My wife and I had been living in Prague together for some years when we decided to get married. And we wanted to meet each other’s parents before the wedding. So, off we went. First, to St. Louis to visit my wife’s parents. But visiting my parents, that’s more complicated. It started with a flight to Anchorage, Alaska. Then a six-seater to Dillingham. From there a pickup truck to open water. Canoe anyone? Next a snowmobile to my parents’ place in Aleknagik – population 219. Did I mention this was in the winter?
My dad was a caretaker for a lodge. My mom was the assistant to a 3rd grade teacher named K. My mom and K. were best friends. I still remember K. coming to visit me and my wife. It was below 40 degrees. Snow was blowing. She just sauntered in and took off her snowmobile helmet like it was nothing. We talked a long time. She left a big impression on me.
My parents lived all over Alaska. So did K. They surprisingly were able to see each other from time to time. Then she told them she has fallen in love with a man named Monroe Robinson. She was working for the park service out at Twin Lakes in Lake Clark National Park. Monroe was doing restoration work on a cabin there. Well, not just any cabin. The cabin of conservationist Dick Proenekke (of PBS documentary "Alone in the Wilderness" fame).
Dick lived alone there for 30 years but was now too old to stay there. Now the national park service wanted his handcrafts (and cabin) restored. Nineteen summers later K. and Monroe did more than that – they reproduced everything.
My parents are still very close with Monroe and K. And they have always kept me up on the latest with them over the years. It’s such a cool story. So, when my mom called me all excited that Monroe had a book out about Dick I had to jump at it.
This week, in our show "Forged By Hand," I have the great honor of presenting to you an Alaskan legend about an Alaskan legend. And a story of love.
–Charles