ALASKA EXPEDITION 2010

“That's a good time for the moose and caribou to see yoo too.”

“Last year after the pre-trip REI stop, we hit the liquor store. Check Fridges pack, as big as that was, he had some hide out stuff.:)

Yep, work on getting in shape, us two older guys had no issues. Maybe Dub will post his shot of Mike and I (geezer break). Of course we were ahead of the hotshot young men.:)”

“Scotch, nectar of the gods. I had some on the last trip. Will have some again.”

“Scotch nectar of who's GODS....The Gods I know use the Takillya stuff.”

“Hey all yous who are going to Backpack Alaska....I just landed a trailer that will carry our gear and is closed in sooooooo we have a sheltered trailer with no worry about rain or theft. They first offered me an open trailer so being a nice returning customer they give us an upgrade with no extra charge.”

“NICE!!!

I will be taking Weezer breaks!”

“Me too only I callem Geezer”

“Hey I was getting my second wind the longer we were out there, just like when I dusted Chin accross that field on Day 4.”

“Yep I remember that Dub. Hows about when you seen all that GRIZZ POOP soon after that! Seemed like you had enough wind for everyone.”

“I told ya I pick up more wind the longer I'm out there. A couple more days and I would have been leadin the pack.”

“Yea a couple more days and I would be out of wind and in the rear.
I wish you were going on this one Dub. Your sense of humor has always given past Backpacking experiences solid memory and joy. Your pictures capture the moment as it is.”

“The pain and difficulty of Alaska gave me a solid memory of the trip, lol. Tussock, blah.”

“just think Dub if that woman and her very young bo was to punch you out at the Polar Bar. Hu good thing I grabbed you and rolled you out side....I thought you were to put there lights out and you was in no pain that night buddy.....Was you in pain the next day?

You showed those Alaskaan folks what real RED NECK from the south was all about. Hey how old was the old lady anyhoo?”

“LOL, I have no idea how old she was but they were lucky you made me leave, I was just about to open up a can of authentic WV countryboy whoop ass on them. And no, I wasn't in pain the next day...although that incident was the only thing I remember from that night for some reason...”

“that a boy Dub ....just like a kick azzzzzzz WV boy would put it. I knew when you stood up setting beside me with your right hand lifting that last BIG JACK DANIEL'S drink and you taking it all at one GULP....I knew you where ready to whooppppp arzzzzzz in Anchorage and bring back those memories of southern whooppp azzzzz on the North....so I had to intervene so you could come back another day and show those boggers what the south wuz all about even if that old woman was wanting your body and that youngin was geleous. I knew you wuz ready to KUNG FOO chopper them Alaskan folks in half... it wuz all I could doto control you to go out side as everyone at the BAR was runnin sceardy....”

“QUESTION DUB.....What do I do iffin I run into those 2 at that Polar Bar! Can I call you?”

“Translation, please.........for those of us who don't dig that West Virginia jive talk.”

“MarkO you told me your WV family roots started that JIVE talk. Don't you remember when you just finished off that 5th of Johnny and then it started with almighty OWENS of WV”

“i'm loving this conversation!”

“My West Virginny kin had hardly gotten over their County Longford jive talk when they moved to D.C.”

“so explain every time we backpack in WV your jive talk comes alive!? Remember at the restaurant at Bear Haven you really got into a deep conversation with the local and both of you were on the same page as if you were kin. Let me thunk back,,,,uhh Yea thats right....you realized you might be kin as you both were jivin about ancestors and kin folks, and another thing MarkO.....why is it you lean to one side as if one leg is shorter than the other like all those WVirginnies do? Now you don't do this all the time ...only when in WVirginny

You know you wana be a WVirginnie

and another issue....why is it you look like some of those people over there.

you have alot of kin folk”

“I suppose I'm just a jive time turkey. Saaaaaaaay, is it turkey season in WV?
If so perhaps I should re-think my hiking plans next weekend.

Maybe I will build me that shack up thar.......some day.”

““well Ms Tango.....I don't plan on hiking 20 hrs but I do plan on getting at least 7 to 8 hrs sleep and if we average 1 mile an hr that's a good day in Alaska. Usual start time around 9am and usual stop time 4pm maybe 5 pm with several photo opps and lunch. Piece a CAKE”-Fridge.

We get cake for lunch. This is going to be the best hike ever.”

“Hey karbellas, in case I missed it, where are you in the DC area? I am in southern Md.

I had a bunch of ladies give me chocolate cake whilst atop a pass in the Maroon bells, CO.”

““that a boy Dub ....just like a kick azzzzzzz WV boy would put it. I knew when you stood up setting beside me with your right hand lifting that last BIG JACK DANIEL'S drink and you taking it all at one GULP....I knew you where ready to whooppppp arzzzzzz in Anchorage and bring back those memories of southern whooppp azzzzz on the North....so I had to intervene so you could come back another day and show those boggers what the south wuz all about even if that old woman was wanting your body and that youngin was geleous. I knew you wuz ready to KUNG FOO chopper them Alaskan folks in half... it wuz all I could doto control you to go out side as everyone at the BAR was runnin sceardy....”

this is funny. i should go on one of these trips.”

“hubcap this is a true event. I'm not surer what Dub said to that ole woman. I do know when we first sat down to take in a libation the ole woman was kinda comming on to Dub while the young guy with her was getting red as red neck can. dub I think even bought her a drink and she came over to talk to Dub....BUT soon after that, both her and her Bo was ready too whoop azzzz. I always though Dub turned her down or something like that and ticked her off.

oh yea I did buy 11 shots of Jack for Dub for that last 10 minutes we were there and toasting our trip with Dub as he would slam the shot down every 50 seconds at least. he was feelin no pain when we carried him out of there. I remember he saying to me... FRIDGEY ole boy...iz a goud thang yuz get me ouda thare cuz I wuz gunna whoop az in thare.”

“Okay Karbellas......your cut off....no cake for you.”

“LOL, I think that story is kinda right except I didn't want nuthin to do with her old nasti butt and I think that offended her when I said I wasn't no cougar dinner. I do remember drinking an awful lot that night.”

“Are you sure that you are allowed back to Alaska, Fridgy?”

“So it appears I need to have a kilt, a fetish for older toothless women, and a drinking problem to hang with you all in AK.

This should be easy enough.”

“Eggs, talking to Cocohead...you should fit right in.
MarkO....they know me as Mike the Fridge at the Hostel and Polar Bar. Bush pilot knows us a Trail Talkers.”

““Hey karbellas, in case I missed it, where are you in the DC area? I am in southern Md.

I had a bunch of ladies give me chocolate cake whilst atop a pass in the Maroon bells, CO.”-Jackstraw

I live in Loudoun, ashburn.

I informed my nursing students that I love food/cake and that they had class presentations to do. They brought in tons of food. One studnet brought in the periodic table made with one cupcake for every element! If you've looked at the peridic table recently, you have an understanding for the awsomeness of this.

If any of the students had said (as Fridge did) that I am cut off from cake I would have been forced to fail them for the semester on moral grounds.”

“Hit the trails and get ready for this trip!”

“I ain't hitting nothing but the ice and the sofa :(”

“Spoke to our Bush pilot yesterday as he commented that the weather is now starting to change to spring like temps and the bears are beginning to emerge from hibernation.

Where he lives is within Wrangell-St.Elias NP and has a generator for electricity with his plane as the only guarantee he can get out weather permitting.
We have 3 creek crossings to get to his lodge and one can be a problem if rain has set in for several days. We do have a plan if we cannot cross this section for him to come to a small landing strip just before this crossing and fly us in from there.”

“Fridge, there was a Chevy Aveo parked in front of his house last year, you gonna let a tiny car beat you guys when you're in a big van? ;-) Just plow through the creek, you've got rental insurance.

Oh and a tip for everyone...bring cash. Last year when we got back they had breakfast for sale....$12 cash.”

“cash is good and that Chevy aveo was lucky to get in that year. That's why there was a Hugh fire within the park....no rain.....now Mr Dub.....You need to go on this trip.

I just picked up another piece...Taurus 44 Mag ultra light 4 inch barrell...titanium frame. Very light weight.”

“Like I said Fridge, you're richer than me, all you gotta do is pay my way and you can enjoy watching me suffer again. No way I could get in shape in time.”

“Wait we have to be in shape. Does round count, it's a shape.”

“That being in shape thing might be a problem for me since I am still laid up on my couch! And I don't know when I'll be back in action.”

“Eggs I agree round is a shape. Being round I can do it!

Tango are you slackin?”

“My back is out. Ice is my best friend right now.”

“Fridge!! these Bear vs Man videos on Youtube freak me out. Promise to protect me??”

“Never fear for the Fridge is near
Never fret for the Fridge can protect
Never fear for the Fridge will have another BEER”

“LOL@Fridge!”

“One taste of your moonshine--you'll never hear me whine!”

“I am stoked for this trip!!!
I have been flooded with e mails about a trip 2011 from folks I have never met. I might just do one... maybe.

6 of us will arrive afternoonish July 1st and remaining 6 arriving July 2nd. We have a 15 passenger van with a closed in trailer.
Plenty of gas to do our business.
Sat Phone to access the other side after we leave you ins.!!!
Hostel stay for up to 5 days stay.

BUSH PILOT FEES out and back and one helluva ride too. Be sure and breath when you are taking off. The 360 degree views... of this great land we live in is wordless!
My first time there I realized just how small I was and who was really in control.
A very spiritual time regardless who you are.”

“......and how small the airplane wuz.

Ha ha ha!!”

“but the airplane still IZ's”