Starting the new year right!

2010 has started out with a bang! After having a great time back in Jersey I made my way back to the Last Frontier just in time start school. Currently I’m taking a personal finance course (something I wish was offered 3 1/2 years ago!).

However, I’ve found a little bit of time to have fun. I’ve gotten out diving in Whittier with some awesome dive partners – Larry, Derek and Erica. Erica just got certified in December and is doing a great job in the water.

Scott and Dave coming up the ramp.

Larry going around the far side of the tanker.

Erica and I took a long weekend and drove up to Chena Hot Springs to enjoy some cool weather and hot water!

This was sunset as we drove to Fairbanks. Awesome!!

Enjoying the hot water!

We even saw the northern lights a couple times! But since it was so warm (-10°ish) they weren’t very active.

Saturday afternoon we took a tour of the Ice Museum (oxymoron, I know…). This place was awesome! The building is a double hull steel building. Within the building there is no ventilation, this significantly reduces sublimation (Yes, I had to look it up too). So some of the carved pieces have been there for years! Nuts! They keep the interior at a balmy 20°. It was an absolute mind trick when we “prepared” to go into the ice museum – since it was about 30° warmer inside than the air outside. I actually unzipped my coat until we got ready to go back outside.

This is their newest piece – two knights jousting. Crazy part? It’s made from one huge block of ice! Notice the green knight standing out of his saddle? the purple knight getting knocked back? The impact of the green’s pole striking the breast plate of the purple knight? Not the mention the bridles of the horses! You can see the purple bridle going from the mouth and around the head! And this thing was huge!!

Erica with the Coca cola bear.

In front of the fire place.

They have a lookout tower with a spiral staircase!! Too bad the don’t let you walk up to the top (Something about too many people falling down the staircase).

They get the ice blocks from a local lake, each of the blocks weight over a ton! BTW, each of those martini glasses sitting on top?? Yea, each individually carved from the block! How cool!! (pun not intended)

This is their workshop! The workbenches – made of ice. The tool racks on the wall – ice. Even the trashcan is made of ice!!

Sipping her apple-tini out of her ice martini glass (Oddly enough, you get to keep the glass).

Why drink apple-tinis out of ice glasses? Why not!?!?

On our drive home we got a gorgeous view of Denali at sunset! The best I have ever seen her!

Sunset lighting up the southwest face.

Of course Erica doesn’t know how to take a serious photo, so I only got ones of her laughing at everything – well, usually me.

Frosted trees alllll the way home!

Then this past Sunday I had the most fun! A group of us drove north to Eureka to go snow-machining! (Erica and I are on the far right side of the photo) We picked it up pretty quick and before we knew it we were speeding across lakes and climbing hills like it was our job! Thankfully we have some awesome friends that shared their knowledge so the learning curve wasn’t painful. Photo’s courtesy of Jen2.

Are friends are so awesome in fact, they help us get unstuck (but first they document our bright moments!)

Erica is on the far side of the tree looking for groundhogs, the sled is there just as backup..

Jen2 showing the boys how it’s done!

Erica and I halfway through the day, lovin’ it!! Thanks to our Eagle River SledHead crew for getting us totally addicted!

Well, that’s 2010 so far…. stay tuned.

-Digs