Breakup 2007

Breakup 2007

Everyone gathering down by the river for the breakup bash.

Everyone lining up for free hotdogs on the grill.

A local band getting ready


On Thursday evening, the Kuskokwim River officially broke. This means winter is over, and fishing can begin. Friday night Janna and I headed down to the breakup bash - an annual event that celebrates the return of summer. We ate free hotdogs, talked with friends, and listened to some music.

Getting ready for breakup

The river by Bethel - gettin' ready for breakup!

These are some pictures I took of the Kuskokwim River. Breakup is a HUGE deal here. It means winter is FINALLY over, and subsistence fishing can begin. Just about everyone on the YK delta is connected via e-mail, and each day lots of people post what is happening with the river. Eric has told me that up river, people already have their boats in the water. That's crazy because there are still huge chunks of ice floating in the river.

The tripod with the Alaska flag is hooked to a digital clock. As soon as the tripod moves 200 feet, the clock stops, and that marks the official time for breakup. It should happen pretty soon. Our temps are in the high 40ies, low 50ies, and we are not dipping below freezing at night anymore. The sun is up at 6-7 am and does not set until after 11 pm. I love the midnight sun!

I'm sure I'll be posting more on the breakup later.....

Our view from the apartment

This is our view from the windows in our apartment. To the left of this is a huge generator for the town. The generator is so loud, that we can't hear each other when we are in separate rooms.

The pipes in the picture are the water and sewer pipes. The pipes are above ground because Bethel is tundra country - this area is all perma frost. That means the ground never totally thaws out. If you dig 2-3 feet down, you will hit frozen ground. It's pretty crazy. Since this area never thaws, the pipes must be above ground or they will freeze and crack.

Things to do in Bethel

This is the "fancy" restaurant in town.....
So, what is there to do in Bethel you ask? Well, take a look at this pictures. We've got restaurants, and a cultural center! When Eric and I first moved here, we asked people where to go and eat. We were enthusiastically told "Dimitris!" It is the "fancy" place in town. As you can see, it looks like it should be condemned, but they have great meatball subs. They place is pretty scary inside too, and don't even get me started on how the food is prepared in the back. (Sometimes I hate knowing all I do about food service!) Since all of you know me, you know how picky I am about food prep, but this is Bethel, and I've had to change. The food is pretty decent, I have not received a food borne illness, so I call it a victory!

Another decent place in town is Sho-gun. They have Chinese, Mexican, and hamburgers. Eric and I really like their burgers. For 20 bucks, Eric and I can get a cheeseburger, fries and a soda. That's pretty cheap for Bethel. Again, I have not had a food borne illness from here - so this place has my vote!

Let me tell you about some of the other places in Bethel. Most of Bethel is not on running water. So, how do people get water? Well, about 1 or 2 times a week, the water truck delivers water to people's homes and businesses. Most people in Bethel have a huge water tank either inside their home or by the side of their house. The water comes from a well in town. Bethel is trying to get everyone on piped water, but that is EXPENSIVE to construct. Since this is tundra country, all of the water pipes must be above ground or they will freeze. So, if the water truck doesn't come, no water for you..... That happens alot around here, so the word to the wise is.... Eat out at the beginning of the month when the restaurants have water, because by the end of the month..... Alot of places are runnin' out of water, but still stay open..... Blah!!

Moving on...

The first picture is Bethel's cultural center. It is home to our little library, museum, and event center. Most of the big events are held here. I've been to all sorts of events from the K-300 banquet, Saturday market, health fairs, and musical events. On Saturdays in the summer, they show movies - not new releases of course!

So - that concludes "things to do in Bethel!"

Kids playing in the Delta

I thought this was interesting to share. The diabetes program provides funding to village schools for exercise equipment. Here is how some of that money was spent in the village of Nunapitchuk. They are called kicksleds, and I've seen them around Bethel but until now, I had no idea what they were. A child can sit in the front while another kid stands on the back pushing the sled around. Since there is snow here for 6 months a year, people must be creative with their outdoor activities.

Speaking of snow, I thought we would be all finished with winter, but I was wrong. The delta has experienced huge snow storms all week, and temperatures are around 15-20 degrees. It is still much milder than last month, so I guess I should not complain.

Camai Dance Festival

On March 31, 2007 my friend and I volunteered at the Cama-i (pronounced Cha-my) Dance Festival held in Bethel. Dancing is very important in the Alaska Native culture, and their dances are how they tell stories. Dancing groups came from all over the delta to perform. We even had some groups from outside Alaska. The tops you see everyone wear are called quaspaks. Those are worn by most Yup'ik women and children. I even own one, and must admit, they are quite comfortable.

Another event that occurs at the dance festival is the huge craft fair. These Native crafts are quite amazing. When the hunters bring back their catch, everything is used. Most of the crafts are made from animal fur which are turned into hats, mittens, or boots. Not only are these items beautiful, they are very warm. The temperatures in this part of Alaska can fall to 50 below, and will stay frigid for months. Since Natives rely on animals for food, their hides offer protection from the bitter cold. Coastal villages use walrus tusks to make beautiful ivory bracelets and earrings. Another popular craft here are beads. Women make bracelets, earrings, barrettes, necklaces and so on. I enjoy talking to the elders about their crafts and what they used to make them.

Canyonlands Half Marathon

On March 14, 2007 I flew to Salt Lake City Utah. Bethel was extremely cold (temps down to 30 below), and when I landed in Anchorage I was shocked at how cold it was there. I believe the temperature was 20 below zero, which is unusual that time of the year. Let's just say, I was more than excited to head down to some warmer temperatures.

Eric and I had been training for this half marathon since November, but Eric was not able to make the trip. About 3 weeks before our trip, Eric was told he needed to be in Anchorage for some flight training. Flight training is mandatory for pilots, and must be done yearly. So I was pretty bummed that Eric was not able to come, but I needed to do this run!

Training to run long distances in Bethel is pretty difficult since the wind blows constantly here. In the summer the dust is so thick that you just eat dust, and in the winter you never know when you may get caught in a blizzard. The other problem is the temperatures. From November through March temperatures stay below zero, and it is very tough to breathe. Even my eyelashes freeze. It is a very strange feeling. I do see 1 or 2 people running in the winter on occasion, but I have no desire to undergo that kind of torture. A very unique problem here are the dogs. In Bethel there are lots of stray dogs, and many of them have rabies. Yes, we have rabies here because dogs get bit by the fox. Anyway, last year I was running outside and a dog bit me on the leg. It was pretty scary, and I had to get the rabies vaccine because it was a stray. That was no fun. I have not run outside since then......

So, I train on a treadmill. Thankfully, the hospital has a small "wellness center" for it's employees. It costs 22 dollars a month for 2 treadmills, a bike, 2 elliptical machines, and a weight machine. It is expensive, but it's all Bethel has to offer which is pretty sad. I would spend hours running on the treadmill pretending I was running somewhere else. I would try to visualize my old running routes in Utah. Running is also a crucial way for me to stay sane in the winters. With daylight only lasting 6 hours or so, and extreme temperatures, it was the only way I could keep going. Just as a side note, did you know that Western Alaska has the highest suicide rate in the nation? It is very sad.

Well, as I said, I was so excited to get to Utah for the race. I use to run long distance races regularly before moving to Bethel, so this was a huge deal for me. Eric's mom Reva drove with me to Moab and kept me company. When I arrived in Moab on Friday, the town was buzzing with excitement. I had not been around that many people in a long time, so I finally felt alive! The temperature was in the 70ies, which felt wonderful! I was so happy to be wearing short sleeves and flip flops! Reva and I made our way to the runners expo to pick up my bib number, shirt and so on. I was so happy to be among hundreds of runners - you could just feel the adrenaline. After the expo, Reva and I headed to the pasta dinner held at the Moab Arts and Rec Center. Everything was homemade, and was delicious! They even had fresh organic greens from their own gardens. I almost cried, because I don't get to see fresh produce like that anymore..... I was proud to be "representing" Alaska, and told everyone where I was from. People were shocked to hear I just left 30 below zero temperatures. After dinner, we walked around town some, then headed to the grocery store so I could grab some fruit for the morning. I decided to go to bed early, so I was ready in the morning!

I hardly slept a wink, since I was so excited and nervous about race day. At around 6 am, I got out of bed, showered, ate a small breakfast (an orange), and took my Advil. By 7 am I was ready to head over to the buses. Reva said I looked like a runner, which made me feel good. It had been a long time since I've laced up my shoes for a race. It was a bit chilly in the morning - around 40, so I threw on an extra layer. Reva dropped me off at the bus drop and wished me luck. I started to tear up as I saw thousands of runners boarding the buses. This was a very overwhelming experience for me. I wished Eric was with me to share this excitement, but I was so thrilled to be there doing what I love to do most... Running...

The school buses took the runners up the canyon and dropped us off at the starting line. The most important thing I have learned over the years doing races is that when you get to the starting line... GET IN LINE FOR THE PORT-A-POTTIES! After you go, go again, and again. It doesn't matter how many times you use the port-a-potties, you will pee. Believe me..... I don't know if its nerves, or all the water and Gatorade you drink before a race. You gotta go! I laughed as people were shaking in the "cold". I will admit, in the canyon temps were a bit chilly, but I was not cold at all. (The benefit of living in frozen Alaska). I had shed my layers and was in a tank top and shorts and felt fine - seriously!

The race was about to start, so all the runners had to make their way up a 1/4 mile to the actual starting line. The sea of runners making their way up the hill was amazing. This many people to run is very cool. As I past the starting line, I made my way to the correct pace mark. Runners line up in accordance to their running pace. You don't want the slow runners in front of fast runners, so there are signs that help everyone line up properly. I went to the 10:20 minute group, which is slower than my normal pace, but since Moab is 4,000 feet elevation, temps are to hit 80, and I have been at sea level, and freezing - I better not push it. As I waited, I saw a woman with an Alaska shirt on! She noticed my Alaska shirt as well. We chatted, and she was from Anchorage and came to run the race. She turned 40 2 years ago and decided to start running races. Anyway, the race was about to start, so everyone got ready. The gun went off, and down the canyon we went! As my new Alaskan friend and I crossed the starting line, she yelled "GO TEAM ALASKA!" It was awesome! We chatted for about 2 miles, then fell into our race pace.

After about 2 miles, the sun came over the canyon, and hit my face and arms. What an amazing feeling. I had forgotten how good the sun feels on your skin. When I run races I don't do it for time or to win, but just to enjoy the feeling of running. I did not even start my stop watch, because I figured I would be so slow, but my pace was pretty good. I hit 3 miles, and was going pretty well. Then 4, 5, 6, and 7 miles. I had not even slowed down yet. I had great music, great scenery, and sun - life was good!

At mile 10.5, I came out of the canyon and on to the main highway. That is when the temperature hit me like a ton of bricks. In the canyon it was around 70-75, but on the main road it was over 80. I thought I was going to melt! I had not walked much until that point, but with the heat I had a to walk more.

By mile 12, I was close and I was surrounded by spectators. People had garden hoses and would spray runners down as they came by. I felt like a little kid again playing in the sprinklers. I rounded the corner, and could see the finish line in the distance. I knew my brother Lee had driven down from Salt Lake, so I was on the look out for him. Then, I saw Reva, Lee and his girlfriend searching the runners for me. I shouted out Lee's name, and waved. I had just about entered the shoot, so Lee ran along taking pictures. I crossed the finish line with a time of 2 hours and 39 minutes and a huge smile on my face. I was totally impressed with my time.

Eric called later to hear about how I did. He was surprised at how well I did. I was so determined to run that I did not even think about how the elevation, heat, and running outside would effect me. I realized that I am the happiest when I am running, and have missed it so much.

So, on Monday I boarded a plane and headed back to Anchorage. I was pretty sore, but happy and that's all that matters.......