Jamaica and the old Woman

I caught a bug in Anchorage and it laid me flat for a few days. Then I came good and Rob went down like a sack of spuds. We had booked an ATV tour of Stampede Ridge and whatnots so Rob decided to sleep it out whilst I went alone.

Up I trot to the main lodge and hop on the bus to Black Diamond. There were about 20 people and I thought “Goody, I won’t be on my lonesome ownsome on this ATV tour”.

We arrive at said destination and are greeted by three guides. A lovely young lady pops on board and asks all those going on the back country chuck wagon tour to please follow her. Half the bus leaves. Then a middle aged fit gent alights and asks those going on the side by side tour to please follow him. The other half of the bus leaves. So on pops Jamaica, young, very fit and cute guy…he looks at me and sighs. I can see him thinking “great, I am a stuck with da old woman.”

Off I trot after young Jamaica. He makes me sign my life away on a bunch of indemnity forms. I just sign and he cautions me. “Ma’am, you should be a readin’ those” he sings songs. I do my ‘Meh shoulder shrug ‘and brace myself for the inevitably boring safety video. You get the picture…DON’T DO DIS…DON’T DO DAT…but we want you to have a great time.

Finally we are ready. Jamaica hands me a pair of gloves. Fair enough. Then a pair of goggles. Well…OK. Then a bloody helmet.

“I am NOT wearing that!!” I assure him.

“But Ma’am” he says “you must. It is da rules.”

I give him a lecture on hat hair. Truly, he wants old woman, I am going to give it to him by the bucket load. We finally compromise. No photos of me in a helmet. It must be black to match my outfit and I want one of those half ones. NO FULL FACE.

Negotiations over and we head to the machines. I assure him I have never driven one of these, listen to his rules and regulations (follow me, follow me, follow me) and take off.

These things are FUN. So, he’s going like really slow…we head up and down a few little tracks and I spy a steep hill with a nice plateau. Up I go. I remembered to lean forward and blah blah blah. On the top…I sit and enjoy the view. After a few minutes, Jamaica follows me up the hill.

“Ma’am” he sing songs “you are meant to follow me.”

Ha ha ha ha ha. What a laugh. Who followed who?

I ended up dirty, dusty and I laughed and laughed. Poor Jamaica made sure he kept the ride interesting after that. And we made friends. He told me about his life in Jamaica as a student of Industrial Engineering. He comes to Alaska each summer to earn money for school and to have adventure (with old ladies). I noticed one of his shoes had a loose sole. And I really had an overwhelming feeling of being so blessed.

NO HELMET

So, if you ever venture into the wilds of Denali, go see Jamaica (Eavan) at Black Diamond. Tell him the old woman from PNG sent you.

Jamaica...cute huh??

Wolf prints in a river bed (so Jamaica says but it's probably just his pup)

Racing off to the ridge

Beauty everywhere...like New Zealand!!

The draft horses with the chuck wagon

Some guy built this cabin over one summer. No power...no water...no roads. Jamaica said it went up in one summer...built on perma-frost. This owner must love hunting or fishing coz that's it. Pretty flash for a cabin in the middle of nowhere.