July, August, and Winter

According to the second episode of The National Parks: America's Best Idea, that's how the first U.S. soldiers charged with protecting Yellowstone described its seasons. Apparently patrolling two million acres of northwestern Wyoming during the coldest months of the year wasn't exactly a plum assignment. But chasing poachers through waist deep snow probably wouldn't delight many people, then or now.

Thanks to Ken Burns and the recession, the parks have seen their popularity grow dramatically in 2009. The AP recently reported that nationwide attendance is actually at a ten-year high and may well set a new record. While I did some camping and hiking in Zion and Bryce Canyon (pictured) last summer, I've only managed to visit a national recreation area and America's first national scenic trail so far this year. Fortunately, I still have three months to explore another corner of our country's remarkable natural landscape. I'm thinking it might be best to go somewhere before the weather gets too frosty however.

Adventures in Mapping

A full month after blithely declaring that I'd soon have more news about my educational comic book, I actually have something to post. Working with an imaginative artist, experienced cartographers, and now a talented letterer, I am (I think) about a week away from wrapping up the first stage of this project. Previews are coming soon. I promise.

We've settled on a logo, four of the first five pages are inked and colored, the map I commissioned looks great, and after a bit of rewriting and lots of editing, I'm finally happy with my script. Watching Captain Cartography evolve from an idea into a full-fledged story has brought me a lot of joy already, and I consider myself lucky to have found such willing and enthusiastic collaborators. Unfortunately, the next step in the process is drafting a budget.

A Brew With Bite

The Scots know their malts. Unfortunately, my first road trip across Scotland didn't allow enough time for a detour to Aberdeenshire. I say unfortunately because that very same year, a little less than two months before I arrived in fact, a couple of guys and a chocolate lab started a brewery in Fraserburgh on the coast of the North Sea.

So it wasn't until my neighborhood beer merchant began to carry their malty products that I finally got to try BrewDog. But instead of choosing Punk IPA, their most popular style, I opted for the more unusual and enigmatic Dogma, a heather honey infused ale.

At 7.8% alcohol by volume, Dogma packs a punch, especially if you finish a 660ml bottle by yourself, as I did last night while watching the season premiere of "The Office." It didn't acquire much head when I poured a glass, and to my nose, smelled strongly of overripe fruit and honey. The malts came through in the flavor and although my taste buds did identify notes of bitter honey, they haven't yet learned to distinguish a kola nut from a guarana seed. Poppy seed on the other hand, really stood out in the lingering finish.

I'd definitely recommend trying this complex beer, ideally at pub like The Halfway House, Edinburgh's smallest (and one-time Scottish pub of the year). I'm guessing it could go well with an order of stovies and oat cakes.

The Bard From Bergen

I don't think I've ever seen someone use an echo pedal as a comedic prop before. And yet that's exactly what Sondre Lerche did on Tuesday night at the Bowery Ballroom. You rarely count on humor from musicians with such earnest lyrics.

Touring in support of his newly-released album Heartbeat Radio, he exuded confidence and excitement as he debuted songs such as the catchy title track and "I Guess It's Gonna Rain Today" alongside older favorites like "Two Way Monologue" and "Days That Are Over." As he switched back and forth between a Gretsch hollow body and an acoustic guitar, he played both instruments with verve and versatility, covering up occasional mistakes with quips and non-sequiturs: "Try to look cool and you'll end up with an out of tune guitar and a broken heart."

In faded jeans and a plaid shirt he did in fact look cool and seemed comfortable on stage, pausing at one point to casually run a hand through hair and inquire about what the audience had "been up to." Judging by the number of Norwegian bands passing through New York this month, I'm guessing that many Scandinavians spent their summer vacations honing their musical chops. I missed my chance to see Kings of Convenience tonight, but I do still plan to catch Hanne Hukkelberg, an artist I wrote about for a forthcoming issue of Nordic Reach.

She was bewitching when she stopped in Brooklyn on her first US tour last year, but I must admit, I appreciate performers that don't take themselves too seriously. And I'd put Sondre in that camp now. "I contemplated playing that 'She Wolf' song tonight," he admitted at one point in his set, "then I realized it was no good without the video."
Photo of Sondre Lerche by Isabell N. Wedin