Читать книгу Racing Toward Recovery. The Extraordinary Story of Alaska Musher Mike Williams Sr. онлайн

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This was no mean feat, not only because of the time required, but because Mike’s home is Akiak, Alaska. This is no metropolitan hub. No roads lead to the community in Southwest Alaska. Travel is possible by water on the Kuskokwim River, when it is not frozen solid in winter, and if someone is in no hurry. Air travel is the only way to move around swiftly, but departing from Akiak most likely means flying in a four-seater plane, taking off from a gravel runway. Then a traveler transfers to a jet in Bethel about twenty-two miles away, transfers to a jet in Anchorage, and then onward via another jet to Seattle, perhaps Chicago, then possibly to Washington, D.C., a somewhat frequent destination for Mike.

This is a guy who has been known to acquire frequent dog-mushing miles and frequent flyer miles equally.

Akiak has a population of about 350 people, predominantly of Yup'ik Eskimo heritage. The bounty of the Kuskokwim River provides much of the fish to feed the people who rely heavily on the water and surrounding land, fishing and hunting, for subsistence. Akiak’s history dates to 1880 when it was established as a small town for wintering purposes among those who spent summers along the Kuskokwim River. The community is surrounded by the river and trees and driving from one end to the other takes only minutes. A common method of travel is by four-wheeler.