Drive to Alaska

by Barbara K. Almy (1233-4668-1323)

Following is the continuation from the last newsletter of the journal that Barbara wrote on her drive to Alaska in 1999. (See introduction in Newsletter 105.)

6-11-99*Day 15 (Cont.)

Dad and I agreed that Joe is the far better guide. His boat is more comfy and he knew the water better. And not that Mike isn't safety conscious (he made us wear life jackets), Joe was more thorough in the safety spiel before getting us into the boat. Mike really wanted to be in control of everything-- to the point that we would have not been allowed to set our own hooks. He planned to gun the motor to set them.

Dad and I thought there was a "common" area, like a lunchroom at the boat launch that Tina and Steve could drop Mom off to wait until Dad and I got off the river. Then the three of us would drive back to Anchorage while Tina and Steve fished from the bank of the Kenai. Because there wasn't a place for Mom to wait, and I have her key to the car, they left us a note saying they left Kenai at 12:30 PM to head back to Anchorage and that Tina and Steve were not going fishing. Dad and I left at 2:30 PM and got back at 6:00 PM. Tina, Steve and Mom were not there. I figured that they must have decided to go fishing after all. About 6:15 PM my brother Dick and his daughter Megan showed up. Dick was in town for business and brought Megan along. Dad invited them for dinner. His intention was to heat up the leftover frozen pizza he had paid for a few nights earlier. Tina called from Steve's cell phone from Portage and didn't like that idea. So they stopped and got hamburger and buns for Steve to barbecue.

To be continued.