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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Group Forum: BeaV's Trip to Alaska :: BeaV's Alaskan video - Part 11- The Lower Yukon River
 
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TomT
01/02/2015 12:25PM
 
That's cool. Maybe it was HIS turn for some divine intervention. I'm not that religeous of a person but sometimes I do wonder about these things. Everything happens for a reason is a phrase I hear a lot.



 
TomT
01/02/2015 08:23AM
 
I watched 6 episodes yesterday to the dismay of my wife. Nah, it was a holiday and she was cool with it. She thinks you're kinda crazy for doing this trip Beav. :) I bet you haven't heard THAT much.


All the video and narrative have been exceptional but in these last episodes I was wishing to know more of your meet up with the fellow solo traveler. Was it by chance? Did he know you were out there somewhere?

I always love meeting fellow solo trippers on the trail but never have spent significant time with them. Something tells me that meeting him was just as much divine intervention as bumping into the dock in the dark and then later the meetup at church with the local.
Meeting this fellow traveler on the Yukon came at a real good time I think. You were (understandably) pretty down there for awhile and this was probably a nice mental diversion for you.

My solos are usually around 10 days so I can only imagine what it's like to be with your own thoughts for months on end. I still can't believe you pulled this off. Amazing.


 
Savage Voyageur
12/19/2014 04:55PM
 
Good thing for that bear that you two did not meet up. I think he would have got the worst end of the deal. Those salmon catching machines were pretty cool.
 
BeaV
01/02/2015 10:11AM
 
quote TomT: "I watched 6 episodes yesterday to the dismay of my wife. Nah, it was a holiday and she was cool with it. She thinks you're kinda crazy for doing this trip Beav. :) I bet you haven't heard THAT much.

All the video and narrative have been exceptional but in these last episodes I was wishing to know more of your meet up with the fellow solo traveler. Was it by chance? Did he know you were out there somewhere? It's impractical to have recorded your camp conversations but what were they like? Gear related perhaps? Or just getting to know each other and telling stories? I see that he sent you footage of yourself to use and wonder if you keep in touch.

I always love meeting fellow solo trippers on the trail but never have spent significant time with them. Something tells me that meeting him was just as much divine intervention as bumping into the dock in the dark and then later the meetup at church.

Meeting this fellow traveler on the Yukon came at a real good time I think. You were (understandably) pretty down there for awhile.
"

You can tell your wife "thank you" for me as I'll take it as a compliment.

I think the meetup with Austin probably had a lot more impact on him than on me- let me explain. My attitude was very good by the time of our meeting. I felt very determined once again and had a good amount of food with me after resupplying a couple weeks earlier in Allakekek. I was pushing hard and felt I was "back into the Adventure" again. Austin was just the opposite. He was physically in pain when paddling, losing motivation to push himself, low on food, and had given up any hope of making his goal of paddling to the mouth of the Yukon River.

Our meeting was pure accident. I caught up to him on the river, we exchanged pleasantries, sized each other up, and decided to try paddling together uncertain as to how compatible we would be after being each on our own for so long. We paddled side by side the rest of that day exchanging trip stories and just getting to know each other. It made paddling time go real fast and we paddled late that night. I shared food with him as I was acutely aware of how hard it is to go without. We did not talk much in camp as we were both too busy setting up our camps and quickly eating supper and then to bed.

I was surprised the next morning to see Austin get up early and ready to go (he normally didn't get on the water til noon). Got a good start paddling and went for another long day of I think 12 hours on the water. Again we paddled side by side talking and eating my food. Sometime late in the day, Austin thanked me for providing the motivation to keep going. He was now thinking that maybe he could push himself to make it to the mouth.

The 3rd day paddling together was much like the 2nd- pushing hard and long, making camp at the Village of St Mary's. It was clear he was "back into his Adventure". He was now going to attempt to finish his trip all the way to the end. The next morning he continued on by himself while I resupplied in St Mary's.

The next day I spoke with the Eskimo that was hired to go pick up Austin at the Bering Sea/Mouth of the Yukon. I was impressed that he made it and tipped my hat to honor the end of his journey.

Although our meetup was a fun time for me, I think it had a much greater impact on him, I suspect. Divine, don't know, but it was my time to GIVE instead of receive.
 
gsfisher13
12/16/2014 10:07PM
 
So Jerry the thought of using the song "Headwind" was never considered for Part 11 out of fear that BeaV would hunt you down? Probably too soon to joke about it :)
 
hobbydog
12/22/2014 07:48AM
 
quote BeaV: "I came upon a camp with a couple natives. Sometimes they would camp near their fish wheels to tend and empty them, I suppose. Anyway, I paddled over to them and asked if I could buy a salmon from them. They talked it over and then asked me how much I would pay. I said "how does $20 dollars sound?" They replied back "no you just take as many as you want". Not sure why they wouldn't take money but I paddled back upstream and selected a nice egg-laden chum salmon:)"


One of the things about this trip I find interesting is the people you met along the way. When I solo I enjoy the chance wilderness encounters with others. They are always memorable. Others in the same out of the way place, yet often there for different reasons. As sure as you wondered why they did not take your money...they had to be wondering about you as well. :-)


I enjoyed the tribute you share on your blog about the special people you met along the way that had the biggest impact on you.
 
BeaV
12/21/2014 09:46PM
 
quote Savage Voyageur: "Good thing for that bear that you two did not meet up. I think he would have got the worst end of the deal. Those salmon catching machines were pretty cool. "
Adverse Winds: There were times that I felt the cause of the winds was not as innocent and random as Mother Nature.

Grizzly bears: After this first sighting, seeing griz became old hat. One morning when I looked for them I counted 5 in a couple hours. Where the salmon are thick so are the brownies.

Fish wheels: Yes, these are a pretty effective way for the natives to capture salmon. When the salmon are running thick, these fish wheel boxes fill up in a day! They were a source of strong temptation for me. Boy did I ever want to eat one of those salmon laying there helpless in the boxes. I was not familiar with the customs regarding this but I figured it was stealing so I didn't grab one. One day after passing a wheel, about 1/4 mile downstream, I came upon a camp with a couple natives. Sometimes they would camp near their fish wheels to tend and empty them, I suppose. Anyway, I paddled over to them and asked if I could buy a salmon from them. They talked it over and then asked me how much I would pay. I said "how does $20 dollars sound?" They replied back "no you just take as many as you want". Not sure why they wouldn't take money but I paddled back upstream and selected a nice egg-laden chum salmon:)


 
HighPlainsDrifter
12/17/2014 02:32PM
 
Come along now, come along with me
Come along now, come along and you'll see
What it's like to be free...........


Beav your selection of music captures the moment(s). I especially like "Come Along". Thanks, the trip has been an eye opener. You are a true explorer willing to take the risks to fulfill your goals. I keep saying to myself...... God speed.
 
thinblueline
12/15/2014 03:22PM
 
Got a good laugh out of your reaction to the endless wind in your face! Really busted a gut when you said you hope you run into a grizzly bear so you can kick his a$$. You know, I think you probably could have done it too. Great stuff.
 
OneMatch
12/14/2014 12:49PM
 
This is where BeaV re-enters a much different Yukon River and heads to the Bering Sea.

27:43 in length

password

L0w3r

case sensitive, second character is a "zero"

No capsizing allowed,
Jerry

Paddle To, Through and Around Alaska - Part 11 - The Lower Yukon River