Juneau, Alaska: Sea Lions and Glaciers and Whales Oh My!

As most of you know, I recently returned from a cruise.  It's taken me a while to get around to writing about it.  It was amazing!

Our first port was in Juneau, Alaska.  I saw whales!

Before I tell you anything else, I just need you to see this great picture Robyn took.

It's a tail of a whale!

I feel better now.  That just had to be done.  Did I mention I saw whales?

But I suppose I can tell you the story of what happened the entire day.

First of all, I wore pants.  

This is my view while waiting for the ship to dock.

People had told me tales of how cold Alaska is.  Since we were going whale watching, I figured the boat moving quickly over water would make it pretty darn cold.  I should have stuck to my gut and worn shorts.  Even Alaska doesn't get cold enough for long pants.  At least not in July.  (I imagine if I was doing the Iditarod, I'd want some long pants.)

The first thing we did in Alaska was get on a bus.  The company that we booked our whale watching with had a tour bus that took us around.  The driver was super knowledgeable and super fun.  She drove a school bus in the lower 48 during winter and came up to Alaska during the summer to drive a tour bus.  She gave us lots of information about Juneau.  Things like the fact that you cannot drive to the city of Juneau.  Alaska's capitol is only accessible by air or sea.  Who knew?  Also, Juneau has a Walmart.  She was very excited to tell us that.

The weather forecast: Cloudy with a chance of bears and eagles

The first stop the bus made was at the Mendenhall Glacier visitor's center.  We had only paid for whale watching, but they said the bus stops at the Mendenhall Glacier first, so that was included for free.  I'm really glad we got to do that, it was beautiful.  

The hike to the best viewpoint for the glacier was about 1 mile round trip.  We booked it out there as fast as we could because our time there was limited.

The Alaska wilderness was rejuvenating, as evidenced by Robyn's pose

Zack and I were precious as we approached the glacier.

The closest you  can get to the glacier without getting in a boat or swimming is from nugget falls.  Here is a panorama to show you the view from the shore.

As you can see, the glacier is still across a bit of water, but Robyn was able to get some sweet shots, nonetheless.

This is about what it looked like with the naked eye

This is with Robyn's telephoto lense.  I love the blue color.

We enjoyed the view of the fall and the glacier for about 15 minutes, then it was time to book it back so we didn't miss the bus.

Our next stop was at Auke Bay Harbor, to go see whales!

I took a selfie with the locals

We learned some fun facts.

Finally we got on a boat

The cold wind made Robyn sad

The boat didn't have to go very far before we started to see wildlife.  After just a few minutes the boat slowed down to let us see the eagles.

They also took us by this little buoy where the sea lions like to hang out.

How the one climbed into the higher area is one of life's greatest mysteries.

Finally, we got to see whales.  I think my favorite picture was the awesome tail shot up above.  But here are a couple others.

Here is a whale hump.

Here is a whale spouting 

Whale watching was a neat experience.  Our guides would pull up to an area in the boat.  They would point to an area of water and tell us there is a whale out there.  We'd keep our eyes peeled until we'd suddenly see a spout.  We probably saw 10 different whales during the time we were out there.  It was super amazing.

After the whale watching, we still had some time before we had to get back on the ship.  We walked around downtown Juneau.  We noticed there were several Russian shops.  I guess that's the thing when you're that close to Russia.  

I really wanted this hat, but I didn't 85 dollars want it.

Robyn is the cutest babushka ever.

We did see a bear while we were there.  Unfortunately, it was stuffed.  It was the only bear I saw in Alaska.  It is my belief that all Alaskan bears are stuffed.  That is based on my extensive experience in Alaska.

Also, I never saw Sarah Palin.  Based on my experience, she is not in Alaska.

Roadtripping to Seattle

As many of you know, I recently returned from a super fantastic trip to Alaska.  We did a lot of things, so there will be multiple posts chronicling our many adventures.

The cruise ship started in Seattle, Washington.  That meant that if we wanted to be on that ship, we needed to be in Seattle.  Unfortunately, my house is in Lehi, Utah.  A little known fact about Utah is that it's not in Washington.  In fact, my house is a little under 1,000 miles away from the port where our ship would be leaving from.

Several members of my family were going on the cruise with us.  They are all normal.  So, they all took the normal form of transportation when you need to go 1,000 miles.  They all flew on an airplane.  (Airplanes, rather.  They weren't all on the same plane.)

Robyn and I are not normal.  In fact, I really like road trips.  Plus we figured we didn't want to buy plane tickets twice this year, and we want to go to California for Christmas.  We prefer to drive in summer rather .than winter.  So we decided to drive to Seattle.

The key to a good road trip is making stops on the way.  To make this possible, we did our road trip in 2 days.  That gave us the time to stop and enjoy a few places on the way.

I worked a full day on Wednesday, July 3rd, and then we hopped in the car and headed to Twin Falls, Idaho that evening.

I love Twin Falls.  There is a beautiful canyon just outside of town.  It totally sneaks up on you, and you don't see it until a few hundred yards away.  But it is fantastic.

We spent the night in Twin Falls.  Of course, we stayed in a La Quinta, because I love their breakfast.  It's super good.  The me of a year ago would have eaten about 5 of their waffles plus loads of other stuff.  The new me splurged a little and had one waffle with some eggs and sausage on the side.  I was full when I was done.  The new me is a strange creature.

After Twin Falls we headed back out on the road.  That's when the real road tripping began.  The reason I love road trips is because Robyn and I are stuck in a car together, just the two of us.  There are no distractions, all we can do is talk.  It's super good quality time.  We talked about everything we could think of.  Then we talked about more stuff, without thinking.

Then it was time to turn on some tunes and sing our hearts out.

"Bye bye Miss American Pie!"

Eventually we made it out of Idaho into Oregon.  Oregon took about 1000 years to get through, because their speed limit is ridiculously slow.  Apparently Oregonians are unable to control their vehicles at 75 mph on perfectly straight roads, so they have to keep it at 60.  Also, Oregonians are unable to pump their own gas.  I got to experience someone else pumping my gas for the first time.  I only had to pay an extra $.50 per gallon to enjoy the privilege of waiting 5 minutes for the girl to make it over to my car to begin pumping.

Lest you think I didn't enjoy my time in Oregon, let me share with you the Dusty Spur Cafe.

As we passed La Grande, Oregon it was time for lunch.  We asked Foursquare to suggest a good place to eat.  The Dusty Spur sounded like an adventure.

When we first pulled up we were skeptical.  But who wouldn't want to eat in a barn?  So we went inside.

On the inside, it was actually a really cute little restaurant with a rustic feel to it.

Even if we were the only ones there

Not to mention I got to sit with a really cute girl.

Sorry it's blurry.  Apparently I couldn't hold still to take this picture.

The food was really good as well.  It was a pleasant surprise.

After the Dusty Spur we got back in our car and exited the state as fast as we could.

Once in Washington, we decided to take a little detour from the highway and hit up Snoqualmie Falls.  It's a beautiful waterfall.  So, naturally we took a beautiful selfie.

I should have worn sunglasses

Clearly, I had to take an animation of it.

After Snoqualmie Falls we finally made it into Seattle.  We checked into our hotel and called my mom.  We met the family for dinner in a little seafood restaurant near Pike's Place Market.  After that it was bed time.

The next day we got on the ship.  Stay tuned for more posts about the rest of the trip.

How can I Read when there are Whales?

I just got home from the most amazing trip.  It was a road trip.  It was also a cruise.  It was a big city tour.  It was also filled with beautiful nature.  I rode a car, a cruise ship, a small boat and a big ferry.  I travelled through 5 states.  I was in 2 countries.  I saw eagles, whales, seals, sea lions, and jelly fish, and that was all before I went to the Seattle Aquarium.  I saw 2 glaciers.  I saw 3 waterfalls.  I even unplugged from the internet for a few days (a big feat for me).  I spent quality time with my immediate family, as well as Robyn's extended family.  I travelled 3500 miles round trip, and never set foot on an airplane.

I had the adventure of a lifetime.  I wrote in my journal every day, and took about 1000 pictures.  (Robyn and I are hardcore that way).  I'm sifting through all of it to decide what to put on the blog.  I've definitely got a lot to share.  But how will it be shared?  Chronologically?  Thematically?  Randomly?  Your guess is as good as mine.

For now, I just have one little story to share that I feel captures the essence of this trip.

Our cruise left from Seattle to go up to Alaska.  We had 3 days at sea.  During those days Robyn and I loved to find a comfortable seat where we could read a book while looking out at the ocean.  At one point, I looked up from my book just in time to see a whale surface, blowing its huge spout of water high into the air.

It quickly vanished, and I was left scouring all 180 degrees of ocean view in front of me, hoping to see another one.

I was so amazed by the majestic beauty before me.  I couldn't bring myself to take my eyes away from the horizon to read my book.  I asked Robyn, "How can I read when there are whales?"

Eventually, I was able to return to the book.  I did read about 500 pages on this trip.

That little snipped of my experience for me captures the essence of our vacation.  I had lots of relaxation, lots of me time and time with Robyn, interrupted by fantastically beautiful sights and incredible experiences.

So watch this blog.  I will be sharing various experiences over the next little while.  For now, all you get is this little animation of a whale surfacing that Google made from some pictures I took.  (Feel free to click on it for a larger image.)

RAS Syndrome

Have you ever noticed that people use abbreviations and then repeat a part of the abbreviation in words?  It's quite silly.

For example, "ATM machine".

How many times have you heard someone say, "I need to stop by the ATM machine to get some cash."

What they're really saying is, "I need to stop by the automated teller machine machine to get some cash."  I guess some people can't settle for a machine to cover their automated telling needs.  They need a machine machine, because that's when things get serious.

Or how about PIN number.  It's important to always keep your personal identification number number a secret.  That's a number number that you do not want to be public knowledge.

VIN number.  Your vehicle identification number number doesn't need to be as secret as your personal identification number number.  Unless there are car identity thieves out there.

Here's another one that might be unique to geeks, but even I have said this one: GIF format.  For you non geeks, the graphics interchange format format is commonly used for short animations to be posted online.

LCD Display.  I have a fancy new TV.  It's got an awesome liquid crystal display display.  You should check it out.  None of that singular display garbage for me.

This last one is not the same as the others.  (Think of the "one of these things does not belong here" song from Sesame Street.)  Have you ever heard someone say that they had to get up so early, they were awake at 3 AM in the morning?

AM stands for ante meridiem, which means before midday.  It's not the exact same word, like it is in the examples above, but it's still redundant.  "I had to wake up at 3, before midday.  Ya, you heard me, morning time."

You know what the best part is about all this craziness?  There's a name for it.  Apparently it's called the RAS syndrome.  That stands for Redundant Abbreviation Syndrome syndrome.  It's a terrible disease.  Don't let it afflict you.  Or you will be mocked.

Are there any I missed?

The Jerk and the Motorcycle

I don't understand people.

The other day I was driving to work, which is something I do about 5 times per week.  On the way, I came to a four way stop.

As I approached the stop sign, I noticed there was a motorcycle sitting there, as if he was waiting for his turn to go.  There wasn't anyone else at the intersection, so I'm not sure what he was waiting for.  (I'm noticing this from several hundred feet away.)

He was sitting at the stop sign, but was parked way over to the right side of the road, as if he was going to turn right.

While he sat there, pondering the universe and his role in it, a girl pulled up to the intersection.  She wanted to turn left, so she pulled up to his left.

At this point, I arrived at the intersection, the picture below shows the layout of our story, in case my description was faulty.  (I know that, at this point, the motorcycle man has not yet been cranky, and the girl is not yet confused, so pardon the labels for a moment.)

Upon my arrival at the intersection, it is clear that they have both been there longer than me, so I am waiting for them to take their turns and then I will proceed forward.  Based on their locations (and the car's blinker) I assume Motorcycle is turning right and Car is turning left.

Car assumed the same thing and began to pull forward.  That's when Motorcycle decided that A)he was done pondering the universe and wanted to go now and B)the universe needed to know that he was cranky.

He stuck his hand out in front of the car's windshield and wagged his finger as if to say, "no".  He also shook his head to make the same communication.  The car stopped, and the girl driving looked really confused.  That's when the motorcycle proceeded to drive forward through the intersection while simultaneously flipping the bird  back at the car as he drove away.

The girl still looked confused, but she made her left turn and moved on with her life.  I then proceeded to drive forward, and pondered how I wished that I had a dash cam or similar device to record the strange event.

Having relayed that story, I want to take you back to my first statement.  I don't understand people.  They don't even make sense.

I've tried to put myself in Motorcycle Man's brain, and try to figure out what made him so cranky.  He obviously felt he was entitled to go through the intersection first, since he was there first.  But he had been sitting at the intersection for at least 30 seconds that I saw.  In addition, it's not like her turning left made it so that he couldn't go straight.

What is the etiquette he was expecting her to follow?  If someone is pulled over at an intersection, almost on the sidewalk, are you supposed to pull over behind them while they ponder and pray about when they want to proceed through the intersection?

Obviously there was a misunderstanding between the two.  She didn't do what he expected, and he didn't do what any normal human being would expect.  But why get cranky about it?  Why flip her off?  Why can't we all just be nice to each other?

I don't understand people.

Truly Awesome: Auto Awesome

Google has a new feature that they announced at IO this year.  It's called Auto Awesome.  Basically, you allow your device to automatically upload all of your pictures privately.  They are then available for you to share publicly on Google+.  But, in addition to your existing pictures, it also gives you some new, automatic fun toys.

My personal favorite is what they call "motion".  If you take a burst of five similar pictures, it will create a new animated image.  It is still created privately, but it is available to download or share, just like everything else.

Since their announcement, I've been playing around with it, trying to create animations.  It works, but what I discovered is that the ones I create on purpose are not nearly as awesome as the ones I create on accident.  I unleashed Google on all of my pictures, to see what it would come up with.  Here are a few of my favorites.  All of these were taken before Auto Awesome was born.

My niece and I making funny faces

The progressive shave of my beard a few years ago

The progressive shave of my goatee last year

Some colorful people making faces

The animations are not the only feature to be included with Auto Awesome.  You can read about all of the features here.  "Smile" is the other feature that I find very intriguing.  I have gotten it to work with a few of my coworkers, but I think it would be most interesting for family pictures.

I hope you enjoy Auto Awesome.  It is truly awesome.