Back from Alaska part 2!! [Archive] - Debate Policy

jimnyc

03-12-2018, 08:11 PM

(Rick - feel free to post whatever you have whenever you want, mine will be coming too, we can do both!! Just no ugly pics of me ya bastard!!)
----

Hot damn!! (whole story in itself). When I got back from Alaska for my first trip ever last year, I said it was the best vacation I had ever taken. Now it has some serious competition!!

Alaska is just pure heaven in my mind. L5 is simply pure heaven in my mind. Rick and Sharon are the best friends anyone could ever ask for, and it's pure heaven sharing a vacation with them at the infamous, but hidden and barely to be located, L5 slice of heaven on Earth! I am sworn to secrecy as to it's specific location. :) :) It's mine mine mine and all mine! :)

So I'll have to share more tomorrow and a ton of cool pictures and some videos. 211 total. But I'm too tired, need sleepy right now! While Alaska was simply fantastic, the traveling to and back was horrid. Missed connections, TSA loves me, literally sleepless and stuck in Seattle, late to Ricks's place by a day... then no room in Chicago, change of plans that cost me $300 - but shhhhhh..... at least I had a hotty with me in Chicago, but unfortunately for me, the bitch started chewing on my ear and waking me up at 3am today!! So I got to the airport at like 7pm Saturday night, flight all night long and not a wink of sleep to be had. Land and no hotel room (confort suites inn SUCKS!). But got lucky room at 10am at the Marriott in downtown Chicago, with a MUCH better view.

So, back to the young little lady I had in Chicago....

She was actually half Alaskan, and half Siberian - that's Huskie's anyway!!!

That's right - we actually missed the beginning of the iditarod because of my late arrival. Then it was a miracle, there comes an iditarod sled right up the snow trail down by Talkeetna. He was training for next year with his dogs!! I have videos later. He has puppies available in about 2 months. One of his dogs is part wolf!!

I couldn't wait! :)

So Rick told me that Sharon could make anything happen in Alaska, she's like the "fixer" and has the answer for everything!! She's just effing awesome!! So she took the challenge - and found "NIKOH" for me on very veryt short notice. Yeps, that's my newest bestest friend in the world's name - my new girlfriend at home - her name is Nikoh, which is Alaskan Athabaskan for "big" i believe. Many other great choices, but she looks like a Nikoh to me. She has one blue eye and one brown eye and she is stunningly beautiful. I will be back with mucho updates, pictures and some videos. But here's a pic of Nikoh and myself just home. Another photo of her & also a short video of her playing already with the cat!! And yes, no shaving allowed in Alaska - and I lost just over 20 pounds there!! Rick tried to kill me!! LOL About 250 miles of snow machine riding, and many crashes and flipping and digging myself out of MANY very DEEP snow piles!! Many moose to come!! Saw a fox too, no phone ready though. Only a few eagles this time, but it was -10 the first night there!!!

https://i.imgur.com/G9zeyHq.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/rNiJZi8.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJmKrZeOKXk

jimnyc

03-12-2018, 08:13 PM

Ok, seeya all tomorrow, I need to collapse and sleep. I got like 2 hours in last 48. Too much excitement, anxiety, playing with pup - and fearing divorce and death from Diana!!

While she ain't thrilled, and I'll be "paying" for this - I see it in her eyes - and as I type this, the pup is with HER in the other room on HER bed!!!

:) :)

hjmick

03-12-2018, 09:08 PM

Her bed?

(Yes, that's my takeaway...)

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 09:22 AM

Man, still can't thank Sharon and Rick enough. And the entirety of their family. Tanner was SO helpful in helping me pull the starter cable on my machine a few thousand times. Jim is Rick's brother, and was accepting of me in the cabin and very helpful. Sharon's daughter Veronica was so nice to me at the house!! They all made me feel like family, and that's special when you're 4500 miles from home in another world away. I owe them all something special, for bringing something so special to me, that gave me memories that will last a lifetime!

So my first stop was Las Vegas. I arrived there in anxiety attack mode and was not well. That kinda killed any gambling and fun when you are riding solo with anxiety. Of course I still toughed it a tad to try the slots, and then walk a bit and see the cool chicks in bikinis and Batman and Mickey and other weird shit in Vegas. And the hotels are HUGE there!

This is Caesar's Palace, across from Harrah's where I stayed. Casear's Palace is like a million miles long, and must have a million rooms! I made the mistake of going in there and I got lost!

https://i.imgur.com/RuaBN7fh.jpg

Here is the board in front of Harrah's where I stayed.

https://i.imgur.com/zHZS8OMh.jpg

The Mirage

https://i.imgur.com/R9WjOaIh.jpg

Another shot of Harrah's

https://i.imgur.com/bsPWHRdh.jpg

A small shot of the monster Caesar's

https://i.imgur.com/qmzZoI4h.jpg

Here is where the shooting was, the Mandalay Bay. This was miles away from where I stayed at the end of the strip, so this shot is from the airport

https://i.imgur.com/rkUDKvyh.jpg

The deathmobile! This is why I was late, the door lost a HUGE screw, and they waited 2 hours for a part before we left.

https://i.imgur.com/4NwfuS6h.jpg

The plane with the entire strip in the background

https://i.imgur.com/LrMbsDRh.jpg

The whole strip

https://i.imgur.com/BT48R83h.jpg

Takeoff, with the strip in the background. Passing the Mandalay Bay towards the end, I panned down and you see the large field where the shooting/concert was.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djt_niQ6-bA

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 09:28 AM

Heading towards Talkeetna in the beginning. Didn't take long to find some moose!!

https://i.imgur.com/mB48YsCh.jpg

We got within like 30 feet of her!

https://i.imgur.com/ys5Qpbvh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Vtp3Mp0h.jpg

Here is Mr. Moose and my second shout out to Abbey!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDBJo7Y-yQw

We made it to the cabin, just in time as it dropped to -10 degrees on night #1. I nearly froze to death!!! :)

https://i.imgur.com/Kyeg1vUh.jpg

The sauna off to the right, but too cold to think about a sauna!!

https://i.imgur.com/4n5yEPIh.jpg

Front step side view with a few sleds

https://i.imgur.com/LYAz31eh.jpg

The cabin was freezing to death too!!

https://i.imgur.com/MJmsZR0h.jpg

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 09:33 AM

So on the first night I was in anxiety mode, completely exhausted and out of it. I layed down at like 10 or so and must have instantly fell asleep. I woke at 3am cause I was freezing the family jewels off! I came into the main area of the cabin and everyone was gone!!

I was like "WTF" at 3am. Then a little while later Rick and friends pulled up on the machines closer towards 5am or so. The diesel fuel ran out and that gives the heat!! So these crazy 4 or 5 bastards hopped on the sleds at 3am in -10 temps to make a 40 mile ride to go get diesel out of the back of Rick's truck.

Bad enough, Jim, his brother, kinda crashed and messed up his sled. The worst part being leaving his hands exposed. Imagine hitting 25-50 miles per hour, open faced, hands freezing, in -10 temps!! So they stopped every few minutes to stop sleds - as Rick was riding "Excalibur", which is the Cadillac of sleds, with heated grips and heat blowing out of her. Not to mention you don't feel the bumps thanks to the 16" shocks on her! Originally, I was on a girls sled, with no heated grips and broken shocks!! I broke my back in 97 different places before I graduated to the RMK 600 and the Skandic for the majority of the rest of the trip.

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 09:41 AM

Here are the crazy kids rolling in the snow making an igloo, while I shivered!!

https://i.imgur.com/WnuO1Hlh.jpg

Just a couple of the sleds out in the front of the cabin on the first morning after arrival!

https://i.imgur.com/MoxkhWQh.jpg

A crappy shot in the morning, but you can still see just how beautiful it is in the morning out there.

https://i.imgur.com/vyZCkzvh.jpg

Yup, it was a full house on day #1!!

https://i.imgur.com/P0dfO7hh.jpg

A couple of the sleds. The one on the right is an "assault", a very fast machine belonging to Rick's friend "Lee". Was another awesome guy, I first met him briefly last year. He told me he is Alaskan Indian, so he gets free healthcare and what not. Lee has also ran the "Iron Dog" race, which is like 1500-200 miles long? That takes some serious 'nads!! Todd Palin actually won it a few times!

https://i.imgur.com/Tx2iOCxh.jpg

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 09:49 AM

So I believe it's still day #1, and Rick already started trying to kill me!!

So this was probably the beginning of Jim crashing into the DEEP snow one too many times. EVERY time I did that, you hop off the sled and realize you're in 5 feet of snow up to your waist! I was nearly dying of a heart attack and out of breath so many times. But Rick was cool and mellow about it, and slowly taught me how to get her out and how to ride.

Here's the cabin in the AM, with the Alaskan flag hanging outside (American flag off to the right).

https://i.imgur.com/NPzEGBEh.jpg

Here is "Jed" and Lee. They both know how to build things and were all up there building a second cabin along side this one. VERY talented folks.

https://i.imgur.com/FIH2rCAh.jpg

Here I am on the girlie sled, in my VERY TOO WARM Steelers jacket representing in Alaska!

https://i.imgur.com/NpvsBZ8h.jpg

Here's a few of the young'uns gearing up for the day. This is Jim and Jed's kids. Jim is Rick's brother.

https://i.imgur.com/Q1LHXCsh.jpg

Just beautiful out by the river in the morning. There's basically a Nascar track out there for the kids to race around on!! Of course Jim goes around on a pre-made track, and I STILL crashed and drowned like 3 times right out there! LOL

https://i.imgur.com/KlEd1zch.jpg

As we were cruising, a few moose crossing

https://i.imgur.com/Wme14bFh.jpg

The ugly guy again

https://i.imgur.com/5a6py5Xh.jpg

Out on the edge of the river in front of the cabin, peering to the right down the river.

https://i.imgur.com/4abmYfYh.jpg

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 09:59 AM

Here is just one goofy shot of Rick I have to post, but no more as I don't want my goofy ones posted either!

So why post it then? Well this is a MANS man! up all day and having a blast and drinking and fun and working and moving shit. More drinking and fun and the dang fuel runs out!! Then when I'm more than done for the day, this crazy bastard goes cruising to save the day at 3am in -10 temps. Comes back in those temps and busts his butt to get heating going. Guzzles an awful lof ot vodka, and keep going like he never drank. So everyone else mostly slept, this trooper and a half was still up. Then what? He makes breakfast for everyone as he wanted us all to get some food in our belly's!! Dang!

https://i.imgur.com/R6mLusth.jpg

Girlie sled again

https://i.imgur.com/fFiJX2Fh.jpg

When everyone bailed, it was just Rick, myself - and this is Rick's friend "Joe" from Montana, not to be confused with Joe Montana! He was such a friendly and pleasant guy, also made me feel at home, just a nice all around guy.

https://i.imgur.com/OBNo7hnh.jpg

Some death spikes hanging off the front of the cabin!

https://i.imgur.com/ZUXoSiih.jpg

I was upgraded to the RMK 600 one day. Picture a cartoon - with someone giving the gas with the legs out the back straight in the air hanging on for dear life! This sucker was FAST! And fun!!

https://i.imgur.com/KLKHMc4h.jpg

Rick needed some ice for his drink, and I recalled the death spikes...

https://i.imgur.com/u1uajbzh.jpg

I think Rick enjoyed it!!

https://i.imgur.com/3gvHpjih.jpg

Would you be motivated seeing this, want to go home? Never!

https://i.imgur.com/KOlKYaNh.jpg

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 10:05 AM

Boy, you sure do get hungry after burning calories all day long!

Here are the 8 steaks that were made. Why, just when there were really only 3 of us eating....

https://i.imgur.com/Vk5m6Dgh.jpg

Oh, don't forget the Alaskan King Crab!! Don't let them little effers deceive you, there was a LOT LOT LOT of meat in them suckers!!

https://i.imgur.com/ZZhZd6Vh.jpg

Rick was telling us how tasty the steak was and filling our plates with great steaks, as he slowly pulled the crab closer and closer to himself! LOL

https://i.imgur.com/YbS39HDh.jpg

And yes, we nearly ate it all!

https://i.imgur.com/tC1hk6Yh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/JXSd5KMh.jpg

That's Joe on his sled, making another trip into Talkeetna.

https://i.imgur.com/eINYGMoh.jpg

The main trail, just follow her 20 miles each way. Bumpitty bumpitty on my ride, but just heaven on Rick's!!

https://i.imgur.com/9mKdhPth.jpg

Abbey Marie

03-13-2018, 10:08 AM

Nikoh is beautiful!

Glad it was such a great time.

Rick, you are spoiling him rotten!

:beer:
NightTrain

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 10:14 AM

We decided to go out front at night and pull off a few rounds from the .460 bear killer! Rick is shooting here and makes it look easy. DO NOT underestimate this sucker. We are in a wide open area and it may not appear or sound.... but listen to the echo throughout the valley. I would imagine this sucker would cut a human right in half!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93UoMtfMdQA

I don't want to post this, but I will. I made an ass of myself. Wearing a WW2 bomber cap, frozen to death & completely hammered on Fireball. But I was careful, Rick was in charge and we all had fun!!

I blew my eardrums out, fell back 2 feet with each shot. But mind you, I lost 21lbs out there!! The dang recoil, and the gun weighed more than me!! And my gay glasses on, but figured it may help to see and not shoot Rick and Joe. And yep, that was me saying "F me, what the hell did I just shoot!". Almost knocked me over on the second shot and then I figured I was done making an ass of myself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp8yrWTfiK0

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 10:20 AM

My favorite part of driving, and I hate driving - but the views in Alaska at every damn turn!! Well, not all turns have Mt. Mckinley!!

Joe standing alongside the RMK 600 which was his primary ride!

https://i.imgur.com/JiK65Noh.jpg

Beautiful shot at the "power lines". This is where the power lines cross the Talkeetna River. If memory serves me correct from last year, I believe they head all the way out to Fairbanks. But the halfway point has a mandatory stop for some "hot damn"! Which is a whiskey drink that has a spicey kick, and you do a swallow and you will go "hot damn!!".

https://i.imgur.com/HdhWyIdh.jpg

A little mountain

https://i.imgur.com/LHYNmu3h.jpg

I LOVE Mckinley or Denali if you prefer...

https://i.imgur.com/TRRPOTah.jpg

Even going around the bend and a crack in the windshield - still beautiful

https://i.imgur.com/obXvOpKh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/nP38pcyh.jpg

post card:

https://i.imgur.com/Igq8PvOh.jpg

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 10:27 AM

How do you kill a shot of Mckinley? Stick me in front of it! LOL But I still had to, the memories!!

https://i.imgur.com/yOsATvj.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Igq8PvOh.jpg

Joe in front of Mckinley

https://i.imgur.com/XCGMyFP.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ZjIyXt5.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/SsDHv7d.jpg

So into town again, and there was a sled back at the "base" in town, and this is when I changed from girlie to man sled. :)

https://i.imgur.com/4LHIAZa.jpg

So how do you beat steaks and Alaskan king crab? Well, Sharon brought out HUGE steaks that made the others look tiny. And since we were in town, and I made Rick bring me to the store to get some fresh water - I decided to buy $100 more of King Crab!!

So we ate pretty good 2 nights in a row!!

https://i.imgur.com/gZUDs93.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/1pqBX3f.jpg

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 10:30 AM

So after all that, I was full for a month, and vowed to never eat king crab again!

But oh boy, I woke in the morning and Sharon made us these awesome omelettes filled with a massive amount of king crab that we couldn't finish!! LOL

https://i.imgur.com/15BXDtr.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/0K7lhvO.jpg

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 10:36 AM

So the plans around the Iditarod didn't work out due to my late arrival.

But hell, God made it happen. Right on the trail towards the cabin, out of nowhere comes this guy looking like he was lost on the Iditarod trail!! Rick asked him if he had a minute, and the very kind gent did and stopped for us.

I got a small video of him pulling up. Take a good look at the lead dog, the one on the right closest to the camera - he is half wolf!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs1CXT4jeDA

While Rick chatted, I went to the front of the line and came down the line and got a video of all of these beauties!! Again, the first lead dog, on the left in this angle. You can just see the wolf in him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1CM5txr2TM

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 10:42 AM

So in the kitchen, Sharon used a steel welding table for years and years. Apparently it was perfect and did the job, but I think the cabin is growing with people, and counters were in order.

Rick was kind enough to give me credit here, but lets face it, I'm no carpenter or builder. I carried them in from outside, and they had diesel spilled on them. So I cleaned them nicely and prepped them. Then when leveling I crawled under like a monkey and helped. And then when Rick and Joe cut the wood braces, I held onto the end of the wood in place! :)

But the end result is awesome!

https://i.imgur.com/eVrufBq.jpg

Mountains

https://i.imgur.com/NKCO17H.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/t7R54t9.jpg

Rick left a window opened in the kitchen accidentally, so it was cold, and I sat in a chair in front of the best place in the cabin! Oh man, lots of alcohol on the table!

https://i.imgur.com/RmNXIwN.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/DiqIMPi.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/l6CZ1TG.jpg

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 10:43 AM

Gotta head out for a few, will post the rest when I get back, not a ton anyway. :( a lot of duplicates and a lot of the puppy. :)

Abbey Marie

03-13-2018, 10:47 AM

Dang, I LOVE King Crab!

That's it- I'm stealing Sharon away from Rick.

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 01:20 PM

Dang, I LOVE King Crab!

That's it- I'm stealing Sharon away from Rick.

I'm afraid that she kind of likes Rick and might not make a trade!! And dang, she can cook!! And the crab, baked in the oven... oh my!! I'm trying to steal her too, but Rick does have that .460!!

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 01:27 PM

Some more of the heavenly mountain scenery, around every turn that they get to see daily!!

https://i.imgur.com/jLgSEgoh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/5jPvEpph.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/lKiLedNh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/DGSlKNZh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/M8SVen6h.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/wvFJqzRh.jpg

Meeting my newest best friend for the first time! Sharon picked her out, picked her up, brought her home, loved her and took care of her, spoiled her and got tons of doggy things! But this was my first interaction with her.

https://i.imgur.com/P8WDa5Xh.jpg

Wearing the snowsuit still, why I have no idea. literally melting to death, sun in my eyes and I was ugly already, so making weird faces doesn't help!!

https://i.imgur.com/18IeKSlh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/s9wixg8h.jpg

And here's leaving Chicago, heading down the runway trying to keep my hands still!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmJ-qBkezZk

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 01:30 PM

Got to about 20,000 feet and broke through the clouds, it looked kinda cool like on top of the world!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkCGXXzLK-E

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 01:54 PM

Nikoh's first taste of the good life in Chicago! Actualy, she was in heaven at the hotel, I believe this may be the airport?

https://i.imgur.com/kdVt555h.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/09bIS3Jh.jpg

The pics in the hotel room didn't convince my sister that I actually went through with it, so I had to send her "proof" of it being current. :)

https://i.imgur.com/tXT6d5Eh.jpg

A little peek outside the left side of my room, on the 12th floor

https://i.imgur.com/k9hz6mEh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/9lvLOYlh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/mw71qnXh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Ov2Fz5Sh.jpg

NT'sGirl

03-13-2018, 01:57 PM

So Rick told me that Sharon could make anything happen in Alaska, she's like the "fixer" and has the answer for everything!! She's just effing awesome!! So she took the challenge - and found "NIKOH" for me on very veryt short notice. Yeps, that's my newest bestest friend in the world's name - my new girlfriend at home - her name is Nikoh, which is Alaskan Athabaskan for "big" i believe.

So if your dogs are like my dogs and have to have a middle name, a good Athabaskan name would be Nikoh Lin means Big dog

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 01:57 PM

Came home, and this was the very first time that Nikoh met the little Chihuahua, Porter & also the kitty Nero came out to investigate!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxeawY-hlD8

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 01:58 PM

So if your dogs are like my dogs and have to have a middle name, a good Athabaskan name would be Nikoh Lin means Big dog

Hey Sharon!!!!!!

That's a dang good idea, and like I told you, the woman's middle name is "Lynn", so she may like that! I think it's perfect!

"Nikoh Lin"

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 02:01 PM

Very short vid, but gives you a great shot of her face and eyes!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW8g-c8vMvg

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 02:08 PM

Damn, not as many pics/vids this time around. For the first half of the trip, I wore cargo pants, more to hold things in the pockets - like my cell phone on the right side. But then you slip on the snowsuit up above your neck, and then I had my Steelers jacket on zipped up to my neck. So if you wanted a fairly quick picture, like when out on the snowmachines, I had to zip down both as far as possible, and then try and reach into my pocket as if I was wearing a straight jacket.

So then on like day 4 or 5, I was telling Sharon that I would like to have her Mom make me an inside pocket for my jacket, which was always a must for me. She said of course, and then I explained why. She then walked over, hit the SAME little zipper on my chest on the outside of the jacket, just like Rick's, which is likely made for a cell or smokes. Didn't even know she was there, and boy did I feel like a dummy!!

We really needed Sharon, for sure she is the brains of the operation. So when we had a few drinks, and Sharon was back home....

We decided we were going to make Reuben sandwiches for dinner, at like 9pm. So what do we do? Rick calls Sharon to ask how to make them! Even though all of the separate pieces were ready, just a matter of heating her up and sticking it into my belly.

Well then Rick called a 2nd time because we were a little confused. Then he called a 3rd time as we wanted to do it right. Then he called a 4th time to ask if we were supposed to butter the bread. Then he called a 5th time, as I think we drank too much, and then forgot if we had to butter the bread or not! LOL

Poor Sharon, I could hear in the background laughing with frustration - "Damn guys, I didn't know it was so hard to made a damn sandwich". I was cracking up!!

jimnyc

03-13-2018, 02:17 PM

And oh boy, I'll tell this little story before Rick gets to it! :laugh:

So Sharon brought out a HUGE box of Fireball whiskey or death juice as I like to call it now. Pop a little square out on both sides and get like 2 little dials to pour your drinks. The first night, Sharon still there and in control, I had a nice 'ol buzz and slept great!

Well, she then went home, and left the men to play.

I forgot when to stop. And we had so much dang fun, and I guess some of it layed dormant inside me, waiting for just the right time...

So, there is this outhouse about 30 yards or so away from the house. And boy oh boy was that seat COLD to sit on. So naturally, out to the right of the cabin, where no one goes, just may have been a rather small but then grew rather large, spot where the men turned the snow yellow. And boy did she grow over some time!!

So Jim got absolutely hammered. I mean hammered! I was sleepwalking, sleep sitting in the chair, walking into walls and just all around good fun!! Then Rick told me I should go to bed, probably tiring of making sure I didn't kill myself.

Well, then I decided I needed to go just one last time before I crawl under the blankets in the nice warm cabin! So out I went. And that's about all I remember, as I kinda maybe might have blacked out a tad. But when you land face first in 4 feet of snow, it tends to wake you rather quickly. Now all I knew is that I was cold, and I was in the snow. I rolled over and tried to crawl back onto the snow covered deck, but I was sliding in the snow and kinda almost falling underneath the cabin!! I had to work kinda hard to get back on solid ground. And as I walked to the front door, wiping myself off, there comes along Joe. I saw it in his face. He just stared for 30 seconds or so. And then he said it, and it all became real - "Jim, did you just fall in the pee hole?"

And I thought for a few seconds, and realized and came to reality with what just happened, and I kinda fake cried talked and replied "I'm afraid I may have, Joe", of course in shock now with what I may have landed in. But I was drunker than a skunk, cleaned off and went to bed, not even caring.

Until the next morning, when all was quiet as us hungover men sat with our first coffee for the day. And then among all the quiet, Rick says "so I heard you fell in the pee hole".

A shit, EFF ME!!!

Kathianne

03-13-2018, 08:13 PM

jimnyc

03-14-2018, 09:44 AM

I can't believe you shared that, but it's one to write down for posterity! Great story, reminds me of college!

Yeah, I screwed up, life's lessons still getting me! :)

I'm still broken right now though. My back feels like it's broken in many pieces. I try to sleep, but having trouble, but slept some, and now feel like Rick shot me with that .460!! Everything aches, I'm SO SO tired and can't seem to catch on yet. And the wife is like "Walk the dog, feed the dog, take the other dog out, clean the cat litter, play with the cat too...." But I'm SO tired right now! LOL

And I have a vet appt. for 4:20 today to get her all checked out and ask many questions.

NightTrain

03-14-2018, 11:22 AM

https://i.imgur.com/9mKdhPth.jpg

So this picture here is right below Larson Creek, facing upriver. It's about 12 miles up from town.

A few days ago as Jim, Joe and I were going to town for more diesel & gas, I stopped here and unhooked the freight sleds I was pulling with my machine and rerouted this snowmachine trail to the left of this picture. If you look closely, you can see an area where the ice drops down in this picture - the river was slowly opening up all around our trail and I knew it would soon be dangerous.

So I took my machine and made a new trail to the left where the ice was safe, ran it a few times widening it and packing it down for future use, and that's the new trail now.

Just got a call last night from one of the guys that live up there on his cell phone, asking me to come down the river and save him - he made a wrong turn and went up the trail in this picture instead of my new trail, and sunk his snowmachine in 6' of water. He made it out okay, but his machine and freight are all at the bottom of the river as we speak, and he was slowly walking up the trail upriver soaking wet and needed help.

I told him I wasn't up there, but my brother and his friends are, and hung up with him and called my brother who jumped on a couple of machines to go retrieve him and get him into the cabin to warm up and dry off.

I suppose he'll build some sort of tripod over the hole where his machine is and rig ropes & pulleys to lift that rig off the bottom of the river. Once you do that, though, the clock is ticking to get that machine inside a warm shop so the water inside the engine doesn't freeze. I would have the tow sled all rigged up and waiting before I ever lifted that sunk one out of the river.

That's the 3rd machine that got sunk this winter - one of them being mine - right around this area of the Talkeetna. Sometimes these things happen, no matter how much experience & quality of gear you have.

jimnyc

03-14-2018, 11:39 AM

So this picture here is right below Larson Creek, facing upriver. It's about 12 miles up from town.

A few days ago as Jim, Joe and I were going to town for more diesel & gas, I stopped here and unhooked the freight sleds I was pulling with my machine and rerouted this snowmachine trail to the left of this picture. If you look closely, you can see an area where the ice drops down in this picture - the river was slowly opening up all around our trail and I knew it would soon be dangerous.

So I took my machine and made a new trail to the left where the ice was safe, ran it a few times widening it and packing it down for future use, and that's the new trail now.

Just got a call last night from one of the guys that live up there on his cell phone, asking me to come down the river and save him - he made a wrong turn and went up the trail in this picture instead of my new trail, and sunk his snowmachine in 6' of water. He made it out okay, but his machine and freight are all at the bottom of the river as we speak, and he was slowly walking up the trail upriver soaking wet and needed help.

I told him I wasn't up there, but my brother and his friends are, and hung up with him and called my brother who jumped on a couple of machines to go retrieve him and get him into the cabin to warm up and dry off.

I suppose he'll build some sort of tripod over the hole where his machine is and rig ropes & pulleys to lift that rig off the bottom of the river. Once you do that, though, the clock is ticking to get that machine inside a warm shop so the water inside the engine doesn't freeze. I would have the tow sled all rigged up and waiting before I ever lifted that sunk one out of the river.

That's the 3rd machine that got sunk this winter - one of them being mine - right around this area of the Talkeetna. Sometimes these things happen, no matter how much experience & quality of gear you have.

Oh man, that sucks. Was that my latest friend that you introduced me too up the mountain, the awesome trail builder who built the last tripod?

Anyway, that sucks. Glad it wasn't me though, I would have just asked you to bring out the .460 and save me.

That trail you built you did in minutes too!! The hell with that "Hit the gas and don't let up crap" - my ass thinks "I ain't going over no dang water spots!! I hit the brakes so hard and almost turned sideways!! Jim and cruising over water spots, or overflow, or whatever you call it - after your 91 degree body temp story - no way Jose!! I say THANKS for the new trail! :)

NightTrain

03-14-2018, 11:43 AM

Oh man, that sucks. Was that my latest friend that you introduced me too up the mountain, the awesome trail builder who built the last tripod?

Anyway, that sucks. Glad it wasn't me though, I would have just asked you to bring out the .460 and save me.

That trail you built you did in minutes too!! The hell with that "Hit the gas and don't let up crap" - my ass thinks "I ain't going over no dang water spots!! I hit the brakes so hard and almost turned sideways!! Jim and cruising over water spots, or overflow, or whatever you call it - after your 91 degree body temp story - no way Jose!! I say THANKS for the new trail! :)

No, you met Patrick. The guy that just sunk his machine is the crazy fucker I told you about who practices arson! lol

I'll upload videos & pics today, but have to run up to Swiss Alaska to meet the boys with the 'Burb. They're pulling out today so I'll be ferrying equipment back to Wasilla.

And I can't believe you told on yourself with falling off the deck! I wasn't going to tell on you, I was just joking about posting that story on the board! :laugh:

jimnyc

03-14-2018, 11:52 AM

No, you met Patrick. The guy that just sunk his machine is the crazy fucker I told you about who practices arson! lol

I'll upload videos & pics today, but have to run up to Swiss Alaska to meet the boys with the 'Burb. They're pulling out today so I'll be ferrying equipment back to Wasilla.

And I can't believe you told on yourself with falling off the deck! I wasn't going to tell on you, I was just joking about posting that story on the board! :laugh:

Ahhhh, the other J guy!! Karma maybe?

Oh man, more back and forth with the 'burb and trailers? That has got to get old after awhile, except for the views on the way of course!! Heading towards Talkeetna and seeing Mckinley in front of you has sure got to make it easier at times.

Yeah, I'm an honest bastard, what can I say. No man should ever fall in the pee hole. I blacked out. You bastards may have planned that! LOL

Nah, that's just lightweight Jim, watching you, thinking I can hang, and failed a tad I may say! I kinda hung around through the steak and crab at least!! Then the counter as I was getting drunker..... but then fizzled out and into the pee hole. :(

I feel so sad and violated, by yellow snow. Please kill me.

jimnyc

03-14-2018, 12:04 PM

So Nikoh is a little rougher on toys than Porter apparently. :) Porter has this huge green plush bone, yellow in the center that squeaks when she bites it. Well, it likely won't be squeaking much longer, or existing much longer for that fact!! A teething little beautiful Husky can sure eat!!

So I went to Petco this morning and got her like $80 worth of various Kong toys and goodies to put in them to hopefully keep her busy chewing on them, and not my remote control, cell phone, couch, pens, pencils, cat toys....

Here's a few crappy photos of her and her very first toy of her own!! Hard for whatever reason to get a good still shot.

https://i.imgur.com/M98VCMy.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/VTK8k8G.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/eRdmPe4.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/49nddNR.jpg

NT'sGirl

03-14-2018, 12:56 PM

jimnyc

03-14-2018, 01:25 PM

remember no rawhide!
Carrots are great for teething
Marrow bones you can by in the frozen food section raw, cooked bones become brittle and can splinter in their gums and other places
I will send you some antler for her too that is great for something hard to destroy

note on kong toys they do not digest and if a dog eats too much of it it can lodge in the tracks this I know because we had a Jack Russel that has 3 surgeries to clean him out same with Nyla bones

Yikes, more things to be aware of!

Definitely no rawhide, I never gave that to my Chihuahua after a bad event with my Pug many years back, when he had a reaction to the rawhide.

I got some more carrots, and will now look for the marrow too.

I was unaware of that with the Kong stuff. I never liked the Nyla bone stuff. I'll keep an eye out and take any Kon stuff away that she starts chipping away at. I gave her another one that's a bone, and you put special treats in either end. Hopefully she's more interested in that treat than she is eating the Kong!

NightTrain

03-14-2018, 11:24 PM

And now, the first video up on Sockeye Lake up on the mountain behind the cabin.

Jim begins learning the sometimes painful art of riding a snowmachine properly with balancing it, especially in the deep snow.

Just a warning... Jim does drop a few F Bombs. Naughty fella.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0ZHLh9mQOk&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnl_tCDBloM

darin

03-15-2018, 02:43 AM

That is the life. Incredible.

NightTrain

03-15-2018, 03:34 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtZH6yIn5qw&feature=youtu.be

darin

03-15-2018, 06:32 AM

looks like heaven.

jimnyc

03-15-2018, 08:49 AM

Wow! So, Ummmmmm, who's the ventriloquist? Do I really curse that much? Man was I aggravated with digging out though. 3-4 feet of snow everywhere and a heavy ass snow machine, NOT as easy as it may appear to get around and/or dig out. Thankfully Rick was around to help, and film my humiliation and potty mouth. Why is it that I HATE my voice when recorded?

That is the life. Incredible.

looks like heaven.

It really is, Darin. You would likely fare so much better than me too, being an outdoors person and a traveler. It's a LOT of work, from riding, to getting water, building things, carrying things, sweating, aches, carry more things, ride in the tough stuff some more.... and then eat huge steaks and many crab legs to soothe your pains!! And then wash down with whiskey and sleep in the pee! LOL

jimnyc

03-15-2018, 08:50 AM

That trail that you see Rick and us on at the end of the last video. It gets SO much better, ALL woods and the smoothest trail in the world. And a surprise in there somewhere if the Gopro was still running. Felt like we were in the woods riding for days, and it got tiring, and it got cold!! But damn, you'll NEVER experience that anywhere else. It was truly special for me, all of it, even the hard work and crashing!! :)

jimnyc

03-15-2018, 09:51 AM

So - Las Vegas, Seattle & Chicago

While I was being tortured from coast to coast with my anxiety & inability to travel/fly very well. I found myself in Las Vegas on night #1. Would have been better if I took more xanax and had a friend with me. I felt weird in the Harrah's casino by myself, as if I was being watched. Then walking around the same, I felt as if I stood out somehow, and probably did! I brought in a ton of great sights, even if I don't have all the photos. I truly was in panic mode. When I got to the airport the next morning, I soon got a text that I had a 2 hour delay. That meant missing connection in Seattle. I saw a gate that had a flight to JFK in New York and was dumb enough to even think of it for a minute.

But I just made arrangements in Seattle in decided to continue on the next day, and I immediately texted and called Rick to update.

So Seattle, I think I was at the Sheraton there? It was another really nice hotel, but this one was like 1 mile from the airport, so I felt a little comfy. There was a 7-11 right down the block which I hit a few times and felt like I was back in NJ for a tad there. Met a really really nice black gent in there and we chatted football for a bit. He saw my jacket, and he looked like an NFL lineman, he was HUGE! So in line, I paid for his coffee and soda, to bring me good luck hopefully.

The next day was just a short journey from Seattle to Anchorage! I'm so out of it, I don't even remember when I arrived? I think it was like 2pm or something like that. It was just Sharon and I. We got about 10 miles away and I reached for my pill carrier, my safety net, my comfort, my precious - which was now on an unattended seat in the 1st row of a Delta Airlines flight unknown! I panicked, I truly panicked. I had a LOT of medicine in that little steel carrier. It took me a few minutes of deep breathing before I remembered I brought the bottles of every medication I take, and had way more than enough with me. So onward to Wasilla we went! (with a little unneeded anxiety)

So Sharon, Rick, Joe and I had a short night of doing small things and talking about all the fun ahead of us. I got a fairly decent nights sleep with the help of those very meds! LOL

---cabin stuff ---

The plan was to gear up and get back to Wasilla on Friday sometime, spend Saturday doing souvenir hunting and a few other things. But while plans got messed up and I spent an extra day at the cabin, you don't hear me complaining!

So I think we got back with a few hours to go, took a shower, hung out and caught my breath for like an hour, and off to Anchorage we went!

Then I just sat in the airport with my new puppy and reflected back on the past 10 days. Kinda rough leaving good friends, and just being in such a relaxing place (at least when Rick wasn't planning on my death). But then I was in the plane, her under the seat, and off to Chicago!

I get to Comfort Suites Inn at like 8am Chicago time. "Sorry sir, but check in isn't until 4pm". But I produced my reservation and the email with management from 2 months ago when I asked about this, and was told it wouldn't be an issue as an airport hotel they are used to all hours. The woman's reply to all of that? "I don't care, the computer says no rooms and check in isn't until 4pm". Oh boy, you don't want Jim angry when off meds, and no sleep, and a 7hr overnight flight. I won't get into details.

So a few very unhappy hours later, and 20 miles and downtown Chicago later, I found myself at some Marriot Mile Hotel or something like that. I think my wife thought it was a regular one, but she done got me into some fancy schmancy hotel that was like 4x the price of the Comfort crap. Now THIS was comfort. At least until minute #2 and the new pup dropped about 5 gallons of pee on the bed. :( I tried outside, but she was spooked I believe.

So I called my sister who actually works for Marriott, and asked what to do. She said NOTHING, toss it on the floor in the morning, they will think it was YOU and make no big deal of it. WTF??? Let them think I peed all over my own bed?? That maybe I had a dang colostomy bag that broke? LOL I didn't say anything. Now I await to whether or not I get a bill in the mail!!

LongTermGuy

03-15-2018, 01:50 PM

Dang, I LOVE King Crab!

That's it- I'm stealing Sharon away from Rick.

Oh man.....Abbey I agree...ummm...ummm...and the Giant Steaks....sure do look GOOD!

I Love this picture Jimmy put up to tease us!
:laugh:

https://i.imgur.com/gZUDs93.jpg

High_Plains_Drifter

03-15-2018, 05:39 PM

Man, still can't thank Sharon and Rick enough. And the entirety of their family. Tanner was SO helpful in helping me pull the starter cable on my machine a few thousand times. Jim is Rick's brother, and was accepting of me in the cabin and very helpful. Sharon's daughter Veronica was so nice to me at the house!! They all made me feel like family, and that's special when you're 4500 miles from home in another world away. I owe them all something special, for bringing something so special to me, that gave me memories that will last a lifetime!

So my first stop was Las Vegas. I arrived there in anxiety attack mode and was not well. That kinda killed any gambling and fun when you are riding solo with anxiety. Of course I still toughed it a tad to try the slots, and then walk a bit and see the cool chicks in bikinis and Batman and Mickey and other weird shit in Vegas. And the hotels are HUGE there!

This is Caesar's Palace, across from Harrah's where I stayed. Casear's Palace is like a million miles long, and must have a million rooms! I made the mistake of going in there and I got lost!

Here is the board in front of Harrah's where I stayed.

The Mirage

Another shot of Harrah's

A small shot of the monster Caesar's

Here is where the shooting was, the Mandalay Bay. This was miles away from where I stayed at the end of the strip, so this shot is from the airport

The deathmobile! This is why I was late, the door lost a HUGE screw, and they waited 2 hours for a part before we left.

The plane with the entire strip in the background

The whole strip

Takeoff, with the strip in the background. Passing the Mandalay Bay towards the end, I panned down and you see the large field where the shooting/concert was.
Great pics... I lived there for almost 4 years... hardly recognize the place now.

Nice to see a "high roller" go there though and share pics.

I went down there from Reno in 2006 to pick up my dumbass son who went down there with some skank old broad that was his sugar mama. He called me up and said that if I didn't pick him up he'd be dead in a week. His woman and her friends said they'd be expecting me and said they'd "shoot me on sight." I told my son to tell that bitch that I'd be showing up a few Vagos and we'd all be packing. I did get a Vagos escort and none of them were in sight. We even looked for them... they would have gotten a "tune up" biker style for threatening me.