My fingers hurt from the cold, but at least they're getting warm again. My back and shoulders hurt from the bending and lifting. My brain hurts from trying to understand what the woman who ran the shop before me was thinking...
I just spent the last four hours in the freezer room. There are three big chest freezers and one half-sized chest freezer to organize and take inventory of. To say that nothing was organized and it was total chaos, would sound mean. Surely she had her own system? Surely even though I can't understand it, she knew what she was doing? No. No no no. Everything was everywhere. There were a few feeble attempts at organization, attempts so depressing they'd make the most chaotic person you know cry.
The worst part, to me, was all the junk that wasn't necessary for menu items last year, let alone that aren't necessary for menu items this year. I was told repeatedly that the biggest problem with her menu is that she wanted to do everything. It was simply too much. That being said, knowing the amount of space in the storage and in the diner, I literally cannot fathom what she used some of this stuff for. And - if she was using this stuff for her menu - why such odd packages? 8 oz bags of pre-shreddd mozzarella? Yes - those ARE the ridiculously small bags you find in the grocery stores that are too small for even your personal use. Those bags. In storage for a diner? Anyone? Yeah - I don't know either.
On top of that there were items everywhere. There is no way even she could have walked in (let alone after a winter of not working here!) and knew what all she had. Under these chicken strip bags, that look like they go to the bottom of the freezer? BREAD! But the frozen bread was over there, on top of all the french fry bags.... But wait - there are more french fry bags over there underneath the hamburgers! It's amazing. Stupefying, truly. And I can say that because I literally lost the ability to think and do my job properly. I became so amazingly frustrated that I had to shove everything back into whatever holes they would go into and leave. I packed up for the day, two hours early. Why? Because I truly couldn't take it any more. It was one of those moments when not even a normal ten minute "smoke break" would have been enough to regain my composure and my wits to continue my job. There were items in there with names written on them - they belonged to othe man I believe was her husband, and they didn't take it with them...
Moreover, the part, I think, that annoys me the most is that she now has her own cart. She should not be running a business. I can tell you plain, if I were my boss, I would never hire her back ever, should the chance arise. The way she treated the storage area, the condition she left the diner in shows her lack of respect for the business, for her boss, for the whole lot of it. If she was a woman of any capability, she would not run her own diner like that, if you know what I mean. Even in all this ranting, I feel I haven't conveyed the fullest extent of her inability.
Truly. I don't want to sound mean toward one person. I would be this mad at, this disapproving of, and this disdainful of anyone who kept their place of business like this. As a carpenter, my boss tells me all the time, it's all about the tools. I figure it's like that. A carpenter or mechanic or any of those kinds - you can tell the mechanic by his shop. His shop is in such utter disarray that even he does now know what he has or where it is, or so dirty that you can tell he only surface cleans and you're afraid to touch much of anything - you know something important about the mechanic. You can CERTAINLY tell a cook by their kitchen - or station if the kitchen is not theirs. The way she left her kitchen, the way she obviously kept it by the state of uncleanliness of some things tells a lot about the woman. If I get the chance, I will not meet her nor will I eat at her shop. I don't care to know the personality that goes with that sort of behavior and I don't want to feel pressured to eat her food when I know what her kitchen is likely to look like.
Rant oer. Thanks for listening.
On the up side, duck randomly appeared in the fridge today. Bronk said to be careful when using, it might still have a few feathers in there. But it was the meat, no carcass and no bones from waht I could tell, so at least the feathers will already be disconnected from the bird. That's to be dinner. Randomly appearing duck. There's enough random shit in the freezer that I hope to use some of it. Maybe a duck shepherd's pie?
I find it hilarious - I cooked and ate moose for the first time yesterday. Tonight I cook duck for the first time (third time eating it - yumm!). What I find so funny is that these things to me are exciting and exotic and to them these things are common place. You can't buy it - you hunt your moose and ta-da moose meat. But still it's so common up here. Everyone here finds moose.... commonplace. Except me. Anyway. Off to cook dinner.
Thanks for listening! :D
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Chicken
Today was the day! Finally, and with much finality, I drove up to Chicken. I was warned and warned and made quite efficiently nervous by the women at the gift shop and by Bronk himself to be cautious and take my time. I slid very little. There were really very few icy sections of road. Most of it was nice looking paved road. Some of it was dirt, some of it was gravel.
Mostly, it was incredible. The views you see as you go down this road make you quickly forget you're only 80 miles - or less on the road - from the nearest real town. Mostly, it's nothing but many and many rolling hills. Covered at the base with a layer of pure white snow with hundreds of bare trees that barely had a branch on them, the rolling hills looked like nothing so much to me as so many porcupines lying together for warmth waiting for the late-coming spring. In the distance, at times, you would catch sights of one long hill with more evergreens in patches huddled together, while in other places bare white snow. That reminded my too- caffeinated brain of the Luck Dragon from Never Ending Story - if only he were a dalmatian. I imagined him waiting out the winter up here at the top of the world....
The entire land looked like it was hibernating, just waiting to come back to life. The presence of little sparrows everywhere and the occasional bird that looked like a baby duck but couldn't have been assured one that spring was on the way. These birds, from driving, truly to me looked like baby ducks, but baby ducks to hang around solo on the road or on the side of the road. I saw 8 on the way up, and only three of them were in a group. And they didn't scare so easy. Didn't take to flight right away but rather seemed to prefer to waddle around. I have no clue what they were but I intend to ask.
Meanwhile, I have settled into the rooms Bronk has provided. The two rooms he is providing us with are small enough to need both. One is used for our bed, clothes, and general bedroom stuff. The other will be something of an "office" used as storage for the kitchen stuff we THOUGHT we'd need along with my craft stuff and our computers. I have the laptop in the bedroom (from which I am sending this) primarily for the music it provides. Since this was meant as a hotel room, mounted to the same wall as the door is on in front of the beds is a TV screen with a dvd player in it. It's a bit small for Chris, I'm sure, who has bad eyes, but I think it's cool.
Out my door, ten seconds to the right- down the wooden walkway/patio thing that rings the building - is the office. Both doors lock with the same key. Thirty seconds straight ahead of my door are the bathrooms/showers. I have made up a small shower bag out of a little bitty backpack style bag Chris gave me. Had I not left my shampoo and conditioner in Bronk's house they would be in the bag as well. It contains, also, tooth brushing stuff. Basically, other than hairbrush and deodorant, it holds the bathroom stuff. Thirty seconds to the right of my front door is the trailer we will be working.
It is literally a blue food trailer. No adornments, but none needed as there's a big sign saying "CAFE" above it. Right outside the order/pickup windows is a big covered patio where patio tables and chairs will be put for the guests. Beyond that, on the same wooden patio slab, is a building area where the buffet style crew meals will be put out, or it will be used as extra seating or in bad weather. I will have to clean up after guests who don't clean up after themselves, but largely I will not have to do any typical waitress-ing, which I am relieved about.
So that's our side of town! The town is, to my amusement, kind of segmented. The first section you come to belongs to a woman. She owns the whole "historic downtown" area. Bronk has the middle section, a little farther down. Up the hill, at the end, I'm told is another man's section. He owns everything up there. I find it amusing. While everything within each section is well within walking distance, each section is not truly within walking distance from the other section. Everything here is dirt road, so it's apparently always either muddy or dusty, with very little in between.
Welcome to Chicken, friend! :D
Mostly, it was incredible. The views you see as you go down this road make you quickly forget you're only 80 miles - or less on the road - from the nearest real town. Mostly, it's nothing but many and many rolling hills. Covered at the base with a layer of pure white snow with hundreds of bare trees that barely had a branch on them, the rolling hills looked like nothing so much to me as so many porcupines lying together for warmth waiting for the late-coming spring. In the distance, at times, you would catch sights of one long hill with more evergreens in patches huddled together, while in other places bare white snow. That reminded my too- caffeinated brain of the Luck Dragon from Never Ending Story - if only he were a dalmatian. I imagined him waiting out the winter up here at the top of the world....
The entire land looked like it was hibernating, just waiting to come back to life. The presence of little sparrows everywhere and the occasional bird that looked like a baby duck but couldn't have been assured one that spring was on the way. These birds, from driving, truly to me looked like baby ducks, but baby ducks to hang around solo on the road or on the side of the road. I saw 8 on the way up, and only three of them were in a group. And they didn't scare so easy. Didn't take to flight right away but rather seemed to prefer to waddle around. I have no clue what they were but I intend to ask.
Meanwhile, I have settled into the rooms Bronk has provided. The two rooms he is providing us with are small enough to need both. One is used for our bed, clothes, and general bedroom stuff. The other will be something of an "office" used as storage for the kitchen stuff we THOUGHT we'd need along with my craft stuff and our computers. I have the laptop in the bedroom (from which I am sending this) primarily for the music it provides. Since this was meant as a hotel room, mounted to the same wall as the door is on in front of the beds is a TV screen with a dvd player in it. It's a bit small for Chris, I'm sure, who has bad eyes, but I think it's cool.
Out my door, ten seconds to the right- down the wooden walkway/patio thing that rings the building - is the office. Both doors lock with the same key. Thirty seconds straight ahead of my door are the bathrooms/showers. I have made up a small shower bag out of a little bitty backpack style bag Chris gave me. Had I not left my shampoo and conditioner in Bronk's house they would be in the bag as well. It contains, also, tooth brushing stuff. Basically, other than hairbrush and deodorant, it holds the bathroom stuff. Thirty seconds to the right of my front door is the trailer we will be working.
It is literally a blue food trailer. No adornments, but none needed as there's a big sign saying "CAFE" above it. Right outside the order/pickup windows is a big covered patio where patio tables and chairs will be put for the guests. Beyond that, on the same wooden patio slab, is a building area where the buffet style crew meals will be put out, or it will be used as extra seating or in bad weather. I will have to clean up after guests who don't clean up after themselves, but largely I will not have to do any typical waitress-ing, which I am relieved about.
So that's our side of town! The town is, to my amusement, kind of segmented. The first section you come to belongs to a woman. She owns the whole "historic downtown" area. Bronk has the middle section, a little farther down. Up the hill, at the end, I'm told is another man's section. He owns everything up there. I find it amusing. While everything within each section is well within walking distance, each section is not truly within walking distance from the other section. Everything here is dirt road, so it's apparently always either muddy or dusty, with very little in between.
Welcome to Chicken, friend! :D
Monday, May 13, 2013
Tok
I’m sitting here in the guest room in Bronk’s appartment. Bronk is my boss, the owner of Chicken’s Café. Apparently it’s standard behavior for him to let people stay the night. I've been here two nights now, but hopefully I'm up to Chicken today to get settled in.
When I roadtrip alone, I have a tendency to just drive straight through. I’m not going to stop and walk around in an area that could have any number of animals by myself. I dislike stopping in bigger cities because I have a tendency to get lost. Really I need to stop only to refule myself or my car and to relieve myself. Truly, that doesn’t add up to stopping very often. As such, I made better time than Bronk, or just about anyone else, thought I would…
I’m sitting here instead of in my new bedroom or living room because I made better time than I was supposed to. There’s currently no running water at Bronk’s properties in Chicken. Because they don't simply use well water like I am used to, it's a bit more complex than I thought. They use surface water and a filtration setup. There will be running water - when it's feasible. Perhaps tomorrow, more likely next week. It's been a cold late spring so the rivers have not thawed properly. So many being still frozen over has kept progress back quite a ways. Bronk has told me that there is a thawed creek, however, so I do have a source of water - it's just going to be a touch difficult. Electricity and the rest they have, I'm assured. They are also a tad unsure what to do for my living situation. I think it’s been fixed, but if it doesn’t work out they have a backup plan so that’s good. The way it’s been phrased to me is we will get two of the “back rooms”… I have reason to suspect we will be connected to the kitchen of the café we’ll be cooking at. Talk about a short commute! Though I am unsure how it's to be laid out and look, I am assured we will be using the cafe kitchen as our own personal kitchen as well as using it for the business. It'll be interesting.
We will be doing a comparably small volume of people. Typically, I’m used to the hundreds-of-people style tourism. This is more along the lines of 50 to 100 a day. I am sure when we get those rushes of EVERYONE wants lunch at the same time it will seem like high volume, and I do not think for an instant this summer will be without it's challenges. However, for the most part - a smaller volume than Chris and I initially conceived...It will be a good example to see how well Chris and I will work together. Hopefully we’ll be a dynamic team seeing as how we plan to buy our own food cart within five years and have our own joint to travel with.
Bronk has explained to me the different types of people up there. Trying to brace me for some of the rougher people. He has assured me I need not take crap from anyone. We reserve the right to refuse service, and if someone is harassing me, he says to not only turn them away but to tell him about it. He keeps using the previous cook as an example, how she was so rough-and-tough and didn't take shit. I think after our brief time together, I look and sound like some young, sweet and innocent, can't handle all the bad stuff kind of person. I think he'll be surprised. Not only can I handle them, but I can wiggle around and make them work to my advantage. I have no fear in that matter.
Meanwhile, his descriptions have been interesting. Talking about the dredgers and hard-core guys who CAN get super grumpy and pissy if they're having a bad year. Not enough gold coming up, they get all pissed off and take it out on those around them. Then you have the Porch Miners, as he calls them. Or the Too Miners. They sit on the porch all day and whine - it's too hot, it's too cold, the water is too high, the water is too low - instead of going out there and mining. He says he still tolerates the porch miners because since they don't mine, they sit on the porch and spend a lot of their money at our establishments. Then, of course, you get the tourists who go to gold pan. Tourists are easy for me to handle. He says for the miners that they're a lot like backwoods ranchers. Well, I've dealt with all kinds, and even though miners are new I don't think their personalities are as new to me as I feared.
So yes, that's the word. Heading up to Chicken today. VERY excited. Going to stop by the grocery store and pick up some food before heading up so I have some basics to cook with. Still have the charcoal briquettes for the bbq and matches if I want to grill. Lets do this!
When I roadtrip alone, I have a tendency to just drive straight through. I’m not going to stop and walk around in an area that could have any number of animals by myself. I dislike stopping in bigger cities because I have a tendency to get lost. Really I need to stop only to refule myself or my car and to relieve myself. Truly, that doesn’t add up to stopping very often. As such, I made better time than Bronk, or just about anyone else, thought I would…
I’m sitting here instead of in my new bedroom or living room because I made better time than I was supposed to. There’s currently no running water at Bronk’s properties in Chicken. Because they don't simply use well water like I am used to, it's a bit more complex than I thought. They use surface water and a filtration setup. There will be running water - when it's feasible. Perhaps tomorrow, more likely next week. It's been a cold late spring so the rivers have not thawed properly. So many being still frozen over has kept progress back quite a ways. Bronk has told me that there is a thawed creek, however, so I do have a source of water - it's just going to be a touch difficult. Electricity and the rest they have, I'm assured. They are also a tad unsure what to do for my living situation. I think it’s been fixed, but if it doesn’t work out they have a backup plan so that’s good. The way it’s been phrased to me is we will get two of the “back rooms”… I have reason to suspect we will be connected to the kitchen of the café we’ll be cooking at. Talk about a short commute! Though I am unsure how it's to be laid out and look, I am assured we will be using the cafe kitchen as our own personal kitchen as well as using it for the business. It'll be interesting.
We will be doing a comparably small volume of people. Typically, I’m used to the hundreds-of-people style tourism. This is more along the lines of 50 to 100 a day. I am sure when we get those rushes of EVERYONE wants lunch at the same time it will seem like high volume, and I do not think for an instant this summer will be without it's challenges. However, for the most part - a smaller volume than Chris and I initially conceived...It will be a good example to see how well Chris and I will work together. Hopefully we’ll be a dynamic team seeing as how we plan to buy our own food cart within five years and have our own joint to travel with.
Bronk has explained to me the different types of people up there. Trying to brace me for some of the rougher people. He has assured me I need not take crap from anyone. We reserve the right to refuse service, and if someone is harassing me, he says to not only turn them away but to tell him about it. He keeps using the previous cook as an example, how she was so rough-and-tough and didn't take shit. I think after our brief time together, I look and sound like some young, sweet and innocent, can't handle all the bad stuff kind of person. I think he'll be surprised. Not only can I handle them, but I can wiggle around and make them work to my advantage. I have no fear in that matter.
Meanwhile, his descriptions have been interesting. Talking about the dredgers and hard-core guys who CAN get super grumpy and pissy if they're having a bad year. Not enough gold coming up, they get all pissed off and take it out on those around them. Then you have the Porch Miners, as he calls them. Or the Too Miners. They sit on the porch all day and whine - it's too hot, it's too cold, the water is too high, the water is too low - instead of going out there and mining. He says he still tolerates the porch miners because since they don't mine, they sit on the porch and spend a lot of their money at our establishments. Then, of course, you get the tourists who go to gold pan. Tourists are easy for me to handle. He says for the miners that they're a lot like backwoods ranchers. Well, I've dealt with all kinds, and even though miners are new I don't think their personalities are as new to me as I feared.
So yes, that's the word. Heading up to Chicken today. VERY excited. Going to stop by the grocery store and pick up some food before heading up so I have some basics to cook with. Still have the charcoal briquettes for the bbq and matches if I want to grill. Lets do this!
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Canada....
On the fourth day of the trip....
After dropping Chris off at the Amtrak, I left back north for Canada. Now, remember how I said they're peculiar and specific but no two the same? Going through by myself, the guard didn't seem to car at all about my car. Didn't ask me what I had - plants food pets. Didn't ask me if I had weapons or alcohol or money. Asked where I was going. Why? Can you prove it? Have an email saying you have the job? Not printed, well don't you have an iphone or something? No?! Well...
He let me through. To set your mind at ease. But BOY did he not want to! Couldn't believe I didn't have proof I had a job. Couldn't believe I didn't have an iPhone. Then when I told him I didn't know exactly what the names of the Canadian towns were but simply that I was planning on driving til sundown and catching a hotel room he looked even MORE dubious. Hmph! The other guy didn't care! But this time, at least, I didn't get my car tossed.
So I get through. But I get lost. I know I need Trans-Canada 1. But... I took it East. Then went, EAST?! I NEED NORTH! So I turned around. Almost made it to Victoria (for those who don't know - that's WAY the wrong way.) before going wait... when I looked at the map, it showed it going east THEN north.... ok! So I turned around- for the second time- and went BACK down that stretch of highway. And was finally correct. But I didn't have a map with me. I didn't have directions. My silly self was relying on Chris knowing everything. The man kept talking about the Al/Can and it should be so easy and he seemed to know exactly what he was talking about. Well, he didn't get in, did he?
So on my own, relying on a half-remembered image of a map. Yeah, anyone who knows me and my LACK of directional sense is already cringing. Well, ladies and gentlemen - assuming either still exist - I went basically the right way. See, if you pull it up on a map it kind of looks like an 8 in there. Two separate sides of the eight that meet at Prince George then again farther up. I haven't QUITE reached Prince George yet. I stopped at a very small truck-stop of a town Alavon or something like that. The hotel up here is cute and quaint. I don't know many that would actually like it though. It's got a bit of an old broke-down feel. Internet is shabby, phone service is nonexistent, TV isn't worth bothering with. But it's got a tub, a comfy bed, and the woman who's running it while her friend who actually runs it is out of town is a nice woman. Very chatty. Two men downstairs that seemed nice and welcoming. Another older guy who lives in the RV outside with his old dog.
The kind woman informed me that I only went a little out of my way.. Basically - should have taken the left side of the loop - the west side - and took the east instead. Quite on accident. Funny part is that I MEANT to go down the road she suggested and just didn't hit all the right exits on time. Wound up on the wrong side and kept going. I'm close to Valemount, but still south. In the morning, I head out for Valemount and then cross the invisible eight to take the west side up the coastal side, through Whitehorse. I know I will get well beyond Prince George tomorrow. Perhaps even up to Whitehorse? Wouldn't that be something.
I've been taking pictures. I can't get my computer to upload them like I want them to just now however, so I will try back again. I will let you know when I get them up so you can look back and scroll through. I have some awesome pictures. Mumford (my cousin's tree fairy) in several. I take more pictures when I have someone to put in them, I've noticed.
Anyway. That's what I've got for now. Update you again later. Last word - still alive. :D
After dropping Chris off at the Amtrak, I left back north for Canada. Now, remember how I said they're peculiar and specific but no two the same? Going through by myself, the guard didn't seem to car at all about my car. Didn't ask me what I had - plants food pets. Didn't ask me if I had weapons or alcohol or money. Asked where I was going. Why? Can you prove it? Have an email saying you have the job? Not printed, well don't you have an iphone or something? No?! Well...
He let me through. To set your mind at ease. But BOY did he not want to! Couldn't believe I didn't have proof I had a job. Couldn't believe I didn't have an iPhone. Then when I told him I didn't know exactly what the names of the Canadian towns were but simply that I was planning on driving til sundown and catching a hotel room he looked even MORE dubious. Hmph! The other guy didn't care! But this time, at least, I didn't get my car tossed.
So I get through. But I get lost. I know I need Trans-Canada 1. But... I took it East. Then went, EAST?! I NEED NORTH! So I turned around. Almost made it to Victoria (for those who don't know - that's WAY the wrong way.) before going wait... when I looked at the map, it showed it going east THEN north.... ok! So I turned around- for the second time- and went BACK down that stretch of highway. And was finally correct. But I didn't have a map with me. I didn't have directions. My silly self was relying on Chris knowing everything. The man kept talking about the Al/Can and it should be so easy and he seemed to know exactly what he was talking about. Well, he didn't get in, did he?
So on my own, relying on a half-remembered image of a map. Yeah, anyone who knows me and my LACK of directional sense is already cringing. Well, ladies and gentlemen - assuming either still exist - I went basically the right way. See, if you pull it up on a map it kind of looks like an 8 in there. Two separate sides of the eight that meet at Prince George then again farther up. I haven't QUITE reached Prince George yet. I stopped at a very small truck-stop of a town Alavon or something like that. The hotel up here is cute and quaint. I don't know many that would actually like it though. It's got a bit of an old broke-down feel. Internet is shabby, phone service is nonexistent, TV isn't worth bothering with. But it's got a tub, a comfy bed, and the woman who's running it while her friend who actually runs it is out of town is a nice woman. Very chatty. Two men downstairs that seemed nice and welcoming. Another older guy who lives in the RV outside with his old dog.
The kind woman informed me that I only went a little out of my way.. Basically - should have taken the left side of the loop - the west side - and took the east instead. Quite on accident. Funny part is that I MEANT to go down the road she suggested and just didn't hit all the right exits on time. Wound up on the wrong side and kept going. I'm close to Valemount, but still south. In the morning, I head out for Valemount and then cross the invisible eight to take the west side up the coastal side, through Whitehorse. I know I will get well beyond Prince George tomorrow. Perhaps even up to Whitehorse? Wouldn't that be something.
I've been taking pictures. I can't get my computer to upload them like I want them to just now however, so I will try back again. I will let you know when I get them up so you can look back and scroll through. I have some awesome pictures. Mumford (my cousin's tree fairy) in several. I take more pictures when I have someone to put in them, I've noticed.
Anyway. That's what I've got for now. Update you again later. Last word - still alive. :D
The First Attempt...
As many of you know, the third of this month my boyfriend and I struck out for Alaska. Slowly, rather.
The first day we made our way up to Portland to visit his mother and sister. From there we went up to Alaska to spend the first night with my brother. Had a good time, everything went smooth and successful.
The second day, we made our way up to Bellingham, WA to visit his niece and her daddy. Nice guy. From there we went to cross the border. Not so smooth. But interesting.
You see, the border people are peculiar and specific. But no two are specifically peculiar or peculiarly specific in the same way. The guy we got as absolutely fixated on our car. First the usual - where are you going, where are you coming from, how long in Canada, what are you going to do when you get there, how long are you staying. Ok. Cursory questions out of the way, this one was fixated on the car. That's a lot of stuff back there, what's in there, any plants foods or animals, any weapons, any alcohol, any drugs. Well, you got a lot of stuff so we just want to have a look. Pull over there, give this paper to the folks on the other side. Long story short, our car got tossed. By Canadians. Very nicely done packed it up EXACTLY as they found it. On the down side, due to silly complications Chris wasn't allowed entry. So, before we even really make it INTO Canada - still in the border parking lot, we're told to turn around. From there we have to sit in ANOTHER line to exit Canada - crossing the border the other way. Even though we didn't make it out of Canadian Purgatory. So we get to the front of our line, hand the guy our paper that said Chris was denied entry so we're turning around. You know what he says? You got a lot of stuff back there. Pull into that parking lot and give this paper to the guy on the other side. That's right - our car got tossed AGAIN. By Americans. Everything EVERYTHING was rifled through, one of my earrings was still on the counter when everything else was put in (attention to detail fail), everything was shoved in mismash to where it didn't even properly FIT, AND they broke one of our fishing poles! I need to contact my father to see if it can be repaired. AMERICANS! I was ASHAMED of being an American that day.
So we turn around and go camp in Birch Bay. One night in a hotel, two in a tent. Tent was more fun. And cheaper. I have many pictures but not much to say. We managed to scare off four couples that tried to move into the area beside us. The fifth couple stayed and were super uptight. Kept giving us dirty looks so Chris started antagonizing. Flashing them. Making faces. It was funny. Sleeping on the hard ground sucked when I tried to sleep on my side. Partly because of the cold - super hot day turned to COLD night - and partly because of the hard ground the first night I didn't sleep so good. The second night we got out another blanket and I laid on my back. I slept SO well. Apparently I woke up to barking coyotes and didn't even remember.
After two nights camping, one night in a hotel, and one night with my brother - that's today! Today, we woke up, broke down our site, and I took Chris to the Amtrak in Bellingham. Unfortunately, he has to do some family stuff in Arizona before flying up to Fiarbanks. I have to go on without him. So from here it's just me. And that's the next entry!
The first day we made our way up to Portland to visit his mother and sister. From there we went up to Alaska to spend the first night with my brother. Had a good time, everything went smooth and successful.
The second day, we made our way up to Bellingham, WA to visit his niece and her daddy. Nice guy. From there we went to cross the border. Not so smooth. But interesting.
You see, the border people are peculiar and specific. But no two are specifically peculiar or peculiarly specific in the same way. The guy we got as absolutely fixated on our car. First the usual - where are you going, where are you coming from, how long in Canada, what are you going to do when you get there, how long are you staying. Ok. Cursory questions out of the way, this one was fixated on the car. That's a lot of stuff back there, what's in there, any plants foods or animals, any weapons, any alcohol, any drugs. Well, you got a lot of stuff so we just want to have a look. Pull over there, give this paper to the folks on the other side. Long story short, our car got tossed. By Canadians. Very nicely done packed it up EXACTLY as they found it. On the down side, due to silly complications Chris wasn't allowed entry. So, before we even really make it INTO Canada - still in the border parking lot, we're told to turn around. From there we have to sit in ANOTHER line to exit Canada - crossing the border the other way. Even though we didn't make it out of Canadian Purgatory. So we get to the front of our line, hand the guy our paper that said Chris was denied entry so we're turning around. You know what he says? You got a lot of stuff back there. Pull into that parking lot and give this paper to the guy on the other side. That's right - our car got tossed AGAIN. By Americans. Everything EVERYTHING was rifled through, one of my earrings was still on the counter when everything else was put in (attention to detail fail), everything was shoved in mismash to where it didn't even properly FIT, AND they broke one of our fishing poles! I need to contact my father to see if it can be repaired. AMERICANS! I was ASHAMED of being an American that day.
So we turn around and go camp in Birch Bay. One night in a hotel, two in a tent. Tent was more fun. And cheaper. I have many pictures but not much to say. We managed to scare off four couples that tried to move into the area beside us. The fifth couple stayed and were super uptight. Kept giving us dirty looks so Chris started antagonizing. Flashing them. Making faces. It was funny. Sleeping on the hard ground sucked when I tried to sleep on my side. Partly because of the cold - super hot day turned to COLD night - and partly because of the hard ground the first night I didn't sleep so good. The second night we got out another blanket and I laid on my back. I slept SO well. Apparently I woke up to barking coyotes and didn't even remember.
After two nights camping, one night in a hotel, and one night with my brother - that's today! Today, we woke up, broke down our site, and I took Chris to the Amtrak in Bellingham. Unfortunately, he has to do some family stuff in Arizona before flying up to Fiarbanks. I have to go on without him. So from here it's just me. And that's the next entry!
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Almost There
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, audiences of all ages! We're almost there. Tomorrow we head up to Alaska.
We've got the camera charged and memory empty. We're burning CDs. We'll be packing the car. And we'll be stopping periodically to post and keep updated! :D
Oh, and very exciting, there will be a new blog coming out. This will be a collaboration between myself, my amazing other half, and our newest friend Mumford! Mumford is a mischievous alcoholic wood fairy who will be joining us on our travels. After a few trips he will probably settle down with my cousin Heather, but by then I'm sure we'll have new traveling companions. You've seen the Expedia gnome but just know he's got NOTHING on Mumford!
I will still be continuing my postings on this blog as they tend to be more than just travels - more rambling about work, life, and lifestyles. Mumford's blog will probably have restaurant/bar reviews, amazing photos, that sort of thing.
Back to the trip! I'm very excited. Everything is falling together. Mostly. We'll make it up, I'm sure. As long as we make it across the border!
I have been stressing all this time about this trip; Chris has been trying to keep me calm. Now that we're a day out I'm considerably less stressed and SUPER excited. Chris meanwhile is stressing out pretty bad unfortunately. We all respond to these things differently. I get the butterflies until it's here, then I'm all calm and business. Chris is a bit the opposite it seems, though even as he's nervous and stressed now he's still very on top of things.
There's really very little to post right now. But I will try to keep you updated! :D
We've got the camera charged and memory empty. We're burning CDs. We'll be packing the car. And we'll be stopping periodically to post and keep updated! :D
Oh, and very exciting, there will be a new blog coming out. This will be a collaboration between myself, my amazing other half, and our newest friend Mumford! Mumford is a mischievous alcoholic wood fairy who will be joining us on our travels. After a few trips he will probably settle down with my cousin Heather, but by then I'm sure we'll have new traveling companions. You've seen the Expedia gnome but just know he's got NOTHING on Mumford!
I will still be continuing my postings on this blog as they tend to be more than just travels - more rambling about work, life, and lifestyles. Mumford's blog will probably have restaurant/bar reviews, amazing photos, that sort of thing.
Back to the trip! I'm very excited. Everything is falling together. Mostly. We'll make it up, I'm sure. As long as we make it across the border!
I have been stressing all this time about this trip; Chris has been trying to keep me calm. Now that we're a day out I'm considerably less stressed and SUPER excited. Chris meanwhile is stressing out pretty bad unfortunately. We all respond to these things differently. I get the butterflies until it's here, then I'm all calm and business. Chris is a bit the opposite it seems, though even as he's nervous and stressed now he's still very on top of things.
There's really very little to post right now. But I will try to keep you updated! :D
Saturday, April 20, 2013
It's Been A While
It's been about a half a month since I've written - basically this is because Chris and I have been at my folks house and this blog is largely for my family.
To recap life, we've been having a lot of changing of plans. Between miscommunications, lack of funding, and general confusion we've gone through several plans. The basic thoughts on life are as follows:
Driving our new(to us) motorhome up would cost all in all approximately $3000
Driving our car without hotels would cost all in all approximately $1000
Driving our car AND taking the ferry (to avoid Canada's border crossing) would cost about $2000
Driving our new motorhome AND taking the ferry would still cost about $3000
Flying up and buying a beater car would cost about $2000
Costing all in all included food cost, gas cost, passport cost, room-in-the-ferry cost, with about 1 or 2 hundred wiggle room. I ALWAYS program wiggle room into my plans.
We took the "cheapest" route. It's got a lot of room to go wrong but I have faith. It is not just the cheapest. I secretly really wanted to drive up, even if we can't take all the time in the world this time around to see everything there is to see. It will be an amazing trip and we will still get to see a lot of beautiful sights.
The most expensive and risky part of the trip is actually the passport portion. Passports for two people expedited we suspected would cost $520. We were luckily mistaken as we were calculating for both the book and the card. It cost almost half that in reality, now we just have the risk of getting across the border. Canadian border crossing can be iffy from what we've heard, and they can refuse you for any reason what-so-ever. Anything we can do to help that we are doing. We're trying to make the car look nicer, make sure all our paperwork is in order, everything. Wish us luck on that though.
After that, it should be smooth and beautiful proverbial sailing.
My car, though small, holds a deceptive amount and we are completely confident we can pack everything we need and still have space to kick the seats back to sleep. I hope to be able to hold the bbq that my father has donated to "the cause" in the back and we will be able to cook much of our own food. We plan on taking the tent so that if it is nice enough and we find enough space we can actually camp.
I think it's a good plan that can and will be executed well. My biggest problem is the endless to-do list. We have gotten nearly done with a lot of the things on our list but so little is truly done. It's stressful. I think a lot of the things are basically partial-day-projects, however. This next week we should be able to pull it all together well.
So that's life. Just need to remember - concentrate on the solution, not on the problem. Oh! and to read my next Sword of Truth novel. : D
To recap life, we've been having a lot of changing of plans. Between miscommunications, lack of funding, and general confusion we've gone through several plans. The basic thoughts on life are as follows:
Driving our new(to us) motorhome up would cost all in all approximately $3000
Driving our car without hotels would cost all in all approximately $1000
Driving our car AND taking the ferry (to avoid Canada's border crossing) would cost about $2000
Driving our new motorhome AND taking the ferry would still cost about $3000
Flying up and buying a beater car would cost about $2000
Costing all in all included food cost, gas cost, passport cost, room-in-the-ferry cost, with about 1 or 2 hundred wiggle room. I ALWAYS program wiggle room into my plans.
We took the "cheapest" route. It's got a lot of room to go wrong but I have faith. It is not just the cheapest. I secretly really wanted to drive up, even if we can't take all the time in the world this time around to see everything there is to see. It will be an amazing trip and we will still get to see a lot of beautiful sights.
The most expensive and risky part of the trip is actually the passport portion. Passports for two people expedited we suspected would cost $520. We were luckily mistaken as we were calculating for both the book and the card. It cost almost half that in reality, now we just have the risk of getting across the border. Canadian border crossing can be iffy from what we've heard, and they can refuse you for any reason what-so-ever. Anything we can do to help that we are doing. We're trying to make the car look nicer, make sure all our paperwork is in order, everything. Wish us luck on that though.
After that, it should be smooth and beautiful proverbial sailing.
My car, though small, holds a deceptive amount and we are completely confident we can pack everything we need and still have space to kick the seats back to sleep. I hope to be able to hold the bbq that my father has donated to "the cause" in the back and we will be able to cook much of our own food. We plan on taking the tent so that if it is nice enough and we find enough space we can actually camp.
I think it's a good plan that can and will be executed well. My biggest problem is the endless to-do list. We have gotten nearly done with a lot of the things on our list but so little is truly done. It's stressful. I think a lot of the things are basically partial-day-projects, however. This next week we should be able to pull it all together well.
So that's life. Just need to remember - concentrate on the solution, not on the problem. Oh! and to read my next Sword of Truth novel. : D
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