Alaska: Day 16: 7-21-93: Meeting The Challenge Alaska/Midnite Sun Wheelchair Marathon Crew

I got up today, cleaned Becky's house, and thanked my kind hosts -- it was time to move on. Dave dropped me off at the Challenge Alaska office [note: Challenge Alaska is an organization that helps people with physical disabilities participate in sports and recreational activities]. Thus began a new chapter of my trip. I had now officially gone from vacationer to volunteer.

I met tons of new people today, and it will probably be a few days before I have them all sorted out. First I met Steve, an enthusiastic, friendly volunteer at the Challenge Alaska office, who immediately won me over. He told me all about his life. He said that even though his health hasn't been that good lately -- he has cerebral palsy, and his condition is worsening -- he still keeps as busy as possible working a variety of volunteer jobs (including a stint every year working the telethon for muscular dystrophy, an affliction to which he's lost many friends). Despite the tragic deaths of loved ones and his own deteriorating health, Steve has managed to wear a smile through it all ("You gotta keep going," he told me.) I admired his strength.

Next I met Jim, a full time employee of Challenge Alaska, who is a combination of every hippie/Dead-Head stereotype you can come up with (part Maynard G. Krebs, part Shaggy and part Jerry Garcia). He has a scroungy brown beard and the most laid back attitude this side of the Big Sur. In our brief, initial conversation, he told me there is a standing open invitation to any travelers or vagrants to use his home as a rest stop. I also learned that he is the complete opposite of little ol' me in terms of health consciousness: he's done every drug under the sun and eats anything greasy or patently unhealthy. (The funny part is that he'll probably outlive me, because he's so stress free!).

I wanted to learn more about my new beatnik buddy, but there was lots to do, and Steve put me right to work. My first job was to file down the sealant around a nut & bolt on a custom-made water ski (adapted for a local amputee) -- not exactly glamorous work, but I'd like to think I performed it adeptly. Then we took the CA van to the do-it-yourself car wash, and I got to use a waterjet gun for the first time in my life-- that was kinda cool. Next it was off to Radio Shack, where we had to buy some walkie-talkies. Finally, Jim treated me to some pizza at a joint called Round Table. It was at this point that we had a chance to slow down a little and get to know each other better -- our ensuing conversation confirmed my initial impressions of what a great guy Jim really is.

When we returned to the office, I was bombarded with new faces: I met three women from Germany (Birgit [Bonn] / Daniele [Heidleberg] / Katya [Frankfurt]); two volunteers from the Netherlands (Marian [from the Holland countryside] / Johann [Amsterdam], who sported a twisted left arm with a permanently cocked elbow -- a birth defect which he'd long since made peace with; three fellow New Yorkers (Andrea [Queens] / Patty [Long Island] / Chase [Manhattan -- I'm not kidding! Do you think I can make this stuff up?!]; six other Americans (Houston [Colorado] / Val [Oklahoma] / Merritt [South Carolina] / Win [North Carolina] / Ken [New Jersey] / Trent [Alaska]; Whatshername from Greece; Whosit from Australia; and a whole host of others from around the globe. (Eventually, I was to learn that there are some 60 volunteers, all told -- many from Volunteers For Peace, like myself, some from YSI, a group based in Raleigh, and others just on their own).

After preparing a big community dinner (every one pitched in) and getting to know each other a little better, we all watched an introductory video about Challenge Alaska and learned how we would be assisting at the Midnite Sun Wheelchair Marathon (a grueling 367 mile / 9 day race from Fairbanks to Anchorage). Essentially, we are going to be divvied up into 13 smaller groups, each group serving as a support crew for one of the racers. Every one in the crew would be assigned a primary task. Some volunteers will haul trailers or drive equipment vehicles for the athletes (supposedly, I will be driving a pick up truck for a racer named Kem Hearns), and others will be pilot car drivers and/or "trainers" (a combination of motivator, massagist and all-around personal assistant).

After the meeting, I was dropped off here at the University of Alaska dorms along with Chase, Ken, Katya, Birgit, Daniele and a new girl named Renu. We all sat around talking for a while and played a card game called "Asshole" (named "eponymously" for the loser of each round, which I was unbelievably crowned twice in 4 games). Then we all went to find a room (6 beds, 7 people -- guess who's sleeping on the floor tonight? That's right -- it's me, King of the Assholes!).

We will all be leaving tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m. to go back to the office. Once there, I will make preparations to leave on an eight hour (!) drive to Fairbanks (we are scheduled to depart at 10:30). Well, it's getting late -- we'll talk more tomorrow.