Smack-Down in Cashmere

The little town of Cashmere, WA, is home to the purveyors of world-famous Aplets & Cotlets. I've always wanted to stop there for a look-see, and this road trip seemed like the perfect opportunity. What I wasn't expecting was the "smack-down" that ensued between two of my traveling buddies from Archie McPhee.

It all started out so well with an interesting and informative tour of the Aplets & Cotlets production facility, followed by a thorough, personal and very entertaining tour of the retail store.

I bought a few samples and returned to my rig, where I was forced to referee quite a ruckus that had ensued between Mr. Bacon and Monsieur Tofu.

Apparently, the lads had taken it upon themselves to argue the merits of Aplets & Cotlets, with Monsieur Tofu taking the vegetarian position and Mr. Bacon claiming outrage at the absence of any pork-product.

I'm afraid I had to rule this one in favor of Monsieur Tofu.

Just down the street, however, was Country Boy's BBQ where a huge bronze pig adorns the entry way. It was clear there would be no peace in my life unless we stopped there, so that Mr. Bacon could have his own victory in the battle of food stuffs.

Thus, the smack-down in Cashmere ended in a 1-1 tie… Stay tuned!

US Highway 2 -- "End-to-End" -- Underway!

I started out in earnest this morning, driving north on I-5 and turning east at the beginning of US Highway 2.

The road pretty quickly heads up into the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, and the alpine ambience is very distinct.

I've driven this portion of US Hwy 2 many, many times before, but being the first few miles of my "End-toEnd" road trip gave it a very different, much more significant feeling.

In anticipation of my road trip, my good friends at Archie McPhee have given me a few traveling buddies, including a "Bigfoot Action Figure." As you can see, the Bigfoot theme is a pretty big deal in the Cascades area and my new buddy fit right in.

My first stop was for coffee, of course. I could't resist the promise that my first coffee stop on US 2 would be my best, and the barista was happy to pose with Bigfoot for the record.

So, I'm on my way and the US 2 hijinx have begun in earnest!

US Highway 2 -- "End-to-End"

For my first road trip, I've decided to drive US Highway 2 from end-to-end!

US 2 is an east–west U.S. Highway spanning 2,579 miles (4,150 km) across the northern continental United States. US 2 consists of two segments connected by roadways in southern Canada. Unlike some routes, which are disconnected into segments because of encroaching Interstate Highways, the two portions of US 2 were designed to be separate in the original 1926 highway plan.

The western segment of US 2 has its western terminus at Everett, Washington and its eastern terminus at St. Ignace, Michigan. The eastern segment of US 2 has its western terminus at Rouses Point, New York and its eastern terminus at Houlton, Maine.

That's the technical info -- pulled straight from Wikipedia by the way -- but the "lore" is quite more involved. US 2 is the only major east-west road across the uppermost US, and it serves as the transportation backbone of that latitude. There was much talk back in the 60's about it being upgraded to Interstate standards, but the lack of population -- and, I suspect, political capital -- meant it never happened. Instead, it is called "The Hi-Line" by most folks in the know and it is a classic US Highway.

My interest in US 2 is multi-facted. Mostly, I drove part of the Hi-Line on the first Voyage of Macgellan and was so fascinated by it -- and its environs -- that I feel compelled to check out its entirety. Small populations sparsely located... What could be more interesting than that! Also, it's the middle of summer and I don't like the heat, so a northerly route has appeal. Finally, I feel the need to head east to check in with my family and this seems like a good way to get there!

I'll be hitting the road in earnest tomorrow and intend to drive it end-to-end, including a stint through Canada to "connect the dots." I will do my best to post updates from time to time along the way... Stay tuned!

Macgellan Update: Back On The Road… Literally!

As you all know, these are "interesting" times with lots of things in flux: economically, politically and socially. As a scientist, I am intrigued by systems under pressure. As a philosopher, I am inspired by stimulus and response. As an explorer, I am compelled to go take a look for myself.

So, I have decided to hit the road... Literally!... and have put together the "road rig" you see here, comprised of a Ford 350 Super-Duty pickup truck -- whom I have named "Darth" for what I hope are obvious reasons! -- and an Arctic Fox 990 camper.

My plan -- insofar as I have one -- is to explore the cultural topography of North America. My premise is that "interesting" times of flux provoke vastly different stimulus and response among a large population across a vast land mass. With this rig I have assembled the capability to pursue my premise wherever it leads me.

There's obviously a lot more to this story, but that's all I have to report at the moment... Stay tuned!

Happy The Sled Dog Goes To School

Note: This is an excerpt from my contributions to the SP Kennel Dog Log

School kids and sled dogs - what a combination!

Happy the Sled Dog and Aliy visited Badger Elementary School in North Pole, Alaska one morning this spring. We told stories about the Iditarod and the Yukon Quest and talked about overcoming hardships in order to reach your goals. Of course, we also talked about caring for dogs and how to stay warm in the winter.

Happy and Aliy hope that they are invited to visit many more schools in the future!

Alaska Winter Wrap-Up

I had a fantastic -- amazing! -- time in Alaska. Living through the cold, dark and sometimes brutal winter conditions, bonding with a large pack of truly extraordinary sled dogs and working with exceptional people were all very powerful and highly rewarding experiences for me. From the moment I arrived until the end of the racing season, it was non-stop, fast-paced and intense. I loved it.

When we returned to the Kennel from our Post-Iditarod mushing adventure in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, I was astonished at the transformation. What had been a vast landscape of white, hard-packed snow only a few days before had suddenly become an expanse of boggy ground and muddy roads. The dogs were quite happy to be laying out in the sun on top of their houses, but for us humans it was a struggle to just walk around and downright treacherous to drive. Nature had once again given me a very clear signal: My "winter expedition" was over and it was time to move on.

I spent a few days wrapping up odds and ends, packing up my gear, closing up my cozy cabin and saying goodbye to all my human friends in Two Rivers. I had intended to go through the dog yard and give each of my canine friends a farewell hug, but by the time I had visited with Teddy, ChaCha, Stella and Happy... Well, I was a mess and could barely manage a wave at the rest of them before getting in my car and driving to the airport. If you've every had trouble saying good-bye to a dog, try to imagine parting with sixty of them. Ugh.

I flew straight to Seattle and hit the ground running with all of the stuff I usually do when I check in here: Catch up with old friends, catch up with myself and take care of all the personal business that's been pretty much ignored for months. It still amazes me that no matter how small and simple I make my life, there's still a lot that needs to be managed!

I've also started spending some time thinking about what might be next for me. Although I've come up with a few intriguing ideas, there's nothing that's clear enough for me to "put out there" yet. I've got a lot more thinking to do...

So, what is it I always say? Stay tuned!

ANWR 2009 -- Part 5: On The Run

Note: This is an excerpt from my contributions to the SP Kennel Dog Log

Here is last part of the video series on our recent Natural Extremes mushing adventures in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR):

ANWR 2009 -- Part 4: Life With Dogs

Note: This is an excerpt from my contributions to the SP Kennel Dog Log

Here is Part 4 of the video series on our recent Natural Extremes mushing adventures in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR):

ANWR 2009 -- Part 3: Panorama

Note: This is an excerpt from my contributions to the SP Kennel Dog Log

Here is Part 3 of the video series on our recent Natural Extremes mushing adventures in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR):

ANWR 2009 -- Part 2: Mushing

Note: This is an excerpt from my contributions to the SP Kennel Dog Log

Here is Part 2 of the video series on our recent Natural Extremes mushing adventures in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR):