Detour

A testament to life's unpredictability:
Instead of cruising my way through the Big Easy, spending the holidays in sunny Florida, I'm watching the snow fall on the streets of Chicago. I won't get into why I'm here, but I am glad for it. I leave after New Years for Augusta.

Move #...who am I kidding, I lost count long ago

Two more days of work, two days of packing, a week on the road. That's the plan. Work is so dull I can barely stand it. I'm hoping my life's possessions haven't increased much and still fit in my ford focus. I like being able to fit my life in a car, and a small one at that. How many people can say that? The trip includes stops in the Mojave desert, Albuquerque, Lubbock, New Orleans, a week or so in Tallahassee and concludes with my solo departure to Augusta, GA. There's a lot of miles to cover, this being my longest road-trip to date. Approximate grand total: 3,306. Some people don't travel that in a lifetime. It doesn't pay to stay in one place, no matter how comfortable you are. You don't learn much about the world, about yourself unless you face the unknown once in awhile.

So what unknown am I facing this time? Well, I've had enough of the hippie West, so I'm taking a spin in the diirrrty South. I will spend a brief time (2.5 months) in Augusta, GA surveying Gopher tortoises on an army base. The Gopher tortoise is so named because of their impressive burrowing capacity. They are generally not active in winter, remaining deep in their burrows (and I mean deep, these things can be ten feet underground in a burrow up to 40ft long). What my job will entail is locating the burrow, and fishing a camera scope down the length of it to determine occupancy. The real exciting thing is this: Gopher tortoise burrows are an essential part of the local environment and are utilized by an array of mammal, reptile, and amphibian species (and one owl). In examining these burrows, I might see any number of Southeastern natives: it's like an animal grab-bag.

In addition to packing for this excursion, I have been seeking out a place to be in the world after I'm done traipsing the Georgian wilds. School is my main goal by years end. I have some prospects, which will hopefully materialize into solid plans by the time I get to Georgia. I'll keep everyone posted.

Backpacking the blues away

Since Taylor and I were both feeling the itch for an outdoor excursion, we decided to take a short backpacking trip along the Lost Coast. For those that aren't familiar, the Lost Coast is a huge portion of undeveloped coastline along Northern Mendocino county and Southern Humbolt county. There are over 20 miles of trail to explore, but tackling the whole thing is a bit more endeavor than we had time for. So, we decided on a short over-nighter through some of the tougher parts. The difficulty came from several ascents and descents crossing gulches that carve the steep coastal cliffs. As is usually the case, the views were worth the climb.

The hike reminded me that only a year ago I had the luxury of doing this for a living and with that thought came a pang of sadness that lasted not more than a microsecond as I took in the fresh air and sights. Anyone who has gone on a hike with me, especially after I've suffered the suffocating lack of significant outdoor exposure, can tell you my change in mood is drastically noticeable. My mother can even see it in pictures. These places, these things I do, the creatures I encounter fill me up until I feel like I might burst. See, this is me right before I exploded with joy:

We camped at Anderson gulch, watched the sun set behind the cliffs and sink below the Pacific. And whaddya know, a spotted owl announced the arrival of nightfall with a few calls and crow barks. After packing up the following morning, I decided to examine the stream before we began our strenuous hike back. Lo and behold, there is the animal I've been hoping to see ever since I first moved to Mendocino county in 2007: a Pacific giant salamander. It was still a larva, having yet to reach its impressive, near foot-long adult form, but I still found it thrilling.

On our way out, we were sure to revisit the mushroom patch we discovered on the way in. And this was no mere mushroom patch, let me tell you, this was the motherload...the jackpot of all chanterelle patches. If we had been so inclined, we could have hauled three-four bags full of the biggest yellow chanterelles I've ever seen. But seeing as neither Taylor nor myself were feeling particularly greedy, we selected enough to fill a bag and left the rest to nature. Maybe a passing bear will make a hefty meal out of what we left behind. After a discovery like this, we caught the mushroom hunting bug and have since been scouring the forest surrounding our home. The past couple weeks we have been eating like kings: dishes you would pay $15, $20, even $30 for in some stuffy, upscale restaurant. Sauteed chicken and chanterelles in a white wine tarragon sauce, fresh crab (caught that day by Andy) and pasta with chanterelles in a cream sauce, pig's ear mushroom burgers, cream of chanterelle soup...I don't think I will ever eat this good again in my life. But aside from the edible varieties, our "backyard" holds a multitude of strangely-shaped, brightly colored, unusually textured mushrooms. One of my favorites is what's called an earthstar. This other-worldly looking thing picture here. If you touch it in anyway, it shoots out a whispy puff of spores from the small opening on top its bulbous center.

So this is fall in Mendocino, actually winter is pretty much the same except wetter. I'm excited to be spending the holidays here again, but after December, you better believe I'm looking to split. We'll see how my interview goes. Here's hoping I'll be Georgia-bound come 2010.

Plans

Or lack thereof, I should say. Solid plans elude me. I reach, like a coral polyp's tentacle, seeking even the smallest morsel in the expanse of sea surrounding me. The water offers no reward this time of year. And so I hunger...

I'm not sure I can find the patience to remain at the winery until the seas become more plentiful. The spring bounty of wildlife work is so far from now. But in these limited times, what else is there to do but wait. I have one prospect, which would be my saving grace. But with the way my luck has been these days, I try not to get too hopeful.

Limbo Part 2

So after all that, I find out I wasn't selected for the very perfect desert tortoise grad project. True to my nature, I spent the evening acting like it was the end of the world. The next day I was skipping around the county fair concerned more about who was going to brave the "Zipper" with me before the night was through. I am a notorious over-reactor, but a quick re-bounder. I find it a good balance.

The search continues...

Limbo

Ok, so I lied and updating took me longer than I thought. The picture was just a screensaver-type ploy to buy me more time. Guess it didn't work! ha

Summer has passed in a frenetic blur as usual. I spent time in four different states (CA, IL, NC, GA), entertained multiple visitors from Chicago and the East coast, climbed mountains, hunted salamanders, foraged, camped, danced, cooked and worked...just a little. Now I find myself floating in that wildly uncomfortable state of limbo. Waiting and waiting and waiting to hear from Tucson, mulling over my options, sloshing them about my slightly aching head (I find myself often on the brink of a headache more days than not...one that never completely materializes, which needless to say is irritating enough). Luckily though, California this time of year is primed. The beauty is enough to make you cry, if of course, you were a huge wuss. Fall and all its wondrous accessories approaches. Our apple and pear trees are bursting, zucchini bread is being baked as I type, wildlife is being sighted on the streets (I saw a bear and a ringtail on the way home from work...ringtails are very rarely seen, they look like this:)

the first rains of the season are starting, the county fair is coming up this weekend, grapes are being picked and crushed by cheap, immigrant labor...it's everything you would expect. And to further amplify the enjoyment of the season in as nerdy a way as possible, Taylor bought a scope for bird watching after years of weighing the benefits vs. the cost (he's not exactly a raging consumer). For those of you less attuned to natural cycles, fall is the time for many a bird to make the long migratory haul back to whence they came after a summer of amorous mischief. With the wonders of curved glass at our disposal, we've seen birds in greater detail than ever before...seems like an insignificant thing to get excited over, but you've never watched a Peregrine falcon bathing in a pool on a remote beach. So despite the anxiety thickly permeating the air lately, there have been many pleasant distractions. I welcome them all! Anything to pass the time until I leave California...and I will leave one way or another, even if school doesn't pan out this time around.

Chicago in 8 days

I did more in 8 days in Chicago than I've done in the months since I've moved back to California. Oh the city life!
-band/bar cruising w/ Jason and his lovely girlfriend
-scoping out a newly restored section of lake shore, native plants reemerging without any help!
-Museum of Science and Industry, getting my nerd on at the Harry Potter exhibit
-karaoke with Joey and the Tuck's crew
-grilled steak and veggie feast as only Dad can do
-White sox baseball! right behind the bullpen, Dye's home run mere feet away!
-long run on the lake front, all the familiar sights along the way (museums, buckingham fountain, skyline and navy pier)
-toasting the newly engaged with bubbly and burgers...there's a fancy combo
-my first 10K race at Lincoln Park Zoo, and of course walking around the zoo afterwards...I was very impressed with their enclosure designs
-volunteering with Mom to clear some invasive vegetation...scored free t-shirts
-brunch with one of my favorite people!

About the only thing I didn't get to do as planned was revisit the marshy wonders of Lockport Prairie and chase me down some herps. Next time...

Concerning Running

So I'm going to elaborate on my new-found hobby because it excites me. Now most of you know, I am not built like a runner. The gene pool is limited people; the Aiellos are not a tall, lanky sort. I think of myself less like the galloping steed and more like the plodding donkey. I mean no offense to myself...I'm a proud plodder. At a slow and steady pace I have tackled some hefty hikes. Heave a load onto my back and I'm ready to go! There are even times when I repeat to myself "slow and steady like the mule" as a sort of mantra to get me past the tough slopes. Still, I have always envied those toned-legged specimens that zip past at a light and graceful pace. So, in a stubborn attempt to defy the gods I have taken a more serious approach to running as of March-April. At first, things didn't look good. Some days it was torture, and I seemed deadlocked on 3 miles... unable to advance in distance. The fact that every road around here involves endless ups and downs only made things worse. Curse these squat legs of mine! Then one day, it just clicked. I paid attention to my pacing, controlled my breathing, and suddenly 30 min became 40, 40 became 60. I find myself comfortably covering 6 1/2 miles without feeling like I was dragged through hell and back. I could go further, but now my major deterrent is finding the time. A half hour is so much easier to fit into my schedule than 1 hour+. Sometimes I get home from work, go for a run and suddenly it's 8 o'clock and I've yet to eat dinner! As much as I am enjoying this new physical activity, I refuse to rouse myself at 5 in the morning just to fit in a workout. But in light of my achievements, I thought a race or two might be an appropriate celebration. I don't mean racing to place, just to finish and support whatever cause may be benefitting. So, I signed up for a 10K at Lincoln Park Zoo during the time I'll be visiting home in June. I ran the 5K race for the cure in Lubbock and had a grand time. And now that I'm a trot or two above a donkey, the 10K should be a breeze.

I haven't updated in awhile, but not much has changed. I've settled into a comfortable routine that involves quite a bit of work and sporadic time for play. I spend Monday night in the field with Taylor, Wed-Sat sometimes Wed-Sun in the tasting room, and various hours throughout the week entering data and such. Without the luxury of a gym, I've become somewhat of a runner. Five to six days a week I run, and Tuesday nights are my fitness class in Fort Bragg (the nearest town North of Mendocino). Workout time is crucial time for me. I cannot survive my day-to-day without the regular release of endorphins. Field work used to take care of that, but now I have to fit it into my down time. The rest is spent cooking, baking or watching Battlestar Galactica (Taylor and I are a tad obsessed with this show). Not a whole lot of room for fun and adventure, but I have planned some exciting events here and there: trip to Chicago first week of June, High Sierra Music Festival in July, Utah excursion in the fall? It gets hazier the further into the future we go.

Mendocino is just about at its peak right now. Spring and early summer is a stunning time to be here. Foggy mid-summer will be less invigorating. And then there's the mixed blessing of additional tourism traffic. Sure, I'll make more money as the RV's and BMW's come a rollin' in but there's also a fair bit of annoyance as "my town" (I like to pretend I'm local) is overrun by men sporting Eddie Bauer capri shorts and tacky vacation shirts complete with trophy wives sipping wine with their new and frightening post-surgery lips. Oh the things I'd love to say to these people! That's California for you.

After a month of settling in, finding a job and entertaining our first house guests, California seems like home again. Winter has been surprisingly dry, with only a day or two of rain each week: a topic which is discussed frequently by lamenting locals. When rain does grace us with its presence, I gear up in various water-repelling materials, grab my camera and prepare to get down and dirty as I scour the surrounding forest for creatures dwelling beneath rotting logs and detritus. I never gave much time to the salamanders and newts, but in searching the wet and dark places of Mendocino, I have found a new appreciation for these animals.

Opposite this dirt-smeared persona, I am also the neat and friendly hostess at the tasting room of Handley Cellars. Three days a week selling wine is plenty for me as the commute is long and gas-consuming. I learned last night that Taylor's boss for owl surveying has work for me to do at home, so extra money will be earned mapping out spotted owl territories and entering data Taylor collects in the field. Which is fine by me. The forest roads out here can be treacherous and for once in my life I'd rather not be out in the field, especially for night surveys.

Until money begins to be less of an issue, a trip back home will have to wait. The tourists have yet to arrive en masse, but when they do...they will buy, oh yes, they will buy. But I do hope to fly home possibly in late summer. Then again, there is always a spare bedroom here for anyone who wishes to use it!

and the rain, rain rain came down, down, down

Hi everybody! (Hi, Dr. Nick!). I have yet to post since the big move, so here I go. The drive from Lubbock to Mendocino was a gorgeous one. Unfortunately, I had to be cautious with the car loaded with basically all of my belongings including a live snake. Though I would have liked to hike about in the deserts of Southern Arizona to my heart's content, I was aware of my cargo's precarious situation and therefore limited myself to day hikes here and there. My first stop was in white sands National Monument in New Mexico. I might as well mention this now because you'll soon notice that those in charge of naming the National parks in this country are among the least imaginative people ever. This picture and those to come adequately demonstrate why I've come to this conclusion. After lunch and some dune cruising, I made my way to Tucson. The next day was spent stretching my legs on a good ten mile walk around Saguaro National Park (a little imagination people!). I was quite enthralled by this landscape. It was incredibly different than the deserts of Southern Utah that I love so dearly. These desert valleys were teaming with such a diversity of cactus species, the most distinct being the saguaro itself which up until this point I had never encountered. The uniqueness of this environment was soon attested to as I began to identify the birds around me: every single one was a species new to me, species that only range in a small area around Southern Arizona and Mexico. It was like visiting a foreign country: without the stagnation of familiarity everything seemed strange and fascinating. After drinking in the new surroundings, I drove outside of town and found a great spot to set up camp. With the sun going down over the nearby mountains, I turned on the radio and was pleasantly surprised by the best blues segment I've ever heard played on the air. It even paid tribute to Chicago blues specifically. With the stars overhead, I fell asleep in a blissful state. 

Then I woke up with a very sore back and the traveling ensued. This morning the reality of winter finally struck me

 as strong winds dropped temperatures to a more reasonable january level. So I decided to halt all hiking attempts and just drive on. I crossed into California and stopped at Joshua Tree National Park. It was even colder here, sapping all my enthusiasm for being outdoors. Still, I drove through the park, walked around here and there among some interesting rock formations, followed a coyote for awhile, snapped a few pictures and was on my way.

 I've never felt so touristy before! It was gross. Anyway, after a hotel stay and half a day of driving I began to recognize my surroundings. Past the bay and on the 101, familiar exits passed by. Curving through the hills and valleys, the turns still familiar to me the wineries rolled by and soon the craggy coastline appeared. This area truly is a sight to see. Coming from the featureless plains of Lubbock, I appreciated it all the more. I was lucky to arrive back in Mendocino during a warm spell and had a few days of sunshine to reacquaint myself with favorite spots. Now that we're settled in, the rains have begun in typical winter fashion. I could try to explain where we live, but words don't do it justice. If you go to : this website you'll get to explore our house. Our friend Sarah owns the place and used to rent out the back apartment as a bed and breakfast. So all the guest areas are part of our place, fully furnished and decorated with Sarah's art. Our backyard connects to trails leading into state park forest and a river trail which I frequent when the rains let up. We walked yesterday afternoon a little ways away from the house and collected a bounty of gourmet mushrooms for dinner. Earlier that day, I saw these mushrooms being sold at the grocery store for $17.00/lb. We probably gathered a couple lbs in the span of 30 minutes. Talk about the good life.

a curious case

For what it’s worth: it’s never too late...or too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.
-Benjamin Button

I haven't seen this movie, but the quote was worth sharing

Cha-cha-cha-cha-changes

A few things going on lately...tattoo is done, hair has been severed. I have begun mapping out my extended drive back to the sanctuary of California's redwood coast. So many great places to see along the way! Seeing that it is January (though it's hard to tell here in Lubbock, I actually got a tan hiking yesterday), I will be following a more Southernly route, which is perfect because it takes me through a lot of places I have yet to visit on my ever-building list of travels. Even if the Arizona job pans out, it won't begin until the end of February so I might as well visit California anyway.

 

With such an action-packed itinerary dancing enticingly before my eyes, it is difficult to sit still here in Lubbock. I left town yesterday, hiking a good 11 miles in Caprock canyon to combat the stagnation. By the end of this week, I should be packed up and itching to hit the road. 

Winter has been an experience this year. Aside from the fiasco of traveling to multiple states, dealing with three different climates and three very different American cultures, I've had to tackle yet another series of course-altering decisions. Let's start off simple: travels first. For some reason the entire airline industry and I were never meant to be friends. Southwest airlines seems to be the only exception. I made it to Chicago with no problems whatsoever (Southwest flight of course). The weather at home didn't look as willing to make my stay pleasant. Snow and cold and broken cars kept me homebound most of the time. I didn't get the chance to revisit some of my favorite Chicago spots or visit with some of my favorite Chicago people. I guess there's always next time, right? I really need to stop coming home during the most meteorologically inconvenient season of the year. Regardless, I relished the time spent with my family and hope it's not too long before I see you again.

A canceled flight, multiple delays and an overnight stay in Atlanta later, I made it to Tallahassee. Round two of my vacation had begun. We immediately entered our giddy, love-y state and showered each other with gifts from the Christmas and birthday we had missed while apart. The next three days were spent in utter bliss as Taylor and I were so kindly given use of a beach house by friends of the family. I rarely gush over things like this but it was the most romantic experience I've ever had: a porch swing overlooking the beach, watching dolphins swim past in the glittering, clear water, walking up and down the beach finding the most diverse array of life that you could encounter in such a small area, cooking Taylor his belated birthday dinner of homemade squash ravioli, drinking wine, going for nighttime walks and discovering nocturnal ocean creatures, watching sunsets blazing with color, collecting fresh scallops for lunch, building a fire in the wood stove at night...

We loved every minute of it and were incredibly sad when we had to leave.

For the rest of the pictures, click here

The trip seemed to go by so fast, we just didn't have enough time to do all the things we wanted to. We had to pick and choose, leaving some adventures for another day in the future. There was a lot of really delicious food, more outdoor adventures (so far the hiking boots have been wonderful, mom!) and some family time as well. It always takes me a day or two to adjust to his family's extreme attention to politeness and manners. It's funny how those rules are in place to give a pleasant and proper atmosphere but truthfully, they make me uncomfortable. Maybe I'm just used to the laid-back way we do things at home, but I feel like some formalities are unnecessary when it comes to family and good friends. Still, I do my best to be as polite a guest as I can manage. After all the fun, the worst part came and we said a not-so-painful goodbye. This time, the longing and ache that usually accompanies these situations was relatively absent because we knew my situation would be changing soon. Let's get to that part...

I do not like Lubbock, Texas. There are a number of reasons why and most you can probably guess but I've been relatively unhappy there in comparison to past living situations. As much as I'd love to just grin and bear it, avoid all the hassle of moving again, job hunting, school searching and the like, it just isn't my style to accept an undesirable situation that I have the power to change. My worst fear was disappointing people and putting additional stress on undeserving bystanders. After all the anxious dread I felt prior to delivering the news of my leaving Texas to these parties, I've found everyone to be incredibly understanding and supportive to the point that a huge weight has been lifted. Knowing that people have confidence in your ability to manage your life and make decisions is incredibly reassuring. I have been feeling my usual self again and eagerly looking forward to the future. Right now things are a bit up in the air: a possible job in Arizona, but more likely is moving back to Northern California. While Taylor and I 'play house' I will be researching projects and schools for a later point in time while enjoying the quirks and simple pleasures I've been missing from life in Mendocino county (or as Taylor appropriately calls it, "la-la land")