Discover Denali

By now, most of my close friends and family know that I'm heading back to Alaska this summer, and certainly you do, if you're reading this blog. But I have been surprised to find out how many people have either never heard of Denali, or don't know what it is. Now, I fully realize that my idolization of the park is completely due to my NPS geekery, and I didn't know that much about Denali before I joined the park service either, but that being said, I feel it is now my duty to enlighten you to its splendor and to the reason why it is undeniably awesome.

Map modified from NPS AK Region map

First, you should know where it is. See map above. It's kind of in the middle of the state, but the entrance is on the north side, closer to Fairbanks. Most of its 6 million acres are designated or eligible wilderness, meaning that the land is mostly untouched and undeveloped, is accessible only on foot or by non-motorized vehicles, and with back country permits. That is to say, it's pretty wild.

Newfoundland part 3: The Beginning and the End

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Monday was my last day in Newfoundland, so I was determined to make the most of it. My friend had class in the morning, so I took the city bus into town to wander the streets and take in the sights one last time. 

Inspiration for the (Female) Adventurer's Soul

I confess: I'm a sucker for a good story with a strong heroine, and we're not talking Scarlett O'Hara here. We're talking that rare breed of female lead that somehow seems to elude most mainstream media, disproportionate to the number of male protagonists that dominate our literary landscape and cultural narratives.

Although this topic is of mild interest to me, until now I have typically shied away from addressing it, frankly because I don't want to be pegged as some feminist whining about the patriarchy. That's not why I'm writing this. I am writing it because I think there are a lot of other people out there -- men and women alike -- who enjoy hearing the stories of female characters just as much as I do, and just as much as we all like stories about male characters.