Aniak By The Numbers

I, Mark, exceeded the speed limit the other day.  And I must confess...I tried to go fast.  The store had ordered (2)  4-wheelers and when they arrived at the airport, well, someone had to volunteer to bring them over to the store.  The first trek I was a little tentative.  But by the 2nd journey I was primed and ready.  Zooming around the perimeter of the airport I actually hit 28 miles an hour!  Incredible, right?!? 

As if we need speed limit signs

So far I have only noticed 2 speed limit signs.  There is 1 right around from the store on a side residential road with access to the river.  The posted sign states a 15 mph limit.  Out on the road that circles the airport on the west end (where there is one of the 3 stop signs in Aniak...we also have 1 yield sign) the posted speed limit is 25 mph.  I drove to the dump yesterday, and because my load in the back of the truck was a little unstable, I never exceeded 15 mph.  And this is the "norm".  Due to the fact that there are not any paved roads in Aniak, the place is quite dusty.  So people try to keep their speed down in order to keep dirt in its place...on the road.

Heading home across the slough

2 days ago I drove 2 family groups down to the river to deliver them and their groceries to their boats.  I was hauling 7 large boxes of goods, 2 women and 2 children in the cab of the truck and 1 man, 1 woman and two children in the bed with the goods.  I had to drive down a steep river bank where there is a "road" that runs along the river when the level is low.  It was full of bumps and holes and in some places was quite muddy...deep mud.  But I did not lose a single package or person.

Just wait...I'll capture a pic with multiple riders

Often times customers arrive at the store by vehicle.  Some arrive by truck and if the family group is large it is not uncommon to see some of them sitting or even standing in the bed of the truck (remember..no one drives very fast...no seat belts are used and in fact, most do not even possess a drivers license...they do not issue them in the bush).  But a large majority arrive at the store on a 4-wheeler.  Sometimes it will be just 1 person but more often the case it is numerous people.  I have seen up to 6 on a 4-wheeler at one time.  This usually involves at least 1 child sitting in front of the handle bars and 2 or 3 more hanging onto the back in some sort and direction.

I took my new rifle out to the range to get comfortable with it and decided that no grizzly bear stands a chance with me.  I only fired 4 times.  I did not hit anything in particular but the back end of that range is quite fearful of me at this time.


Now that is what I am talking about!

Well, that is all I have at this time with Aniak by the Numbers.  See you soon.



Mark