Nuttin' like New York

In July I went to visit my very dear Joanna who lives in New York City. Joanna and I met at summer camp in 7th grade and have been soul sisters ever since. We try to get together at least once a year. Last year she joined me on a couple of epic and breathtaking backcountry adventures in Alaska, so this year it was my turn to visit the Big Apple. As I'd already made the trek to NYC once before to visit Joanna, we'd already toured the "main attractions." So this time it was all about just being in the city. We ate all sorts of exotic food, got our hair cut, went to see Stomp, ran along the Hudson River and through Central Park, and yes even shopped. We also stayed up until 5 a.m. one "night" talking, talking, talking ... and then decided that since it was starting to get light out, it would be a perfect time to go for a 2 1/2 hour run ... deliriously laughing the whole time at our sheer ridiculousness!

New York, New York

My first night in NYC Joanna and I went to a free dance performance in Central Park. It was absolutely amazing until ...

the heavens let loose on us. Although, in many ways, watching New Yorkers get drenched is even more entertaining than watching an incredibly talented dance company. It was chaos ... people screaming, rain pounding, lightening striking, wind howling and more people screaming. 

Joanna and I, on the other hand, delighted in the downpour.

Let me translate: community classes on how to get rid of rats. Sounds like hoot! (Note: this was posted on the door of Joanna's apartment).

Truly a waste of water, but also a quintessential NY scene

A typical summer gathering on the block in Harlem where Joanna lives

Gelato in the Chelsea Market ... Yum!

Joanna and mango lasses

We ate at this totally authentic and a little bit eccentric Indian restaurant known for its ceiling covered in chili pepper and Christmas lights

Joanna, how do you feel about being stuck for an hour on a broken down subway?

Holy freakin' cow ... it was humid, and hot ... this place has marketing figured out

Vietnamese sandwiches and bubble tea ... Delicious!!!

The Brooklyn Bridge

Looking good girl ... on this day we took the subway to Brooklyn to see what will soon be Joanna's new apartment and then walked the Brooklyn Bridge back to Manhattan

Cool view

A mountain chica in the city

The statue of liberty in the distance

Night time in NY

Oh geez ... we must be sisters in spirit ... we have the same shirt ... which we both proceeded to whip out in the overly A/Ced Ethiopian restaurant

Tundra wandering

Joanna, Zippy and I left Monday for a "portable denning" trip. (Note: much the way a parent of a newborn starts to use baby talk, my vocabulary has taken on puppy overtones). We headed six hours north up to the Denali Highway and launched from a beautiful bluff named McClaren Summit.

We spent the next five days strolling over tundra covered with lakes and caribou. Glaciers spilled out of distant mountains, while nearby scree-filled peaks created a natural amphitheater. Sun and rain intermittently poured through fluffy, ominous, accentuated clouds - a playground straight from the divine.

(I accidentally uploaded photos in reverse order ... so the photos start with the end of the trip, and end with the beginning of the trip).