Greenwood/Elk columns

May 5 ~ June 30, 1994

May 5th.

I stopped by Bill Edison's late Monday afternoon to try and reconstruct what happened at the Greenwood/Elk Pepper Martin softball game the previous day. Bill was still chuckling and Lydia was trying to figure out what was wrong with him.

We finally settled down and Bill listed the winners, so he would have some idea of who to contact next year when he tries to find the trophies. My column seems to be his method of keeping track.

Okay. The kids game, for children fourteen and under, was won by Ian's team. 9 - 3. Who's Ian? Bill didn't know, some kid from Mendocino. Bill gave the "Grelk Trophy" to James Connelly who was on Ian's team since Ian had already gone home. Gabe Poehlmann won two tickets to the Giants game (tickets donated by Mayor Raven Earlygrow of Point Arena).

Next, the "Mother of All Games", "The 'Battle of the Sexes" was won by the Old Men of Greenwood 8 - 3. Still, Carolyn Carleton's team received the "Babe Didrikson Zaharias" award.

The third and final game trophy, the "Greenwood Elk", was given to team captain Gary Poehlmann although no one seems to know the final score.

The "Guts and Guile" Spittoon award went to Connor Bird for outstanding playing.

I was there, at the 'Field of Screams" video-taping the three above-mentioned games but finally left, towards the end of the last game, for the hot tub at Lolli's in Mendocino. Three back-to-back games, sitting in that strong north wind, finally did me in. Therefore I missed the award ceremony and the fine chicken dinner.

For the "Mother of All Games", the Elk women came strutting out on the field wearing team shirts that had "Elk Women" printed on them, incorporating the female symbol in green and white (An anonymous donor provided the shirts and team captain Claudia Pederson wanted me to thank the donor).

The "Old Men of Greenwood" looked like a group you would find hanging around a Greyhound bus station late at night, but, the game must go on. The woman pitcher had psyched herself up too much and had a hard time settling down and allowed six runs during the first inning. A change of pitchers and the game settled down to some serious ball-playing. Around the third inning, Athena Bolton was racing for second and slid into base jamming her arm and either breaking or dislocating some bones in the area of her elbow. Soon the Elk Ambulance hauled her off to the Coast Hospital with a rousing cheer, and the games continued.

There were several memorable moments, during the game. Forinstance, when a husband was up to bat, hit a high long ball to the outfield only to be caught by his wife, or vice versa....Out! Steve and Connie Sinclair and Vince and Carolyn Carleton had this distinction. Most likely each couple faced a chilly ride home after the game.

The third and final game, the "Jocks" started off with some serious ball playing but by the seventh inning were starting to deteriorate. The effects of the wind and the thoughts of chicken and margaritas becoming more and more distracting. Shenanigans, horse play and goofy calls finally drove pitcher Paul Katzeff crazy. He threw down the ball in disgust, stalked off the field and went back to Mendocino. Evidently he doesn't understand "Elk Rules"!

I'm told the chicken dinner was excellent and the table decorations, inside the Greenwood/Elk Community Center, provided by Dean and Raye Wisdom were outstanding. The kitchen crew did a wonderful job.

All told, around a thousand dollars were generated for the Children's Summer Program.

Oh yes. The May Pole ceremony prior to the game was well attended and quite beautiful. One odd note was that a pet chicken of Laurel, Granddaughter of Joan and Rusty Gates, whose name is "Varmint", laid an egg during the proceedings to everyone's amazement.

Only in Greenwood/Elk can you get so much entertainment in one day.

I drove by the site of the new fire station, up on Greenwood/Philo road and see that the foundation is in place and the slab almost ready to pour.

The State Park Visitor Center is now open in Greenwood/Elk on weekends. Stop by and check it out. Best times between ten and noon.

Teenage Video Night May 10th, 6:30. The local teenagers have been making videos around town and this is your chance to check them out. Proceeds go to the electric car senior project.

Joe Bob says four stars! Check it out.

May 12th.

Candidate night was in Greenwood/Elk last Monday, May 5th. We had a good showing of candidates and a fair turn out of local folks. There were seven supervisor candidates, there were the two running for judge, two running for County Clerk and Recorder and the three folks running for head of Mendocino County Office of Education.

To me, incumbent county recorder Marsha Young seemed solid. Geraldine Rose, running for judge looked to be passing Vince on the inside. The MCOE group was bunched up with Rainer leading by a nose.

The main event of the evening, those running for Fifth District County Supervisor, was an interesting race. The dark horse, the one most entertaining and with the most idealist answers to the problems of this county, Bruce Anderson, took off like a shot but went nowhere. Lois Kugelmass, who I had put my bet on, before the race, got lost in the pack. A runner from nowhere bolted into the lead, Tim Stoen. Who is that guy? The conservative crowd, Canclini, Burgess, Hollister would have had the race all to themselves if they could only get rid of the opposition.

Talking to folks after the event, about how the candidates performed, I was told that like everything else, they have good days and bad days. Things change. The race goes on and the outcome may look different at the next candidate night. More power to them. I sure wouldn't want the job but it's fun to watch.

There has been a strange rash of breaking into cars and stealing cars lately. Several weeks ago, around ten cars were rifled through in one night, here in down-town Elk. A back-pack, sleeping bag, knife, money and so on was taken, camera lenses, credit cards and such left behind. Then last week, Isabel Petty's car was stolen and wrecked up by Westport. A few nights later, Jody Petty (no relation), had his car stolen from the Manchester KOA and wrecked up on Garcia Hill Road. I'm told there have been five cars stolen around this area recently. Our old habit of leaving the car unlocked at night is going to have to change. Civilization has finally arrived.

The delivery woman who stocks the Elk Store with sundries every Monday mentioned to Ben, the owner, that they sure were going through a lot of condoms lately. Ben asked around and none of the staff remembered selling any. The staff started watching the remaining box of condoms like a hawk but yet, it too suddenly disappeared. Empty boxes of condoms were later found out behind the Elk Community Center. Must have been one hell of a water balloon fight.

Baseball continues even with the Pepper Martin event over. Every Sunday there is a pick-up game going on, around noon, and practice sessions, various late afternoons, during the week. For more information call the Baseball Commish, Carolyn Carleton.

Lolli and I are planing to herd ROADCOW up the AlCan highway this June. We plan to go up the middle of Oregon, Washington, and then on to the first mile-post marker at Dawson Creek, the beginning of the famous highway. I'd like to go to Fairbanks and if possible all the way to Prudhoe Bay, watch the sun not set, that sort of thing.

If any of you have done this trip recently, I am curious to know if I still need to fabricate a rock screen for the windshield and headlights? I was talking to a woman who made the trip fifteen years ago in a 1968 VW bus and she went through three windshields and six headlights! Since then, I understand that most of the highway has been paved.

Also, what is the latest remedy for mosquitoes? Drop me a note at Box 2, Elk, 95432 or give me a call at 877-3216.

Judy Hale's Art is now being shown at Tangents in Fort Bragg. Judy said the First Friday Opening was quite a party. Not just her show, but the whole First Friday Event. Check it out.

The State Park Visitor Center in the old mill office, here in town, is open weekends. Check it out.

And finally, evidently I had my facts wrong in my reconstruction of last week's Pepper Martin game. Twice Paul Katzeff has called to inform me that he did not, repeat NOT, throw his glove on the ground . Paul said, "I love my glove and would never do something like that". (I never wrote that he did). Furthermore he said the only reason he left is because he had pitched the previously agreed-to seven innings, he was cold and he was tired, "after all, I am 56 years old. That is why I left and not because the shenanigans and horse-play drove me crazy".

Thanks Paul for the clarification and thanks for your continued support of Baseball on the Mendocino coast.

May 19th.

cur mudg eon n. an irascible, churlish person.

Scanning the letters to the editor last week I discover I'm a curmudgeon. Well yes, I guess so, and welcome to Mendocino, Chet and Sherri, we'll see how well you hold up.

I've had remarkable response to my questions about driving to Alaska and what to do about mosquitoes. Lolli and I met some folks who spent three months rattling around up there last year in their 1985 VW bus. They have about seven hours of videos to show us and we plan to get together for a viewing before our departure date. Maybe, if their videos are really good, I could just get a copy and save ourselves from doing the trip. That way we won't have to worry about mosquitoes at all!

Not!

Several folks have called with mosquito remedies. Hillary Adams suggested "Skin So Soft", an Avon product that mosquitoes don't care for. Perry Wiseman suggested any mosquito repellent that contained the chemical "Deet". The one suggestion I liked best and was guaranteed came from Dave Neilsen who told me about an old friend of his who used to live in San Francisco way back in the days of the Alaska Gold Rush. He told Dave of folks selling the gold prospectors a little cardboard box that contained a sure fire mosquito killer that was guaranteed. "Instructions inside", one dollar.

They sold these boxes like hotcakes and the miners would pack the box in with the rest of their belongings. When they finally got to Alaska and the mosquitoes got bad, the miners would remember the little box that was packed away, rummage through their belongings, dig it out and open it up. Inside was the instructions along with two small pieces of wood. The instructions said; "Put the mosquito on one stick and hit it with the other. Guaranteed every time"!

Thanks Dave. I'm going to make up a box for Lolli. Give her something to do besides reading books.

Other folks have recommended bug candles, drinking fish oil, eating vitamin B-12, head nets, good mosquito netting and stinky cigars. I may have to pull a small utility trailer to haul all the equipment we need to do battle against the Alaskan mosquito.

I'm hoping to Fax my column in from various places along the way. I assume there are fax machines at libraries and various businesses along the way. We will all find out.

Greenwood/Elk is definitely green these days. The series of rains we have had, off and on over the past month, has made the area about as lush as it ever gets.

The Keene residence just north of Bridget Dolan's is having some work done, the obvious part being a garage added to the north side.

The remodel of the Tuscano Hotel appears to be on the horizon.

Bob Matson has ordered a new tow-truck which will bring his fleet up to three. Bob's AAA service now covers almost everything between the Navarro river and Sonoma border.

Charlie Acker has started on a garage at his place.

Lots of activity for this area.

The sea lions are barking out at "Seal Rock"; various folks are having barbecues and picnics. Summer must be coming on.

I was just informed by Ella Russell and Mary Pjerrou that the senior projects will be presented this Friday night at the Mendocino Community School between the hours of 7 and 9.

Reo Russell's handmade mahogany and ebony electric guitar. Joseph Huckaby, Oden Reilly and Jason Boone's electric car, Annie Gallo's Community School's year book effort, and Sabin Willingham's model of a house will be among the exhibits.

Reo Russell, Joseph Huckaby and Annie Gallo have all been accepted into U.C Santa Cruz. Sabin Willingham has been accepted into U.C. Berkeley Architectural School.

Another Greenwood/Elk student, Jason Spitler, has graduated from Mendocino High School, completing his SAT tests early.

Congratulations all round.

May 26th.

I've decided to take my kayak along on our trip to Alaska. I was talking to Roger Collins (he did the trip last year), and he told me about how great it was to get out on some of the lakes along the way and throw in a line. "The fishing is great". Sounds wonderful.

So I mounted the kayak rack on the roof of the bus and figured out how to offset the kayak so it would miss the radiator shroud for the Toyota motor. Once I had the kayak up there I noticed my white kayak looked rather strange sitting on top of the black and white ROADCOW. I soon realized the kayak needed "Cow-moo-flage"! After a quick trip to Steve Heckeroth's spray booth, presto... SEACOW is born! It looks very nice sitting on top of ROADCOW now. Well , at least I think so and maybe even two percent of the local population.

Steve Acker loaned me one and a half fishing poles. That is, two rods and one reel. I happened to have one reel left over from somewhere.

Bill Bruff loaned me a small Weber barbecue, so now we're all set. Now if I can convince Lolli to take only two pair of shoes I should have enough room for five quarts of oil, a spare oil filter and an extra air filter.

Meanwhile, I'm walking a fine line. A lot of folks, that live out of town, enjoy reading about our travels in ROADCOW and want to be kept up to date on our upcoming adventure. Other folks, closer to home, could care less and only want to know about Greenwood/Elk (although they don't want THEIR name in the paper). It's a dilemma.

Erna, Mistress of the Post, and her sister are going to have another trial run at opening their book and gift shop in the former Thompson house on the South side of the entrance to Louisa Street. Stop by during Memorial Day weekend and check it out.

Al Bolton dropped me a note to inform me that the Graduating seniors at Mendocino High School are Kiva Bolton, who was accepted at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln ("He's a Corn Husker now"), and Ehren Keopf, who is heading for Saint Mary's in Layfayette. Al thinks Ehren got a baseball scholarship.

I'm also told that Athena Bolton, who was injured during the Pepper Martin Baseball game, has damaged ligaments and it will be a long time before she can fully extend her arm, if ever. A real shame because Athena loves to play sports.

Last Friday night between 9:30 and 11:00 there was a sudden infestation of TEENAGERS in our wee town. Evidently the word had got out about a party on the beach in Elk and since it is almost the end of the school year, more kids than expected turned out looking for the party that never really happened. Then it became "WANDERING BANDS" of teenagers! Absolutely frightening! Calls were made and soon three State Park personnel and two sheriff deputies arrived to chaperon them hither and yon. Finally they all dispersed into the night.

Damn, that was close. It almost ended up like one of those parties we all used to have back in the "good old days" but, that was then, this is NOW!!

Saturday, June Fourth, there will be an "Official" teenage party to which everyone is invited. Local teens, Joseph, Jessie, Jason and Reo, have been working hard on this one along with the Community Center Board to ensure that all can have a good time. This is a benefit for Reo Russell who had seven hundred dollars stolen and Rollin, who had his $150.00 amp ripped off. It will be happening outdoors behind the Greenwood Elk Community Center from 2:00 until 7:30 featuring three local teenage bands, "Civil Disobedience", "The Funky Pimps" and "Skeletal Remains". At 9:00 in the evening the dance band "Skyfish" will take to the stage inside the Community center, $5.00 at the door. Food and drinks all day and beer for adults. I.D. required. Come on out for a great time in Greenwood/Elk.

The new Greenwood Ridge Firehouse is complete except for the roll up doors and final paint.

After the foundation was poured it was discovered that the building would be too close to the PG&E power transmission lines. An additional twelve feet had been poured on the north side, courtesy of the contractor, and the building constructed. That is how the Greenwood Ridge Fire House ended up with a nice patio on the south side!

June 2nd.

The dog and I are camped beside the Ferndale bridge. It is the Friday evening before the start of the Twenty-fifth Annual Arcata to Ferndale Kinetic Sculpture Race. We are killing two birds with one stone. Doing a shake-down cruise with ROADCOW and SEACOW, checking everything out to see if all systems are go before the big trip to Alaska and also seeing if I will be able to Fax in my column from an "out lying area".

Earlier this afternoon I slipped into Ferndale and took a quick look around. All was pretty much quiet. Inside the Kinetic Sculpture Museum there was some subdued attention being given to The Glorious Flounder (Hobart Brown's entry), out in the shop behind the museum. I didn't see how it could possibly be ready by tomorrow's noon whistle up in Arcata, but then, what do I know.

At the grocery store I asked the clerk it the race was still on. He said, as far as he knew. Why? I said it wasn't raining. I thought the race required bad weather. Well, he said, there is still time. He wasn't sure when the race started. Seems to me that Ferndale is sort of split, just like Greenwood/Elk. Some folks are really into the "event" and others could care less.

May 28, Arcada Plaza. Two hours before the noon whistle and the official start of the race. Various entries are showing up and having last minute adjustments made. Gradually they line up and proceed to the starting line for the brake test. Over and over the crowd is moved back to the safety of the sidewalks as another machine accelerates down the street and then, upon command, attempts to stop. Some do so with a screech of brakes, others wobble, shake, shudder, and finally groan to a stop amongst wild applause. Hobart Brown's machine isn't ready but his crew shows up to attempt to run down the brake test and prove that they can indeed stop on command. They complete the assignment amongst protest and return to the shop to continue working on the machine.

The Yakima Kingfish shows up, a human powered kinetic sculpture (eighty feet long!), followed closely by the Calistoga Armordillo, a beautiful silver mylar covered contraption that raises its back and extends its snout to expose all the folks peddling inside. A silver claw hammer powered by two women shows up, the National Guard machine and many others.

Finally the noon whistle and the machines parade around the Plaza, waiting for the gate to be opened and the official start of the Race, down the street, out of town and into the first leg of the 38 mile race. Off they go, heading for the sand dunes and the infamous Deadman's Drop. Thousands of spectators follow in cars, vans, trucks, bicycles and jogging along.

Into the brush, and mosquitoes. Some machines break down before even reaching the sand. Others arrive, stop and install their various ideas of how to travel over sand; flotation tires, treads installed over the existing tires. Soon they are strung out all over the dunes, grinding along with the encouragement of the crowd. The front-runners finally emerge from the sand traps and hit the highway to cross the Samoa Bridge and head for the first day finish line in Old Town Eureka. I watch them finally arrive in town and then I head for the South Spit to camp for the night and await their arrival as they cross Humboldt bay from Fields landing. It will be time to put the SEACOW to work as I follow them across the bay.

May 29th. Across the bay from Fields Landing. Another beautiful day but the bay crossing is held back until around 1:00. An extreme low tide has exposed an immense mud flat in the middle of the bay. The tide slowly returns and the race is finally on. Around 6:00 PM the last of the racers make it to shore. Some have to be towed. Now for the big campout below Table Bluff.

May 30th. An absolutely beautiful day and the racers and followers emerge from their dew damp tents and sleeping bags. The race continues down the beach towards Slimy Slough and then the Slippery Slope.

I rushed around to observe the crossing of the slough and the struggle up Slimy Slope but it is getting late in the day. Time to head for Ferndale and try to Fax this in. Success. I find a friendly reality office manager and as the crowd goes wild in the back-ground and the racers arrive, I send this off to the Beacon.. Over and out.

June 9th.

Sunday, June 5th a work party was busy putting the finishing touches on a fence and general clean-up of the new Greenwood/Ridge Fire Station, followed by a barbecue. A firetruck and a tanker will be stationed there with volunteer firemen close by. With the low seasonal rainfall and summer coming on it most likely will be put to good use.

Mary "Cloud" Anthony had a close call. It seems an appendix operation twelve years ago had caused some lesions on her intestine and over the years it had become partially blocked off. By the time the problem was discovered she was a very sick woman. After the removal of over a foot of intestine Mary is finally on the mend and feeling better all the time. Mary and her son Mark are very grateful for the fine staff at the Fort Bragg Hospital.

Speaking of Mark, he is one of the chefs at Bridget Dolan's and doing a very fine job with interesting and tasty dinners. Check it out. Dolan's has now been open one year.

The Elk Market now has organic produce, Mountain People Products (organic health foods) and they are open weekends, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from 8:00 AM until 7:00 PM.

I got the idea to do a local survey around our little community to see how folks would vote on the up-coming elections. I made sample ballots and had folks fill them out, unsigned and put them in a box. Since this column comes out after the election I thought it would be interesting to see how closely Greenwood/Elk reflected how the rest of the Fifth district did at large. I only caught up with 44 folks that would be voting in the Cuffy's Cove Precinct in the time I had to do my survey. Here are the results:

Arena Judicial District Geraldine Rose 30

Vincent Lechowick 12

Undecided 2

County Clerk Recorder

Daniel Garcia 7

Marsha Young 34

Undecided 3

Sheriff - Coroner

Wayne McBride 8

Jim Tuso 30

Undecided 6

5th District Supervisor

Lois Kuglemass 9

George Hollister 9

Anthony Gaussoin 0

Bruce Anderson 2

Robert Canclini 3

Tim Stoen 7

Charles Peterson 12

Dave Burgess 1

Undecided 1

Well, there you have it. Lolli and I are going to hit the voting booth early Tuesday morning and then we're outta here. Let the chips fall where they may. Finally, we're heading for Alaska in ROADCOW with SEACOW on top and the dog in the back.

We had dinner with Sonya and Paul last week and they convinced us that a new set of front tires would be a good idea. When they told us that last year it was possible to get within ten miles of Prudhoe Bay, past the Brooks Range and almost to the Arctic Ocean, well, I was re-inspired to make a run for it. They also loaned us some headlight shields and showed us about three hours of video they took on their trip. Looks inviting.

We have five different "books on tapes" packed away plus about thirty novels. I now have a spare fuel pump, fan belt, oil filter, and since the starter just started sounding funny and the transmission developed a leak on the right side, I'm hauling along a spare starter and a quart of 90 weight gear lube. Seems like there is always something to worry about when we leave on a trip.

I had Lotten in Fort Bragg replace the ball joints and do a wheel alignment. Two years ago I took the bus in to him and although the dust boots on the ball joints were ripped, Lotten said the joints were still tight, "Might as well drive 'em and wear them out". Now, after miles of Baja mud, Death Valley dust and Colorado gravel, they were shot. Replacing the steering box with a new one completed the front end and ROADCOW now goes where I aim it!

A shovel, "come-a-long", tow strap, tire pump, hydraulic jack, Swedish Buck-saw, ax, seven gallons of drinking water, thirty gallons of gas, fiberglass repair kit, tool kit, Coleman stove, catalytic heater, warm and cold clothes, food, dog food, ice box, bedding, video camera, computer and printer and two fishing poles...Well, I think we are ready. Trouble is the ROADCOW can't moove! Just kidding.

My next column will hopefully be from "somewhere out there"!

June 16th.

June 6th, 4:30 PM, 2602 miles from Greenwood/Elk. Lolli, the dog and I are West of Watson Lake, heading for Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. We pulled off the highway, and up on a hillside, overlooking a large valley with mountains in the distance with snow on them. It is a bit breezy up here. We parked up here in the wind on purpose to foil the mosquitoes although I see a few hovering around inside the VW bus, where I am now writing this column. I sprayed myself with "Off" containing the chemical "DEET" (thanks Perry) and, by golly, it works. Lolli and the dog are out for a walk.

We have been trying to average five hundred miles a day which means ten to twelve hours of driving per day. It is a shame to set such a routine because I am sure we are missing a lot along the way. The idea is to get "up there" quick and then take our time heading back home. "Up there" hopefully will be the Brooks Range, north of the Arctic Circle. Right now we are above latitude 60.

Last Tuesday morning Lolli and I voted (we don't know the results) and then headed out of town, as planned. By evening we were camped beside a small lake just short of the Oregon border on Highway 97. Mount Shasta glorious in the distance, ducks, loons and red wing blackbirds in our "front yard". Wednesday we were buzzing along north of Bend, Oregon when I noticed the oil pressure gauge was on zero and the water and oil temperature gauges maxed out! Oh Oh! End of trip! I shut off the engine and coasted to the side of the road. Visions of blown radiator hoses and cooked engine danced in my head. Everything seemed fine and cool in the engine compartment. Come to find out that the "ground" connection for the gauges had come loose, making them all read wrong. I fixed the faulty wire, everything went back to normal and we were on our way again with only a few more gray hairs! Wednesday evening we camped at our friend Mason McKinley's place up Badger Mountain, by Waterville, above the Rocky Reach dam on the Columbia River. Thursday morning we crossed into Canada, 1073 miles from Greenwood/Elk. In the evening we found an old logging landing just past Cache Creek, set up camp and got out the solar shower bag and had hot showers.

One unexpected bonus of having a water-cooled engine in the ROADCOW is that I now store the shower bag behind the radiator while traveling and when we are ready to call it a day and set up camp, the bag is full of ready to use hot water!

North of Chetwynd, by Hudson's Hope we found a nice lake for Friday evening's camp. Saturday evening we arrived at Liard Hot Springs. The campground was full so we went back down the road a mile or so and camped by the Liard River. In the morning we returned to the Hot Springs and took a soak. The water comes out of the ground at 124 degrees and a cold spring is diverted into it to make it tolerable. The pool area is rather large and by moving about you can pick out any temperature you like. It is a popular stopping place on the "highway". Swim suits are required. Everyone is friendly and there is no charge to use the pool.

So far, along the way, we have seen black bears, twice, and in one area a mother moose and her baby. We stopped and watched the moose for a while, watched them eat and marveled at the seemingly ungainly way they walk. They paid no attention to us until another car came along and started to stop. That was enough and they disappeared into the trees.

In the northern reaches of Canada, we have been shocked at the way they clear the forest for road widening or development. They just mow the forest down and grind it up. One town has the largest "tree crusher" in the world on display. It was used to remove the trees in a dam reservoir area before completion of the dam. But the trees this far north are small, the cost to cut them down and haul them out, even for chips, wouldn't be worth the cost in fuel. So they are just mowed down! In the old days, when they first built the road, at least they used them for road bed.

Up until the last five hundred miles none of the road has been any worse than the streets of Mendocino but now, we are running into sections that are being "improved" and so it is currently dirt and rocks. We have been having some rain and therefore mud.

It has been cloudy the last couple of evenings so I can't tell when the sun actually sets. That and the fact I usually hit the sack around ten means that I don't know when it gets dark. It is light out when I go to bed at ten and it is light out when I wake up around five-thirty in the morning. Gas prices have gotten progressively higher the further north we go. 49.9 per liter down at the American border, 64.9 per liter up in the Yukon. We stopped at a store earlier today to buy some cookies and they wanted five dollars for just your basic cello-wrapped generic cookies! That's five dollars Canadian but still!

Well, we have about one thousand miles to go, two more days before we reach our destination, slow down and start to smell the roses. ROADCOW is running great and causing quite a stir every place we go. Lolli has now read five books. I have a stiff neck from driving but no matter. We're on vacation, dammit! Tomorrow morning we will reach Whitehorse and I will fax this from there. Over and out.

June 23rd.

Okay kids, where were we. Oh yes, Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. Well, we successfully faxed in last week's column, from there, at four dollars a page, and beat feet for Alaska. When we arrived at Tok, Alaska I inquired at the information center about the current policy concerning driving the haul road (the Dalton Highway), up to Prudhoe bay. They weren't sure but thought they were letting folks up. We finally arrived in Fairbanks but we didn't slow down, just stayed on highway 2 that headed north to Livengood and the start of the Dalton Highway. I figured we would purchase our last supplies there, top off the gastanks and be on our way. Once we passed the outskirts of Fairbanks, that was it. We were in the bush. Soon a road sign said the haul road was closed to those without a permit. We then passed a sign that said, next services 244 miles and off to the left, "Hilltop", a truck stop service station and restaurant. We pulled in to see if we could top off our gas and water tanks and get some ice. I asked the buxom waitress if the haul road was open to tourists. She thought so. Outside I saw a local-looking character in a beat-up sedan and asked if he thought the haul road was open to tourists. He said no, they stopped you at Coldfoot; he had a hover-craft that could take me up there, but the skirt was busted on it right now. He said he knew all the nooks and crannies. He drove the haul road in the winter and "boot-legged" during the summer. I returned to Lolli and said, let's give it a try.

We left the blacktop, entered the beginning of an 828 mile round-trip of dust, mud and gravel, and headed for the next services, Coldfoot, 244 miles north. Evening approached and we found a nice spot beside the Takalina River and called it a day. A few mosquitoes; 82 degrees at eight in the evening! During the night it rained and in the morning we woke to sunshine, 72 degrees and lots of mosquitoes. The bug spray worked but they hovered only six inches away in a cloud. We packed up and headed on towards Coldfoot. We crossed the Yukon River and then the Arctic Circle. We finally arrived at Coldfoot, "Where the gold miners got cold feet and turned back". Gassed up, had a beer in the "Most northern saloon in the United States" and was told, "Why sure, you can drive all the way into Prudhoe Bay, if you care to". Yippee, we're out of there and headed on north. We finally stopped for the night just south of the start of the Brooks Range, alongside a river. Back up and on the road at seven in the morning. Up the approach of the Brooks. The sky was overcast and soon we were in the clouds and it started snowing. Higher and higher, up to 4800 feet and the top. Along the way we saw a sign beside a tree: "The last Sitka Spruce. The most northerly tree along the haul road. Do not cut!" Over the top and down and out onto the North Slope. Just 150 miles of gravel left to go. Soon there were caribou grazing alongside the road; twos and threes and then herds. Ice heaves and permafrost, small lakes, some frozen. And then finally, off in the distance over that flat treeless plain, we saw the buildings of Prudhoe Bay. We pulled into town which is like pulling into the industrial park of any large city. Big buildings, few windows, small signs. It was hard to tell what was what. We found the hotel/restaurant/gift shop; idling diesel pickups parked outside. Went in through the double air-lock doors, bought some post cards, bumper stickers and had two turkey sandwiches, $10.00! each, and then turned south for the first time in nine days, 3872 miles from Greenwood/Elk. It was 38 degrees outside with a wind-chill factor of 22 degrees. We wanted to get south of the Brooks Range before nightfall, (well, forget nightfall, it doesn't get dark), but we wanted to camp in a warmer place. South we go. Back past the ice heaves, the frozen lakes, the caribou and treeless plain. The sky was clearing and the Brooks were out in all their glory. Up we go and bang, the right rear tire blows out, even bent the rim in three places. I put on the spare and a few miles further on, the voltage regulator goes out. Shorted wire. I fix that by inserting a bit of plastic between the points. Now it works either at full charge, 17 volts, or no charge. I alternate by charging and discharging the battery as we go along, inserting or removing the plastic every hour or so. Then we throw a fan-belt. A stone had lodged in the pulley. I remove the stone and put on my spare belt. A half hour later, it too, is thrown. By now we are south of the Brooks Range and call it a day and camp beside a river. It is midnight; seventeen hours of driving. I am beat. Lolli reads in bed for a while by the bright daylight coming in the windows. In the morning I replace the belt with the old torn one. We head for Coldfoot. Finally arrive, gas up; no V-belts on hand that will fit. We head on for the Arctic Circle and then Fairbanks. One mile out of town my last v-belt lets go. We limp back to Coldfoot. They can fly one out for $35.00 or have one sent up on a "through haul truck" either this evening or the next morning. We elect the truck.

So here we are, camped by a lake in Coldfoot. A mom moose and her youngen are dipping their heads in the lake just up the shoreline. The bar opens at 5:30. Meanwhile, I think I'll take a nap. We hope to get to Fairbanks by the weekend.

Saturday, June 18th. The v-belt is in "Hilltop". They will send it on the next truck heading north, if they flag a truck: "it is the weekend, you know". It will take six hours to get here.

So here we are, sixty miles north of the Arctic circle. Light rain is falling, the mosquitoes are not too bad. Lolli is reading a book. The dog is taking a nap. Hopefully I will be able to fax this out of Fairbanks, if we ever get there. Over and out.

The v-belt never arrived but some guys working for Alascom (Alaska Communications) overheard our troubles and found a v-belt that fits a chevy, and, by golly, my Toyota. No charge, "You can have it". Off we go, once again.

Into Fairbanks, visit the University Museum and the large animal preserve, muskox and reindeer. Then on to Anchorage, 375 miles or so south. Rain and fog. The voltage regulator gives up and we continue to drive on what's left in the battery. Finally we run out of voltage just short of Talkeetna. We limp into a roadside gas station. They have a battery charger, showers, laundromat, restaurant, fax machine. While the battery takes a charge, we clean up our act and restore our peace of mind. Onward.

June 30th.

Part Three of our great adventure, North to Alaska.

We left off this gripping tale on the outskirts of Talkeetna, Alaska. Battery charged up, voltage regulator dead, running on battery, headed for Anchorage. We bought a voltage regulator at a place called Big Lake. I installed it and it didn't help. On to Palmer, Alaska to a parts house. Bought an alternator. Didn't help. They couldn't test it but recommended a place in Anchorage fifty miles south. The place in Anchorage tested the alternator and found it to be bad. They tested a second one they had in stock and it too was bad. They would order one from the warehouse, have it in the morning. We camped beside the parts house, beside the Sterling Highway, airplanes flying overhead. In the morning I installed the third alternator. Didn't work. We then went to a Toyota service place to see if they could figure it out. They were booked up until Friday (it's Monday). They charged the battery and sent us off to an auto electrician. The auto electrician, Ernie, grumbled at first because I have a Toyota engine in a VW van. He is leery of the whole idea but gradually became intrigued. I jerked out the alternator and voltage regulator and he tested them and found them to be okay. Then we go through the wiring per his books. We found two swapped wires. The alternator plug is wired different than the way the original one was. We hook it up right and everything works. I install it back into the bus and finally smile for the first time in two days, maybe three. Yippee, we're outta there.

Now what?...Lolli says "How bout Valdez"? Away we go. Out the Glenn Highway to Glennallen and then down through the Chugach Mountains. We visit the old town site of Valdez that was wiped out by an earthquake, see the new town and the pipeline terminal across the bay. Back out of there and off to Tok and the Alaska Highway headed for the Yukon.

Before we left Greenwood/Elk for Alaska, I was concerned about our ability to be able to pull off the road and find our camp for the evening. All the literature I had read before the trip only mentioned the "official" campground of course. Because there are so few sideroads, I thought we might have a hard time finding "our place". But no. Every evening, when we have had about enough driving for one day we start to keep an eye out for our spot. Places that are called "borrow pits", where the road crews have extracted gravel, work out quite well. They are usually rather large and enable us to park off the highway, away from most road noise and out of sight. Also there are usually fewer mosquitoes in clearings like that. Sometimes we park by a lake, amongst the trees but the bugs are usually worse. On our way back to Tok we were thinking about our spot for the night. We wanted sunshine, few bugs, water for the dog to play in, and firewood for the hamburgers. Soon we saw a sideroad, obviously seldom used, and gave it a try. Sure enough, it had all the requirements. After showers and hamburgers, Lolli was reading her literature she had picked up along the way and discovered that if we go down to Haines, we would be able to take the ferry over to Skagway and back up to Carcross, over to Watson Lake and then south on the Cassiar Highway to Prince George. Why not.

So here we are now in Haines. Lolli is off visiting the museum and Native galleries. I'm sitting in the bus, looking out over the Lynn Canal, hammering out my "weakly" column. The Ferry leaves at 4:00 this afternoon; $50.00. Skagway this evening and then off to our spot for the night. Last night, about ten miles before arriving in Haines, we saw Bald Eagles. It turns out that in the fall over 3,000 of them gather along that stretch of the river. We saw four. but it is early in the season. The drive over Haines Pass, coming into Haines was one of the more beautiful places we have seen. 3,800 feet, which put us above the tree line, snow-capped mountains all around us. 5,915 miles under our belt. The money and vacation time is starting to run out. We plan to be in Seattle by the 2nd of July.

June 27th. We have completed the drive down the Cassiar Highway. Miles of miles with gas stations far and few between. Arrived in Kitwanga, gassed up and discovered I can fax this column in from the lumber company office behind the general store. So I'm sitting out in a field, surrounded by daisies, the dog licking her mosquito bites and Lolli off looking for the post office. Our bus troubles seem to be over and though the day is overcast, it is quite warm out. We are surrounded by mountains with snow on the peaks. Next column should be from Seattle. We now have 6,705 miles under our belt.

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