The last frontier

What was supposed to be 3 months in alaska turned out to be a over a year of exploring, creating, growth and life in Anchorage AK. Here are some things I have learned:

 * They don't really have lines painted on the road to show you what lane you are supposed to be in.

 * You can not see Russia from Sarah Palin's back yard. * They have some of the best coffee....and beer!

 * You need good sun glasses as well as a good sleep mask.

 * Moose are not as nice as they look..but they often times use the cross walk.

 * Santa Clause does live in North Pole, AK

 * The tide comes in with one big wave...the bore tide.

 * When at a stoplight, if the light turns green and the person in front of you doesn’t go, it is not   appropriate to honk

 * Moose is offered on a menu more frequently than chicken 

* The summers make up for the winters

 * Halibut never stops tasting amazing

 * Be prepared for anything. When people say Alaska is the Last Frontier they are not joking

 * Alaska is home to some of the nicest people I have met.

 * There is indeed a lot more men to women BUT "the odds are good but the goods are odd"

*  No matter how far away you are from home....somebody has always heard of HIBBING, MN!

The lessons are endless... might have to come back and learn some more.

Hollywood part II

I know, I know...I've been away for awhile. My last post was just after I finished up my second year of traveling and I was on my way to texas. I am now creeping up on the end of my third year. I had some fun in Texas but I didn't actually take very many pictures there. I left texas to go back to california....LA to be exact. Not exactly what I had planned but I will spare you the details of that mess. LA was the last place I wanted to go back to but let me tell you I am so glad I did. I stayed for an entire year and made some of the most fantastic friends. (Friends can be hard to come by in this line of work) Here are just a handful of the pictures I took while in LA

I have so much more to tell you but it's just going to have to wait til tomorrow:)

Clap, Clap, Clap, Clap....Deep in the Heart of Texas

My dad and Ashley joined me on the road trip to Houston. I know what you are thinking....if I didn't have room for my stuff coming to MN how did I have room for Ashley.  My parents got me a car top carrier for christmas so we had room for her.  We packed up my car on the coldest night MN had seen that year.  Lucky for me my mom is a master car packer.  Don't listen to what she says....WE HAD PLENTY OF ROOM! 

My dad is not much of a rider so he drove....the whole time!  I wasn't complaining because I have certainly had my fill of driving.  Dillon would not have liked out choice of hotels but we had some beer and good company...do you need anything else?

Our first hotel...taped in batteries and a clock that didn't work. 

It's hard to believe we only had to make one turn from MN to TX.  We got to know I-35 well.  We drove by Toby Keith's hometown and kicked ourselves for not stopping to see the the football field....you know the one where he wrote her number on the 50yrd line.  We did not make that mistake when we got to Dallas....we stopped to see where JFK was shot and we saw found Elvis too!  We got my aunt Cheryl (lover of all things Kennedy) some souvenirs since she couldn't be there will us. We even took a picture from the window for her.


Ash didn't think Elvis smelled very good but by the looks of us he might have felt the same way.



Ash is standing on the X where JFK was first shot.  Notice the cars coming her direction.  They don't take kindly to tourist.

We got down to Houston and the move in was very smooth.  Me and Ash went to get our nails done and my dad took a nap on the couch that he was happy he didn't have to move in.  New years eve we went to see the Rockets play at the Toyota Center.  It was a great time.  I have gone to a few games since and I love to watch them play. We started the night out strong but by midnight we were back home asleep on the couch!


Happy New Year!



WHERE IN THE WORLD IS KATIE!!!!

First off I need to appologize for my lack of writing.  I know I say that a lot but I just got busy living my life.  Now I will stop to sum up the last few months.  The last time I wrote I was still in Boston so many miles have happened since then.  I had so much fun in Beantown but the snow was on its way in so I was on my way out.  I got lucky and  had 3 weeks between assignments....at Christmas time to boot.  Did I plan that well or what?  I packed up my car once a again.  I didn't have room for all my stuff.  How can one person gather so much extra stuff in such a short time?  After I sent some boxes back to MN I was on my way there myself.  I made it all the way to Niagra falls NY.  I decided that it was on my way so I might as well stop there to see what all the fuss was about...I am not sure what the honeymoon draw is but it was definately a cool thing to see. 



I didn't take this picture but none of mine turned out very well but this is what I saw

 I got there late so I only saw the falls with all the night lights on it.  I met a lot of Canadians that came to NY to go christmas shopping since things are so much more expensive there.  The next morning I got up early to get a head start so I wouldn't end up in chicago in the middle of the night.  After talking to some of the Canadians they convinced me I should drive through Canada.  It seemed like a good idea so I decided to give it a go.  I probably should have topped of my tank before going to Canada but I didn't.  Don't worry....I did not run out of gas.  However, I did forget that the speed limits were in kilometers not miles.  Good thing my car odometer gave me some help.  My Gps didn't really work that well in Canada either so I just have to trust that what my new friends told me.  Always an adventure.  I made it without having to stop...good thing because gas was SO EXPENSIVE.  My warning light went on shortly before I reentered the US.  Next stop...Chicago.  Jamie's place was so cute.  I was a little jealous of her rooftop.  We got some quality sister time.  Massages, Lush, Potbelly's and her crazy friends :)  A few short days there then I made my way to the Twin cities.  I hung out on Ashley's couch for a few weeks and had a great time.  We all went back to Hibbing for christmas....it was one for the books! 

This post is getting a little long, 'til next time.