When we first got here, our hosts were showing us the TV set-up and mentioned that they only get a few channels in that they live in a bad reception area. They said that they used to get more stations, but a couple had gone on the fritz. One was ABC, which aired the Academy Awards this year. We didn't get to see it because of that problem. Total bummer. Alas, we just accepted our fate.
Not Jimmy and Vicki Tohill!
They were among many customers who complained about the situation. After their complaint, they got an email telling them that the station wouldn't investigate until the snow melted as there was no road to the location of the problem. Since they lived near the mountaintop where the equipment was located, they decided to take matters into their own hands. To quote the local paper: "The Tohills snowmachined as far as they could, about a third of the way, then post-holed the rest of the way." ("Post-holing", for people like us who don't have snow lingo down, means wading into the snow as deep as it goes. Below is a picture of me post-holing at our house. It isn't easy walking, believe me.)
They then commenced to dig for several hours. After uncovering the satellite dish blanketed in snow, they returned home and turned on their TV. Lo and behold, the missing stations were back! Here is the local paper's story.
This little story really does exemplify the can-do Alaskan spirit. I googled their names to send a thank them and saw that Jimmy released a book of his photography and poetry entitled The Spirit of Alaska. Perfect!
So, thanks Jimmy and Vicki! We truly appreciate your efforts and your example to us all.
Yay to Jimmy and Vicki! (If you look carefully, you can see Ziggy's shadow in the photo.)
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