Moving on

My last hike in Haines. The doc I work with and I went scouting for goat in the mountains. There was a little trail for the first part of the hike, up to a cabin, but the final 1500' was mainly bushwacking. It was quite steep- goat country- but so gorgeous and peaceful. Peaceful until I sat on an anthill, that is. Two days later, my legs are so sore I can hardly walk.

4th of July, Haines AK

Who doesn't love a parade?

6/30

Saturday was grey and dark, with 20+ knot winds and hard, spitting wind. I've lived in SE AK for too long, though, and decided that wasn't going to stop me from getting out. So, I went for a hike.

I went up Mt Ripinsky, which is about 3500 feet. It felt good to be out, and most of the hike was in the trees, so the wind wasn't as bad. Not a lot of photo opportunities, due to the nasty weather, but it was a nice way to spend a couple of hours.




Sunday, I woke up pleasantly sore to a bright blue sky and almost 60 degrees. The day just got more beautiful, and my legs just got more sore. I did eventually walk into town to get groceries, where I shot some hoops and played on the swings, but another hike was beyond my poor quadraceps.

Such is life.

June 1st

So, the last week (Memorial Day Weekend) was one for the books. Dennis came up from Sitka on Tuesday and the weather suddenly turned from 40's and slashing rain to 70's and sunshine. On Thursday we took a Jeep-ful of tools and parts 20 miles up the road to the small village of Klukwan (pop: 130) to hold a bike clinic. We met a bunch of kids and bike riding adults, fixed a bunch of bikes and enjoyed the sunshine. Lucy laid around and played with the kids.



On the way home we found a bunch of morel mushrooms, growing by the side of the road. Dinner that night was morels and fiddleheads, sauted with garlic and olive oil, and a bottle of champagne, eaten on the beach in the back yard.

The rest of the weekend was spent picnicking on beaches,


hiking trails, cookouts with friends, and the 16th Annual Haines Brewfest.









Every day was sunny and gorgeous.



Plenty of whales


and loons and, of course, eagles.




I'm over halfway done with this four month long rotation, and it's going to be hard to leave.

Haines update

I've moved into my house sitting arrangement, which should see me through the end of this rotation in July. The house is gorgeous- right on the water so I look over Chilkat inlet into 4000' peaks. Every evening there are sea lions, whales, eagles and a variety of ducks in my back yard. I've got a wood stove for heat and cooking, and running water that is piped in from the stream out running through the property. It is incredibly peaceful and I love it. Unfortunately, no internet. No blog updates. I can check my e-mail infrequently during the day at work.

It's a small price to pay for this, though:

3920'

We went for a hike today. Hit two peaks, one 3920', the other 3650. 10 miles in just under 10 hours. Awesome day. Awesome. It's so quiet, and walking like that for 10 hours creates a meditative state as you just put one foot in front of the other. Of course, when you're totally at peace, you step on your own snowshoe and take a face plant into the snow. Which is also zen.

Haines pictures

Finally got some pictures downloaded from HNS. This place is really beautiful.

From last weekend's hike.




The view from the back porch in the morning, after a run




A walk to the beach this afternoon.

Haines

I arrived in Haines, AK last Sunday. Haines is a small town, even compared to Sitka, and more rugged climatalogically than the rest of Southeast Alaska. Less rain but more snow. It's right on the water and surrounded three-sixty by mountains. Drop-dead, take-your-breath away gorgeous.

The clinic where I'm working has two of the most talented and devoted doctors I have ever met. The docs here are the first I've met in my training who are willing to discuss the philosophy of medicine, something that intrigues me. One doc told me "I don't really do anything here. I listen and usually the patient heals themself". Memorizing the appropriate antibiotic is easy (even easier to just look it up) but having the humility and generosity of spirit to invest in your patient is harder to learn. Perhaps it can't be taught at all. Perhaps you have to teach yourself, if you're willing.

I went to a talent show last night and the auditorium was standing room only. We watched two little kids singing "Bill Grogan's Goat" and a girl played "Old McDonald Had a Farm" on her violin. Children danced or played the piano, a boy played the drums, and one chubby little girl in a white dress sang "A few Of My Favorite Things". The high school kids in the audience went crazy for every performer, screaming out children's names and whistling. After the show, I saw three or four people who I already knew and was able to compliment their children by name. I went to bed feeling warm and content.

This morning (Saturday) I walked 20 minutes down the road to a trailhead where I gained 3000 feet in 3 miles. The view took in two rivers, a bay, and mountains upon mountains. It had been raining when I woke up, but the weather had cleared by the time I hit the trail. On the summit, above the trees, I listened to Bach on my ipod and laid in the snow in the sun and watched the thin clouds race and tumble across the sapphire sky.

It's no Mayberry, though; no Northern Exposure. I've seen patients who are dealing with meth or coke addictions, teenagers pregnant and girls with eating disorders. A strong community and beautiful mountains can't protect you from rape and incest and domestic abuse. It makes me look hard at what I want from this profession, where I want to be in 10 years. There's money to be made in medicine, certainly, but I already know that isn't my priority. I want to be a good person; I want to be happy; I want to live in the bosom of a happy and healthy family in whatever form that takes. A good provider here could make a real difference in people's lives if she knows when to shut up and listen.