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.......

Winter Fishing

Today, my friend Janna and I were invited to go ice fishing with our friend Fredrica. Fred grew up here, and was more than happy to take us out for the day. We all packed into the car, and drove on the frozen Kuskokwim River for more than 30 minutes, to the Johnson River. It was a nice Sunday afternoon. Not to windy, or cold. It was 10 below zero, with light winds. Fred kept trying to scare Janna by saying she did not know where she was going. I just laughed because I know the people here know the river like the back of their hand.

When we reached the Johnson, it was still early, so there were not many people out yet. Most of the holes have already been started, we just had to cut through a thin layer of ice since everything freezes almost instantly here in the winter. Fred handed Janna and I a large ice pick to start working on the holes. I work out, but let me tell you, picking at the ice is tough!

After the holes are ready, we bait our hooks. Ice fishing does not require any special equipment. The "rod" is a wooden stick or dowel about 2 feet long, with rope tied around it. The bait is black fish, which is a small fish about 3 times the size of a sardine. We had to tear a piece of the black fish, place it on the hook then drop the line into the hole. Oh yeah, there were some weights on the line to keep it in the water. Anyway, all you do is jig off the bottom of the river, and wait for a bite. Once you feel a bite, just pull! You will have a nice pike fish on the end of your line. Fred just laughed as Janna and I took pictures of each other with our first pike fish.

Janna and I were getting pretty good at this ice fishing, and after an hour or so, we had a nice pile. Since it was so cold, the pike would freeze almost instantly. It was pretty cool. Janna and I would get cold, so every hour we would hop back into the car to warm up. I have learned a lot from the Natives here, and the thing I have been most impressed with, is how much the share with one another. Fred had prepared a huge lunch for all of us. We had sandwiches and dried salmon strips. It was so tasty. Janna and I did not drink anything the entire time we were out there because there are of course no bathrooms on the river, and Janna and I were not about to "drop trou" in the freezing wind. Another thing I learned is that many elders do not hunt or fish, and rely on family and the community to take care of them. So, Fred would not let us leave until we had enough fish to share with her parents. And we still had to fillet them before she would give them to her parents. I was amazed.

After a full day fishing, it was back to Fred's house to fillet the fish. In the Native communities, women do all of the fish cutting. Men will not help with this task. So, we had 185 pike fish we had to get through. Since Janna and I were new to this, Fred showed us how to properly cut the fish so they can be hung outside to dry. You must first wipe all the slime off (that was pretty gross, I will admit), then cut down the back, remove the outsides without cutting the fish in half, then cut a hole near the tail for it to hang. Fred quickly cut through the fish, as we struggled. It is a ton of work. The last picture is what the fillet fish look like as they are hung outside to dry. They will stay outside to dry for a few weeks, until they are ready. Fred said we could come over for some dried pike in a few weeks. I'm excited to try it.

After a long day ice fishing, I was ready to go home and take a long shower. I wonder how long my hands will smell like fish......

Date night on the Delta

Eric is a bush pilot in Western Alaska. Bush planes are the life line to the villages. This is how villagers receive everything from mail to food. That trip, Eric's plane was full of soda pop. No diet pop to my dismay! Bush planes also carry villagers to and from places. That is one of the only ways villagers can get where they need to go. Remember, there are no roads here, and there are very few cars in the villages. Most villagers get around by 4 wheeler, or snowmobile. In the summer time, villagers will travel to and from by boat, since all of the villages are on the river. The Kuskokwim and Yukon Rivers are the lifeblood of this area since most villagers live a subsistence lifestyle. That means they hunt, fish and gather for food. It is really quite amazing.

I enjoying flying around with Eric. It's a great way to see the vastness of this area. It is also a great way to meet interesting people. On this trip, I met a woman who drove her snowmachine from Marshall (where we are) to Bethel. They traveled the 150 mile journey during the winter and temperatures dipped down to 30 below zero. She also said they know this area so well, that they don't use a GPS. The journey took almost 12 hours. She said it was a bit cold, but not too bad. I am amazed at how tough the people are here. You have to be, or you will not survive.

Bush flying is not for the faint at heart. It can be very dangerous and the weather can change in an instant. Eric only has me fly on nice weather days, so that I will continue flying with him.

Winter Flying

Here is what the YK delta looks like in the winter. I went flying with Eric as he made his rounds delivering mail, food, and passengers around the delta. The date was February 16, and the weather was pretty mild. I believe it was around zero to 10 below, but with no wind, that feels pretty balmy during that time of the year.

Eric dropped off over 1,500 pounds of soda pop to the village of Kongiginak. The entire plane was full of soda. The town was excited since they were out.... The most popular soda flavors are Pepsi, Orange Crush, and Mountain Dew. Since there is no running water in most of the villages, children and adults go crazy for soda. So how do people get water you ask? Well, most villages have a "washeteria" which holds washing machines, and it also has a water tank for people to bring buckets to fill. A lot of people just gather rain water in garbage buckets and use as needed. Many go to the ponds for their water.

As you can see, the runways are very short, and gravel (or snow covered for the winter). Some runways have lights, and some do not. The runways are not maintained, so Eric must be very careful when he lands. A few weeks ago he was flying, and since it is "spring" here, everything has turned to mud. Eric got stuck in the mud, so he told his passengers to get out of the plane and push it out of the mud. You just can't get this experiences in the lower 48!

Another thing Eric and I did that day was fly a girl's basketball team from one village to another. Since there are no roads out here, planes are the "cars". In order for teams to play against each other, they must be flown from one place to the next. To me it is pretty crazy!

Since it is so cold here in the winter, Eric must cover the prop every time he lands in a village. Even if he only stops for 15-20 minutes to unload his plane, he must put blankets on the prop, or it will freeze, and that is a very bad thing. At the end of each night, the plane must be plugged in so the engine doesn't freeze, and wing covers must put on. Eric said when it's 50 below, and blowing like crazy, it is very painful to stand out there to put the plane away for the night.

K-300

The winner of the 2007 K-300 Martin Bouser.

Karen with the sled dogs.

Eric at the start/finish line of the K-300.

Here is our truck parked on the frozen river. This is the "highway" between villages.

This is a fish camp. Families spend most of their summer gathering salmon for the winter.

Eric and I waiting for mushers to pass by.

Janna and I checking mushers in at the K-300.

This year the K-300 started on January 19, 2007. Hundreds of people gathered on the river to watch the mushers take off. Mushers traveled 300 miles - taking them to Aniak and back. Last year the race was postponed for a few weeks because temperatures dipped down to 60-70 below zero! Yeah, that was cold.....

This year was much more mild at 10 below zero with light winds. I walked down to the river, then carefully navigated my way on to the ice. It was a bit slippery, but I survived. About 20 teams participated in the race which is a qualifier for the Iditarod. In the world of dog mushing, the Iditarod is the super bowl, so the K-300 draws big names.

Janna, Eric and I decided to volunteer this year - which was a blast. Yes, it was cold, but we had hot chocolate and a warm car to run back to. I kept track of the mushers finishing time, while Janna and Eric tended to the mushers and their dog teams. We were out there for about 4 hours, and saw 5 teams cross the finish line.

What's for lunch?

Our lunch menu - notice the "geese soup"

Ptarmigan (bird) soup. This is a very common food here.

This is a view of the hospital's kitchen.

When the planes don't fly, due to weather (which happens a lot), we run out of food.

Produce in the kitchen's cooler.
It can be a real challenge preparing meals for the hospital patients. During the winter months, the weather can be so bad that planes can't/won't come to Bethel. This can last for days, which results in food shortages. In the summer, we suffer from fires and fog - so again planes sometimes don't come in.

I don't order the food for the kitchen, but I do plan the menus for the inpatients. We must get pretty creative when we are running low on food. The other problem is the quality of the food. It is very difficult to get produce here, and you can see from the picture how poor the quality is.

This hospital serves the YK delta, and the diet is of course very different. People live off what they hunt and gather. The large portion of the diet comes from animal meat - such as seal, walrus, whale, moose, caribou, beaver, muskrat, and muskox. Fish is also very important here. People eat dried fish, and fish strips every day.

I recently wrote the "subsistence food donations" policy for the hospital. What that means is that people can donate certain subsistence foods to be used for hospital inpatient meals. We have received donations of birds, fish, and caribou to be used for meals. The patients really appreciate it, and I am a big believer that foods can be healing. I'm hoping more and more people will donate as we move from season to season.