Vacation!

I ventured out of Alaska down to San Francisco for a little relief from the stress of the summer, and to see killer Bluegrass and hang with pals.
The drive down from Skagway, AK to Seattle was pretty epic, vistas of orange and red alpine hillsides and towering mountains already dusted with snow.
Julie Jackson and I played "wildlife bingo" tallying the buffaloes, caribou, elk, bears, and moose along our drive through the Yukon, and down to British Columbia.


Arriving in Seattle I spent some quality time with the Chisholm Grandparents and really enjoyed seeing them on the West Coast and caught up on whats been happening in our lives for the last few years.

San Francisco started out wonderfully! I ended up sitting next to a woman, my age, who had worked on an organic local farm in Fairbanks for the whole summer. Turns out that I know the family who runs the farm! George is active in the Bluegrass community, and his partner Kristi and their gorgeous children came to the Solstice Fest in Cantwell, AK which I also attended this last summer. We chatted about Alaska, and her long summer (she was gone for 9 months) away from San Fransisco. She offered me a ride to my friend's home in the Park Presidio (which has no direct public transit) which I was so greatful. Her roommate showed me the Ocean Beach neighborhood and graciously dropped me off at the front door of Chase Christie and Kate Hamre's home.
The troops from all corners of Alaska poured in over the next two days: and among them those who have relocated to the lower 48. It was so great to see everyone, some I haven't seen since Folk Fest in Juneau, last spring.
We listened to amazing music, both in the living room/kitchen jam circles, and at the Hardly Strictly Music Festival.
The highlight for the actual festival was seeing Doc Watson play, as well as Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings. The latter show was so amazing, and looking around at everyone's faces during their heartfelt songs---the crowd seemed to be memorized.
Special thanks to Jacob Groopman who saved our lives by sacrificing the suspension of his Saturn to haul the Juneau crew as well as those of us who couldn't snag a cab back to the Presidio. (He also provided me with great music to add to my I tunes which I have been literally obsessed with since I got home---thanks Jacob!)
The nights were long, we slept outside under the stars, and ate amazing breakfasts at Zazie, an epic restaurant near the Haight. I am so grateful to both Chase and Kate, and Jeff Kanzler---for feeding us, and putting up with a house full of crazy Bluegrassers and Rowdy Alaskans. It was a great time!

After the madness of the festival dies down, my dad picked me up in SF and we drive to Monterey Bay. He had meetings and appointments in Carmel, so I laid by the ocean, and drove through the fruitful Carmel Valley wine country stopping to admire the immense vineyards and organic fruit orchards. I cranked up the stereo in the rented 2009 Toyota Camry and zoomed around the scenic Carmel Valley roads in the 75 degree weather.
After work was done we drove the 17 mile road back north, admiring the foggy coastline and giant mansions which overlooked Pebble Beach golf course. It was dinner time, and we dined on 26 chubby fresh oysters on a half shell with ice cold Vodka sodas with lots of lemon.
The next day I departed San Francisco for Seattle.
Soon after I drove south with my mom and brother Markus to Portland for a final send off party with my maternal relatives. Markus is now in Thailand, and we wanted to have a goodbye gathering in the city we were born with our closest kinfolk. The day started with MY favorite past time: thrift store shopping with my Grandma Jo at the best second hand shop in Oregon, "Red White and Blue." I picked up two pairs of boots, a few tops, and some jewelry for pennies compared to what they would charge in Seattle, especially Juneau.
The party followed and later that night we all gathered at Pub 181 in Gresham, OR (the same place I spent my 21st Birthday). This place is the best neighborhood bar I have ever been to. My aunt and uncle are regulars and we played the loto line games and I threw back now fewer than 4 Bushmills neat, thanks to my cousin and Grampa Doug. I only got "a quarter fucked up." It was a great night, anytime I get to spend with my cousin Jamie, Aunt Mary Jane, Uncle Terry, and my beloved Grampa Doug and Grama Rona is a great time!!!! MISS YOU GUYS!

I wrapped up all my loose ends, spent some time with my best friends, "the Alexes" (Kattar and Sanchez respectively) and soon found myself packed and ready to drive to Prince Rupert British Columbia to the ferry back to Juneau, AK.

I said goodbye to brother Markus (for a whole year!!!!) and started my drive north. It was the most laid back drive I have ever had, I sang Bluegrass and listed to my music unapologetically. I found myself in Prince Rupert in less than 20 hours! Boarded the ferry with no problems and found my spot on the M/V Taku bound for Juneau!

I'm home now. I was offered a little job driving one of the tour buses from the summer up to Fairbanks, AK as Holland America needs 8 buses in the 'Banks by next week for training. That will be a fun trip, I have never done that drive before, and I'm hoping to see some of my interior friends. I will leave next Tuesday and get back just in time for Juneau Halloween festivities! YAY!

I will try and be more diligent about my goings on here in Juneau and other adventures that come my way! Here's to being back home :)

Bus Tired

I stood on the docks today surveying the throngs of sweatpants clad tourists, thinking to myself that these folks all kind of look the same. Maybe because some of the t-shirts and sweatshirts are sold in the same shops throughout Ketchikan, Skagway, and Juneau...and some may end up with the same swag...but really, I think that I'm just done with this job in general.
I knew when I came back to Juneau that it would be fun, yet challenging to go back to bus driving. This summer was the most difficult working in tourism simply becuase I knew that I was not going to leave town after it was all done. Juneau is my home now, and I felt myself feeling guilty about driving giant smokey buses around the narrow downtown streets where my friends and neighbors walked...looking up at the bus with sour looks on their faces. The job is easy, it can be so much fun, and ulitmatley it taught me how to really talk to every kind of person in the world. Yet around this time of year, all I want to do is look out my window and see nothing on the waterfront, just empty docks. I want to walk downtown to grab a coffee, and not have to swim through clusters of confused lookie-loos.
Tomorrow is our first "no ship" day since May. I plan on walking around town enjoying the space, and thinking of my return from San Francisco where the locals will be the commanding presence in Jtown.
It feels weird, and it hasn't completely set in that when I come back to Seattle, I'm just visiting. I will be stopping through town, and returning home to Juneau.
4 days of driving left. Then I'm off!!!...but only for a little bit.

Shootin' with Andrew Heist

Andrew arranged for an early Thursday morning shooting adventure out at the public range in Auke Bay. I had never fired a handgun, let alone any firearm.
It was fun.
Thanks Andrew. Looking forward to more shootin!

Fishing in Excursion Inlet 2009

I love fishing.
Despite the driving rain, 6' chop, and utter lack of giant halibut below our little chase boat, Julie Jackson, Dan Kirkwood, and I had a great time out on the water for the weekend north of Juneau about 3 hours by boat. It was so good to be out in the elements, no matter how raw or unforgiving the Southeast climate was.
I caught my first fish with the help of Chase boat captain, Bluegrass lover, overall amazing Kentuckian friend Mark. We stayed in a camp full of nice awesome people who gave us their time, fed us amazing food (ribs! cinnamon buns! home made rice pudding!) and offered us comfy beds in beautiful cabins to sleep after a tiring day out.
It was perfect. I caught 2 halibut and a rockfish, learned how to fillet it, and now i have a freezer full of yummy fish for the cold winter months.

WHERE DID SUMMER GO!?

Sorry friends, I have failed you. Between moving, hosting visiting family and friends, and my crazy 2 jobs this summer, I have neglected my blogging duties!

So I will try and get all of my great pics from the past two months of fishing, shooting, hanging out with lovelies such a Lynn Vollbrecht, my brothers, The Bluegrass crew, and local Juneau celebrity sightings like Carlos Boozer and Sean Tracey. It's been a hell of a summer, and I have had the best time.

Here we go....

Biking in Juneau

I love riding the GT commuter bike that Brooke so graciously lent me for the summer. It's been so nice to pump the 8 miles roundtrip to work on south Franklin, back to Douglas every day. Especially after being stuck behind the wheel of a bus for upwards of 12 hours.
This July, we have been super spoiled with the sunny weather. It broke to the 90's after the 4th, and since the sun breaks and breezy cloudy skies have been steadily moving towards the mid 60's and 70's.

Yesterday the rains came.

They came with a vengeance that made everyone in Juneau almost snap out of their heat drenched dream state. The 50 degree raw moisture permeated everything, and the wetness came down hard and steady.
Eventually when all the passengers were let off the coach, I returned the bus to the yard, and at around 9pm, it was time for me to get on home. The other drivers crowded into cars, jammed bikes into trunks, and waited around for the last city bus.
I yanked on my wet Marmot jacket, pulled my beanie down, put "Hard Times" by the Stanley Brothers on my ipod, and hopped on the old GT northwesterly to Douglas Island.

By the time I cleared Franklin Street I was head to two soaked. My glasses began to fog, and the speed limit on Egan drive jumped up to 40. Cars started whizzing by me splashing water all over me saturating my work pants, socks, shoes. I began to forget where the ugly potholes were as giant puddles pooled over them. I clumsily drove right into a series of deep lacerations in the new pavement, tipping me off balance. I felt my body bump against a passing pick up truck throwing me to the sidewalk side of the highway, the bike collapsing under me and to the left. I heard honking, screeching, and felt a cold hard wave of gutter water wash over me like a tsunami.

I pulled the bike over and within what seemed like a nano-second, found the sidewalk. I sat there until the shock wore off...3 miles from home. I crawled painfully back on the seat and slowly shifted down to cross over the Gastineau Channel bridge and began to climb the long graded hill to 5th street.

Today, I looked at a car to buy. If it wasn't for the rust, I would have paid cash for it immediately. My biking days are limited...Juneau summers can be fickle, we'll be lucky to get another good stretch of weather again until next year.

New Job!

well after the greatest 4th of July ever, I managed to meet the right lady. Heather Ridgway asked me to more or less, apply to the Juneau Arts and Humanities council for a new opening as a part time art instructor at the Cedar Park community center in West Juneau.

So excited and gleeful about this new opportunity! Heather is great and these kids are so much fun and so engaged in the projects so far!
It's a temporary post, but I already love working in the Juneau community and spending 3 hours of my day twice a week getting messy, painting, and watching children create! It's great!