The Long Bike Ride

 Remember in my search to locate some people from my past that I found one the Elders that lived in a tent in our Alaskan back yard?  (this was not a "yard".  this was ground with wild stuff growing on it!) (archive post is named  Grudgingly)

I heard from the 2nd Elder!

Hi there Bro. & Sis. Seljestad,

Just a note to let you know that I read your letter to Elder Poulos and it brought back great memories. This past weekend I spent some time at the Fort Bridger Rendezvous in Wyoming and while it rained and cleared it reminded me of Homer. I'll have you know that this time I was in a teepee so I am still in tents. Poulos and I have reunited on several occasions to rehash our great time together. The Homer experience prepared me for the many adventures I have had as scoutmaster for over 12 years. I do tell my grand kids that while on my mission I dwelt in a tent as Lehi and while serving on the high council my days in a tent were the subject of many talks. Hope all is well with you and yours and if you are ever in Spanish Fork look us up.

Michael Halverson

first of all!....you were both named Mike????

Terry remembers taking you and your bikes and driving you to the Russian Village and dropping you off!!  do either of you remember this?  that was miles away!!!

 I remember that day well and remember President Seljestad dropping us off. (Poulos)

 Oh yea do I remember. That was part of the reason I minored in Russian at BYU. The Cyrillic letters really intrigued me. When I graduated in '86 I moved my family to live in the Owens cabin near Nikolaevsk. (Halverson)

and I also remember!

Remember that Elder Halverson was only there for 8 weeks and yet he has enough stories to share for 39 years!  12 years of scouts hearing stories.  Probably dozens of tent stories shared while he served as a Hi-Council member plus his own grand-kids are still hearing stories and most likely fascinated with the happenings of those 8 weeks. Perhaps especially the day of the bike ride...Oh yea do I remember 

And Elder Poulos, also remembering that day of the bike ride... I remember that day well

Terry remembers feeling the Elders needed a real challenge and to be kept busier so he put their bikes in the truck and drove them to Nikolaevsk, the Russian Village, out in the middle of nowhere!!  Bikes 39 years ago were just plain old bikes!!  He dropped them off and said..."See you later."  He reasoned that it was almost all downhill to get back to Homer and maybe someone would take pity on them and give them a lift.

We are talking primitive.  Russians.  Old Believers.  Seeking privacy.  Gravel roads.   20 miles from Homer.

I was in a near swoon when he told me what he'd done.  How could he do that!!!???   He said...They will figure it out.  I was horrified.  Perhaps I cried over their plight or out of frustration that they were dropped on practically foreign soil?  I do remember them coming home that evening but no details.

I have asked each of them to tell me about that day from their perspective and so far neither has said a word about it.  Elder H. though did actually move back to AK and teach in the Russian Village for a few years so it made an impact for sure!!

This entire scenario reminds of the many things in life with 4 perspectives of the same incident and each varies in the telling of their viewpoint but all are actually true.  It's like a crossroad, with 4 people and each is standing on a corner, all see the same accident that happens in the middle but each describes it totally different but each is a true version of the happenings.  Most likely the happenings of that day, that have made for many stories over many years by each of us, stretched perhaps like Alaskan fish stories?, will never be agreed upon but it doesn't really matter, does it? 

Great times, and thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you did for us!!  Mike Poulos
                              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bear in mind this is a more recent picture.  Looks big now!  They were there 39 years ago!  Use your imaginations!


Nikolaevsk, Alaska: located on the southern Kenai Peninsula in south Central Alaska, about 20 miles north of Homer.  A 6-mile gravel road connects this small town to Anchor Point and the Alaska road system.  Nikolaevsk is located in the Homer Recording District and the Kenai Peninsula Census Area. The village encompasses 36.3 square miles of land.  Winter temperatures range from 14 to 27; summer temperatures vary from 45 to 65.  Average annual precipitation is 24 inches.

Nikolaevsk, Alaska

                                                        (pronounced NICK-oh-lyvsk)
                                 
                                               
  http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ak/state/nikolaevsk.html