazy scary looking.  Then we saw the rope hooked at the top.

I would describe Palmer as a lot like La Grande.  Very windy, small town (6000) and cold.  We stayed at the ‘Valley Hotel’ ( the locals call it the V-Ho)  It had the best restaurant in town.  Really good food and the best pies.

and last but not least….a moose.  (running of course).  Duane wanted to see a moose while in Alaska so we asked people where to find them.  I don’t know if you can tell but …yes…. in someone’s backyard.  This mommy moose had a calf with her.  They are sooooo big. 

It was a great trip but I will definitely go back in the summer next time.