Okay. So here is my elevator-pitch update. Ready, inhale, and hit it Ace Ventura Pet Detective-style:
Alaska (may-october), black bears peeking through the bedroom window in the night, seasonal workers/comrades/besties, bushwhacking through native Devils Club and Muskeg, midnight ocean swims lit by the fairy-like phosphorescence of the sea, becoming Miss Maypole in the locally infamous “Fish Pirate’s Daughter” play, unbeatable salmon jerky, hanging with Gabe and Cupcake (@Alaskan Bush People), dancing on rooftops wrapped in the warmth of the moment and lost in the distant stars, 3 am wake-up to witness the total lunar eclipse, you name it.
...I hope one of the seven open tabs on your computer is dazed with elevator music...
By Halloween, I was back in Michigan visiting family/friends and preparing my turkey-wear for Thanksgiving. Then off for some southern sun in my sexy red-stitched-leather-seated Ford Fusion (14 hour solo drive, a few stops to pay-it-forward, and a bag of boiled peanuts later) I arrived. Several weeks later, and another 14 hour drive, I was back north for family Christmas and winterloverland.
“We seem to be experiencing slower elevator times do to an overload of destinations/details. Your ride will be extended for several paragraphs…”
At this point, something extremely important happened: Atreyu (fellow AT thru-hiker, thespian, writer of sorts, expert craftsman of miniature boats, and dear friend) shared with me the an opportunity for a life “power-up”. With steep competition, I took the opportunity, the “mega mushroom”, and joined the race of 135 Bowsers, Princesses, Toads, and Yoshis that were vying for, what I can now call, MY and my partner’s: Blake Edward Jackson, dream job (more on this later). #Subaru/LeaveNoTraceTravelingTrainer
(inhale) I hopped a plane between interviews, caught my two gal pals on vacation in LA, stayed with one of my best AT trail buds and hiking partner of more than 500 miles: Turbo, toured highway 1/101 through Big Sur, over to Yosemite, down to Sequoia National, caught a bus in Fresno, hopped off in San Fran, met with Zorro (another trail bud), crashed there for a couple weeks trying my best to understand Hebrew and consuming champion-worthy homemade, brick-oven pizza, found a random Craigslist Rideshare with Shoji, this totally kickass, generous, funny, personable rocksolidstar who believes in the goodness of the world and does his part in sharing it, who knows when the Thai menu says spicy, they really mean it, and who leaves the shelter of a planned route in chance of meeting someone new, learning something new, &/or giving something known (you totally rock man, come visit). Shoji dropped me in Bellingham with my girl Bekah, a new Leave No Trace advocate/role model, who brought light to my story through a couple glasses of wine, shared her city, her family, and tales of relatable awkwardness. (...2) Picked up Blake and his Great Dane (Raleigh) from the Alaskan Ferry, we rented a car, made it to Michigan in 4 days, 3 car camps, 2 ice cream cones, and 1 detour to a small ski town bar to deliver a clipping of Blake’s old rat tail braid. From Michigan we took my sexy car to Georgia and…(ding) I put it up for sale. Itisnolongermysexycar:(
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