A WEEK AT CAMP

One of the wonderful things about having friends/family in Alaska is the (sometimes) unexpected opportunity to participate in special events. THis week it is church camp in the Matanuska/Sutsitna Valley under the Chugach Mountains to the South and the Talketkna Mountains to the north. It's even better than being surrounded by the Rockies.

The Juneau time was, as always, much too short. We could have easily spent the summer. Then the days in Sitka went too fast. Betty did a reading one day at the Pioneer Home where "Jessie" spent her last days, and half a day of signing her book the next. The ferry ride back to Juneau and on to Haines the next morning was relaxing. The drive to Anchorage was uneventful (in a mechanical sense) but we saw many bear and moose and other animals. The scenery is spectacular, and the road in places was as thrilling as anything offered at Magic Mountain or Six Flags.

The Alaska Museum at Anchorage wants Betty's book and an order is on its way this morning. Book sales are secondary to camp this week, but Betty has still sold three quarters of her 120 book shipment, many times just by telling fellow travelers on the road about the story.

We are volunteers at Camp Challenge, a work of the TurnAgain Church. I am Camp Grandpa just like at Yamhill, plus fixer-upper, day counselor, kitchen helper, and general go-fer. The age ranges are from pre-school to teens and there are only about 60 kids and 25 staff. It has a very nuclear-family feel to the classes and activities. The kids all favor the lakeside activities: swimming, canoeing, kayaking, paddleboats, and on the otherlake, water-skiing and massive tow-rafting. Also popular are archery, the pellet gun target range, and a host of other recreational equipment.

Tomorrow Betty and I stock-up on groceries and head for Tok so we can drive the Taylor Highway to Chicken and the goat trail on to Eagle on the Yukon River. Internet access will be scarce but we hope to borrow connections a time or two while we are there.

We will be checking in with Patty while everyone else is away, so messages can be left with her if they are important. Otherwise just e-mail us.