Received Saturday, 15 September 2007.... [Excerpts]
Hanging out in Alaska now. Just finished a gig as a mountain guide in Haines.
Going to Kenai for a week to climb ice and, maybe, ski some early powder on the icefield.
I am going into the iceland for a few days, but I will check my [web]site out when I get back and can dig out my REAL computer rather than this PDA which will not open my site.
Happy Fall,
Chad
Received Wednesday, 3 May 2007....
Hello All,
Right now I am in a little town called Nakafurano on Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan. I am riding around on my trusty James Frames (thanks upon thanks JP!) having a hell of a good/wierd time.
Right now I`m waiting out a pretty stiff storm in the nicest youth hostel I`ve ever seen. I have a hunch that the strong norhteasterly headwind that I fought all day, along with the everthickening atmosphere overhead, is a sign of an approaching low from the south. Either way, I`m 300+ meters up and my baro is telling me I`m at sea level, hmmm.
This place is great, everywhere I ride I can smell the fresh tilling of the earth mixed with manure. The snow has only recently melted from the fields here at the 45th parallel and spring is so fresh in the air. These mountains are impressive, snow covered and loaded with hotsprings.
The people are warm country folks with nice rough hands. Camp spots are easy to find here as well. Nobody seems to mind when the big Gaijin (white dude) sets up camp in the local park!
Additionally, I am getting spoiled by the food. Imagine: health food at a gas station.
I have to admit that I`m wanting to ski here pretty bad right now (tomorrow will probably be a powder day), but I get the feeling that I will get my chance at these peaks if I stay alive for a few more years.
If any of you are ever wondering where to take an exotic ski vacation, nordic or downhill, check this place out and count me in! Tomorrow I will try to make it up to the mountain hotsprings if there is not a meter of snow on the road.
The locals warned me today that these hot springs are unisex, making sure to clarify that men AND women share the same pools..... Something tells me these folks would be pretty blown away with good ole wild west hotsping culture as well!
I plan to spend a week or so in this region before heading south.
Already this place has left an impression on me. Once, in the Chucach Range, a dear friend asked me: "do you ever get the feeling that everyone you meet is a combination of everyone you`ve ever met?" Yes, Eliot, I do, and I get the same feeling about every place I go, everything I eat, every line I ski, and so on, and so on. Perhaps I could say that I AM all of these things as well but I get the sense that there is more to the story than that.
Had dinner tonight with a Japanese family who spoke only a little English. Funny how a few words and a lot of vibe can constitute a pretty nice, cross-cultural conversation.
Off now to a wet day of riding. The locals seem to think that I shouldn`t ride in the rain but that plan would seriously limit my time on the bike as it has already rained 3 out of the 5 days I`ve been here! I like Sushi and waterproof clothing!
Happy adventures to all.
Up, Up, Allez, Allez,
Many of you I have not spoken with in quite a while, isn't that always a bit awkward? Truthfully I have trouble focussing on things that are not in my field of vision. I suppose I sort of like it that way.
Chad
