Friday, March 14, 2008

Today was a snowmachining date for Justin and I. The weather was perfect, and the snow is melting fast so we decided to head out and take advantage of it. When the winter started and we got out machines, I was terrified of anything to do with riding them, but every time we got out, I learn more and get better at it, which makes me feel very proud. The second time we went out I had a major panic attack, and had to go back to the truck, so I've made a lot of progress. It was so beautiful today I wanted to show everyone what we saw, even though pictures can't show it nearly good enough. At the bottom is pictures from the last time we went out, and the weather was very different.
Trail through the trees on the way to Caribou Lake/Hills.
Below is me on my machine, the pic above is of the trail on the way to Caribou Lake.

Well, there's a story for the next photo. Usually I'm very agreeable to having my picture taken, I almost never take a picture with my tongue sticking out, but for this particular picture it fits. Right before this, Justin had gone up what I thought was a pretty steep hill following the trail that climbed up where he wanted to go. When I got there, I stopped at the bottom, NO WAY was I riding up there. So he gestures for me to ride up, I gesture no, and back and forth until finally he leaves his machine, slides down the hill on his butt, and comes over to me. We have a short discussion about whether I'm going up the hill or not, and finally he convinces me to get on the back and sit, while he drives us up the hill. So, I hunker down on the back, and holding the handlebars, and I put my head down and sqeeze my eyes shut as tight as I can while he drives us up. We climb for what feels like forever, until I feel the machine start to tip over. I swear it felt like we were tipped over, so I roll over with the machine, and we tip over in the snow at the top of the hill. Well, we were at the top, which I didn't know having my eyes shut still, and we were almost stopped when I rolled us over. But I was scared to DEATH!! I'm not a hill person, and I panicked. So then I was sitting on my machine trying not to panic about how in the world I was going to get back DOWN the hill when Justin got out the camera to take the pictures we'd ridden up there to get, and so we have a picture of me with my tongue out. :) BTW, I didn't ride back down, poor Justin had to ride his machine down, climb the hill and ride my machine down while I slid down on my butt. You'll be able to see in the pictures farther down just how high up we were!!
Just a pic of the trail.
the mountains across the bay from the trail.
I love this picture!
This was up at the highest point I went to. Justin went up higher and got the 4 pictures that follow this. I had gone as high up as I was able/willing to go. :) So I sent him up to get the pictures he wanted. I'm a big chicken. We couldn't have asked for a nicer day to go up there, it was perfect, even up as high as we were, there was just a light breeze.
This was the picture Justin went up there to get. Its looking into Sheep Creek, where we want to go in a boat. We really want to get over in that area.
Another view from up high, this time looking out Kachemak bay, towards homer. And seeing how far up we are I'm sure some of you can understand my being afraid! :)
Still up high. Its so beautiful and quiet up there.
Still up high.



Here's a picture of the place we took off from today. We like this spot because you just dump the sleds off the trailer, and run up the road, and join the trail. Its an easy ride, and a fairly smooth way to get back into the hills.

PICS from last week:
These pictures are from last week, when we went out to take wood to a friend (Nate), and then he went out snowmachining with us. Here's Justin in the front, Nate in the back.
Just as we were thinking about heading back to Nate's house, a storm rolled in and started to blow really hard and pelt us with snow pellets. All the more reason to head in.....
The clouds look so cool though....
More from the storm before we went in.

Me and Justin together last week when we went out with Nate, I'm on Nate's old machine, so he could have fun on my machine. My machine is a lot for me to handle, its heavy and its very powerful The little machine was perfect practice for me, I think it topped out at 25 miles an hour, instead of the 100 something mine can do (not that I've done it).


The video is of Justin doing a wheelstand on his machine. He's the only person I've seen of all the people we've gone out with who can do one. You have to be tall enough, and strong enough to get the leverage to pull the machine up, hang onto it, and punch the gas hard enough to get the front end to pull up. It looks way cool though, definitely worth watching!
Hope you like the pictures of our adventures for the day. :) Alicia

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

How awesome!! It really leaves me speachless.!! Thanks for the terrific pics. Can I put some of them on my greeting cards?
Love you guys. Grandma Marilyn

Anonymous said...

Man it's beautiful there. I just wish it wasn't so cold. I'd move there in a heartbeat.
So Alicia I'm so disappointed in you! I would have thought you would have been a natural at this! What's up with that??

Anonymous said...

Justin no wonder you keep hurting your self!!! Stop that!! I know what you are like and how much you will try so just stop that stuff before I have to come up there and kick your butt! Love ya. Iwilta

Blake said...

Looks like fun

Anonymous said...

all i can say is JUSTIN wont you ever learn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Joanna said...

Beautiful!

And as I read your post my heart started to race, and my hands got sweaty - I could totally feel your pain! I know if Cory ever gets his way and buys us snow machines we'll have VERY similar experiences. I get so freaked out by stuff like that. But way to go on facing your fears!

Love ya!
Joanna

The Rhiens said...

What amazing photos! You live in a winter paradise. Looks like so much fun, although I know I'd be to chicken to drive my own machine, or to go up any steep inclines. You are a brave girl!

Love, Earlene