TechZati

September 17, 1995

Well, let’s see – as of today, I’m just driving back from Prudhoe Bay.  It’s as far North as anyone can drive.  You can almost see the Arctic Ocean, but due to oil refineries, they won’t let you go the whole way.  But I must digress.

After Denali, we went on our way to the Brooks Range in Northern Alaska [above the Arctic Circle]. I talked Frank ?? into coming up with me (Go Front Desk – Hey!).  We were supposed to meet Rob, Jim and a couple other guys from the kitchen (Erik and Jason) – never saw them in Fairbanks.  So, Frank and I drove up to the Arctic Circle.  Just out of Fairbanks the road turns to dirt and it’s dirt all the way up to Prudhoe Bay.  At the circle we camped for a night and watched the Northern Lights above us.  They look different than further south, most likely because we were under them.  Across the sky they stretched like rays of light coming from behind the mountain.  Pretty amazing.  There was frost already forming on the ground when we went to sleep.  It was twilight forever, at lest until 11:00PM at night.

The next morning we set off for Atigun Pass in the Brooks.  Didn’t make it.  The road had collapsed and we had to turn around.  We had seen a huge slab of granite on the side of the road and decided to go back and climb it.  Immense.  We hiked around the backside of it to get around to the top.  We scaled through this chimney and split into 2 directions.  I thought we could meet at the peak.  Well, I was wrong.  I reached a point where it flattened out and the ridge went out and way up to the right.  Frank was already walking along the ridge looking down on me.  Well, no way to go but up.  I was going to hike down and around following Frank’s route, but it was so long – at least and hour and a half.  So, I looked up.  To my left, the cliff didn’t seem to be so steep and I decided to go up.  Do or Die was the feeling – literally.  I got up about 20 feet and looked down – WRONG idea!  If I had fallen I would have gone over the saddle and off the cliff – a few hundred feet.  “Do or Die and don’t look down!” I kept climbing up.  Fortunately, I knew how to climb.  The whole face had loose and weak rock.  Every hold I had to test.  Solo climbing.  I can see where the thrill is, but you’re fuc*ed if you mess up.  I went up close to 250 feet and finally made it over the top.  What a relief!

Hiking along the ridgeline was incredible – the ridge was almost concave and very narrow.  The cliffs dropped off into sheer elevation.  I finally caught up with Frank, we could see the whole Brooks Range from the top.  On our way down, we saw the other four guys drive up.  the Subaru Erik and Jason bought was a riot.  No passenger seat and no backseat.  So 1 person drive and three sat in the back.

The road was still out when we drove up to it.  So we turned around and camped in a truckers pull-out.  The [northern] lights were out again and it was beautiful.  It was hilarious to be camped in a truck stop.  It got pretty cold that night.  The next morning we drove on.  Atigun Pass was really not that far away.  The Brooks Range is actually pretty small.  the highest peaks are only in the 8-9000 foot range. Quite large, granted, but not tremendous. Beautiful weather – we stopped to decide exactly what we wanted to do.  Everyone leaned toward driving to Prudhoe Bay.  Thus was it decided.  Prudhoe is definitely an industrial oil refinery.  It was almost like the twilight zone.  Tons of machinery and buildings, but no people.  We finally found a place that directed us toward food and gas.  Food was our main concern.  We ended up going to one of the hotels – and I use that work loosely – and talked to the chef.  Jim and I got a bunch of beans, butter and staples for everyone  He wanted $40 but I was able to get him down to $30. Of course he pocketed the money, but at least he was chill about it.

We ended up camping in an airstrip. What comedy.  Rob was saying “Well, we’ve camped at a truck-stop, now an airstrip in the Arctic – perhaps we should get a little more extreme.”  Quite fitting, I think.  It was a riot camping there with the air tower flashing behind us and a half-moon lighting our dreams, we went to sleep.  The next morning (today) we started the drive back to the Brooks.  I thought I saw a musk-ox and we pulled off to the side. (Be aware of soft [road] shoulders – mental note).  We got stuck, a huge semi had to pull over and pull us out.  So now, we’re parked on a lonely road waiting for the others to catch-up with only trucks and a few other vehicles passing us every little while.  This is the road to nowhere in the Arctic Wastelands.

What were you doing 14 years ago today? Well, I can answer that for myself. You may have started seeing posts titled “14 Years Ago Today;”  categorized as such and under “Travel Journal.”  These are a collection of entries from my written travel journals capturing my travel adventures across five continents.

These start as a wayward musing about graduating college and leaving for Alaska 5 days later.  The story is journey through some of the most incredible years of my life.

I’m transcribing my entries word for word. They’re not meant to be articulate with good grammar. These were written stream-of-consciousness to capture the exhilaration of the moment, magic of the experience and both the romantic idea and the gritty reality of a traveler. Written in locations like mountain tops, open fields of wildflowers, jungle hostels and the odd tea house, these tales capture some of my most memorable, magical moments in a few lines.

Some may know me as the well-dressed digital mind at Ketchum, others may know me as the foot-loose and fancy-free globe-trekking backpacker.  Regardless of where anyone is in their life, I hope that sharing these adventures will inspire others to get out of their comfort zone, break convention and experience the world.

Sept 6, 1995

I finished my time in Denali.  It was fun, but it sure is nice to be done with it.  The last week I was there was pretty crazy. They have this crazy dash they call the Denali Dash where they go from the Hotel up to the Chalet’s – it’s about 3 miles.  It was the night the Gold Spike Saloon closed.  I had just gotten off work and went in for a beer.  Everyone was nuts!  Everyone was packed in.  I was in the smoking car when everyone started taking their clothes off.  You see the “Dash” is a naked walk to the Chalets.  When everyone started running, I almost joined in.  I had my pants halfway off, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.  But, I drove alongside.  There were almost 30 people all buck-naked, having a great time.  Each stage there were people cheering on the side.  It was almost like a race.  It was so funny to see all the moons walking along.

When they crossed the bridge of the Nenana River, all the guys had their asses to the road pissing and the gals sat over the railing. From there they ran to a bonfire off the side of the road.  Can you imagine – sitting by a mellow fire and having 30 naked bodies run up and start whoopin and hollerin.  Crazy.

They dashed on to the Princess Lodge where they proceeded to run to the lobby.  5 seconds after they went in, they ran back out arms waving “Run” “Run” they shouted.  Then up to the Chalets where they loaded everyone into a bus and off they went back to the Hotel. After that night, and everyone was unloading at the hotel a bunch of rangers drove up.  Probably just to break it up.

A few days later I drove up to Matt’s cabin – he’s been working on it all summer. It was a great little 2 story cabin overlooking the tundra.

August 29, 1995

Wow, August is almost done.  Glenn will be 25 in a few weeks.  I have to figure out what to get him.  I’ve been thinking about what I really want to do while I’m in Alaska.

Honestly, I just don’t know.  I’ve been talking to my roommate and his friend about their world excursions and there are definitely a few things I need to work through as far as getting up and going.  Like money.  I have to power through the idea that I always need to be making money.  Another is actually thinking about what I want to see.  Going with the “flow” works, but I definitely have to take the opportunities, I think.  I’m getting lazy about that.  Maybe this is just the rest period I need to re-energize myself. And remind myself why I’m traveling.

There’s a great saying I found today: “There is no such thing as strangers, only friends we haven’t met.”

I can see a lot of Uncle Ted and Mom’s personality quirks manifesting in me.  Like I’m a work-oriented person with the spirit of a traveler.  Which can work – I just need to fin the balance.

August 24, 1995

I moved condo’s from the Chalet’s to the Hotel.  I moved in with this guy Jim Buckley.  He’s a world traveler.  He and a friend of his were telling me about Africa.  They showed me some pictures and I was amazed..  They gave me advice to make money in the 1^st world and then travel in the third.  Rob said something funny.  He said “Anywhere I can walk out of the town, I’m not paying to sleep.”  They think there are 2 types of world travelers.  Ones that do it for a couple months, then get sick of it and go home – and those which work through that stage.  He said in his own experience, you find an order for yourself.  You get used to the cheap way of living and you get into a sort of mindset.  Another piece of advice was to be ready to part with everything.  I guess the idea is the less you take, the less you worry.

I think I figured out my fascination with seeing the world and I think it’s to find the amazement of life as it unfolds for me.  I feel that reflecting on my experiences and oftentimes is what drives me to go forward.

August 18, 1995

I just got back from my first back-country hike in Denali.  I wasn’t that impressed. I think Glacier was much more beautiful.  Maybe it was the weather.  The WI guys took off back to school.

I’ve thought a lot about the people who’ve made impressions on me and way. Dino, Collin, Greg.  And I think that it’s mostly that they are happy with who they are – basically.  Dino especially, I think it is because he can be your best friend and the walk away.  He is who he is.  It’s also, I suppose reassuring, that I’ve made enough of an impression on these guys that they’re attributing something of their character to me.  I can’t understand what it is, but me being me is enough, obviously.  I’ve also been thinking about family.  Glenn [brother] and I specifically.  I wish we were closer. And the reason I don’t think it happened while we were growing up is because we didn’t do anything together.  I’m definitely going to make an effort.  I can’t believe it’s nearing the end of August.  Here, it’s already starting to turn to fall.  I think the detachment from home and school is starting to hit me.

August 9, 1995

Well, I’m in Denali…  I have a job as a front desk clerk.  It will be strange sleeping in a bed again.  I just got back from the Talkeetna Bluegrass Festival, it was alight.  They bulldozed a huge area just for the festival, I didn’t sit well with that.  The music was pretty good.  I spent most of the days sitting in the back of my truck watching people.  I saw basically all of Trans-Aqua again.  We sneaked Chad’s car in.  We found a musicians pass and got it in, no problem.

One day we were all sitting in the back of my truck and I saw some Ptarmigan.  Sparky and Todd threw some racks at they and knocked out two of them.  Sparky cooked them up.  They were actually really good.

After Talkeetna, we went fishing in Montana Creek.  Talk about 2 days of fantastic fishing. Probably my 2 best days ever.  It was actually only me and Doug who were fishing.  We started by the bridge and snagged humpies left and right.  They are pretty for fish.  The next morning thought. Oh my God!  I was fishing in this back eddy hole.  A bite within 10 casts or less every time!  I hooked at least 6 dogs (chums), 2 trout and a couple humpies – Insane! The dogs are beautiful fish.  It was all catch and release.  Absolutely perfect day of fishing.  I had waders on and the water was so clear!  These fish fought like maniacs, at least every 5 casts I would hook one right in the mouth.  To see a silver fish with read and purple stripes jump on the end of your line [6 weight fly rod] A-mazing.

After fishing we came up to Denali.  I found a spot right off the road.  We set up camp and walked down under a bridge [over a gorge].  This walkway went right under it along the girders.  So, of course we all went up it.  Looking down over the river was such a feeling of vertigo!  It was a couple hundred feet high and just incredible. Chad is a nut and was going out along the girders and goofing around.  Didn’t make one feel comfortable at all. No Fear I guess.

So, now I’m in Denali.

August 1, 1995

Today was my last day at Trans-Aqua.  I suppose ends are always a little weird

July 30, 1995

We all went to the T (Tustumena) Bar last night.  They made it into the Guinness Book of World Records for having 6,000 hats in the bar.  Men with No Pride was playing.  They call themselves that because they never practice.  The only time they practice is when they’re performing.

Great band to dance to we danced all night!  From the time I got there to when I left at 3:30 in the morning.  It was probably the funnest night I’ve had here.  I had a lot of compliments on my dancing – ha.  Sue was trashed and was telling me “If I were 10-15-20 years younger, I’d be after you!” Erin was dancing like a manic crazy girl, she totally opened up and changed as soon as Nick left – definitely for the better. She was “impressed at my rhythm.”  God, 6 hours of dancing. When we got out of the bar, I walked over to talk to Doug and some girl was pissing on the ground next to the car.  I couldn’t believe it – she didn’t stop telling a joke the whole time – outrageous.  Lindsay told me this morning I dance like a “city boy.”  A compliment, I suppose.

July 28, 1995

This last week has been insane here.  We had a beach party [near Soldotna] and it was NUTS.  Freddie rode his mountain bike off a dirt cliff – broken leg.  I jumped off after that.  At the party, it was definitely more than a normal bonfire.  Everyone was blitzed and doing crazy stuff.  Doug was fire-rolling and people were falling in the sand all over the place.  Sparky got bit by a dog and it slashed is palm pretty good. It must have been a full moon or something. It was “insanity.”

Salmon run is almost done.  I’ve been fishing tons.  These salmon runs are great – I learned how to fillet fish a couple of different ways.  I’ve definitely proved something to myself.