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I have acquired a whole new respect for those pioneers who ventured into the Last Frontier of Alaska in the days of the gold rush. It could not have been easy. Luxuries that I kinda require most of the time were not available back then. I’m talking about roads, electricity and indoor plumbing as well as internet, telephone service and television.
Roads. I have a whole new appreciation for roads. Alaska has a lot of tundra. In case you’ve forgotten what that is from your elementary school days, it’s a treeless plain in the arctic and subarctic regions. The subsoil is permanently frozen but on top of that it supports lichen, moss and assorted shrubs. Okay, walking on that sounds interesting. It’s exotic. Who wouldn’t want to walk on tundra?
Me.
I don’t believe anyone who wrote the dictionary definition has ever walked in the arctic. The definition would have been more complete about describing this surface. It is not at all easy to walk on the tundra. And, I’ve not walked on much of it. From my experience, it is an unsteady surface. Imagine walking on a bed. You know, your feet sink into the mattress on every step. That’s walking on the tundra. But, it’s no bed of roses. That spongy lichen and moss hide mud, water, sink holes and all kinds of traps ready to twist ankles, trip up hikers, and break legs. Just walking around the house is enough to make my calves burn.
Roads. I have a whole new appreciation for roads. Alaska has a lot of tundra. In case you’ve forgotten what that is from your elementary school days, it’s a treeless plain in the arctic and subarctic regions. The subsoil is permanently frozen but on top of that it supports lichen, moss and assorted shrubs. Okay, walking on that sounds interesting. It’s exotic. Who wouldn’t want to walk on tundra?
Me.
I don’t believe anyone who wrote the dictionary definition has ever walked in the arctic. The definition would have been more complete about describing this surface. It is not at all easy to walk on the tundra. And, I’ve not walked on much of it. From my experience, it is an unsteady surface. Imagine walking on a bed. You know, your feet sink into the mattress on every step. That’s walking on the tundra. But, it’s no bed of roses. That spongy lichen and moss hide mud, water, sink holes and all kinds of traps ready to twist ankles, trip up hikers, and break legs. Just walking around the house is enough to make my calves burn.
Today, there are some roads in the Alaskan tundra. However, a lot of the state is only accessible by airplane. But, once you arrive, there are some paved and gravel roads. Those early pioneers never had it so good.In Ohio, I’ve developed the habit of walking for an hour almost every morning. I planned to do the same in Alaska. But, no, no exercise is happening here. It has nothing to do with the tundra. If I was going to walk, it would be on gravel roads outside of King Salmon, almost at the end of the road. So, moss, lichen, shrubs and mud are not stopping me. But, I have three million and two excuses why I’m not taking walks.
Excuse 1: Bears. On my very first day of arrival at my sister’s fishing camp, an adolescent bear walked into camp. It was thirty steps away from the stairs. That’s very close in my mind! I’m told there is usually no reason to fear an adolescent bear. Usually. But, my mama told me not to believe everything I was told. Some people at the river camp chased the bear away before I could get a photo of it. (I really would have loved that photo, too.) They had no fear of that adolescent. However, I still have a healthy respect for it. And, if there is one adolescent bear willing to walk into the camp, there must be many more in the vicinity. I feel my first excuse is a valid reason not to exercise.
Excuse 2: Wolves. On the five-minute drive between the river camp and my sister’s home, over the years, they have spotted bears, moose, foxes, wolverines and the occasional wolf. During my stay, they spotted one of those wolves. Just like bear stories (read my previous blog about them) there are also wolf stories in Alaska.
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At the far.other end of the.paved road, in Naknek, school was temporarily closed one winter until the community could hunt down the pack of wolves that trailed after students on their way to school. It certainly gave the kids a reason not to be late for class in the morning! When that little bit of necessary hunting was completed, school started up again.
And then, across the bay in Dillingham, the population decreased by one when a woman was killed by a wolf. Yep, they have wolf stories in Alaska. My second excuse not to exercise is equally valid in my humble opinion. Yours, too?
Excuse 3 Million: White Socks and No-see-ums. I have always been an insect magnet. It’s one of my gifts. It may be why I had malaria five times in Africa. What can I say? Mosquitoes like me. When I lived in Liberia, I just made it a habit to stay in at night so I didn’t attract as many of those blood suckers.
This part of Alaska has more insects than I have ever seen in any of my travels, at least three million. And, they are particular critters. Some people are never annoyed by them. Some people are just natural attractions for them. You can guess which group I fit into. Rain or shine, day or night, there are usually twenty or more of them swarming around my face when I go outside. They could be white socks or they could be no-see-ums. I can't tell them apart. The first ones remind the local population of Chicago. They also have the White Sox and Cubs. And, then there are the no-see-ums. I see them and, worst of all, they see me. Fortunately, I’ve not been bitten by them. Yet. I hear that their bites can be nasty. Whichever groups swarms around my face, I have had them fly into my eyes, ears, nose and mouth. Yuck! Spit!
I’m told that these critters are attracted to the scents of shampoo, soap and cologne. That may be part of the reason why they swarm around me. I have not used cologne in Alaska. However, I have been known to use shampoo and soap. Maybe those bugs like me because I smell fresh and clean? What does this theory say about my family members here that are not bothered by these critters? What does it say about fishing guides who are outside all day long with these insects without so much as an itch or a scratch? You know what it says.
It also says I don’t stink.
It is possible to get netting that goes over a hat and covers the head entirely. There are also optional netting jackets that would offer further protection from these pests. I’ve not broken down yet to use them, but I’m close. Sometimes, when I’m outside and want to take a photograph, I have just given up. When I see the no-see-ums and/or white socks so up close and personal, the photo isn’t possible. Sadly, sometimes, the perfect photo just isn't worth the price.
You may ask, “If you get the head net, then you could go on those morning walks. Right?” Well, that netting would eliminate three million of the excuses not to exercise. But, there are still my first two excuses – bears and wolves. The netting would reduce my visibility. There is no way at all I want reduced visibility when there are bears and wolves roaming around. No, it isn’t happening. I’ll diet and exercise when I get back to Ohio, alive.
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