Hi Static Reader! I recently made my first village visit since joining the KNOM team — A quick trip to White Mountain, about 60 miles east of Nome, to help cover a snowmachine race.
It makes me nervous to fly in those tiny bushplanes, but also, it reminds me of my Little Gramma. She was raised in Teller (also nearby), and used to say that bush pilots were the best in the world. That memory brings me a lot of comfort.
Once on the ground, White Mountain greeted me with clear skies, -20° temperatures, and a bone-chilling breeze making it feel even colder. Trying to get my equipment set up, I sank about waist deep in the snow, which really felt more like quicksand. Luckily, I made a new friend who picked me up on her snowmachine and got me to the perfect lookout spot.
Despite the brutal cold, the 140-mile race went off without a hitch. The champion finished in just over two hours.
Now that I’ve defrosted, I’m able to reflect on the kindness, patience and generosity of the people who live in our region. From helping me unload my bags from the plane and getting me where I needed to go, to making sure I had a warm place to stay after the race, I was well taken care of throughout my journey.
I am so grateful to be part of the KNOM team, which gives me the opportunity to spend time in beautiful communities with wonderful people. God bless!
