Arriving for the summer stay

 

 

They made it!  You've read their journey and now they're on their claim.  Now, all alone on their site, they did a gentleman’s high 5.  First thing on their agenda was checking their guns.  After all they were sitting ducks for the bears.  They started unpacking and used the chainsaw to make a clearing to put the tent up.  Now I just want to point out that when I was a kid I felt safe under the covers so I’m wondering is this tent providing that same feeling? 

They worked till  7 or 8 setting up camp.  They were starving and they actually cooked a meal.  The cook stove was set up.  They had a propane refrigerator but had to hook it a battery to get it to work.  A little something they learned after the fact.  I even sent a little microwave to make life a little easier but they didn’t ever use it.  They had some generator problems.  They didn’t have their bear alert system set up but they were sure their generator would keep the bears away.  They still slept with their guns under their pillows.  They're alone in the wilderness with only a world phone as their only link to civilization.  They have walkie to communicate between them on the site. 

 

Flying to Moore Creek 2012

- The guys flew out in the little “Tail Dragger” finally heading for their site.   The weather was good and the trip took about 30 minutes.  They saw a black bear occasionally dotting the wilderness.  In their helicopter rides they were able to see more.  On this flight they were anxious to get to their site because now they would be camping out, in the wilderness, in a tent.  Only a world phone would connect them to civilization.  The minutes were limited so the calls were short. 

They landed in Moore Creek.  Remember a plane cannot land on their site yet.  The chopper arrived and the guys immediately started getting the slings ready and loaded.  The Chopper Man took George over to their site first and dropped him off.  He gave some brief instructions and headed back for his first load.  Dave had the first load ready and hooked the sling onto the cable without a hitch.  Kind of like a drive buy loading system.  There were 2 slings, so while the chopper was heading for the site for George to unhook, Dave was getting the second load ready.  George was amazed at the precision of the chopper pilot.  He could bring the chopper right to their camp hovering between the trees while George unhooked the sling.  This scene repeated itself for about 5 trips.   They had worked hard loading and unloading and they had to be exhausted but I think the excitement was what was keeping them going.  Chopper Man took a bottle of water and he was off in a flash leaving the guys to fend for their selves for the next month.  They would have to get the runway cleared in order for a small plane to land to pick them up.  Their work from the previous year was just not enough. 

 

George's chopper ride to the site

Move 'em out. Landing 2012

Loading up for flight to Moore Creek 2012 trip

Here they are loading up for their flight to Moore Creek.  They’re excited and should be tired after cutting their plywood for their cabin and loading the planes with a total of 7,000 lbs.  Now they have to fly to Moore Creek and meet the chopper that is going to sling their stuff to their site.  So they are going to load all that weight it in the slings again…sling it to their site and unload it.  They say the excitement from the gold fever is what drives them. 

Hello McGrath, we're back 2012 trip

The guys left June 29, 2012 for their first trip to their site. They got to McGrath on Friday and met the bush pilot the next morning. McGrath is only about 300 and people were waving at the guys as they flew in. Apparently there is not much traffic. After getting some coffee and a few high priced odds and ends at the grocery store the guys met their bush pilot, Mike. He was sporting an old beat up pick up and informed George he would have to hold the door shut on their short drive to his plane. Oh yeah, you can see where this is going. The old pick up pulls up to an old bush plane literally sporting some duct tape for extra support. They said it took off noisy and landed rough.

 

Arriving in Anchorage 2012

George and Dave rented a car and answered one of the basic questions asking if they had car insurance.  They assured Rental Man at the counter they did indeed.  They started looking for the Cosco and turned down the wrong way on a one way street.  They were shook up and turned into a convenience store to get their bearings.  Still shook Dave gets out of the car forgetting to put the car in park and left George inside.  George realizes the car is going backwards.  With his long legs he reaches over and hits the gas instead of the break and goes backwards even faster before finally getting it stopped.  Yes they were laughing and laughing imitating Rental Man asking if they had car insurance.