2011 Hiking Goals

Stroller White (l.) and Mt. McGinnis (r.) from Grandchild Peaks

My hiking goals for 2011 are taking shape.

1) Stroller White - we're not sure how to reach the top, either from Mt. McGinnis or the Grandchild Peaks trail. May require technical climbing, which I will not be attempting this summer.

2) Overnight Trip on Grandchild Peaks - have to procure a bear barrel. Someone riddle me this though - if the barrel is not to be tied-down, where do you put a barrel on a ridgeline? I keep imagining an animal rolling it over the edge. :)

photo: recreation.gov

3) Eagle Glacier Cabin

4) And just because it's been on the list every year: Mt. Juneau Ridgeline.

What are your options?

Today in Seminary Mr. X asked the class what the Saint's options were when they were attacked by Missourians. Their answers:

• Form a Militia,
• Guerrilla Warfare,
• Leave, or
• my favorite: Kidnap the Governor's Daughter.

Someone's been watching too many Westerns.

Weather Report: Wind

While it seems the rest of the country is battling snow, we've got wind. Gusts up to 80 mph in town and the first reports of damage:

JPD: Wind damage reported
Sergeant Chris Burke says officers on patrol in the South Douglas and downtown areas discovered 14 different vehicles and 1 house, which had broken windows on the windward exposed side of the vehicles and house. (KTOO Radio)

New Year's

Herbert Glacier River, 2007

• 400 square foot apartment two miles from the glacier: too much
• Mr. X's garage sale - two sizes too big, socks in the toe - skis: $35
  Clearance poles: $7
• Having New Year's Eve morning to ski straight out the front door: Priceless
  
  Thursday night we had a winter storm advisory and were supposed to get up to 14 inches of snow. Friday morning I left Mr. X snoring and took off on a short jaunt through fresh snow up the trail to the glacier. By Friday evening, all that nice white stuff was melting away in the rain.

Denver Trip

Colorado Capital Building

Last week we headed off to Denver to visit my sister Marianne and her family. It was a special occasion because S's adoption had been finalized and it was time for a sealing and blessing.

Mr. X and I spent the week leading up to the sealing eating Mexican food, watching fireworks, walking Lady, tickling S., playing games, baking Christmas treats, shopping, sight-seeing, visiting and caroling. Would you believe that it was 65 degrees while we were there? That's summer weather for us.

Henry Harrison's first wife and son.

College roommate, E, (she's 32 weeks pregnant, doesn't she look incredible?)

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Our ward announced a Christmas Pageant this year...with just a week (i.e. 15 minutes of practice) before the ward party.

Friday night was the "Play" and to be honest it so reminded me of the book, The Best Christmas Pagent Ever. Everyone tripped over their fathers' bathrobes. The donkey wore a clip on tie for his tail. One angel had wings that kept poking people. And the shepherds pounded their crooks as if they were hockey sticks.

All in all it was a successful event*, but I just had to check out the printed version on Saturday. Mr. X and I thoroughly enjoyed reading that classic Christmas tale together.

*Of course we had to hightail it out of the church when Mr. X looked at me and said, "ugh, you okay? Your eye looks really pink."

Four Wheel Drive...

I recently read an article in the Anchorage Daily News and one of the reader comments caught my eye. It tickled my fancy. Make me laugh. I wanted to share it with all my friends, but I knew I'd get slammed, flamed and all out be-littled.

But I can't take it any more. Yesterday, driving home, the roads were icy. I mean we got 6 inches of snow at 33 degrees, the plows went out and then the temps dropped - that kind of slick. Everyone was moving along at a reasonably good clip and then we could tell that there had been an accident. And that comment, that silly comment, totally fit the situation.

Four Wheel Drive: 'Cause it puts you further into the snowbank.

Not convinced? Think about it for a second - a ford focus and a ford F250 - who's going to make the deepest, most dramatic hole? Which one leaves the road, crosses the ditch and buries itself in the snow bank?

Drive carefully out there; 'tis the season.

(Please know that I am not laughing at other's misfortunes, rather I'm laughing with all the four wheel drive enthusists who laugh with me for driving 2wd)