Night Drive

No street lights and very few porch lights combined with an starless sky makes the night black, pitch black.
When the sun sets at 3:40 in the afternoon and you get out of school at 3:15, sledding during daylight hours becomes limited.  The result of limited sledding time is restless kids more than willing to turn on the wii or begging to watch a movie instead of playing outside in the dark.

This is easily remedied by the invention of the portable gas-powered generator and a set of halogen work lights.  Not quite the prestige of the commercial ski resorts, but it seems to produce just as much fun and happiness.

Everywhere

It is once again the end of July and the Salmon are in!  Hot on their heels come the bears, looking to fatten themselves up before winter's exercise in hibernation.  Various levels of fishing experience is easy to see among the bears, as well as differing styles.  One of my favorite styles is the "charge and dive" method.  It involves the bear waiting patiently along the shore until either he gets the nerve to plunge into the icy water, or a fish becomes so tempting he can't help it, at which point he takes a running plunge into the river splashing and thrashing.  This method is rarely successful, but is very entertaining.  There is also a social order among the bears, the biggest get the best fishing spots, and if a younger bear gets a fish they had better start running, as a larger bear will try to take it as well.

The Thinker

Standoff

Handout

Patience

Three of a Kind

Bear in the Grass

Pesky Runt

Ready for Lunch

Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses

I would venture to guess that if you were asked to name 10 activities you have done at 20 below zero Fahrenheit, horseback riding probably wouldn't be on the list. This often overlooked sub-zero activity is actually quite enjoyable if you wear the proper attire. After our Christmas dinner at my older brother's house near Fox, Alaska, we ventured out into the dark (around 4:oo pm in Fairbanks) and all got to enjoy feeding and riding the horses until we could no longer feel our toes and fingers. Afterward we enjoyed warming up beside the fireplace and snacking on Christmas goodies, including cotton candy.

Bran and my older brother


Me


Sissy ready for her turn


There's a new sheriff in town


My youngest going for a ride

Back Back Train

During the Christmas Holidays, our family spent a couple of days with family in Fairbanks, Alaska. Along the side of the road was an unusual piece of machinery, a LeTourneau "Tundra Train" or VC-22 Snow-Freighter. One of only a few overland trains produced, this strange train was built to haul equipment and machinery offering support for DEW line logistics operations in the arctic regions of Alaska.
In typical LeTourneau fashion, each of its wheels (including the trailers) was powered by its own electric motor. The electric motors received their power from a large diesel powered generator. With it's six cars, it could haul 150 tons, cross rivers up to 4 feet (1.2 m) deep, cut through snow drifts and operate at temperatures as low as -68 degrees F.

"Tundra Train"


Notice the "LET" logo


Sunset over the Train at around 1:00 PM


Some archive films of the unit in action
Part I


Part II

Merry Christmas

Hope you have a Merry Christmas!

Ice

Temperatures have dropped and stayed low consistently enough to freeze the entire surface of Lake Clark. This has two distinct advantages, no large ominous formations of ice fog enveloping the lake and our community, and now we can ice fish.
The ice fishing gear I had taken with me and stored for 12 years in Kansas could now see some use once again. (Not that there was no ice fishing in Kansas, just that I never was inclined to try it in Kansas) A few hours of dedication on a Saturday and we had a tasty meal of Whitefish for supper.

Checkin ice depth


Walking on Water


Working Smarter, Not Harder


Sis with Mrs. Owens


Waiting patiently


Rewards


Papa's helper

Snow (Hey Oh)

This morning I stepped out of the house and felt the familiar sharp bite of a hard freeze on my cheek. I glanced toward Tanalian Mountain to see if we had some snow last night, this is the view I saw. This first dusting of snow (termination dust) marks the end of summer and the beginning of colder days ahead, for winter is surely not far behind.

Tanalian Mountain with Termination dust


A view of the Kodiak

Foxey Lady

This evening as I made my way up the hill to our house, happy that most of the day's work was behind me, I lifted my gaze just enough to lock eyes with a daring little red-head. We held each others gaze for a few moment before she bolted into the nearby woods. Later while washing my hands at the kitchen sink for supper, I looked out the window, and there she stood again looking at me through the window as if taunting me. Naturally I couldn't resist, so out the door I dashed, snatching up the camera onlong the way.

Aloof


Two is Company


Wary


Foxy

Cat's in the Cradle

This last weekend, while "checking the traps" we had the good fortune of finding a Lynx in one of our sets. It gets your heart pumping a bit when something even this big lunges at you hissing and growling. Your brain tends to forget that a chain is holding him back, and then you remember and pray that the chain continues to do so. We loaded him into the sled with the kids (after swiftly dispatching it), checked the remaining sets, and headed off the lake back home where I got to polish my rusty skinning skills.

The kids with our catch


My son and the big cat


Close up


The slow way to skin a cat


The finished product

Zip-a-dee-do-da

This Sunday, me and the kids found some spare time on our hands. So, we loaded up and drove down to the Fowler's house to see what kind of mischief we could join in. We found Leo and the kids busy making an igloo. After finishing up the igloo, we moved onto fixing the tram on the zip-line. The zip-line provided several hours of entertainment and exercise going up and down the hill. We eventually all found are way inside for some hot cocoa, and coffee (for me). The Fowlers have their own family blog, check them out at the Alaskan Wildfowlers.

The "Igloo"


The Girls with the igloo


My daughter on the zip-line


View from the top of the zip-line


The boys


Leo, the master and maker of the zip-line

Magic Carpet Ride

Super Bowl Sunday me and a few of the guys took advantage of the clear skies and crisp air, to go for a snow machine ride up the "Falls Trail" to Lake Kontrashabuna. Of course the scenery was breathtaking, and so was the temperature at -22F when we left. Engine heat, goggles and facemask, and hot-grips, kept us nice and toasty. Of course the carhart coat and overalls were not bad idea either.

Us with our machines on Lake Kontrashabuna


Looking across the lake to Holy Mountain


Ned the Mighty


The Trail


Self Portrait


A view of Port Alsworth from the Falls Trail