Summer Solstice

My difficult, but noteworthy (due to the discover of Berry Blast 5 hour energy shots), ride up to Bellingham ended with a car deserted in the ferry terminal parking lot, keys left in the gas tank door. I pushed my over-packed self and my heavy laden bicycle up the iron grated ramp as fast as I could. I was moving slightly faster than a monk in meditation. A boat full of carefree travelers smiled down upon me from the upper deck and I arrived minutes later alongside them, only to see all of the sleeping spots had been commandeered. This was probably due to the 48 Mennanites from Virginia, high school students traveling across the country on a big red bus.

It was time to switch into Super Traveler! First, I threw my pile down, sat atop it, and took break. Then, I began to do the rounds; making friends, sharing stories, and smiling... a lot. Within the hour, I had a bed and a new friend named Bryan. He got a bed too.

The rest of the ferry trip went as expected. I saw many whales: humpbacks and orcas. There were beautiful views and lots of people to teach about the Inside Passage ecosystem. I stepped off the ship Columbia and back onto land in Juneau at 4:45 yesterday morning and then re-boarded a new ferry a few hours later. Despite the climate it navigates, this ferry is called The Fairweather and it is the newest of all the Alaskan state ferries. The coffeeshop looks like a set bar for The Starship Enterprise.

One of the engineers offered to take me on a tour of the deck and though I wasn't sure what that meant, I said, "Yes please!" I followed him past the "crew only" doors up and up until we had the best seat in the house. Upon entering the sacred control room, the captain turned to me and said, "Welcome to The Starship Enterprise." I felt like a 4 year old in playland. It was sooo cool!!

By the time I left the bridge, I had an offer to captain one of the engineer's boats from Sitka on a 3 day king salmon run in a few week's time. Another of the engineers designated himself my new photography student and I saw two more whales.

Finally, I made it to Sitka and to the hostel. I am now in the process of working up a life. Will I be working at the bear center, the hostel, bike and hike guiding, or selling photographs? Maybe on this foreign planet called Sitka, I will find a way to do it all.