Virtual Alaska - Day 8: 09-30-99

I'm doing something a little different with today's entry. Life has become somewhat routine here, not much exciting to report, so I'm going to focus today on answering questions some of you are sending in e-mails I'm getting today.

I'm pasting your questions directly from the e-mail you have sent below. My responses are in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.



Mr. Hollinger,
Have you seen any bears?  If so, which ones?  (Grizzly, Brown, Polar, etc.)

I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY BEARS. THIS IS BOTH GOOD NEWS AND BAD. ON SUNDAY, THE ONE DAY I HAD TIME AND OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME HIKING ON THE MOUNTAINSIDE, THERE WAS A REAL POSSIBILITY THAT I MIGHT ENCOUNTER A BEAR. I WANTED TO SEE A BEAR ON THE TRAIL, FROM A DISTANCE OF COURSE, BUT, ON THE OTHER HAND, I DIDN'T WANT TO SEE A BEAR. THERE ARE OBVIOUS RISKS WHEN ONE ENCOUNTERS BEARS ON THE TRAIL. AS MUCH AS I WANTED TO SEE A BEAR AND TAKE ITS PICTURE, I DIDN'T WANT TO ENCOUNTER A BEAR IN AN UNSAFE SITUATION. MR. PICKETT RECENTLY WENT HIKING ALONG A CREEK NEAR DYEA WHERE HE FOUND LOTS OF EVIDENCE OF BEARS. HE FOUND LARGE PAW PRINTS IN THE SAND, AND THE REMAINS OF LARGE SALMON WHICH BEARS HAD OBVIOUSLY BEEN EATING. HE TOOK SOME PICTURES AND SAID THAT HE WOULD SHARE THEM WITH US WHEN HE GETS THEM DEVELOPED. PEOPLE HERE ARE ALWAYS CONSCIOUS OF THE PRESENCE OF BEARS. EVEN IN THE PARKS AROUND SKAGWAY ONE FINDS "BEARPROOF" TRASH CANS. THEY ARE MADE OF HEAVY GUAGE STEEL AND HAVE LATCHING LIDS TO HELP KEEP THE SCENT OF TRASH FROM ATTRACTING BEARS TO THE PARKS.

What is the dress code for the kids like there?

KIDS HERE WEAR THE KIND OF CLOTHES THAT YOU DO. THEY DON'T LOOK ANY DIFFERENT.

Do you eat samon?

I EAT SALMON. I ENJOYED IT SEVERAL TIMES ON MY JUNE TRIP. HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO EAT IT HERE ON THIS TRIP, YET. I HAVE EATEN HALIBUT THIS TRIP AND SHRIMP WHICH THE MAN THAT MANAGES THE HOSTEL CAUGHT IN HIS OWN "SHRIMP POTS" ONLY YESTERDAY.

Is the Harding Glacier in the water or is it still on the mountain?

THE HARDING GLACIER IS A RELATIVELY SMALL GLACIER WHICH IS HIGH IN A "SADDLE" BETWEEN TWO MOUNTAIN PEAKS ACROSS THE TAIYA INLET. IT'S VISIBLE ON CLEAR DAYS. IT DOESN'T COME ALL THE WAY TO THE OCEAN.

What is the coldest temperature it has been while you were there?

THE LAST THREE MORNINGS IT'S GOT DOWN TO 28 - 30 DEGREES F. THERE HAS BEEN FROST ON THE GROUND THE LAST THREE MORNINGS.

Do the students at the Skagway school learn about the same things we do here?

YES. THIS IS A PRETTY TYPICAL SCHOOL IN TERMS OF WHAT KIDS STUDY. WHAT'S DIFFERENT IS HOW SMALL IT IS AND HOW ISOLATED THE COMMUNITY IS. WHEN STUDENTS TRAVEL WITH THEIR TEAMS, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY HAVE TO GO BY FERRY BOAT FOR HOURS, OR BY PLANE, TO GET TO THE OTHER SCHOOLS WHERE THEY COMPETE. THEY MAY BE ON THE ROAD FOR SEVERAL DAYS AT A TIME. WHEN I ARRIVED HERE ON FRIDAY, THE CROSS COUNTRY TEAM WAS ON THE ROAD IN KETCHIKAN AND THEY DIDN'T RETURN UNTIL TUESDAY.

Do they have orchestra or any musical activities there?

SKAGWAY SCHOOL HAS A BAND AND VOCAL MUSIC PROGRAM. THEY EVEN HAVE A JAZZ BAND.

Do they have a band there?

SEE ABOVE.

Whatis the size of the bisggest polar bear sited there? YOU WOULDN'T SEE A POLAR BEAR NEAR SKAGWAY. THEY ARE UP NEAR THE ARCTIC CIRCLE. THERE ARE BLACK BEARS AND BROWN BEARS (GRIZZLY'S) HERE. I DON'T KNOW THE SIZE OF THE BIGGEST.

Do the kids there have hills to sled on in the winter? YES. THE BASE OF THE MOUNTAINS WOULD OFFER GREAT SLEDDING. PEOPLE DO CROSS COUNTRY SKIING HERE. THEY USE SNOW MOBILES, AND JUNEAU (ONE HOUR SOUTH BY PLANE) HAS A SKI RESORT WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO TO DO ALPINE SKIING.

Have you sailed or canoed on the water?

NO, UNFORTUNATELY. I WOULD HAVE BEEN TEMPTED TO GO CANOEING WHILE IN WHITEHORSE LAST WEEKEND, BUT IT'S ALREADY COLD ENOUGH HERE, AND THE WATER IS COLD ENOUGH I CHOSE NOT TOO.

Have you went in any caves?

I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY CAVES.

Write back!

I DID...

Period 1


HERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS SENT BY LESLIE COX AND JORDAN MORELLA...


Dear Mr Hollinger,

How are you doing?

I'M DOING GREAT. HAVING A GREAT TIME, BUT STARTING TO LOOK FORWARD TO RETURNING HOME.

we are doing fine here.

I'M GLAD YOU ARE DOING FINE THERE. I'VE HAD NOTHING BUT GOOD REPORTS.

well here are some  questions for you to answer.

How do people dress?

STUDENTS HERE AT SKAGWAY SCHOOL DRESS MUCH AS YOU DO AT SCHOOL. NO DIFFERENCE, REALLY. AROUND TOWN DRESS ABOUT THE SAME, TOO. I NOTICE THAT HERE MANY MORE MEN WEAR BEARDS. SEEMS TO ME A MAJORITY HAVE BEARDS. PEOPLE LOOK A LITTLE MORE "RUGGED".

Discribe the town?

THE TOWN IS SMALL, ONLY ABOUT 700 PEOPLE LIVE HERE THROUGH THE WINTER. IT'S FILLED WITH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FROM CRUISE SHEEPS EVERY DAY IN THE SUMMER. THE TOWN IS SURROUNDED BY SNOW-CAPPED MOUNTAINS AND BEAUTIFUL FOREST. THE SKAGWAY RIVER RUNS THROUGH TOWN AND THE DUMPS INTO THE OCEAN AT ITS MOUTH. THE HOUSES ARE SMALLER, ON AVERAGE, THAN IN DELAWARE, AND SOME OF THEM WERE BUILT DURING THE GOLD RUSH DAYS. THE HOME I'M STAYING IN WAS BUILT DURING THE GOLD RUSH. YOU CAN LEARN MORE ON THE THIS ALASKA WEBSITE ABOUT THE TOWN.

   Do you like  alaska better then Ohio?

I REALLY LIKE ALASKA. I CAN IMAGINE MYSELF LIVING HERE ONE DAY. I KNOW THAT I WILL RETURN, AT LEAST AS A VISITOR, ONE DAY. IT'S A MAGICAL PLACE. THE NATURAL BEAUTY IS AMAZING AND THE PEOPLE ARE SO FRIENDLY. I LOVE OHIO, TOO. IT IS MY HOME.

  What do you do all day?

I'VE BEEN SPEAKING TO CLASSES HERE AT THE SCHOOL ABOUT THE GEOBEAR PROJECT. I'VE TALKED TO A TEACHER WHO WANTS TO SET UP A VIDEO CONFERENCE BETWEEN STUDENTS HERE AND STUDENTS AT WILLIS. I AM WORKING WITH MR. PICKETT'S STUDENTS, TEACHING THEM HOW TO CREATE WEB SITES FOR THERE SCIENCE CLASSES, AND MORE...

    How big is the  biggest  fish in alaska?

THERE ARE LOTS OF BIG FISH. CHECK OUT THE WEB SITES I'VE LINKED TO FROM THIS "VIRTUAL ALASKA" SITE AND SEE IF YOU CAN FIND OUT!

   Is the school nicer than are's ?

THIS SCHOOL BUILDING IS VERY NICE. IT WAS BUILT IN 1983, BUT SEEMS LIKE NEW. STUDENTS TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF IT. I'LL SHOW YOU PICTURES WHEN I RETURN.

What do the kids learn in school?

PRETTY MUCH THE SAME STUFF YOU DO.

Do you like it there?

YES

  How many kids are in the school?

ABOUT 120.

Do you wish you could stay longer?

YES, BUT I'D WANT MY WIFE AND FAMILY TO BE WITH ME. I WOULDN'T WANT TO STAY MUCH LONGER BY MYSELF.

  I hope you have fun!

I AM HAVING A GREAT DEAL OF FUN.

  When does the sun go down  this time of year?

RIGHT NOW IT'S ABOUT THE SAME AS DELAWARE. BUT BY DECEMBER 21, THERE WILL ONLY BE 6 HOURS OF DAYLIGHT IN SKAGWAY AND 18 HOURS OF DARKNESS EACH DAY. THE FARTHER NORTH YOU GO, THE LONGER THE PERIOD OF WINTER DARKNESS WILL GET.

How many kids are in the seventh grade at Mr. Pickets school?

I SPOKE TO ALL SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADERS THIS MORNING ABOUT THE GEOBEAR PROJECT. THEY ARE ALL IN THE SAME CLASS. THERE ARE 16 OR 17 OF THEM.

Are there any grades with just one or two kids there?

NOT IN SKAGWAY. BUT THERE ARE SOME ALASKA TOWNS AND VILLAGES WITH ONE ROOM SCHOOLS WITH ONE OR TWO OR THREE STUDENTS.

THANKS FOR THE QUESTIONS. THEY WERE GREAT!!

Sincerly ,

Leslie cox

Jordan morella


I JUST READ A COUPLE OF E-MAILS FROM MRS. BLAKESLEE. SHE PASSED ON MANY MORE QUESTIONS. MANY OF THEM ARE SIMILAR OR IDENTICAL TO QUESTIONS I'VE ALREADY ANSWERED ABOVE. THE FEW OTHERS I'LL ANSWER WHEN I GET BACK. I'LL BE INTERESTED IN LEARNING WHAT THE FILM IS YOU ARE WATCHING. YES, WE CAN FINISH IT WHEN I GET BACK!!




HOME