I’m so fancy. $1.75 for 7 minutes!
After playing outside and a hike on a chilly day, hot water and soap were all I needed. I’m definitely not rocking the cute right now. I figure I’ll get properly girlied up again when I get to what Alaskans call “The City”; Seattle.
Dear heels~
I have to say I’m really starting to miss you…
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!
Right after recording this, I got in my car to watch it and it started to drizzle a little. (I had just barely commented on how gorgeous the weather was and 2 minutes later it’s raining?!) At the end of the video, I looked to my left at beams of sunlight through the clouds and no exaggeration the most brilliant and full rainbow I have ever seen. As in I jumped back out of the car at warp speed to get a photo. This one doesn’t do it near justice, it was so much better in person. Maybe I should’ve kept the moment all to myself, but I really felt like sharing it. Here’s my best attempt:
All this sounds perfectly hokey right? Drive all the way to Alaska from the east coast, make a video on the anniversary of the death of my friends that my blog is dedicated to, and as soon as I’m done recording, out of the sky appears a big fat gorgeous rainbow like a sign from the heavens?
So it might sound odd that I’m laughing right now, but I am. I know exactly what that rainbow was. See, Maria and Brandy had huge hearts, but both had these rough and tumble outer shells. There was never much of any sniffling or being all gushy and girly for them. Of the three of us, that was my job. I know that they saw me making this video today all teary-eyed and nostalgic, so they sent that rainbow to jokingly punch me in the arm like they did years ago when I’d be gushy and girly. That sign today was their way of saying to me; “Sheesh Peacock!, you’re such a freakin’ softie! We are just fine! Stop cryin’ over us ya fool and go have some fun for pete’s sakes!”
That’s exactly what that rainbow was.
As you wish ladies.
So, I left their lollipops for them, and drove down the road with a big fat smile on my face happily eating mine:
Thanks you two. How could I have expected anything less? 🙂
Stan works on one of the many ferries that take people all over Alaska. We chatted on my first ferry ride when I came through his line for coffee. He grabbed my arm as I was walking away and said “You are my angel for the day, you come back and get yourself all the coffee you want sweetie” …and ended that line with a wink.
Oh Stan.
What an adorable man. He told me that he was a native Alaskan. He had moved to the Seattle area for a couple years a while back and had a commercial fishing business, but this was his home.
The employees on these ferries I’ve talked to have worked on them for years. As in, 15, 20 kind of years. They mostly work a week on, then a week off. Away from family. They say they’re used to it. All staff I’ve encountered during my rides have been extremely friendly and welcoming. It makes the breathtaking scenery even better if that’s possible! People in Alaska and Canada have been so nice that nice isn’t even a good enough word for it.
Maybe it’s all this fresh air…
A million thank you’s are not enough to express how happy I am for all the love and support that’s coming in to me and Blue Lollipop Road since being on this trip. I will continue to try and thank anyway and hope that it’s means enough to you all out there and that you’ll continue to follow me on my journey and share yours with me too.
Thank you again to my drink sponsors Blanchard’s Coffee and Fruit 66. You guys have been fueling me everywhere I’ve been. Just one of the spots I have snapped a photo of my constant supply:
*To my hard working, fun, creative intern Sarah who has continually helped with posting my photos on the gallery page above, managing my map and being the brain of 1,000 good ideas; You ROCK. (Check out her ceramics and other artwork. Fabulous.)
*Thanks to Joe; I got showers in Juneau and they even made me s’mores for my birthday. Yeah!
*DP, Lindsay and Nelsey- thanks. You have kept me trucking on the ferry and in my car. This means the Blue Lollipop Road continues. That’s the best gift ever to me. Thank you for being such wonderful friends.
*Cool Cleveland! Thanks for posting my post on your site for your awesome city. Isn’t is grand there are so many entertaining spots around America we can all explore?
XOXOXO and a thousand smiles!
After parking the BLR mobile on the side of the road for the sight in my previous post to eat my lunch, I went for a big ol’ hike yesterday. As usual, not only did I not read up on where I was going, but I didn’t know whether it was an actual hike, or one of those walks that tourists just like to call a “hike” to say they went hiking. I wasn’t sure the conditions or length. I just parked my car in town and walked to the trailhead with a backpack containing a sweatshirt, bottle of water, notebook, I.D, bank card, cell phone, camera, and up I went.
I’ve hiked a lot of places and I’m an active girl, so I thought It’d be a breeze. It wasn’t exactly hard, just a lot more steep and muddy than I had anticipated. As I sweat and sweat because the punishment once again of not planning is dealing with things like being overdressed and packing too much, I laugh and ask myself why I continue to be such a stubborn pain in the a**. Like, why I don’t read up on these things? What is my deal with that? I have come up with nothing to date other than because doing all that research and finding out everything about something before you do it simply takes all the fun and adventure out of it and that’s a snooze. I enjoy sometimes making things difficult for myself too, that way I always feel alive.
The hike was gorgeous and a good replacement for my run for the day. (Have I mentioned yet that when I have run around the neighborhood I am staying on these misty mornings I feel like I am running through an enchanted forest? It’s as if the BFG, Hansel and Gretel and the Cheshire Cat are going to pop out and say “Hey Di! How are ya? Isn’t it gorgeous here in our home?!”)
A shot of the green on the way up:
At one point I literally had to hug a tree to prevent myself from falling in 2 feet of mud. Here’s a photo of me laughing thinking about all of you out there who’ve joked before that I’m a “VT Tree-huggin’ Hippe.” (I am even sporting my Vermont hat!):
View from about 3/4 of the way up:
Sign and my sneaker almost to the top. (It’s a good thing I follow directions so well.):
At the top:
Besides the view, another treat at the top:
The choice yesterday was pay $30 for a round-trip ticket, or hike up and pay $5 for the ride down, or spend $5 and use your receipt from your purchase for the ride down. No brainer. I’m not going to hand someone a 5 dollar bill if I can have a cold delicious beer and hand them a receipt just the same! I didn’t know what to expect at the top of this mountain, but it ended up being better that I thought it’d be like so many other things on this trip. I got this view, a cold pint of Alaska Brewing Co. Summer Ale and some french fries gifted; “Have some!” from two cruise ship tourist gents probably in their 70’s sitting next to me at the bar having a cold brew too. I just sat back, took a few minutes, sipped my beer and thought ahhh….life is so, so good.
How incredible is this trip and how gorgeous is Alaska?
Sigh…
Thinking of words.
Still thinking…
…and thinking…
Hmmm…my mind just floats.
I have thought a lot about this. I’ve tried coming up with the right words or terms to fit this experience but I can’t.
I can say this is hands down the best thing I have ever done in my life for myself. In seeing amazing sights and having experiences like I have, it’d normally be such a total bummer for me not be able to share them with someone that I love present with me. This time though, I am so happy to be alone and with just myself. For anyone else out there who has reached to grab their own personal star and actually been able to put a hand on it too, you know what I mean. If there’s one thing I know for sure now, it’s that I won’t ever again doubt my abilities moving forward for anything I want to do or be in my life. That kind of confidence is the best gift any of us could ever find for ourselves.
As for how gorgeous Alaska is?
If you took every National Park you have ever been to, add every photo you’ve seen that looks fake but is real in National Geographic magazine, add every green space that’s totally natural you’ve ever been in, every bit of pure blue water you’ve ever swam in, some snow-capped mountains, throw in a glacier or two, and unscathed land for hundreds and hundreds of miles, multiply it by 100- that’s Alaska. Add a sunny day (it’s overcast and misty here a lot) and blow that previous formula off the charts. My pictures do it no justice either, I barely know how to use my camera the right way.
Yep. For real.
As you all know Alaska is my 50th and final state to make it to. To say I saved the best for last wouldn’t be fair to the other states. After all, each place has it’s own perfection. However, the fact of the matter is, the behemoth beauty of Alaska leaves any close competition far, far in the distance.
Happy happenings from my day:
1.) Pulling over at one a place that looks like this on the side of the road to eat my sandwich for lunch. I’m wondering how many times I can say is this real? Am I really here looking at this?- before I sound like the most annoying person ever or a crazy broken record:
2.) Noticing I’ve officially made the tip over 100 followers! Wahoo! All followers welcome…bring it!
3.) Found out a couple guys from high school Jon and Aaron are up here hiking and traveling around too. We’re going to traipse around together. Yes! You’ve gotta love random connections after years and modern technology.
4.) Generous people. THANK YOU to:
*Ratfink; Out of nowhere you come. Fabulous
*Elizabeth and Todd, Lindsey, Drew, Julie; Gas and belly are full. Ahhh…
Here’s to Thursdays like this one!
In a long overdue post about one crazy, crazy, fun girl:
My friends and I met Marcie at a beach volleyball bar near the campus of UW when I was in Madison a couple weeks ago. The guys I was with wanted to go play a few games and I was along for the ride and some fun. We grabbed a drink and while the guys were waiting for a court, Marcie came traipsing right up to us and asked “Do you guys have a lighter?” Nope sorry, we answered. She then went on to tell us her signature joke, which got us all laughing and pretty much sealed the deal that we were going to have a blast talking to her which we did:
“If we were both squirrels, would you bust your nut in my hole?”
Oh Marcie, Marcie, Marcie…
Now, my friends and I were stone sober, but laughed our butts off. She was a few sheets out and an absolute riot. Drunk or sober, Marcie is the kind of girl you want at your party and one of the reasons I like to meet road people. We took a photo of our crew and Marcie jumped in the background:
Did I mention she later told us she didn’t even need a lighter, that she had one, just wanted an excuse to walk up and talk to us for the hell of it? Hilarious- I love it.
The boys went on to play volleyball for a couple hours while I talked to Marcie and her friends like we knew each other forever. Her crew was a blast. They were all about my road trip and even started giving me names and numbers/info. of folks in Alaska that I could try to meet up with. I told Marcie I’d post her as one of my road people, I mean- how could I not after her stellar joke? Of course I started posting about other food and travel stuff and hadn’t put her up yet, so sure enough she wrote a comment here and asked where she was. Yeah! persistence, I like it! I never thought in a million years she’d remember the name of my blog or log on to look so what a great surprise to hear from her. (Marcie, I cannot find you on Facebook still? I guess you have to friend” me!)
Thanks for being patient while I got you up as one of the road characters Marcie, you are one fun chica. Don’t ever change being that life of the party. The world need more wide open and fun people like you. Cheers to squirrels and nuts!
I was showing a few guys I met last night who were also from “the lower 48” (as everyone calls them up here) a few of my photos from the crazy Alaskan Highway. We laughed about this one:
…and joked about how thorough the highway folks must be to put the play by play picture of what might happen if you actually do hit a sheep. I love road signs like this.
