When one moves to a different place, one discovers local customs, ideas, and food.  While walking through the AC Store (Alaska Commercial) we kept seeing big blue boxes of pilot bread.  I didn't really know what it was, but the box was big and cheap, so I decided to buy one.  Turns out Pilot Bread is a large round cracker.  It’s thick and I’m told is hearty when it comes sustainability.  Several local people have said they eat it with dried or canned salmon.  By itself I can’t say Pilot Bread is the most flavorful cracker, but it is good with salmon.  And, Pilot Bread is only sold in Alaska, despite the fact that it’s made on the east coast.

 

 

There are a few fat tire bikes that have been seen around Bethel.  Both Alex and I had the chance to ride one last weekend while we were camping along the river.  One company, originating in Alaska, makes the 9:ZERO:7 bike.  If you are wondering, 907 is the only area code in this vast state.  Anyway, the bike was a blast to ride.  It went through mud and muck and I even plowed down a few baby willow trees.  Are fatties in our future??  Probably not.  Although the frozen tundra (REAL tundra, not that stuff in Green Bay) is supposed to be TOTALLY AWESOME to ride on in the winter.

Our things have arrived!  Most of our possessions are in two shipping containers at the dock yard.  We just don’t have anywhere to put out stuff yet.  We grabbed a few truck loads full and have more clothes and kitchen supplies.  And food.  Opening a can of pizza sauce that didn’t cost $3 is great. We pulled out the bikes and fishing stuff and the DVD player.  I think we’re set for awhile.

And of course, the boat has been in the water.  We had it out two weekends in a row!  The river is big; very big and wide, but shallow.  Some areas are only 2 feet deep.  The problem is that the river is muddy/silty and you can’t see anything in it.  I guess it’s a good thing salmon rely on instinct to get up the river because they’d be in a world of hurt if they relied on eyesight.  Our boat is definitely one of a kind.  We’ve had a lot of comments on it, but I wonder if they are laughing at us too!  Everyone else has a flat bottomed aluminum boat that can take running into a sandbar or gravel bar.  But our boat is enclosed and has a heater, so when we get stuck, we’ll at least be warm.   

 

Two weeks ago, we motored up to Kewthluk (look it up—it’s on the map).  Saw a few barges along the way.  Alex found a spot to pull the boat up to and we got out and hiked.  We climbed a small hill and had a great view.  The winding river could be seen as well as several small lakes.  Brad spotted a sundew (like a tundra venus fly trap), which is really tiny.  Like 2 inches tall and about half an inch across.

 

Sundew

Dark area is from tundra fire last year

What you can't really see is that we are standing in a patch of salmonberries.

They say this old abandoned school is haunted

Last weekend we went about 60 miles or so up river.  As the crow flies, it probably only 20 miles, but the river winds and curves and meanders.  We camped on a mud flat with one of Alex’s co-workers and her family.  Had a fire with drift wood, ate smores, and had conversation in the light of midnight.  We didn’t catch any fish, which greatly disappointed Alex.  He had several poles and tackle boxes to catch almost any type of fish.  I though a hook a worm would have worked. It was so nice out, warm and sunny.  My feet got sunburned.

We continue to pick blueberries, and have some frozen.  Alex made a pie last night which turned out to be part of Brad’s breakfast this morning.  We hope to pick more berries because they are so good and they are so abundant.  Once out of Bethel and on the river, the blueberries grow thick and clumpy like grapes.

 I had the fortune to travel to a village.  I went to Akiak with my preceptor/mentor and her husband, who took us on their boat.  We went to do field follow up on a health aide that recently completed one of the sessions.  Akiak has about 350 people and not very many have cars.  Their main mode of transportation is by boat and the boats are lined up along the river in a marine parking lot. There are more trees there than in Bethel too.  Some are actually tall! The clinic building was funded partly by the Denali Commission (www.denali.gov) and is very nice.  I could live there.  The exam rooms are bigger than what the hospital has and are adequately stocked.  There is even a dental room so patients can get dental care without having to travel (I’m not sure how often the dental staff visits though).  And what is probably the most interesting thing is that Akiak has city water and sewer.  That village is not on the tundra, it’s in a wetland.  It’s 29 air miles from Bethel.  The villagers all have piped water to their homes (unlike Bethel) and only pay $105 per month for the water and sewer.  In Bethel it can run $400 a month.

Akaik Village Clinic

Reception

Waiting room

The general store.

Being in Bethel does not preclude us from injury.  Brad dug out his recorder (don't ask why that thing made the move from Michigan!) and decided he wanted to play it.  He had it most of last school year and NEVER once played it in the house.  I'm not sure what moved him, but he played a pretty good rendition of Three Blind Mice.  He then hung it around his neck, and as he leaned over the coffee table to pick something up, the bell end firmly landed on the table while the mouthpiece jabbed him in the eye.  Good thing I had a Star Wars bandaid and a small pair of scissors--I made my own steri strips.  I think he'll be ok.

The sun now sets before midnight and comes up before 6am.  I was very surprised to get up at 3:00 this morning and see that it was actually dark outside.  In the addage of Game of Thrones, "winter is coming."