From Ocean to Ocean: The Great Southern Fried Migration

The time has finally come. After 11 years in North Carolina, I have finally succumbed to the insatiable human desire to venture beyond the horizon. Tomorrow morning, Amy and I will hitch our worldly possessions to my tough old truck and drive west until we reach the Pacific Ocean. And, because we’re 1/4 of Southern Fried Science, we’ll live blog the entire journey. A few FAQ’s before we go: What are you doing in California? Amy has a post-doctoral fellowship at the California Ocean Science Trust, where she’ll be developing a new citizen science initiative. I will be searching for work once I get there. So, if you’re an employer Oakland or the San Francisco Bay area, and need a crack deep sea ecologist, conservation geneticist, or science communicator, please take a look at my Curriculum Vitae. What will happen to your chickens? The chickens have been adopted by a family who will love them and their eggs for years to come. I’ve said my goodbyes to Poly, Tikka, Olga, and Masala. What will happen to your goats? Luna and Hermione are coming with us. What? The goats are coming along for the ride. We’ve already located an awesome house with a great landlord who is willing to tolerate our unconventional pets. Wait, so you have like a livestock trailer? Nope. They’ll be happily munching hay in the cab with us. This way we can make sure they stay calm and keep an eye on them during the journey. What will you do with the goats at night? We’ve discovered a vast and fairly incredible network of “Horse Motels” — B and B’s tailored to humans and their equine companions. They have been more than happy to accommodate our dwarf goats. Whether or not I get the room or the stall is entirely up to Amy. What does this mean for the OpenCTD? The Bay Area is the beating heart of the maker community which will be a tremendous asset as we enter the next phase of development. I’m  excited to finally meet up with the OpenROV team and other makers that can help us make the OpenCTD even better. Can you still be the Southern Fried Scientist if you’re in California? Fried chicken is still fried chicken even after you take it out of the fryer. Southern Fried is about origins, not destinations. For 11 years, this state has been my home.  I earned both my bachelor’s degree and doctorate in North Carolina. I built my first robot in North Carolina. I wielded my first pipettor in North Carolina. I met and married my wife in North Carolina. I am, and always will be, the Southern Fried Scientist. Where else can I follow the adventure? We’ll try to update the blog a few times per day. You should also follow me and Amy on twitter — @SFriedScientist and @bgrassbluecrab. Will there be a hashtag? #Ocean2Ocean If you have any other questions, feel free to ask them in the comment field.