I’m sitting at the port in Juneau waiting to get on the ferry. It’s about a 2-day trip from here to YPR (Prince Rupert, BC).
Let’s see. Where did the adventure start?
I had a flight all the way in to Canyonlands Field in Moab, where I was going to be hooking up Shidara. When I got to Denver I was informed that my flight into Moab had been canceled due to excessive winds and they airline was offering a flight into GJT (Grand Junction) or I could take the morning flight directly to Moab (although there was a high wind advisory for the following day as well and they couldn’t promise me that flight would actually depart as scheduled).
‘course I was supposed to be performing that night, but I called ahead to say I would probably only just barely make it there on time.
The flight into Junction also ended up being delayed over an hour. I called again to say it wasn’t likely I’d be there in time at all.
Evidently it was a harrowing flight with a lot of turbulence, only I missed all of that because I was sound asleep. The only reason I know it was such a bumpy ride was because when we got to Junction and I got over to the rental car place, there was another fella who was also on his way to Moab and he was kind enough to give me a lift.
It was a great ride in, actually. I completely missed the whole concert by the time we got into Moab and ended up at Hop’s house catching up with Yoda, Zen and Tao because all the humans were out and about doing concert stuff.
There was much rejoicing when everyone got home. Hop and Megan were up into the wee hours baking cookies for everyone and laughing riotously. There was more crazed baking of scones in the morning and we loaded the bus and took off for Idaho.
We stopped in Salt Lake City and took a very brief tour of Temple Square and (more pertinently) the Tabernacle AND I managed to hook up with friends from the ARES PA on the SWG Scylla server…for about 17 minutes…and then we were off again to Rexburg & BYUI.
There was a performance there and it was fun seeing so many of the students come up on stage at the end of Hanamatsuri. Wild and crazy bunch o’ kids. If you want more specific details about the venue or other parts of the tour, you’ll have to check out Shidara’s daily blog (if you can read Japanese).
From Rexburg we headed to Boise and from Boise we flew into Fairbanks. Flying in was incredible. Seeing all of the glaciers and the overall majestic splendour of the terrain. I mean. Wow. It was striking.
The concert there went well and one of the highlights of that stop was going to Chena Hot Springs, although some might say it was seeing moose on the way home (we also went to the Ice Hotel museum and shared an appletini in a glass made of ice, and that was…cool).
From Fairbanks it was off to Anchorage and we had some free time there, so we ended up going on a whale watch jaunt on a boat with a skipper with no arms. When I inquired about the back story he said he had his book, “Alone & Unarmed,” in the wheelhouse. I thought it was a joke, but in fact there was a two inch binder that held a number of documents and articles about him. I’ll try to fill in the details later.
We saw Orca, a Bald Eagle, some puffins, some sea lions and seals, a couple of very cute otters, a whack of gulls, some interesting rock formations and a glacier…but no whales. At one point out on the open ocean many of the members of Shidara were screaming and laughing as the boat rolled on the swells. It was a fun time for everyone but Yoshi who was somewhere in the back losing his breakfast.
The shows went well. The school shows went well and we had a bit of fun kicking around town. At some point I will try to get the food reviews up. I am running out of time on this pre-paid card at this particular internet kiosk.
The highlights for me included:
Pasta from ORSO
Crab and macadamia stuffed fresh halibut at Simon and Seafort’s
A perfectly tender rib-eye at Turnagain Point in the joyful company of Lauren & Susan
Lunch at the F-Stop
& some crab specials at Phyllis’…which were not stellar but at least reasonably priced.
I also got to go out for Chinese with friends Roni & Rajih, so all in all it was a fantastic time there in Anchorage
Some of the crew got to see Margaret Cho in concert, and that was a lot of fun. It was the first time I’ve ever actually loaded out of the same theatre on the same day she was appearing on the same stage. Usually I seem to miss her shows by anywhere from a day to a week. It’s the same thing with Kenny Endo. Every time I go to Japan he’s either just leaving or performing right after I leave. I was happy to get to see the show. Some funny stuff and a great opening act to boot.
I am excited bout the trip through the inside passage. Very glad the sun shines longer and later here because we don’t leave until 7:30pm and i don’t want my trip through the inside passage to be like my tour of Hokkaido (in the theatre all day and driving all night on pitch black roads).
I am offline for the next 2 days or so (I get into YVR on Sunday night). The only phone access on the ferry is via satellite and pricey so…likely I won’t be calling anyone.
I have some compositions kicking around in my head. This was a good tour. It’s hard to not be inspired by Alaska and the people who live here.