To say we slept well would surely be an understatement!! When I looked out the window of our hotel room, I was surprised at our view!!
We headed to Pepe's again for breakfast. I had not noticed the stuffed polar bear when I came through the lobby last night...yipes!!
Again the food was wonderful at Pepe's. An old fashioned American breakfast; ham, eggs, pancakes. Plenty of coffee. We were ready for anything. We asked to speak to Fran Tate and she graciously greeted us.
North of the Border was founded and is still run by the remarkable Fran Tate. In addition to being a restaurateur extraordinaire, Fran has also been the host of "Jazz Below Zero" on Barrow's own KBRW every Saturday afternoon for twenty years.
Our plan for the day was to find the mayor's office and tell him about Beanie's mission.
Bob Harcharek has lived and worked on the North Slope for more than 30 years. He earned a Ph.D. in International and Development Education from the University of Pittsburgh in 1977. He served as a member of the Barrow City Council for fifteen years since 1993 and is currently the Mayor and Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Barrow.
Well, when we arrived at his office, we had just missed him. Alaska Day was coming up on October l8th. Anyway, we really didn't need any help. Beanie told me last night that her late husband's birthday is this week. In his youth before he and Beanie married,Tom had been in the COAST GUARDS. He served in the Barrow area.
With the announcement of the Distant Early Warning Line in 1954, Point Barrow was designed as a main site, and a military airstrip, separate from the civil airport was constructed in 1955; being used for transport aircraft and passengers to build the DEW-line stations along the northern Alaskan coast.He remembered it as so exciting. Year in and year out he begged Beanie to go to Barrow with him for their vacation. Year in and year out, she refused in favor of Hawaii, Grand Canyon, even Paris. Then a few years ago he died. No more chances to go with him. So she wanted to make a tribute trip by herself and see everything he had mentioned to her. But once here...she got cold feet and felt paralyzed as what to do next. That is when she called me. more tomorrow....annie in barrow!!
Beanie's husband died rather young...around ten years ago. Beanie and Tom visited Ben and me often through the years...and we still miss him. I understand why Beanie wanted to make this tribute trip.
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