It has been a really long time since I have done any writing on here. I guess I just got into a routine of life up here and thought you all might be getting tired of hearing (reading) the same old thing. Well, things are not the same old thing in many ways as I have been so politely reminded by one of my dear friends. (Yea, you know who you are.)
I am not going to try to re-cap an 15 month period in one post but I will give you some highlights. I will get into more detail in the future.
Currently Myra and I are still living at the Post Office property in Skwentna. Myra has been working part time at the Skwentna Roadhouse and I hauled "winter freight" with my snowmachine and have been guiding for fishing all summer the last two summers. My quote "new" snowmachine now has 11,690 miles on it and is in need of suspension rebuild and a new stator before this winter. We have put two new fuel injectors in the boat this summer (at the same time) and the machinery has been getting a work out.
I have started guiding at a new lodge and river location on the Talachlitna River about 16 miles up stream from Skwentna. This river is totally different from where I have been guiding. It is Very Remote and challenging to get to with a boat. There are few fishermen that make it that far so it is peaceful and the fishing is plentiful. I will post pictures and many more details later.
The winter freighting has been going very well. The snowmachine has not left me stranded to where I had to walk over 2 miles. That's another story (or two) as well. I have been hauling very nearly 6,000 miles a year. The machine has paid for it's self. I have two freight sleds now and am contemplating buying another new snowmachine and giving Myra the other one. The new old one is still looks like new and is in overall very good shape but with 12,000 miles of hauling, how much can it be trusted on long heavy hauls at -20 degree temps? Walking in those conditions is no fun!
The dogs are doing well. Jeff has developed a little problem with getting "Hot Spots" that need washing and care, but they don't seam serious. We are going to try changing there diet and see if that helps him. Hans is over three years old now and is still just a big puppy. He weighs nearly a hundred pounds and bounces around like a rat terrier. I don't think he will ever grow up. He is well behaved but he talks back a lot. He does not take off and swim the river as often as he first did when we moved up here but we still don't trust him not to go adventuring for very long periods of time.
My Dad past away in July. We had been home in May and had seen him then and he seamed fine for being 81. a few weeks later he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and three weeks later he passed away. I did get back to Michigan in time to see him the day before he died and I was with him when he passed.
I have spent about 8 days over 2 trips up to Shell Lake to work on a cabin for a "week ender" named Bob Bell. (If you get a chance google or go to Amazon and search for Bob. He wrote a couple of books titled "Oh No, Were Gonna Die".) Anyhow, I straightened his pilings (foundation) on the cabin and braced it up, built a deck and re-roofed the sauna / shed building. Shell Lake is fly in only in the summer so Bob had to pick me up in his float plane and fly me up and back both trips. If you read his book(s) you may come to realize I was taking my life in (his) hands to do this. Over all everything was fine and he seams to have learned from past mistakes.
As a result of a good year of freighting and fishing we have a little extra money. Myra and I are heading to town for a few days and picking up or supplies for freeze up (4 months worth of stuff) and we are buying several things to remodel the inside of our cabin. We are buying all new flooring, paint, supplies to build cupboards and counters and other things. Our goal is to get it remodeled very soon and then move back into it.
Enough for Now,
Thanks You for still being with us after all of this time!
I will try to talk to you again soon,
Roger
