Number One for Ava

I'm really digging the daylight. We are approaching the vernal equinox and gaining daylight like nobody's business.

Ava is one. Hard to believe. She is my surrogate niece. I'm not sure if spending time with her it makes it easier living far from Noelle, Katelin, Daniel, Jacob, Nolan, and Hugo or harder. I'm trying really hard to get her to repeat what a monkey says, she's getting real close. The red couch is a testament to the good water we have here in Alaska! L to R Ella (Ava's cousin from MN), Ella, Ryan, Ava, & Schaffer (aka Joey). Ella and Schaffer are twins, beautiful twins.

Well, since none of those bundles on the couch belong to me...I spent the afternoon on a ski tour in Turnagain Pass...another beautiful day.

A week from today I leave home for a month. The length of the trip is starting to set in. Hopefully spring won't pass me by...

Sun + Snow + Skis (and some Cheese Fries) = Happy St. Patrick's Day

Sometimes I take for granted the back drop that I call home.

A beautiful St. Patrick's Day afternoon was spent on a ski tour up Glacier Creek. We finished off the day with some well deserved cheese fries (and beer). Tonite, a delicious concoction that is cooking in Glenda's crock pot as I type, corned beef and cabbage...I'm going to try to whip up a Bailey's Cheesecake.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Thoughts

Wolverine trapping is coming to an end. I'm getting used to the idea that we didn't catch a thing. People say it's hard, but it's hard on the catcher too...not to mention the budget. I'll be transitioning into the spring/summer season. Looking forward to a summer not in the field all the time. I'll have a few trips but will be based in Girdwood, for the first time in 4 years. I'm looking forward to it. My summer is filling up however with friends and family visiting. I'm also gearing up for my second Gold Nugget Triathlon in May, great motivator to get moving. I'm currently getting ready to leave the state for a month; CA, UT and some past due visiting in MN.
On another note, if your an Iditarod fan...the front funner will cross the finish line this evening, it has been a fairy tale race. The winner (well not officially but he's 3 hours ahead) happens to be a musher that a good friend of mine "handled" for for a few years. Lance Mackey will be the first to win both 1000 mile races in a year (Iditarod and the Yukon Quest) this is a super big deal in the mushing/Alaska world. It is pretty cool, I even got to know some of his dogs... check out the coverage and stories http://www.adn.com/iditarod/ I've been addicted...

See some of you real soon!!

Telepalooza

The 4th annual Telepalooza was a few weekends ago. This is a telemark skiing festival in honor of our friend Jeff. This year's theme was "super hero". I dressed up as Super Low Pressure. The event was a lot fun and we even managed to raise a good amount of cash, which will go to Challenge Alaska (get disabled folks out on the slopes) and to help finish the timberframe pavilion that was built on the Forest Fair grounds here in Girdwood. www.nissmantelepalooza.org