Virtual Alaska With Mr. Hollinger
Journal Entry for Friday, May 4, 2001
We woke to snow this morning. It's been snowing since about 10:00 last night. It continues to pile up. It's May 4th. This is the latest snowfall I've ever experienced.
As you see, the snow is coming down. Quite a contrast to the start of the week. (Look back to Sunday and Monday's journals.) Apparently it's been snowing in Valdez for more than two days. Some in our group have expressed concern that my flight out of Valdez to Anchorage tomorrow might not be able to go if this continues. I'm not concerned. What's an extra day or two in Alaska? As long as the book store is open...
We had closing ceremonies at the church last night. Students did skits and performed the music they learned and shared the projects they've made this week. It was lots of fun. About 8:45 p.m. three of the older students and I - Rene, Luke, and Matt - headed out to the Haystack trail for an evening hike. We hit the trail at 9:10 p.m. and returned to the trail head at 10:00 p.m. There was still enough light to read easily by at 10:00p.m. Such are the days in the "land of the midnight sun." As we walked the trail to the top of the "Haystack" Rene, Luke, and Matt shared stories of their and their parents' bear encounters. They shared with me the Alaska conventional wisdom about how to defend oneself from attack by black bears and brown (grizzly) bears. It was all very comforting. It started snowing as we finished our hike and it's been snowing ever since.
We started cleaning and packing up around the church this morning. I came over to the high school to make my last journal entry. From here it's back to the church. Some of the students will be flying out of Cordova to their homes today, if the weather cooperates, which is looking less and less likely. The rest of us will leave on the ferry at 4:00 this afternoon. I don't think snow effects the ferry's ability to keep to its schedule.
I'm scheduled to fly out of Valdez tomorrow morning at 8:55 for Anchorage. I don't leave Anchorage until 7:25 tomorrow night. I'm hoping to explore a bit of Anchorage during my layover. I am scheduled to arrive at Port Columbus at about 9:30 a.m. Sunday morning after a night of flying. I return home through Detroit. I will post my Saturday journal after returning home.
Thanks to everyone who has shown an interest in my journals. I hope you've enjoyed reading them.
Photos
These signs are posted in classrooms at Cordova High School. We're concerned in Ohio about fire and tornado. Especially after the 1964 earthquake and tidal wave that devistated the south coast of Alaska, folks here are more concerned about earthquakes and tsunamis, and rightly so.
The snow continues to pile up. This picture was taken a couple hours after the one at the top of the page.
Can you see the high school at the top of the hill? I have difficulty believing it's May fourth.
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