New Eye Candy...

Hi there guys, the past few days it has either been raining or cloudy, so I felt like posting some of the photos I took while out on a drive late last week when we had the most beautiful day I have experienced while in Alaska... This scenery and temperatures in the seventies - What more could you ask for?!

This first image is a mock up for what i think could make a nice poster... But I want outside opinions, good or bad, I need and appreciate your feedback!

Fishing...

Today I spent the day fishing, a nice get away from everything... I only caught one Pink Salmon but I am not complaining, I enjoyed just fishing again because it's been ages! Officer Wallace caught a nice Coho Salmon (pictured below with Schmoopee) that is now in the freezer in quite a few nice steaks... I have never had Salmon so it should be interesting, I hope I like it, but we will see! Saw a few bear today including one really nice sized one, there's something a little eery about being about 30 yards down river from Bear and fishing! lol..

Anyways, the photos are not too great this time around, but I hope that you guys enjoy them!

Range Day....

Hi there everyone, wanted to share a few photos with you guys from yesterday when we went out to test out a few new weapon options.... All I can say is that I do NOT like the feel of the Smith & Wesson .45 that we shot, the trigger on that thing drove me insane! Give me my Glock...

Anyways, it was fun none the less being able to go out and shoot again... I hadn't shot a shotgun in years and it showed, for some reason I stick my hips out all stupid, but I hope that it's a habit I can quickly fix. I believe that some of that may be happening because I need to build more upper body strength, and with that strength will come better form on the shotgun. We will see.

Today after lunch I was out in the Nat. Forest and saw a Momma Bear and her Cub, he was a late cub and was just as cute as a button! When they saw the truck they headed out of the roadway and the little guy thought it would be best to climb a tree, he made it about halfway up and then came down like a sack of potatoes... I felt bad for the little guy but it was so cute! Unfortunately I didn't have my Nikon with me, I could've had some great shots. :( The salmon are running and the Bear are everywhere in preparation for hibernation, in the next few days I hope to get out into the brush with Off. Wallace and get some nice shots down by the rivers. I am also hoping to catch a nice big Salmon so that I can get a photo of these things for you guys... they are so big!

Getting Settled In...

Hi there everyone, I am finally able to get online here at home in Alaska!!! Hopefully the Direct TV will be up and running in about a week or so, and I will be getting the BigTen Package so that I don't have to miss ANY of the Ohio State Buckeyes Football games!! GO BUCKS!!!

Anyways, I just wanted to let everyone know that I made it here safely. I apologise for not getting on here or in touch with some people before today... My first day was spent sleeping, sleeping, and sleeping some more! Yesterday I was feeling a little more alive and got a bit of unpacking done, my Office is still being prepped for painting so I still have a lot of stuff stacked up in the kitchen that will eventually be put to use in there. Today I am feeling much better, well rested, and may even go for a bit of a walk around town after I get done with this, catching up on email, and get a nice hot shower. The weather is quite different from back home, but I'd take this over 100 degree days with humidity any day! You just put a sweatshirt and a light jacket on to keep you dry when it's raining and you're set.

Now that I am here I have no doubt in my mind that this is where I want to be!! It has been so nice being back, I really do hope that in time some of you guys find your way up here so that I can show you what it is that captured my heart in this gorgeous land. There's no place on this earth more beautiful than Alaska...

Schmoopee has settled in perfectly, and after two baths she no longer smells after being stuck in her crate during the ferry ride! She has her crate in the laundry room, a bed in my bedroom, and has enjoyed getting to smell everything that is new to her. She is snoozing right now on her blanket in my bedroom, that spoiled pup! Below is a wallpaper that I made for my own laptop, but if you want to use it then go ahead, it is formatted at 1440x900. It was taken in Ketchikan while on her trip off the boat, I really think it's a cute picture, but I am biased! ;) Just click on the smaller image below to open the full size image.

Just so everyone knows, Alaska time is 4 hours behind the time back home in Indiana... But feel free to call or email, I'll always get back to you as soon as I get a chance!!

Ferry Day 3

Just sitting here in the forward lounge of the ferry on my third day… It has been an interesting trip so far, but I have enjoyed it.

Unfortunately they took quite a while to load the vehicles on board and I wasn’t able to get on deck in time to claim a lounge chair, but I was able to take up camp in a nice large corner of the solarium where I am fairly sheltered from the winds and morning rains. I’d rather be warm and a little uncomfortable, rather than comfortable and shivering cold!! It’s been balmy out here on the water and it reminds me of how cold I thought it was when I first arrived in Alaska back in June, eventually I will get used to it and this will be warm, I can’t imagine what it will be like to go back home sometime during the summer when it’s easily in the 90’s and 100 percent humidity! I’ll be dying in the heat – Just like I think it’s chilly now.

Schmoopee was able to get off of the ship for a while here in Ketchican and she was quite happy about that! After two days of sleeping and staring at the other vehicles she was full of energy. I have been lonely the past two days without her by my side, she gave me a great deal of comfort out on the road just by being there… It’s amazing to think that she’s had such a different lifestyle in these past three years and is now going to be, what I am sure is one of the few, Bulldogs in Alaska. She deserves a bit of an adventurous life, it seems to fit her personality… She deserves the very best.

As for me, I am terribly anxious to get into Hoonah… I’m not sure if it’s the fact I’m not too afraid of the decision I have made to move to Alaska, or if it just hasn’t really “hit me” yet just how far I am from everything I’ve ever known. Either way, I am so very glad that I made this decision. Anyone who really knows me could probably tell that I was itching to get out of Indiana, have something worth talking about in my life, and this move is certainly something I can be proud to talk about. I do miss those who were close to me, and I am often thinking of what it would be like to have those people as a part of my new life, but I know that I will see you all again soon… I promise! I plan on keeping this blog active as long as I know that you guys are out there reading, it’s not much, but it’s an easy way to share some of my new life with everyone.

Day 5 - Woodbay, WA - Bellingham, WA

The drive is officially over! We arrived into Bellingham around noon and have been relaxing in our hotel room, just sitting still and watching some ESPN has never felt so good!! Tomorrow evening we load up onto the ferry and begin our three day trip into Hoonah, I will be blogging from my BlackBerry so there won't be any pics until I get home and get the office up and running... But I plan on keeping this blog up and running even after I am settled in, so keep checking in!!

The place I went to eat had an autographed photo of Mike Rowe from when he visited... I told you guys that I was going to be chasing him! ;)

Day 4 - Spokane, WA to Woodway, WA

Another short blog tonight since I have an early morning start, but tomorrow I will be taking the really quick drive up to Bellingham, WA where I will be able to relax and let Schmoopee get some good rest before we head out on the three day long ferry.

Today was spent driving across Washington, a lot of the same, but the same means a lot of gorgeous redwoods! I have to say that my experience in Seattle was enough to never make me want to go back, at least not in a vehicle! The traffic was absolutely ridiculous, as soon as I got off the interstate I was looking for a way out of that city! I would like to go back when I could tour the city on foot, but I would never want to work there and have to drive through that crap everyday!

Just some simple snapshots again tonight, sorry the photos haven't been as good as I promised... I have really been focusing on driving more than shooting, something I am sure I will regret when I look back on all of the sites I actually wanted to see! Anyways, here they are for tonight.

Day 3 - Gillette, WY to Spokane, WA

Some said it couldn't be done, but I managed to drive from Wyoming to Washington today! I am sitting in my very comfy hotel room in Downtown Spokane, and I got it at a fantastic price! Schmoopee decided that she wanted to setup camp in the lobby because they had a tile floor, so I had to carry her into the elevator, then alllllll the way to the other end of this hotel hallway and into the room! What a spoiled dog!!! In the morning when we check out I'm using the luggage cart to move her downstairs if she gets lazy again lol.... I'm not carrying her again! :p

Today's drive was my longest, but honestly it didn't feel as bad as the last two days... Wyoming was pretty but boring after a while, Montana was pretty but lasted forever lol, but Idaho was gorgeous! The drive from the Montana border - west on I-90 would be sooooo much fun in a true driving car! The route through the mountains is a continual series of S-turns, if you ever get a chance to roll through there and you have a vehicle that is fun to drive and handles well, do it!! Driving into Spokane put a smile on my face, I cannot believe that I am in Washington... I have always wanted to visit WA - Seattle specifically - but Spokane is such a nifty town! I wish I had the energy to go for a walk, it looks just lovely and there were a few restaurants I wanted to look at for dinner... But I'm just too tired after taking my shower.

Tomorrow I can sleep in, decide a nice scenic route to take into Seattle, and in the evening I will meet with a photographer that I met at The Rolex Kentucky Four-Star Event... He and his wife are being so kind as to put me and Schmoopee up for the night! The kindness I have received from people since I announced my big move has been incredible, so many people have pitched in equipment they don't use, time, a place to sleep, and I am so grateful! I hope that you all know that it means a great deal to me to know that everyone supports me in this decision. It really has been hard to leave the people who are so important to me behind, but I won't be gone forever, and you are all welcome to come visit! ;)

Day 2 - Leavenworth, KS - Gillette, WY

Oh god, what a long day... This may end up being a short blog!

I left Kansas this morning and had a pretty enjoyable drive, nothing went wrong (*knock on wood*), and here I sit in Gillette, Wyoming... Driving through Sturgis, South Dakota was quite the experience since today was the first day of Bike Week! It was great seeing all of the bikes but I was terribly jealous, unfortunately it also meant that I would drive a few extra hours just to find this hotel room. I'm not totally happy about where I am staying tonight but it allows a dog and was available... The next hotels were over 100 miles away! When I was told that there is nothing in Wyoming they were not lying. I even double checked the mileage to the next hotels..

Okay, that wasn't much of a blog but I am exhausted and going to TRY getting some sleep... I will see you guys tomorrow, here's a few photos for you.

Day 1 - Cloverdale, IN to Leavenworth, KS

Today was a long, hot day... But we arrived safely in Leavenworth, KS and will be staying with Jeremy & Cindy for the evening.

For the most part today's drive was pretty boring, not a lot changes between Indiana and here... Schmoopee is doing good with the drive, she pretty much sleeps the entire day away and occasionally will huff and puff about having to find a new comfortable position. She isn't happy about the other dogs here, but Jeremy & Cindy have been incredibly understanding about her issues... THANK YOU!

We came across a very interesting couple while at a rest stop in Missouri, they were incredibly kind and interested in my little adventure... I took some portraits for the gentleman (that I hope turned out okay, I was using his camera which I was not familiar with!) and then he gave me a signed copy of his poetry book... Very nifty. :) Driving through Kansas City was a pain in the butt, the Mississippi River was really nothing to talk about, and it was around 100 degrees today...

Tomorrow I will head out in the morning and hope to make it to the South Dakota / Wyoming border... Unfortunately this happens to be bike week in Sturgis, SD and the room rates are rediculous, I'll pretty much have no choice but to make it into Wyoming in order to find a room that isn't $300. *shrug* Oh well.. It's doable.

Here are some photos for you guys, sorry that this blog isn't more interesting... The midwest doesn't have much to write about! lol... Here are the photos from yesterday that I promised, along with two more from today's drive. I hope to get better shots to share with you guys tomorrow!!

My Last Day in Indiana...

It's crazy to think that when I got home from Alaska in June, I honestly felt like this time would never come... Now I sit here getting ready for bed so that I can head out on my first of five days on the road! It really seems like time has flown by at warp speed.



Today was a lovely day spent with my parents and the pony, we took some humorous photos that I will have to share with you guys tomorrow when I am on a faster connection... There is a logging road near the end of our road, as a young girl I decided to take Thunder for a ride along the trail and the next day there was a sign stating "No horses or motorized vehicles", it has always given me a good laugh so I had to get these pictures before I left. ;) We had a delicious meal and I was able to visit with someone very special to me, my childhood neighbor Randy! So many great memories have been made out here...



I leave tomorrow morning at 0800, and hopefully I will be in Leavensworth, Kansas around 1700-1800... I will be staying with my friend Jeremy and his wife for the evening. I really look forward to seeing them, along with thier two goregous working dogs! I am worried about what Schmoopee will think of staying in a house with many other dogs, but she will have her "baby gate" to keep herself contained in a bathroom if she gets too stressed out with everyone around. I have hopes that we won't have to do that though, she did quite well when I was fostering a puppy a few months ago and shows signs that she is over her stress issues with new dogs. We will see... Wish us luck and safe travels!!