Adventure is worthwhile. - Aesop

Suncation time!

I have returned to wonderfully sunny and almost warm Nome!  I much needed break from the twilight zone to somewhat reality.  My good friend Chris from Denver came to visit the 49th state for the very first time ever. And Alaska surely did not disappoint.

Epic monkey battles

Just outside of Nome 12 hours before I left town.

First off last week I got to participate in another emergent D&C with conscious sedation, and had to transfuse blood.  It was me, another nurse that has been at the hospital a few months and a new to Nome travel nurses first day New to Nome, she has been a nurse for over 10 years).  The new to Nome nurse sure got a hell of a first patient.  We worked so well as a team giving blood, monitoring, administering drugs and filling out all the paperwork.  It's moments like this in this lonesome ER that we all live for. It makes us remember why we are doing what we are doing. We saved this girls life that day.  A feeling that can't much be matched. We all rode the high of those 3 hours for the rest of the day.  After that it was a blur of hurry and wait, sore throats, alcohol related issues, and epic monkey battles with the plastic animals we have in the waiting room.  Sometimes the ER here is SO slow it's unbearable. That's when things like this happen.

So after my 3rd day in a row away I went to Anchorage! Ahhh the big city! I wore flip flops on the plane.  My friend Chris met up with me in Anchorage and we drove ALL over! We went to Talkeetna on Sunday, then to Seward on Monday, and hiked Flat Top, outside of Anchorage, on Tuesday.  Among all these adventures I hit up 2 hot yoga classes that helped to center my crunchy little soul.  Sometimes you must get upside down to get right side up.

It was so nice to drive a car again. And we drove and drove, and drove all weekend long. Windows down, wind in my hair, taking in all of the breathtaking views that this state has. Alaska surely is a state that just does not know how or when to quit.  It's a visual pleasure to drive endlessly in.  Our trip to Talkeetna was phenomenal.  I was bummed that Chris didn't get to see Denali in all her glory as she was cloaked in clouds, we could only see a bit of the base.  Talkeetna is a little town where climbers and sightseers alike flock to.  Climbers because they are chasing after the 20,300 ft mountain summit, sightseers because it's this little mountain town that is the starting point for any Denali adventure. (I call it Denali because that is what Alaskans call Mt. McKinley.  I respect the people here and I also just think Denali sounds cooler... No offence President McKinley from the great state of O-HI-O!)

Due to ice on most of the lakes there were no float planes to be found.

On Monday I took Chris on what is probably one of the most beautiful drives in the entire United States. Even my wonderful mom can attest to this when I dragged her to Seward as well! I made my second trip to the Alaska Sea Life Center in 2 months.  Maybe I should consider a pass at this rate! On the way down to Seward we were met with the site of a moose hanging out in a lake near the roadside.  This was the best picture I could get. Maybe I should think about investing in a really nice camera and a set of lenses.

Being in Anchorage on such beautiful days and seeing all of the diversity in terrain, and nature it's easy to see why people live here.  Although it's still pretty funny when people ask where I'm from and I tell them Nome.  Even the Alaskans that have lived here forever give me the pity look. Haha.  I found myself wondering if the ice had broken up on the beach yet (It has not), if the ice had released it's hold in the bay (it's really rotten ice, but it most assuredly still there.), I missed my 4-wheeler... did I have feelings of missing little Nome? It's growing on me what can I say.

Lenticular clouds forming over the Chugach

Just like aslide. Only snow :)

 Anyways back to the adventures. Tuesday we did the quintessential hike for those that live around Anchorage: Flat Top.  It's a pretty easy hike, with a little scramble to the top on a somewhat exposed face, but little kids do it, so obviously so can I.  It was 73 and blazing sunshine! And there was still snow all over the place! My trail running shoes were the perfect choice as they squish water in, and squish it right back out. So on the way up we kept getting to snow that was still mid-calf to knee deep, and open areas where the runoff just made it a mud pit.  It was wonderful! It was really slippery coming down. and in the end Chris and I made the decision to glissade down some otter slides down the side of the mountain. And this was TREMENDOUS fun! We got to do it twice!! I figured if the two 65 year old women we saw coming down the mountain, as we were going up the mountain, were doing it... I had no reason not to :P.

Me at the top!

So life is pretty freakin sweet right now.  I'm getting to explore my new state. I'm starting to miss my new hometown when I'm away from it (I didn't think that would happen!) I'm making incredible friends in Nome and in Anchorage. And my friends from the lower 48 are keeping me on my toes! I'm so excited for all the weddings that are coming up, and for my beloved friend Rachel who is expecting her first baby this year! I can't wait! You are going to be an incredible mama bear! I love you so much!  I have these stints at work that keep the fire inside me going, that encourage me to continue my love for learning and helping others, and those moments of excitement that keep us hoping and prepared for that next moment of excitement.

Well it's time to make my lunches for the next three days, and get ready for my next three days of work.  Who knows what will come to us in the Nome ER. Fingers crossed it's something cool ;)

Safe travels my lovelies!