Nick and Die: On the Wings of the Die

The Northern Spotted Owl

I am on my way out to California to assist a Washington State PhD with her research on the Northern Spotted Owl(above). We will be determining buffer distances at which OHV(off highway vehicle) trails should be placed through monitoring Owl habits and reactions to passing vehicles. This is my second venture into research and my first into intense fieldwork. I am excited and ready. But... I need to get out there first.

In a rush I threw my gear/life together a few days ago and got on the road. If I waited any longer I was afraid it wouldn't happen.

The christening of the "Die" (Notice she was christened with an expensive bottle of Paps Blue Ribbon, year 2007)

The first night I camped out on the Blue Ridge Parkway which was a really nice. The Blue Ridge Pkwy is my favorite road in America right now. One thing that stuck with me was the friendliness (almost camaraderie) of the fellow drivers and bikers. Every wave was returned and appreciated as though we acknowledged how lucky we all were. If you haven't done it before its something that shouldn't be described - it should be witnessed. I shouldn't really put any pictures up because they can't do it justice. But I did(above).

For whatever reason, I can't say I was all there... I had trouble putting my finger on the source of my uneasiness but my mind was telling me that something was wrong...

Surrounded with such awe inspiring beauty I feel as though its only right to go really slow and stop at each overlook to meditate on the beauty of the world at a distance. I've always felt this way. Looking out the airplane window or down at a map - the world is perfect. I suppose its perfect up close also and there are plenty of things better witnessed an inch away, but when it comes to seeing something as vast as a Mt. Mitchell(the highest point east of the Mississippi) and surrounding valleys and hills I'll take it in from a distance to start with. Its like they say - "Don't eat anything bigger than your head". I feel like I need to know how big the thing is before I can dive in. Maybe that's why I like maps.

Even with all this contemplation going on I feel as though there is something wrong. Its a feeling of unearned reward... All I had to do was hop in my car put $30 in my tank and get on the highway... and Boom... I'm at the top of the world(at least east of the Mississippi) and I never broke a sweat or got mildly uncomfortable... I see the guys on motorcyclists and even bicyclists and I envy them: They are seeing AND feeling the things around them - not just seeing. I know its absurd but its important to recognize our inner most feelings - right?

I stopped in to Asheville, NC along the way and found that I liked it. I felt I could live there though the people that I saw and spoke to were not overwhelmingly friendly as I expected. They treated me a little as though I just got off the highway and didn't know where I was. Though I was just that.

Then I camped out again on the BRP. The next morning I got into the Great Smokey Mountains National Park with some weather creeping in - it was a pleasant misty rain. I climbed those mountains and went to the highest point in the park. This took 7 miles out of my way climbing up into the clouds and then 30 minutes hike up to an observatory with a predictable view. White clouds on all sides... It was a feel of intense isolation at the top of this observatory post with these clouds whipping all around you engulfing you from view. I could have pee-ed of the side and gotten away with it. I almost risked it(but then I thought there might be someone down below that I couldn't see - I try to be a nice guy about these kinds of things).

The view off the observatory to the North

South

East

West... Got it?

After coming back through the clouds to the land of 1m+ visibility I officially crossed into Tennessee(below) and hit the road hard.

I got lost in Nashville, got un-lost, and booked it to the Land Between the Lakes National Park in Northern TN/Southern Kentucky. I got there at ~9:45pm and it was dark and I was unhappy... But I met another guy about my age in my same position(traveling out west for a job with the bureau of reclamation) whose name was Mike. We showed up at the campsite together and shared a site($4 a piece). It was great to meet another guy in the same position as myself. The next day was on through a bit of KY and into Illinois.

Southern IL has quite possibly the most ridiculous names for cities of anywhere I've been so far. Here are a few of note: Metropolis(home of superman - photo below), Cairo, Future, and America to name a few. How cool would it be to live in THE Future(, Illinois that is). Or in THE America(, Illinois that is)... Pretty cool - that's how...

Superman... He's not as tall as I thought...

I eventually crept into St. Louis and found my Uncle's house with no significant issues. It has been such a pleasure to have 2 hot showers and a good meal. Thanks Leo and Mary! Today I head to Chicago to meet up with Uncle Nigel... and another shower! Ha! how lucky but then I hit the toughest part of my trip... Chicago, across south Minnesota, South Dakota(Badlands, Petrified forest, Mt. Rushmore), and then Dropping southwest through WY and then north west to Grand Teton(how do you pronounce that? A cookie if you know), Yellowstone, and then I should be in southern MT (tired, probably a little smelly and dirty) to see my retired professor, Steve "the dream" Levine (I only wish I could claim that nickname as my creation). After that I'll creep down into northern CA through Eugene, OR(to see Susan - friend from Thailand). From there I'll for 2 months then go south through CA and head due east past the Grand Canyon and into Florida for a family reunion in Perdido Key. After that its back to Chapel Hill and school in late August!

I have started this blog on a new concept(different from my blog from Thailand - npsjournal.blogspot.com). It will be a blog describing my trip and my internship but it will take a tone of self reflection and exploration as I have discovered that blogs have become another medium where I feel comfortable expounding and putting up nice photos as records. If it suits you, enjoy - if not, I won't be offended.

My plan/method is to call people when I feel a little tired as a sort of natural caffeine. Hence, expect a call from me. I also have a bunch of audiobooks I will be listening to to get me through the stretches of long boring interstate. I don't recommend Orwell's 1984 while driving the majestic Blue Ridge Parkway, however.

NICK

ps. I'm doing this trip with 2 rules: 1) No fast food 2) No hotels

pss. I thought about naming the blog "Forderosa" in acknowledgement of Che and Ernesto's "Poderosa" but in the end I decided against corporate sponsorship. Sorry GM... Instead of the weak direct translation of Poderosa to my own native language "The one that can" I decided to use the Thai word. "Die" is Thai for "can" in every conjugation and form. I would spell it "Dai" if I could but I think that's already taken...

psss. Below are some more photos: