Diary for Skiing in retirement


In which we put the wheel back on the wagon

2018-06-30

Offline for the last 3 days it's time to check emails. The ferry company has sent me one. It says our ferry from Haines to Sitka is cancelled due to mechanicals. Next ferry is in one week, maybe.

First things first: finish our pints. Then consider options. Apart from ranting, raving or baying at the moon there are 3. We could ride back 3 days to Haines Junction, then do 700 miles through northern Canada. Or we could hang out in Haines for who knows how long for the ferry. On grounds of cost, inconvenience and sheer buggeration factor neither has much appeal. Besides we would likely forfeit our pre-paid kayak/cabin trip from Sitka.

Or we could fly. Flying in small planes is for the rich and famous in UK. Here everyone does it: it's akin to going on a train. Kind of. So, after a comfortable night at The Inn, where we are given all the time and help we need by landlady Leslie, we part with $480 to fly, with bikes and bags via Juneau to Sitka in the afternoon.

On the first leg we are the only passengers. Our pilot on Harrisair’s scheduled 9 seater looks about 16: but he's probably older. The unexpected bonus of a private scenic flight over the mountains and glaciers of SE Alaska is not lost on us. We are content to lounge at Juneau airport while “our” plane does a short trip to Gustavus before taking us on to arrive at Sitka in the early evening.

Like true jet-setters (actually it was a prop plane) we are met on arrival. Tricia and Brandan are Warmshowers hosts we had contacted in April. Today, with 1 days notice they are on hand to host and be our guide. The least we can do is stand them a meal of buffalo wings (chicken wings in hot sauce) and salad at the Mean Queen (yes, that is the restaurant’s name) en route to what will be our base for a few days until our scheduled kayak/cabin excursion.