I’m trying to switch gears and it’s difficult. The gears are going eerrk, eurrrekkk, eureekkk. In other words, I’m working at getting out of book mode and into travel mode.

I tried to switch gears minimally a few weeks ago, when we did the trail trials and did not succeed because I was in book mode. For Christ sakes, I came in last in the day-long trail trials. Last. I came to the first checkpoint and the judges noted that I wasn’t carrying a knife or a hoofpick or my map. Ay carumba.

Leaving Butte on Continental Divide ride

So now we are going horse trekking, first to Slana where we will be dropping off books, and then on to Fairbanks where we’ll be doing some serious riding. Right now, Pete is the motivator. He has started to get ready and has gotten a neighbor, Keith, to tend to the goats and the chickens.

I have taken care of all the book related loose ends that I can think of. I shouldn’t have to hold hands, but this is what I am doing. And so the Beatles tune, I want to hold your hands keeps going through my head. This is not the best of tunes, but it also isn’t the worst of tunes.

It doesn’t help that Shelf Life is about the project. It is like there is no getting away from it. I got my hour in today – I revised what I worked on yesterday, about the BLBP partnership with the Palmer Lions Club. I sensed, but did not know until I started writing about this, that I, being more liberal, and somewhat younger than the others, am and most likely will continue to be the odd one out.

I might work on Shelf Life by having Pete print up a part of it. I’ll work some on the computer if given the chance. Or I may throw up my hands and say, “I’m on vacation.” I will write dispatches because this simply involves writing directly on the computer.

I worked very hard today, mostly on the literacy library. And tonight Pete and I got together a list of where the newspaper boxes are, and where they will be located at the Alaska State Fair.

And when we get back, I will focus near exclusively on getting ready for the Alaska State Fair. We have the Colony Barn, from which to work out of, as does Kids Kupboard. Huge, this is huge.

Today a fellow who works with Becky, Kyle, a gardener, came by and dropped off books. Lots of fiction. I was getting ready to leave and had had enough of dealing with books and was at first snarky. When finally, I realized who he was I engaged him in conversation. He said that he is moving to Kentucky and might get a small book project going. I forewarned him and said that small might be what he has in mind, but that it will most likely grow.

Next: 189. 7/12/25: Going, going, going