Hostel guest Stephanie is the latest in a string of customers to say “This is, by far, the nicest hostel I’ve stayed in.” We attribute such comments to the Weirdo’s Farm fish tank lowering people’s blood pressure as they unassumingly walk past, Brandon’s impressive cleaning skills, and the brightly colored bedrooms uniquely painted by local artist Shelbi Lynne Laughlin.
private room at Girdwood Alaska Backpackers Inn painted by Shelbi Lynne Laughlin
Monday, November 9, Shelbi Lynne Laughlin is opening a new Girdwoodian gallery BABES IN THE WOODS nestled between the Sitzmark and the Day Lodge, just a few doors down from Girdwood Visual Arts Center and the Bake Shop. In support and celebration of this event, we are offering the following discount throughout the month of November:
Spend $25 at Babes in the Woods and get your second night’s stay at GABI for free.
OR
Stay at the Girdwood Alaska Backpackers Inn and get 25% off your Babes in the Woods purchase
In addition to a fresh collection of Alaskan artwork and great monthly specials, we are excited to see a full list of upcoming Events at Babes in the Woods.
At GABI we understand that “YES” is sometimes more fun then “NO.” We ask that all questionable activities be enjoyed on the public property adjacent to the hostel.
We’re a Canadian+French photographer/writer couple who just moved to NYC after some years in Paris and we’re now in Alaska for 10 days!………..
July 28th, 2009 Couch Surfing
Ok, no one called or ‘texted’ us on our cell phone to offer a CS couch (or rug,cabin,garden space) for one night
Hey you Alaskans, We’re still interested!
We’ll be in Fairbanks tonight (anyone here has a couch??).
Then, we’ll be riding towards the Denali for a few days, then to Anchorage (anyone around that road with a spare couch and wishing to share stories)…
Dear Alaskans, we’d love to meet some of you so text us on our cell and let’s meet!
Couch Surfing and bartering are always a great way to meet people on the road or in your own community. Through our travels, Amy and I have met wonderful people through social networking sites like Couch Surfing, Warm Showers, WWOOF, Grow Food, and Help X . Check out Earthworm Envy to read stories, poetry, and watch videos about traveling via social networking sites. As far as bartering, my right leg bears a colorful example of bartering. Josh Petty worked on the tattoo “The Man on the Moon is Dead Impaled by Old Glory” in exchange for some Mental Foreplay for the Classics poetry and a Veronica and the Mental Foreplays CD.
Managing a hostel offers a unique opportunity to barter. We experienced this first hand when we stayed at the Bridge Street Inn in Cambria, California. There we made a video of lid sinks in exchange for room and board. Click here to watch the video. Now it’s our turn to give back to travelers and artists the opportunities that people have given us.
Knowing that we have only once couch, with very little floor space to make up a second bed, we contacted Tanguy to see if he would be interested in taking some photographs in exchange for a private room at GABI. Tanguy and Violette accepted our invitation. The art of story telling is not dead with Tanguy and Violette. Tanguy uses his whole body to tell a well-crafted story, my favorite of which is about the family sailboat that almost sunk in the Mediterranean.
We worked on the photo shoot, sat on the deck, hula hooped, and enjoyed an omelet in Whittier.
Thank you, Tanguy and Violette, for making the hostel that much more of a beautiful place.
Check out, Canadian+French photographer/writer couple’s work at these two sites:
jigsaw puzzles and board games need a table like a video game that needs electricity
The large hamburger jigsaw puzzle and board games have been sitting on top of GABI’s bookcase since mid July. The managers and guests have been staring at the fun on the shelf for some time. The other day a guest said, “To have games but not a table is like being given a dog collar and leash but not a dog.” That was the tipping point. I was instantly mentally thrown back to some young adult gift giving trauma.
Dec 25, 2003 Boise, Idaho
Christmas morning, Amy and I were given gift certificates to use at a dog grooming facility.
In front of the family and the baby jesus idol, I yell, “Mom, you know we don’t have a dog.”
She replied, “But you have a dog leash and collar.”
“You gave us the dog leash and collar! Get us a dachshund half husky for Christmas. Don’t you think it would be great to have a dog to go with the gifts?”
“It comes down to time and money plus that sounds like an ugly dog. I have worked too hard pet shopping just to have you put that beautiful collar on a half breed mutt. By the way, in your stocking I got you dog toenail clippers.”
Now Mother only acknowledges me through e-cards. On Christmas she will send an e-card from Dog Breedz.com.
Merry Christmas Son and Amy
After I composed myself from the sudden stir of memories the picnic table was moved inside. To celebrate the new addition to the common room, we hosted a Picnic Puzzle Party.
The first guests to arrive were Matt and Parker. Not only did Matt bring his puzzle enthusiasm, he brought good news about the website that his company OTC has been working on. The hostel website now links directly to the blog and booking sites (thanks, Tanguy Gilson, for the suggestion). HOLY MOLY now we have two things to celebrate!!!
Rachel and Michael, our new neighbors who just moved to Girdwood, rounded out the group. Rachel baked “the best yet” chocolate chip cookies, and Michael connected puzzle pieces with celebratory dances.
Parker and Michael enjoying the hamburger puzzle
chocolate chip cookies are delicious with a puzzle
Matt takes a break from the puzzle
hamburgers puzzles go with good food like wine is to cheese
Matt, Amy, Michael, and Rachel work up an appetite while sitting in front of the puzzle
The woman slams down her glass of water on the new circular table in the common room. “Did I hear you say ‘let’s drive into Girdwood?’ Who do you take me for? Do I look like an invalid who can’t walk the two miles into town for coffee?”
The hostel common room goes silent. Everyone stares at the man with the Corvette keychain in hand.
The hostel manager quickly interrupts, “You know, Mr. Driver here probably didn’t know about the Beaver Pond Trail before making such a silly comment. Sit down, let me show you a photo journal of my favorite route into Girdwood for a cup of coffee.”
Pick up bicycle/walking path by Tesoro Gas Station
A corvette drives towards us on the Bird Point path
Chugach State Park one of Alaska's most beautiful attractions
View from the Bird Point path
There goes Ace, Girdwood Alaska Backpackers Inn guest
On this trip we didn't see any beavers
Looks like the bears missed this early October blueberry
Dogs can easily negotiate the Beaver Pond Trail
The Beaver Pond Trail will take you to the Crow Creek Road
Across from Maxine's Bistro there's a short cut into the main part of Girdwood
The exciting adventure ends with a delicious cup of coffee
“Don’t eat the meat,” the doctor says sternly to the recovering cancer patient like a parent to a kid who wants to drink sweet tasting radiator fluid. That was the conversation that prompted Shirley to come over to Girdwood Alaska Backpackers Inn with a grocery bag full of meat.
When word gets out that if guests bring the WonderBread then GABI will supply the Spam, the slow fall trickle of September guests will turn into a heavy spring run off.
I opened the bag, and to my surprise, the meat was not sealed in fancy packaging that makes preprogrammed individuals upon sight start to sing the Oscar Mayer Wiener song. I had assumed the meat would be processed and microwave friendly.
Realizing you can’t simply toss bear, moose, and reindeer parts into a microwave, crack open a Pabst Blue Ribbon and have a delicious ready to eat dinner in minutes, I would need help eating these critters.
To find help, I went to The Grind Coffee Shop in Girdwood. There I met an interesting character who goes by the name Gator.
soak bear meat in soy and half and half for 3 days
wipe off hands on pants before handling raw meat
fireweed, devil's club, cow parsnip make great kindling
two pronged spear
to help hold meat on spear cut in grooves
be patient don't want to get trichinosis
Amy Johnson closing her eyes imagining a beet
Brandon Follett almost not strong enough to tear apart bear meat
Ted and I want to thank you for such a great stay in your Hostel. (The two old farts from Seattle) It truly is the best place we stayed in our three weeks of Alaska. We were so comfortable with you and your guests and the way you run the Hostel. We were very lucky that Carol and Bud offered up your services.
We will tell everyone coming your way to stay in your hostel, and make the 45 minute drive to Anchorage only to fly out! We were so sorry we did not just go to the Turnagain Arm, watch the Bore Tide and return to Girdwood.
We did have a treat on the way to back to Anchorage, we got to observe a Bear playing in the mud flats on Turnagan Arm. We went to take pictures by Bird Point. Where the bicycle tunnel comes through, there is a path that leads to one of the points out in the bay. At some point it was a marked trail. It is a short hike about 30 minutes and well worth exploring.
Our best to you an your adventures and your stay in Alaska. You give us hope for the next generation, with your common sense and your kindness.
brown bears on the mudflats of Turnagain Arm near Girdwood, Alaska (photo by Judith Britt)
Girdwood, Alaska has some of the best day hiking in all of Alaska. Before heading back to the hostel, I recommend taking a walk through the Alyeska Resort. Half the fun of being a budget traveler is splurging at restaurants like Sakura & Sushi Bar.
Anchorage Daily News offers a great written description of the trail here.
Because of the low levels of winter sunlight, traveling in Alaska can be a medical challenge.
The Dangers of Traveling in an Alaska Winter
Small growing children on holiday who do not receive the proper amount of sunlight can be susceptible to rickets.
The Dangers of Traveling in an Alaska Winter
Adults may experience cognitive impairment or what some people call Foggy Brain. A typical mentally confused traveler will depend more heavily on Lonely Planet guide books, GPS, Google Maps, and possibly need help while eating ice cream.
The good news is that mushrooms are a great source of vitamin D! Our favorite way to eat mushrooms is on pizza. Travelers that stay at GABI have access to a full kitchen. To avoid the winter vitamin D blues, the managers at GABI recommend this mushroom pizza recipe:
The Dough:
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon active-dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
Let it sit approximately 5 minutes
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil
Mix well
Add 2 cups of flour
Work the dough with your hands and add up to 1 cup more flour.
The dough should be easy to handle and a little bit sticky.
Spread the dough on an oiled cookie sheet.
The Sauce:
Olive oil
Garlic
Red pepper flakes
Basil
The Toppings:
sauté mushrooms and onions in 1 tablespoon of butter
fresh spinach
mozzarella cheese
Bake at 425 for 15 to 20 minutes.
mmmmm lots of mushrooms
Brandon poses by the crust with an olive oil sauce. Amy gently stirs her sautéed mushrooms
Amy adds a layer of spinach between the sauce and cheese
