Drifting in the "Look Far"

We spent the day drifting down the Chilkat River in Jeff's boat, the "Look Far". She's a beautiful boat and definitely an eye catcher.

The weather was amazing!



Jeff and C.O. navigated the river,
while Harold drug a stick in the water. . .

and I sat on the bow playing river boat queen.

--AnnMarie

Hiking Near Haines

Jeff actually lives 40 miles outside of Haines and just a few miles from the Canadian border. He and his family have done a lot of exploring and hiking over the years just over the border in British Columbia. So, Jeff shared this tradition with us as we went through customs to hike and picnic in the pass.

It's strange when you're at an international border. You realize the border is just a line on a map, the animals, trees and land don't care about who owns it. The mountains, the valleys and the rivers all continue with no regard for man-made borders.

Harold was a trooper that day. He hiked up most of the mountain on his own. He even carried his own backpack. What a kid. He was in his glory, those little legs pumping away as he conquered his very first mountain.

Near the top, we stopped for a picnic and a rest. It's good to see that Jeff and Harold are becoming quick friends. Jeff even gave Harold a lift on the way down. Harold sang a song as he rode the shoulders of Jeff to the base of the mountain. The chorus sounded like, "luberdeen, luberdeen", we couldn't quite make out the words to the verses but they were crystal clear in Harold's mind. I think it was obvious that he had a happy day.

--AnnMarie

More Haines

We arrived in Haines on Thursday morning via a small bush plane. The flight route was through the Lynn Canal, the deepest fiord in the western hemisphere. We’ve had perfect sunny weather to enjoy the amazing scenery around us.

Our friend Jeff, who I taught with a few years ago, and his daughter Hannah picked us up at the airstrip, treated us to breakfast and a tour of Haines. We then drove 40 miles out of town to the Bochart residence.

The place where Jeff lives is cool in a lot of ways. Each building and the details in and around the property were designed and made by Jeff. His and his family's artistic touches are evident in each nook and crany. It's also cool that there are are few farm animals hanging out here and there. Harold was pretty excited to check out the chickens, sheep, goats and to try and make friends with their dog, Mason.

Harold is also working to master the outhouse. The outhouse isn't a secondary option here, it's the only option.

After catching up a bit, we went for a little hike along the river to toss rocks
and enjoy the scenery and good company. We made a river crossing with bare
feet that was about the coldest thing I've ever experienced. The pain in
your feet lasted quite a while after you got out of the river.

We ended the day with a fire and a picnic.
What a day! We all slept pretty soundly that night.

--AnnMarie