Picture: Ted and Jerry standing by one of the planes he pilots for Andrew Airways. We are getting ready for our scenic flight.

We met Jerry and Jessica the first evening we arrived in Kodiak. They often come to the dock to watch new sailboats arriving. Their interest stems from the fact that they have their own sailboat, but it is in the other harbor in Kodiak. We invited them to join us for a drink on board "Shuang Yu". They loaned us their car the following day. Jerry also offered us a free sightseeing flight over Kodiak Island! Meeting Jerry and Jessica was one of the best things that happened in Kodiak.

The scenic airplane ride was amazing. Ted and I worked for the Lower Kuskokwim School District in Bethel, which is off the road system in Alaska. The school district has 28 schools spread over an area as big as some of the smaller US states so we have flown in small planes before, but never for a scenic flight, it was a special treat for us. We circumnavigated the entire Kodiak island; over valleys, high snow-capped peaks, glaciers, channels, small communities, fish camps and even Old Harbor. Jerry narrated as we flew, naming the peaks, channels, rivers, camps and so forth. We did not see any bears but we saw a few mountain goats on high rocky peaks. We were so grateful. After the flight we took them to a Japanese restaurant called Power House. It is run by a Japanese husband and wife team and the cuisine is authentic and tasty. We miss Japan and Japanese food so it was a perfect solution. The place also has excellent view of the river and is elegantly decorated inside. We enjoyed Jerry and Jessica's friendship.

Borrowing the car from Jerry and Jessica for one day was a tremendous help because we had to carry big loads of clothes and bedding to the laundry, take the propane tank to be filled; and do grocery shopping and so on. Safeway and Walmart are 3-4 miles uphill from the harbor. After completing those heavy chores, we were all right using our bikes for the remainder of our time in Kodiak. We biked past Walmart to church on Sunday, the first time we have attended church since we left Shelton in February. It felt proper to thank God for our safe crossing.