Monday, May 12, 2008
Snow surveys 2008
Had an awesome time in 2006 doing the April end of winter Snow surveys and so this year I got a chance to come back up and participate again. Just like last time there was some amazing sites to see. To kick it off, here's a picture of me before heading out snowmachining the first time in my giant Sorel boots. Kind of reminds me of this picture of Kanye and Daft Punk from back in the winter.
I think the oddest thing I did this trip was surveying off a cliff. Here's a view from the top:
Once again there were lots of caribou around. We were surrounded on one day. Here they are near the newly christened butt mountain.
A kind of cool rack out near Slope Mountain:
And some other ones in the neighborhood of the Imnavait basin:
Not all the time was spent snowmachining. Here's a look at the lack of snow in a katabatic valley in ANWR.
But, not much time was spent in the helicopter. Here's how degraded conditions were shortly after we dropped the helicopter near an Alyeska gate due to weather and then ended up parking it there overnight since conditions didn't improve.
Ken and I had a pretty good run in with a couple bears, too. Just after we got to one of our sites these guys popped over the edge of the hill. The interaction was totally textbook though. The wind was blowing the wrong way and when they saw us they couldn't figure out what we might be so they kept standing up on two legs and coming closer. I pulled out a large actionpacker lid and waved it over my head and eventually they figured out we were pretty big and not to be messed with. So, since we were in their way they did a semi-circle around us. Pretty cool.
When they came to our snowmachine tracks they totally booked it on out of there:
So that was totally rad. Kind of a good way to start off the last part of the trip. I think that's it for now. Maybe now that I'm caught up it'll be easier to stay that way. Daily updates on the house etc. of course. Also, getting a helicopter weather day when you're all caught up rules.
I think the oddest thing I did this trip was surveying off a cliff. Here's a view from the top:
Once again there were lots of caribou around. We were surrounded on one day. Here they are near the newly christened butt mountain.
A kind of cool rack out near Slope Mountain:
And some other ones in the neighborhood of the Imnavait basin:
Not all the time was spent snowmachining. Here's a look at the lack of snow in a katabatic valley in ANWR.
But, not much time was spent in the helicopter. Here's how degraded conditions were shortly after we dropped the helicopter near an Alyeska gate due to weather and then ended up parking it there overnight since conditions didn't improve.
Ken and I had a pretty good run in with a couple bears, too. Just after we got to one of our sites these guys popped over the edge of the hill. The interaction was totally textbook though. The wind was blowing the wrong way and when they saw us they couldn't figure out what we might be so they kept standing up on two legs and coming closer. I pulled out a large actionpacker lid and waved it over my head and eventually they figured out we were pretty big and not to be messed with. So, since we were in their way they did a semi-circle around us. Pretty cool.
When they came to our snowmachine tracks they totally booked it on out of there:
So that was totally rad. Kind of a good way to start off the last part of the trip. I think that's it for now. Maybe now that I'm caught up it'll be easier to stay that way. Daily updates on the house etc. of course. Also, getting a helicopter weather day when you're all caught up rules.
Housetastic
So, exciting news.... we're getting a house. If things go well we're scheduled to close in a couple weeks. We made the offer just before I came up to Toolik back in April and will close once I'm back from Toolik in May. There will be more to come I'm sure but here's a picture of the outside of our new place:
So I guess we're pretty excited about it all.
So I guess we're pretty excited about it all.
Winter Biking
This past late winter I rediscovered how fun winter biking is. Pushing it a little late into the season though the aufeis and groundwater overflow was becoming a significant problem in the trail. I didn't realize the ice would be quite this thin:
But, went out anyway. It was pretty awesome and really, you never knew. Somedays the ice was frozen enough to get across and other days it was like this. But, the end result was some pretty pink legs:
Also enjoyed this guerrilla sign action that someone had done:
But, went out anyway. It was pretty awesome and really, you never knew. Somedays the ice was frozen enough to get across and other days it was like this. But, the end result was some pretty pink legs:
Also enjoyed this guerrilla sign action that someone had done:
Squirrel power
Well, maybe I can dust off this website a bit and get some more stuff online. Basically have been crazy busy between school and work but just submitted my final paper of the semester last night. So, since I'm in Toolik thought I would kick things off with a bit of squirrel action.
Up here they've been studying the ground squirrels for a long time. I'm impressed they can keep the funding going this long but here we are. Anyway, the squirrels wake up this time of year and get on with their lives. This fellow just woke up and they are totally ready for him.
Up here they've been studying the ground squirrels for a long time. I'm impressed they can keep the funding going this long but here we are. Anyway, the squirrels wake up this time of year and get on with their lives. This fellow just woke up and they are totally ready for him.
Bolder Boulder
Passed through Boulder, CO back in March. Was there for a wilderness first aid and other things class. Got to see the folks and a cousin there, too. It was awesome. We did some drills and wrapped it up with yet another day of survival training. I attended this class a few years ago and my Red Cross stuff expired so, time to go back.
The first day of class I made the mistake of going for a drink of water in the afternoon after a day of training. Here's the before and after on what we learned that day:
It wasn't all serious though. I do love to shop. Here I am waiting for Emily to buy some stuff at the army surplus store. Last time around I bought a anti-tank missle tube here but things were slightly more conventional this time around.
Who can't get enough of the garbage bag jacket? Yeah, an alternate design I've seen some other places but these guys claim to be the inventors. The bonus is you get a sweet hood:
Wrapped up the awesome trip with an awesome concert. Went to see The Pharcyde with my cousin Nick. It seems my crash the stage skills work all over this great nation of ours. Here's the look from the stage:
My take home from this concert was a broken drum stick and a CD I caught that one of the earlier bands was pitching to the audience. Live music rules!
Well, that's probably it for the moment since we'll be flying soon but since I finally have a minute wanted to get some more stuff online. I'm back!
The first day of class I made the mistake of going for a drink of water in the afternoon after a day of training. Here's the before and after on what we learned that day:
It wasn't all serious though. I do love to shop. Here I am waiting for Emily to buy some stuff at the army surplus store. Last time around I bought a anti-tank missle tube here but things were slightly more conventional this time around.
Who can't get enough of the garbage bag jacket? Yeah, an alternate design I've seen some other places but these guys claim to be the inventors. The bonus is you get a sweet hood:
Wrapped up the awesome trip with an awesome concert. Went to see The Pharcyde with my cousin Nick. It seems my crash the stage skills work all over this great nation of ours. Here's the look from the stage:
My take home from this concert was a broken drum stick and a CD I caught that one of the earlier bands was pitching to the audience. Live music rules!
Well, that's probably it for the moment since we'll be flying soon but since I finally have a minute wanted to get some more stuff online. I'm back!
On the road again
A new twist on the classic mobile home:
I presume if your stove pipe is that low you can still get through the drive through but I don't know for certain.
I presume if your stove pipe is that low you can still get through the drive through but I don't know for certain.
Hawaii, ages ago it seems like.
So, in the spirit of getting back into the swing of things, while I'm waiting for our helicopter to think about leaving, here's a few more pictures from our trip to Hawaii back in January. There should be some more posts along these lines as I work to get caught up over the next few weeks.
Anyway, we went to Hawaii. You probably saw some pictures on Jessie's blog... I've got mooooore. So, first up is one of our camping places. We camped our way around the Big Island. A highly recommended way to do. The only catch is maybe get a hotel for the weekends because that's when the locals come out and the campgrounds are packed. Maybe if you get in on a Thursday and stick around at the same place Friday and Saturday you'll be golden but if you're motoring around the island like we were you might have trouble getting a spot.
That was like up on the NE part of the island. Totally rocking.
As you might expect, saw quite a bit of funky stuff there. Here are a few favorites. I was pretty fascinated by these wild chickens. They're like regular domestic chickens species-wise but they just run aroud on their own. Being a little suspicious of chickens in general. This picture was from the first place we camped at Ho'okeena I think. This was just in the parking lot for the beach and campground and the chickens were totally just hanging out.
If I had unlimited money I'd have one of these in every bathroom in the house. We saw this in an awesome diner / tourist trap ala Russian American Company (more upscale and pushing the arty things than most places). So, this was all done by hand. I wish I could find inspiration from the toilet like this person seems to.
One thing I remember from growing up was the marlin Dr. Dehnke had or maybe talked about in his dentist office. Up in Fairbanks, the Marlin has one. So, pretty cool fish right. Check it out. This is the world record Marlin and it's on display at a gas station north of Kona. How ridiculous is that. I guess it gets more exposure this way but definitely a nontraditional place to put it.
Finally, here's a few pictures from Waipio valley in the north part of the island. It was totally awesome and the icing on the cake here was a hippy getting naked and running out into the ocean to wash off across a creek from us. He put on a good show for the tourists, that's for sure.
Anyway, we went to Hawaii. You probably saw some pictures on Jessie's blog... I've got mooooore. So, first up is one of our camping places. We camped our way around the Big Island. A highly recommended way to do. The only catch is maybe get a hotel for the weekends because that's when the locals come out and the campgrounds are packed. Maybe if you get in on a Thursday and stick around at the same place Friday and Saturday you'll be golden but if you're motoring around the island like we were you might have trouble getting a spot.
That was like up on the NE part of the island. Totally rocking.
As you might expect, saw quite a bit of funky stuff there. Here are a few favorites. I was pretty fascinated by these wild chickens. They're like regular domestic chickens species-wise but they just run aroud on their own. Being a little suspicious of chickens in general. This picture was from the first place we camped at Ho'okeena I think. This was just in the parking lot for the beach and campground and the chickens were totally just hanging out.
If I had unlimited money I'd have one of these in every bathroom in the house. We saw this in an awesome diner / tourist trap ala Russian American Company (more upscale and pushing the arty things than most places). So, this was all done by hand. I wish I could find inspiration from the toilet like this person seems to.
One thing I remember from growing up was the marlin Dr. Dehnke had or maybe talked about in his dentist office. Up in Fairbanks, the Marlin has one. So, pretty cool fish right. Check it out. This is the world record Marlin and it's on display at a gas station north of Kona. How ridiculous is that. I guess it gets more exposure this way but definitely a nontraditional place to put it.
Finally, here's a few pictures from Waipio valley in the north part of the island. It was totally awesome and the icing on the cake here was a hippy getting naked and running out into the ocean to wash off across a creek from us. He put on a good show for the tourists, that's for sure.
