Where In The World Is Scott

So I wanted to have a very restful afternoon. I needed to be by moving water and out in nature and wanted to sit in my chair under a tree and read my magazines. I drove thirty miles south to Portage Glacier area and found Byron Glacier instead. I hiked up with my reading materials and chair and found a tranquil site and set up camp. It was peaceful and relaxing until…

On the way to Byron Glacier.

At the foot of the glacier.

Looking in the other direction.

My reading camp.

View up stream.

Read the next post!

So I’m sitting reading and minding my own business when one of the magazine inserts flies out of the magazine and into the river. I, not wanting to litter, lean over to pickup the floating garbage and my chair tips over belly-flopping me into the river thrashing my elbow and soaking me from head to toe. I got up and what could you do, sat back down and laughed my ass off. Only I could flop myself into a glacier-fed river with all of my clothes on chasing a magazine insert.

Who uses these goddam things anyway?

There are more guns in per capita in Alaska then any other state. There aren’t a lot of criminals, just a lot of large creatures that want to break into your house and eat you. Check out my other posts on bears to see why. I have had some unsettling moments out hiking with only bear bells and spray. My plan is not to be eaten – at least by a large animal.

Armed and dangerous. Don’t let this guy near your women. He’s packin’ – and he has a gun.

A man’s got to know his limitations.

Feelin’ lucky punk?

Finished the Mayor’s Half-Marathon race this last weekend. Thirteen miles of beating up your old body.

Crossing the finishing line.

Getting ready for the race.

2,000 runners from 48 states and several countries.

On the trail. Why are there so many women ahead of me as well as a nine-year-old girl?

The water stops features social clubs from the Anchorage area. This one featured the Black Arts Club. They had loud music, dancing and were great fun at the half-way point.

Got to dance with Mama.

Through the forest to Grandmother’s house.

This time there were no moose hiding out in the forest chasing runners.

More forest.

Dalmation water stop.

Mrs. Dalmatian and her girls.

Stopping at Earthquake Park.

Low tide on the trail. Anchorage in the background.

Got my medal, shirt, and cookie.

Being a new person in Alaska, I have found the need to meet people of like interests. One of the recent Internet resources in many large cities is the MeetUp organization. I have been to a few of the special interest group meetings on such topics as African cooking, travel, hiking, etc. Each person (just like in Facebook) has a short profile that states what they are in to, and I guess it’s like an advertisement (for some) that says, I’m single, would you like to meet me?

Check it out sometime in your area. There are some interesting groups in which you might be interested.

Below is a listing of interests for an woman that would make any guy run away if he knew what he was doing. Alaska is the home of too many crazy, dysfunctional, unhappy, and dangerous women. Apparently now, they are advertising their f@#ked-up-ness.

Run away, run away as fast as you can.

Alaska Airlines has one of the most unique aircraft in all of aviation. I have never seen a plane like this and nor will you. When you realize that everything up north has to be flown in you can understand the need for this odd plane.

The 737-400 Combi is the first of their kind in the world and is uniquely designed to meet the needs of both cargo customers and passengers throughout the state of Alaska

This if the first 737-400 aircraft in the world to be converted from all-passenger to combination cargo-passenger configurations.

The 737-400s’ fixed configurations, which accommodate four cargo pallets and 72 passengers, improve cargo service by guaranteeing consistent cargo capacity on each flight. The original 737-200 Combi had adjustable configurations, which allowed Alaska to change the number of passenger seats and cargo-pallet positions for each flight, but prevented the airline from guaranteeing consistent cargo capacity.

The 737-400 Combi offers improved fuel efficiency, more-advanced flight-guidance systems and upgraded passenger amenities. They are equipped with Required Navigation Performance systems designed to reduce the frequency of weather-related schedule disruptions. The passenger cabins also feature leather seats and larger, standard-sized overhead luggage bins (stole all of that from the Internet).

A smooth ride when your working the North Slope.

I’m leaving to go to Borrow and my son calls me to see if I was going to visit the vampires that had inhabited the city. I told him I would keep my neck piece on the entire time – joke. The cheesy movie that recently came out made me laugh. Here is a synopsis of the movie:

Vampires flock to Barrow, Alaska where the sun sets for about 30 days, allowing them to feed without the burden of sleep to avoid lethal sunlight. When the vampire elder Vicente learns of this plan, he travels to Barrow to end the feeding, in order to preserve the secrecy of vampires. Because of the cold, the vampires’ senses are weakened and a few of the town’s residents are able to hide. One such resident is Sheriff Eben Olemaun, who saves the town by injecting vampire blood into his veins. He uses his enhanced strength to fight Vicente, saving the lives of the few remaining townspeople, including his wife Stella. Suffering the same weakness as all vampires, Eben dies and turns to ash when the sun rises.

I feeling about this is if I’m going to be sucked to death, it’s not going to be in Barrow, AK.

Gotta have this movie.

That guy should brush more often.

My class in entrepreneurship was at Ilisagvik College. This is a two-year tech school that is housed in an old WWII site and former research station. Some of the building may look funky, but on the inside everything is just like any other college.

Ilisagvik College.

Old quonset huts for some classrooms and offices.

New college building.

Old WWII gear.

It always seems to work out this way. I had a problem with my ticket and had to stay over another day after teaching at the college. I brought work just in case I had to stay in my hotel room. But as it always happens when I travel to exotic places, I happen to be there on a special day. This was the first day of the festival for the new whaling season. The city held a parade, had Native whaling games and special events all over town. Somehow my travel magic always works. I should figure out how to bottle it and sell it. Here are some shots of the Native games and events.

Seal covered boats called an Umiaq on transportation sled

Construction was finished a week before I arrived.

Another view.

Getting ready for the 2X4 race. Two boards – four runners.

The team has to run together for 50 yards, turn around, and run back.

One of the competing whale crews.

Local boys ready to win.

Another whaling crew.

Umiaq race. Tow your sled 100 yards, tie on your boat and tow it back.

Towing the boats down and then racing.

Getting the boat ready.

Warming up the crew.

Custom sewing on the boat.

Avataqpak race. These are the floats that they spear into the whale.

Harpoon throwing to hit the black outline of the whale.

Closest I got to harpoon throwing.

The whaling festival had a city parade to start it all. Every utility truck, half the fire engines, and police were involved. It doesn’t get any more local then this. I actually caught a flowered bead from one of the floats. It was Mardi Gras way up north for me.

Most of the town came out for the parade..

Box-O-Pooches.

Whaling boat – probably the mayor.

College float.

The only city bus.

Half of the fire department.

Peek-a-boo I see you.

Mardi Gras at 10 below.

Here are a few shots of interesting locals at the whaling games.

It’s -10 and she is staying warm.

Native elder in traditional gear.

Does it get any cuter then this?

Barrow, AK is still a whaling city. Professional whaling is outlawed but subsistence whaling still is a way of life for Native Alaskans. Only Natives can hunt walrus, whale, polar bear, fox, and wolves in this region. The seal covered whaling boats are still used today. Hunters must sneak up on the whales and these ancient boats are silent in the water. Later in the season, powered boats are used to chase down the whales. Here are some photos from the Native Heritage Museum.

This is what they are hunting – the Bowhead whale.

Historical whaling outfits that are often still used.

Parka.

Whale camp rules.

Skeleton of a seal covered whaling boat.

The whale hunt.

More gear.

Seal pants.

Wolf and caribou coat.

Walrus tusks.

Another coat.

Woman’s kuspuk.

Carving up the whale