Back from Alaska part 2!!

[jimnyc]

(Rick - feel free to post whatever you have whenever you want, mine will be coming too, we can do both!! Just no ugly pics of me ya bastard!!)
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Hot damn!! (whole story in itself). When I got back from Alaska for my first trip ever last year, I said it was the best vacation I had ever taken. Now it has some serious competition!!

Alaska is just pure heaven in my mind. L5 is simply pure heaven in my mind. Rick and Sharon are the best friends anyone could ever ask for, and it's pure heaven sharing a vacation with them at the infamous, but hidden and barely to be located, L5 slice of heaven on Earth! I am sworn to secrecy as to it's specific location. It's mine mine mine and all mine!

So I'll have to share more tomorrow and a ton of cool pictures and some videos. 211 total. But I'm too tired, need sleepy right now! While Alaska was simply fantastic, the traveling to and back was horrid. Missed connections, TSA loves me, literally sleepless and stuck in Seattle, late to Ricks's place by a day... then no room in Chicago, change of plans that cost me $300 - but shhhhhh..... at least I had a hotty with me in Chicago, but unfortunately for me, the bitch started chewing on my ear and waking me up at 3am today!! So I got to the airport at like 7pm Saturday night, flight all night long and not a wink of sleep to be had. Land and no hotel room (confort suites inn SUCKS!). But got lucky room at 10am at the Marriott in downtown Chicago, with a MUCH better view.

So, back to the young little lady I had in Chicago....

She was actually half Alaskan, and half Siberian - that's Huskie's anyway!!!

That's right - we actually missed the beginning of the iditarod because of my late arrival. Then it was a miracle, there comes an iditarod sled right up the snow trail down by Talkeetna. He was training for next year with his dogs!! I have videos later. He has puppies available in about 2 months. One of his dogs is part wolf!!

I couldn't wait!

So Rick told me that Sharon could make anything happen in Alaska, she's like the "fixer" and has the answer for everything!! She's just effing awesome!! So she took the challenge - and found "NIKOH" for me on very veryt short notice. Yeps, that's my newest bestest friend in the world's name - my new girlfriend at home - her name is Nikoh, which is Alaskan Athabaskan for "big" i believe. Many other great choices, but she looks like a Nikoh to me. She has one blue eye and one brown eye and she is stunningly beautiful. I will be back with mucho updates, pictures and some videos. But here's a pic of Nikoh and myself just home. Another photo of her & also a short video of her playing already with the cat!! And yes, no shaving allowed in Alaska - and I lost just over 20 pounds there!! Rick tried to kill me!! LOL About 250 miles of snow machine riding, and many crashes and flipping and digging myself out of MANY very DEEP snow piles!! Many moose to come!! Saw a fox too, no phone ready though. Only a few eagles this time, but it was -10 the first night there!!!

[jimnyc]

Ok, seeya all tomorrow, I need to collapse and sleep. I got like 2 hours in last 48. Too much excitement, anxiety, playing with pup - and fearing divorce and death from Diana!!

While she ain't thrilled, and I'll be "paying" for this - I see it in her eyes - and as I type this, the pup is with HER in the other room on HER bed!!!

[hjmick]

Her bed?



(Yes, that's my takeaway...)

[jimnyc]

Man, still can't thank Sharon and Rick enough. And the entirety of their family. Tanner was SO helpful in helping me pull the starter cable on my machine a few thousand times. Jim is Rick's brother, and was accepting of me in the cabin and very helpful. Sharon's daughter Veronica was so nice to me at the house!! They all made me feel like family, and that's special when you're 4500 miles from home in another world away. I owe them all something special, for bringing something so special to me, that gave me memories that will last a lifetime!

So my first stop was Las Vegas. I arrived there in anxiety attack mode and was not well. That kinda killed any gambling and fun when you are riding solo with anxiety. Of course I still toughed it a tad to try the slots, and then walk a bit and see the cool chicks in bikinis and Batman and Mickey and other weird shit in Vegas. And the hotels are HUGE there!

This is Caesar's Palace, across from Harrah's where I stayed. Casear's Palace is like a million miles long, and must have a million rooms! I made the mistake of going in there and I got lost!



Here is the board in front of Harrah's where I stayed.



The Mirage



Another shot of Harrah's



A small shot of the monster Caesar's



Here is where the shooting was, the Mandalay Bay. This was miles away from where I stayed at the end of the strip, so this shot is from the airport



The deathmobile! This is why I was late, the door lost a HUGE screw, and they waited 2 hours for a part before we left.



The plane with the entire strip in the background



The whole strip



Takeoff, with the strip in the background. Passing the Mandalay Bay towards the end, I panned down and you see the large field where the shooting/concert was.

[jimnyc]

Heading towards Talkeetna in the beginning. Didn't take long to find some moose!!



We got within like 30 feet of her!





Here is Mr. Moose and my second shout out to Abbey!



We made it to the cabin, just in time as it dropped to -10 degrees on night #1. I nearly froze to death!!!



The sauna off to the right, but too cold to think about a sauna!!



Front step side view with a few sleds



The cabin was freezing to death too!!

[jimnyc]

So on the first night I was in anxiety mode, completely exhausted and out of it. I layed down at like 10 or so and must have instantly fell asleep. I woke at 3am cause I was freezing the family jewels off! I came into the main area of the cabin and everyone was gone!!

I was like "WTF" at 3am. Then a little while later Rick and friends pulled up on the machines closer towards 5am or so. The diesel fuel ran out and that gives the heat!! So these crazy 4 or 5 bastards hopped on the sleds at 3am in -10 temps to make a 40 mile ride to go get diesel out of the back of Rick's truck.

Bad enough, Jim, his brother, kinda crashed and messed up his sled. The worst part being leaving his hands exposed. Imagine hitting 25-50 miles per hour, open faced, hands freezing, in -10 temps!! So they stopped every few minutes to stop sleds - as Rick was riding "Excalibur", which is the Cadillac of sleds, with heated grips and heat blowing out of her. Not to mention you don't feel the bumps thanks to the 16" shocks on her! Originally, I was on a girls sled, with no heated grips and broken shocks!! I broke my back in 97 different places before I graduated to the RMK 600 and the Skandic for the majority of the rest of the trip.

[jimnyc]

Here are the crazy kids rolling in the snow making an igloo, while I shivered!!



Just a couple of the sleds out in the front of the cabin on the first morning after arrival!



A crappy shot in the morning, but you can still see just how beautiful it is in the morning out there.



Yup, it was a full house on day #1!!



A couple of the sleds. The one on the right is an "assault", a very fast machine belonging to Rick's friend "Lee". Was another awesome guy, I first met him briefly last year. He told me he is Alaskan Indian, so he gets free healthcare and what not. Lee has also ran the "Iron Dog" race, which is like 1500-200 miles long? That takes some serious 'nads!! Todd Palin actually won it a few times!

[jimnyc]

So I believe it's still day #1, and Rick already started trying to kill me!!

So this was probably the beginning of Jim crashing into the DEEP snow one too many times. EVERY time I did that, you hop off the sled and realize you're in 5 feet of snow up to your waist! I was nearly dying of a heart attack and out of breath so many times. But Rick was cool and mellow about it, and slowly taught me how to get her out and how to ride.

Here's the cabin in the AM, with the Alaskan flag hanging outside (American flag off to the right).



Here is "Jed" and Lee. They both know how to build things and were all up there building a second cabin along side this one. VERY talented folks.



Here I am on the girlie sled, in my VERY TOO WARM Steelers jacket representing in Alaska!



Here's a few of the young'uns gearing up for the day. This is Jim and Jed's kids. Jim is Rick's brother.



Just beautiful out by the river in the morning. There's basically a Nascar track out there for the kids to race around on!! Of course Jim goes around on a pre-made track, and I STILL crashed and drowned like 3 times right out there! LOL



As we were cruising, a few moose crossing



The ugly guy again



Out on the edge of the river in front of the cabin, peering to the right down the river.

[jimnyc]

Here is just one goofy shot of Rick I have to post, but no more as I don't want my goofy ones posted either!

So why post it then? Well this is a MANS man! up all day and having a blast and drinking and fun and working and moving shit. More drinking and fun and the dang fuel runs out!! Then when I'm more than done for the day, this crazy bastard goes cruising to save the day at 3am in -10 temps. Comes back in those temps and busts his butt to get heating going. Guzzles an awful lof ot vodka, and keep going like he never drank. So everyone else mostly slept, this trooper and a half was still up. Then what? He makes breakfast for everyone as he wanted us all to get some food in our belly's!! Dang!



Girlie sled again



When everyone bailed, it was just Rick, myself - and this is Rick's friend "Joe" from Montana, not to be confused with Joe Montana! He was such a friendly and pleasant guy, also made me feel at home, just a nice all around guy.



Some death spikes hanging off the front of the cabin!



I was upgraded to the RMK 600 one day. Picture a cartoon - with someone giving the gas with the legs out the back straight in the air hanging on for dear life! This sucker was FAST! And fun!!



Rick needed some ice for his drink, and I recalled the death spikes...



I think Rick enjoyed it!!



Would you be motivated seeing this, want to go home? Never!

[jimnyc]

Boy, you sure do get hungry after burning calories all day long!

Here are the 8 steaks that were made. Why, just when there were really only 3 of us eating....



Oh, don't forget the Alaskan King Crab!! Don't let them little effers deceive you, there was a LOT LOT LOT of meat in them suckers!!



Rick was telling us how tasty the steak was and filling our plates with great steaks, as he slowly pulled the crab closer and closer to himself! LOL



And yes, we nearly ate it all!





That's Joe on his sled, making another trip into Talkeetna.



The main trail, just follow her 20 miles each way. Bumpitty bumpitty on my ride, but just heaven on Rick's!!

[Abbey Marie]

Nikoh is beautiful!

Glad it was such a great time.

Rick, you are spoiling him rotten!


@NightTrain

[jimnyc]

We decided to go out front at night and pull off a few rounds from the .460 bear killer! Rick is shooting here and makes it look easy. DO NOT underestimate this sucker. We are in a wide open area and it may not appear or sound.... but listen to the echo throughout the valley. I would imagine this sucker would cut a human right in half!!



I don't want to post this, but I will. I made an ass of myself. Wearing a WW2 bomber cap, frozen to death & completely hammered on Fireball. But I was careful, Rick was in charge and we all had fun!!

I blew my eardrums out, fell back 2 feet with each shot. But mind you, I lost 21lbs out there!! The dang recoil, and the gun weighed more than me!! And my gay glasses on, but figured it may help to see and not shoot Rick and Joe. And yep, that was me saying "F me, what the hell did I just shoot!". Almost knocked me over on the second shot and then I figured I was done making an ass of myself.

[jimnyc]

My favorite part of driving, and I hate driving - but the views in Alaska at every damn turn!! Well, not all turns have Mt. Mckinley!!

Joe standing alongside the RMK 600 which was his primary ride!



Beautiful shot at the "power lines". This is where the power lines cross the Talkeetna River. If memory serves me correct from last year, I believe they head all the way out to Fairbanks. But the halfway point has a mandatory stop for some "hot damn"! Which is a whiskey drink that has a spicey kick, and you do a swallow and you will go "hot damn!!".



A little mountain



I LOVE Mckinley or Denali if you prefer...



Even going around the bend and a crack in the windshield - still beautiful





post card:

[jimnyc]

How do you kill a shot of Mckinley? Stick me in front of it! LOL But I still had to, the memories!!





Joe in front of Mckinley







So into town again, and there was a sled back at the "base" in town, and this is when I changed from girlie to man sled.



So how do you beat steaks and Alaskan king crab? Well, Sharon brought out HUGE steaks that made the others look tiny. And since we were in town, and I made Rick bring me to the store to get some fresh water - I decided to buy $100 more of King Crab!!

So we ate pretty good 2 nights in a row!!

[jimnyc]

So after all that, I was full for a month, and vowed to never eat king crab again!

But oh boy, I woke in the morning and Sharon made us these awesome omelettes filled with a massive amount of king crab that we couldn't finish!! LOL