maybe you could sit on it?

If you come over and sit on my suitcase, maybe I can get the zipper!

This weeks chore is moving out of my apartment and preparing my possessions to be stored at my aunt and uncle's house while I'm gone. Well, I'll be storing everything but what I'll be take to Antarctica. I downsized on the suitcase this year thinking I'd have a better idea of what to pack and what I'd need on The Ice. The only problem is, I can't get the suitcase shut. I guess that means I will be reconsidering what I think is important. Perhaps it means another trip to the post office as well!

ticketed

I had a twinge of excitement stab me yesterday afternoon when I saw my reservations were made with American Airlines for September 27 and following. First, I will spend a couple of days in Denver for rientation. Then I’ll be off, over the International Dateline (missing September 30 completely and Jen’s birthday), to Christchurch New Zealand for a couple days to get my cold weather gear and hop on a C-17 cargo plane. From there I will land on the Ice Runway just outside of McMurdo Station on Ross Island in Antarctica.

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10 things to look forward to on ice

In 16 days I hope to be headed to Antarctica again and there are plenty of things to look forward to. Here are 10 of those items I anticipate with great delight:

1. Seeing Laura when she comes off the South Pole.

2. Seeing the good friends I met last year again (and making some new ones, too).

3. Sunday morning brunch.

4. The mountains.

5. Quiet.

6. Traveling there and back.

7. The lack of American consumerism (especially at Christmas).

8. Working in support of the National Science Foundation.

9. Sending mail from Antarctica and receiving the packages I sent to myself (or finding I have mail from you).

10. Hopefully, some good wildlife again this season.

life in the northern town

I took a trip across the border today. I visited my "motherland." I went to British Columbia; Vancouver to be exact. Strangely, I received more questions going into Canada this time than I did coming back to the States. I still want to use my dual citizenship; but they keep track (and take a picture) of you and your car when you cross the border, so today, I continued my use of the US passport. I tried stopping at Peace Arch Park, but missed the turnoff for it. I was stuck in enough border traffic that I was able to take a couple pictures: The Peace Arch reads "Children of a Common Mother" on one side and "Brethren dwelling together in unity" on the other. I hope our countries continue to share such common ground.

I can see myself living in Vancouver someday. Despite the traffic, it's a gorgeous city (although, I did remember that, though the sun was shining on this particular day, there are plenty of rainy days as well). The city reminded me a bit of being in Sydney this spring; though, I don't feel as strongly about living in Australia! I spent a marvelous afternoon taking in sights, sounds, and smells of Stanley Park by bicycle, and then a couple hours of the early evening admiring the modern architecture of Coal Harbour on foot.

And, of course, I got a Vancouver Starbucks mug, too. My corporate discount works up there, so it was also the cheapest mug in my collection! The city-scapes have change styles now, recently. It's a bit disappointing, but things change, and I continue my collection with the new designs (previous sentence goes a lot deeper than the 20oz coffee mug).

Stanley Park is a huge park nearly entirely surrounded by harbour, lake, and waterway. There are unique sculptures throughout and totem poles to view, too. There are trails and roads for pedestrians, bicyclists, drivers, skateboarders, and roller bladers to get lost on and plenty of scenery to view of the city, mountains, hills, and beaches surrounding the shores of the park. Lots of late-summer plants were blooming; including this magnificent lily.

I'm really happy I took this fabulous-weather day away. I needed a break from the cell phone, the mess of organization, and Antarctica packing (27 days, and countind down) I've been doing. And, I still have another day off before I'm back to work on Saturday.

trip treasures

A few experiences across the country stick out in my mind in one silly way, or another.

The first came at the Illinois Toll Booth. I turned in my I-Pass the morning I departed, so I had to pay double in cash rather than sailing through the toll way. In any case, I asked a woman if her booth was the last before reaching Iowa. She said, "Congratulations, you won't be paying Illinois anymore today."

At Devil's Tower, they have a prairie dog park. It seems to me that there were never any prairie dogs out playing when I had visited before (or maybe I didn't find any interest in them back then). This time around, there were prairie dogs everywhere! It was quite amazing, actually!

In Gilette, Wyoming, when I saw my first glimpse of the Bighorn Mountains peaking over the hilltops, I sang the word "mountains," I was so excited to see the snow capped mountaintops!

I enjoyed my drive through the beautiful green farmed hills in Eastern Washington. Part of the way along there are crop names in the fence line, so I sailed by the alfalfa, peppermint, potato, and sweet corn fields. It was kind of strange that I was so interested in reading these signs (and disappointed when one was missing), but then again, I did smile through most of the 4.5 hours through the state!

I know there were other memories that will stick out in my mind later, but these are the few I remember for now.

re-entry to washington

Crossing the border into Washington was almost a tear-jerker. I have wanted to come back to this state since high school. The last couple years I wondered if I would ever make it this direction again.

My first stop was for gas in Ritzville, Washington. This small farming community was home to a Starbucks. So, of course, I had to drop in there. After all, I needed the caffeine and it was right next to the gas station! One of my friends asked if the coffee tasted better in Washington. I'll call myself out on that one and respond with; "only in my head." I've been much more conscious abut bringing my own mug when getting drinks lately. I hate to see the paper cup waste, so this is my part; plus, people love to see the Melbourne Starbucks mug and it gives me a conversation-starter with folks while they prepare my coffee.

Crossing into the Columbia Gorge, I stopped to stretch my legs and take in the scenery. The Columbia River is a significant source of water (the largest river emptying into the Pacific Ocean) and the most significant river for hydro-electric power in North America. It also serves as part of the border between Oregon and Washington. The huge gorge the river has forged is pretty amazing to stand over!

I drove about 10 hours on Saturday to arrive in Seattle and stay with Shuttle Dave "Massie". I was excited to see him again, and to meet the girlfriend, Chelsea, he pined over on The Ice. They were lovely hosts and I enjoyed their company for the evening.

I had a rocky night of sleep there. I went to sleep late and then Laura called from the South Pole at 3am. A couple of hours later, I woke up at 5:30 to attend the baptism of my cousin's child. On the way up there, I stopped at a familiar rest area with a huge tree stump on display. This curious tree has seemingly shrunk over the years. I guess, more likely, I have gotten taller. They also had much-needed free coffee at this rest area. The early morning was well-worth it, although, a good night of sleep was in order last night!

Today I'm spending some time looking up jobs and organizing an afternoon excursion to arrange delivery of my mailed boxes and such. It certainly feels good to be back!

why-oming and mononot-ana

Two states, I remember being long and difficult to patiently drive through were Wyoming and Montana. However, this time, as I drove through this part of the nation, I founds joy in the hills and mountains. It's been more than 10 years since I last visited this part of I-90, but there are still familiar spaces and places along the way. My first stop in Wyoming was at Devil's Tower. This unique landmark is the remnants of volcanic activity in the area. Legend says that a giant bear chased down a group of girls and they stood on this little rock and prayed that it would save them. The rock grew and put them into the sky where the bear could only claw at them and leave the vertical gashes on the sides. Well, as fantastical as giant grizzlies and growing rocks sound, I'll leave this one to the God of Creation!

As I drove through Wyoming's rolling hills, I encountered some red hills. In some places, these mounds would be a state or national park. Here, there is a sign indicating their existence and I think there may have been camping nearby. However, when the Bighorn Mountains are only a hop, skip and jump away, these little red hills have no contest. This makes me wonder how we value and treat our land. Often times we push aside the importance of the earth we reside on because there is something bigger and better next door. But, I can appreciate South Dakota's preservation of grasslands, even as the fringes of the Badlands are host to towns and buildings. Every area has it's peculiarities and value. I suppose what I am trying to say is that saving some places for our enjoyment is important, but so is caring for the spaces we occupy.

I hopped over the border into Montana and saw that the first rest area was 57 miles into the state. I think they do this to indicate just how long you will be traveling in the state. Whereas most states have an info center within 7 miles of their border, you have to wait 57 to get to the Montana visitor's stop. Driving through the state, I looked at my map and predicted what mountain ranges I was weaving between. Every now and then, a sign would confirm my guess.

For the evening, I stopped by Shuttle Char's house. I got to know her a bit in Antarctica as a wonderfully patient and pleasant person to be around and her hospitality for the evening was beautiful. In fact, Char is simply a beautiful person all the way around! I enjoyed my stop in Bozeman with her and the next morning she sent me on my way with enough snacks to last me more than the rest of the day in the car. She also recommended a pit stop at the Wheat Montana Bakery. I picked up an over sized caramel cinnamon roll there that had me feeling a bit sick from sweetness when I finished it! But, it put a smile on my face.

only in south dakota

I planned to drive west through the very northern stretches of Nebraska, or the southern edge of South Dakota. I ended up driving the tried and true I-90 from Sioux Falls to Rapid City. There are just too many stops to make on this main stretch of road that can only be found on the highways and byways of this strange state. One thing is for certain: through all the farmland and monotonous hills, South Dakota, markets its' quirks with a passion that can only be found in this Midwest state. I wonder how many signs there are for the Corn Palace in Mitchell alone, never mind for Wall Drug and it's international signage (I think I even saw a Wall Drug sticker in Antarctica)!

My favorite part of the day was spending a couple of hours in Badlands National Park. I got out of the car and took a 2 mile hike through the strange eroded landscape. The weather was warm after all the rain from Iowa, and it felt good to negotiate the terrain.

I remember being in the Badlands with my family some years back. It was hot and we got out to take a walk around some "fossils" that had been placed along the trail in various spots for some sort of educational purpose, I suppose. The memories of that little jaunt was a bit disingenuous, but this time I avoided that trek and just enjoyed God's Creative work. I also read about some real paleontological digs going on in the layers of this dirt.

The drive through the park is pretty amazing. The scenic route is laid out among the peaks and valleys. Parts of the pavement dip into the valleys and others climb to plateaus above the pinnacles. There is one portion of the road that traverses some colorful layers of soil (I missed this part last time I was here).

I finished the day with a stay in Rapid City at a hotel. The sun peaked under the clouds as it set and set a brilliant rainbow on the horizon. It was a long day of driving, but I am looking forward to the rest of my trip and seeing Char tomorrow night in Bozeman, Montana. So far, all plans are on schedule. The car is running. My only casualty was the water bottle I forgot to take off my bike-whoops.

a birthday

I'm on the road for Sara's birthday, but I thought in honor of her 23 years as the youngest sister, I wanted to post this picture and wish her the happiest of days.

Sara just finished her last class for her film studies degree in January, although her graduation ceremony last spring drew our whole family together for the first time in 3 years. This will likely not happen again for a couple more years.

She spent an extra semester in China last fall completing her credits and getting a phenomenal world education in Beijing. Her pictures of the Great Wall and other sights are amazing!

Most importantly, she's my sister, though. And, I love her for the beautiful woman she's become.

iowa

Traveling to Pella from Chicago was a nice 5 hour drive. I stopped a few times to stretch my legs and pick up the Iowa State map. My visit with Carrie and kids in Pella comes during a pretty good rainstorm. Driving across the border into the state, I encountered some pretty amazing clouds forming over I-80! The produced an amazing amount of percipitation.

I was thrilled to spend some time with Carrie and kids while her husband was out of town. We sort of sporadically see each other and still have a great time talking together! Carrie was one of the first friends I made at Calvin. After I was cut from the volleyball team my freshman year, she marched me straight into the track & field coach's office the next day to get me on the track team as a javelin thrower; an important introduction for the rest of my college career! She has two beautiful children now who were fun to spend some time with!

My second Iowa stop was with my cousin, Lorinda. Her husband, Ryan, was working late, so I enjoyed talking with her and watch little Kendra smile and play. It's so amazing to remember growing up together and see how our lives and perspectives have changed and yet, still connect us as cousins!

the last supper

Today I spent some time with Meredith over a Cinnamon Dolce Latte. I enjoy talking with her about life and her plans for the future and college life! She will be studying in Russia next year!

I also spent one last piece of time with Emily (and Morgan) this afternoon. She is a fabulous friend and I enjoy talking over the cares of life with her. I always come away with a fresh perspective on things when I leave her!

I certainly did not expect much of a send off, but Dave and Mary arranged a good-bye dinner with their family this evening. Erin and Ryan were also able to join us at Red Robin (of course) for an evening out. Heather, Nate, Phil, Jen, and little Ashley all came out so I could have one last Banzai Burger in Illinois. It was pretty spectacular! I will most definitely miss my friends here.

Tomorrow, I finish packing, run a few last errands and head down I-88 towards Iowa. My tentative plan looks something like this:

Day 1: to Pella, Iowa.
Day 2: Pella to Orange City, Iowa.
Day 3: Orange City to Rapid City, South Dakota (I wanted to camp here, but I got a hotel since the campgrounds are not open for the summer yet).
Day 4: Rapid City to Bozeman, Montana.
Day 5: Bozeman to (hopefully) Seattle, Washington.
Day 6 or 7: Make my way up to Bellingham, Washington.

singed, by not burned out

I received a change of address confirmation for one of my accounts yesterday. It changed my address from Lisle, Illinois to Lisle, Illinois. As many times as I have moved, this one already gets the "most-challenging" award for address changes. One company even reverted back to a previous address! Even though I've been unemployed, I feel like I have a full time job right now just getting new bank accounts, fixing things that went wrong while I was away, and repacking my belongings to fit in my car.

I spent a little over a day at my Aunt Shirley & Uncle Glenn's house at the beginning of the week sorting through my possessions, and labeling them into one of three categories: garage sale, mailing items, and stuff to squeeze in the car. I put 10 boxes in the mail and managed to combine the garage sale and car items in one load after that! Now, I have a bit of restructuring to do in my car.

My time in Illinois is quickly coming to a close and I can feel that I have accomplished a lot. Thursday my body told me with a near-midraine that it was time for a break. So, I watched a movie in the morning and eventually got going.

The highlight of the time spent here is seeing friends and catching up from the past six months. Emily and Erin made time for one last "girl's night" before we all move in different directions. We used to meet every week for a meal with Emily and conversations of life, career, school, and love. I think those long evenings taught me that it was ok to spill over the sides of the mold that society creates for us (hence, my trip to Antarctica and some of my other quirky idiosyncrasies). Their love and friendship is treasured and the close proximity we shared will be missed as Emily and family move to a new house, Erin & Ryan move to Kentucky, and I head off to Washington.

I've spent some time at a track meet, marking the progress in athleticism and character of the athletes I coached, and chatted with Brandi, perhaps the most "natural" javelin thrower I've ever known for a morning. I had coffee with Jay to catch up with the story of his family and life. I've enjoyed dinner with Dave and Mary, Erin and Ryan, and Phil, Jen, and little baby, Ashley, too.

Today, I'm out enjoying the weather. It's just over 70 degrees and sunny outside. I ran out to the REI garage sale and ended up with a nearly-new pair of glove liners, and the coolest camera tripod ever. My camera loves it so much that it took a self-portrait to show you the new set of legs. I fixed my windshield wiper fluid squirter (or rather, I pretended like I was just going to buy the part and fix it myself, asked all kinds of questions about how to do it and how much the labor would cost if they installed it, and ended up with two nice gentlemen at the Honda dealership to install it for free).

This evening I will mix and match an outfit from the remainder of clothes I have (hopefully) suitable for a wedding and then begin filling up the car again for my trip west.

moving along

I left the comforts of sitting at home to get on with life and (hopefully) work.

Mom and I left last week for the Chicago area. The timing worked well. We were able to spend some time with Sara in Michigan and mom was able to attend a quilt show in Chicago while I started getting accounts in order.

The picture is of the 4 of us Rip women; myself, mom, Laura, and Sara. Of course, Laura is only featured on the front of the Spark magazine, but I think that counts!

Despite the 4 inches of snow in Grand Rapids, it was nice to see Sara again after nearly a year. I hope she has an opportunity to join me on the West Coast soon!

I've been catching up on a lot of business while in Illinois. The best part is seeing friends again and seeing what they have been up to for the last 6 months. There is a sense I have of feeling a bit out of place now (or maybe displaced with the experiences I had), though. I have missed a chunk of life here and don't have a place to live or job here. I'm not sure when I'll feel like I have "a place" again. The feeling can be disconcerting, but I try to remember it's an adventure I chose and that God is with me every place I go.

Next week, I hope to be off towards Washington State. My plans are a bit hazy yet, but slowly pulling together!

mcmichael art gallery

Today we decided to get out of the house. Since mom and I are driving off for Chicago on Wednesday, we have to make my time in Canada worthwhile. So, we scooted out of the house after I sent a resume off (so I feel like I'm making some progress) and drove towards the McMichael Art Gallery. This gallery shows only Canadian artists work and they capitalize on "the seven" artists who created a "Canadian" style of painting.

It was an interesting morning. We followed that with a wonderful lunch at a quaint little country cafe, and a drive through the rolling hills of Ontario. It was a nice casual day to wander through art; whether by human hand, or God's Creation.

wrong weather

When I came back to North America I thought I would catch some mild spring weather, don my jacket and sweater every couple days in the evening, and take long runs in the fresh moist air. As nice as it is to spend time with my parents, if I do this again, and return from Antarctica in the spring, I will spend another month in Vanautu, or Samoa, or Kiribati, or Tonga, or follow through on my Malaysia vacation plans.

This picture is only the beginning.

fresh start

I'm at the beginning of the race, taking my sweats off, enjoying a last minute of rest before the intensity of the competition begins.

Well, in actuality, I'm sitting in Alliston, Ontario, debriefing myself from the last six months outside of North America, attempting to apply for some jobs, sift through pictures, read, and relax before hitting a bombardment of address changes, road trips, moving, and finding a new job somewhere between Vancouver, British Columbia and Portland, Oregon.

I am enjoying this break in life and career. Last week, mom and I went to decorate eggs; the Ukranian way. We divided the egg into sections, penciled a design on the shell, waxed, and dipped the eggs until they were up to our expectation (or close enough for a first-timer). The process was fascinating and I appreciated having some artistic liscense after being on the road so long!

I also enjoyed a morning out on a maple farm. What could be more Canadian than Saturday morning pancakes with real maple syrup and a hay ride out to tour the maple grove. I'm glad they had coffee; and for future folks who may participate in this fun, local activity, I invite you to bring one more layer than you think you do. It was the coldest I've been since Antarctica! The french toast and pancakes were certainly worth the trip out to the farm, though!