Wiseman under the Midnight Sun

It’s easy to relax and just soak up the spectacular scenery in Alaska. It is easy to forget that this vast country is built on the sweat of men and women who are exceptionally skilled at survival. I wanted to try and see a piece of real Alaska.

So, we caught a plane to Coldfoot. Why Coldfoot? Because it is about 55 miles north of the Artic Circle (66 degrees 33 minutes north latitude). This is pretty much what Coldfoot looks like:

 

Notice the slushiness? That’s breakup. The water doesn’t soak in as it’s perma-frost. Mozzies breed like mad up there. I tried to catch a couple so I could put a saddle on them and have a ride but they can be elusive buggers.

We left Coldfoot air strip and caught a ride to visit Jack Reakoff in a small town called Wiseman. There are a half a dozen families living in Wiseman and a total of 3 kids including Jack’s daughter Suvi. Jack is everything I imagined a born and bred Alaskan would be…except better. He understands his country and lives in tune with the wilderness. He farms in the long summers and grows enough potatoes and turnips to get him through winter. He also grows a few zucchini and tomatoes for sport. In winter, he traps for fur. He hunts for meat. Yet he shows great respect and understanding of the native animals in the area. He’d rather face a grizzly than a moose…and he thinks little of visiting hunters who kill only for antlers and leave the meat to rot. He explained the hardship of the Alaskan winters and yet made it sound like a small piece of heaven. It’s all about being prepared.

There is nothing in Wiseman except the people and the land. No services like town water or power.  No school. No shops. No petrol station. No hospital. Nothing. But the skills of people like Jack and raw beauty.

Best thing I have done in Alaska…visiting Wiseman. And I will go back in winter as Jack assures me it is the best place to see the Aurora. Just got to get Rob used to the idea but hey, at least there won’t be any mozzies.

Jack Reakoff of Wiseman

Harry Leonard's cabin...he lived here until the age of 93.

Harry Leonard is the guy pictured.

One of the original huts in Wiseman. It's slowly sinking.

Inside Harry's hut...our boat has more room.

Imagine pooping in here at -80F

Our ride to Coldfoot...the State Trooper's plane is the blue one

Wiseman

The Trans Alaskan pipeline and bridge crossing the Yukon...the white buildings are one of the 11 pump stations along the pipeline that pressurise or de-pressurise the oil as it moves along the line

This is the pipeline which runs from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez...800 miles. It's elevated over the permafrost and as the oil is hot, the mounts have special gas cooling so as not to melt anything. If  the pipeline was underground, it would melt the permafrost and sink. Not to mention the damage to the environment. Quite an engineering feat.

Las Anchorage

I am not being rude...most Alaskans live in Anchorage and those that don't think that those that do are city slickers.

Not like any I have have seen. This is one weird city. But in a good way. Las Anchorage is totally unique.

First night, we arrive at the Captain Cook Hotel at 1am and it’s light. So we check in and head to a bar. The Pioneer Bar.

They check my I.D.

I am so in love with this place. I must look under 21. Rob’s very much into the why’s and wherefore’s and I am “Rob, I am 56 tomorrow and someone asked to check my ID!!!!!!!!!!”

My birthday. My rules. My interpretation.

The next day, I am not so good. But Rob has made bookings at the Crow’s Nest. Anchorage’s premier eating spot.

Oh so impressive. But weird. Starters are entrees, entrees are mains and you never have your salad with your entrée. 

Thank god for wine. Even if it is Californian.

View from Crow's Nest over Knik Arm over the Cook Inlet

Downtown Anchorage at about 10pm

Sheer Beauty. Full of Salmon

Mush

So...Rob and I want to go dog sledding....this is our practice run.

Who is driving??

Which is why I am a drinking...

Jamaica and the old Woman

I caught a bug in Anchorage and it laid me flat for a few days. Then I came good and Rob went down like a sack of spuds. We had booked an ATV tour of Stampede Ridge and whatnots so Rob decided to sleep it out whilst I went alone.

Up I trot to the main lodge and hop on the bus to Black Diamond. There were about 20 people and I thought “Goody, I won’t be on my lonesome ownsome on this ATV tour”.

We arrive at said destination and are greeted by three guides. A lovely young lady pops on board and asks all those going on the back country chuck wagon tour to please follow her. Half the bus leaves. Then a middle aged fit gent alights and asks those going on the side by side tour to please follow him. The other half of the bus leaves. So on pops Jamaica, young, very fit and cute guy…he looks at me and sighs. I can see him thinking “great, I am a stuck with da old woman.”

Off I trot after young Jamaica. He makes me sign my life away on a bunch of indemnity forms. I just sign and he cautions me. “Ma’am, you should be a readin’ those” he sings songs. I do my ‘Meh shoulder shrug ‘and brace myself for the inevitably boring safety video. You get the picture…DON’T DO DIS…DON’T DO DAT…but we want you to have a great time.

Finally we are ready. Jamaica hands me a pair of gloves. Fair enough. Then a pair of goggles. Well…OK. Then a bloody helmet.

“I am NOT wearing that!!” I assure him.

“But Ma’am” he says “you must. It is da rules.”

I give him a lecture on hat hair. Truly, he wants old woman, I am going to give it to him by the bucket load. We finally compromise. No photos of me in a helmet. It must be black to match my outfit and I want one of those half ones. NO FULL FACE.

Negotiations over and we head to the machines. I assure him I have never driven one of these, listen to his rules and regulations (follow me, follow me, follow me) and take off.

These things are FUN. So, he’s going like really slow…we head up and down a few little tracks and I spy a steep hill with a nice plateau. Up I go. I remembered to lean forward and blah blah blah. On the top…I sit and enjoy the view. After a few minutes, Jamaica follows me up the hill.

“Ma’am” he sing songs “you are meant to follow me.”

Ha ha ha ha ha. What a laugh. Who followed who?

I ended up dirty, dusty and I laughed and laughed. Poor Jamaica made sure he kept the ride interesting after that. And we made friends. He told me about his life in Jamaica as a student of Industrial Engineering. He comes to Alaska each summer to earn money for school and to have adventure (with old ladies). I noticed one of his shoes had a loose sole. And I really had an overwhelming feeling of being so blessed.

NO HELMET

So, if you ever venture into the wilds of Denali, go see Jamaica (Eavan) at Black Diamond. Tell him the old woman from PNG sent you.

Jamaica...cute huh??

Wolf prints in a river bed (so Jamaica says but it's probably just his pup)

Racing off to the ridge

Beauty everywhere...like New Zealand!!

The draft horses with the chuck wagon

Some guy built this cabin over one summer. No power...no water...no roads. Jamaica said it went up in one summer...built on perma-frost. This owner must love hunting or fishing coz that's it. Pretty flash for a cabin in the middle of nowhere.

Stoned Cabbie....

We have a full day to explore Ohau!! My must see's are Pearl Harbour, Scared Falls and a list of beach bars. How are we going to fit all that in? We take a helicopter. In PNG, they call them a 'mixmaster bilong Jesus'. 

Waikiki

It's a great way to travel...and the only way to see the Sacred Falls as no one is allowed to hike there anymore as some trampers got themselves killed. The country is rugged and really beautiful. 

The Arizona Memorial and the Missouri. Note the diesel still leaking out of the Arizona.

Sacred Falls

So after the sightseeing is complete, we wander to the Beach Bar at Waikiki. Great place to people watch for sure. Just watch out for the selfie sticks as they are everywhere!! We had a great time and ended up at Dukes. After which, we were a little too happy to face the walk home. No worries...we'll catch a cab.

Another selfie stick!!

Dukes on Waikiki Beach

I am absolutely sure the cab driver was stoned. He reminded me of Tommy Chong. He couldn't remember which Hotel we wanted to go to so he took us to the wrong one. Twice. Eventually, we got home and I nearly kissed the ground.

All in all, an excellent day.

If the wind changes, your face will stay like that!

Unlike my Italy blog which was very much created on the run, I have decided to be a little more organised with this Alaska one. So I have created a few pages as some stuff won't interest people. I mentioned this to Rob last night and told him my first added page is about the ship for the cruise portion of this trip.

Rob grabs his iphone and immediately has a look. He gets this really 'frowny' look when he's not happy about something. 

"What's wrong?" I query.

"Well" he says "how's my Aunt Jan and Aunt Ann going to work out how to use these extra pages on their ipads?"

I spent a few hours worrying about this last night. I couldn't sleep. Although it may have been the Pinots.

Now I don't think our Aunties really want to read about ships but the food page or characters page may be of interest when I add them. So, I have turned the mobile setting off to make it simple.

Aunt Jan and Ann, just click on these tags as I add them.

See Rob...problem solved. You can smile now.

Mmmm...it's a slight improvement on his 'frowny' face.

Reduced to counting sleeps...

I must be excited as I am now counting sleeps (today is 78). I have organised everything that needs doing as I don't want to have every minute micromanaged. I have even bought Rob and I coats. And trust me, you don't need coats in Papua New Guinea.

We both losing weight too. Doing a 5:2 lifestyle which is a forever thing. It's easy some weeks and so hard on others. Mind you, there is the reward of seeing Rob drop kilo's like butter sliding off a hot griddle. He is looking good but even better, I know his sugars and cholesterol are hitting the highway. I really am quite attached to him and want him round for a long time.

Which brings me to an important consideration. Will this lifestyle change make Rob so slim Jim that his coat won't fit?

Goody...something else to organise!

Ciao for now.