After an awesome summer in the Colorado Rockies last year, a lot of people have been asking me what I have up my sleeve for this summer...Well, some of you might have heard some rumors about me and Alaska and I assure you, they're all true!
So, here's the scoop: YES! I am moving to Alaska for the summer. It's actually a really sweet deal. I got a job as a Cave Guide at El Capitan Cave (the largest cave in Alaska!) on Prince of Wales Island, AK. My entire airfare to and from Alaska was paid for by the Student Conservation Association! I get a stipend, and at the end of the summer, I will get an AmeriCorps Education Award for school. Plus, I get to start my research for my Senior Thesis this summer instead of next fall. (WOOT!)
I leave tomorrow and come back to the lower 48 on the 31st of August. I have to fly to Seattle, (where I hope to visit Kurt for awhile) then switch planes for Ketchikan, AK. From there, I have to spend a night at a hotel because the ferry to the island only leaves once a day, at 8am. It's a 3 hour ferry to Prince of Wales, (the city I arrive in is Thorne Bay) after which I'll have to take a 2 hour drive on a gravel road to where I'll be living...I encourage you to Google Maps it if you're bored and want to check it out.
I'll be living in a trailer in the middle of the Tongass National Forest.The Tongass is actually one of the largest old growth forests in the world and is considered a temperate rainforest...(very cool) Now, I am sure you're thinking two things: "there's rainforests in AK?" and "a trailer? that doesn't sound fun!" Well, a temperate rainforest is different from a tropical one in a couple ways: 1) temperature, its obviously much colder in AK than where your traditional rainforests are, and 2) biodiversity, tropical rainforests have a lot more biodiversity than temperate rainforests, but temperate rainforests have much much more biomass..So, there's your science lesson for the day...And about the trailer, its actually a step up from the many summers I spent in a tent, so I am quite excited.
A lot of people ask me if I can say hi or yell at Sarah Palin this summer for them...However, unfortunately, I don't think I will be able to fill this request because Alaska is a very, very large state the odds of me seeing her are not in my favor...
One last question you might have is, "this sounds remote, how can we get in contact with you?" Because of my remote location, no, I will not have a phone or internet acess during the week. It should be a very interesting, transcendental experience, but I will be able to call/email/update you all when I stay at the Forest Service bunkhouse in town on weekends. I will try to update you with all my adventures in the wilderness if you're at all interested. You can still call my cell phone [(262) 515-7886] and leave a happy message for me to recieve on the weekend. Of course, you can email me, but please email me at this address, klewandowski1@carthage.edu so I can streamline my internet time. Also, snail mail would be much appreciated! So, please send all letters, etc to this address:
Kara Lewandowski
Thorne Bay Ranger District
PO Box 19001
Thorne Bay, AK 99919
Well, that's all I have for now. I would like to thank you all for your love and support as well as your interest in my endeavors! And, of course, I will send you pictures and be safe! I love you all very very very much!
Cheers,
Kara
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