Back Again

Fourth Quarter in the employee benefits business is hell.  I'm grateful for my job, and I actually enjoy it most of the time, but the past three and a half months have been a struggle.  Luckily, it's over and only cleanup is left.  No more 60+ hour work weeks for a while and no more work nightmares, hopefully.

Now that my time is not quite as hard pressed, I can come back into the world of online social media - including my little blog.

The most exciting news to report is that I bought a ticket to Alaska!  I'll be leaving at the end of May and be gone for 16 days.  I am very much looking forward to visiting beautiful Alaska and am excited to be out venturing by myself again.  I have wanted to go to Alaska since I was 11 years old in my fifth grade class.  All students in the fifth grade create a state report and presentation and have a fair to teach other students about our state.  I had Alaska, and after learning so much about it for that little fifth grade assignment, I've always wanted to go.

I have a friend who currently lives in Sterling Alaska on the Kenai peninsula and will probably see him for a few days while I'm up there, but for the most part, it will be me, my camera, and a train/bus/trail under my feet. I've spent that last few days planning out an itinerary, that so far includes:

Exploring Anchorage by bike
Glacier trekking on Exit Glacier in Seward
Kayaking around Glacier Bay in Seward and Fjords National Park
A train ride from Anchorage to Denali
A helicopter flight and hike in Denali
Some hiking trails in Denali
A visit to the Husky Homestead in Denali to learn about sled dogs
Fishing in Sterling and seeing the salmon
Visiting the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward

I'm going pretty all out with this trip as far as the adventure goes, no expenses spared.  I want this to be the trip of a lifetime, one that I'll cherish forever.

-Leah

13.1 Miles

I signed up for The Big Cottonwood Half Marathon back in April.  I planned on running with a couple of friends from work.  As the months flew by, and the training didn't happen, one by one my friends pulled out.  I told myself it didn't matter, I would run alone.  But as more time went by, the less realistic that seemed.  13.1 miles is a long way.  And I hadn't prepared at all.  A different friend/coworker of mine decided to join the team though and run  with only a day and a half of preparation.  She's a much more serious runner than I am, and her encouragement made me reconsider and recommit to running.

I thought to myself, "if I can ride 75 miles on a bike with no training, I can run 13.1." And so I did.

It was hard.

I had 9 blisters on my feet at the end.  Three of them full of blood.  My knees hurt.  My ankles hurt.  My whole body hurt.  I couldn't walk normally for three days afterward.

But I finished.  9/14/2013.

Now for my next event with no training...triathlon??

Recently

 We camped here.

 Viewed from afar.

 Climbed.

 Climbed more.

 Hiked.

 Fished.

 Hiked more.

 Found a moose.

 Visited Missouri.  Saw Bass Pro.

 Flew on a lot of planes.

 Visited Gettysburg.

 Hiked in the Poconos.

 Loved the Poconos.

 Played with Bunny.

Loved The Summer.

Road Trip to Pennsylvania

Back in early July, a friend moved to Pennsylvania for work where he'll live for a year.  I made the cross country road trip with him to help him move.  Over the 4th of July weekend, we packed up a mini trailer and started off on a road trip to Pottsville, Pennsylvania.

 The Mississippi.

 New digs

 St. Clair, PA

 Pottsville, PA

Driving through Kentucky and West Virginia were my favorite places but I didn't actually take any pictures there.  I think I was too enchanted by the trees everywhere and how green it was to take any photos.  I would love to go back and stay in that area though.

Pottsville, to me, seems to be the epitome of small-town America.  I loved it.  35 hours of driving, 10 states, and one long flight home.  Yeah road trip!

-Leah

Pre-ManGames

Well, I'm doing this.

mangames.com

I'll be doing all ten events...assuming I don't die in the first few.  Some things to look forward to:

Pig Rastle

I will literally be wrestling a pig into a barrel. I'm very nervous about this, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to wrestle a pig!  

Sportsman Challenge

I used to be a pretty good shot with a bow.  Knife throwing though...not my strongest.  I hope we get to chop some wood though.

Mounted Spear Throw 

I'm very excited for this one.  Of course, I'll be channeling my inner Game of Thrones character while doing this.

Water Sport Challenge

I feel like I might be really good at this one.  We'll see though.  Either way, I'm excited.  I love the water sports!

  FLYBOARD!

I'm SO SO SO SO SO SO EXCITED to try this!!!

Here is a video if you don't know what it is.

On September 6th I'll be doing all of this plus five more events.  I hope I survive!

-Leah

Confession on my blogging lethargy

Truth.  I have been slacking on blogging.  I know this.  I think about it almost everyday.  There are lots of things I want to share, or at least document for my own personal reflection but it's difficult for me.  I have narrowed it down to two main causes.

One: All of my photos from my Nikon are on my personal Mac at my home.  However, my internet is very slow at my house due to my roommates constantly streaming video ALL THE TIME.  So I basically don't have internet.

Two: That left me to blog at work during down time or on my lunch.  But 4th quarter started (in June-we call it 4th, but really it's just half of the year).  That means I'm so busy at work that I barely have time to eat or think or take a breather.

1+2=Leah is bad at blogging.

So new goal.  I need to take my home computer out of my house and use internet elsewhere.  I don't want to forget the details of my life experiences because of these pesky problems.

Look out for some real updates internet.

-Leah

Hopeless Wanderer

I've been slacking at blogging lately.

Enjoy Hopeless Wanderer by Mumford and Sons to make up for it. :)

This is really too good for words.
-Leah

The Middle Fork of the Salmon River

This really is the trip of a lifetime.  Six days on one of the United State's most beautiful and remote rivers with huge rapids Every. Single. Day.  I'm so grateful I was able to raft this incredible river and as a private group no less.  Going on raft trips is something I never expected to love as much as I do.  Planning meals, designing a boat rig, rigging the boats, prepping everything, and then of course, the actual rafting is my favorite adventurous activity by far.  I'm so very glad I get to be a part of such a fun, kind, funny, group of people who come from all walks of life but have one passion in common.  White water rafting.

Sawtooth Mountains on the drive in to Stanley, ID.

Dagger Falls - Class 5.  We did not go down this. :)

At the put-in launch ramp

Upper Pistol

Lower Pistol

Scouting

Seriously gorgeous place.

 Old Tappan Cabin

 Notes from previous adventurers left in the cabin.

Grotto behind the cabin.

It's not a real raft trip until someone gets their foot glued back together.

Raft captains.  

Old gold mining cabin.

Digging for gold.

River wood

Me being extra excited to make up for Erik's lack of enthusiasm about getting his picture taken.

Jumping off a bridge with fellow rafter Maddie girl.

35 ft later...

Hopefully we get a permit again next year!