Weathered in.

The Friday flight from Kivalina to Kiana took about an hour. There was a little more turbulence than usual at 5-7,000 feet, so the Bering Air pilot took us up around 10,000 feet. That high up the clouds blanketed our view of the mountains and valleys below but in trade we earned a beautiful view of the sun. A smooth landing and an eager welcoming party met us at the runway in Kiana and in no time, we staged our gear in the school and go store. 

My girls played in the snow and seemed just as impressed with the gorgeous panoramic views of the Kobuk River Valley as I was. Here evergreens and birch cover the rolling hills and towering mountains. The village is spread out and scenic. With only a general sense of direction and no specific location or address, the team playfully made their way through the village in search of store.

"It's over here." 

-Nope. That's not it.

"I thought it was over there."

- Not even.

Eventually the lead group came upon a two-story building labeled "Trading Post". The girls were too scared to open the door and hollered back up the road to me and the second group, "Kirby, what's Trading Post." Of course I politely, and without any sarcasm, congratulated them that they had found store. A  golden retriever met us at the door. 

Within a couple of hundred yards of this place there was another Trading Post and while the girls loaded up on soda, Bowl O’Noodles and Hot Flamin, I scored a Muskrat Pelt for fifteen bucks. (Side note –although I know it would be beneficial, another lesson on health and nutrition would most likely fall on deaf ears. I tried long ago.) Native Store bags in hand, we strolled through the village and back to the school.

While school was still in session, I sat with 5 time Alaska State Champion, Coach Tommy Wells. He and I partnered up at the coaches clinic back in November and I was glad to visit with him again.

A team of Norwegian Arctic Explorers had been staying the past couple of nights in the Kiana School Counselor’s room. My accommodations would not be ready until they packed their gear in to their sleds and hooked up the dog teams. They were only two stops in to attempting a skjorning trip from Kotzebue through to Bettles. Bettles, is smack dab in the middle of the Yukon area of Alaska on the southern edge of the Brooks Range. Bilingual and petite, I never doubted that these ladies were tough although I had to help one of them pull her sled out of the school and out to the dogs. Once they were gone, I moved in.

Because of grades, attitude and attendance, I only have 5 eligible players this week. I suspected that playing a perennial powerhouse team like Kiana might put another bruise on our won/loss record. I’m proud of the way the Qavviks played both Friday night and again on Saturday morning. In spite of a touch of the stomach bug working its way through the team, we played well and challenged our opponents honorably.

I’ve had countless experiences here in Alaska that I constitute as “firsts”. Today I had a preacher and his wife ask to pray over our team when they heard that we were battling the flu. Their prayers came complete with bowed heads and holy water to the forehead. The preacher asked to "break the fever in Jesus’ name" as he shook each girls’ head with the support of his chanting wife standing closely behind him. I don’t know their denomination or affiliation but I suspect that they were from the Friend’s Church. Their white skin and southern accents complimented the scene well.

Like I said we played honorably. Maayuk had 59 points in two games. Without her we would struggle to break double digits. After a sack lunch, we packed gear and waited for word on our scheduled 1:45 flight home.

And waited.

And waited.

Like I said before, I suspected that it would eventually happen. Those that have worked here in the Arctic have warned me that eventually the wind, snow and visibility would catch up to me on a scheduled flight. This afternoon would prove to be the day. The darkened sky wiped out the breathtaking views of the Kiana Hills. Although it was only registering 28 degrees outside, the howling winds made me tuck my chin as I took a short walk around the village at about 1:30.

We were on hold and would stay that way in to the evening. The sun would peak through just enough to spark some interest from Rex, our host principal and airport transportation coordinator. Rex was on the hook with Bering Air throughout the remainder of the day and by 5:00 p.m. it looked as if we might make it to Kivalina before bedtime.

The plan was for Bering Air to complete their regularly scheduled rounds of Bush flights and then refuel in Kotzebue for a chartered flight to Selawik to pick up the Kiana junior high team and then through to Kiana to drop them off and pick us up.

By 6:30 p.m. we were all dressed in our cold weather gear and waiting at the runway for the arrival of the Bering Air Caravan. The pilot jumped out and as my team was in the act of loading their bags in to the belly storage compartments, the pilot received a phone call that Kivalina’s weather had gone Caput.

“Hold on,” the pilot warned.

Without breaking stride, my girls unloaded the plane and re-loaded the pickup.

"Sorry. Visibility just dropped to 300 feet. We're not flying to Kivalina tonight."

It's 7:19 p.m. on January 30th, 2016 - I'm back in the counselor's office at the Kiana School for another overnight. 

I've always known that it could happen and I actually packed my bags in anticipation that this might be the first trip that it would.

It did.

We're "weathered in".

Rex re-issued me a key and showed me where the microwavable bean burritos are in the kitchen. We’ll try again tomorrow.