BIG DAY - WE RETURN TO CIVILIZATION Part I!!!

 This was a big day.  In fact, there have been a few days in my life that make a deep impression on my psyche as "classically Alaskan" - events or time reflect characteristics of the unique State that we live in and will stay with me for a long time.  This is one of those days.   

If you're an experienced adventurer, you're wondering whether we were really getting anywhere on the river and how we're going to get out of there and return to civilization.  Actually, we were wondering the same thing!  We were supposed to get picked up by Brooks Range Aviation (yep, go with them - they were really nice to us) at Malemute Fork at 10 a.m. in the morning.  But . . . we weren't going to make it despite our best efforts.

Up at 6 a.m. and a record time getting ready - probably because of the prevalence of mosquitoes.

It's routine.  Lather suncreen before the 99% deet bug spray with a final spriz from the pressurized "BUG DEFOGGING" spray can.  I'm starting to like it!

Another beautiful day!  The Alatna river is widening and the terrain is flattening out even more.  We can still see mountains in the background.

MODERN TECHNOLOGY can be a relief in more ways than one.  I'll choose this one today: Satphones.

Ashley is doing all the work calling Brooks Range Aviation while the rest of us are standing around "with our teeth in our mouth" (as our father used to say).


One of the best parts was that we were tagging along on Joey and Ashley's trip!! They had to do the organizing work!! And they did it well.

Thanks, Ashley and Joey.

WE DID IT - fighting through gale winds, hot sun, and mosquitoes.  We arrive at Malemute Fork where the a tributary of the Alatna River joins the Alatna.  But, exactly where do the planes pick us up?  That is the million dollar question.  We check the pick up description that Ashley very carefully wrote down 10 days ago.  Then MODERN TECHNOLOGY shows up again and Joey relents and checks his handheld GPS for the longitude and latitude that Ashley also carefully recorded 10 days ago.  The directions don't coincide with the GPS.  Time to use the Satphone.  We're there!  Right where we should be!   (As an aside, the 6 of us experienced a previous trip where it wasn't quite so easy, but that's a whole different story.)

We had time to take a picture.  Everyone always makes fun of me for my "camera teetering on some log time delay pictures," but this one turned out pretty nice.  Mary Louise is ready for the mosquitoes.

  Rafts deflated and rolled up, gear packed for the plane, lunch eaten, and we were ready.  Most of us are now quite excited about taking a shower.   It wasn't too long before the red and white showed up.    Chuck the gear in the plane and away they went.

Mary Louise and I volunteered for the second flight.    Mary Louise and I were careful to keep bear spray, bug spray, a stove to heat water, and some Starbucks packets.  Fortunately, the peach schnapps was all gone. 

A couple of hours later, the DeHavilland beaver showed up for us.  We didn't even need the bear spray.   If you haven't flown in a beaver, you're missing something.  Make sure you have your ear plugs when you do.

Stay tuned for Part II coming up!