tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85257909583278932702024-03-08T12:15:31.993-08:00Alaska is for the Birds!Karen Glumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08741558528195938203noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525790958327893270.post-68152226403512617952010-07-02T17:09:00.000-07:002010-07-02T18:28:55.930-07:00"When I grow up I'm gonna live here"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TC6PENbzfGI/AAAAAAAAAUs/LVJxx_Ft-QY/s1600/IMG_3502.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TC6PENbzfGI/AAAAAAAAAUs/LVJxx_Ft-QY/s320/IMG_3502.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489482298299743330" border="0" /></a><br />...Michael's comment echoed my thoughts. Homer could be home - at least in the summer. The mountains, sea, wildlife - and an great library - what more could you want? Michael's idea is to have a summer home in Homer and a winter home in Florida. I like the way he thinks - especially since he told Scott and me he'd build us a big cabin if we'd live with him!<br /><br />The drive along the western side of the Kenai Peninsula affords stunning views of Cook Inlet and the volcanic mountains of the Alaskan Range that rise across the inlet. The volcanoes are active - Mount Redoubt last erupted in 2009 - the result of the melting of the Pacific Plate beneath the North American Plate. The new magma that forms is under such extreme pressure that it sometimes is able to erupt through the crust above.<br /><br />Spent our first evening in Homer out on the Homer Spit - a narrow 4.5 mile long piece of land that juts into Kachemak Bay. Water surrounds it to the North, East, and South, and the Kenai Mountains are across the water. We drove to the end of the Spit to check out the view - and the fishing. Within 10 minutes we spotted several Bald Eagles, a Sea Otter swam by, and then something I doubted I was seeing - a Humpback Whale swims by, blows 4 times, flips its tail and dives deep. All the time and money I've spent on whale watches in my life and I get the best show for free! <br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TC6RWU1T9qI/AAAAAAAAAVU/FevC_1Gch_Y/s1600/IMG_3580.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TC6RWU1T9qI/AAAAAAAAAVU/FevC_1Gch_Y/s320/IMG_3580.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489484808546678434" border="0" /></a>The boys had ridiculous luck catching fish - as soon as they cast, they caught. It was laughable. All pollock - not worth eating so we threw them back, but the boys were so excited. Big fish too - 20 - 24 inches. Elliot made me catch one just so I could say I did. Michael also hooked a starfish which cracked him up.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TC6RV1yl_gI/AAAAAAAAAVM/Vh7PBf66EhQ/s1600/IMG_3578.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TC6RV1yl_gI/AAAAAAAAAVM/Vh7PBf66EhQ/s320/IMG_3578.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489484800213777922" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TC6PF22xuCI/AAAAAAAAAVE/M7gRt5hnh04/s1600/IMG_3571.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 155px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TC6PF22xuCI/AAAAAAAAAVE/M7gRt5hnh04/s320/IMG_3571.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489482326598596642" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Next day was a little slower, fish weren't biting, no whales but tons of Bald Eagles and Sea Otters. There's a little pool of water with a tiny inlet from the bay where you can fish for salmon - looks like a kiddie fishing pond. We didn't catch any salmon but the 3 harbor seals that swam in had better luck.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TC6RXzJTneI/AAAAAAAAAVk/ox3fuDH7XJY/s1600/IMG_3695.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TC6RXzJTneI/AAAAAAAAAVk/ox3fuDH7XJY/s320/IMG_3695.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489484833863474658" border="0" /></a>Today (Friday) is our last full day in Alaska. Scott is Halibut and Ling Cod (sp?) fishing so the boys and I have the day to ourselves. We slept in then spent about 4 hours walking the Spit. Everyone was a bit grumpy yesterday so I was very happy that we all got along today. We tossed football for a while, checked out the wildlife, looked in some shops, and ate some ice cream. Michael had a rootbeer float with mint chocolate chip ice cream. To the surprise of the girls at the counter, he loved it.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TC6RYrzsryI/AAAAAAAAAVs/hE6ovan1QTk/s1600/IMG_3703.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TC6RYrzsryI/AAAAAAAAAVs/hE6ovan1QTk/s320/IMG_3703.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489484849073663778" border="0" /></a>Deadliest Catch has a shop on the Spit called The Time Bandit after one of the boats. The guys from Time Bandit are from Homer and dock here when they aren't out for crab or fish. Elliot bought himself a t-shirt - perfect souvenir for him.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TC6RXKoN7BI/AAAAAAAAAVc/bhqwPCdPN5g/s1600/IMG_3514.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TC6RXKoN7BI/AAAAAAAAAVc/bhqwPCdPN5g/s320/IMG_3514.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489484822987271186" border="0" /></a>I can't overstate how happy I am with our lodging. We are staying at the Hoedel cottage run by Nancy and Gary Hoedel, a retired couple and Alaskan lifers. The cottage is a log cabin that is so clean, cozy, and homey. Scott and I joke about having "life envy" about the Hoedels. Their property is gorgeous - beautiful vegetable and flower gardens (that the moose like to eat), a spectacular view of the mountains and the bay. Gary is a welder who makes crab pots and the occasional reindeer or fairy for their gardens. His workshop is on the property. He's also spent time on crab and fishing boats - not sure if that was professionally or for fun (not sure crab fishing can be described as fun). Nancy knows everyone in Homer - she's lived here her whole life. She runs the B&B and makes you feel like family. When we arrived there was a wrapped plate of cinnamon buns on the counter, a bowl full of fresh fruit and little packets of cereal, oatmeal, cider and hot chocolate on the table, and milk and juice in the fridge. The many quilts and soft blankets, and the wood burning stove almost make it too cozy to leave - I was tempted to just stay in and read by the fire. Nancy says on snowy winter days she comes to the cabin to do just that - gazing out the window now and then to look at the Christmas lights on the snow with the mountains in the background. Yep, I have life envy.<br /><br />We head for home tomorrow. Fly out about 10 PM so we'll have the day to hike, fish, bird or sightsee. Hoping to stop into a small Russian town, Nikolaevsk, about 20 miles north of here.Karen Glumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08741558528195938203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525790958327893270.post-34034251525678187872010-06-30T10:44:00.000-07:002010-06-30T12:25:04.215-07:00Seward<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuOym-g0wI/AAAAAAAAARE/dUMfRXt4Njs/s1600/IMG_3092.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuOym-g0wI/AAAAAAAAARE/dUMfRXt4Njs/s320/IMG_3092.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488637570988430082" border="0" /></a><-- Flowers on a trail along the Seward Highway.<br /><br />Arrived in Seward on the Kenai Peninsula Sunday night. Beautiful drive along the Seward Highway despite the rain. Stopped at Potter Marsh along the way for a little birdwatching. Saw a Short-billed Dowitcher, Red-necked Grebe, a Greater Yellow Legs, and lots of Tree Swallows . This birdwatching thing is addictive. Also checked out Exit Glacier - the only part of Kenai Fjords National Park that can be reached by car - the rest requires boat or plane. The trail is frequented by bears though we didn't see any. As bears are the only animal I fear (though I have a very healthy respect for many others) I was happy to miss this "attraction". <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuO0lM7_mI/AAAAAAAAARc/CKpUnAoVZSQ/s1600/IMG_3112.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuO0lM7_mI/AAAAAAAAARc/CKpUnAoVZSQ/s320/IMG_3112.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488637604871798370" border="0" /></a>Trail to Exit Glacier.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuO0DcpL9I/AAAAAAAAARU/26yWNzf2d8E/s1600/IMG_3102.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuO0DcpL9I/AAAAAAAAARU/26yWNzf2d8E/s320/IMG_3102.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488637595810869202" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Glacial striations created when rocks carried by the glacier scrape against other rocks as the glacier moves.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuOzVeKOBI/AAAAAAAAARM/RMjAEmggcRc/s1600/IMG_3097.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuOzVeKOBI/AAAAAAAAARM/RMjAEmggcRc/s320/IMG_3097.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488637583469197330" border="0" /></a><br />Exit glacier is one of many glaciers that are part of the Harding Ice Field at the core of Kenai Fjords National Park. The ice field and its outflowing glaciers cover 700 square miles (though the glaciers have receded a great deal and lost much of their thickness in the last 100 years).<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuO1Ikq_CI/AAAAAAAAARk/aXh06ocn3SE/s1600/IMG_3118.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuO1Ikq_CI/AAAAAAAAARk/aXh06ocn3SE/s320/IMG_3118.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488637614366587938" border="0" /></a><br />Exit glacier - it's not safe to approach the glacier so this is as close as we could get.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuRm4ROG0I/AAAAAAAAARs/6GaLTgT3pM8/s1600/IMG_3121.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuRm4ROG0I/AAAAAAAAARs/6GaLTgT3pM8/s320/IMG_3121.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488640668006751042" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuRnjc4B0I/AAAAAAAAAR0/3fTIf7pF5Bs/s1600/IMG_3124.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuRnjc4B0I/AAAAAAAAAR0/3fTIf7pF5Bs/s320/IMG_3124.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488640679598360386" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><-- nature's paintbrush does some pretty spectacular work <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Seward is beautiful. A little town tucked between mountains, Ressurection Bay (part of the Gulf of Alaska), and more mountains on the other side of the bay. It's the most touristy of any of the towns we've been to since the cruise ships stop here, but touristy Alaska is not on par with most other touristy places - it still feels like a small Alaskan town. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuW0QvfVxI/AAAAAAAAATc/b0o6QMUKrT0/s1600/IMG_3190.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuW0QvfVxI/AAAAAAAAATc/b0o6QMUKrT0/s320/IMG_3190.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488646395472598802" border="0" /></a>The Moby Dick hostel is nice enough. Quiet and clean though a bit cramped. It's right in town so we are able to walk everywhere. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuRo1Yd1LI/AAAAAAAAASE/3GjDrLqzfhw/s1600/SDC10627.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuRo1Yd1LI/AAAAAAAAASE/3GjDrLqzfhw/s320/SDC10627.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488640701591573682" border="0" /></a>Monday Scott went on a full day guided fly-fishing trip on the Upper Kenai Peninsula. The river is glacial fed. Glacial fed rivers are generally either aqua blue (if pretty silt-free) or look like liquid clay if full of silt. As fish don't breath or reproduce so well in the silty rivers, their trip was on beautiful aqua blue water. Initially they were to fish for Sockeye Salmon and Rainbow Trout, but this first Salmon run of the summer is really small so they were only able to fish for Trout. He caught 6 trout and 1 Dolly Varden. The trout were the biggest he's ever seen - largest was 25 inches. So, despite having his heart set on salmon fishing he came back very <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuRpRqvTlI/AAAAAAAAASM/FMPpYXao8k8/s1600/SDC10644.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 144px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuRpRqvTlI/AAAAAAAAASM/FMPpYXao8k8/s320/SDC10644.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488640709184409170" border="0" /></a>happy. Unfortunately, trout fishing is catch and release because this is a natural river with no stocking - so no dinner yet!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuS9WnE-0I/AAAAAAAAASU/nHvc-ZE4A98/s1600/SDC10643.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuS9WnE-0I/AAAAAAAAASU/nHvc-ZE4A98/s320/SDC10643.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488642153620241218" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuUJOKZ0PI/AAAAAAAAASc/wTXs_NgQRTg/s1600/IMG_3134.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuUJOKZ0PI/AAAAAAAAASc/wTXs_NgQRTg/s320/IMG_3134.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488643457022546162" border="0" /></a>While Scott fished the boys and I explored Seward. The day was sunny (very rare as this is temperate rainforest) and cool - high 50s - so we started outside exploring the shore. Could have done this all day - the boys love looking at the kelp, mussels, barnacles, and rocks. The view was breathtaking.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuVIwXXMeI/AAAAAAAAATM/1ioavcC47RI/s1600/IMG_3173.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 311px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuVIwXXMeI/AAAAAAAAATM/1ioavcC47RI/s320/IMG_3173.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488644548535464418" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuVHgHq0rI/AAAAAAAAAS8/EyFHoSS99uM/s1600/IMG_3155.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuVHgHq0rI/AAAAAAAAAS8/EyFHoSS99uM/s320/IMG_3155.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488644526994805426" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuW06YaxpI/AAAAAAAAATk/De3CwgESs4U/s1600/IMG_3207.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuW06YaxpI/AAAAAAAAATk/De3CwgESs4U/s320/IMG_3207.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488646406650119826" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuW1tqaw7I/AAAAAAAAATs/_0fEOHR2hag/s1600/IMG_3231.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuW1tqaw7I/AAAAAAAAATs/_0fEOHR2hag/s320/IMG_3231.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488646420415824818" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuVIMY1f4I/AAAAAAAAATE/c1Vi0NTN7sE/s1600/IMG_3174.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuVIMY1f4I/AAAAAAAAATE/c1Vi0NTN7sE/s320/IMG_3174.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488644538877968258" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuUJnyaMcI/AAAAAAAAASk/Qwqmxj3Mryk/s1600/IMG_3143.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuUJnyaMcI/AAAAAAAAASk/Qwqmxj3Mryk/s320/IMG_3143.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488643463901229506" border="0" /></a>A family of very tame baby bunnies lives along the shoreline trail - definitely the offspring of someone's dumped pets. The boys fed them dandelion shoots.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuVGWcjFZI/AAAAAAAAASs/oWwBZ4J8-Wc/s1600/IMG_3150.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuVGWcjFZI/AAAAAAAAASs/oWwBZ4J8-Wc/s320/IMG_3150.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488644507218154898" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuVHK7exiI/AAAAAAAAAS0/skgy6JhYSyI/s1600/IMG_3152.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuVHK7exiI/AAAAAAAAAS0/skgy6JhYSyI/s320/IMG_3152.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488644521306539554" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuWznhw-FI/AAAAAAAAATU/lwmOizroCZI/s1600/IMG_3172.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuWznhw-FI/AAAAAAAAATU/lwmOizroCZI/s320/IMG_3172.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488646384409180242" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Later in the day we visited the Alaska Sea Life Center - built after the Exon Valdez spill with some of the money the state received from Exon. A state of the art facility but not a typical aquarium - it has more of a research and education focus. Exhibits include fish, crabs, shrimp, seals and Steller's Sea Lions with a focus on the research and conservation of these creatures. We particularly enjoyed the touch tank, getting to touch a sea anemone for the first time. I did not know that sea anemones are 98% water. When you touch their thick, succulent tentacles it feels like you are touching nothing, just more water. Lifting them out of the water they completely drain - just a thin membrane rests in your hand. Very odd. The very knowledgable interpreters set up microscopes for viewing seastar sperm and egg they had collected that morning. Surprisingly watching the eggs get fertilized interested rather than grossed out the boys.<br /><br />The center had an outdoor viewing area overlooking Resurrection Bay. (Saw some Harlequin Ducks there). In this location in 1964 a 9.2 magnitude earthquake (largest ever in the US and one of the largest on record anywhere) leveled much of the town. The earthquake was followed by a 40 foot tsunami that destroyed much of the shore.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuW2SH1YKI/AAAAAAAAAT0/PZl0csC2tcg/s1600/IMG_3269.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuW2SH1YKI/AAAAAAAAAT0/PZl0csC2tcg/s320/IMG_3269.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488646430202880162" border="0" /></a>On Tuesday took a 10 hour boat tour through and beyond the bay to Holgate Glacier. There were just 16 of us on the boat including the captain and co-captain. The weather was rainy most of the day and though it obscured the view of the mountains most of the time it added a mysteriousness to the journey that enhanced the experience. Michael's seasickness did not enhance the experience but after he cleared out his stomach he had a pretty good time (my deepest apologies to everyone in the cabin!!!). We were prepared for Elliot to be seasick so gave him Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold which we were told works like a charm. It did - no seasickness - but it also <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuY3yvuT7I/AAAAAAAAAUM/c5GZrCVJT8w/s1600/IMG_3296.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuY3yvuT7I/AAAAAAAAAUM/c5GZrCVJT8w/s320/IMG_3296.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488648655163248562" border="0" /></a>knocked him out cold. We woke him for all the "biggies" plus some birds that excited us - Steller Sea Lions, Humpback Whales, Porpoises, Seals, Horned and Tufted Puffins, Sea Otters, Bald Eagles, Common Murres, Double-crested Cormorants, Surf Scoters and the calving glacier. He'd take a look, build up some excitement for a moment then crash. At least he wasn't complaining! In fact, both of the boys were so good - despite being sick Michael didn't complain once. As we left, some other people on the boat complemented them for being so good (the rest just wanted to get as far away as possible I'm sure).<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuY5VG8CSI/AAAAAAAAAUc/WjbK_Rn8s5o/s1600/IMG_3406.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuY5VG8CSI/AAAAAAAAAUc/WjbK_Rn8s5o/s320/IMG_3406.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488648681567291682" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />--> Steller's Sea Lions<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuY2EmSxVI/AAAAAAAAAT8/_feOWwqvnkQ/s1600/IMG_3318.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 85px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuY2EmSxVI/AAAAAAAAAT8/_feOWwqvnkQ/s320/IMG_3318.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488648625595794770" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuY2_5P4gI/AAAAAAAAAUE/NpUjscKc4Ks/s1600/IMG_3272.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuY2_5P4gI/AAAAAAAAAUE/NpUjscKc4Ks/s320/IMG_3272.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488648641512989186" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />--> starfish<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuY4mF_jGI/AAAAAAAAAUU/wiltQY7PXq8/s1600/IMG_3380.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCuY4mF_jGI/AAAAAAAAAUU/wiltQY7PXq8/s320/IMG_3380.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488648668946861154" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />--> Holgate Glacier - sounds like a crack of lightening or a tree that cracks and falls when it calves - very loud<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Leave for Homer today. Our last stop - the 8th place we will have stayed in less than 3 weeks! Feels like we're on the lam!Karen Glumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08741558528195938203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525790958327893270.post-41462555356021368942010-06-28T18:47:00.000-07:002010-06-28T18:59:27.067-07:00Stop in Talkeetna<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TClSDCJ1THI/AAAAAAAAAQs/y1PslCdKA-8/s1600/IMG_3040.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TClSDCJ1THI/AAAAAAAAAQs/y1PslCdKA-8/s320/IMG_3040.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488007832998857842" border="0" /></a>Spent one night in the hostel from hell in Talkeetna - gross and noisy. Glad to get out of there though we enjoyed visiting the town again. The boys (all 3 of them) especially enjoyed playing with the town dog (Michael named her Ruby) and feeding some horses.<br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TClRv-UdaTI/AAAAAAAAAQM/pbgWqEG6J7k/s1600/IMG_3043.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TClRv-UdaTI/AAAAAAAAAQM/pbgWqEG6J7k/s320/IMG_3043.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488007505552173362" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TClS1xXuSFI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/3A4O2hDgnik/s1600/IMG_3059.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TClS1xXuSFI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/3A4O2hDgnik/s320/IMG_3059.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488008704667043922" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TClRwsLtqcI/AAAAAAAAAQc/GAhx9Rt8uRE/s1600/IMG_3068.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TClRwsLtqcI/AAAAAAAAAQc/GAhx9Rt8uRE/s320/IMG_3068.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488007517863520706" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Elliot the Enforcer<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The boys trying to escape the hostel from hell any way they can....<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TClTYwD_WsI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/o_HWQcu5DhY/s1600/IMG_3073.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TClTYwD_WsI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/o_HWQcu5DhY/s320/IMG_3073.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488009305611262658" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TClRxjAzklI/AAAAAAAAAQk/Mc0DveOjtJY/s1600/IMG_3070.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TClRxjAzklI/AAAAAAAAAQk/Mc0DveOjtJY/s320/IMG_3070.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488007532581720658" border="0" /></a>Karen Glumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08741558528195938203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525790958327893270.post-50817383161166540782010-06-25T19:04:00.000-07:002010-06-25T19:55:40.798-07:00Last Day in Fairbanks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCVkMm3M2yI/AAAAAAAAAP8/gd_YfLNp_w8/s1600/IMG_2968.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCVkMm3M2yI/AAAAAAAAAP8/gd_YfLNp_w8/s320/IMG_2968.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486901888774101794" border="0" /></a>Hard to believe we were wearing 6 layers on top and 3 layers on bottom just a few days ago! It's a pleasant 75º - just right for a day at Chena Lakes. The boys had a great time swimming. Elliot got out for a little while to pull a leech off his hand. Michael got a little cold, but a sand blanket took care of that!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCVkL3zmjxI/AAAAAAAAAP0/Er2WmBeACxk/s1600/IMG_2954.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCVkL3zmjxI/AAAAAAAAAP0/Er2WmBeACxk/s320/IMG_2954.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486901876142542610" border="0" /></a><br />the beach at Chena Lakes State Rec. Area<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCVkLebeWdI/AAAAAAAAAPs/s-tB_NzFIUI/s1600/IMG_2930.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCVkLebeWdI/AAAAAAAAAPs/s-tB_NzFIUI/s320/IMG_2930.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486901869330454994" border="0" /></a>Michael caught his first Arctic Grayling around midnight last night. So many places to just pull of the road and fish!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCVkK_mkJlI/AAAAAAAAAPk/iVndgy-E9cA/s1600/IMG_2928.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCVkK_mkJlI/AAAAAAAAAPk/iVndgy-E9cA/s320/IMG_2928.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486901861055473234" border="0" /></a>Scott's Arctic Grayling<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCVkKMEty2I/AAAAAAAAAPc/su2xCWfQ6ik/s1600/IMG_2920.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCVkKMEty2I/AAAAAAAAAPc/su2xCWfQ6ik/s320/IMG_2920.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486901847223290722" border="0" /></a>Elliot still trying for the fish.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />While the boys fished I was busy looking for birds, taking pictures, and making sure whatever Scott heard growl at him the night before didn't eat my kids. Saw a Bohemian Waxwing and a male and female Belted Kingfisher. Lots of moose on our drive back. They like to eat the newer, tender shoots near the roads in the areas that are mowed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCVhCmT3GBI/AAAAAAAAAPM/SfDEOH9wD-g/s1600/IMG_2891.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCVhCmT3GBI/AAAAAAAAAPM/SfDEOH9wD-g/s320/IMG_2891.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486898418292299794" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCVhCMDU9sI/AAAAAAAAAPE/Qq7uMEh7HPo/s1600/IMG_2885.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCVhCMDU9sI/AAAAAAAAAPE/Qq7uMEh7HPo/s320/IMG_2885.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486898411243632322" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCVhBotBnII/AAAAAAAAAO8/gS6MQrU0-KA/s1600/IMG_2879.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 248px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCVhBotBnII/AAAAAAAAAO8/gS6MQrU0-KA/s320/IMG_2879.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486898401754848386" border="0" /></a>Had to see the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline while here. This is a stretch of it above ground. Most of the pipeline is above ground as the temperature of the oil is over 100ºF and would melt the permafrost. In some areas the line has to run underground but special measures are taken to keep the soil cold. The line is 48 inches in diameter, 800 miles long, crosses 3 mountain ranges, and has been operational since 1977.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCVhA6zL4UI/AAAAAAAAAO0/BrF-MM63Y2g/s1600/IMG_2871.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCVhA6zL4UI/AAAAAAAAAO0/BrF-MM63Y2g/s320/IMG_2871.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486898389432656194" border="0" /></a>- a Great Horned Owl visits the trees right outside Dave and Jill's window (making the resident squirrel chirp frantically in panic mode).<br /><br /><br />Leaving Fairbanks tomorrow morning. Will stay over in Talkeetna on our way to Seward. Fairbanks has been great, and Jill and Dave are the best hosts you could ask for. Has been very nice to have a kitchen, free laundry,wireless internet, and TV for the kids. Their apartment feels like a mansion compared to the hostels we've been in. But, Dave and Jill are gone on a fishing trip and I am anxious to head south - back into the mountains and on to the sea - ready for new adventures!Karen Glumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08741558528195938203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525790958327893270.post-19059392066087607952010-06-24T11:40:00.000-07:002010-06-24T13:15:11.239-07:00UAFStaying at the University of Alaska Fairbanks where Dave and Jill are teaching for the summer. Spent the last few days putzing around - definitely a slower pace than the previous week. I think Scott and the boys are enjoying the slowdown, but it makes me antsy. While here we've hit all the science highlights - visited the UAF Museum of the North (great movies on auroras and Alaska in winter), 2 hour tour of the Geophysical Institute (the Alaska Satellite Facility and the Alaska Volcano Observatory) and toured the Large Animal Research Station where they study musk ox and caribou. Which leads to the question, why study musk ox and caribou? Lots of answers but the most interesting one is a super efficient bacterium found only in the rumen of musk ox that has implications for the development biofuels out of straw. Yes, that is interesting to me. Met a middle school teacher that is a very promising lead on developing some collaborative projects between 7 Hills and Fairbanks students. That makes me happy :0)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCOpVwFed1I/AAAAAAAAANc/9THDzRx02so/s1600/IMG_2801.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCOpVwFed1I/AAAAAAAAANc/9THDzRx02so/s320/IMG_2801.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486414962217613138" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCOpVZlBIZI/AAAAAAAAANU/jBZr6zb-S2E/s1600/IMG_2493.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCOpVZlBIZI/AAAAAAAAANU/jBZr6zb-S2E/s320/IMG_2493.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486414956175892882" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCOp4e5GhSI/AAAAAAAAAN0/X7gAxxs6VEY/s1600/IMG_2823.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCOp4e5GhSI/AAAAAAAAAN0/X7gAxxs6VEY/s320/IMG_2823.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486415558897730850" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCOpWc73fPI/AAAAAAAAANk/uuSqqD3kzLk/s1600/IMG_2822.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCOpWc73fPI/AAAAAAAAANk/uuSqqD3kzLk/s320/IMG_2822.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486414974256905458" border="0" /></a>The housing complex we're staying in was built specifically for native students. The circular arrangement of the units is a more familiar community structure. Signs are written in both English and native languages (nor sure if this is Athabascan, Inupiat, or what). Efforts by the college to make native students feel at home are very important as many students drop out because of pressure or the desire to return to their families.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCOra_58U4I/AAAAAAAAAN8/-zvZbXNxUE0/s1600/IMG_2821.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCOra_58U4I/AAAAAAAAAN8/-zvZbXNxUE0/s320/IMG_2821.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486417251386807170" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />"The Place Where You Go To Listen" at the Museum of the North. Lights and sounds constantly respond to and represent the movement of the sun and moon, and seismic and auroral activity. An interesting concept but you'd have to have a lot of time and patience to notice much change. I definitely lack the patience.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCOuCWvnFPI/AAAAAAAAAOE/DShTukiCq8o/s1600/IMG_2824.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCOuCWvnFPI/AAAAAAAAAOE/DShTukiCq8o/s320/IMG_2824.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486420126555641074" border="0" /></a><br />Large Animal Research Station<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCOpVZlBIZI/AAAAAAAAANU/jBZr6zb-S2E/s1600/IMG_2493.JPG"><br /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCOu2fLVfpI/AAAAAAAAAOs/ol8fY-vFnEc/s1600/IMG_2834.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCOu2fLVfpI/AAAAAAAAAOs/ol8fY-vFnEc/s320/IMG_2834.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486421022172610194" border="0" /></a> Large Animal<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCOuDmeEx5I/AAAAAAAAAOU/jmhTJDbcY2w/s1600/IMG_2848.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCOuDmeEx5I/AAAAAAAAAOU/jmhTJDbcY2w/s320/IMG_2848.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486420147956926354" border="0" /></a>Monitoring the data coming in from satellites at the Alaska Satellite Facility. A lonely job but it seems to suit this guy well - didn't even acknowledge us in the room.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCOuERZPATI/AAAAAAAAAOc/VoyseD1mBHY/s1600/IMG_2851.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCOuERZPATI/AAAAAAAAAOc/VoyseD1mBHY/s320/IMG_2851.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486420159479349554" border="0" /></a>Another lonely job evidenced by this guy talking to us for 2 hours about monitoring volcano activity using remote sensing. It was interesting...for the first hour.<br /><br />Scott and Dave went fishing last night up near Chena Springs. Both caught 2 Arctic Grayling and saw at least a dozen moose - one of which followed them to the car. Home at 3 AM - still light out.Karen Glumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08741558528195938203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525790958327893270.post-65200612214375716162010-06-21T22:38:00.001-07:002010-06-21T23:57:24.818-07:00Father's Day in Barrow<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBRYhBCaNI/AAAAAAAAAJs/F0A9IUmxnS0/s1600/IMG_2701.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBRYhBCaNI/AAAAAAAAAJs/F0A9IUmxnS0/s320/IMG_2701.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485473827758696658" border="0" /></a>At $18 a head we decided to skip the Father's Day breakfast at the cafe. Scott and I had almonds, dried fruit, and a granola bar. The boys ate canned fish out of styrofoam coffee cups. Good thing we weren't going after polar bears - their breath would have attracted them from a mile away!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Spent our last day in Barrow birding so the kids could see Spectacled Eiders. At the zoo this has always been one of their favorites - a goofy looking duck with a green hood over top of its head. Sadly they are threatened with extinction (in the wild) in the next 20 or so years. A combination of climate change and hunting of the ducks and their eggs. The boys did get to see them, plus the even odder looking King Eider.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBSDo3787I/AAAAAAAAAKE/YSbzvl3Oi38/s1600/IMG_2724.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBSDo3787I/AAAAAAAAAKE/YSbzvl3Oi38/s320/IMG_2724.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485474568602383282" border="0" /></a>Dave saw lemming tunnels and caught one by hand to the boys delight.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBSDaFJgQI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/Mi4n-umnT14/s1600/IMG_2711.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBSDaFJgQI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/Mi4n-umnT14/s320/IMG_2711.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485474564631265538" border="0" /></a>Jill helped us appreciate the arctic flowers that emerged and developed almost over night. The tundra where we found them had been covered in ice just a day or two before. I guess when you don't have much time you get right down to business!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBSC2ZY15I/AAAAAAAAAJ0/mj3r0EnXhvY/s1600/IMG_2709.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBSC2ZY15I/AAAAAAAAAJ0/mj3r0EnXhvY/s320/IMG_2709.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485474555052480402" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBSEKWJrII/AAAAAAAAAKM/dSLpQ96EQes/s1600/IMG_2728.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBSEKWJrII/AAAAAAAAAKM/dSLpQ96EQes/s320/IMG_2728.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485474577587481730" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Pintail Duck (my only really good bird picture)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBS7Bp244I/AAAAAAAAAKU/mpFTwswNuFI/s1600/IMG_2729.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBS7Bp244I/AAAAAAAAAKU/mpFTwswNuFI/s320/IMG_2729.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485475520147022722" border="0" /></a>Ran into Denver (the Snowy Owl expert) on the tundra. The thing about birding is that other birders will always stop to see who you are and what you've found. He had a caribou hide strapped to the back of his ATV. A young Inupiaq boy killed it and gave him the hide as a gift. We all tried it out - very warm!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBTZdM7k8I/AAAAAAAAAKs/fhZP3_PGijc/s1600/IMG_2735.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBTZdM7k8I/AAAAAAAAAKs/fhZP3_PGijc/s320/IMG_2735.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485476042937963458" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBTZHl6DPI/AAAAAAAAAKk/AHEGGuvFK6s/s1600/IMG_2733.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBTZHl6DPI/AAAAAAAAAKk/AHEGGuvFK6s/s320/IMG_2733.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485476037137140978" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBTYoRXUCI/AAAAAAAAAKc/NgetYUbOSzw/s1600/IMG_2734.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBTYoRXUCI/AAAAAAAAAKc/NgetYUbOSzw/s320/IMG_2734.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485476028729479202" border="0" /></a>There were sealed holes visible all over the inside of the skin. He told us that warble flies lay their eggs on the legs of caribou. The larva move through the body to the area of the spine and when they are ready to exit they cut holes in the caribou skin. I have a new respect and pity for caribou!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBUUhaBDuI/AAAAAAAAAK0/U6jQBAVCzIs/s1600/IMG_2750.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBUUhaBDuI/AAAAAAAAAK0/U6jQBAVCzIs/s320/IMG_2750.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485477057678872290" border="0" /></a>On our last drive back to NARL ( - believe it or not I miss riding in the back of that pickup in the arctic air! - ) we stopped to check out some whaling boats (one complete, one just the frame). The frame is hardwood (not sure where they got the wood traditionally since the tundra has no trees) and is covered by Bearded Seal skin from the spring hunt. Boy did that skin smell!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBUVM0OyGI/AAAAAAAAAK8/isPELXz8qoo/s1600/IMG_2751.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBUVM0OyGI/AAAAAAAAAK8/isPELXz8qoo/s320/IMG_2751.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485477069331548258" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBUWahGyDI/AAAAAAAAALU/iH7lw3SKoBA/s1600/IMG_2753.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBUWahGyDI/AAAAAAAAALU/iH7lw3SKoBA/s320/IMG_2753.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485477090189297714" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBVOmbojNI/AAAAAAAAALc/eeubW2T_cq0/s1600/IMG_2757.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBVOmbojNI/AAAAAAAAALc/eeubW2T_cq0/s320/IMG_2757.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485478055460244690" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBUWNyHwLI/AAAAAAAAALM/6yLsbapxSeg/s1600/IMG_2755.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBUWNyHwLI/AAAAAAAAALM/6yLsbapxSeg/s320/IMG_2755.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485477086771003570" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBVPvz_Z_I/AAAAAAAAALs/2mPgi0Gu08M/s1600/IMG_2759.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBVPvz_Z_I/AAAAAAAAALs/2mPgi0Gu08M/s320/IMG_2759.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485478075158194162" border="0" /></a>Dave found some baleen nearby. Bowheads are baleen whales. This means they don't have teeth. Instead they have baleen which runs between the upper and lower jaws filtering zooplankton out of the water. The baleen can be as tall as 13 feet!<br /><br />It astounds me that an animal so large can feed on something so tiny. It made me think about the Gulf oil leak. So much attention goes to the victims that are easily visible and recognizable - the large mammals and birds. What mot people don't realize is the importance of the microscopic world at the base of the food web. I can't even imagine how the leak is affecting the base and what the long term consequences will be.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBVPOQjfTI/AAAAAAAAALk/PH6rR0dvQs8/s1600/IMG_2758.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBVPOQjfTI/AAAAAAAAALk/PH6rR0dvQs8/s320/IMG_2758.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485478066151193906" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Picture of most of a whale skull -<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBVQLKfgJI/AAAAAAAAAL0/IQYglu5ZNo0/s1600/IMG_2749.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBVQLKfgJI/AAAAAAAAAL0/IQYglu5ZNo0/s320/IMG_2749.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485478082500329618" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Ate one last meal at Pepe's North of the Border. Never did get to do the polar bear plunge. The water along the shore was still frozen to a depth of at least 6 feet. The only water we could have plunged into was effluent from the sewage plant. No thanks! I was not disappointed, but the boys were.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBXmywXLGI/AAAAAAAAAL8/GUcJB79Djak/s1600/IMG_2776.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBXmywXLGI/AAAAAAAAAL8/GUcJB79Djak/s320/IMG_2776.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485480670108527714" border="0" /></a>Took an hour or so flight back to Fairbanks. Despite the casual appearance of the airport (park your truck right in front, anybody can walk right in) they took security seriously going through every inch of every bag taken on the plane. Maybe they are looking for illegally hunted or purchased animal products as well.<br /><br />On the plane met Benjamin, a 7th grade Inupiaq boy from Barrow Middle School. He was headed to Boy Scout camp in Fairbanks. Sitting next to Scott he told him about going on a whale hunt (a successful one) this spring, and having successfully hunted polar bear and caribou. Elliot <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBXndFnKDI/AAAAAAAAAME/KhkHQ8Eb3ZQ/s1600/IMG_2778.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBXndFnKDI/AAAAAAAAAME/KhkHQ8Eb3ZQ/s320/IMG_2778.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485480681471944754" border="0" /></a>yelled across the aisle to ask if he was a football fan. He likes the Steelers. I have his science teacher's email and am hoping maybe we could do a joint project of some sort next year. Would be neat to "meet" Benjiman again in this way.<br /><br />An uneventful arrival in Fairbanks, but interestingly we all immediately noticed the smell of trees when we passed through the airport doors. Hadn't noticed them before, but I guess being somewhere with no trees whatsoever makes you more sensitive to their scents.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBXn0dKEyI/AAAAAAAAAMM/kZhimMrztuc/s1600/IMG_2786.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBXn0dKEyI/AAAAAAAAAMM/kZhimMrztuc/s320/IMG_2786.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485480687744717602" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBdKNCA8OI/AAAAAAAAAMs/_VPu7w0nr-U/s1600/IMG_2644.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBdKNCA8OI/AAAAAAAAAMs/_VPu7w0nr-U/s320/IMG_2644.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485486776015450338" border="0" /></a>I miss Barrow already. I hadn't expected it to take hold of me like it did. It's not beautiful to the eye in the way of Denali or Matanuska, but it has a peacefulness that is beautiful in its own right. Whether its the isolation or something else, it gets to your soul.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBeBuSfXyI/AAAAAAAAANE/6WjEU3L7UNg/s1600/IMG_2692.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBeBuSfXyI/AAAAAAAAANE/6WjEU3L7UNg/s320/IMG_2692.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485487729835728674" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBeBLiFMUI/AAAAAAAAAM8/N_ndlVf3xak/s1600/IMG_2689.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBeBLiFMUI/AAAAAAAAAM8/N_ndlVf3xak/s320/IMG_2689.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485487720505880898" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBeCG62I_I/AAAAAAAAANM/LalRxoo_-hA/s1600/IMG_2699.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCBeCG62I_I/AAAAAAAAANM/LalRxoo_-hA/s320/IMG_2699.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485487736447443954" border="0" /></a>Karen Glumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08741558528195938203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525790958327893270.post-1546345998391204652010-06-21T20:06:00.000-07:002010-06-21T22:36:52.923-07:00BASC, Birds, and Bears<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCAtWoNnCEI/AAAAAAAAAIU/jsa-esH9CHc/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-06-21+at+3.18.36+AM.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 241px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCAtWoNnCEI/AAAAAAAAAIU/jsa-esH9CHc/s320/Screen+shot+2010-06-21+at+3.18.36+AM.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485434212912138306" border="0" /></a>Jill, Dave, Elliot, and I were the Science Saturday speakers this week at BASC. They didn't know what kind of turnout to expect because the weather was beautiful (blue sky, above freezing) and that would keep people away. Had about 15 people there but not the crowd we expected. We were told it would mostly be parents from town, but I suppose they were out enjoying the day with their kids. Instead our crowd was some scientists, the North Slope Borough school superintendent, Barrow's only judge, a teacher, and a handful of others. Really it was the people we wanted to be talking too - those who might want to collaborate with us on some science education projects. One of the scientists, Denver Holt, is the world's expert on Snowy Owls. I mentioned during the presentation that one of my classes studied the effect of the presence of a Great Horned Owl on the behavior of birds at our feeders. Denver was really interested in the fact that 6th graders were doing experiments like this. He's going to send me his paper on a similar experiment he did with the idea that maybe my students could model his work. A great contact to have!<br /><br />In the evening (if there is such a thing here) we took a tour out to Point Barrow - the most northern point in North America. The Chukchi and Beaufort Seas converge here. It is in this area where the Inupiaq from Barrow leave the whale carcasses so polar bears will come here and not into town. We went looking for polar bears but found only prints and fur. We did see spotted seals on the ice (and scientists on the ice studying ice melt).<br /><br />Nathaniel, the van driver, is an Inupiaq who's family has a long history here. He is the co-captain of his whaling boat. They took a whale last year and are still eating from it. They eat it about 3x per week. It is frozen raw and eaten that way. They hunt Bowhead but sometimes mistakenly catch a Right Whale which look very similar. The difference is that crustaceans grow on the skin of Right Whales but not Bowheads - you don't want to eat skin with parasites. Nathaniel says a hunt lasts about 2 - 3 weeks. Hunters sleep in tents they pitch on the sea ice.<br /><br />Whale Carcass<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCAtXDEH5vI/AAAAAAAAAIc/la4zs4nT9ac/s1600/IMG_2623.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCAtXDEH5vI/AAAAAAAAAIc/la4zs4nT9ac/s320/IMG_2623.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485434220120106738" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Scott, Dave, and Nathaniel<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCAv6YrgvQI/AAAAAAAAAJk/2c1a80Euc58/s1600/IMG_2641.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCAv6YrgvQI/AAAAAAAAAJk/2c1a80Euc58/s320/IMG_2641.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485437026241133826" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Dipping Fingers in (and standing on) the Arctic Ocean at Point Barrow<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCAtY7P0lvI/AAAAAAAAAIs/aR6RZUawCT8/s1600/IMG_2631.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCAtY7P0lvI/AAAAAAAAAIs/aR6RZUawCT8/s320/IMG_2631.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485434252381427442" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCAtZTgMIlI/AAAAAAAAAI0/yjddyvnRNsw/s1600/IMG_2632.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCAtZTgMIlI/AAAAAAAAAI0/yjddyvnRNsw/s320/IMG_2632.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485434258892530258" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Polar Bear Fur and Prints<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCAu6pJ_tQI/AAAAAAAAAJc/l3jMQLUZYPc/s1600/IMG_2633.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 234px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCAu6pJ_tQI/AAAAAAAAAJc/l3jMQLUZYPc/s320/IMG_2633.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485435931152332034" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCAtXyu91oI/AAAAAAAAAIk/ngSHXzbLQ7c/s1600/IMG_2627.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCAtXyu91oI/AAAAAAAAAIk/ngSHXzbLQ7c/s320/IMG_2627.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485434232916268674" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Elliot's Seal Rib<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCAu6IqLOJI/AAAAAAAAAJU/tr0SjZuMDAk/s1600/IMG_2674.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCAu6IqLOJI/AAAAAAAAAJU/tr0SjZuMDAk/s320/IMG_2674.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485435922428934290" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Michael by the Beaufort Sea<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCAu5iBJ6SI/AAAAAAAAAJM/PY9wSETuyS4/s1600/IMG_2676.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCAu5iBJ6SI/AAAAAAAAAJM/PY9wSETuyS4/s320/IMG_2676.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485435912056334626" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCAu5LitvKI/AAAAAAAAAJE/mAtRRQsq1W8/s1600/IMG_2700.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCAu5LitvKI/AAAAAAAAAJE/mAtRRQsq1W8/s320/IMG_2700.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485435906023079074" border="0" /></a>Around midnight Dave, Jill, Scott, and I went out birding again on a tip from some Norwegian birders staying at NARL. The rare Ruff was spotted in the tundra - an important "life bird", along with Spectacled Eiders. Scott spotted the Ruff - a male putting on full display which is quite a show! We also saw Spectacled and King Eiders and another Snowy Owl. Back to NARL around 1 AM and it still looked like midday. A little boy - no more than 6 - was pushing his bike down the gravel road by the sea as we drove home.<br /><br /><br /><br />Birding at Midnight<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCAu4G2uyHI/AAAAAAAAAI8/FAL3iJ6OkyU/s1600/IMG_2693.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TCAu4G2uyHI/AAAAAAAAAI8/FAL3iJ6OkyU/s320/IMG_2693.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485435887584987250" border="0" /></a>Karen Glumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08741558528195938203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525790958327893270.post-62435414996494180742010-06-19T11:36:00.000-07:002010-06-23T22:22:23.159-07:00Barrow, Alaska 71.30 N<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TB0nvHh9ExI/AAAAAAAAAIE/hP-pSH_Ckaw/s1600/IMG_2499.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TB0nvHh9ExI/AAAAAAAAAIE/hP-pSH_Ckaw/s320/IMG_2499.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484583611635929874" border="0" /></a>Arrived in the land of the midnight sun. What a strange experience - no matter what the hour it feels like it's mid afternoon. The land is flat and treeless - views of tundra or icy Arctic Ocean (the Chukchi Sea). It has a stark beauty.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TB0nWJlgZfI/AAAAAAAAAH8/R0LmmFUfUlQ/s1600/IMG_2566.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TB0nWJlgZfI/AAAAAAAAAH8/R0LmmFUfUlQ/s320/IMG_2566.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484583182690969074" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The airport was an interesting experience - one room serves as the only gate plus baggage claim. The place was wall to wall people, not because the flight was crowded but because locals have supplies shipped in so whole families were there to pick up everything from toilet paper, to dog food, to dogs!<br /><br />Picked up our rental truck - a 6 seater pickup (for 7 of us) with a broken windshield. The boys were anxious to get their turn to ride in the back, despite 34º temps. and gusty winds. They loved it!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TB0oEMgxiFI/AAAAAAAAAIM/ziKS7_eumqw/s1600/IMG_2507.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TB0oEMgxiFI/AAAAAAAAAIM/ziKS7_eumqw/s320/IMG_2507.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484583973750409298" border="0" /></a>We're staying at the NARL hotel where the word hotel has the loosest interpretation possible. It's a dorm for scientists doing research facilitated by BASC (Barrow Arctic Science Consortium). Of course the first scientist I meet in the hotel is not only from Ohio, not only from UC, but is someone I met several years ago when I contacted him to put together a weather workshop for teachers. It's an odd feeling to turn a corner in Barrow, Alaska and see a face that gives you that "I think I know you" feeling.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TB0nByNvpsI/AAAAAAAAAH0/YtH4ZR5ZH6Q/s1600/IMG_2553.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TB0nByNvpsI/AAAAAAAAAH0/YtH4ZR5ZH6Q/s320/IMG_2553.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484582832819906242" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TB0kH2DCdZI/AAAAAAAAAHM/hOgt2ftqM1A/s1600/IMG_2534.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TB0kH2DCdZI/AAAAAAAAAHM/hOgt2ftqM1A/s320/IMG_2534.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484579638393075090" border="0" /></a>Started our first full day with birding. Jenny, Scott, Elliot, and Michael enjoyed bouncing over dirt roads in the bed of the truck. Saw 20 or 30 species including Snowy Owls, Red Phalaropes, Yellow-billed Loons, and the grand prize, the endangered Steller's Eider. Dave and Michael both did happy dances when we got this one. It is a big life bird. Michael and Elliot are happy to be getting an early start getting life birds!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TB0khTcdi0I/AAAAAAAAAHU/FhIC-2ZpTq8/s1600/IMG_2544.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TB0khTcdi0I/AAAAAAAAAHU/FhIC-2ZpTq8/s320/IMG_2544.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484580075781065538" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TB0lV17FRMI/AAAAAAAAAHc/kPGjxnc9ZX8/s1600/IMG_2546.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TB0lV17FRMI/AAAAAAAAAHc/kPGjxnc9ZX8/s320/IMG_2546.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484580978389501122" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Back at BASC we meet with 2 scientists doing arctic research. I won't even say where both are from but it starts and ends with O and has hi in the middle. Imagine that. The first guy, Noah Ashley, is researching circadian rhythms in birds (Lapland Longspurs I think). Some species maintain a 24 hour rhythm during the dark winters/ light summers while others do not. Noah is trying to find out what environmental cues are used by birds who maintain the 24 hour rhythm. So far he's tested light intensity and color temperatures but birds did not entrain to either of these in the lab.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TB0l6jWP7lI/AAAAAAAAAHk/_sRVMr2PoSc/s1600/IMG_2552.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TB0l6jWP7lI/AAAAAAAAAHk/_sRVMr2PoSc/s320/IMG_2552.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484581609058332242" border="0" /></a>George Divoky is a real charachter with wild hair and a personality to match. George documents climate change by studying seabirds. He helped a Black Guillemot population get established on Cooper Island in the Chukchi Sea. A few nesting pair were living in crates left behind by the Navy, so George added more nest boxes to increase the population size sufficiently to use it for study. In the 40 or so years that birds have been there a lot has changed - due to climate change, specifically ocean ice melting earlier and reforming later in the summer.<br />Guillemot's were first able to inhabit Cooper Island in the 60's because the arctic summer had lengthened to 80 days - the amount of time they need to nest and raise young. With the warming climate, summer continued (continues - now 140 days!) to lengthen and in the 80s Horned Puffins moved up from the subarctic and began competing with guillemots for nest cavities. Puffins destroy the guillemots' eggs. By the mid 90s ice was melting earlier in the season and therefore retreating further from shore over the course of summer. Guillemots feed on cod which feed on zooplankton beneath the ice. A lack of ice means shifting to a new food source - subarctic fish that moved into the area and are much less nutritious. Brood reduction is the result with alpha chicks attacking beta chicks in competition for food. In addition to this stress, polar bears, unable to reach the ice in late summer (which they need as they hunt for seal) started visiting the island in 2002. They flip nests and eat the birds though they get few calories from them. In 2009 180 chicks hatched. 89 were killed by puffins. 90 killed by polar bears. One survived. In George's words the situation on the island is "chaos... [it] teaches me about climate change in a way that's visceral". He tried to describe how it feels to have so much invested in this research (including emotionally) and then "any interesting story ends with 'and the bear comes along and eats them' ". Hopefully his own story won't end that way as it has become quite dangerous on the island.<br /><br />George was very generous to spend so much time with us. He is quite the busy and fascinating guy. There is an article and future book about his work, "George Divoky's Planet". He's been on Letterman and the BBC is coming to film his work next week. Despite this he is very happy to work with our bird education collaborative to bring his experiment to Seven Hills. We'll be in touch with him to work on the specifics but we may have students tracking different birds' and their fates on Cooper Island. He's also willing to skype (when off the island) and visit the school as he has friends in Cinti anyway. How cool is that!<br /><br />Our last meeting of the day was with Glen Sheehan, BASC's director then it was dinner at the famous Pepe's restaurant where our waiter Joe (who looks exactly like Smeagol from Lord of the Rings) kept us ... umm.. entertained. On the way to Pepe's we saw some of the Inupiaq men driving truckloads of bowhead whale meat to be processed. The annual whale hunt occurs each spring. Each Inupiaq family is allowed one whale which can be used by the family but not sold. Another interesting climate change connection - the Inupiaq are needing larger whaling boats because the swells that come in are now larger due to the changes in sea ice.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TB0meE-t3pI/AAAAAAAAAHs/U9gtf0vNk7I/s1600/IMG_2562.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TB0meE-t3pI/AAAAAAAAAHs/U9gtf0vNk7I/s320/IMG_2562.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484582219381857938" border="0" /></a><br /><br />-- Inupiaq whaling boat.Karen Glumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08741558528195938203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525790958327893270.post-35592931675362794752010-06-19T00:12:00.000-07:002010-06-19T01:18:07.901-07:00Denali National Park<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBxvXz_1QDI/AAAAAAAAAGE/252woSDjhe4/s1600/IMG_2444.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBxvXz_1QDI/AAAAAAAAAGE/252woSDjhe4/s320/IMG_2444.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484380901116035122" border="0" /></a>Took the shuttle bus to the Eileson Visitor Center in Denali today. Private cars can only drive in the 1st 15 miles. Beyond that you have to take a shuttle bus or hike in. The weather was clear and we were fortunate to be able to see Denali (Mt. McKinley) clearly almost the whole time. Most visitors to the park do not as it is usually hidden in clouds. Even when it is clear in the rest of the park, Denali is so tall and massive it generates its own weather. The entire ride (8 hours of it!) was spectacular. Sometimes the colors of the mountains were muted tans, greens, and reds, other mountains were stark black and snow white against the bold blue sky. Words that come to mind are majestic, endless, intense, alive.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBxxQrE5H6I/AAAAAAAAAGM/FWZSWmBOUng/s1600/IMG_2441.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBxxQrE5H6I/AAAAAAAAAGM/FWZSWmBOUng/s320/IMG_2441.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484382977485512610" border="0" /></a>In addition to the mountains we saw 4 Grizzlies, a herd of Barren Ground Caribou, lots of Dall Sheep (the park was created to protect these), Golden Eagles, a Gyre Falcon (thanks to a birder on our bus), Snowshoe Hares and the most precocious Ground Squirrels.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBxzhMAoPqI/AAAAAAAAAGU/tFDIt9a1oMk/s1600/DSC09256.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBxzhMAoPqI/AAAAAAAAAGU/tFDIt9a1oMk/s320/DSC09256.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484385460227161762" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBxziwjVV7I/AAAAAAAAAGs/3jVZ3L3WLLU/s1600/DSC09229.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBxziwjVV7I/AAAAAAAAAGs/3jVZ3L3WLLU/s320/DSC09229.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484385487216269234" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBx9FU6rEBI/AAAAAAAAAHE/CTaHgCigbf0/s1600/DSC09236.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBx9FU6rEBI/AAAAAAAAAHE/CTaHgCigbf0/s320/DSC09236.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484395976698040338" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />I think I am being stalked! Once again, Ohioans are following me. The girl behind me on the bus is from the Cincinnati area AND is a former student of Jill Russell's - one of the professors we are here to travel with. What are the chances of that???<br /><br />Teacher Talk: Denali is 56 million years old, 20,320 feet high, and still growing at a rate of about 1mm per year. It is made of granite (formed after molten magma solidfied underground) which resists erosion much better than the shale, limestone, and sandstone that make up many of the other mountains in the Alaska range. The mountain range is forming as the Pacific Plate continues to collide with the North American Plate (a convergent oceanic-continental boundary moving at about 5 cm per year), causing folds in the North American plate. Denali is Athabascan for "great one".<br /><br />The trees in Denali - in fact, throughout Alaska - are smaller than I expected. I was expecting enormous conifers such as those in the Pacific northwest. They are small due to the short growing season and to permafrost - permanently frozen soil that is not far from the surface. Because tree roots can't penetrate deeply, their growth is stunted. Our shuttle driver told us about a tree that was downed and was only about 12" in diameter. Scientists were unable to see any growth rings until they took it to a lab, dyed it, and viewed it with a hand lens. The tree was just under 500 years old!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBx7ME4-paI/AAAAAAAAAG0/Qzsg5ALWJDI/s1600/IMG_2472.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBx7ME4-paI/AAAAAAAAAG0/Qzsg5ALWJDI/s320/IMG_2472.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484393893631796642" border="0" /></a>Denali is full of "braided rivers" that are glacially fed. They look like really large rivers that have dried up and left behind a mostly empty riverbed. Braided rivers form when meltwater flows off a glacier and gradually deposits its sediments. When enough are deposited in one area it changes the path of the water and a new channel is formed. This is repeated over and over, hence the braided appearance.Karen Glumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08741558528195938203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525790958327893270.post-29460474180328619272010-06-16T23:21:00.000-07:002010-06-16T23:40:50.285-07:00Talkeetna<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBnA59X5dyI/AAAAAAAAAF8/JwqanPhGT_I/s1600/DSC09205.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBnA59X5dyI/AAAAAAAAAF8/JwqanPhGT_I/s320/DSC09205.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483626123260163874" border="0" /></a>Left Matanuska for a night in Talkeetna. The town claims to be the inspiration for the TV show Northern Exposure. It's a tiny but busy town where climbers gather to prepare their ascent of Denali. Stayed at the Talkeetna Roadhouse, an establishment that's been around since the early 1900s. Our bunk room opened directly into a dining area - not 4 feet from the table. No way to hide morning bedhead and breath! Oh well, Alaska is nothing if not laid back! Once again, no escaping Ohio. The girl who checked us in has a boyfriend from Milford and knows people from Blue Ash!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Made it to Denali late afternoon. Staying at the Mountain Morning Hostel in the Coffee Grinder. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBnA49YYjLI/AAAAAAAAAFs/Mlcupyg0hKs/s1600/DSC09211.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBnA49YYjLI/AAAAAAAAAFs/Mlcupyg0hKs/s320/DSC09211.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483626106082331826" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBnA4V5Y1ZI/AAAAAAAAAFk/CWCtKwmC994/s1600/DSC09212.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBnA4V5Y1ZI/AAAAAAAAAFk/CWCtKwmC994/s320/DSC09212.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483626095483344274" border="0" /></a>Outside our hostel is a beautiful creek with lots of rapids and a great view of a mountain.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Briefly visited the park - saw a moose! Back to the hostel to cook spaghetti and canned soup. Met some great people from Germany and Australia. The family from Australia plans to be in Barrow when we are. They're going to take the polar bear plunge in the buff! Hope not to be around to see that!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBnA3xR_-VI/AAAAAAAAAFc/RukUQUmStbg/s1600/DSC09224.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBnA3xR_-VI/AAAAAAAAAFc/RukUQUmStbg/s320/DSC09224.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483626085654460754" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBnA5QY6mMI/AAAAAAAAAF0/Zs72U0SgVUM/s1600/DSC09217.JPG"><br /></a>Karen Glumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08741558528195938203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525790958327893270.post-37500217020056108862010-06-16T22:19:00.000-07:002010-06-16T23:02:09.717-07:00Matanuska Glacier<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBmxIjdn7sI/AAAAAAAAADU/tCMcG8C0twc/s1600/IMG_2349.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBmxIjdn7sI/AAAAAAAAADU/tCMcG8C0twc/s320/IMG_2349.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483608781816852162" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:10pt;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">Said goodbye to the Anchorage Guest House. On our way out met a Sierra Club group going on a 9 day kayaking trip. One lady was a prof. at Wright State. Can’t escape Ohio anywhere! These folks in the picture are from NY so Scott had a little taste of home as well. </span><o:p></o:p></span> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">Hiked Matanuska Glacier in Chugach State Park. What an experience! Best part, once again, the kids’ reactions – especially Elliot’s. Can’t say how many times he said, “This is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen! Mom, is this the most beautiful place <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBmsjvBfnaI/AAAAAAAAAC8/fUTbiODEAA0/s1600/DSC09190.JPG"><span style="text-decoration: none;color:blue;" ><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483603751218421154" spid="_x0000_i1027" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBmsjvBfnaI/AAAAAAAAAC8/fUTbiODEAA0/s320/DSC09190.JPG" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBmsjvBfnaI/AAAAAAAAAC8/fUTbiODEAA0/s1600/DSC09190.JPG" style="'width:320pt;height:240pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'" button="t"> <v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/glumkar/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0/clip_image003.jpg" title="//1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBmsjvBfnaI/AAAAAAAAAC8/fUTbiODEAA0/s320/DSC09190.JPG"> <v:textbox style="'mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span></a>you’ve ever seen?” (I'd have to <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBmxYbafs7I/AAAAAAAAADc/_Z6ub27w3GY/s1600/DSC09190.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBmxYbafs7I/AAAAAAAAADc/_Z6ub27w3GY/s320/DSC09190.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483609054534153138" border="0" /></a>say it was one of them!) He was all enthusiasm. Michael was all about giving me and the guide a heart attack as he would fail to walk the path he was supposed to, or start to use his ice trekking pole as a weapon! He enjoyed himself though! Our guide Chris was great with both the boys. Once again, unable to escape Ohio as both Chris and the trekking group before us were Ohioans.<o:p></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBmySQJenqI/AAAAAAAAADk/UPnByxJyMq0/s1600/IMG_2373.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBmySQJenqI/AAAAAAAAADk/UPnByxJyMq0/s320/IMG_2373.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483610047942401698" border="0" /></a>Teacher Talk: This is an ice cone. Ice cones form when the silt and rock covering a particular area of ice does not erode, but that around it does. Therefore, the ice under the silt/rock doesn’t melt and sticks out like a cone (not sure why that shape).<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBmtTV8-xoI/AAAAAAAAADE/iHhGI00sS9c/s1600/IMG_2373.jpg"><span style="text-decoration: none;color:blue;" ><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483604569122326146" spid="_x0000_i1026" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBmtTV8-xoI/AAAAAAAAADE/iHhGI00sS9c/s320/IMG_2373.jpg" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBmtTV8-xoI/AAAAAAAAADE/iHhGI00sS9c/s1600/IMG_2373.jpg" style="'width:240pt;height:320pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'" button="t"> <v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/glumkar/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0/clip_image005.jpg" title="//3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBmtTV8-xoI/AAAAAAAAADE/iHhGI00sS9c/s320/IMG_2373.jpg"> <v:textbox style="'mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span></a><o:p></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBmtw8w4_hI/AAAAAAAAADM/u0JbZR2KDFI/s1600/IMG_2375.JPG"><span style="text-decoration: none;color:blue;" ><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483605077756804626" spid="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBmtw8w4_hI/AAAAAAAAADM/u0JbZR2KDFI/s320/IMG_2375.JPG" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBmtw8w4_hI/AAAAAAAAADM/u0JbZR2KDFI/s1600/IMG_2375.JPG" style="'width:320pt;height:240pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'" button="t"> <v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/glumkar/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0/clip_image007.jpg" title="//3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBmtw8w4_hI/AAAAAAAAADM/u0JbZR2KDFI/s320/IMG_2375.JPG"> <v:textbox style="'mso-rotate-with-shape:t'/"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><br /><!--[endif]--></span></a><o:p></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBmyzU9s1AI/AAAAAAAAADs/h-Vr_soDuHw/s1600/IMG_2375.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBmyzU9s1AI/AAAAAAAAADs/h-Vr_soDuHw/s320/IMG_2375.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483610616170861570" border="0" /></a>This is a piece of the ice cone. The air bubbles trapped here predate the industrial revolution. Clean and tasty!<o:p></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBm0HfQoPFI/AAAAAAAAAD0/BLfArEtEc5M/s1600/IMG_2379.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBm0HfQoPFI/AAAAAAAAAD0/BLfArEtEc5M/s320/IMG_2379.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483612062043618386" border="0" /></a>This is a table rock – a medium to large sized rock that sits angled over an ice cone. As the sun follows its path in the sky it melts all areas of the ice except a little area to the north (the part shaded by the rock). Gradually this causes a rock that was laying flat to slope to the south. It’s pretty cool to see a bunch of these all facing the same direction.<o:p></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBm08IxC-kI/AAAAAAAAAD8/4oxH4zYE8SA/s1600/DSC09173.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBm08IxC-kI/AAAAAAAAAD8/4oxH4zYE8SA/s320/DSC09173.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483612966538639938" border="0" /></a>Much of the glacier has a “swiss cheese” appearance with lots of small holes. These form where small dark colored rocks have warmed from the sun thereby causing the ice beneath to melt.<o:p></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBm2IYt35kI/AAAAAAAAAEE/KiuV86D3_FI/s1600/IMG_2377.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBm2IYt35kI/AAAAAAAAAEE/KiuV86D3_FI/s320/IMG_2377.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483614276490356290" border="0" /></a>Chris is throwing a rock into a glacial moulin – a hole through which water drains back into a glacier then enters a network of channels within and beneath the glacier. The water eventually empties at vents. If a glacial lake (a lake of meltwater on the surface of a glacier) sits over a plugged moulin, the lake can disappear very rapidly if the moulin becomes unplugged.<br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal">Our guide told us about a child who fell into one of these several years back and has never been found. Very sad and very scary!<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBm4juo7yCI/AAAAAAAAAEM/TaNVtBVlo8Y/s1600/IMG_2358.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBm4juo7yCI/AAAAAAAAAEM/TaNVtBVlo8Y/s320/IMG_2358.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483616945254942754" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="font-family:arial;">This is wild sweet pea. Chris says it's the plant that killed Chris McCandless (of Into the Wild). Moose love it, but it is poisonous to people. It was growing all over the glacier’s terminal moraine.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBm5qlK0AkI/AAAAAAAAAEU/vEM7mDiZFO4/s1600/IMG_2368.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBm5qlK0AkI/AAAAAAAAAEU/vEM7mDiZFO4/s320/IMG_2368.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483618162483397186" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Karen Glumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08741558528195938203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525790958327893270.post-3308629722498088612010-06-15T12:25:00.001-07:002010-06-15T12:25:48.481-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBfSv9THcxI/AAAAAAAAACc/PPAOPlrO2L0/s1600/IMG_2335.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBfSv9THcxI/AAAAAAAAACc/PPAOPlrO2L0/s320/IMG_2335.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483082792697295634" border="0" /></a>Flattop Mountain (the peak on the right in the back) is the most climbed mountain in Alaska. At 3510 ft and just a few miles outside Anchorage, it seemed like the perfect easy afternoon hike. It was perfect, but it wasn't easy. The trail was a really good workout and exceptionally beautiful, but the final ascent to the summit was something totally different. No trail, just find your way up the rocks. It would be a fun challenge. Add a kid who is terrified of heights, certain he is going to plunge to his death, but determined to reach the top anyway and it becomes an experience that won't ever be forgotten. I have never seen Elliot so terrified, not even close. I have never, never seen the <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBfS6Mtc4OI/AAAAAAAAACk/13u77zJkHug/s1600/DSC09160.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBfS6Mtc4OI/AAAAAAAAACk/13u77zJkHug/s320/DSC09160.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483082968632975586" border="0" /></a>fierceness of his determination like that. When he made it to the summit I thought I'd die of pride. He came down from the mountain a different kid. How cool is that?<br /><br />Gotta have my science teacher moment: The Chugach Mountain Range is formed from the collision of the Pacific Plate with the North American Plate. Usually oceanic plates subduct beneath continental plates and the plunge back into the Earth's mantle to be melted. In the case of the Chugach Mountains, a part of the oceanic plate scraped off and was grafted to the continental plate. From what I've learned so far <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBfTcHygSYI/AAAAAAAAACs/9z-1wxe2ipc/s1600/IMG_2332.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBfTcHygSYI/AAAAAAAAACs/9z-1wxe2ipc/s320/IMG_2332.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483083551427545474" border="0" /></a>scientists aren't really sure why. Another cool thing about the mountains is that they supposedly get the most snowfall per year of any place in the world. Michael took advantage of this fact and pummeled me with 3 snowballs!Karen Glumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08741558528195938203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525790958327893270.post-1089885533281534842010-06-14T08:50:00.000-07:002010-06-14T09:57:14.704-07:00Anchorage Guest House and Tony Knowles Trail<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBZUYHuOsVI/AAAAAAAAABE/lF5lbJDGBM4/s1600/DSC09118.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBZUYHuOsVI/AAAAAAAAABE/lF5lbJDGBM4/s320/DSC09118.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482662369736700242" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBZSwobpcZI/AAAAAAAAAA8/12X_W6Sr8XQ/s1600/DSC09114.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBZSwobpcZI/AAAAAAAAAA8/12X_W6Sr8XQ/s320/DSC09114.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482660591810736530" border="0" /></a><br />June 13 - midnight in Anchorage (4 AM Cinti) - arrived at Anchorage Guest House. The picture was taken without flash - sun sets but it never really gets dark during the few hours between sunset and sunrise. Right to sleep after a long day of travel!<br /><br />Above is Andy Baker, owner of the hostel. Really nice guy -great sense of humor and very playful with the kids. Keeps a very clean place and is really helpful. A Pittsburgh native, he's become the Alaskan outdoorsman with great stories about being chased by moose and encounters with bears. Is a performer too - singer, songwriter, guitarist. Didn't get to hear him play though.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBZczFLm0FI/AAAAAAAAAB0/mlhyIZor4d0/s1600/DSC09117.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBZczFLm0FI/AAAAAAAAAB0/mlhyIZor4d0/s320/DSC09117.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482671629004099666" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here is a picture of Michael pointing to some of our destinations on the map hanging in our room.<br /><br />Hiked part of the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. Lots of birds! Below is a Bald Eagle being chased by gulls.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBZWi1ZOfwI/AAAAAAAAABU/t1dFAR8-AEc/s1600/IMG_2320.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBZWi1ZOfwI/AAAAAAAAABU/t1dFAR8-AEc/s320/IMG_2320.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482664752818585346" border="0" /></a><br />Black-billed Magpies (below bottom left) are all over. They're loud but I thought they were beautiful. We also saw a pair of Red-necked Grebes, Greater Scaup, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs (Lesser is below right) and a Green-winged Teal. My favorite was the Arctic Tern. Watching it maneuver as it prepared to dive for food was incredible. It travels from Arctic breeding grounds to wintering grounds off of Antarctica each year. It may cover 25,000 miles - the farthest yearly migration of any bird. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBZbwwpgopI/AAAAAAAAABs/K5pFa3R-jCM/s1600/IMG_2328.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBZbwwpgopI/AAAAAAAAABs/K5pFa3R-jCM/s320/IMG_2328.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482670489621013138" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBZXG3obAbI/AAAAAAAAABc/Ljvde7bmoc0/s1600/IMG_2324.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TBZXG3obAbI/AAAAAAAAABc/Ljvde7bmoc0/s320/IMG_2324.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482665371894481330" border="0" /></a>Karen Glumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08741558528195938203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525790958327893270.post-79288980870480699742010-06-08T17:02:00.000-07:002010-06-08T17:06:36.092-07:00Alaska is for the Fish!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TA7alkmofyI/AAAAAAAAAA0/foHRSncFq6Y/s1600/IMG_2316.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TA7alkmofyI/AAAAAAAAAA0/foHRSncFq6Y/s200/IMG_2316.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480558135572201250" border="0" /></a>Waders packed, filet knife sharpened, ready for combat fishing.Karen Glumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08741558528195938203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525790958327893270.post-39437139276318902632010-06-07T09:00:00.001-07:002010-06-07T09:18:00.204-07:00Alaska is for the Dogs!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TA0YdYCpdMI/AAAAAAAAAAs/oJv-f-xw9Xc/s1600/IMG_2264.JPG"><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TA0YaRH1n5I/AAAAAAAAAAk/2XxywFLHN8A/s1600/IMG_2305.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TA0YaRH1n5I/AAAAAAAAAAk/2XxywFLHN8A/s320/IMG_2305.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480063161131704210" border="0" /></a> <span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:180%;" >Denali</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TA0YdYCpdMI/AAAAAAAAAAs/oJv-f-xw9Xc/s1600/IMG_2264.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kQSlCSnalw/TA0YdYCpdMI/AAAAAAAAAAs/oJv-f-xw9Xc/s320/IMG_2264.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480063214528591042" border="0" /></a> <span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);font-size:180%;" >Moose</span><br /><br />As an incentive to come back to Cincinnati these 2 beauties will be waiting for us to officially adopt them from Save The Animals Foundation!Karen Glumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08741558528195938203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525790958327893270.post-64345515979697002312010-05-14T06:57:00.000-07:002010-05-14T07:18:13.182-07:00About the TripThe 'Fellowship of the Birds' (for you Lord of the Rings fans) sets off for Alaska on June 12. We go in pursuit of birds, glaciers, wildlife, volcanoes, earthquakes, and the arctic, but especially to meet teachers and scientists who will become our partners in teaching science. The Fellowship is my sons Michael and Elliot, my husband Scott, Drs. Dave and Jill Russell (our bird experts!), and Professor Jenny Wohlfarth (journalist extraodinaire!). Check in between June 13 and July 4 to see what we are up to!Karen Glumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08741558528195938203noreply@blogger.com2