Hillside Moose

If you remember from my last post, I was being a quasi-tour guide for a business associate/friend who was here on business from Minneapolis, Minnesota.  She mentioned a few times when we talked on the phone prior to her trip that she really wanted to see a glacier.  Ok, no problem.  The first day she was here, I took her straight to the closest glacier that her time frame would allow.  Beautiful, no?

That's not even the tip of the iceberg.  Pun intended! This is just a small glacier.  We have some HUGE glaciers in Alaska ya'll.  No joke.  Chunks as big as a semi-truck fall off on a regular basis on the big glaciers. 

Well, at some point after Tami gets here, she tells me that she really would like to see a moose. 

Ha! Is that all?  

I told her that I would try to spot one for her (but in my mind I knew the odds were slim).  On the way back into town after our trip to Portage, I took a little detour and drove her up one of the mountains to a very exclusive development where some of the most expensive real estate  in Anchorage is. 

As we were meandering around, we spotted a house for sale.  They happened to have a little flyer box on their For Sale sign and Tami suggested that I hop out and grab one.

So I, being the capricious tour-guide that I am, hopped myself right out of the car.  And was nearly trampled by this:

As soon as I hopped out of the car and shut the door, I was looking at this guy running like his feet were on fire straight at me. 

Thank you God, that the SUV was right behind me and Bullwinkle here diverted around to the passenger side and into the yard of the house that was for sale.

I don't know why, but that moose was spooked.  He wasn't charging me in particular.  He was just running from something and I happened to be in the way. 

I jumped back in the car as soon as he cleared the back bumper and told Tami to look out her window, just as he ran right next to her.  It was quite exciting for both of us and I really thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest.  Most ordinary Alaskan moose encounters are quite peaceful and benign, even boring after a while.  By the way, I took these pictures inside the vehicle with the windows up, although in hind-sight, I don't know why I was afraid to roll the windows down, it seems silly now!  I'm thankful that Tami did not request to see a grizzly bear!!!!!!

Check back soon to see moose # 2 and other adventures from the rest of Tami 's trip to Anchorage!