#  >  > Non Asia Travel Forums >  >  > Travel the World Travellers Tales Forum >  >  Alaskan Tales n Pix

## hick

Welp, it all started on a little floatplane dropping us in....
(as the pilot said) "the absolute fuckin' middle of nowheresville!"




"Don't get eaten by a bear or stomped by a moose," were his final words.

Yeah, Yeah.

I had my brother with me for company during the 1st week.  After that, I was on my own.




In addition to each of us holstering bear spray and pig stickers, I brought along my special friend.




I've got better quality photos coming....but for now here are some highlights.

Have 1 more morning here to try and capture some more wildlife on film.

Ciao for now.

















Watch this space.  I saw 7 grizzlies yesterday in Denali.  Got most on the Canon.

----------


## Pragmatic

Looking forwards to you sorting out the picture problem.

----------


## BaitongBoy

Yeah, hick...Nothing there...But I've been in those parts...Stunning country...And no other humans around...And no bear spray, etc...

----------


## bobo746

Can't see any pics. :Confused:

----------


## cyrille

He must have really gone then, if he doesn't know photobucket's fucked.

----------


## bsnub

Hick switch over to imgur. Screw PB.

----------


## hick

Sorry chaps.  OP should be view-able now.

----------


## Neverna

How do you fill your days there, hick?




.

----------


## hick

Well, it depends on a few factors Nev.  I'm not living here, yet - I've been searching out remote properties of land for sale, so weather has been playing a part in what I do &/or decide to do each day.

Basically: drive/navigate, hike, camp, fish & take photos has been the standard.

Located most of the plots on my list but also decided against "going in" on a couple of others.

Have had a few bear scares, got charged by a bull moose, someone sent some warning shots over my head as I'd encroached on their land, but overall things have gone on w/o any major hitches.  

However, (TBH) I was on a _wildlife high_ at one point as a cow moose and her calf had just walked right under me while I was taking a break on a primitive bridge over a creek.  Shortly after, I went to crawl under a fallen tree that was blocking the trail.

Without checking my gear, I slid my gun to the other side and proceeded to get down on all fours and my bear spray canister erupted up my side and into my face.  I was legally blind for around 5 minutes and in some serious pain as a nearby squirrel tittered and laughed its little furry ass off at me.  

That was kinda' brutal.  Portions of my skin had a recurrence 2 nights later and just suddenly "_burst into flame_."  

Ahhh, so that's what human combustion might feel like!  :Razz:

----------


## BaitongBoy

'Kin hell, hick...That's what they say sometimes about weapons...That they are often used against you...

You have a dog with you?...

----------


## hick

No dog. The overwhelming local advice on that one was: they tend to attract more than deter.
  I suppose the +S and -s are debatable.

----------


## bsnub

Looking forward to more pics.  :Smile:

----------


## hick

Yeah man at Anchorage airport now. Got 2 days in FL before returning to the land o sand. Hopefully can find time to pop some up in the next day or two.  I'll try!  Need some pc time. Devices are wearing me out...

----------


## AntRobertson

Awesome thread/pics!

----------


## Nicethaiza

That you in the picture?..Nice place ...really nice...thanks to share..post more pic...

----------


## hick

Yeah Za, holding the gun and then GoPro strapped on my head. That's me ugly mug.

----------


## bnice2me

Hi Hick (Jimbo)? Looks like an adventure... 
Nice pics.. except your mug shot which is grizzly..haha.

----------


## hick

Yes PB.  And thank you,... I think.

----------


## nidhogg

Great thread.  Loved this:



Nothing but trees and bear shit - and a Thai restaurant.  Cool.

----------


## hick

Really could not get over the Thai presence up there. It bordered on the surreal.

 I'd be cranking by this no-town after an hour of pine n creek beds & boom!  
A little "Thai food" sign pegged to the mile marker. 

Also, checking out these towny camping / hiking shops - they'd have an inordinate amount of dehydrated Thai meals in pouches = just add hot water.  

Bizarre but welcome. 

Got me a 4 hand T massage on a brief hiatus in Anchorage.

----------


## snowman

Thanks for the photos of home.

----------


## BaitongBoy

Where do you hail from, snowman?...

----------


## hick

You're welcome Snowman.  Hope they serve to bring up some pleasant memories.  :Smile: 

Onward:

Off Denali HWY.  Called this "home" for a few days.

----------


## hick

Right outside Denali Natl. park (the cabin setup I _didn't_ locate)

----------


## hick

A bit outside Talkeetna (the village that inspired the TV show: Northern Exposure)

----------


## hick

Caribou (up close n personal)

----------


## hick

Golden Eagle (wingspan can reach 6.5 feet)

----------


## hick

The only "bear scare" where I could actually see the perp.

Others occurred in areas too thick too see more than a few feet - could only take in all the bear sign and then occasionally hear the marauders wreaking havoc nearby.

----------


## hick

Some Dall Sheep up the hillside = somewhat safe from bears, yet the golden eagle still lurks from above.

----------


## hick

Dall Ram

----------


## hick



----------


## hick



----------


## hick

Sooty Tern

----------


## hick



----------


## hick

McKinley (Denali = Native's name for "him") in the distance

----------


## bsnub

Awesome pics man!!!

----------


## hick

^ Thanks Bsnub  :Smile: 



Park buses *only* into the interior of Denali Natl. Park (or; after the 1st 25 miles)

Plenty of hiking/camping options along the way.

The longest bus into Denali is 13 hours in and approaches McKinley's base camp.

----------


## hick

Lesser peaks to the E of Denali.

----------


## hick



----------


## hick

Rock Formation at mile 15 which resembles a Native American face.

----------


## hick



----------


## hick

Anchorage overlook 5:30 AM

----------


## hick



----------


## hick

Flattop (outside Anchorage) warming up.

----------


## hick

This is 15-20 minutes from downtown(!)

----------


## hick

A "city" moose.

----------


## hick

This little bastards cousin laughed at me for 1/2 an hour after I bear sprayed myself.

----------


## birding

Great stuff Hick keep em coming.

----------


## hick

A little further south of the city now, at a gold panning operation.

----------


## hick

The proprietor

----------


## hick

And his assistant

----------


## hick

Bit of traffic, at times

----------


## hick

Looking back towards Anchorage.

----------


## hick

Just W of Stampede Rd., which becomes Stampede Trail.

The place where Chris Mccandless made his last march into the wilderness culminating in a book and movie entitled "Into the Wild."

----------


## hick



----------


## hick



----------


## hick

Goodbye Chris



I'd venture that multitudes of backcountry enthusiasts learned valuable lessons from your lack of preparation.

----------


## hick



----------


## hick

I spent a lot of time with this sow and cub.  

Had a good spot where I didn't have to check my back too often.

----------


## hick

This male was relatively near but not close enough to cause too much fuss.

----------


## hick



----------


## hick



----------


## hick



----------


## hick

That's about all I got for today.  

It was....quite the trip.  Lots of ups and downs.  Some portions were so hard going I was really grateful that I did NOT bring wifey along.  It'd have been that much harder going.  

Next trip she will come along and we'll probably break down and join the comfort searchers with an RV, ATV or small trailer and make backcountry hiking/camping more of an option and less of a target.

Hope you're enjoying.  I have quite a bit more to share.

----------


## bsnub

Outstanding thread!! What a great trip you had brother!!

----------


## hick

Almost forgot a few of the smaller critters:

----------


## hick

Ground squirrels weren't too shy.

----------


## hick

That's a "hare," not a rabbit.  I was corrected more than once.

----------


## SKkin

Very nice hick. Thanks for the updates on your plan.

So what have you decided? Going to go for it...or too soon to tell?

----------


## Bower

Great stuff, thanks

----------


## hick

> So what have you decided? Going to go for it...or too soon to tell?


Thanks for asking, big guy.  :Smile: 

Well,...I saw a lot of properties.  I'm digesting it all and doing my post research stuffin. 

I reckon I confirmed what I knew.  I love it up there and want a piece of it.

May throw out a bid or two before the end of the year or save it all up and close on something end 18' or beg. 19.'

----------


## hick

Today is Homer

----------


## hick

That extension (winding peninsula) is called the "Homer Spit"



*Not my photo

----------


## hick

Pretty foggy on arrival (but I brought clear weather everywhere I went)   :Razz:

----------


## hick

Home (or accom.?) near Homer beach.

----------


## hick



----------


## hick



----------


## hick



----------


## hick

Our Captain.  Earned his own boat when he was 16 years old. 

Takes out charter fishermen and women 7 days a week from May - Sept.



Might not look it, but he's 'ard as nails.

----------


## hick

Passing Puffin

----------


## hick

Couldn't really get a perfect shot.  
I'm due for an upgrade w/ longer lens and firmer stability.

----------


## hick



----------


## hick



----------


## hick

We had an average catch.

----------


## hick

Ling Cod on the left (I caught the far left one) and halibut on the right.

----------


## hick

I was specifically in the area to look at 2 plots of land.

The more favorable one had a view of this glacier.

----------


## hick



----------


## hick

Good day out.  Lots of action.

----------


## Nicethaiza

Very very great view...

----------


## BaitongBoy

Great pics, hick...Views like this all over the Northwest...I stumbled onto the "Hanging Gardens" one summer on an Alaskan island...Waterfalls all around us...

Like finding the Lost World...A bear's paradise with fish and wild berries everywhere...

----------


## David48atTD

Awesome images ... 

When you did that last trip, did you carry a weapon/s?

Assuming so, what sort was/were appropriate?

----------


## hick

^ yeah David.  

I was carrying a Mossberg 500 12 gauge pump shotgun (holds 6 rounds w/ 5 more on the stock), 1 full canister of bear spray, a 12" KaBar knife, a 5" boot knife and an airhorn.  

Really freaked out the family campers / RVers as I was putting my gear together in a public spot to head into the back country.


Next trip, I'll take out the bear spray and add a handgun...probably just a simple glock.


Also, my wife is keen to take some intensive survival courses and get a handgun license w/ a cert.

----------


## Topper

> Next trip, I'll take out the bear spray and add a handgun...probably just a simple glock.


45. wheel gun.  They don't mess up, they don't jam and they'll stop a bear.   I have a friend that was a guide and that's what he recommended as backup to an airhorn.

----------


## Switch

Stunning scenery Hick. Appreciate the effort you put in to it. Thank you.

----------


## hick

^ My pleasure, Switch.   :Smile:   Got some more comin'   :Wink:

----------


## Switch

^great stuff Hick. It's a truly amazing wilderness that I find fascinating and fearsome in equal measure. Really good to have such excellent first hand accounts on here.

----------


## hick

It's kinda' funny how the locals may laugh a little at the visitor with "bear behind every tree" syndrome, YET - they'll also (9 times out of 10) be the first to advise carrying into the back country and in some cases even in standard campgrounds. 

The threats are real.  Big animals get curious too.  Camp and hike smartly, stay clean and be ready for anything. 

Plan for the best while prepping for the worst, quickly became my motto.   :Smile:

----------


## Topper

> Plan for the best while prepping for the worst, quickly became my motto.


Being an optimistic pessimist usually is the best plan...

----------


## BaitongBoy

Pessimistic optimist, rather, for me...Bottom line is optimism...But it can be twisted any way you like...

----------


## bnice2me

Fantastic scenery of the wild and wildlife!




> The place where Chris Mccandless made his last march into the wilderness culminating in a book and movie entitled "Into the Wild.


I've read the book and seen the movie... the guy really had a dream, it is too bad he was so unprepared and died in the end. It is interesting to see the place. I thought it would be more remote.

----------


## hick

> I thought it would be more remote.


It is 20 miles beyond where I took that picture and that's just where he went "in."

BTW, the state removed the bus.

----------


## hick

Couple of shots my brother has sent out:

A ptarmigan



I gotta' take a little credit for these shots as he almost walked right by the tree with about a dozen of them hiding in the branches. 

 Heh.  

"_Psssst....Dave! Dave_!" <pointing>

----------


## hick



----------


## hick

My good self left-centered on Eklutna Lake

----------


## hick

A lonely structure on an even lonelier _Bear Lake._

----------


## hick



----------


## hick



----------


## hick

Taking a day off the backcountry

----------


## hick



----------


## bsnub

Good stuff!!

----------


## Ratchaburi

Great Thread hick green owed :Smile:

----------


## Switch

> 


A load of the landscapes on that vid deserve a minimum 60" screen.
Thanks again.

----------


## hick

> A load of the landscapes on that vid deserve a minimum 60" screen.


Your tablet, phone and laptop aren't connected to your TV, yet?    :Razz:

----------


## hick

> Thanks again.


Did you notice those grizzly cubs at 5:07?

They came bashing down the hill and split and scattered the salmon runners.  

Momma was up the hill occasionally sending down growls of disapproval.

----------


## Neverna

Some more great pics, hick. Thanks. 

Shine on you crazy diamond.

----------


## Switch

> Originally Posted by Switch
> 
> 
> A load of the landscapes on that vid deserve a minimum 60" screen.
> 
> 
> Your tablet, phone and laptop aren't connected to your TV, yet?


i do have a branded connector but my last and current accommodation don't have large screen smart tv's.
Too many humans in the bear cub shots.   :Wink:

----------


## hick

^^ Cheers Nev.  :Smile: 




> Too many humans in the bear cub shots.


Cannot argue with that.  

After my brother left, I'd do a mere 2 or 3 nights alone on some remote piece and when I'd be returning to the truck, (approaching civilization), I'd hear another truck (or ATV) in the distance and react with: "_Oh fuck! People_!"   :Razz:

----------


## birding

> ^^ Cheers Nev. 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Switch
> 
> ...



I know the feeling I have the same reaction when I come across chatterers here in Thai Forests.

----------


## David48atTD

*Hick*, saw this machine and thought of you.

Starts @ the 20 sec mark ... watch 'dem fingers though!

----------


## hick

Ha!  Think I'll be going the old fashioned way (w/ a little help to drop)

I.e.: chainsaw - drag - split



Grew up splittin' wood, may as well end it the same.   :Razz: 

But, thanks for thinking of me.   :Smile:

----------


## hick

Actually, (adding years to my Saudi sentence here)...am now considering two plots of land.  

One on the grid (w/ established cabin) and another one off it.  

We shall see.

----------


## hick



----------


## BaitongBoy

Right at the beginning, around the 10-second mark, the "weeds" on the bank are shaking..."Someone" was lurking on the right-hand shore...

----------


## hick

Ahhh, shit!  Tourism board scores again.  I've already re-booked.   :Razz:

----------


## hick

Flight shots:

AK

----------


## hick

Florida:

----------


## hick

Iran:

----------


## hick

Saudi:

----------


## hick

Anc airport

----------


## hick

Anc Hotel lobby

----------


## hick



----------


## hick

Sorry for any repeats....

----------


## hick

outside "Hope"

----------


## hick



----------


## hick

A few repeats coming,...

sum bars

----------


## hick



----------


## hick



----------


## hick



----------


## hick



----------


## hick

Harder to cover decent ground down this than it may look(!)

Beyond the obvious hold-ups, gotta' keep a very firm watch
on your 6 o'clock while remaining very aware of your immediate
surroundings.

----------


## hick

Oh great, cubs.  Errrrr, where's Momma?

----------


## hick

Stand tall....



Do not run....





Bluff-charge

----------


## hick



----------


## Looper

Great thread. 

Didn't see this before

 :goldcup: 




> each of us holstering bear spray


Does that bear repellent spray go on before or after the sunscreen? 

 :Smile:

----------


## hick

> Does that bear repellent spray work on grizzlies?


After having sprayed myself....(accidentally)....errr, no...I was "testing" it, yes - of course, I'd say that it may buy you a little time.

Buy you a few seconds, that is if you manage to hit the bear directly in the face.  They do tend to drop their muzzles near to the ground when charging up close, so there's that.

----------


## Looper

^What is it actually supposed to do?

They say even a rifle is no use if a brown bear decides he wants to play.

Haven't read the whole thread yet. Are you looking for a patch of land to settle down once you retire?

Great stuff!

----------


## SKkin

> What is it actually supposed to do?


Make people believe that this magical spray will keep bears from fucking them up. Good luck... :Smile:

----------


## hick

> ^What is it actually supposed to do?


It's like a high(er) octane version of pepper spray.  It could blind a bear for a few minutes (I suppose) but that'd be one lucky spray (shot) with perfect weather conditions (i.e. no wind or wind at your back < which could even still fuck it up).  It's dicey.  If a bear marks you, yeah...you probably don't stand much of a chance. The "king" has got all the advantages out there, obviously.

Spray, no spray - gun, no gun...stun-gun(?),....whichever way one goes....it's gotta' all begin with a strong (never ending) awareness, clean camping and respect, imo.

I'm looking for a patch of land, yeah.  I'll semi-retire there and split time between AK and the farm at Issarn.

----------


## hick

> Make people believe that this magical spray will keep bears from fucking them up. Good luck...


Yet another conglomerate (read: corporate) spin to offload cans and make cash.

"Oh yeah, just take this - you'll be perfectly safe."   :Razz:

----------


## hick

Not sure what kind of time (or real interest) you've got Looper, but FYI:

It all started with this thread: https://teakdoor.com/travel-the-world...-off-grid.html (Buying land off grid)

----------


## hick

Ya know, Looper, SKkin and others, (I may have said this already) the best thing about being up there was being alone.

It might sound a little hokey but once my camp was set, defenses aligned and I got calmed down, there I was with myself. 

The mind quieted down and I just felt really comfortable with myself (again).  

I don't get a lot of pure alone time anymore, so that was a real treat.

----------


## SKkin

^ I get that...




> there I was with myself.


But then myself can be such a dick sometimes.  :Wink:

----------


## hick

"Hey self?  Can I have another one of those granola, chocolate cluster bar things?"

"_NO fat-ass!  I'm saving that for the hike out_!"    :Razz:

----------


## hick



----------


## hick

See a bear in there?

Me neither, but something big was making its way - left a helluva path.

----------


## hick

So, naturally I coaxed my brother into taking point.

----------


## hick

A few days later he left and I only had this goose (white speck / far right) to use as an early warning device...

----------


## hick

Good times.  Caught a rainbow trout.

----------


## hick

Couple more shots from the float plane:

----------


## hick



----------


## BaitongBoy

A Note On Bear Spray:


Saving Lives

To find out if bear spray is as effective as guns, Servheen and colleagues with the U.S. Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team conducted a ten-year analysis in the 1990s, which found that people who defended themselves against bears with firearms suffered injury 50 percent of the time, while those outfitted with bear spray evaded injury most of the time.

Although no product is guaranteed to work or always 100 percent effective, Im not aware of any case, among many Ive reviewed, of a person dying when deploying bear spray the way it is supposed to be used," Bartlebaugh notes.

A 2008 study backs up this claim. Between 1985 and 2006, scientists found that bear spray was 92 percent effective in deterring attacks from the three species of North American bear in Alaska. In the study, 98 percent of people carrying bear spray who got into close encounters with bears were uninjured.

********

Since the bear has such a sensitive nose, I can see how a potent spray would be quite effective...

Unless the furry barstard is on crystal meth he ain't gonna stick around...

----------


## Looper

...Could be thread of the year for me...

 :Scratchchin: 

a thread of wilderness champions!

 :goldcup:

----------


## Norton

> Ya know, Looper, SKkin and others, (I may have said this already) the best thing about being up there was being alone.
> 
> It might sound a little hokey but once my camp was set, defenses aligned and I got calmed down, there I was with myself. 
> 
> The mind quieted down and I just felt really comfortable with myself (again).  
> 
> I don't get a lot of pure alone time anymore, so that was a real treat.


Not hokey at all Hick. Glad to see you are moving on to your off the grid venture.
Great thread. Thanks for sharing.
Reminds me of my young days living off the grid.

----------


## hick

Appreciate you Norton.  Glad to share.   :Wink:

----------


## Matthew

Great stuff j-bo. I need to spend more time with this from the beginning. Nice photo work bro

----------


## Matthew

> However, (TBH) I was on a _wildlife high_ at one point as a cow moose and her calf had just walked right under me while I was taking a break on a primitive bridge over a creek.  Shortly after, I went to crawl under a fallen tree that was blocking the trail.
> 
> Without checking my gear, I slid my gun to the other side and proceeded to get down on all fours and my bear spray canister erupted up my side and into my face.  I was legally blind for around 5 minutes and in some serious pain as a nearby squirrel tittered and laughed its little furry ass off at me.  
> 
> That was kinda' brutal.  Portions of my skin had a recurrence 2 nights later and just suddenly "_burst into flame_."  
> 
> Ahhh, so that's what human combustion might feel like!


 ::chitown::

----------


## Matthew

> I'm looking for a patch of land, yeah.  I'll semi-retire there and split time between AK and the farm at Issarn.


Good luck with that - sounds like a plan to me.

----------


## Matthew

what month(s) were these in AK btw? i must have missed that in gliding through the thread just now

----------


## hick

July/August   :Wink:

----------


## Matthew

> Ya know, Looper, SKkin and others, (I may have said this already) the best thing about being up there was being alone.
> 
> It might sound a little hokey but once my camp was set, defenses aligned and I got calmed down, there I was with myself. 
> 
> The mind quieted down and I just felt really comfortable with myself (again).  
> 
> I don't get a lot of pure alone time anymore, so that was a real treat.


Not hokey in the slightest. 

Reminds me of the book I'm reading and highly recommend: 


Deep Work by Cal Newport

----------


## Grampa

Just found this thread and read and saw, every post. 

Great thread,  hick. 

Thank you.

----------


## crackerjack101

Splendid thread, mate. 
One of the best. 
On a par with Memocks' heli flight across Aus.
Thanks for sharing and please do us a favour and keep us updated.

Thanks.

----------


## hick

Well, glad you guys enjoyed it.

Yeah, crackerjack when things proceed, I'll update.  I'm taking my time and waiting on that "perfect" parcel to present itself.  :Smile:

----------


## hick

Hey peeps, been awhile.  

Thanks for the messages AO and Nev. 
Position in Saudi came to an end last Dec., led me to LOS where I finished my MA
in Edu.
4.0 GPA thankeevleemuchee  :Smile:  fuk yeh im  bragging. 

Man!  Thailand (and/or Issan) just doesnt do much for me anymore  :Sad: . 
Glad I didnt buy property hastily. 
Course the wifes thai.    Hopefully just need a longer break. so bored there anymore.  Prolly shouldnt have ceased whorin around. I dunno

Posting on this thread cuz the wife and I are taking a jeep wrangler (camper) Ursa Minor from San Diego to Anchorage 
and then around AK for a month.

will then taste Thai again (for only a month) followed by a relocation to Ecuador.

new travel thread coming ASAP

best to you all

hick aka cracker aka honky

----------


## Neverna

Welcome back, hick. It all sounds velly good.

----------


## hick



----------


## hick

Cheers.   Can you see a Jeep pic above this?

 If not, google Ursa Minor Jeep camper

bad ass wheels

----------


## Topper

Can't see the pic, hick...

----------


## Topper

https://www.expeditionready.net/Hard...rsions_c39.htm

It does look bad ass....

----------


## hick

Would you googun it for me?   Don’t know how to do it on phone. 

At “hotlanta” airport at the momo 

no, I didn’t say her name out loud.

----------


## hick

^^. Oh cheers ma man.

----------


## Topper

https://expeditionportal.com/the-roa...r-j30-pop-top/

It looks good for one, two or more might be a tight fit....

----------


## hick

Yeah.  She’s already planning to make bed in the back seat. Also, have tent option and a few cabins reserved in random spots to break it up

----------


## Topper

> Yeah. She’s already planning to make bed in the back seat. Also, have tent option and a few cabins reserved in random spots to break it up


It looks like a ton of fun.  Honestly, I'd have gotten a more traditional RV ..... how much off roading are you planning on?

----------


## hick

Quite a bit. Dalton Hwy, Sutton and Denali Hwy are all restricted roads for RV renters.

plus RVs are quite pricey and I swung a deal for doing the west coast leg.   He needs that jeep up there for the season.  :Wink:

----------


## Topper

> I swung a deal for doing the west coast leg. He needs that jeep up there for the season.


Thou's reasoning becomes clear as water......

----------


## hick

Beats mud

----------


## Norton

> new travel thread coming ASAP


Looking forward to it. Be sure to pick one of those grissly adams lumderjack shirts.  :Smile:

----------


## SKkin

So you're not going to buy property in Alaska and move to the wilderness? Good to hear from you jimbo. Congrats on the MA.
Sounds like the situation is fluid. :Smile:

----------


## bsnub

Looking forward to this one. Those jeeps are pretty nice rides.

----------


## hick

> So you're not going to buy property in Alaska and move to the wilderness? Good to hear from you jimbo. Congrats on the MA.
> Sounds like the situation is fluid.


Never say never, Eso.   :Wink: 

While I have made the decision to stop chasing the money-ball with a direct vengeance, if Raytheon were to make me an offer I couldn't refuse (for an Afghan position that I'm being considered for), I can't say I'd definitely turn it down.  (It's about $140k / year but would contain many obvious challenges and sacrifices).

That said, if nothing comes knocking on my door with a vengeance by say.....end July - I'll make preparations and move down to Ecuador to be near some new peeps who are more interested in spiritual growth than anything else.  We'll see which road I take this time.

The region (SE Ecuador = Amazonia) is calling me.  It's like Issan (smiles all around) but in Spanish with mountains, more jungle, super health food options, rushing rivers & falls and LESS drugs and crime.   :Smile:

----------


## cyrille

So it's a choice between spiritual enlightenment or more murky millions from the military industrial complex. Quite a crossroads, really.   :Smile:

----------


## hick

A never ending conundrum that has plagued "whoman" since its inception.  

Yeah, retire financially well off but possibly unbalanced or very balanced with less attachments or needs for dinero, creature comforts, material things, etc.   

I know what the Shaman would say to that...

----------


## hick

> Looking forward to it. Be sure to pick one of those grissly adams lumderjack shirts.


Heh.  Will do Norts.  :Smile: 




> Looking forward to this one. Those jeeps are pretty nice rides.


Another level too, snubs.  Just picked up one of these bad boys:


GoPro "Karma" drone

Taking the wife this wife this time,... so wanted to have the ability to sky-scan trails (for bear activity) before committing.   :Wink:

----------


## tomcat

> Taking the wife this wife this time


...so, no jealousy from the others then...

----------


## hick

_THEE_ others?  Like from that movie, like?

We're certain to stop in Queenville, errr San Fran for a night and catch a drag show.  Any recos, Tom?

----------


## tomcat

> Any recos, Tom?


...Union Square around midnight...

----------

