Background: 2020, Quickly Covered





McCarthy Road looked a lot like the rest of 2020.


Since my last blog in October of 2019, I worked at a refugee camp in Greece, celebrated my 70th birthday in Turkey, visited the kids and friends over the holidays in Seattle, relaxed in Helena for the winter, snorkeled and danced in Cuba with Patsy and Vivian in February.  Travel companion Jim and I were supposed to bike and barge across Northern Italy the first week in April.  Hardy-har-har! 

In mid-March I heard Canada was closing its borders.  At that point I still was expecting to work at my McCarthy NPS job so I jumped up, packed and was off in two days, just making it across the border.  I stopped in Whitehorse to visit Jim where I learned that I no longer had a job because the Kennecott Visitor Center wasn't opening in 2020.  Bummer!  But I had a very relaxing, lovely seven weeks in Whitehorse and pondered what to do. 

Friend Diane with whom I lived in Kenny Lake

Ever since I was ten I had wanted to own land.  As with the rest of the world, all my plans had collapsed so I decided to go to McCarthy, buy land and build a cabin. Again, ha-ha, I thought this would give me more control of my life.  I never cease to fool myself.  But I did go to McCarthy, I found 5 acres that mostly met my requirements,  I ordered a pre-made yurt, son Bill lent me cash for a well which won't be repaid until I'm 110 (thank you a million times, Billy), and eventually Georgie showed up in September to build me a platform.  I got to live in the yurt for a month with Hank, my new dog, then migrated south to Helena to winter.

Luke's well drilling rig set up right where the yurt is now.

Daughter Meadow came to help me with the essentials.
Land blessing ceremony in June

Georgie and crew finish the yurt in late September.



Hank the sled dog


Oh, and mid-June I was once more working in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve as an interpreter at Headquarters in Copper Center, over three hours drive from McCarthy where I only went on my three day weekends.  I was fortunate to be working with NPS friends and fortunate to be paid.  I needed the companionship and I needed the cash because I had put my savings into the land and yurt.

It was a good year.  I was blessed with many friends and much activity, even in the pandemic.  All good, all good.

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