So I know everyone has been dieing to see my van so here it is in all of its glory! HAHA!!!!!!!

Here are some pictures of Alaska
This is a view from the Eagle River Nature Center in Eagle River

The Kayaks at Eklutna Lake

Bold Mt. at Eklutna Lake

Welcome to Alaska - Ha!

So as most of you know, I'm in Alaska. I am staying Anchorage for the time being and am actually hoping I can get out of the city ASAP!!!! I flew up here which I thought would be a great idea - it was a cheap flight and I thought hey I can take the bus around and all will be great. Well.... things didn't turn out how I would have liked to hope they would have- but that's life right? When do things ever turn out the way you want? For me not very often :) Anyway Gabi White (a friend of a friend) has been kind enough to take me in, and I am staying with her at her house. When I first got up here I was taking the bus everywhere - trying to figure out the city and looking for a job. The bus is great if you have nothing to do all day - you can spend your time sitting on the bus for hours at a time wondering if your ever going to find a transfer station to get on a different bus that will actually take you where you need to go. I have met all sorts of interesting people on the bus and at the different stops - really all sorts :) The first week I was up here I was riding the bus around and got really sick - like so sick I thought I was going to die! I abruptly pulled the cord so I could get off at the next stop. I ran off of the bus and tried to find a place to go that I could use the restroom. Luckily I was close to REI so I went in and used the bathroom (cause I thought that would help) well it didn't. I had the worst stomach pain I have ever had before and I thought that my appendix had burst! So of course like a little baby who do you call other than your mom? So I called my mom and told her what was going on and she of course told me to go to the hospital. I didn't want to go cause I don't have insurance, but I did cause I'm a good girl and listen to my mom :) Anyway to make a long story short I was admitted to the hospital and spent the remainder of the day in the ER. My appendix didn't burst but I did pass kidney stones - which I was told is worse than child birth! So I think that having kids will be no problem at all :) I was also told that I have another one of those damn stones in my kidney and I could pass it anytime - an hour or a year from now, great right. So after my lovely time in the ER I was leaving and trying to brace myself for the big bill that was coming, I walked up to the counter and handed the man my papers and he had the nerve to tell me that my bill was $3000! I was like no way! I can't pay that! I have no job, I have no money! I tried to convince him that the bill was only $3 but he didn't buy it. I was so sad! I gave the man my money and walked out of the hospital vowing to never go back - I don't care if I'm dieing I'm not going back there. Those dirty bastards! Anyway back to the bus situation, I was getting tried of trying to find a job while on the bus, its was taking me all day just to stop at a couple of places to pick up applications and then the whole next day to drop them off. I thought - this is crazy!!!! So I started to look on Craig's list for a vehicle, just something to drive. So I was perusing Craig's list and I came to a 1983 Volkswagen Vanagon (which is a camper van) for $700 I was so EXCITED!!!!! So the next day I went and looked at the bus and it seemed to run great, it wasn't that pretty but I didn't care - cause I wouldn't have to take the bus anymore!! Hurray! I told the man that I wanted it and that I could give him his money the following day and come and pick it up. I thought it was such a steal. Well..... it was good for the first day or two, then I went to go and get out of the city and see what Alaska was really like. I was heading down the road and about two miles after I hit the highway my roof of my van blows off!!!! How the Hell does that happen? So some guys pulled it off to the side of the road for me and I got off of the highway and turned around to see what the damage was. I got back to the wreckage aka roof and realized that I had no idea what do do with it. It was too big to put inside of my van and I couldn't put it back on so... I left it there. I went back the next day with one of the guys that I live with and he helped me strap it back to my roof. So now I have a huge hole on the top of my once cool van. Not quite sure what to do about it - any suggestions? Also I went to get it tuned up cause I thought hum I should have someone look at it and make sure it runs OK so I can drive it and be somewhat safe. So I took it in and payed the ridicules 200 dollars for the tune up and now it doesn't run quite right. Hum.....I'm starting to think that I have really bad luck! And that is no fun - no fun at all. Everyone is telling me to go back to Idaho and work - and I really have been thinking about it but I have a couple of interviews within the next couple of days and I will see what happens with that before I decide anything. I know that I make it sound like Alaska sucks but it hasn't been all bad. I have been on some really cool trails and I have been able to go climbing and yesterday I went with a couple of friends and we hiked Bird Ridge which is a lot of fun. Maybe I'll grow to like Alaska - who knows.

Beauty

Have you gazed on naked grandeur where there's nothing else to gaze on,Set pieces and drop-curtain scenes galore,Big mountains heaved to heaven, which the blinding sunsets blazon,Black canyons where the rapids rip and roar?Have you swept the visioned valleywith the green stream streaking through it,Searched the Vastness for a something you have lost?Have you strung your soul to silence? Then for God's sake go and do it;Hear the challenge, learn the lesson, pay the cost.

From "The Call of the Wild," by Robert Service

ALASKA ADVENTURES!

The time has come to let all of you out there know that I am heading to ALASKA! I am planning an Adventure Service Expedition on the Yukon River. Me along with a few others will be heading to the Headwaters in Canada at the end of May to float to the Bering Sea 2000 miles across Canada and Alaska. The jurney will take roughly four months. We will be doing service along the way in the different communities and on the banks of the Yukon. Here is a little preview of what we will be doing:

Yukon Service Expedition is a nonprofit group created by outdoor guides of many sorts, dedicated to the protection and preservation of the priceless Yukon River wilderness, along with the communities along its shores. In order to help raise awareness and provide needed environmental and community assistance to this unique area, our group will be embarking on a service expedition. During the summer of 2009, its members will be paddling the Yukon Passage in Alaska from its headwaters in Skagway, Canada to its end in the Bering Sea (2000 miles). Along the way, we will be performing environmental service focused on alleviating the shores of the Yukon River from invasive species in order to preserve its natural ecosystem. We will be documenting our experience in order to help raise awareness of the threats and needs of the Yukon River and thus inspire further work. We will also be connecting with the local communities along the river to educate and involve them in this cause. Along with educating the communities about us and our environmental goals we will be performing a variety of services in the communities to help fill any needs they may have. Yukon Service Expedition’s ultimate goal is to create an organization that will provide an annual service expedition similar to this in order to continue the preservation and protection of this priceless resource.

My hopes are that this trip will go well and we will be able to continue our work on the Yukon in the furture. I hope to create and establish a well needed non-profit orginization that will not only involve the people in Alaska but also colleges throughout the world. I hope to bring under graduate and graduate students on Adventure Service Expeditions where they learn outdoor skills, leadership (emphsizing on Service Leadership), and environmental needs for the Yukon. This would be a great trip for Biology students and recreational managment/leadership students to learn more about the land we live in and how to create solutions for the problems that we are faced with. I feel that this trip will open many doors for my future and I am excited about the new challenges that I will be faced with.

It has been quite an adventure since I have left Jamaica. I traveled from Atlanta GA to New Mexico - Arizona- up through Utah and home to Montana and every state in between. I took three weeks traveling home stopping to camp, visit friends, and family. I Had quite the time. I now know that I love to travel whether its with someone or alone. I have an innumerable amount of memories storied in my little brain and hope to gather a lot more in the future.

I went from looking at this.... To this.....

To this.... in a few short weeks

My trusty car is officially over the hill... It hit 200,000 miles on the way home (but it now has quite a few more, I like to drive what can I say)

Epic travels

So my time in Jamaica has come to an end.  I had the time of my life learning and exploring the land of Jamaica.  I have so many great memories of my times there.  I will never forget the people I met and the places we visited.  So thanks Tonia and Craig for allowing me to live with you and making my time unforgettable.  I spent a month down in the sun and it has been hard to come back to the states to where it is so cold.  (Sorry Tonia and Craig but you guys are going to freeze I'm afraid).  I arrived back to the States on Thursday night where I stayed with Kevin Magart and his beautiful family.  The next morning I thought that I better start on my epic road trip so I went out to start my car and nothing.  My car was dead, I know what a good start for my trip.  So Kevin Jumped me and I was off, or so I thought.  I needed gas so I pulled into a gas station to fuel up (by the way I'm in love with the gas prices) forgetting that I needed to let my car charge a bit longer I shut it off.  Big mistake! My car was no longer going to start the battery was shot.  I had quite a few nice gentle men help me out, hitting on me, and asking for my number several times.  It was great.  After about an hour we were able to get the car started and I was on my way again, but to Wal-Mart this time to get a new battery and some other things done to my lovely car.  After 4 long and tormenting hours at Wal-Mart my car was finely done and I was free to leave Georgia.  The next couple of days were a blur, I just drove and drove.  I drove from Atlanta Georgia to somewhere in New Mexico in a little under a couple of days, that's over 140o miles.  Once I arrived to New Mexico (where I met a couple of friends) I crashed for a couple of days refusing to get back into the car.  I spent my time just hanging out, biking, and eating some good food.  I'm now in Gallup New Mexico where I met my good friend Erin.  When I got into town we we on a little hike, which was beautiful.  It reminded me that I miss the West and all of the beauty that it offers.  

     I will be hanging out at Erin's for the rest of the day and tomorrow I will be heading off to Arizona to see Cheri and Joe.  Hopefully I can remember to take some pictures so you can see my travels.  Take Care