Scouting for a Youth Hunt

The "Other" Side of Hatcher Pass July 2015

Greetings once again from the Land of the Midnight Sun. I say that with a bit of tongue in cheek now, as we are losing daylight and rejoicing at the darkness that appears between 1-3 a.m.  It's amazing how our bodies have reacted to the "waning darkness."  We remembered from years ago, but not fully.  That coupled with our hiking and traveling has made for a weary, but memorable, summer.

Alaska Transportation Museum State Trooper Car
4th of July Parade

We celebrated the 4th of July like many others -- taking in the local parade, eating great food, and remembering why we are the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.  The Wasilla parade spans about 3-4 different city blocks, and embodies the "relaxed attitude" that Alaska is known for. The parade route itself is a series of switchbacks through "downtown" Wasilla -- which is 2 blocks off the main Parks Highway thoroughfare.  No closing that bad boy down -- people couldn't get to all of the tourist destinations in Interior Alaska!

4-H Rebel Riders

The Colony High School band, the local Dance Company, and the 4-H Rebel Riders horse club were the only entrants who ever learned how to "march" together and in a straight line.  But that made it all the more fun and exciting!  While the crowd of 4,000 was nowhere near the numbers that Faith, NC sees during a typical 4th (or the Denton Thresher's Reunion!), the atmosphere was just as festive and the entries were way more eclectic!

"Charter College Punch Bug Tricked Out with Flags"

Our favorite was the "tricked out" punch bug (made us think of Grandma Lynch on road trips!), the Roller Derby Team, and the 4-H Rebel Riders.  Firetrucks and Police Cars are always cool, but it was the Alaska Transportation Museum's old cars and float display that stole the show!

Sunday morning after worship service we had a church picnic (so glad we found a church that LOVES food, fun, and fellowship)!  Fried chicken, sides, salads, and desserts were the order of the day!  After that, families changed clothes for Minute-to-Win It games.  Several of the games reminded me of Bethel youth activities and ACE Convention games.  We stacked cups, shook jelly bean rattles made with 2-liter bottles duct-taped together, blew up balloons and used the "hot air" inside to knock over plastic cups, and moved cotton balls from the tips of our Vaselined noses into a bowl -- with our hands behind our backs!  I had an opportunity to meet a sweet young lady named Ahava who was visiting for the first time.  She filled me in on all things Job Corps related which was very enlightening!

Monday was Date Day, and Alex graciously agreed to keep Ethan for us, so Michael and I could spend the day together.  With all of our schedules the way they are, sometimes it's challenging to carve out time for a date.  Such was the case this time, but we made the most of it! It was time for our monthly Costco run, so that became part of our "date."  I took Michael to Costco, complete with pizza and hot dog lunch in the Costco food court!  I know what you're thinking..."Really, Adina? The Costco Food Court for a date?"  Listen...don't knock it until you've tried it!  They have pizza slices the size of your head (as our Maddie likes to say) and world famous Nathan hot dogs.  They also have a turkey sandwich on ciabatta bread that is amazing.  And with a large slice of pizza, a hot dog, a berry smoothie, and a large drink for less than $5 in Alaska...well, this one income family was making every penny count!  We also hit up Michael's craft store for nifty wedding finds and ideas.  To be fair, though, that really wasn't a great date day for Michael...you know...mega grocery shopping and craft storing.  So we also hit up Grannie's Guns as a potential future gun store and Tandy Leather for knife sheath making equipment!  Then it seemed a bit more balanced and was a great date day!

Just when we thought it couldn't get any better, we decided to take the dog for a walk that evening and met another family on our street -- Marcus and Karen.  They have three very small children, two huge great Danes, and the most amazing South African accents!  We talked for quite a while in their yard, and they proceeded to inform us they have found fresh bear scat in the woods adjacent to their home.  Two years ago, they had a grizzly in their yard, so they aren't sure if it's the same one.  And irony or ironies...she home schools their children, and they all go to church with Alex!   I love the way the Lord works!

This year's State Fair entry photo
Theme: "Dig In"

We introduced Ahtna to their Dane pup -- who is seven months old and weighs over 100 pounds!  Ahtna tried hiding behind Ethan and Michael and any flower she could find!  It was hysterical.  The only puppy she's really taken with is the one she sees in the mirror.  She is definitely Ethan's dog and developing a personality that matches his!  Her kennel is in his room throughout the night, and once she wakes up for breakfast we move it into the living room and close the bedroom doors.  From there, she lies prone in front of Ethan's door and whines until he either gets up or we let her in so she can sleep on his bed with him!  If that weren't enough, Michael "inadvertently" taught her a "trick" while we were in NC.  The Sockeye Willow fire was burning that week and the temperatures here were the highest they've been all summer.  Without air conditioning in the house, temperatures upstairs held steady at 86.  Michael read somewhere that when dogs get hot and they don't want to drink water, you can keep them hydrated with ice cubes.  So...he fed her a few.  Now...anytime I use the ice machine on the fridge, she comes running from wherever she is in the house and sits and waits for her cube.  Crazy dog!

But, she is super smart, and completely potty-trained now -- for nearly two full weeks! (YAY!) She's learning to play fetch, sit, and come and will now grab her leash and wait at the bottom of the front stairs when she needs to go outside.  Hunting and gun training come soon, but we're hoping to get her into a Puppy Training 101 class for socialization with other dogs soon.  She does well when we are hiking, but she's come across several "un-friendly" dogs and is a bit skittish around the big ones.

Atop the Ridge at Hatcher Pass
Scouting for Ptarmigan and Grouse

Viewing the only remaining
snow at Hatcher Pass

Finishing up the earlier part of this week, we had planned to go to Hatcher Pass at 3 a.m. on Tuesday morning to watch the sunrise and scout ptarmigan and grouse hunting areas.  Sadly, the weather did not cooperate, but we won't complain about the much needed rain.  It allowed us to sleep through "sunrise," but we donned our rain clothes later in the morning to scout.  Alaska State Fish and Game has opened up a youth hunt this year at Hatcher's Pass for youth 16 and under who are accompanied by a licensed adult hunter.  The hunt runs from August 10-25, and it will fall in line with just over a year after our arrival! (For those of you that don't hunt...that means we can pay resident prices versus non-resident for our hunting licenses). It's also an area that we are extremely familiar with, so the scouting was awesome.

View Across from Independence Mine
Zooming in will allow you to see our "tiny" red truck...far right
That gives this photo and the heights that we climbed new perspective

"Here, Grousie, Grousie.."

We hiked an area we hadn't hiked before, across the road from Independence Mine.  When the snows come again, this will be where we venture for epic sledding.  If I can get some cross country skis by then, and a skijor harness for Ahtna, she and I will tear it up!  We learned rather quickly on our hike that she is a p-u-l-l-e-r.  She weighs nearly 30 pounds now, and pulled all of us -- at least once -- off the trail, down the hills, and over the prairie dog villages.  At one point during the ascent, Ethan let me have her leash and she literally pulled me up the incline.  I had reached my maximum climb capacity, which she seemed to know.  She put her head down, pulled, and all I had to do was hold the leash.  It was almost like riding an escalator up the mountain.  Even with the rain, the hike was worth it, and we found several potential hunt areas.  We didn't see any grouse or ptarmigan, but we will try scouting again earlier in the morning the next time we go.

Across from Independence Mine
Perspective: The tallest of the buildings in the background is a 3-story dormitory

Alex wasn't able to join us this time...he was getting a haircut for another interview with MTA.  He has applied for a Level II position, which will be a promotion for him.  Andrew also got a haircut this week :)...the man-bob endeavor was slowly driving him crazy.  Actually, I don't think it was the man-bob itself -- but the 100 degree weather and humidity and hotter than that temps in the Chick-Fil-A kitchen that finally did it in.  In addition to their haircuts, they both also received positive news of scholarships this week! Praise the Lord for His provision as they prepare for their fall semesters!

Ethan had his first MAJOR bicycle crash, but walked away from it with only minor cuts, dirt, and gravel road rash.  He has a couple of "nice scars" in the making, he says.  He crashed at the end of our road, and "limped and bled" all the way back home.  It reminded Michael and me of our elementary summer days -- when road rash was expected, we cleaned ourselves up, and went back out for more! Thank goodness we were able to pass that tradition on to Ethan hahaha!  After a self-inflicted bath in peroxide, he was back outside in no time, riding faster than ever!

That about wraps up this week for us!  Until next time...we love you and wish you all well!  We're still living and loving Alaska.   And like the Super 8 Motel..."we'll leave the light on for ya!"

The Butte from Last Week's Post is the small "hill" to the left
Pioneer Peak towers over the Mat-Su Valley in the distance




"For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, the LORD, the God of hosts, is his name."
Amos 4:13