SUMMER CAMP HAINES ALASKA 2010: 8-1 SUNDAY

Woke up to clouds again and can’t see the lake. 55 degrees. After the morning routine we drove out the Haines Highway. Stopped along the Chilkat River several times. Met John and Jen the camp hosts at Chilkat State Park for lunch at 33 Mile Roadhouse. Just a log cabin, but it has the best hamburgers, fries, and homemade pie! While we ate lunch we watched a helicopter drop supplies several times next door to the restaurant. Just a routine thing up here! Took a rock in the windshield today.

Back to camp, checked the chickens, and built a fire. I finished packing my suitcase. We watched two kids walk up the road with full backpacks looking for a site. We told them camp was full. They were going to walk back towards town – 10 miles. We ended up letting them stay in our site. They pitched their tent and we gave him a beer. She cooked a steak on the fire. We visited with them for quite awhile. They were 28 years old and from Switzerland. He was an Environmental Engineer and she was a Social Worker. They quit their jobs, gave up their housing, and bought international medical insurance. They had landed in Fairbanks from Switzerland about 2 weeks earlier and were traveling from Alaska to South America! They are going to walk and hitchhike and stay in their tent or in hostels. They have a visa for 6 months (3 months in Canada and 3 months in the U.S. and they don’t need one in South America). They have to return to Switzerland after the year because he has to do either a year of military or community service. They were very interesting to talk to.

About 9:00 Bob walked away to help a camper and OF COURSE the beaver swam by camp. I scrambled to the trailer for the camera and got a picture. It is not great but I am posting it anyway as proof!!