Some things happen very slowly in Alaska and some things happen very quickly. To be specific, winter happens slowly and the other seasons rush by. It was summer a couple of weeks ago and then, on October first, it snowed for the first time this year. Today's high temperature was 27 degrees and there's about two or three inches of crunchy snow on the ground and I saw someone driving a snowmobile today. This time last year I was in the hospital in Anchorage so I didn't get to see the tundra put on its winter coat. I didn't realize how quickly it happens.
Pam and I were out doing a little sight seeing today when we came upon some poor lady who had slipped and fallen on the icy road. While I got out to help this poor lady, Pam took this picture of a boat.
Obviously, heroic attempt to rescue this fallen citizen didn't impress my wife. Why do I try? In my frustration to find a way to wow my wife, I drove down to the Small Boat Harbor to see what was shaking and I spotted some things that don't always go together.
For example, I can't remember when I've seen a bulldozer parked at a boat harbor with the boats.
I've seen picnic tables and bait stores, food joints and taverns, but never a bulldozer. Something else you don't see is free life jackets, or Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs). Well, not exactly free, but free to use. In an attempt to improve boater safety up here, we have a "Kids Don't Float" program. This one of the stations set up to provide loaner PFDs. It's odd for people in the lower 48 see anything set up on the honor system especially a PFD loaner station. What's more, there's ice sickles on these vests.
While we were snapping this picture there were people breaking ice so they could get to the river and others were trying to get their boats out of the ice. These are some hardcore boaters.
This weekend was also our first Junior Native Youth Olympics meet and our first meet of the wrestling season. On Friday, I had my class in the computer lab when I got a big surprise. The whole Atmautluak JNYO team came waltzing in to say hello. They were all happy to see me and I was pretty excited too. Pam and I went to the JNYO meet. Pam got to see the kids do some native dancing as well as the sports events that are unique to NYO. Since some of my students were competing against some of my former students, I had plenty of people to cheer for.
It seems that as time goes on I see more and more friendly faces. This weekend I was warmly greeted by at least a dozen people that I met last year. Their hugs and handshakes genuine and heartwarming. Unfortunately, I had to answer the same question over and over. "Why didn't you come back to Atmautluak?" In my mind the answer is easy to understand, but when I try to explain it, it doesn't seem to make as much sense. Maybe I'll get to visit them in the village this winter.
I can't wait to see what happens next. Everything will freeze up soon enough and the tundra will become accessible to Pam and me. The real adventure will begin then.
Oh yeah, some kids in our school were asked which season most tourists visit Alaska and it took them a bunch of guesses to stumble onto the correct answer; summer. It took them so long because, to them, it is not logical to come here in the summer if you want to see the best of Alaska. They said winter is the best time to go places because that's when the tundra gets hard enough to go anywhere you want. So for your next Alaska vacation, visit during the winter and you'll get to see more of this great state because snowmobiles can go just about anywhere.
Stay warm.
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