There's a guy in Alaska named Bjørn Olson who I have been aware of for some time. He lives and photographs and writes about a life lived within the United States that is so foreign to my sphere of reality, and at the same time, so incredibly mesmerizing and stirring and imagination-provoking. He's an Alaska native, and a guy who likes to "get out and look around".
A few years ago, as I am understanding it, he discovered fatbikes, and the expanded possibilities that they offer, in terms of a more efficient method of traversing the harsh and challenging Alaskan terrain.
He's also an environmental activist, with an emphasis on
active. He has a hard-to-quantify affiliation with a non-profit org called Ground Truth Trekking. Some of what they are about is as follows:
" . . . which seeks to educate and engage the public on Alaska's natural resource issues through a combination of wilderness adventure, scientific analysis, and the creation of web resources."
and
"Our mission is to provide people with the knowledge they need to make smart decisions about these issues, now and into the future. Our vision for this website is to create a place for virtual exploration, where people can learn about the issues, see photos, read stories, see maps, and be both informed and entertained."
Those statements do not really do justice to what appears to be the level of engagement of this organization. The consummate scientific and exploratory training/judgement/experience of the folks involved with this endeavor is impressive, to say the least.
Bjørn and his partner Kim are about to (or maybe already have) embark on an an amazing Arctic fatbike journey.
I won't go on here, other than to provide some links. If you're into this so far, then they are the starting points for some captivating and amazing reading. If you're not, that's totally okay, too.
I think what appeals to me most about Bjørn is the apparent deliberate and purposeful nature of his existence. Maybe I am projecting way too much here but I doubt it. He makes me really uncomfortable about how much value I place on meaning and purpose in my life.
His website/blog
Ground Truth Trekking
Stunning Possibilities Regarding When/Where/How You Raise Your Kids
I've gotten a bit off track here, as far as the historical direction and content of this blog. So in an effort to pull you back in before I close, please do not overlook this most rad blogpost:
Titanium Goat Retrofit
