Brian Skis ALL WEEKEND!!

Judy was in Seattle Thurs-Sat night, but Brian got some skiing in -- Friday on the Coastal Trail past the lagoon and out to Earthquake Park, a part of Anchorage that fell into the water in the 1964 Earthquake.  The trail had just been groomed, and he skate skied it.  Then he went up to his friend Carl's and worked on waxing skis.  Saturday he skied classical on fresh snow as it snowed overnight, and they take care of grooming the trails before anybody touches the roads!  He went in the evening and skied again, skate skied on the trails close to our house and ran into a drunk that on the return trip had curled up on the trail to go to sleep -- in the single digits.  Brian skied by and then called 911 -- there have been several people already who have been found dead in the city after drinking and then going to sleep outside.  He was at the airport at midnight to pick Judy up and we saw another inebriate coming home -- a Santa Claus trying to make it across  6 lanes of traffic who could barely stand up -- hope he made it!

Sunday was cold and clear!  We went to the Campbell Creek trails on the southeast side of the city, and the temperature (showing on our dash) went from 12 degrees to 5 degrees on the way over!  As soon as we started out (with just a little face showing!),  we ran into the moose that you see here in the pictures, almost right on the trail.  It was close enough this time that we weren't feeling like we could ski past her, but just as we turned around to go back and find another trail, she moved off to the side a little bit, and several of us scooted by!  You often get a little line at both ends trying to decide what to do.  People often have dogs too -- have you heard of "skijouring?"  I don't think we've had a picture of that yet -- being pulled by a dog while on skis.  It was another gorgeous day with fresh snow on the trees -- Brian picked this trail because they have mushing trails that intersect our trail, and he was hoping to see a dog team -- no luck that day. 


We finished the day with a party at one of the faculty's houses that Judy works with -- we were the oldest ones there, but a good outdoor group of people to talk too!  New ways of fishing, kayaking, finding out all of the places to go -- even the ones you have to fly into!  We're leaving on Wednesday night late to fly back to New York for the holidays -- so hope to see most of you while we're there!