1-22-2012

Some where between Nunam Iqua and Emmonak.

Well, the weather finally cooperated.  It warmed up last weekend to zero and we made our maiden voyage to Emmonak on the snowmobile.  We haven’t named the snow mobile yet, but I’m sure we’ll find one soon.  Monica and I left at the crack of dawn: 10:30 Sunday morning.  We were able to follow the trail that everyone uses to get up there and back.  It took us about 45 minutes to travel the 20 miles one way.  We were able to stay relatively warm despite the cold wind blowing in our faces.  We did learn that minor adjustments in clothing make a huge difference in our comfort.  And, knowing how to turn on the heated handlebars kept my hands fingers warm. 

The main reason we headed up to Emmonak was to become familiar with the trail.  A secondary reason was to get a few groceries. Emmonak has about 800 people living there.  They have services that we don’t, mainly a store.  Actually, they have two stores.  We ended up spending over $200 on the trip.  With gas at $6.70 a gallon, we spent over $60 on gas and a quart of oil.  The oil alone was $20.  Then we bought some groceries.  We didn’t need to buy much because we ordered most of our groceries at the beginning of the school year.  Without listing everything on the $157 order, I’ll give the highlights:  10lbs flour-$15.39, 2 Hillshire Farm sausage ropes- $16.30, and two 2lb bricks of Tillamook cheese- $33.90.  (I love cheese.)  We also bought six cans of Nalley’s chili at $3.59 a can.

Out the back door of the school, looking at the airstrip.

Back at school, I felt pleased enough to tell some of the staff, who are locals, that we made the trip.  I was told of trips where people have gotten lost because they were unfamiliar with the trails.  Even locals have become lost in a storm and have had to hunker down in sub-zero temps to wait out the storm.  My hunkering skills are not what they used to be.  Everyone had warned us not to go alone on our first trip.  But the weather was very cooperative so we felt confident we could make the trip.  But not everybody congratulated me on making the trip alone.

“Are you stupid!”  This was not a question; it was a statement by one of the classroom aides.  Hearing that phrase brought back countless memories of countless people shouting that at me.  I believe that if I ever write a book about my life, that might be the title.  Or, “Hey, Don’t Poop There!  And Other Pearls of Wisdom I Learned from People Shouting at Me.”  I don’t know why, but people seem to want to communicate to me by shouting.  And using profanity.  Anyways, back to my story.  When Gloria shouted that at me, it made me wonder if we made the right decision to ride by ourselves.  But, seeing how we made it back safe and sound, I feel confident we can make it again.  But I do know how easy it is to get lost out on the Tundra.  There are no landmarks to use as points of reference.  No hills, trees, or road signs.  Going in the wrong direction can make for a cold night of hunkering.  Or worse.

Maybe next weekend we’ll try it again.  The weather forecast doesn’t look too promising, but we’ll see.  It’s like they say, “If you don’t like the weather, wait 15 minute.  Over there.  Wait over there. And stop talking!!!!”  I don’t know why they say that, but they do.