The Cult of The Moose

The Moose is Loose

Recently; my consulting detective and the summer creative director for Blue Honey, Pete, brought to my attention the fact that he had been a fringe member of The Cult of the Moose for quite some time. I was later made aware that his main squeeze, Bad Berta, AND the red headed Irish girl were also members of this odd group of people! This cult centers around the now defunct TV show "Northern Exposure".

Northern Exposure was set in the fictitious town of Cicely, Alaska but was actually filmed primarily in Roslyn Washington. "Stud, we are required, as true cult members to go to Roslyn anytime we pass within a 100 miles of it", Pete informed me as we were setting off for Alaska. "We MUST have an adult beverage  at the Brick", he told me in a pleading tone of voice that left no doubt he believed they all would suffer severe psychic consequences if they didn't fulfill the Moosie obligations.

Now I had only been vaguely aware of this shows existence when it was on - as you all know I only watch TV programs on Origami and travel programs to imaginary places - so I innocently agreed to this seemingly innocuous side trip. Little did I know what was waiting for me....

We arrived in Roslyn on a bright and sunny morning in time for a farmers market/craft & art fair. The town is small and very picturesque....but the first thing I noticed was the throngs of people from all over the world who had come there to make their pilgrimage to the home of the Moose! My companions were agog at the streets and said it was exactly like the show. My consultant and Bad Berta took a bench and began conversations with passer-bys as the Red Headed Irish Girl and I looked all around and she identified the sites for me.

Pete & Bad Berta singing the Northern Exposure theme with a semi-local.

"There's Roslyn's cafe!" she pointed down the street,

Roslyn's without the 's'

"but I guess the hippie who painted the sign didn't really get so stoned he forgot the 's'" she said slightly disappointed. She told me the town in the show had been founded by 2 gay women - Cicely and Roslyn - who moved to Alaska and started the business. I was starting to get sucked in...

We found the remains of the radio station -KBHR - right where it had been in the show..

KBHR

but looking slightly worse for wear.

The totem pole was still in the same place across from Dr. Joel's office:

Totem

Dr. Joel's Office

Which is now run by Steve as really unique gift and souvenir shop where you will find many impossible and strange things...and a lot of Mooses!

Steve

When the show quit they left behind Joel's desk with a Cicely newspaper and sundry other props that had been made to add realism to the show. I was beginning to get tingle every time we saw something connected to the show. Later that night Pete took me back into Roslyn for a night time look the Brick and to show me THE Mural. There will still people flowing into and out of the Brick - women in skirts and Mukluks come to sit at the bar - bearded bicyclists who just wanted to stand next to the heat stove. We had our beverage and stood outside by the door watching other cultists come and go. They seemed to know Pete was a consulting detective at times and asked him arcane questions about Alaska....they seemed disappointed when he told them he was retired.

Pete Consulting

And finally we went to the see the MURAL:

The Wild One

A giant size painting of Brando as the Wild One - now fading and chipping away. Why was it here? Had it been part of the show. No one we talked to seemed to know and Pete only smiles cryptically and knocks back another Bud when I ask him. The Moose has got me now....I'm into the 3d season of Northern Exposure and hoping, illogically, that it will never end......

   

True Alaskan Moosie