Summery things for summery times

After a two month hiatus from blogging (AKA summer) I'm back.  Summer is full of things to do.

Bike 1.0

School got out at the end of May.  Spent a horribly boring week in Bethel afterwards mapping out high school math curriculum.  Then flew home to Minnesota.  Been living with a buddy and his girlfriend in south Bloomington.  He doesn't have a car.  I don't have a car.  We are very likely have the lowest car to person ratio in the south metro.  Our bike ratio, however is probably one of the higher (it's 2.67:1).  Yeah, there are eight bikes in our garage.


Rode the MS 150 in early June.  Third year for that.  Team Night Bike raised $2695 this year for the MS Society.  Not bad.  The weather was unbelievable.  Thanks to everyone who contributed.

Then Ohio for a few days then Kentucky for one (that state is terrible) where I visited the Creation Museum (easily the dumbest place I've ever been).

It's also been aggravatingly hot this summer.  Today the dew point was 82.  Heat index of 110.  Stupid.

So biking, a little cooking (new obsession - Indian food), happy hours, dinner parties, lakes, grocery stores, biking, oh, I got contacts but can't put them in very well yet, subbing at the Y, swimming, reading, hammocking, and constructing...a chicken coop.  Lots more on the chickens to come.

seriously, what is cuter than this?

Things are a little different here

Things just aren't what I expected.  After living here for almost two years (I know - it's really not that long) there are weekly, if not daily, things that occur where I am caught off guard.

Here's a recap of the last week and a half:

• Thursday, March 31 - The other high school teacher gives me a quick overview of her sub notes - just in case (just in case the sub doesn't show up...seriously, this happens more than it should and all of a sudden I am teaching two classes).  Then she shows me Monday's plans in case she gets weathered in Bethel (she has a meeting at the district office - 125 miles west by air).  Whatever, I think, it's almost April...that weather is over.
•  Friday, April 1 - The sub shows, everything goes fine
• Saturday, April 2 - The snow starts.  Winds pick up.  Visibility goes down.
• Sunday, April 3 - Same as Saturday.  In like a lion, out like a lamb?  I thought that was March.
• Monday, April 4 - No planes since early Friday.  Looks like those sub notes will be important.  The sub works up through lunch when my fellow teacher finally gets in.  Actually, she landed in Toksook, the village seven miles from us and was picked up on a snowmobile by her brother because our runway was still closed.
• Tuesday, April 5 - State testing begins.  Blizzard warnings begin (see previous post).  Fantastic.  Still haven't gotten any planes.
• Wednesday, April 6 - Day 2 of testing.  Blizzard begins in earnest.  By noon visibility is about 100 yards.  The truest whiteout I have ever seen.  We end up dismissing early to waiting parents.  All students are signed out to ensure their safe journey home with a responsible adult.  Overkill?  Nope - we ended up summoning search and rescue about four times to find lost people.  All were found, however two were at the bottom of a cliff.  Snowmobiles + blizzards + alcohol is a TERRIBLE idea.  They both lived, miraculously, but the snowmobile is a wreck.  More on this later...
• Thursday, April 7 - Day 3 of testing.  Weather okay in the morning, but predictions of 70mph winds prompts the second early release of the week.  Students again are signed out as the winds begin to gust.  Not sure we hit 70, but... 50mph is still pretty intense.
• Friday, April 8 - "Eric, there's a plane on the river!"  Unbelievably beautiful day.  It's about 40 degrees and sunny, but our runway is still covered in snow and ice.  The troopers sent out a plane with skis to med-evac the cliff faller.  Not sure on the extent of the injuries, but to get a plane to fly out and land on a frozen river, they must be fairly severe.
• Saturday and Sunday, April 9-10 - Weather blows.  Literally.  Constant wind.  Snow falls at times.  The drifts are impressive.
• Monday, April 11 - It's cold outside (about 8 degrees with 25mph winds).  It's also cold in the school.  Apparently the fuel pumps for the school boilers were turned off over the weekend.  Thermometer read 42 degrees in the high school when I arrived this morning.  I taught four periods wearing my boots, my parka, a hat, and mittens.  I tried to warm the room by playing that fireplace video from YouTube, but had little luck.  We released after lunch.
• Tuesday, April 12 - I can't wait to find out what tomorrow will bring.

So this is terrifying...

You'd think that state testing happening all this week would be bad enough, but nope, how about a "Special Weather Statement" from the National Weather Service.  I keep getting reminded that I live in Alaska.  This is one of those times.  Here is the warning:

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK

230 PM AKDT TUE APR 5 2011

AKZ155-161-062100-

...DANGEROUS ICE CONDITIONS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG THE ALASKA WEST COAST...

...POTENTIAL FOR COASTAL FLOODING ALONG THE SOUTHWEST COAST...

A VERY STRONG LOW MOVING ACROSS THE BERING SEA THIS WEEK WILL RESULT IN DANGEROUS SEA ICE CONDITIONS ALONG THE WESTERN ALASKA COAST.

IN BRISTOL BAY STRONG ONSHORE WINDS STARTING WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUING INTO FRIDAY MORNING WILL CAUSE ICE TO PUSH ONTO BEACHES FROM DILLINGHAM TO TOGIAK. BEACH EROSION CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED FROM NAKNEK TO TOGIAK BAY.

FROM CAPE NEWENHAM TO TOKSOOK BAY ICE SHOVES ARE LIKELY THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

MORE INFORMATION ON EXPECTED ICE CONDITIONS FOR AREAS NORTH OF THE KUSKOKWIM DELTA ALONG WITH DETAILED GRAPHICS ARE AVAILABLE AT HTTP://PAFC.ARH.NOAA.GOV/ICEGRAPHICS.PHP.

IN ADDITION TO DANGEROUS ICE CONDITIONS THERE IS ALSO POTENTIAL FOR MINOR COASTAL FLOODING ALONG THE SOUTHWEST ALASKA COAST THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. A LONG FETCH OF WESTERLY STORM TO HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WILL BUILD SEAS UP TO AROUND 35 FEET OVER THE SOUTHERN BERING SEA BY THURSDAY MORNING. STRONG WINDS WILL THEN MOVE THESE VERY HIGH WAVES TOWARD THE SOUTHWEST ALASKA COAST THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY. THE PRESENCE OF SEA ICE DOES HELP TO DAMPEN THESE WAVES. HOWEVER...THERE IS STILL A THREAT FOR STORM SURGE DURING HIGH TIDES TO PRODUCE MINOR COASTAL FLOODING.

THIS SITUATION CONTINUES TO BE MONITORED CLOSELY.

THE NEXT STATEMENT IS SCHEDULED AT 1 PM WEDNESDAY.

Seal! (My adventure hunting for seals)

What? Where?

Of course at this point in time I was taking photographs of myself.  I would like to reiterate that I am one of the worst hunters in the world.  And in this situation it wasn't a terrible thing.  I mean, I not legally allowed to hunt seals.  Of course nothing is illegal about being out on the ice in close proximity to seal hunters.  And so that's what Robby and I were doing.

Out along the point past the break up

Seal hunting is actually a lot more boring than it sounds.  Unless you already know that hunting is boring.  Then it's probably a little more exciting than other hunting.  It begins with a snowmachine ride to the end of the ice.  This is terrifying.  The Bering Sea in March is very cold.  And the ice shows signs of cracking off from the rest of the ice, and at times I was certain that I would be the sole inhabitant of the world's newest iceberg.  Fortunately that did not happen.

That jagged white edge is about a mile out from shore - it was along this we traveled.

Once you make it to the edge you look into the water.  I was supposed to be looking for the shiny head of a seal that has come up for air.  Cruel - sure.  Wait for the poor puppy-faced creature to come up for a breath of fresh, clean, Alaska air then BANG!  Dead seal.  So I wasn't the most observant watch for more than one reason.  It's okay though, George has more sea spotting eyes than both Robby and myself combined and he spotted the first seal.  This was the time that I was a few hundred feet up the hill taking photographs of myself.  Meh.

Nope...no seals.

We watched for a while longer but see nothing.  George leaves Robby and me and heads down along the break.  Minutes later we see him crouched, rifle leveled.  Does he see something?  BANG!  Then I see it - the back of a seal surface then dive.  "TOO HIGH" I hear George yell.  Oh.  Too bad I guess.  I can't really figure out if I want to see George get a seal or if I want the seal to get away.  Doesn't really matter though, escape the seal did.  Good for him (or her - I have no idea).

After getting bored of hunting I decided that a photoshoot was in order.  I still have a hard time taking hunting serious.  Oh well - my talents lie elsewhere.

Friday in Tununak.

What else do you think I would be doing?

A collection of things I think.

A collection of things I think.
A collection of things, I think.

This year has been pretty awesome.  Lots of the things are Tununak specific.  I guess you had to be here.  But many other things you may like.

Here are the somethings for everyone.

I have just realized that two of my favorite things differ by a single vowel.  Biking and baking.  here is a picture of me doing both (okay...I'm not actually baking in the photograph.  That is the steak for the Philly cheese steaks I made - the buns were baked).

 FYI -A fast bike does not speed up cooking

Seriously - one of the best things I have baked.

Okay, next thing.
This American Life is fantastic.  Produced by Chicago Public Media and aired on NPR stations around the country, it tells some of the most excellent stories about people.

 My favorite opening line from a recent episode (#419 Petty Tyrant) - "Of course there are tyrannical, manipulative bullies everywhere, but Steve Raucci was special, a virtuoso." 

So good.  So insane.

What else?

Oh, I climbed a mountain yesterday.  Terrifying.  Icy.  Windy.  Sunny.  Beautiful.  Steep.  Tiring.  Wonderful use of a Saturday afternoon.

Bering Sea.  March 5, 2011.

Whoa! February is over

Months fly by - it's very impressive.  Next week is the end of third quarter.  The sun began it's rise at 9:07 this morning in the middle of second hour.  It always catches me off guard.  I need to stop and watch it.  I just like the sun so much.

It's been a strange year.  Weather - bizarre.  It rained snow last week.  Then it dropped thirty degrees during the day.  We've had two snow days - of those one was needed, the other changed it's mind and was kind of a free day.  Of course those days will need to be made up so good bye vacation days in March.  Mehh.  It's not like I had plans.

I actually don't have plans of leaving the village until May.  This could mark the longest stretch of time I have been in one place ever in my entire life.  I mean I rarely travel more than a mile from my house.  Maybe to the post office.  Maybe on a jog.  But definitely not much more than that.  Just try and imagine that for a second - not leaving a circle one mile in diameter for four months.  It's weird.

But come May I will be leaving.  Will I be returning?  That is a question I am toying with.  I like it here.  I like my students and the school and my coworkers are so great.  But I am so far away from everything else.  What to do?  Any input would be appreciated.

Oh yeah.  And my hair is getting long.

 

News

Here is an article about Newtok that appeared in the November/December Orion Magazine.  It's a pretty interesting article discussing the impact that climate change is having on the arctic region with a focus on indigenous villages.

Newtok is out neighbor to the north and many of our students have direct relations there.  The article talks about the power of family in Yupik culture and this is so true - my students spent twenty minutes looking at the pictures in the article discussing the connections they have to the people (from parents to cousins to friends).  I recommend reading the article.

Click the pic.