Sign post...

So I thought I'd keep blogging even though I haven't left for Antarctica quite yet. Both to get into the habit of it, and to learn more about Blogger and its features. For instance I've added a subscription link on the side so that you can get notified by email when there are updates to my blog. This was at the request of my friend Sean C., who although he's an ICT guy, is still rock'in it old school.

Anyway, I came across what I think is a recent picture of the Palmer Station sign post. I don't know what it is about sign posts in off the wall places, but it seems to be a tradition. The reason this one caught my eye, other than being at Palmer Station, is that it has the directions to two places that I'm very familiar with.

The first is Ward, CO, a town in the mountains west of Boulder. There are several towns in the mountains above Boulder along with Ward-Jamestown, Gold Hill, and Nederland to name a few. But Ward is definitely the quirkiest in my opinion. It seems to be stuck in this dual time warp of the mining towns of the 1800's, and the hippy movement of the 1960's. I remember one time having a break at the Ward General Store after the climb up on my bicycle, and seeing this guy in a loin cloth and full headdress, a real six shooter on one hip, a machete on the other, walking with a shepherd's crook up the middle of the main street. I'm pretty sure he was under the influence...of something... I find it interesting and apropos that directions to Ward are on the sign post at Palmer.





 The other one that caught my eye was Moss Landing, which is where the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) is located. I've been a member of the Monterey Bay Aquarium for more years than I can count, even though I don't live out there. It is an amazing aquarium; and the educational outreach, environmental and climate work, responsible seafood and MBARI research is just so worth supporting in my book. I go there every time I'm out in the Monterey Bay area, and because I'm sort of into science and engineering, I've been to the MBARI open house several times as well. It's usually in July, and if you have a chance, I highly recommend it. Because a lot of marine biology is done at Palmer, the Moss Landing sign makes sense. Pro tip-the restaurant at the aquarium has the best calamari I've had since I lived in Spain!


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