Lots of Rainy Days

Brian and Mike setting off on the Chilkoot Trail 7/22/11

When I'd last written, Mike and Brian Vickers had just set off on the Chilkoot Trail. While it's not my story to tell, this is the only venue Mike uses for his stories. So his stories are from my perspective and cannot do them justice. Here are a few photos of their achievement. According to Mike, they hiked well together. Being a good hiking partner is a difficult thing. A lot depends on compatibility of pace and temperament. They're both pretty easy-going people and it was just a few days. Mike was expecting to feel crippled in his knees by the end of the hike, but he reports feeling quite well and in better shape than he expected. He had spent a few days doing multiple hikes to Lower Dewey Lake as training.

I asked him if hiking the Chilkoot would affect how he gives his tour about the Klondike Gold Rush. He said, absolutely! Actually, he said, "Those people were crazy!" Remember, they had to hike it multiple times during the winter carrying their year's supply of goods over the pass. Had to be pretty damned determined! I would love to hear his tour at this point.

On the Golden Staircase
(I like the line of people in the snow in the background.)

Summiting!

Mike owling at the summit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owling_%28internet_meme%29

After that weekend, things were "back to work," as usual. Mike does the highway tour with 1-3 days off in between runs. I'm working 4-6 days a week. Last year at this time, many of my co-workers were saying they couldn't wait to get back home. All I could think was, "I NEVER want to leave here!" Well, maybe it's being here for the second year. Maybe it's the fatigue of driving and being "on" for all the guests. Maybe it's thoughts of things going on back in Arizona and that we should be there. But I understand the sentiment of being ready to move on. There are 5-1/2 more weeks of the work season in Skagway.

Last weekend, August 4-6, we had three visitors up from Juneau: Todd, Dan and Rhonda! Now, Todd wasn't here to specifically see us. He was actually attending a wedding of a friend of a friend. The wedding was spectacular in a hippy-ish sort of way and the weather was actually half-sunny for a few hours. Wish I'd known the couple. Looks like a fun time.

But Dan and Rhonda came and stayed with a friend of a friend here in town. So, they were able to do this trip very economically! First, Dan and Rhonda rode on Taylor's Best of Skagway tour. Taylor said she felt a little nervous having people she actually knows listening to her tour. But Rhonda said that Taylor had "a good flow" with her narration and that they enjoyed it very much. Alas, Rhonda hadn't received her passport yet, so she couldn't go on any of the tours that go up into Canada. But they had a great time with Taylor. That night, Rhonda treated us to dinner at the Brewco to thank us for having her in our home during training. No need to have done that, but we enjoyed dinner and even more so, their company!

The next day, Mike had plans to go fishing with Joe Ashton. They did catch a couple of salmon, but we haven't yet downloaded those pics to our computer. Alas, you won't get to see Mike holding a fish he caught. As many of you know, there are already hundreds of pics of Mike holding a newly caught fish. But one of him with a salmon is a new thing entirely.

With Mike busy fishing, I went with Rhonda and Dan to go zip lining out in Dyea. This is the newer of the zip line adventures here in the Skagway area. This one has TEN zips! The first couple, you're still getting comfortable. By the third or fourth, you're hanging upside down, swinging around, going forwards, backwards, etc. It was a blast. Truly wonderful to almost feel like you're flying. Of course, since the lines are constructed for the tourist trade, there are enough corporations involved that the safety issue is pretty bomb-proof. We were tethered and cabled at all times. Very little sense of danger. Lots of exhilaration!

Rhonda, Dan and Shari...having a LOT of fun!

Me...reaching up to slow down at the end of a zip.

We continued to spend time together, meeting Betty, the woman they were staying with. We shared a couple more meals together, before they had to return to Juneau. I would love to go to Juneau and partake in some of the adventures there!

The days since included a company barbecue of tri-tip, brats, etc. Sadly, the day was rather cloudy, windy and cold. So, that party broke up pretty early. Mike's pretty bummed because he's been on the road for almost all the barbecues this summer except perhaps the first one. This one was held in honor of the fact that we have had no DOT violations so far this summer. Last year the management hosted a feast for us each month. This year they're tied to DOT performance. Ok. We're pretty good. Unless you've lied in your logbook, all you need as the driver to pass is to drive decently, have your license/medical card/logbook up to date and have the paperwork for the coach up to date. I've been stopped twice. It is so non-threatening.

Yesterday, Mike and I hiked to Upper Dewey Lake. It's a popular, moderate/strenuous hike with a 3080 foot elevation gain from sea level in 4 miles. It was one of two things I didn't do last year that I wish I had done. (The other was the zip line!) I had attempted this hike last year, but got about 3/4 of the way from Lower Dewey to Upper Dewey before returning due to snow on the trail being too deep and due to fatigue. Well, I was every bit as fatigued this year... just no snow. We'd hoped to have a good day, but we haven't seen a sunny day here in weeks. In fact, it was one of the rainiest days of the summer...and certainly one of the foggiest.

We reached Upper Dewey Lake after more than twice the time it takes the average person to hike to it. That was due to me being so very much out of condition. Happily, it was NOT due to my ankle being so out of condition. My ankle did hurt and I was being uber-careful, but it wasn't what was slowing me down. We knew we were at the lake because we reached the two cabins that are up there. We were able to see just the edge of the lake. The fog was that thick.

We stayed up there for about an hour. We found the geocache up there and Mike built me a fire in the stove in one of the cabins. He's good at building a fire...even with all damp wood!!! And since the cabin is just at the edge of treeline there, there wasn't much wood to be found...especially in the fog. Then we headed down. I wasn't much faster going down than up. My right knee is pretty much kaput for downhill hiking. Our hiking paces were not at all compatible. However, Mike was there to make sure I was safe at all times. I can't say that either of us "enjoyed" the disparity of our hiking paces. I certainly didn't enjoy knowing that in this condition, I'm a miserable hiker. At least this time, I didn't wig out from fear of being hurt again. Let's just say that the hike was an achievement, if not enjoyable. What this means for the future, I don't know and don't even want to consider. Unfortunately, I didn't think to download the few photos we took of our hike before Mike left for Whitehorse on his next run today and took the camera with him.

5-1/2 more weeks. Tony left. Chad left. Jaz is leaving tomorrow. The diaspora has begun. People are talking about their plane/train/bus tickets. People are talking about their winter plans. Two are going to work with dog mushers for the winter. Tony is going to China. Several are going back to college. Many have no idea. Many have plans in the works for various jobs. We'll definitely be returning home to Peoria, AZ.

The colors began changing the last couple of days of July. The temperatures have certainly gotten colder. The salmon are running...far more in number than last year. Wildlife sightings for me have decreased, though we did see a marten up by Upper Dewey yesterday. That was interesting. Mike has seen more wildlife, but he's on the road covering a larger territory than I am. However, we did happen to see the same bear and her THREE cubs in about the same area...but on different days. I was unable to get a photo, but Mike did:

Mama Bear and 3 cubs...one is hiding in the fireweed just below mom's head.

Mike knows I love flowers, so he took this photo in Dawson City just for me.

I know I haven't said it, but reading your comments, e-mails and posts to Facebook have meant so much to me. We're apart by the miles, but please know that you're each in my heart. And when you comment, it reminds me that I'm writing to you as individuals and not as a group or for mass publication. My blog is not intended to be a book for the general reader, but something that is my way of talking to each of you and including you in this wonderful adventure that is Alaska. Much love from the land of the midnight sun...no longer sunny at midnight at this time of year.