This might be the funniest thing I've seen in awhile. Watched it over at Adam and Angela's place last night.
Neil Patrick Harris and Nathan Fillion are both terrific. And the songs? Oh man. Spot on. I'd say Joss Whedon's seen his share of musicals in the past...
If you've got 45 free minutes, watch it now.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
366 Days, 366 Photos: 07/25/2008
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I have this...thing...about the color blue. And these sneakers have been in my closet for probably a year since the last time I wore them. I decided to resurrect them last Friday. I think I've worn them at least 3 times since. This is why I have issues getting rid of stuff.
I have this...thing...about the color blue. And these sneakers have been in my closet for probably a year since the last time I wore them. I decided to resurrect them last Friday. I think I've worn them at least 3 times since. This is why I have issues getting rid of stuff.
Photos: Rocky Votolato, Owen @ Casbah, 07/23/2008
Photos: Rocky Votolato, Owen @ Casbah
Jake was working sound this night, and was kind enough to adjust the stage lights for Rosey and I. Thank god it wasn't all washed out reds, for once.
Jake was working sound this night, and was kind enough to adjust the stage lights for Rosey and I. Thank god it wasn't all washed out reds, for once.
Owen @ Casbah, shot by Natalie Kardos
Owen @ Casbah, shot by Natalie Kardos
Rocky Votolato @ Casbah, shot by Natalie Kardos
Rocky Votolato @ Casbah, shot by Natalie Kardos
Rocky Votolato @ Casbah, shot by Natalie Kardos
366 Days, 366 Photos: 07/21/2008
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This was my "holy crap, I need a haircut" photo. And also my "holy crap, backlighting" photo.
Fun.
This was my "holy crap, I need a haircut" photo. And also my "holy crap, backlighting" photo.
Fun.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
366 Days, 366 Photos: 07/20/2008
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This one, I like. I like how blasting something with flash brings out the texture. And I like this skirt.
I don't often wear skirts, but when it's hot in San Diego, like it was that weekend, I have no choice. This one's super comfortable. P and D always tell me to wear more skirts because I have long legs, but I dunno, I'm lazy. Jeans are easier. Especially because they're usually just lying on my floor (check out the bottom right corner of the photo for evidence of that).
This one, I like. I like how blasting something with flash brings out the texture. And I like this skirt.
I don't often wear skirts, but when it's hot in San Diego, like it was that weekend, I have no choice. This one's super comfortable. P and D always tell me to wear more skirts because I have long legs, but I dunno, I'm lazy. Jeans are easier. Especially because they're usually just lying on my floor (check out the bottom right corner of the photo for evidence of that).
Monday, July 28, 2008
366 Days, 366 Photos: 07/18/2008
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I was really struggling for ideas after coming back from Alaska. It's hard to go from an environment where everything is new and different back to your hometown, where everything is familiar.
The funny thing is, I felt like I was struggling with photos up there. Like every photo I was taking was just a snapshot that anyone else could take. The landscape was doing all the work for me. Felt better when I started post-processing them. I feel like that's really where "style" comes into effect.
That being said, I did very little post-processing on this one. Shooting almost straight into the setting sun lends its own stylistic effect, I think.
I was really struggling for ideas after coming back from Alaska. It's hard to go from an environment where everything is new and different back to your hometown, where everything is familiar.
The funny thing is, I felt like I was struggling with photos up there. Like every photo I was taking was just a snapshot that anyone else could take. The landscape was doing all the work for me. Felt better when I started post-processing them. I feel like that's really where "style" comes into effect.
That being said, I did very little post-processing on this one. Shooting almost straight into the setting sun lends its own stylistic effect, I think.
366 Days, 366 Photos: 07/16/2008
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It took me like 5 days to unpack my suitcase from Alaska. Which, according to this photo, consisted mostly of photo equipment and shoes.
Not thrilled with this one, but I was still sick, which means I was even more lazy than usual.
It took me like 5 days to unpack my suitcase from Alaska. Which, according to this photo, consisted mostly of photo equipment and shoes.
Not thrilled with this one, but I was still sick, which means I was even more lazy than usual.
366 Days, 366 Photos: 07/15/2008
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Every time I travel for more than 2 weeks straight, I get sick immediately upon returning home. When I got back from Australia/Fiji (a five-week trip), I ended up with an ear infection. That I tried to fix with ampicillin. Two days into it, at a party down the shore with friends (and three days before moving out to San Diego), I decided the ampicillin wasn't working well enough and switched to vodka.
The next morning, I could hear out of my left ear for the first time in three days.
True story.
Nowadays, my chosen weapon of choice is Nyquil. Which leads to lots of sleep. I'm useless when I'm sick.
Every time I travel for more than 2 weeks straight, I get sick immediately upon returning home. When I got back from Australia/Fiji (a five-week trip), I ended up with an ear infection. That I tried to fix with ampicillin. Two days into it, at a party down the shore with friends (and three days before moving out to San Diego), I decided the ampicillin wasn't working well enough and switched to vodka.
The next morning, I could hear out of my left ear for the first time in three days.
True story.
Nowadays, my chosen weapon of choice is Nyquil. Which leads to lots of sleep. I'm useless when I'm sick.
Alaska: 07/14/2008 - The End
Photos: Alaska Land Tour
Photos: Alaska Cruise
My flight left Anchorage at 7:30AM. My parent's flight was delayed a bit, so they hung out while I checked in. FYI - Alaska Airlines in Anchorage is a mess. At the check-in kiosk, the computer tried to make me pay an extra $25 for my second piece of checked luggage, even though I scheduled my flight WAY before that policy went into effect. So then I had to wait in line for 20 minutes to get customer service to figure it out. Yikes.
But I got it all straightened out, hung with the folks for a little while since I won't be seeing them again until Christmas (unless I go out to Vegas in the fall when my mom has a convention), and then headed to my gate.
I slept most of the way to Seattle, where I had a pseudo-layover (I was on the same plane to San Diego). Got some food, and then reboarded the plane.
I had a window seat, and the woman in the middle seat struck up a conversation with the woman in the aisle seat by saying, "Are you a Christian?" and then asking if she went to church. The poor woman in the aisle seat was rather taken aback, as I would have been, and fortunately the woman in the middle seat was quick to switch to a window seat elsewhere when one became available. I guess even Christian missionaries have their priorities when it comes to airplane seats...
The rest of the flight was uneventful, save for the fact that I could feel a cold coming on. When we landed in San Diego, it felt deliciously hot and humid outside, and a whole lot like home.
Photos: Alaska Cruise
My flight left Anchorage at 7:30AM. My parent's flight was delayed a bit, so they hung out while I checked in. FYI - Alaska Airlines in Anchorage is a mess. At the check-in kiosk, the computer tried to make me pay an extra $25 for my second piece of checked luggage, even though I scheduled my flight WAY before that policy went into effect. So then I had to wait in line for 20 minutes to get customer service to figure it out. Yikes.
But I got it all straightened out, hung with the folks for a little while since I won't be seeing them again until Christmas (unless I go out to Vegas in the fall when my mom has a convention), and then headed to my gate.
I slept most of the way to Seattle, where I had a pseudo-layover (I was on the same plane to San Diego). Got some food, and then reboarded the plane.
I had a window seat, and the woman in the middle seat struck up a conversation with the woman in the aisle seat by saying, "Are you a Christian?" and then asking if she went to church. The poor woman in the aisle seat was rather taken aback, as I would have been, and fortunately the woman in the middle seat was quick to switch to a window seat elsewhere when one became available. I guess even Christian missionaries have their priorities when it comes to airplane seats...
The rest of the flight was uneventful, save for the fact that I could feel a cold coming on. When we landed in San Diego, it felt deliciously hot and humid outside, and a whole lot like home.
366 Days, 366 Photos: 07/13/2008
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I dunno. It's a squirrel. I think I only picked this one so I could tell this story.
I went to Penn State for undergrad, and stayed up in State College every summer because I had a job in a lab that was interesting, paid well, and allowed me to make my own hours, so long as I worked 40 of them in a week.
So the summer after my sophomore year, I used to work 3 twelve-hour days and one four-hour day so that on Thursday afternoon I could head down to the Jersey shore, where my boyfriend's family had rented a house for the summer.
One morning, I was heading into work around 8AM. At 8AM in the summer, that town is dead. As I was walking past this huge lawn in front of the student union, I noticed a ton of squirrels hopping around and chasing each other all over the place.
I was walking through their playing field, apparently. And they didn't like it one bit.
As I walked up the path, they all stopped what they were doing. And stared at me. And they all started to make this strange clicking/coughing noise.
Up until that point, I had no idea that squirrels were capable of making noise. At that point, I was seriously freaked out.
By squirrels. I know, right? But I honestly was worried they were going to attack me en masse or something.
Obviously I got up the path without anything happening (because, you know, they were squirrels, after all), but to this day I'm convinced that squirrels are going to take over the world someday.
Just you wait.
I dunno. It's a squirrel. I think I only picked this one so I could tell this story.
I went to Penn State for undergrad, and stayed up in State College every summer because I had a job in a lab that was interesting, paid well, and allowed me to make my own hours, so long as I worked 40 of them in a week.
So the summer after my sophomore year, I used to work 3 twelve-hour days and one four-hour day so that on Thursday afternoon I could head down to the Jersey shore, where my boyfriend's family had rented a house for the summer.
One morning, I was heading into work around 8AM. At 8AM in the summer, that town is dead. As I was walking past this huge lawn in front of the student union, I noticed a ton of squirrels hopping around and chasing each other all over the place.
I was walking through their playing field, apparently. And they didn't like it one bit.
As I walked up the path, they all stopped what they were doing. And stared at me. And they all started to make this strange clicking/coughing noise.
Up until that point, I had no idea that squirrels were capable of making noise. At that point, I was seriously freaked out.
By squirrels. I know, right? But I honestly was worried they were going to attack me en masse or something.
Obviously I got up the path without anything happening (because, you know, they were squirrels, after all), but to this day I'm convinced that squirrels are going to take over the world someday.
Just you wait.
Alaska: Day Fourteen, 07/13/2008 - Denali to Anchorage
I took a minimal amount of photos this day. I was pretty exhausted at this point, and oh yeah, on a train for 8 hours.
Before the train ride, my mom and I went hiking in the morning, down to Horseshoe Lake, which was neat. The whole shape of the lake has been changed by a beaver dam. Beavers are some pretty persistent creatures.
Then came the train ride to Anchorage. I ended up sitting with a couple from New Hampshire (who didn't believe I was over 21 until I ordered a drink). We were playing hearts for awhile with a borrowed deck of cards - I almost managed to shoot the moon once.
Then we went searching through the train's game cabinet and found some Hannah Montana Uno cards. Nine-year-old Molly joined in the game, and schooled us on who all the Hannah Montana kids were. At one point I asked who the "dreamy" one was, and she was pretty quick to point him out.
And then we got locked into a 1.5 hour Uno game. I shit you not. It just...kept...going. But Molly won shortly before we got to Anchorage. And then everyone from the land tour portion of the trip said their goodbyes and headed to their respective hotels. We were back at the Captain Cook Hotel, where I had another incredibly comfortable bed. And a 4:30AM luggage pickup, so all we did that night was repack our stuff and go to bed. We're hardcore like that.
Before the train ride, my mom and I went hiking in the morning, down to Horseshoe Lake, which was neat. The whole shape of the lake has been changed by a beaver dam. Beavers are some pretty persistent creatures.
Then came the train ride to Anchorage. I ended up sitting with a couple from New Hampshire (who didn't believe I was over 21 until I ordered a drink). We were playing hearts for awhile with a borrowed deck of cards - I almost managed to shoot the moon once.
Then we went searching through the train's game cabinet and found some Hannah Montana Uno cards. Nine-year-old Molly joined in the game, and schooled us on who all the Hannah Montana kids were. At one point I asked who the "dreamy" one was, and she was pretty quick to point him out.
And then we got locked into a 1.5 hour Uno game. I shit you not. It just...kept...going. But Molly won shortly before we got to Anchorage. And then everyone from the land tour portion of the trip said their goodbyes and headed to their respective hotels. We were back at the Captain Cook Hotel, where I had another incredibly comfortable bed. And a 4:30AM luggage pickup, so all we did that night was repack our stuff and go to bed. We're hardcore like that.
Favorable review of my first public music performance
Okay, well, the favorable review is mostly aimed at Swim Party. As it should be. Because they are immensely talented and just generally awesome.
But hey, I'm a "beloved blogger." That makes me smile. And feel incredibly flattered.
And as to the subject of Swim Party's lights, all I can say is that it makes it a hell of a lot easier to take photos of them. Which I appreciate.
If you missed it, you can read what I wrote about the show here. Totally unbiased review, I swear...
(And for the record, I have no idea who wrote that review. I swear.)
But hey, I'm a "beloved blogger." That makes me smile. And feel incredibly flattered.
And as to the subject of Swim Party's lights, all I can say is that it makes it a hell of a lot easier to take photos of them. Which I appreciate.
If you missed it, you can read what I wrote about the show here. Totally unbiased review, I swear...
(And for the record, I have no idea who wrote that review. I swear.)
366 Days, 366 Photos: 07/12/2008
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Something about Alaska is just conducive to black and white photos. Also, it was neat to make non-sparkly water (glacier run-off, mostly brown in color) sparkle by finding the right light. And the clouds? Yeah, I know I can only say that so many times, but seriously. I love them.
Something about Alaska is just conducive to black and white photos. Also, it was neat to make non-sparkly water (glacier run-off, mostly brown in color) sparkle by finding the right light. And the clouds? Yeah, I know I can only say that so many times, but seriously. I love them.
Alaska: Day Thirteen, 07/12/2008 - Denali National Park
Photos: Alaska Land Tour
Photos: Alaska Cruise
So. We have lots to catch up on here.
Day Thirteen of this trip found us waking up ridiculously early to get on a tour bus at 6:30AM. Yeah. You read that right.
It was about a 6-hour bus tour on the one road in Denali National Park. Our driver was an employee of the National Parks service. Private vehicles aren't allowed very far into the park, a move which I think was a good idea. It seems like in Alaska, they have this whole "wilderness preservation" idea figured out pretty well.
However, sitting on a moving bus for 6 hours is not very conducive to photos. The driver was pretty good about stopping the bus when someone spotted some wildlife, though. I just didn't have enough of a lens to capture most of it.
Like the three grizzly bears we saw way off in the distance. Basically, they looked like little moving specks. Still awesome to see though.
We also saw a whole bunch of caribou, a few moose, lotsa snowshoe hares, some golden eagles, and tons of ptarmigans.
And oh yeah, Mt. McKinley. From 35 miles away, which only happens 40% of the time (damn cloud cover). And also from 70 miles away, which only happens about 5% of the time. We were pretty damn lucky with weather for the whole trip - although all of us were too superstitious to say anything about it until the trip was over.
After the bus tour, we headed over to the Visitor's Center, where they had some neat displays set up. My mom and I decided to do a little hike and then walk back to the hotel, much to my Dad's chagrin. But we found a really cool river, got to see the underside of the Alaska Railroad train trestle (I think I have an unhealthy obsession with trains these days), and I even found some moose (or maybe caribou) tracks by the water.
Photos: Alaska Cruise
So. We have lots to catch up on here.
Day Thirteen of this trip found us waking up ridiculously early to get on a tour bus at 6:30AM. Yeah. You read that right.
It was about a 6-hour bus tour on the one road in Denali National Park. Our driver was an employee of the National Parks service. Private vehicles aren't allowed very far into the park, a move which I think was a good idea. It seems like in Alaska, they have this whole "wilderness preservation" idea figured out pretty well.
However, sitting on a moving bus for 6 hours is not very conducive to photos. The driver was pretty good about stopping the bus when someone spotted some wildlife, though. I just didn't have enough of a lens to capture most of it.
Like the three grizzly bears we saw way off in the distance. Basically, they looked like little moving specks. Still awesome to see though.
We also saw a whole bunch of caribou, a few moose, lotsa snowshoe hares, some golden eagles, and tons of ptarmigans.
And oh yeah, Mt. McKinley. From 35 miles away, which only happens 40% of the time (damn cloud cover). And also from 70 miles away, which only happens about 5% of the time. We were pretty damn lucky with weather for the whole trip - although all of us were too superstitious to say anything about it until the trip was over.
After the bus tour, we headed over to the Visitor's Center, where they had some neat displays set up. My mom and I decided to do a little hike and then walk back to the hotel, much to my Dad's chagrin. But we found a really cool river, got to see the underside of the Alaska Railroad train trestle (I think I have an unhealthy obsession with trains these days), and I even found some moose (or maybe caribou) tracks by the water.
Alaska: Polychrome Mountain Panorama, 07/12/2008
I stitched four images together to make this panoramic photo. I need to start using a tripod for these - it would make my life easier.
If you click on the photo, you can see a larger version.
This is the view from Polychrome Mountain in Denali National Park. You can't see Mt. McKinley from here, but be patient - that one's coming. I hope.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Look Ma, I Joined a Band
Blurring the lines between fan, blogger, and musician, I joined Swim Party at the Whistlestop last night to play keyboard on "Said the Captain." Why?
Because my skill set includes 10 years of piano lessons. And ridiculously long fingers.
Actually, the long fingers are more of an attribute.
Honestly, though, this has been 9 months in the making. One of the first times they played "Said the Captain," - it might have been at the Quasi/Frightened Rabbit/Swim Party show last November - I was talking to Alex afterward and brought up the strange time signature that the song used. The conversation went something like this:
Me: "I liked that new song. The one with some parts in 11/8?"
Alex: "Actually, it's one bar of 6/8 followed by one of 5/8. Wow, I can't believe you picked up on that."
Me: "I had 10 years of piano lessons growing up, so I know all about time signatures."
Alex: "Cool. Wanna play a song with us sometime?"
Me: "Sure, why not?"
Then there was 9 months of inertia and other stuff going on. Like Swim Party recording an album. And Eric getting married. And Alaska. But when I got back, we decided we should do it. So we did. And P managed to catch 35 seconds of it (including a boob close-up) on tape. Because I didn't specify that I wanted the whole song. Duh. He didn't even get the chorus, which was the best part. Oh well - I'm supposed to be playing with them at the Casbah on August 14th, so hopefully Rosey and her video skills will be able to make it to that one...
Because my skill set includes 10 years of piano lessons. And ridiculously long fingers.
Actually, the long fingers are more of an attribute.
Honestly, though, this has been 9 months in the making. One of the first times they played "Said the Captain," - it might have been at the Quasi/Frightened Rabbit/Swim Party show last November - I was talking to Alex afterward and brought up the strange time signature that the song used. The conversation went something like this:
Me: "I liked that new song. The one with some parts in 11/8?"
Alex: "Actually, it's one bar of 6/8 followed by one of 5/8. Wow, I can't believe you picked up on that."
Me: "I had 10 years of piano lessons growing up, so I know all about time signatures."
Alex: "Cool. Wanna play a song with us sometime?"
Me: "Sure, why not?"
Then there was 9 months of inertia and other stuff going on. Like Swim Party recording an album. And Eric getting married. And Alaska. But when I got back, we decided we should do it. So we did. And P managed to catch 35 seconds of it (including a boob close-up) on tape. Because I didn't specify that I wanted the whole song. Duh. He didn't even get the chorus, which was the best part. Oh well - I'm supposed to be playing with them at the Casbah on August 14th, so hopefully Rosey and her video skills will be able to make it to that one...
Seriously fun night, and I wasn't as nervous as I thought I would be - considering I've never played in a band before. And how crowded the Whistlestop was. Swim Party sounded amazing, especially on "The Kids are a Drag," with some of The Modlins joining in. Super special night.
And if you can, make sure to pick up a limited edition version of their album. It's beautiful. I've got number 2 of 200, and I made Alex promise that if they ever got famous, they'd all autograph all the stuff of theirs that I have. Because I'm a gigantic dork like that.
And oh yeah, I got a haircut the other day. I like it.
Update: Michael was there and took some photos. I must say, it's kind of trippy to be on the other end of the camera lens :-)
And if you can, make sure to pick up a limited edition version of their album. It's beautiful. I've got number 2 of 200, and I made Alex promise that if they ever got famous, they'd all autograph all the stuff of theirs that I have. Because I'm a gigantic dork like that.
And oh yeah, I got a haircut the other day. I like it.
Update: Michael was there and took some photos. I must say, it's kind of trippy to be on the other end of the camera lens :-)
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Alaska: Day Twelve, 07/11/2008 - Fairbanks and Denali National Park
Photos: Alaska Land Tour
Photos: Alaska Cruise
This day started out with a riverboat ride on the Chena River. We passed the home of the late Susan Butcher - four-time Iditarod winner - where her husband and two daughters still raise sled dogs.
Then it was on to a mock-up of a native Alaskan village, where they had some reindeer and a lot of information about native Alaskan ways of life. We also got to see Jessie Royer and her sled dogs.
Ummm, I want one. Seriously cute.
After that we had lunch in Fairbanks, ate some ice cream, and got on the bus to go to Denali National Park. I ended up sleeping most of the way there, because the new bus driver/tour guide was not nearly as good as Jill was the first two days. He wasn't bad, just not spectacular.
Once we got settled in and ate dinner at Denali, we realized that the nearby visitor's center had closed. So we just kind of hung out and enjoyed relaxing and not being on the move for a little while. We went to bed fairly early, since we had to get up really early the next day.
Photos: Alaska Cruise
This day started out with a riverboat ride on the Chena River. We passed the home of the late Susan Butcher - four-time Iditarod winner - where her husband and two daughters still raise sled dogs.
Then it was on to a mock-up of a native Alaskan village, where they had some reindeer and a lot of information about native Alaskan ways of life. We also got to see Jessie Royer and her sled dogs.
Ummm, I want one. Seriously cute.
After that we had lunch in Fairbanks, ate some ice cream, and got on the bus to go to Denali National Park. I ended up sleeping most of the way there, because the new bus driver/tour guide was not nearly as good as Jill was the first two days. He wasn't bad, just not spectacular.
Once we got settled in and ate dinner at Denali, we realized that the nearby visitor's center had closed. So we just kind of hung out and enjoyed relaxing and not being on the move for a little while. We went to bed fairly early, since we had to get up really early the next day.
366 Days, 366 Photos: 07/11/2008
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I'm so far behind in posting right now. Ack. Returning to normal life is not easy. Trying to figure out a way to finish up grad school in a timely fashion is also not easy.
And motivation? I'm working on that one.
I'm so far behind in posting right now. Ack. Returning to normal life is not easy. Trying to figure out a way to finish up grad school in a timely fashion is also not easy.
And motivation? I'm working on that one.
Alaska: The Pipeline
This is pretty much verbatim what I wrote about the Trans-Alaska Pipeline while sitting on a bus en route to Fairbanks, after seeing the pipeline outside the bus window for two straight days:
It's hard to write anything about Alaska without mentioning the pipeline. And throughout the land portion of this trip, it's been a constant companion - never straying more than a half-mile from the Dalton Highway. Or rather - the Dalton Highway never strays that far from the pipeline.
Because if the pipeline didn't exist, neither would this road. If the pipeline didn't exist, neither would this trip.
And to be honest, it's not as much of an eyesore as I expected. There's even a certain kind of beauty to it - not as much in its physical appearance, but rather in its design and engineering. In the fact that it exists, out here in the land of 2,000-feet-deep permafrost, earthquakes, inhospitable winters, and grizzly bears. Not to mention the migrating herds of caribou.
Most of the pipe supports aren't actually attached to the pipe itself. Instead, the pipe rests on Teflon pads, so it can slide as needed along those supports as the ground freezes and thaws, or in the event of an earthquake.
It also crosses somewhere in the neighborhood of 800 rivers/streams/creeks. Sometimes going over them, sometimes under.
It's raised in places so that migrating herds of caribou can cross underneath. And surprisingly, the number of caribou has increased in the years since the pipeline was built.
It tooks 3 years - and $8 billion - to build it.
It's impressive.
Also impressive is our dependence on oil to this day. Thirty-two years later. The last big oil crisis led us to build an 800-mile-long pipe across completely inhospitable wilderness. Which begs the question - what's going to happen when gas hits $6, $7, $8 a gallon? ANWR? More pipeline? There's just as much oil in ANWR as there is in Prudhoe Bay.
But then what? If that tides us over another thirty-two years, I'll be 58 years old.
At this point, it's not even about my grandkids, or kids for that matter. It's MY lifetime. There are people older than 58 on this trip. I'd still like to be able to do tihngs like this when I'm that age - travel, and experience wilderness. The latter is hurt by the use of oil, and the former is entirely dependent on it right now. It's a conundrum - one that will definitely require the development of alternative, clean sources of energy in the future.
Another amazing thing about the pipeline? It, and everything that revolves around it (including every inch of the oilfields at Prudhoe Bay) was designed so that it can and will be pulled up and removed if they ever shut down the oil fields completely. The sooner, the better, I say.
The Dalton Highway is state-owned, so it would remain, mostly as a route for tourists to access the Arctic Ocean. So yeah, maybe there is a chance that I'll be able to return when I'm 58. And maybe there won't be a pipeline staring me in the face the whole drive...
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Alaska: Day Eleven, 07/10/2008 - Coldfoot to Fairbanks, AK
Photos: Alaska Land Tour
Photos: Alaska Cruise
I woke up that morning with the Ting-Tings' "That's Not My Name" in my head and a mosquito buzzing in my ear.
The day was mostly just more bus riding. We stopped at Grayling Lake and Gobbler's Knob in the morning.
Photos: Alaska Cruise
I woke up that morning with the Ting-Tings' "That's Not My Name" in my head and a mosquito buzzing in my ear.
The day was mostly just more bus riding. We stopped at Grayling Lake and Gobbler's Knob in the morning.
And then at the Arctic Circle, which was pretty anti-climactic since we had crossed it in a northbound plane three days earlier. The mosquitoes were out in full force.
We stopped at the Hot Spot for lunch, where we ate some delicious burgers and milkshakes. My mom also bought the book "Walking My Dog Jane," which was written by a journalist who decided to walk the entire length of the trans-Alaska pipeline about 10 years ago. I just finished reading it last night, and it was pretty good.
Shortly after that stop, we hit the Yukon River.
Shortly after that stop, we hit the Yukon River.
From there on out, there wasn't much until Fairbanks. Our bus driver was pointing out mailboxes and houses just like she had been pointing out wildlife the day before. It was kind of depressing to me to be entering civilization again so quickly. So I didn't take a whole lot of photos after that point. Basically, we got to the hotel, my mom did some laundry, and I overdosed on the internet. The end.
I promise, the next post will be my thoughts on the pipeline, which I wrote down on the final stretch towards Fairbanks.
I promise, the next post will be my thoughts on the pipeline, which I wrote down on the final stretch towards Fairbanks.
If you only go to one show this week...
It should be this one:
There will be special guests. It's free. And Swim Party is awesome! What more could you ask for?
Also - Alex's graphic design is amazing. Absolutely floors me everytime. I even stole a flyer for this show out of the ladies bathroom at the Whistlestop on Monday night...
Also - Alex's graphic design is amazing. Absolutely floors me everytime. I even stole a flyer for this show out of the ladies bathroom at the Whistlestop on Monday night...
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