Seattle to Co. Spr.

If there is anything I can't do, its turn down an interesting opportunity to travel and explore...I applied for the Colorado College Co-teaching Fellowship mid-way through my time in Greenland.  I love TAing, and can't with my current fellowship.  The CC opportunity seemed like the best way to teach again not to mention explore a new place.


For two weeks in Thule, after a full day of sampling and sample processing, I spent the evenings hitting their new bouldering wall followed by application writing for the CC position of Co-Teaching "human impacts on biogeochemical cycles".  This app required a teaching statement, CV and letters of rec.  It was the first teaching statement I had ever written...and at the end it was over 3 pages.  The submission date was truncated by the scheduled heli ride and Greenvalley sample trip...there was no time to fully proof-read it.  I sent it in from 77 degrees North...


...turns out it was a pretty good first jab at a teaching statement.  I interviewed at CC a few months ago.  My ~45min talk on longterm carbon cycling was a success and the meetings went well, so I got the job: Co-teaching EV 211 "human impacts on biogeochemical cycles" with Prof. Steven Janake.

road to Boise, ID

I decided to drive to Co.Springs, CO in 3 days.  I left Seattle on Saturday, Feb 11 after organizing work for my three undergrads, cleaning the apt. and tying up numerous loose ends.  Sat morning was relatively lazy, with a 7 am start, mega-egg breakfast, coffee, the works.  True to form, and despite my planning, I had not sorted out a way to play my ipod in the car, I left the directions for 3 days of driving in the one text book I decided to leave at home, and I ended up buying/owning three of the same car-phone chargers (don't ask, I'm just a little spacy... redundancy is better than a deficit?).  And, though I have a car GPS, I mostly relied on the classic paper maps that did make it into my car.

country music is poplular in the space age

Day 1 (Sat Feb 11) I drove approx. 500 mi. to Boise, ID.  Snoqualmie pass was clear and the weather was good for the entire first day.  I crossed the 45th parallel half way between the pole and the equator.  Along the way I stopped at "space age" rest stop in eastern WA, where country music was blaring in the little convenient store.    Who knew country music would be so popular in the Space Age.  The second best rest stop: Love's.  Whats not to love!?  Pulling into Boise I had my priorities: find a brewery.  Between my fancy new phone and GPS I found the Sockeye Brewing Co. and ended my 8 hour driving day with a fantastic burger and beer.

Day 2: Another 500 or so mile? drive to Jackson Hole, WY.  I headed into the mountains, off the direct route for some catch-up time with Vanessa Bergman!  My fearless outing club co-president from UR!  I met up with Vanessa at the Teton ski resort for some beer and good conversation with her friends. Then we headed up to the cabin she shares with Matt.  With the wood burning stove roaring, the house warmed up quickly.  We cooked elk meatballs with spaghetti and sauce.  The Elk was Matt's first kill and tasted wonderful.  You can't get any closer to organic, free range than that!  Much thanks to Vanessa and Matt for letting me stay with them; The house and company was wonderful and relaxing.  I instantly felt at home and fell in love with the place.

Wyoming flat lands

Day 3: I headed southeast to David and Joan's house in Longmont, CO.  The drive was long and mostly flat.  Leaving Jackson Hole I could see the mountains shrinking in my rear view mirror with only farmland and high wispy clouds in the foreseeable future.  My stay in Longmont proved another relaxing and homey place as always.  Over the next two days I played with Cody, now 3.5 months, an adorable laughing, flailing, little spit machine.  I took an evening to catch up with some friends I had lived with in New Zealand, and had not seen for about 5 years.