From Alaska

It's Saturday about midday, meaning I've had enough time now to settle in to the new routine of things. My flight out here went fine, meeting a few friendly and interesting people on the flights. I sat on the Seattle runway and watched the sunset, then as we took off it rose just a little bit back into the sky and for the next three and a half hours direct to Fairbanks it didn't move a bit. There was the beautiful dusk glow out my window the entire flight as we flew over incredible landscape, the last of which was the Alaska Range and Mt. McKinley. After collecting my baggage and walking outside, I was just in time to see the sun again go behind some hills just after midnight.

I ran some errands around Fairbanks and then drove a couple hours to the small coal mining town of Healy. There was definitely a necessary lifestyle adjustment when I arrived here. There's more time to do nothing, and to read and to write and to cook meals. It's much simpler. My second day at the house was my first day of work. I spent some time in the garage learning about the machines, something I didn't do at all last year. Then I tagged along in the rear of our Stampede Trail tour. Yesterday I was able to lead a few of our Otto Lake tours, and am now into the flow of things. The land is as beautiful as it was last year, and still surprises and amazes me constantly. I'm grateful to be here.