Frantic Food Frenzy

I've been in Haines, AK for a little over two weeks now. It's a small, cozy town where outsiders pick up their mail with the address "general delivery." It's a town where the gas stations close at seven, but the liquor store is open until midnight. A town where there are absolutely no chain restaurants, one bank, one post office, and per square foot, more animals than people. I love this place. It's 9:22 pm right now and it's bright outside. Haines is a town that has 3 times more bald eagles than people in November. I used the ONLY photo printing machine in town on Thursday, and 8X10 prints were almost $7 a piece!!!

There is one good pizza restaurant, 2 bars, and several small coffee in a box type food stops. I hadn't eaten out yet... Until today, that is. For the past two weeks, all the guides have been ranting and raving about has been this little burger place called 33 Mile. When I asked them, they told me 33 Mile had the BEST burgers in South East Alaska, and they bake their pies on Tuesdays. They told me I HAD to get the "Triple Threat," which is a burger, shake, and pie.

I rose to the challenge, of course. The only catch is, 33 Mile earned it's name because it's located on mile 33 of the Haines Highway. That means it's 33 miles from the center of town, and 34 miles from the guide house. The price of gas out here is over $3.50 per gallon. I drive as little as I can. In fact, I've been riding my bike a bunch lately because the folks I normally give rides haven't been giving me gas money in return. Easy fix.

So, I thought I'd earn my food today with a 34 mile ride out. Easy enough.

I started off with a smile on my face, and "Blessed is this Life" in my head. I waved at every oncoming car, sang, hummed, and gawked at the five bald eagles I saw before even leaving town. There's something about the national bird that will never get old to me. Maybe it's the combination of majestic, snow-capped mountains against a brilliantly blue sky, all reflected in the glassy pools of the Chilkat. Add a giant raptor, and I'm in love.

I made it fifteen miles out of town when a friend of mine passed me in a car. He looked puzzled.

Around 21, things started to hurt a little. I started to doubt my sanity, and started to consider hitchhiking home. (After I ate my burger, of course!)

After what felt like 5 hours longer, I finally saw the 1 mile until food sign at mile 32. 33 Mile is only 1 mile away!!! I tried to pick up the pace, but all I could do was plug along sluggishly.

Man this is rough!!!

When I finally arrived, I was FAMISHED!!! I went in and asked for the triple threat, which only earned me puzzled looks from the employees. Apparently, there's no "triple threat" on the menu. It's just something my friends made up. So, I cautiously asked for a milk shake. She told me the machine wasn't working today.

CRAP!

I made up for the lack of sugar by ordering two cream sodas instead. Then I ordered sweet potatoe soup, a cheese and mushroom burger, and fries. I took Love in the Time of Cholera, along with my two sodas and water to the tables outside to relax and eat when 30 sixteen year old students from White Horse came up on bikes.

CRAP!

So much for a quiet meal.

I had the pleasure of sharing my table with 10 sixteen year old girls. The waitress promtly came to me and told me they were also out of sweet potatoe soup.

CRAP!

Beef and noodle it is.

I got to chatting with the girls as my food was being prepared. We began to compare Canadian and American stereotypes. They think we are fat with no manners. Oh, and Bush messed up a bunch. :D I thought that was cute. I started to point out their funny way of saying about, pasta, and their completely unnecessary interjection ay at the end of EVERY FREAKIN' SENTENCE.

We laughed, ate, and laughed more. Their program has them travelling with their teacher for the next 6 weeks, learning along the way. They rode 60 miles today as well, plan to camp in Mosquito Lake (better them than me), will hit Haines tomorrow, go swimming at the pool for 2 weeks, hike to Battery Point, and then stay at Portage Cove in the evening. I made plans to meet up with them at their campsite for more laughs.

My food was amazing. I got my burger as they were just starting to order. They looked just as famished, so I offered some of my food. (Did you really believe that? You know me better than that!) What really happened is as follows:

Me: Are you guys hungry? (nodding towards my food)

Girls: (In unison) STARVING!!!

Me: Sucks to be you! (Shoving the burger in my mouth, looking up into the sky in ectasy, and making a show of having food.)

HA! The consensus at the end of our dinner was "Rita's really cool."

I could have told them that if they had asked.

Reluctantly, I left them at the restaurant after about an hour and a half of banter. I got back on the road and realized why things had been so hard on the way up. It was the way UP. Mile 4-33 is pretty much ALL a gradual uphill!!! Some of it wasn't so gradual. So, my ride back was cake. It was so gradual that I needed to pedal the entire time, but not nearly on as low a gear. So, I think I made good time. I'm not sure. I don't have a watch.

Now I'm sitting in a bar, using the wi fi. I'm waiting until 10:00 so I can listen to some live music at the other bar in town.

I'm well fed, hydrated, and happy. I've earned my food, and earned the right to drink a little this evening as well. :)

"Blessed is this life, oh, and I'm gonna celebrate being alive!"