Easter, like no other...#7

Ok, I'll just start with the moment my eyes opened.
It wasn't to see the Easter bunny, or eggs scattered or a big basket. It was Jeremy (NP) telling me it was time to get up and go for a snow machine ride. I mean when he knocked on the door, I was dead asleep, and ten minutes later we are whipping through the back country on his machine. I'm thinking we are probably going to die out here because the only tracks we are seeing is from the snow machine, moose, and what looks to be a couple of foxes...not like the kind in the bar. One of the things Jeremy is telling me is that you can go farther on a snow machine in an hour than you can walk in a couple of days. At forty five minutes, I'm thinking I'm too old and fat to get stuck in a snow drift out here. It wasn't too bad, because I have a lot of faith in Jeremy, and he is still alive after quite a bit of doing this.(Of course he is young and in shape and looks at me as if I could feed the whole Donner party on well marbled meat)

I don't think I could describe in words what this experience was like. Beautiful for sure, endless views of snow covered mountain tops, cool crisp air, and nature in it's greatest glory. At one point Jeremy stopped on top of a hill top, and all around us was postcards. River valleys, mountain tops, white white snow, and quite. If the sky would have been clear I don't think I could have taken it. The contrast of the blue against all this would have been to much for me to handle my first time out. Without question, it was breathtaking!

On occasion when we would hit a place that was flat enough, and the drifts weren't too high, and skill was not such a factor, Jeremy would let me drive the snow machine. What a blast. It's an odd combination of motorcycle, and jet ski. His is very nice with warmers in the handles, which is great to have on a 5 degree day and 35-40 mph wind. We tooled around the back country for about an hour, and then went up this little road, and Jeremy had me stop at a bridge that seemed out of place at the time. We were on the North River, and when we stopped he showed me a log cabin that man lived in during WWII when the Americans were afraid of being attacked either by the Japanese, or Russians. He told me that people sort of took turns as look outs here. Kinda like the island watchers in the Pacific. Just watching our back door as it were. From this location I think you could see 'em commin for quite a distance.

This time of year, the river is starting to melt a little and under the bridge you could see running water which was quite beautiful against the fluffy snow on the banks. In all this white, it is amazing how striking the slightest contrast is. At one point we were riding down the Unalakleet River, which is like a highway here, and at points you could see water running, and in others you could see where giant chunks of ice were pushed up, square edges protruding through the snow that were at times blue, and at others kind of a light green, as if in some kind of crystal palace. At this point part of me is fascinated by the beauty of it all, and panicked to think I am riding on a river with cracks in it!!! Kind of an Oooooo, Ahhhhh, mixture of feelings that you get at a Forth of July fireworks show. Stimulating to say the least.
This ride went on for about three hours and is an experience I will treasure forever.
one of the things I find amazing about the adventure is that I never got cold. My face or my nose at times when exposed to the wind, but not my core. Not that I noticed anyway, maybe the excitement of it all. I will admit that I can't quite remember enjoying a hot shower as much after I got home.

Jeremy and his wife Wendy invited me to their house for Easter activities, and dinner. It was my job to bring the ice cream.(can you believe it?) I asked around, and everyone said that pizza shop had the best ice cream, so I thought I would run up and get some. When I got there I met a couple of guys that were shooting the breeze at the counter while the kids were celebrating a little girls birthday a la chucky cheese. I got the ice cream and put it on the counter. As usual the question of your not from around here are you got started and as you might imagine I was soon shooting the breeze too. After the usual questions of where, when and why were covered, they started asking me what I had experienced and I told them about the same things I have been telling you all, and I added "I've sure heard a lot about seal oil, but I haven't gotten to try any yet." That was enough. Within a couple of minutes Bret the owner had brought out a tray of seal oil, oogrut which is dried bearded seal meat, dried "Humpy" which is fish, and beach greens...before you ask, I don't know, but it looks like cilantro. All of these things are dipped in the seal oil before you eat them, and they are all very good. The seal oil is used here pretty much the same way we would use olive oil, and it is supposed to be very good for you. The whole time I'm eating all this, I am getting stories about Eskimo life, and local history from a guy named Bill. I think I'm gonna like these guys. I had to leave to meet Jeremy and Wendy or I would have stayed for the fried fish head. I was offered the eyes... gotta go, maybe next time. Great fun, great guys.

Got to J&W's where their daughter had had a slumber party the night before. Their daughters name is Isa, and seems very inteligent for her age. Very pretty young lady about 7 years old accompanied by her friends Tatiana, and Judy, also very cute. They were having a grand time, and we all loaded into Jeremy's Jeep and took off for the Dog Sled Races. No kidding. As part of the Easter celebration they had dog sled races that lasted for hours. Started with the kindergarten kids with one dog, around a short course, and ended with the men with teams of 5-6 dogs on the long course. Kids everywhere, dogs everywhere, Eskimos everywhere. I definitely know how it feels to be a minority now,and am glad to report that I could not have been treated better. It was a blast. Just watching was interesting. Moms have these big warm coats with the huge fur edges, and tucked inside like a papoose are the babies in this sling kinda thing. Warm and toasty! I always thought that the Eskimo women looked kinda fat in those coats, but it's because there are two people in them! Don't know why they kept asking about my kid...

Last race of the day...men. Sleds lined up everywhere, the big course plotted out around the ship and back. Jeremy had made arrangements to borrow a team, and I was waiting for the race to start, and was excited about watching him race for the first time when I heard, "Richard, get on this sled and race with them!" Didn't even have time to ask any questions, next thing I know I'm standing with my feet on the runners of a dog sled yelling "Hike!....Hike!" like I know what that means or that I have any idea of what I'm doing. The dogs take off and I'm along for the ride. Soon after we take off we are supposed to go to the right to go around the ship, so I start yelling, "Gee!...Gee!" which is supposed to be the command for turn right, but I guess my accent through the dogs off a little, cause they all headed left. So with all my mushing experience I did what came natural...went were the dogs went. A little later I tried the command for left, "Haw!...Haw!" but it more matched the sound of the dogs and the Eskimos laughing at me. I am proud to say that for all the mess ups, I still came in second....
to the last.
Thank God for the drunk guy. I'd take him to a meeting, but all's fair in love and dog racing.

After, we had a wonderful Easter dinner at the Basse family's home.

A perfect end to just another day in the wilderness...

rto