A little inspiration...

Sometimes a little inspiration goes a long way. I read this quote yesterday and had to post. 

Enjoy!

My new bike.

New Belgium Brewing Company posted an Instagram challenge in February to promote their new Snapshot Wheat Beer. The rules consisted of sharing a picture on Instagram using the #snapshotAlaska and #21 hashtags. All eligible entries were entered to win a New Belgium Brewing Company cruiser bike, which are traditionally given to employees of New Belgium Brewing Company, a craft brewery in Fort Collins, Colorado and the maker of Fat Tire, Ranger IPA and a variety of seasonal and Belgian inspired beers.

Guess what?! I won!!!! 

I am proud to announce that I am the owner of a New Belgium Brewing Company cruiser bike…

Watch me ride!

 put together by the one an only Matt Conner…

We had fun riding the bike around on this wonderful spring Alaskan day.

Cheers!

Karen

Spring?

On my way to work out this morning, a lovely dusting of snow greeted me on the ground. 

Typical spring weather in Anchorage...

Have a great day!

April First Friday

Every first Friday of the month, a number of shops and businesses in Anchorage host local artists to display their artwork and musicians to perform their music. To celebrate the first Friday in April, a friend and I decided to head downtown to explore. Spring was in the air, so it felt good to walk around outside and wonder in and out of some of the stores. 

One of my favorite views is looking down the main streets of Anchorage and seeing the Chugach Mountains in the background. It makes me remember the beauty of the land where this city was built.

Cheers to the weekend!

Talkeetna

Some friends and I visited Talkeetna, Alaska in January. Talkeetna, which means "where three rivers meet," is located at the confluence of the Susitna, Chulitna and Talkeetna rivers. The Talkeetna townsite was established in 1919 when the railroad surveyed and auctioned 80 lots and is located on the road system about 2.5 hours north of Anchorage.  

The core downtown area is classified as a National Historic Site, with buildings dating from the early 1900s including Nagley's General Store, Fairview Inn and the Talkeetna Roadhouse, which is where we stayed.

The Roadhouse was built around 1917 and is one of the oldest and still in operation establishments in Talkeetna. Known today for delicious baked goods and hearty breakfasts, The Roadhouse used to serve the community by hauling out goods via horse and carriage to miners and trappers in the mountains nearby. The best part about The Roadhouse is the family style tables and seating areas. Rarely did we not find ourselves having a conversation with someone we knew or a group of international visitors.

We also visited Twister Creak Restaurant, which is right across the street from The Roadhouse. Twister Creek Restaurant is the home of Denali Brewing Company, one of the most popular microbreweries in Alaska. Some of their beers are hard to get in Anchorage, so I was happy to get my hands on a Twister Creek IPA, one of my most favorite beers.

Talkeetna appreciates winter while most towns can't wait for summer. According to the Talkeenta Roadhouse website, Talkeetna is best known throughout the world as the base for international climbers making their way to climb Denali, or Mount McKinley, North American's tallest peak. Denali and other peaks of the Alaska Range offer gorgeous backdrops for Talkeetna.

A weekend in Talkeetna is destined to be a great time, and this weekend with friends held up to all standards. 

Have a great rest of your week!

Fairbanks, AK

I headed North to Fairbanks in March to help host a training for work. I've been to Fairbanks a number of times, but never in March, when the daylight lasts about 15 hours and hints of spring are in the air. 

We visited the new Tanana Chiefs Conference Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center to begin our day. The morning was brisk so the fire was welcomed. The facility was absolutely stunning. 

We had company in our hotel parking lot...

(thank you Robb for the photo)

We had the opportunity to visit Chena Hot Springs, which is an unincorporated community in the Fairbanks North Star Borough. Chena Hot springs is roughly 60 land miles northeast of Fairbanks near the Chena River State Recreation Area. With temperatures dipping into the single digits in the evening, the hot springs were a delightful way to warm up and relax. 

The Chena Hot Speings resort makes use of a geothermal power plant, the first in Alaska, which works on a number of alternative energy projects, including production and use of hydrogen and vegetable oil as fuel. This plant powers all the equipment to run the resort, including a green house that grows fresh vegetables and produce all year long for the restaurant on the resort grounds. 

Chena Hot Springs was founded in 1905 when two brothers set out to find the hot springs to help cure rheumatsm being experienced by one of the brothers. Soon after their discovery, 12 cabins were built in the area to accommodate visitors. Chena Hot Springs quickly became one of the most famous resorts in Interior Alaska. 

The average yearly temperature for the area is 23 degrees Fareignheit and temperatures typically range from about 70 degrees in July to negative 25 in January. However, temperatures can reach 100 degrees in the summer and dip to negative 60 in the winter. 

We left around 9:00 PM and there was plenty of light to guide is on most of the journey back to Fairbanks. 

Thanks for viewing this adventure.

Cheers!