News From Ak

Hi everyone. We have been very busy lately. R & V moved today to Solid Rock Camp since they are group leaders for the project during June. They have to get the tasks organized and also the RV campground ready. They may still have some time to work at Amundsen Educational Center to help finish the house the students have been building. Yesterday they finished at the fish camp so we all were invited to the camp for "supper" (I'm still a old country boy).

B is still working at the camp this week through Thursday plus a little at Diamond M Ranch and RV park. B and C will move to Solid Rock Camp on Friday. C has been working on her projects. It is hard to believe that in a little over three weeks we will be heading for MN.

Hope our project at Solid Rock goes well. The camping facilities are minimal--a little electricity and maybe some water but no sewer--we have to hook up and go about five miles into town to a dump station at the Fred Meyer Store (the store is like a Wal-Mart). The campground at Solid Rock has lots of trees so is rather dark and with the cloudy skies it could be rather depressing. The camp is really spread out and lots of hills. Pray we have a productive and enjoyable project.

We check the blog nearly every day for comments--so thanks. nlsower

Sights in Alaska

These are some recent pictures. Mountains at Homer, Harbor at Homer, Eagle by Homer, Moose C and B saw while walking by their RV park. My fellow beachcombers at Clam Gulch--or three bumps on a log and a pup. nlsower

Hi everybody

This week has flown by soooooooo fast. R & V have been working at Amundsen Educational Center in the mornings and at the AAA fishing camp in the afternoons. How is that for being busy? B has been working at the Diamond M Ranch and RV park. General stuff like replacing a shower, installing a light fixture, putting in outlets in a new entertainment center and replacing some electrical pedestals in the RV park.

We are enjoying the wildlife and the scenery (lots of mountains). Today we went to Clam Gulch to watch people dig clams. It was fun to see the tide going out. The tide changes about 25 feet this month. Clamming was slow so didn't see any being dug up. We then drove to Homer--saw lots of eagles and then a moose on the way home. V has a moose story to tell!!!!!!!!!!!!! Homer is beautiful with white mountain across the blue water.

Tomorrow, it is off to church--Kenai Peninsula Brethren Church.

The weather is great--cool mornings and pleasant afternoons. Lows in the 40's and highs in the 60's. Of course it doesn't get dark until midnight--it is 11:45 now and not really dark. But I must get to be so we can get to Sunday School tomorrow.

I miss seeing MN turn green in the spring--still rather brown here. Digging in the RV pedestals was a little problem since the permafrost in only down 24 inches--glad that was all the deeper I had to dig.

Keep praying for us--we are all well--just old age aches and pains--but who is getting old. nlsower

What we are doing

Hi everyone. We are enjoying a little break. We are parked at Diamond M Ranch just outside Soldotna. We have 3 weeks before we start the project at Solid Rock Bible Camp. Well after a couple of days of sitting around we needed something to do. B and C are going to stay at Diamond M until May 31. B is going to work for the Ranch--help get things ready for the summer season. B is also going to do some work at Alaska Christian College, also some work at Amundson Training Center plus maybe even some at AAA fishing camp. Well so much for nothing to do--who wants to be bored anyway. We met the Christian couple who is running the fishing camp at a visitor center along the road on the way up here. The camp is on the Kenai River and they need HELP--another couple was suppose to be getting the camp ready, but didn't do much.........we will help them out so we can go fishing along the river.

R and V are moving from Diamond M Ranch to Amundson Training Center on Monday. They will be working there and maybe at the fishing camp. Mark H will meet with us Sunday in church.

Diamond M Ranch is run by a young Christian couple who go to the same church as Mark. They are excited about having some help during May since their summer help doesn't come until the end of May. B's first job is replacing a shower that had a broken pipe (froze last winter). This shower is in the apartment attached to the barn. There are four dairy cows some calves, a bull, lamas, horses, beef cows with calves, about 100 chickens, two ducks, wild turkeys, five kids and lots of "good junk". They have activities for the guests several times during the summer with the primary goal of inviting the guest to church. They said they have been praying every morning for God to send someone who could help them. We were going to stay at Edgewater campground but when we pulled in there, the owner was gone. Also, I had an uncomfortable feeling that it wasn't the right place to stay, so we went down the road to Diamond M. God has taken care of every detail. C is planning to get some quilting done.

A moose went through the camp the other morning about 3 am--no we didn't see it. But the tracks are about 3 feet from R and V's camper. A lady (who couldn't sleep) in another camper said the moose just walked through like it owned the place. I would like to have seen it. When R and V went out to Solid Rock Bible Camp the other morning there were two moose grazing in the rv campground where we will stay for the project. Maybe we will see some moose out there.

We are adjusting to Alaska price shock--for example, apples $2.99/lb; that's about $1.50 per apple--so much for fresh fruit. But Diesel is $2.85/gallon, that is a lot better than Canada where it was as much as $1.25 per litre. The only help is that was Canadian dollars.

Must close--Sunday school is at 9:30 am and service at 11:00--of course out to eat for Mother's Day. Continue to remember to pray for us.

B and C have a new cell phone number since there is no sprint service in Alaska--Call son P for number or email me. nlsower

Finally, photos of BC and AK

A planning session at the picnic table in Palmer AK.

The only electricity at a campground in Alaska.

Arrived in Soldotna, AK

Hi. We arrived in Soldotna today. We stayed in Palmer last night. We didn't go to Fairbanks so took the Tok cutoff. We skipped Denali Park since it was questionable if was really open--plus we have seen lots of animals and lots trees and mountain. Rained again today but the campground where we are staying is nice and dry. We checked out Alaska Christian College for RV parking--didn't look too good. We also went to Solid Rock Campground to check it out. It was rather muddy--hope it drys before we go to Solid Rock.

The long daylight is rather strange--light to at least 11 pm and light again by 4 am. Listen to the weather now and the forecast is for warmer for Friday and Saturday. Lows in 30's and highs in the upper 50's.

We are trying to rest up before we start working--don't know if it will be at the College or at Solid Rock during May. Must close. Thanks for the comments. nlsower

Still in Canada

Hi everyone. We are in Whitehorse Yukon. It is after 10 pm and still light. I will post some pictures when I have more time. We see elk, bison, deer, sheep, fox, moose along the road plus all the beautiful scenery. Rained some again today plus a little sleet over one pass--nothing on the road. Hope to get to Alaska tomorrow. Road have been very good so driving has gone well. nlsower

On the Alaska Highway

We are about 140 miles north of Dawson Creek. Travels are going great. Rather cool. Lots of snow along the road. It has been raining the last two days. The scenery is great. Fuel sure is eating up the funds.

We stopped in Prince George to look at a SOWER project. The three couples working there during May will be working with us in Soldotna AK during June. Lots of fun to meet them.

We stopped at a campground tonight but their water is still frozen and with the rain the sites were all mud, so we are down the road 4 miles at a restaurant that has electricity for us. A hamburger with french fries is $10.95.

Plan to be on the road by 7:30 tomorrow morning--maybe we will get 400 miles tomorrow.

Thanks for the prayers--driving on strange roads and uncertain weather is stressful. nlsower

Heading for Canada

We will be leaving for Canada tomorrow morning. Will be in Canada about six days so no cell phone or computer use. We have been staying in Tonasket, Wa with Sower friends, out in the hills so we are sitting in a laundry in town to get wireless for this. Will send more pictures soon.
rv & bc

Pastor Jo and Esther