wish i had aviators
The purpose of this post isn't really to entertain anyone; it's a bit more selfish, really. I just want to keep a record of things, etc. So if this seems dry and uninteresting, tough. I'm uploading pictures, isn't that enou
gh (I'm technologically impaired, remember?)?!!
Started the day off by visiting the Iditarod headquarters...dad happens to know some interesting people here, and Joe Redington Jr happens to be one of them. Joe Redington Jr. is the son of -- you guessed it -- Joe Redington Sr, who started the whole Iditarod race shindig. He's a nice old man. Everyone here is so goddamn friendly (and slightly closeminded/really shocked to see asians who aren't tourists & speak english). While we were there the sun came out so we hauled ass an hour and a half up to Talkeetna to take a charter plane up to McKinley. I got to ride for free, huzzah. It's usually $250/person or something. But again, another one of my dad's friends here happens to be the manager of the air services, so that might have helped; that, and the fact that after we've brought so many customers to their place, asking us
to pay would be downright ass. Oh, and I got to be co-pilot, WHAAAT. We got to wear those bitchin headsets, and for half of the trip we needed oxygen masks since we were above 12,000 ft or something. So we circled the North and South Summits of McKinley; there were clouds scattered, but it made it even more beautiful. I felt slightly sick on the way down but made it back without having to utilize the air sickness bag, woot. After getting off the plane, we visited the local cemetary where a lot of climbers have been buried. One of them being a very close family friend who was actually living with us when he took an expedition up McKinley and died from hypothermia. I was seven years old when that happened, and that was when my parents had to try and explain "death" to me...they kind of glossed over details, naturally. I heard the actual story today, in full detail, when my dad was recounting it for his friends...hearing it for the first was somewhat unnerving, since this man had been kind of an older brother/uncle figure when I was growing up. So it was meaningful to go back and visit his grave. Also visited the Talkeetna Ranger Station; all the rangers hadn't seen me since I was a little girl, so we went through the whole "my god you're grown up, how's college, how's new york, do you miss alaska" repartee. (To which I answered "I know, Great, Fantastic, Sometimes") Then we headed back down home after walking around Talkeetna for a bit (I had some kickass "mountain pie," i.e. pizza); but first we stopped by the Talkeetna Lodge for coffe
e, and my dad and his friend regaled us with their own crazy mountain climbing stories. It's like a whole part of my dad's life that I feel like I don't know, but from what his friend was saying, he seems to have been a really crazy guy back in the day. I heart my dad. Anyway, came back down to Wasilla and had one of our trademark barbecues down by the lake. Anytime we have guests over, we have one of these barbecues, with steak and rice and corn and other good things. It's great. I eat so goddamn much. Mom forgot to bring the wine, but all was well. I've been going crazy with the camera. Also, I think I need to go on a food strike or something because I feel like I'm blowing up, as blimps do. The sun goes down around 11 30 pm these days.
gh (I'm technologically impaired, remember?)?!!Started the day off by visiting the Iditarod headquarters...dad happens to know some interesting people here, and Joe Redington Jr happens to be one of them. Joe Redington Jr. is the son of -- you guessed it -- Joe Redington Sr, who started the whole Iditarod race shindig. He's a nice old man. Everyone here is so goddamn friendly (and slightly closeminded/really shocked to see asians who aren't tourists & speak english). While we were there the sun came out so we hauled ass an hour and a half up to Talkeetna to take a charter plane up to McKinley. I got to ride for free, huzzah. It's usually $250/person or something. But again, another one of my dad's friends here happens to be the manager of the air services, so that might have helped; that, and the fact that after we've brought so many customers to their place, asking us
to pay would be downright ass. Oh, and I got to be co-pilot, WHAAAT. We got to wear those bitchin headsets, and for half of the trip we needed oxygen masks since we were above 12,000 ft or something. So we circled the North and South Summits of McKinley; there were clouds scattered, but it made it even more beautiful. I felt slightly sick on the way down but made it back without having to utilize the air sickness bag, woot. After getting off the plane, we visited the local cemetary where a lot of climbers have been buried. One of them being a very close family friend who was actually living with us when he took an expedition up McKinley and died from hypothermia. I was seven years old when that happened, and that was when my parents had to try and explain "death" to me...they kind of glossed over details, naturally. I heard the actual story today, in full detail, when my dad was recounting it for his friends...hearing it for the first was somewhat unnerving, since this man had been kind of an older brother/uncle figure when I was growing up. So it was meaningful to go back and visit his grave. Also visited the Talkeetna Ranger Station; all the rangers hadn't seen me since I was a little girl, so we went through the whole "my god you're grown up, how's college, how's new york, do you miss alaska" repartee. (To which I answered "I know, Great, Fantastic, Sometimes") Then we headed back down home after walking around Talkeetna for a bit (I had some kickass "mountain pie," i.e. pizza); but first we stopped by the Talkeetna Lodge for coffe
e, and my dad and his friend regaled us with their own crazy mountain climbing stories. It's like a whole part of my dad's life that I feel like I don't know, but from what his friend was saying, he seems to have been a really crazy guy back in the day. I heart my dad. Anyway, came back down to Wasilla and had one of our trademark barbecues down by the lake. Anytime we have guests over, we have one of these barbecues, with steak and rice and corn and other good things. It's great. I eat so goddamn much. Mom forgot to bring the wine, but all was well. I've been going crazy with the camera. Also, I think I need to go on a food strike or something because I feel like I'm blowing up, as blimps do. The sun goes down around 11 30 pm these days.
posted by Deb Oh at 5:10 AM
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