A New Love

Stick it where the sun doesn’t shine! It’s familiar to some, but perhaps not to those in Alaska. Alaska: the only state you can spell on one line of a keyboard. I have been on radio silence for quite some time and will be making a huge change to the silence. For the last 8 months I have been on and off jobs and for the last three plus weeks, I’ve been hanging out with family while staying in my sisters’ old room in the house I grew up. I thought I would try out the full time work life with a vacation day here, or a week there, but it wasn’t for me. It’s not a place I could find an overall joy to stay, so I packed up and left Montana and didn’t look back…maybe once or twice, but I looked in the rearview mirror and that was up and forward…

This last week has been a bit difficult. Facebook has this thing where you can look on this day in past years and it hit home. Four years ago I embarked on a journey that changed my perspective of life. It changed me to who I am today. It changed me on the way I look at things. I lost my eye 10 years ago this June and I’ve learned so much more in the last four years than I did 10 years ago (I still don’t play with harpoon guns, no worries there). I met so many great people my first summer in Yellowstone and soooo many more each season I returned. In fact, I think I might have so many followers because they might be friends who just want to see what’s up or how things are. In reality, where do I hope NPB to be? Where it is now; just a guy writing his thoughts and adventures on what’s great in life in and around the National Parks. Soon (2-3 years from now) I’ll be worldwide. Sure I can join twitter and Instagram and just be up everywhere but that would just be not who I am or what I’m about. I’m sure I’ll conform sooner or later to those to help increase traffic and what not but I like to hike, take pictures and write. Not edit photos with filters or tweet what I’m doing every day and I’m sure it’s not as much work as what I make it out to be so, perhaps in a couple days I’ll have some accounts for everyone to follow.

While I have been home visiting family and friends, I wasn’t quite aware on how many enjoy these updates and NPB. That was one of the most aspiring things to hear. Many commented on the fact that it wasn’t just the photos, but the way I type and all the things that follow. Some writers might inform with more description and have a wider vocabulary but I’m not here to impress people on my writing skills. I know where I am. I feel the best way to describe something to you is either to show it in a picture or to tell you to visit it. That’s what I’m all about I don’t see that changing this summer.

I can’t wait for Alaska. If I were to have a bucket list, this would be on it. The easiest way to not have a bucket list is to just do it. Don’t think about a time frame on when you need to have it done by, just make it happen. Live in the now and you won’t have time to regret it. If I didn’t apply for this job, I would be in Montana working 7-8 days a week making pizza while I watched a friend of mine post photos of his wonderful happenings in Alaska and I would say to myself, “Fuck me. I could be there. I could have taken that picture or even be in it!” So guess what Alaska. I’m coming for you! I already know what a first season is like in a new place and I am sooooo ready for you. Alright, maybe not “sooooo” ready, but “so” ready.

I thank you all for reading, staying tuned and for the patience some new words.

MacKeag

P.S.

I had a wonderful last day in Wisconsin with the Fam. It couldn’t have been better (unless we had Phase 10, then there could have been a little more fun but the little hand helped.) ßInside Joke with the Fam. Some of you may have seen Into the Wild or even read the book. I saw it a couple years ago in Yellowstone and watched it the night before I left for Final Frontier. The main guy gets rid of everything but the clothes on his back pack and attempts to live in the wild inside Alaska. Good movie. I pretty much followed him unknowingly into recreating the somewhat adventure he had. I plan on working for money and having a blast in my off time. If you ever catch me drinking a Budlight or burning money, punch me, punch me hard. My emotions are still wondering around. I feel like Bilbo Baggins in the movie where he’s skipping and running saying he’s going on an adventure. That’s me right now as I lay on my back waiting for the last flight out of Seattle going to Fairbanks as I type this. The only excitement I have had on the flight so far was the fact that whoever operated the ramp for the plain so we could exit, tried at least four times to line it up. We waited almost 10 minutes from the time we could take our seatbelts off to the time where we could take a step closer to get off the plane. After a few minutes I started doing standup while we waited and got some good laughs from the six people around me. They charmed in as well. The connecting flight was booked and I had to hope for 5 people not to show in order to get my standby ticket to be of any use. So that brings me to this current moment. The moment of now. The moment where I can’t type of anything else until something new happens. There should/will be a P.S.S. of Fairbanks, seeing that I cannot connect to a free WIFI connection. I will say that at least Greyhound had free WIFI all the way to and from some of their connections. I’ll still take this four hour layover over Greyhound any day of the week.

I did happen to stop at the Alaskan Bar and have a beer due to hearing of people being in Alaska….at the Alaskan bar. So as it turns out. The guy to my left, Wookie, seems to be in his upper 30’s with his long hair that matches his bear. He was a tall, well-built lumberjack looking fellow who will be a raft guide in Healy. Who would of thought. We chatted for a few and he mentioned some jokes that are pretty much “National Park” jokes that go for any seasonal job. But I met a friend early on and the adventure has begun. I’ll be in Alaska in a mere five hours and can’t wait. If I see the Northern Lights from the plane, I may shit a brick; not due to the whiskey but the pureness of all nature has to offer when the fire disappears for a few quick hours letting the havoc of the universe play and show and tell.

Until Fairbanks,

NPB.

P.S.S.

The flight to Fairbanks was something to write about. If you haven’t seen the show Louie I would recommend youtubing the skit about airplane etiquette from Louie. I’m 6’4” and I was in the middle seat four just shy of four hours. To my left was a skinny teenager and to my right was Kevin James at his heaviest point. If you have the middle you are supposed to be graced with two arm rests. The window seat has the wall and window. The isle seat has the ISLE. The Big Boy decided not to follow these simple rules for a decent flight. Finally he used the bathroom. It was my time to shine and take over the well-deserved arm rest I was thinking about oh so much.

There I was with two arm rests and my feet extended almost all the way under the seat in front of me when out of nowhere comes this huge fricken guy. I was using gravity and pretty much my whole body weight to make sure there was suction between my arm and the seat. Like an NFL pro, he swooped right under my arm and without hesitation went to sleep before I could open my eye to see what the refs didn’t call. Minus the sleeping arrangements all went according to plan and Mac slept on Sam and Eva’s futon and lived happily ever after.

The End of travels,

NPB out.