Finishing a retreat week on a new project with my old advisor. It’s an open-source system to build a network of hyper-cheap local radio stations, using some new tricks with cloud telephony and internet-enabled program dynamics. It’s generously sponsored by the Knight Foundation, and led by Chris Csikszentmihalyi and Jude Mukundane. I’m excited to help think through some of the technology architecture and build an initial demo for a pilot project in Uganda. Check it out at rootio.org and github.org/rootio
On our way back to Anchorage for our flight home, we took a slight detour on the Hope highway. It’s a small town of 192 people, but it used to be the largest in Alaska during a gold rush in 1896. We saw the town museum, took a tour led by the entire fifth grade class (one kid, Alex), and saw a sign of some latent liberal values.
Drove down the peninsula, taking in the majesty of the mountains and the bounty of the rivers. Stayed at a campground on the banks of the Russian River, and watched eagles soar and mosquitos swarm in the twilight.
We left Anchorage and drove south on the Kenai peninsula to Seward, where we caught a boat to Fox Island. It felt a little bit like wilderness Disneyland, but the food was good, the beds were warm, and the wildlife was spectacular.