Friday, June 5, 2009

First Few Days!

Welcome to the Herbert Glacier! I'll be your guide today are you ready!?!? Right now we're on 25-30 feet of snow and 2,000 feet of ice! This glacier is fed by the Juneau icefields and is moving a little bit every year! The herbert (the part we're on) is about 1.5 miles wide and 4 miles long! (it doesn't look it when your there) and we're at an elevation of about 5,000 feet. haha alright enough of that...
WOW! That's all I have to say, what a summer job to have, and an amazing first few days on the ice! So far it hasn't been cooler than 65 during the day and not even freezing at night! I have to say I'm a little over prepared for the warm waether! So far I've been wearing t-shirts rolled up at the sleeve, my rain gear pants (because they happen to be the lightest pair of pants I brought, socks, bama booties and my xtratuffs :-) and its still hot! The propane heaters in our Arctic oven tents are so warm even on low that I have mine on for a few minutes to start everything drying then turn it off!
The helicopter ride was beautiful! thought I have to say I was nervous about flying! It was really smooth though and the sights were fantastic! none of my pictures do it justice however... There were pools of water the color of blue koolaid, and ice as blue as the carribean seas. The glare off the snow is so bright you can't be on the ice without snow, I guess someone once refused to wear sunglasses and went snowblind because of it! So needless to say I've got myself a good raccoon eye tan going on... ugh! not to mention my already present farmers tan... I've been burnt in places I've never been burnt before even after spending 21 years at the point spending days in the sun! The inside of my ears, in my nose, the back of my arms, and yesterday I forgot my neck! OUCH!
When I first got up Rick had me ride with a tour he was giving so I could get the feel of what the whole deal was and how he wants things run. I spent the rest of the day riding along with tours and getting to know the dogs, (yes I know all of the dogs names on my side of the yard :-) all 25 of them) helping with feeding and chores. One group of indians (dot no feather) came up and Matt was giving the tour and needed someone to drive the tandum sled behind the main sled (i'll get a picture to show you) and asked me to do it. Now of course being from India they thought having and unmarried 22 year old female driving the sled was unheard of... Apparently they are going to be the trickiest group of people this summer with the different cultures, Jess has had someone refuse to be givin a tour by her simply because she was a female. At one of our rest stops (since the dogs are running in 70 degree sunlight) the guy asked Matt and I what the difference in a very heavy indian accent: "What is the difference between these (the dogs) an an australian kangaroo?" It took all I had not to laugh! Matt however calmly explained that Kangaroo's have a pouch and hop on two feet while the dogs walk on four.
Well after wakeing up at 5 to feed the dogs by 6 am and not sleeping well becuase I'm as sick as a dog I'm gonna go try and sleep a lil bit. More tomorrow!
oh here we go top of the kennel down:
Chester, Rain, Kobuk, Polar (f), Alligator, Batman, Eagle, Maule, Susie, Bertha, Buckley, Casper, Emerie, Ed, Franky, Maggot, Par, Polar (m), George, Laniy, Moose, Salty, Stach, Griffin, Abby!

<3 Pipes

(I've earned the nickname pipes, I'll let you try and guess what it is before I tell you :-)

3 comments:

  1. "Pipes" because you yodel to the dogs? Or have you taken up smokin?
    Loved reading this...when do you go back again?
    Do massive quantities of Vit C! & water!
    The Maine Mama who misses you!
    xoxoxoxoxoxo

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  2. Pipes??? i dont even begin to know where to start guessung! I also cant belive you have all the names down already! it took me like 3 weeks just to get Ingrid's down pat!

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  3. Pipes, cuz your arms are so chiseled....
    CambridgeCaitFan

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