Chilkoot Lake Adventures

June 14th

Stayed in bed til about 8 today, meditated and did my bed exercises, which I also taught Mark. We'll see when he actually starts doing them, however. Think positive. After much dialogue about whether we should kayak, because of his shoulder, he decided better to find out now, since his doc said paddling was okay, just no overhead stuff (we worked out a plan for unloading and loading with my kitchen stool and me on it, so he wouldn't have to lift too high). As we began, a very helpful, pleasant young woman with an outfitters, helped us with the unloading, and did not need us to reciprocate with her multi-level kayak trailer, having it down to a science, she said.

Chilcoot Lake, where we also camped, was still and it was a warm 60 degrees. I felt pretty cozy in my long sleeve thermal shirt, winter tights and shorts, and my neoprene booties in my aquasandals. Mark could not find his sandals, so we searched the "M," to no avail. Luckily, he has an assortment of other shoes, as do I, so just wore his walking ones. He never got them wet, since I made sure to push his boat in and pulled it high enough that he could alight dry. The agreement was he would pace himself and be honest about when to paddle back.

 

 

It was gorgeous weather, not cold and not hot. Mark has paddled this lake the last two trips he's made, so knew the bay to our left, and where water churned from a mountain waterfall in to Chilcoot. The wind started picking-up, so we headed back. His left shoulder was throbbing, even though he was using right arm as a piston to pump the left side of the paddle. Wind turned back down into calm breezes, so we got to be still and take in the three waterfalls from this new perspective.

 

We lugged each kayak up the hill to "M," and tried our new method of loading onto the trailer. I think the weight of carrying the boats exacerbated my already swollen left knee from yesterday's hike, so I rested it the rest of the day with Alleve and hands-on nurturing. We are, at this age, stamped with what I refer to as the "used car syndrome." But, it feels damn good to still be able to walk, just with adaptation at times.

Lunch was turkey sandwiches and apple sauce that tasted so refreshing and rewarding. Fun paddle, with not too much acheness. Because of yesterday's eagle viewing while Fred and Louise from West Virginia, fished, we drove into town to buy ourselves fishing permits, in hopes of luring eagles for the Avakian photographer. As we were driving out of the park, without the trailer and boats attached, since we were returning to fish there, Mark had to maneuver "M" to the left side of the road, to avoid trees. A green Subaru Forester came whizzing directly in front of us, rather than practicing common courtesy, and waiting for us to pass. Mark motioned to the trees, I was confused as to what was happening initially, until Mark explained, so I stuck my head out and pointed and yelled about the trees. The guy said, "Fuck the trees, drive on the right side of the road," and sped past us on the right. Not a relaxing effect on our guts. The energy was so raw and took us aback. We had to consciously shake him off.

 

When we got our licenses from the recommended sporting goods store on Main Street, via Fred and Louise, as well as the Pixie bright coral lures, we made a stop at the bakery health food store for treats, and then returned to the park to fish. I needed a rest badly, so laid in "M" while Mark got his gear together and went out to find that fish and eagle. When I was ready to join him, he was at the door, sharing that his fish was stolen by an eagle! He had been there ten minutes, snagged a good size one, when a large eagle swooped down and yanked his catch off his line, and there you have it. So now, Mark gathered his camera with the big zoom lens, decked himself out with his fishing vest, net, hat, and looked like a new man, ready for safari and to capture a repeat performance with that bird, so he could photograph the experience. I was to be another source of bait, as well.

 

 

And who was Mark fishing beside? The asshole in the green Subaru Forester, who was pacing with head-phones on, and then sitting in his car, watching him fish. When I arrived and started my lesson and casting, the guy was giving me cheerful tips. So glad it was a full circle, ending with Mark and me chalking it up to the initial gut-wrenching jerk, having probably been stressed by something in his life, was desperately making his way to his safe place, his haven, the lake, in order to survive and relax. We got the benefit of his  transformation and closure for our relationship with him, thankfully.

A couple from Red Bluffs, CA, with their camper parked by one of the picnic tables, watched us cast, and the man had witnessed Mark's eagle loss, so all were waiting for another, including the two eagles perched in a couple tall pines behind us. Funny. We fished for about 2-3 hours, and Mark was a clear, patient teacher, reminding me how to cast with this pole, how to get wraparounds untangled by jiggling the pole tip in the river and pulling it back towards me. I caught a small, 6" fish, and we released it. Because we were closely huddled by my wee trout, I don't think the eagle(s) noticed or realized we were too much of a wall for interception. So, no more fish blessed our rods, but what a relaxing way to while away the afternoon, by a lovely river and mountains, and chatting with more relaxed vagabond retirees, in no hurry to move on.

 

 

Camp was returning to our original site turn-out on the inlet and by the mountains, with that little waterfall across the road. It remained sunny and warm until about 8 p.m,so we ate outside on lounge chairs, and it felt like a luxurious deck at an expensive lodge or someone's haven home.

No concert viewing tonight, too tired and too late. We want to get a somewhat earlier hitting the road tomorrow, towards Tok, and even closer to Denali. We are amazed by our busy days, yet the views, sensations in our bodies being with these environments has been sensationally rewarding.