By Leslie Eagle

13 February 2008

Four of us set out on a trek up Blackerby Ridge in Juneau, Alaska. Bill and Marc are the regular adventurers, myself revisiting old habits and Irene who was simply up for the challenge of a steep climb and great views.

It all started when at one point I took off with my empty water bottle to pack if full of snow from one of the remaining alpine patches leftover from the heavy winter and perhaps take photos from a higher vantage point.

Upon my return someone asked "How was it?" and I replied "Great!! I might have got a shot or two."

Followed by a discussion of my trotting along the ridge. I found it easier than slowly plodding along because my already exhausted muscles equated the slow uphill climb to squatting with weights whereas trotting steps are quick enough to trick my legs into thinking it's easy.

After the questions and a moment of silence I said

"Runs with Camera."

(Pause)

"That's my Native Name."

After a brief moment of laughter Irene said "What's my native name?"

Earlier at a rest point Irene hand flopped back on the ground reveling in the act of not moving any muscles at all and I had snapped a photo.

So I said.

"Your name is Flops A Lot."

Everyone burst out laughing.

Immediately thereafter Irene said she was excusing herself for a "private moment" so I said "Or maybe Pees A Lot!"

Which really got everyone going (since this was not even the first time on the trip).

Then one by one we decided on native names.

Marc likes to hike to a viewpoint wherever possible and use his high powered spotting scope or even binoculars to view the distant mountain peeks in search of sheep (or any other wildlife), but preferably sheep, so we decided Marc should become:

"One Who Counts Sheep"

I had noticed Bill is often pointing something out (especially when I'm trying to take a picture), therefore we proclaimed he should henceforth be know as ...

"Points and Knows A Lot"

Bill decided to cut out early and go chase the wind with his windsurfer (they both Surf A Lot so neither of them can have that name since it's not unique) leaving Irene, Marc and myself to the ridgeline.

For a time the native names joke took a rest but on the way down Marc dropped his baggie of dried cherries. I was following close behind and said that we like to let the guy who leaves a trail of his possessions dropping behind him be in front. Shortly after Marc lost his footing when one of his walking sticks (ski poles) snagged on a root during a steep step. When he resumed I noticed another baggie on the ground so Irene quipped "Yeah, I'm hoping any minute now he'll drop his wallet with his visa card!" She finished off with "You better be careful or we're going to have to change your native name!" so I said "Yeah, Drops A Lot!"

We all agreed that down is harder than up on old knees with fatiguing muscles.

Marc who was leading the group stepped over a felled tree and said "Hey, feel this tree! It's so smooth and polished" I came behind ... feeling the tree ... looked up at him impishly and said slowly and deliberately (while still petting the tree) "...One Who Pets Trees" (raising eyebrows up and down). Laughter erupted once again.

At some point Marc decided to entertain the two of us with Raven and Crow calls. Picture the three of us on the arc of a trail, me in the middle Marc at the low end of the trail, Irene high up. Marc looking straight at Irene crow-calling. I decide to play nature documentary narrator. "And he has begun his mating call, trying to impress the female!"

Irene says "Marc, you're looking really good to me right about now!" Marc performs a little wooo hooo jig with is arms. Encouraged, he decides that this trail is much like a jungle and decides monkey calls are better than bird calls: "ohh ohho ahh ahh ahh" so in spirit of the running joke One Who Gives Names (me) said quietly "One Who Talks to Invisible Monkeys"

And so ends the adventure of Blackery Ridge, with cheeks and tummies hurting from laughter, after a Janice Joplin spin Off:

"Oh Lord, Won't you get me

Off Blackerby Ridge

My legs are all aching

There's beer in the fridge

Worked hard climbing up here

The views were all grand

Oh Lord won't you get me off Blackerby Ridge!!"

We decided anyone who wants to come along on future adventures has to be initiated with a native names and If a deer moons you in the forest it pretty much means someone in the group never saw the movie "Bambi" ... (Marc). [photo of mooning deer coming soon...]

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