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OK, not really, I’m not THE Aukeman, but I finished the first Aukeman Triathlon. It was so much fun!! I think (by virtue of no other UAS faculty participating) that I was the fastest UAS faculty to finish!

Thanks to Tracy and John for making it happen. Thanks to Sherry and Bob for lifeguarding, thanks to Cathy for helping a newby figure out triathlon “zone etiquette” and how to avoid getting run over in the mass swim start, thanks to Carrie, Torsten, and Rob for cheering and supporting, thanks to Nathan for the loaner wet-suit. I had a blast and I’m looking for the next triathlon!

From Aukeman Triathlon

And here I am, preparing (along with about 60 other participants) to get in the Auke Lake for the swim start.

From Aukeman Triathlon

The whole race, Carrie, Torsten, and I would keep singing, “I am Auke man, duh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh….” 🙂

On the ferry, about to depart Juneau for a weekend in Tenakee.

From Southeast AK

Torsten drew a card and picture for me on his ride in today. The picture is Torsten and Matt at Eaglecrest (the chair lift is below us). Gonna be a great winter! 🙂

From Torsten Art

From Torsten Art

A great, sunny fourth of July in Juneau. While Carrie and Torsten joined Lori, Dave, and Garrett for the Juneau parade, Matt went up to Lemon Creek Glacier with Nick, Dave, and Josh (and maybe Marijke went up as well?)

From July 4 2009

Nick, Dave, and Josh, working away:

From July 4 2009 Lemon Creek

And the lake hasn’t drained yet:

From July 4 2009 Lemon Creek

Out on the Sophia with Chip, Missy, and Adelie for a fantastic tool around Auke Bay on yet another fantastic Juneautopia sunny day.

From Sailing wild Auke Bay

From Sailing wild Auke Bay

Here at T-H headquarters, we received a request for a “belly shot”–so here is how the development of “number two” is coming.

Matt is heading out for a week on the Juneau Icefield. I’ll be somewhere around:

View Larger Map

Although we may have our flight up delayed for a day, check out the weather forecast:

From Weather

We’ve gone between Haines and Haines Junction three times, and always been intrigued by Million Dollar Falls. On the way back home, we enjoyed a stop at Haines Junction (it was Canada Day, so we got cake and flags at the Yukon/National Park visitor center). We ate and (of course) biked, then went down to find more biking paths. We tried Mush Lake Road (a creek had recently washed out and put lots of rocks on the 4WD road so it wasn’t very bikable), then hiked a bit of the St. Elias Lake trail (very nice!).

We went on and camped at Million Dollar Falls–we loved it!! We couldn’t believe we hadn’t stopped here before. It was better than we imagined, and, being a Yukon Park, free firewood from the wood hut! There weren’t many people at all camping, a fantastic series of falls–and it was great biking, along with a good playground.

The top of the falls:

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

The campground:

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

The campers:

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

And some wood chopping (for the smores!). For the best effect, go between these two pictures really quickly.

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

I still remember the words from Nettie’s Phd thesis acknowledgements/introduction. “Pick your rut carefully, you’ll be in it the next 5+ years” (she said it was from a road sign in northern Maine that said `pick your rut carefully, you’ll be in it the next 5+ miles…’) Anyway (paraphrasing from the Don Johnson flick `The Hot Spot.’ “one of the top ten under appreciated movies of all time”), “I found my level and I’m living it.”

We found our level, and we’re living it! We love this camping lifestyle. After spending the night in Tok (thanks again, Peter and Sara!) we went back to the Cottonwood RV Park on Kluane Lake. We love that place!!!

Living the dream:

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

The dogs know it:

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

Lake Kluane, and midnight, Yukon time:

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

If I didn’t know anything about internet etiquette, I would embed the Talking Heads’ song here.. Anyway, we did see some wildlife on our two weeks romp around Alaska.. Feast your eyes:

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009

From Interior AK Vacation, 2009