Day 9 on the road - Stuck due to road closures

Well, I made it off the ferry and promptly got stuck as the pass made famous by gold diggers of the Klondike Gold Rush has been closed for 3 days straight. So close to my destination and yet so far! On the up side - this means I actually got to watch the Obama inauguration this morning. Yay!! The whole event leaves me with feelings of goodwill towards the world and with hope.

The ferry was lovely - lots of interesting people to talk to and gorgeous, unprecedented, June-like weather. Which explains my current problem. Two straight weeks of burying the needle off the deep end of the negative side of the thermometer (mercury freezes past -60F) followed by a week of above ten degrees above freezing for a week and you have the perfect black ice recipe. I was hoping this portion would take me a day and a half...but it's looking like it will be longer. However, I suppose a two week road trip is not complete without some challenges!

VP Debate

I just have to say this...that accent she's got? I never heard that accent from her as governor before.

More on VP nominee

I've been thinking about your requests to share my knowledge of Palin. Despite my inclination to stay away from politics on this blog, I am strongly tempted, but I also feel like much of what I could say is being said better elsewhere. If you haven't found it already you should definitely visit the Mudflats: Tip toeing Through the Muck of Alaskan Politics which is posted by the AKMuckraker. It's one of those blogs that once would have primarily interested Alaskans - but now one of our small fish has jumped into the big frying pan. I am heartened to see the turnout of the "Alaskan Women Reject Palin" rally and was absolutely mortified the other day when, showing my Alaskan ID in Colorado for a purchase, the woman behind the counter exclaimed "You would look just like Sarah Palin if you put your hair up!". I was tempted to explain that just because we're from the same state doesn't mean we are related.

I will say this: I do not agree with Palin's politics and I do not believe she is qualified for the position of vice-president of the United States. Quite frankly, her politics scare me. This is true of most Alaskan politicians but luckily their power has been limited to the state of Alaska. It dismays me that this political race seems to have become Obama vs. Palin. Isn't it McCain who is supposed to be running against Obama?

That said I am seriously considering your request to post my experience with Palin as governor of Alaska. I'm just trying to figure out how to do so without attracting total furor and in a way that is most beneficial. So I'm thinking on it...please post any specific questions you might have in the comment section and I will try to address them!

The AK Governor

Okay...erm, I can hardly stand this...I just listened to her speech. She's the Governor of my state but I didn't vote for her (rather for her opposition). And now she's the VP candidate? I half expected my blog to be over-run by the rest of you by now asking the questions I have gotten in person such as "What is competitive snowmachining?" I've had to walk a fine line at the bookstore cloaking my politics under the multi-interpretable response "I'm still in shock" and I am, it's no lie.