Posts by: Kate Siber
Can a Denver company get its electric plane off the ground?
Imagine if there were a business like Uber that, instead of cars, had tiny four-seat electric airplanes. You could hop from Denver to Aspen traffic-free, pollution-free in a matter of minutes instead of hours. This is the vision of Denver businessman and former Air Force pilot George Bye, CEO of Aero Electric Aircraft Corporation. AEAC is working on what they hope will be the nation's first FAA-approved electric airplane for general aviation. Naturally, there are a lot of hurdles—from engineering challenges to the lengthy and expensive process…
Writing for the Next Generation of Guidebooks
The classic print travel guidebook is going the way of the dinosaur. But then there's Wildsam... Wildsam is the hipster's take on the contemporary guide. Instead of a laundry list of bland reviews, it imparts a sense of place through historical documents, interviews with unusual locals, hand-drawn illustrations, and eccentric lists. I have always admired this series for their creativity and irreverence. (And optimism!) So I was delighted when an editor reached out to me to see if I would contribute an essay to their new Wildsam Desert Southwest Field Guide. She…
On a Mission to Rescue Alaska’s Crumbling Past
Last fall, I drove five hours on a lumpy, potholed dirt road northeast of Fairbanks, Alaska to the tiny outpost of Manley Hot Springs. Situated literally at the end of the road, this loosely settled hamlet has a year-round population of 30, a post office, some hot springs hidden on an old lady's property ($5 gets you a private soak), and a handsome 1903 clapboard roadhouse that is the local citizenry's de facto headquarters. When I arrived, let's just say the locals were less than friendly. But with some time spent…