Clarity

September 12, 2025

Almost fifty years ago, when I was a first-year student in law school, a career counselor encouraged me to interview for an internship with the Alaska Supreme Court.  The Alaskan Supremes, like other courts and big shot law firms, would come to Davis and other Northern California law schools on a recruiting frenzy. Classmates who you never saw clean shaven or wearing anything other than Levis and a sweatshirt, would scurry about, nervous bundles of ambition in new three-piece suits.

My plan was always to return to Santa Rosa to practice law and my grades were such that I didn’t have a chance at a clerkship for such a high fallutin’ court, but the counselor suggested it would be good “interview experience.” So I did.

That was the first of many…I mean MANY…unsuccessful interviews, so I’m not sure the experience was one on which I needed to get a head start . Still, I’ve occasionally wondered how different my life might have been had I stumbled into a job in Juneau on my first try.

Turns out…I learned today…very different. 

Juneau is a very small town for a state capitol. There were 19,000 people then. There are scarcely 30,000 people now. That’s 6% the size of Sonoma County. There are no roads to Juneau. You can only get there by air or water.

Cathy thinks I would have liked that.  The distance. The pace. And the quiet. Her vision is challenged, but she sees things others don’t and  knows me better than I do myself

So, fellow traveler, today’s theme is vision and the clarity that comes only with time, distance and a little bit of magic called image stabilization. Don’t worry, I’ll explain.

To get a bird’s eye view of just how small a town Juneau is, Cathy and I decided to go where the birds go. 

The clouds.

We hopped aboard the Goldbelt Tram, just across the street from the Queen Liz, and climbed 1800’.  

It was a spectacular morning with sun piercing the low flying mist above Gastineau Channel. 

Cathy has had a couple of scary low blood sugar episodes on the trip, so we stopped at the visitor center to pick up some emergency medical supples. I have a gift for such things and found a bag of caramel corn with drizzled huckleberry icing and a fully leaded Pepsi.  Strictly for the patient, of course.

While there, Cathy saw a photo op opportunity for her grandkids Avery, Olive and Bowie. The first one is a bear; we’re not entirely certain what the second animal is.

Part of our goal in climbing above Juneau, was to see a bald eagle. Neither of us had ever seen one in the wild. To better understand our elusive adversary, we  stopped to measure for our own wingspan. Cathy clocked in at the size of a red-tailed hawk at 52”.

Me? I’m a Canadian Goose…well fed, apparently…, no surprise there, clocking in at a honking’ 72” regular.

Neither of us came close to a Bald Eagle at 90”.

Speaking of arm’s length transactions,  Cathy had me draw up a quick contract to cover our bet. It provides,  

“The Party of the First Part agrees with Party of the Second Part that whosoever shall first observe a Bald Eagle shall receive from the other party a foot massage at a time and place of his or her choosing.”

It was shortly after thisphotograph was taken that I saw in the distance, probably 600 yards…I know my yardage; I used to play golf… a glimpse of bright white against the gray background, appearing and then disappearing.

“Winner, winner; Chicken dinner” I announced. Probably not the best thing to say amongst bird watchers, but I was excited. Cathy of course challenged my sighting and since it was beyond her field of vision would not accept my claim.

Returning to Earth, we stopped for lunch at the famous Red Dog Saloon where she has fond memories of once taking her son Nick when he was maybe four. I made a mental note of a cocktail I must order some day.  One part Kahlua, one part Bailey’s Irish Cream, one part Crown Royal Canadian Whiskey. It’s called an Alaskan Duck Fart.

So many things to learn; so little time.

After splitting a pulled pork sandwich, we set out in search of the good folks at Unplugged Adventures who had promised us the use of  a new  Earl Gray 2 door Jeep Wrangler equipped with a self-guiding tour iPad mounted on the dash to continue our search for clarity and the Wile E. Bald Eagle.

Cathy took the wheel. I was navigator. First stop, Mendenhall Glacier.

Do you remember when you were a kid how fun it was to suit up and walk in the rain. Well, it still is.

Second stop, a two-mile hike to Nugget Falls and back.

It was on our walk back to the Wrangler from the Falls that my farsighted vision paid off.  

Cathy checked her glucose monitor and discovered that her blood sugar had dropped south of 55. That’s not good.

So, I sprung into action, whipped off my backpack …okay, Cathy had to help with that one as I couldn’t get my arm out of the strap…and fetched the pepsi and caramel corn. Taking a handful for myself and then one for her…it’s like oxygen masks on an airliner; I can’t help her if I don’t help myself first…I probably saved her life.

         You can see the look of appreciation on her face. 

It was nothing actually.

Next stop Eagle Beach. This was a beautiful drive on the Glacier Highway north of Mendenhall out beyond Auk Lake, Tee Harbor, overlooking the Favorite Channel. A beautiful and  serene place. Good choice, good folks at Unplugged.

Quick story. A funny one, actually.

See this photograph.

Study it.

See anything?

No?

That’s because you don’t have an eagle eye like me. 

Here’s the same photo magnified.

Look at the top of the tree in the center with the heavy light green moss.  See anything.?

That, my friend, is a Bald Eagle.

And this is my wife confirming the sighting.

I’m sixty-nine years old. My hands shake so seeing anything through binoculars is tough. Birds. Stars. Forgetaboutit.

For my birthday, my thoughtful wife Cathy gave me a pair of whizzy- whig binocs with “image stabilization.” Not sure how, but the wizards at Canon found a way that, with the push of a button, the shakes are stilled and I can see things I might not have seen before.

Magic

A Bald Eagle is truly a regal creature. 

I know. I’ve seen one. In fact, on the ride back, Cathy spotted four more. I suspect our count will rise. There’s so much more to see.

But tonight, I’m going to rest these weary feet of mine and think about the clarity that comes with distance, altitude, and a bit of image stabilized reflection.

I don’t know. Maybe I’ll get a foot massage. We did walk six miles today.