I drove Mom through the rain to the airport early this morning. While she visited we rode bikes, helped at the zoo, ate her fried chicken, visited the market, and spent some days in Denali National Park. Katherine, Megs, Taylor (Megs' friend), Mom and I piled into Mr Megs' black four-door pickup and roared off to Denali, leaving the boys to take care of things at the office, again.
It rained during the 4 hr drive up but upon arrival at Black Diamond ATV Tours, we no longer begrudged the rain his time. As I drove Katherine through the mud, slid around curves and across puddles sending clouds of steam between our seats and into our faces, I smiled at the rain. Megs, who drove behind us with Taylor, said we got air at one point. The next morning, Mom, Megs and Taylor hopped on the TWT (Tundra Wilderness Tour) while Katherine and I, having already experienced that invigorating 6-8 hour bus ride into the park, rode a shuttle bus an hour in before hopping off. Katherine and I set out to conquer a peak.
It was not what it seemed.
We discovered that the green we saw on the hillsides and in the valleys was not a result of the light reflecting off of grass but of light reflecting off of various kinds of mosses and bushes covering the tundra floor.
No grass. Every step across the soft spongy ground was like walking on an elliptical, avoidable only by walking on knee-waist high bushes or wading through various pools of water. Furthermore, we could not rest or closely examine the flowers, foot prints or animal dung because of the Alaskan state bird: the mosquito. I packed Hemingway, a banana, a Zone bar and a leftover piece of pizza hoping to nourish my mind and body as well as my soul with the beautiful sights. Alas, I was not willing to pay the price of 10,000 mosquito bites and the chance of catching a life threatening disease. When Katherine and I paused on the top of
Poop Peak, as I called it, the irritants flocked to us from every corner of the valley below.
While maintaining my body movement to a constant twitch, I took a picture of Katherine on what we figured from our vantage point to be a sizable little mountain, then immediately retraced our steps to the road and firm ground. As the need to rest increased, I began imagining maniacal mosquitos wielding whips driving me on. Not soon enough, we reached the road and our shuttle bus to the hotel.
Sadly, I looked back and realized we had not climbed a large peak or even a small peak. The point we had groped up to on our hands and knees was only a
little hill.
I'm glad Mom enjoyed herself on the TWT.
Next time I dare journey into Alaskan wilderness, I will take mosquito repellent.
Next time I decide to hike a mountain, I will ask a guide for advice.
Next time I want to read a book, I will satisfy myself with a position on the couch.
It rained during the 4 hr drive up but upon arrival at Black Diamond ATV Tours, we no longer begrudged the rain his time. As I drove Katherine through the mud, slid around curves and across puddles sending clouds of steam between our seats and into our faces, I smiled at the rain. Megs, who drove behind us with Taylor, said we got air at one point. The next morning, Mom, Megs and Taylor hopped on the TWT (Tundra Wilderness Tour) while Katherine and I, having already experienced that invigorating 6-8 hour bus ride into the park, rode a shuttle bus an hour in before hopping off. Katherine and I set out to conquer a peak.
While maintaining my body movement to a constant twitch, I took a picture of Katherine on what we figured from our vantage point to be a sizable little mountain, then immediately retraced our steps to the road and firm ground. As the need to rest increased, I began imagining maniacal mosquitos wielding whips driving me on. Not soon enough, we reached the road and our shuttle bus to the hotel.
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