Polynesian music wafts through the visitor center as a large figure gently slides his fingers over the local map inquiring while guiding us through his life. Low clouds hovered seeping into Hal's mood while inclement weather has always brought forth my ability to stay rooted, absorb others and desperately reach into another realm of calmness. Haines highway from Haines Junction, Canada pulled the car over a myriad of times to photograph its grandeur. Massive mountains reached skyward leaving a stark contrast of black granite, glaciers blues, and a plethora of greens only Ireland could compete with. Vast valleys took our spirits one direction then another towering our greatest expectations, Haines seemed so minute when we finally arrived, we both yearned to drive back sooner than later.
Drizzling rain added to the towns ambiance walking up and down roads searching for Church Mass times, brewery's, gift shops, state park camp grounds. The Brewery had all the appeal one could ask with cedar shakes, bluegrass in the backgrounds and local teaching us about how to appreciate their finest hops. The terrace looked up to a glacier framed in fireweed, apricot tiger lilies, and lettuce.
Gifts shops enticed us with a pathway of cherry treess, as the owner informed us "This is a zone 5", to Hal's amazement, raspberry bushes, thimble berries, and bluebells ordained his lawn and inside a litany of literature was discussed mainly early explorers. Satiated in the wordsmith we exchanged authors, titles, and mused in his presenc assimilating his ideals of how he trained as a mechanical engineer 43 years ago, never wanting to destroy nature, turned to sculpting and having visiting Haines at the age of 24, has never left.
Along the ocean front the river from Chilkoot lake to the ocean reels were spinning, fish were being lured, caught, filleted right on the shore lines, with two brown bears challenged a warden on a bridge.
After paying for our campsite fees the "host" informed us that bears frequent the site often. Hal's eyes widened with fear, as the owner now with our funds in hand, seems rather nonchalant in his 5th wheel, as our minds deliberated recent news about mauling's. That night in the local bar our attention was diverted while listening to the fishermen speak of their "daily salmon catch" as it was high season for hauling in 10-30 thousand fish per day.
Light beer with a double tequila chaser was on tap that night, we stuck to the craft beer, and watched in awe as a party of 25 came in just having sprinkled their mother's ashes over the ocean ordering, "local farts", a concoction of Kalula, Bailey's and Crown Royal, my tongue tasted the sweetness and cringed, yet I could think of many a friend licking their lips on that one, for this gang was ordering doubles and triples.
Hiking on the ocean trails and up Mt. Ripinsky in clouds perspiring out toxins and ingesting a depth of oxygen that was intoxicating.
A short jaunt out to another state park brought us into contact with Rich and his wife that entertained us with his version of what the @#$%^ is wrong with American's and especially Alaskan's that voted Republican and the trouble with youth these days, American Natives, the economy, and local ecology. Hal and l listened attentively as he was well versed, highly entertaining, opinionated, and comedic in one breath. He thought as many Canadian's do, What the heck have we just done to our political system? along with we deserve it! He has lived in Alaska for a decade and loved it, now retired volunteerism is big on his list and trying to downsize to a modest house that doesn't exist in America, "The trouble with American's is we want everything to be big, bigger, biggest....If the entire world was as contemptuous as us, we'd be #$%^.
This trip has truly allowed us to breath in literature as we are now on our 6-7 novel each, and listen to locals, they love it, we enjoy it, in between hiking and listening to our podcasts that Hal downloaded prior to our trip on his Ipod, we've learned about our Natives plight living in distant communities, the troubles in Myanmar, Australian refuges, debates over economies, Immigrants in the States - Germany and Canada, to name a few, daily doses keep our dreams hoping.
Tomorrow we are back to Kathleen Lake in the afternoon to pack up for a three day backpacking trip to the Slims Valley in Kluane.
Hope all are well learning, growing, and loving this magnificent country, planet we are blessed to visit. Godspeed to all.
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