Memorial Service

As I mentioned before, there is always a large Memorial Celebration held at the Alaska Veteran's Memorial the Sunday before Memorial Day.  There was around 130 motorcycles that contributed to "rolling thunder" but due to the bad weather there was no helicopter this year.  The ceremony was very emotional with stories shared by veterans from all different eras.  It was very touching to hear their pride and thanks for those that had been lost and for those that are still with us today.  I shed quite a few tears myself!  The senator came, she is very involved with veteran affairs and has traveled around much of the Lower 48 to visit cemeteries, hospitals and families.  Here are few pictures from Sunday's Celebration.

Alaska Brass

 Senator Lisa Murkowski

    Jason and Chris with Senator Murkowski

Week Two Pictures

Since I know everyone's favorite part is the pictures, I have decided to upload them in large groups!  Here are some pictures I have taken since my last upload... Enjoy!

The Drive North

 Power washing Veteran's Memorial

 Taking a ride to the North Boundary of the Park

 View from the Chulitna River

We drove through a rainstorm

 Chulitna

 Bridge over the Chulitna

Experiencing Hail at North View

 Surrounded by storms

Hurricane Gulch, a common suicide jump...

 More hail at North View

 Railroad Crossing marks the Northern Boundary of the Park

 A family about to leave down the Chulitna, takes about four hours from here to Talkeetna

 View from a Sandpit

More Vets Power washing

Hike Around Byers Lake

 Lots of down trees from bad winds this winter along the trail and throughout the campground

 The left side would be Byers Creek and the right side is the entire view of the lake

 Byers Creek

 Ruffed Grouse I'm pretty sure

Fairy Houses in the Campground

I discovered these when I was cleaning out fire pits; they put a smile on my face!

 

Days go by

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile, but there hasn't been much going on since the memorial celebration. I have been doing odd jobs to keep busy! I did find a cute fairy house while cleaning fire pits in the campground today! I plan on positing lots of pictures tomorrow!
Tonight I am back down at Nancy lake for my two days off. I will probably do some solo hiking and adventuring. I came down with Mark so we could carpool and save the state some money ;). I went grocery shopping tonight and spent $120, yikes kind of scary when you only make $500/mo! Dairy and soda are two lost expensive things compared to back home. We did the shopping for the trail crews and it was $2,550; for eight days! It filled the bed and the backseat of the truck.

Sorry I haven't been posting much, but there hasn't been that much going on. I will post pictures tomorrow though!

First injury

So today started off like every other day with a cup of coffee and some oatmeal. I then resumed my work of pressure washing and cleaning vets, it now looks quite nice if I do say so myself! I am anxious about the memorial service tomorrow, it is guaranteed to be and emotional day. After lunch I joined Chris to cut up some fallen trees in the campground, I loaded brush and log rounds into the truck and silly me put my finger between the log and truck! Nothing serious, just some swelling and bruising and I'm sure it will be a little stiff tomorrow! Today went by fast once again, and I have to say as of now time is going way to fast for my liking. I don't want this summer to pass me by. And I can already say with certainty I will be back, there is no keeping me from Alaska, this place is too beautiful and filled with too many opportunities to not come back! I miss a lot of my friends and family back home, but I am not the least bit homesick to my surprise! I am loving every minute or this adventure; rain, sun, snow and injuries included!

After a bit of cloudy skies and rain showers Denali poked its head out today for a few hours!

I saw this on a visitor sign and wanted to share: "A pine needle fell in the woods; the eagle saw it, the deer heard it and the bear smelled it." - Native American proverb