BIRTHPLACE BOUND

For as long as I can remember, my dad and I have been talking about going back to my birthplace. You see, when I was born in 1972, my Dad was in the navy and was stationed with my Mom at the US Naval Air Base in Adak, Alaska. It is so far out in the Aleutian Islands (1300 miles from Anchorage) that if you head due South, you actually will end up West of Hawaii. But for a long time, the only way to get on the island was with an invitation from Uncle Sam and the Admiral. But not anymore. The cold war is over and this cold island is open for visitors they say.

So the time has come and my dad and I are flying to Adak, Alaska on Father's Day for some father/son bonding. Since the Navy has since stopped using the Island, it is now home to a small community of people who fish and try and drum up some historical navy tourism or something. They have 2 flights in and out per week. One on Sunday and one on Thursday and if they can't land due to weather, you're stuck there until the next scheduled chance they have to come get you. I have no idea what we will be doing on a cold, wind swept, 280 square mile island with a population of like 50 or something ridiculous like that for 4 days.... but it is bound to be memorable. I'm pretty sure we're staying in someone's like guest room they call the "motel" and probably renting Jethro's extra pickup to get around. Don't worry, if we get stuck in the mud somewhere, they send Jimbo and his dog Spike to come searching if you don't check in with the grocery clerk by 5pm in the general store.

I've packed my new digital camera and my fishing gear and some warm clothes (it's supposed to be like 40 degrees) and I'm off to hang with my Dad and some Caribou on the frozen tundra of my birthplace. I'm definitely carving my name in something and peeing all over the place to mark my territory... you can count on that!!!!