Day 16 Yukon River

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June 30, 2018

I woke up to the sun hitting my tent and heating the inside like a sauna. As I rolled out Jack, Scott and Jere were already up. The four of us shared coffee and breakfast before Jackson and I pushed our new friends off the gravel bar that their Yukon Select 25 horsepower tiller was grounded on.

Shortly thereafter a massive dark cloud engulfed the mountain side to the north and a booming bout of thunder echoed throughout the valley. As the thunder still reverberated off the mountain walls Scott and Jere fired their motor and roared downriver like bats out of hell. Jack and I scrambled to pack up camp and hit the water before the impending storm reached our island. We managed to push off in our boat before the bulk of the weather found us. For a few hours sprinkles flirted on and off.

Around mid day we caught up to Scott and Jere drifting their motor boat in the current with the engine cut.
“You boys want some coffee?!?”

We pulled up to the side of their boat, tied off our canoe with bungee cords and rope, and spent the rest of the afternoon drifting alongside the fellas and talking the day away.
Both Scott and Jerry had interesting stories. Jere spent time in the special forces and has seemingly been everywhere. As a young man Scott was a sailor in the Navy and for the past 35 years has traveled the world working on various defense projects as a civilian. The two friends met at their current post in Delta Junction, Alaska working on anti missile defense systems. When/if the enemy fires a missile, these boys shoot that missile down outside the earth's atmosphere. Pretty wild.

It was a great afternoon relaxing and drifting with the current. After 30 miles we reached our destination, a small public use cabin at the mouth of a creek. For dinner Scott and Jere cooked burgers and dogs over the open fire. So good.

The four of us crashed on the floor in the small one room cabin.

Great day, great dudes, amazing place.
Life on the river rolls on.
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Day 16 of a 70 day expedition canoeing the length of the Yukon River, Source to Sea, Summer of 2018 #BuffaloRoamer @ Yukon-Charley Rivers National Park

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Will CollinsComment