Snow Then Rain

One more picture from my hike out at the Boy Scout camp my first weekend in Juneau

Downtown Juneau after two days of snow

One of the many boat marinas in Juneau

Outside my office in Juneau

Another angle from my office

At the end of the parking lot by my office

The other direction from the parking lot

I have been in Juneau for all of 5 days now.  In that time I have taken a long walk on a beautiful trail Out the Road, seen two full days and nights of snowfall, driven in both directions of Douglas Island (a miraculous wonderful place with beauty and isolation in one direction, and beauty and nostalgic small town in the other), taken a quick drive to the Back Loop near Mendenhall Valley, visited the Glacier (how could I not??), looked at a few potential places to live, and spent three days getting my feet underneath me in my new job.

I have also worked out at the Alaska Club ($15.75 for a one day visit or sit through a membership-talk and get a free one-day pass.  I sat through the sales-talk and walked away with the free pass.  Nice place to work out, but overly expensive and once I get settled I will only do what I came here to do, which is be outside).  There are trails everywhere - miles and  miles of them just on Douglas Island alone.  Today I met someone who has a few mountain bikes, and she will loan me one until my bikes make their way up from Tennessee.  So soon I can bike again.

The snow is beautiful but tonight it is raining and a good portion of the snow in the pictures above (that I took today), is now gone.  The power went out throughout the city for over an hour today, and while we were all sitting in the dark I decided to head outside to take some pictures of the snow.  I saw the mountains around my office - really SAW them - for the first time today.  This town is so beautiful it could make you cry.  Although my life is unsettled right now, and still filled with unknowns, and although I am sad to be away from loved ones, for the first time today - for just a few minutes - I forgot about being lonely and just felt my surroundings.  And for a few minutes things were OK.