Alaska

meet the fishermen

For my last night in Alaska, I decided I was going to do something I hadn’t done for the two weeks I was there; Buy myself a beer and decent dinner and relax in that zen place of Ahhh…I did it! Well, Alaska had a different idea of what my last night should be and it could not have been more perfect.

I walked into the Fish Pirates Saloon on that rainy and chilly night, fairly late and asked them if they were even open. It was so quiet in the place it looked like they were about to close. They said they were still open, so I went to the bar ordered, and sat happily in my quiet zen place, thinking about the events of my adventurous and goal reaching 2 weeks there. There were a whopping 6 other people there dining who we all wrapping up their meals with a guy playing some tunes on a piano in the background. Piano man finished his songs and came up to the bar to get what seemed to be his after gig final drink. He introduced himself to me.

And then the Salmon Fisherman walked in and all hell broke loose (in a good and fun way.)

Here we go.

In no less that 2 minutes, Troy the piano guy (who had barely introduced himself to me) and the crew of already having too much (well is there ever really too much?)- fun guys were whooping it up and surrounding me. Talk about zero to 60 in 2 minutes. The bartender instinctively mixed up what the crew was about to ask for anyway, and slid me a shot to join in with the whole gang. Who am I to reject a complimentary shot with a bunch of strangers?

2 seconds after the shot, someone screamed “KARAOKE!!!” and piano man Troy refused to go back to play unless the fisherman sang to me while I stood on the piano. (I must insert here, that I am all about a party, am not afraid of dancing on a table, talking to brick walls, or any of the like. Moreover, when someone says anything along the lines of “Get on stage/the table, etc.!” I am usually all about it. This night however, I was stone sober, tired from hiking and chilled from being out in the drizzle all day so I really gave a Girl Scout try of declining the standing on the piano wish. I was no match for a crew of already well-buzzed chanting hilarious fisherman who had just come off the boat after 6 days at sea, so I politely did what was asked.)

Troy made them face and sing to me and the guys took turns rocking it out while I talked to those who weren’t, about fishing:

I found out they often work up to 20 hours a day and 7 days a week. One guy was 22 and just back from college for the summer. He said in 2 month’s he could make $25k working those crazy hours. (I need to become a fisherwoman.) I was told by another one of the guys that they actually caught all the fish, crab, etc. for the Deadliest Catch boat/TV show. I don’t know whether this is true or not, but these were all good guys and seemed like the no bull kind, so I believed them. One of them asked me if I was a reporter. I told him, well- sort of. I had to get a video of one the guys Mike singing. (At one point Troy made me come back up onstage and sit with Mike. When I tried to take a self portrait style head shot of Mike and I, he leaned in and promptly said; “Oh, sorry dude- I totally just farted.” Talk about funny. I almost fell off the piano.)

I participated in beer #2 and cheering as the karaoke and madness continued. I remained sober, but laughed so hard, most of the night I was doubled over and my stomach hurt. I had so much unexpected fun. These guys were just regular hard working fishermen, completely innocent out to have a good time and blow off a bunch of steam. They were weathered and windburned, Carhart wearing gents, just as you’d imagine Alaskan Fishermen to be and looked like they worked harder than most of the people I’ve ever met. It was quite and experience and what a way to spend my final night in my 50th state. Talk about fall asleep laughing and thinking- did that just happen? Now this will make for a good story.

Thanks guys. That was a blast and then some. I’ve done a lot of things before, not sure I have ever stood on a piano during shots and karaoke, and certainly not at a restaurant in Alaska. I’ll cheers to that!

“i see a little silhouette of a man…”

Today I must get the BLR mobile fixed up with a tire rotation, oil change and all good stuff. Before I run off though, I have to share a photo of the hilarious fisherman from Ketchikan, Alaska. Perusing my photo stream this morning, this one is cracked me up! Yes that is me on a piano (sober) in the background. They made me stand up there. There was enough Tom Petty and Meatloaf karaoke to provide quite the entertainment:

I’m looking forward to getting these logistical and responsible errands and things done so I can find a nice coffee shop here in the coffee mecca, Seattle to camp for a bunch of hours. Until then I figure this photo was a good teaser for more to come on the fisherman and others…

meet annie, rory, chris and nao

Before I left for this trip I joked with a bunch of girlfriends that I was going to make out with a lumberjack when I got to Alaska. Then I decided his name was going to be Ben. (No significance, Ben just randomly popped in my head one day.) I mean, I’m a single girl, and of course, guys are a fun thing to talk about with your other single gal pals occasionally. Hunting for guys isn’t usually my thing, but how many of you single ladies out there haven’t imagined meeting some strapping rough and tumble, tall dark and handsome guy on a trip you’ve taken during your single days? By no means am I on a man hunt and I have not made random make-outs my hobby, however- it’s been fun to get the emails and texts from my girlfriends; “So have you met Ben yet?” or “Nice photos Di!- but where are the lumberjacks?” Laughing…

Not only have I not met a single lumberjack, but of all the male species I’ve met, there hasn’t been one single person named Ben. Not even in any of the places I’ve stopped across the entire country (and let me tell you I do make it a hobby of stopping lots of places and talking to lots of strangers. Wasn’t someone supposed to teach me not to do that?) Come to think of it, I have never known or heard of anyone who is a lumberjack. Do lumberjacks even exist out there? Anyway, I did imagine a situation happening where I ran into a bunch of hard-workin’ Alaskans of some kind and they’d show me “how the locals roll” if you will. I sure didn’t think it’d happen during my quiet, late dinner in a spot that looked deads-ville last night, but oh did it ever.

There I was eating away, enjoying my veggie burger and in walks in 10 of the most wasted salmon fishermen I couldn’t possibly encountered.

***This is where I tell you how much of a total bummer it is that I can’t share many of my stories in “real” time. There are psycho-stalkers and crazy people out there you know! I don’t listen to many people who lecture me, or follow many rules ever, but traveling safely as a single woman I try to do my best to pay attention to those words of safety wisdom from people who love me. I’d love to to post the place, the photos, the video- all of it where I was last night for you right now as I am still laughing and the story is fresh in my mind, but I will wait until I am in the next town. I will tell you that I did have two delicious Alaska Brewing Company beers with my veggie burger, but remained sober. I usually prefer this as it’s so much more fun to watch the drunk get drunker and be able to participate in the fun, but still be coherent to document it all. That and if you know me, you know I don’t need alcohol to dance on a table or bar, jump around, act like an idiot, or participate in pretty much anything that’s fun that doesn’t involve guns or jumping off buildings. I’m not afraid. All I have to say is cheers to hardworking fisherman who barely get a day off and when they do they do it up! Until I circle back to the fishermen…A story of some other fun people I’ve met, my Alaska Brewing Company tour in Juneau, and the reason why I knew to order a delicious brew last night.

If I’m having a drink I’d usually choose wine, but I do like the occasional beer and especially in the summer coupled with a nice sunny day on a patio. When I was in Juneau, the weather was out of the ordinary warm and sunny. It was the perfect time to visit the brewery. When I’ve toured breweries in the past, I’ve found there’s usually maybe one or two of the beers I really like, and make the yuck face on the rest. All, and I am telling you all the beer that this brewery makes is absolutely delicious. perhaps it’s the water from the ice fields, maybe they have some magic spell, or maybe it’s the local love that makes it taste so good. (The company was started by a husband and wife team who went around Juneau and got 88 people to pitch in 5k each in 1986. Talk about love and support of the locals!) Staff gal Annie originally from NY gave us a talk and seated “tour”, stopping halfway through to let us all go refill out sample glasses. (Note here; Alaskans are not shy about pouring you a big ol’ sample.)

The summer ale was my favorite. I talked to a few other visitors and staff as I tasted. All were friendly and fun. I poked around for a bunch of photos, bought a couple gifts and wandered around for a while. Here’s the tasting bar:

I was planning to head downtown after my tasting to get some dinner. As I wrapped up my visit, I overheard a group of guys asking Annie where to eat. She told them the same place I was heading to. These guys were cabbing it, so I piped up and said “Hey I’m going there- I can give you guys a ride!” Annie and the 3 guys looked at me like I was nuts. (Hey, I go on instinct, what can I say? I had a good feeling about these gents.) When they gave me the, you are 1 girl, offering a ride to 3 strange guys?! Look; I said, if you try anything funny, I will f*ck you up. I have knives, mace and other weapons you know. We all laughed. If a comment like that doesn’t break the ice for a fun time with new friends, I’m not sure what will. So I packed 3 guys into my little Civic with my luggage and gear everywhere. We had some fun taking photos at the suggestion of Nao. He hopped in my drivers seat for one:

Here’s one that Rory and Chris took from the back seat of Nao and I in the front as taxi Di drove to town:

We parked and got out for dinner, they looked at my bumper and of course; “What the heck is Blue Lollipo Road?” I shared the story with them and told them they’d likely end up a blog entry. Great place for a photo by the back of the car. Rory and Chris were former military, Nao, the youngest, a semi-pro soccer player who occasionally travel and is paid to play. (How awesome. We talked soccer stuff for a bit. Apparently he got a contract to play full time, but the pay is so little he couldn’t/didn’t want to do it. I think I remember him saying the contract was with DC United…? Nao?-Is that right?) This was their last night in Juneau from Colorado. They had been working on a project. Occupation; Air Quality Consultants:

We all ended up eating dinner together and had a grand time at The Hangar. Of course we had to have a toast to yummy local beer:

I think I’ve said it before and I will say it again; This is why I love traveling. How else would I have met 3 Air Quality Control Consultants from Colorado or 10 salmon fishermen from Alaska? When you visit a place that’s not your home and other people are too its like a level playing field. I love that because often in life things feel like a giant judging-fest. Who are you dating or married to, what kind of neighborhood do you live in, what kind of car do you drive, how old are you, yadda yadda. During travel, people rarely ask what you do for a living, if your dad is some big-wig at whatever company, and certainly no one cares if you’re a fashion statement because you’re all wearing comfortable shoes and clothes so you can walk a million miles. It’s as if people take you for face value and all the bullsh*t is stripped away. It’s refreshing. Travelers are all “lost” asking opinions on how to get where, where to get decent food, what to see. You have to rely on strangers, trust random peoples opinions and be flexible to take whatever kind of transportation, eat whatever kind of food, and exist among whatever kind of locals you encounter. To me this equals one thing; It is virtually impossible to be a pain in the ass or judgemental. And you always meet interesting people when you’re all “lost” together! I’m so glad I got to spend some time with strange local wasted fisherman last night, that I had dinner and gave some other strangers a ride last week, and that I went on a boat ride and hike yesterday with yet more strangers I haven’t even mentioned anything about yet. I’ve learned from each and every character I’ve met. What I constantly learn, I could never learn from a book, a magazine or TV show. It’s always live and uncut and I love every second of it.

Thank you to Annie, Rory, Chris and Nao, and to all my “stranger” new friends from this trip and others. I have taken a little piece from each of you and it’s all been a blast!