I promise I'll finish writing about my trip to Austria/Italy at some point in the near future. I have most of it written, actually, I just have to clean it up and post it (the most annoying part to me. details, details. . .)
I thought of something that's absolute crap today. When I was in Austria, Innsbruck to be exact, I got an email from Mando Diao saying that their next tour would kick off from none other than Innsbruck. Cruel world. I haven't had the chance to see them live because they're not in the US often, so it was a kick in the butt to find I was in the right place at the wrong time. I'm always in the wrong place at the right time, but I've never been in the right place at the wrong time.
A little background for those wondering who Mando Diao is:
Swedish band I stumbled upon a few years ago and it was love at first listen. Then, as most of you know, I entered a painting contest they held in order to populate the walls of the new studio they were building. I actually ended up being one of the winners, which was pretty awesome. I'm still somewhat amazed they liked the crap I was peddling - I assume my art to be something only a mother could love. It's hard to get outside of your head and try to see it from another perspective, so the assumption on my part is always that it's like the ugly baby that everyone smiles at while throwing up into their mouth a little bit because nobody has the heart to tell the mother her kid was seriously bludgeoned by the ugly stick. Anything creative falls in that category for me - I never think people will like it. I wonder if songwriters are faced with that?
You know, I thought I was off track there, but that actually brings me to my next point. Because I never think that people will like the things that I like, I'm weary of introducing people to music, too. I had liked Mando Diao for a good while and it was unfortunate that none of my friends were on the same page. I finally realized they'd never be on the same page unless I made it happen because it wasn't like they were going to hear them on the radio! (They don't make the pop music cut here, which is actually a blessing if you ask me.) So, I took a chance and mailed a CD to a friend for her birthday when I was in Alaska. Because I'm insecure about my likes going over well to others, I also included descriptions of songs and why I like them, etc. Yes, I'm really cool. It actually went over well - she Really liked it. With my newfound confidence in my taste, I sent it to two more people, who were both impressed.
Now that I have a sense of validation working for me, I feel comfortable saying: Three out of three agree, listen to Mando Diao! If you don't see the humor in that last line, look harder. If you still don't see it, re-read the last two paragraphs.
Alright now I'll get to the why. Why do I think they're awesome? First off, versatility. They've got so many different kinds of songs so there's something for almost everyone to love. I happen to like most kinds of music, so I love it all. Their library has the ability to cover most musical moods, making it a good choice for a desert island predicament.
Another reason I love them, which is a facet of versatility, is that there are two singers. There's Bjorn, who has the more versatile voice of the two. He has this Steve Marriott thing going where he can sing nicely or scream like a madman and sound great both ways. (sidenote: Speaking of Steve Marriott, the song Itchycoo Park makes me exceptionally happy - it's all too beautiful.) Then there's Gustaf, who doesn't quite have the range Bjorn has, but I'll be damned if I've ever heard anyone use their voice for all it's worth like he does. His style is somewhere between yelling and speaking for the harder songs, it's not very sing-songy. He does, however, do a few slower songs, which are surprising. Slowed down, his voice is heartbreaking - he sounds like he's about to fall apart, and it does wonders for the songs.
Here's the kicker about the singers, though: they know how to play off of eachother! No small feat. They sing songs separately, at the same time, alternating verses, lines, etc. There's a level of competition buried in there somewhere, but it isn't enough to dominate the feel of their interactions. They have a chemistry which isn't often found. Hmm, two lead singer/songwriters with great chemistry. . . I'm reminded of something.
I shy away from Beatles comparisons because it's sort of like hallowed ground, but let's pretend it isn't sacreligious for a moment so I can get down to business here. Their dynamic is somewhat Beatlesish. When asked to describe their music, I once said a variation of this: If the Beatles members were cloned just before they formed as a band and the duplicates were frozen, then later revived in 1999, something like Mando Diao would be the output. Weird description? Yes. But, the point is that if we had Beatle potential/chemistry and then implanted that in a time when musicians had the benefit of post-Beatles influences, like Pearl Jam and Nirvana and all that 90s grunge, I think we'd be looking at Mando Diao. Alright, I'm just going to leave that thought to stew where it is, because I'll kill it if I try to describe it any further. Before I abandon this line of reasoning, though, I'll leave you with this: Beatles influenced by Beatles = Mando Diao? Maybe. Or, maybe some things just defy explanations, logic, and categorization.
In short, I like them lots and I think they deserve a larger following and more recognition here in the US, but not so much that they get influenced by the demented world of pop and fame we have going here (that would be a tragedy)
By the way, if you don't see the humor in the fact that I had to describe why I like them, look harder!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Workin' it in the mountains
October 9th 2008
Hiking kicked my butt today. I went to work with Christian, which was out in the field. We hiked allover the place and tested water in the mountains. In the summer he does it every 2 weeks. I had some shin splints going on, which I was worried would bother me. . . and they did. There were two hikes which were a good length and elevation.
The first was about 1.5 hours each way and I'm not sure what elevation we reached, but it was a steep hike at times. Our elevation gain was 800 meters. The last sign I saw said 2000 meters (6500ft) and I hiked a good distance after that. Getting to the trailhead was half the fun, though. We must have gone through 25 hairpin turns on the way, and one of the roads, along with a hairpin turn, only had room for one car to pass. I don't know what happens if a car is coming from the opposite direction, and I don't want to know. Anyways, back to the hike. I found psylocybin mushrooms. No, I didn't eat any. I was wandering while he was taking measurements and I came across another hiker and we exchanged a few words. He was wearing all black and I found out later it's because he was going up to the hut at the top to clean the chimney, and it's tradition to wear all black. ooooookay. I'm told it's like that everywhere, even the US. Comparing countries is endless fun, by the way.
The second hike was about 1 hour roundtrip and reached 2142m (7000ft). I'm not sure what elevation we started at, though. I went ahead and hiked to the top myself while he was doing readings elsewhere and he met me afterwards for more readings, so I got to spend some time up there. It was gorgeous, too - stunning views. There was also a nice stream running through and a cute little hut there. Everything was wonderful there until a bumblebee chased me around for a while. He was trying to check me out, but I kept moving away from him, so he kept moving towards me. Lucky for me, he gave up first. Probably lucky for him, too.
I don't have a clue how far any of these hikes are because they measure hikes here by time instead of distance. There's no way to be sure how far they are, because the time is adjusted based on steepness, I'm sure.
I'll probably be sore tomorrow, which is double trouble, because tomorrow we start the 3 day hike through the Alps where we'll be hiking 4-5 hours each day! yeeha! We'll see how it goes. . . and if I survive.
By the way, Europeans drive like maniacs.
Hiking kicked my butt today. I went to work with Christian, which was out in the field. We hiked allover the place and tested water in the mountains. In the summer he does it every 2 weeks. I had some shin splints going on, which I was worried would bother me. . . and they did. There were two hikes which were a good length and elevation.
The first was about 1.5 hours each way and I'm not sure what elevation we reached, but it was a steep hike at times. Our elevation gain was 800 meters. The last sign I saw said 2000 meters (6500ft) and I hiked a good distance after that. Getting to the trailhead was half the fun, though. We must have gone through 25 hairpin turns on the way, and one of the roads, along with a hairpin turn, only had room for one car to pass. I don't know what happens if a car is coming from the opposite direction, and I don't want to know. Anyways, back to the hike. I found psylocybin mushrooms. No, I didn't eat any. I was wandering while he was taking measurements and I came across another hiker and we exchanged a few words. He was wearing all black and I found out later it's because he was going up to the hut at the top to clean the chimney, and it's tradition to wear all black. ooooookay. I'm told it's like that everywhere, even the US. Comparing countries is endless fun, by the way.
The second hike was about 1 hour roundtrip and reached 2142m (7000ft). I'm not sure what elevation we started at, though. I went ahead and hiked to the top myself while he was doing readings elsewhere and he met me afterwards for more readings, so I got to spend some time up there. It was gorgeous, too - stunning views. There was also a nice stream running through and a cute little hut there. Everything was wonderful there until a bumblebee chased me around for a while. He was trying to check me out, but I kept moving away from him, so he kept moving towards me. Lucky for me, he gave up first. Probably lucky for him, too.
I don't have a clue how far any of these hikes are because they measure hikes here by time instead of distance. There's no way to be sure how far they are, because the time is adjusted based on steepness, I'm sure.
I'll probably be sore tomorrow, which is double trouble, because tomorrow we start the 3 day hike through the Alps where we'll be hiking 4-5 hours each day! yeeha! We'll see how it goes. . . and if I survive.
By the way, Europeans drive like maniacs.
Planes, trains and automobiles
Disclaimer: posting these after the fact. I tried to write as I went, but I couldn't actually post anything until I got home.
October 7th, 8th. Days 1 and 2 (1 was a travel day, 2 was my first full day)
after 24 hours of travel, I've arrived!
My flights were fine, nothing much there to talk about. There wasn't a passenger in the seat next to me, which I was very happy about. Otherwise I end up with a giant pile of stuff on my lap. One thing I found strange about my journey was that every time I landed they didn't have a terminal, I had to walk or get bussed across the runway. I was surprised they did this for the international flight, because it was a big plane.
I flew to Frankfurt and had a quick connection to Germany, which was uneventful. I was through customs within a minute, including time waited in line. Then came the real treat. . . that airport is like a MAZE. I swear I must have walked a mile at the very least to get to my terminal. The flight from Frankfurt to Munich was easy. My only complaint was that I don't speak German. A little girl sat next to me and apparently I buckled myself up using her latch, so she was trying to tell me and I just didn't have a clue what she was saying. I finally got it, but I felt like a terd. I bet the expression on my face when people talk to me in another language is priceless, probably like a deer in headlights.
The train ride from Munich to Innsbruck was more of me being confused by people speaking German to me, which was extra fun. I never know what to do when I go to a counter to buy something - should I just ask for it in English right off the bat, or should I first ask them if they speak English in German? Really it makes no difference in the exchange, because if I ask if they speak English and they can't, it's not like it'll make communication any easier. I suppose that way we're on the same page, though. . . and I don't look like an ignorant American who expects the world to bend to my needs. I've found my best plan of action is to say "hi" right off the bat, and if they speak English, they'll immediately start speaking it. Wow, I'm so lame. It's funny, because I do know small bits of German which could get me through some of these situations, but I'm afraid to speak it because I'm sure I sound ridiculous.
Speaking of sounding funny speaking another language. Today Christian said 'California' and I nearly died of laughter. Poor guy had no idea what was so funny - I was laughing because he said it exactly like the Governator. I really wanted to ask him to say "It's not a tumor!" and "get OUT!" but I decided against it. English is his 3rd language, which is a hell of a lot more than I can say, so I think I'll keep the accent critique to a minimum! I wish my video camera worked - I'd make a whole montage of Austrian people saying Governator phrases.
Other than a bit of jetlag, everything is great. I'm about to go walk around Innsbruck for a while - it's beautiful today, warm and clear. The mountains here are just beautiful. More on that later.
October 7th, 8th. Days 1 and 2 (1 was a travel day, 2 was my first full day)
after 24 hours of travel, I've arrived!
My flights were fine, nothing much there to talk about. There wasn't a passenger in the seat next to me, which I was very happy about. Otherwise I end up with a giant pile of stuff on my lap. One thing I found strange about my journey was that every time I landed they didn't have a terminal, I had to walk or get bussed across the runway. I was surprised they did this for the international flight, because it was a big plane.
I flew to Frankfurt and had a quick connection to Germany, which was uneventful. I was through customs within a minute, including time waited in line. Then came the real treat. . . that airport is like a MAZE. I swear I must have walked a mile at the very least to get to my terminal. The flight from Frankfurt to Munich was easy. My only complaint was that I don't speak German. A little girl sat next to me and apparently I buckled myself up using her latch, so she was trying to tell me and I just didn't have a clue what she was saying. I finally got it, but I felt like a terd. I bet the expression on my face when people talk to me in another language is priceless, probably like a deer in headlights.
The train ride from Munich to Innsbruck was more of me being confused by people speaking German to me, which was extra fun. I never know what to do when I go to a counter to buy something - should I just ask for it in English right off the bat, or should I first ask them if they speak English in German? Really it makes no difference in the exchange, because if I ask if they speak English and they can't, it's not like it'll make communication any easier. I suppose that way we're on the same page, though. . . and I don't look like an ignorant American who expects the world to bend to my needs. I've found my best plan of action is to say "hi" right off the bat, and if they speak English, they'll immediately start speaking it. Wow, I'm so lame. It's funny, because I do know small bits of German which could get me through some of these situations, but I'm afraid to speak it because I'm sure I sound ridiculous.
Speaking of sounding funny speaking another language. Today Christian said 'California' and I nearly died of laughter. Poor guy had no idea what was so funny - I was laughing because he said it exactly like the Governator. I really wanted to ask him to say "It's not a tumor!" and "get OUT!" but I decided against it. English is his 3rd language, which is a hell of a lot more than I can say, so I think I'll keep the accent critique to a minimum! I wish my video camera worked - I'd make a whole montage of Austrian people saying Governator phrases.
Other than a bit of jetlag, everything is great. I'm about to go walk around Innsbruck for a while - it's beautiful today, warm and clear. The mountains here are just beautiful. More on that later.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Bore tide video. . . finally
Last week I finally edited the bore tide video. I realized when I looked at the picture I put up with the original bore tide post that people probably wouldn't notice the guy in the picture. So, go back and take a look - it adds some good scale to the picture. You now have the video for that, too
A little video explanation -
The tide was changing from low to high, so logic would say the current should be moving from open ocean (right) to the shore where the turnagain arm ends (left). BUT, this is a bore tide area, my friends, so things don't make sense. The tide was flowing left to right, except for an area straight across the way that was bordered by mudflats and was relatively still. All in all an odd scene.
at 0:55 listen to the ridiculous noise that comes out of my mouth as the camera goes unsteady. I hate hearing myself on video. I always watch the videos later and wish I just hadn't spoken. . . but that would have been awkward at the time, no? This noise makes me laugh, though, especially because of why I make it.
A little video explanation -
The tide was changing from low to high, so logic would say the current should be moving from open ocean (right) to the shore where the turnagain arm ends (left). BUT, this is a bore tide area, my friends, so things don't make sense. The tide was flowing left to right, except for an area straight across the way that was bordered by mudflats and was relatively still. All in all an odd scene.
at 0:55 listen to the ridiculous noise that comes out of my mouth as the camera goes unsteady. I hate hearing myself on video. I always watch the videos later and wish I just hadn't spoken. . . but that would have been awkward at the time, no? This noise makes me laugh, though, especially because of why I make it.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Don't judge a book by its cover.
I never did write about Valdez. . .
Another day. It deserves a day when I'm in writing mode because it was an interesting place.
So, I've been home now for a few weeks and it's the same as it ever was. My niece and nephew are huge and my kitten is now a cat, but, other than that, things are the same. I was thinking about sameness today because I saw this site where a guy has been taking pictures of himself every day since 1998. It's cool to see what a little aging and hair can do to a person's overall appearance. He should have kept a diary along with the pictures to somehow track the outside world's response to him; though, I'm not sure how he'd go about it because he'd need to track it based on something he consistently does every day. Maybe one of those mood trackers or something so he could superimpose a graph on the video? okay, getting off track here. . . It's neat to think of it in terms of approachability, because he definitely goes through phases where he seems more and less approachable. Lesson learned: don't judge people by their hair.
{{{{{{{{{{wait, I'm adding this part after the fact because the mind wheels started turning. Should we continue judging people by their hair on some level? I mean, it's what they're presenting to the world, right? We choose how we'll present ourselves to the world on a daily basis, whether we like it or not. Our outfits and hair and makeup etc, or lack thereof, all speak to the world on some level. Ever notice while people watching that friends and couples tend to dress alike? I wonder if they dress alike before becoming friends and that's partially what attracted them to eachother, or if they met eachother and then melded their styles into one? I try not to be judgmental or intimidated by people that dress differently than me. I fail at times, but it's usually in the name of being judgmental and it's usually directed at people I feel are dressed like overpriced skanks (you know, those people who are obsessed with things that they think look good just because they cost a lot of money? Newsflash ladies; dress based on the goods on your body, not the goods in your wallet.) I'll try harder to accept my skanky sisters. . . oh, wait, no I won't. This calls for one of my all time favorite quotes:
Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.
Oscar Wilde}}}}}}}}}}
It's amazing how our minds have the ability to glaze over major change because it's happening over too long a period of time for us to perceive. It's like watching your gas guage - you can't see it, but you just know that needle is moving. Small children, kittens and other beings that are still growing are the exception, of course (not gonna go into the plant world, here). It's interesting that we need to see a picture of ourselves from years ago to realize there's been a change. Imagine the horror if you kept a person away from a mirror and other reflective surfaces for 5 years. It's like we expect time to stand still because we can't see it moving.
All of that said, I look forward to aging. I've left some great phases and awkward phases in my looks behind and I'm interested to see where my looks will go in the future. I'm also interested to know if I'm currently in an awkward or good phase. Unfortunately, I won't know for a few years. Pity.
Another day. It deserves a day when I'm in writing mode because it was an interesting place.
So, I've been home now for a few weeks and it's the same as it ever was. My niece and nephew are huge and my kitten is now a cat, but, other than that, things are the same. I was thinking about sameness today because I saw this site where a guy has been taking pictures of himself every day since 1998. It's cool to see what a little aging and hair can do to a person's overall appearance. He should have kept a diary along with the pictures to somehow track the outside world's response to him; though, I'm not sure how he'd go about it because he'd need to track it based on something he consistently does every day. Maybe one of those mood trackers or something so he could superimpose a graph on the video? okay, getting off track here. . . It's neat to think of it in terms of approachability, because he definitely goes through phases where he seems more and less approachable. Lesson learned: don't judge people by their hair.
{{{{{{{{{{wait, I'm adding this part after the fact because the mind wheels started turning. Should we continue judging people by their hair on some level? I mean, it's what they're presenting to the world, right? We choose how we'll present ourselves to the world on a daily basis, whether we like it or not. Our outfits and hair and makeup etc, or lack thereof, all speak to the world on some level. Ever notice while people watching that friends and couples tend to dress alike? I wonder if they dress alike before becoming friends and that's partially what attracted them to eachother, or if they met eachother and then melded their styles into one? I try not to be judgmental or intimidated by people that dress differently than me. I fail at times, but it's usually in the name of being judgmental and it's usually directed at people I feel are dressed like overpriced skanks (you know, those people who are obsessed with things that they think look good just because they cost a lot of money? Newsflash ladies; dress based on the goods on your body, not the goods in your wallet.) I'll try harder to accept my skanky sisters. . . oh, wait, no I won't. This calls for one of my all time favorite quotes:
Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.
Oscar Wilde}}}}}}}}}}
It's amazing how our minds have the ability to glaze over major change because it's happening over too long a period of time for us to perceive. It's like watching your gas guage - you can't see it, but you just know that needle is moving. Small children, kittens and other beings that are still growing are the exception, of course (not gonna go into the plant world, here). It's interesting that we need to see a picture of ourselves from years ago to realize there's been a change. Imagine the horror if you kept a person away from a mirror and other reflective surfaces for 5 years. It's like we expect time to stand still because we can't see it moving.
All of that said, I look forward to aging. I've left some great phases and awkward phases in my looks behind and I'm interested to see where my looks will go in the future. I'm also interested to know if I'm currently in an awkward or good phase. Unfortunately, I won't know for a few years. Pity.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
GIRLY DAY
Toward the end of Lindsey and Courtney's visit, we decided we needed a girl day together. We also decided the day should probably involve large quantities of alcohol. (it was a rough week.) Unfortunately, everything is far away, which involves driving, so we needed a chauffeur. Enter Tyler. All I have to say is that we owe him a GIANT favor. We terrorize Tyler every chance we get, so I'm sure you can imagine how much worse it would be when he's stuck in a car with three of us for long periods of time.
We had a great day, though. First we went on a short glacier cruise, which was really cool. The blue ice is so neat. The best part of the day was probably the bore tide, though. We waited for a while, but it was definitely worth it. When we arrived the water was flowing backwards at a pretty good rate, which was quite strange. Tyler and I spent the time trying to figure out the processes involved in the backwards flow and ultimately bore tide. We still don't know for sure what the cause is, but I don't think anyone does so I don't feel all that bad. It was still a good conversation topic, though. When we finally spotted the bore tide we were definitely ready for it because we had waited quite a while.
We talked with a local woman who educated us a bit. She was obviously intelligent, so it was interesting to talk to her. I found one thing she said to be notable - and exchange I'll remember for some reason. We were talking about the moon phase and how it ties in with the tides and Tyler chimed in that he hadn't heard of the influence the moon has on the tides and was genuinely interested in what we were saying. The woman (whose name I never got, because I'm a jerk like that) instantly asked what he studied in school and when he said engineering, she said, "that explains it!" She then proceeded to say something to the effect that engineers are too busy looking at the ground to notice the sky. I suppose engineers are always looking down and while physicists busy looking up (or even at things they can't see and that don't exist. Ha! but that's another topic altogether). Anyways, she informed us that this bore tide was a pretty good one. It was, too!
Watching the tide come in all at once is definitely an experience. It roars through, right over the current, which is running against it (which I'm sure has something to do with the creation of the tide). I took some video, which I'll edit down and post. I started filming too early, so it's far too long and boring. The best part of the video is the guy that's standing on a rock that ends up covered once the tide comes through. He was very close to getting smashed by the wave, but managed to jump out of the way at the last second. Quite a sight.
All in all we got our girl day and had a great time. When we got back my dad and Brad had dinner cooked for us, which was a welcome treat. Here's a picture of us proudly drinking in public on girl day:
I'm not sure why I'm sending a Captain Morgan style cheers to the mountains, but so be it. I love Courtney's expression in this picture, and how can you not love that there are squirrels on Lindsey's hat? That was a great cheap find at the Fred Meyer in Soldotna.
We had a great day, though. First we went on a short glacier cruise, which was really cool. The blue ice is so neat. The best part of the day was probably the bore tide, though. We waited for a while, but it was definitely worth it. When we arrived the water was flowing backwards at a pretty good rate, which was quite strange. Tyler and I spent the time trying to figure out the processes involved in the backwards flow and ultimately bore tide. We still don't know for sure what the cause is, but I don't think anyone does so I don't feel all that bad. It was still a good conversation topic, though. When we finally spotted the bore tide we were definitely ready for it because we had waited quite a while.
We talked with a local woman who educated us a bit. She was obviously intelligent, so it was interesting to talk to her. I found one thing she said to be notable - and exchange I'll remember for some reason. We were talking about the moon phase and how it ties in with the tides and Tyler chimed in that he hadn't heard of the influence the moon has on the tides and was genuinely interested in what we were saying. The woman (whose name I never got, because I'm a jerk like that) instantly asked what he studied in school and when he said engineering, she said, "that explains it!" She then proceeded to say something to the effect that engineers are too busy looking at the ground to notice the sky. I suppose engineers are always looking down and while physicists busy looking up (or even at things they can't see and that don't exist. Ha! but that's another topic altogether). Anyways, she informed us that this bore tide was a pretty good one. It was, too!
Watching the tide come in all at once is definitely an experience. It roars through, right over the current, which is running against it (which I'm sure has something to do with the creation of the tide). I took some video, which I'll edit down and post. I started filming too early, so it's far too long and boring. The best part of the video is the guy that's standing on a rock that ends up covered once the tide comes through. He was very close to getting smashed by the wave, but managed to jump out of the way at the last second. Quite a sight.
All in all we got our girl day and had a great time. When we got back my dad and Brad had dinner cooked for us, which was a welcome treat. Here's a picture of us proudly drinking in public on girl day:
I'm not sure why I'm sending a Captain Morgan style cheers to the mountains, but so be it. I love Courtney's expression in this picture, and how can you not love that there are squirrels on Lindsey's hat? That was a great cheap find at the Fred Meyer in Soldotna.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Fishing
Alright, I've been slacking for a Really long time now. I'll try to touch on some of the more notable events, talk about my ride home and possibly talk about life after Alaska in the coming days. I was going to go chronologically, but I've decided to go categorically. Today's category is fishing.
During my last week in Alaska, I FINALLY went fishing. Yikes, took me long enough. There I am in an area that's world famous for fishing and it took me months to get around to going. When friends visited two of them wanted to go fishing. I figured it would be as good a time as any, so I went along. I'm so glad I went because it was a lot of fun and very educational. I've never been much of a fishing expert. Apparently when it comes to fishing, I'm very lucky. I'm sitting on a boat full of men and I'm reminded of the difference even further when Alan, the guide, points out to the men where they can pee and then tells me to let him know if I have to go and he'll head to shore. Screw that, I skipped the morning coffee and drank minimal water. HA!
For a little background: On the Kenai the limit on Silvers (a type of Salmon) you can catch in a day is 2 per person. The salmon come through in runs, meaning they all head up the river at once, so if you want to catch a certain type of salmon, you have to go during a specific few weeks. There are two runs of each type of salmon every year, except the pinks. The pinks are the dreaded pests on the river. They only run every other year and I'm pretty sure it's one run, not two. When I first read about the types of salmon before I went to Alaska I thought I was lucky to be going there on an even year when the pinks run. I should have kept reading. They aren't as big so they have a smaller meat yield. The meat texture isn't as desirable. They also show up at the same time as other more sought after fish and Unfortunately they're a lot more aggressive than the better fish. All this means that 9 times out of 10 when a fish bites, it isn't the kind you want!
I caught my limit by noon and none of the guys reached their limit by the end of the day! HAHA!! I was so sped, though. I just didn't know how to fish, so it was a shame I was the one getting all the bites! I enjoyed myself, though. At one point in the beginning I was still trying to figure out the best way to hold the rod while reeling and a fish jerked my rod and I was in an awkward position so the rod ended up between my legs and it was a big mess. I was so sped, let's just leave it at that.
Although I hit my limit, the guys caught some impressive fish that I'm almost certain would have dragged me into the river. It wasn't king season (another type of salmon - the really big ones. The season was over, meaning you can catch it, but it can't leave the water, so any catching of those out of season is purely for sport.) but we ended up catching two beautiful kings. One was 60lbs and the other was 50lbs. They were HUGE. The one Dervid caught was the biggest and it put up a hell of a fight. Every time he got the fish close it would freak out and practically empty the line off of his reel, meaning he had to fight it in over and over. It was quite a fish. He had bloody knuckles and everything from the fight. Talk about sport. . .
HALIBUT FISHING
I went halibut fishing on my last full day in Alaska. It was a great time. I asked the guide I used for salmon fishing if he knew of any guides and it turned out he was going fishing with a guide friend on the day we wanted to go anyways, so we jumped in on that trip. I went with Dervid (my dad, for anyone that hasn't caught on to that whole deal yet) and Ed. Ed got really seasick and was throwing up and fishing at the same time. It was awesome. I've never seen someone power through seasickness like that. What a champ. I actually came very close to getting seasick and that's very uncharacteristic of me. I'm not one for motion sickness. I was fine until I had to go to the bathroom, which was below deck, which meant I couldn't see the ocean, I could just feel it. That spelled trouble. I took a pill and was fine a half hour later.
I was lucky once again, getting bites constantly. Halibut fishing is a HUGE workout. HUGE. the ocean floor was 200ft down, which is where the halibut hang out. This means we had at least 200 feet of line we needed to reel in each time we needed new bait or caught something. Did I mention there was a 3lb weight on the line, also? yeah. My arms were jelly the next day. I must have caught 100 sharks, too. Little jerks! They were sort of cool looking, though, because they had pastel green eyes. Both my dad and Ed caught HUGE skates. My dad caught the biggest one I think I'll ever see. The guide said it was easily a few hundred lbs. It was a monster. I'm sure you can imagine the disappointment when we realized it was a skate and not a halibut. ohhhhhh well.
Halibut is a great fish for eating, so it was well worth the work! It's incredibly light in flavor and the texture is very meaty. We brought about 50lbs home to Mass, but we probably had a good 30lbs more up in Alaska that we left behind. Fish anyone?
During my last week in Alaska, I FINALLY went fishing. Yikes, took me long enough. There I am in an area that's world famous for fishing and it took me months to get around to going. When friends visited two of them wanted to go fishing. I figured it would be as good a time as any, so I went along. I'm so glad I went because it was a lot of fun and very educational. I've never been much of a fishing expert. Apparently when it comes to fishing, I'm very lucky. I'm sitting on a boat full of men and I'm reminded of the difference even further when Alan, the guide, points out to the men where they can pee and then tells me to let him know if I have to go and he'll head to shore. Screw that, I skipped the morning coffee and drank minimal water. HA!
For a little background: On the Kenai the limit on Silvers (a type of Salmon) you can catch in a day is 2 per person. The salmon come through in runs, meaning they all head up the river at once, so if you want to catch a certain type of salmon, you have to go during a specific few weeks. There are two runs of each type of salmon every year, except the pinks. The pinks are the dreaded pests on the river. They only run every other year and I'm pretty sure it's one run, not two. When I first read about the types of salmon before I went to Alaska I thought I was lucky to be going there on an even year when the pinks run. I should have kept reading. They aren't as big so they have a smaller meat yield. The meat texture isn't as desirable. They also show up at the same time as other more sought after fish and Unfortunately they're a lot more aggressive than the better fish. All this means that 9 times out of 10 when a fish bites, it isn't the kind you want!
I caught my limit by noon and none of the guys reached their limit by the end of the day! HAHA!! I was so sped, though. I just didn't know how to fish, so it was a shame I was the one getting all the bites! I enjoyed myself, though. At one point in the beginning I was still trying to figure out the best way to hold the rod while reeling and a fish jerked my rod and I was in an awkward position so the rod ended up between my legs and it was a big mess. I was so sped, let's just leave it at that.
Although I hit my limit, the guys caught some impressive fish that I'm almost certain would have dragged me into the river. It wasn't king season (another type of salmon - the really big ones. The season was over, meaning you can catch it, but it can't leave the water, so any catching of those out of season is purely for sport.) but we ended up catching two beautiful kings. One was 60lbs and the other was 50lbs. They were HUGE. The one Dervid caught was the biggest and it put up a hell of a fight. Every time he got the fish close it would freak out and practically empty the line off of his reel, meaning he had to fight it in over and over. It was quite a fish. He had bloody knuckles and everything from the fight. Talk about sport. . .
HALIBUT FISHING
I went halibut fishing on my last full day in Alaska. It was a great time. I asked the guide I used for salmon fishing if he knew of any guides and it turned out he was going fishing with a guide friend on the day we wanted to go anyways, so we jumped in on that trip. I went with Dervid (my dad, for anyone that hasn't caught on to that whole deal yet) and Ed. Ed got really seasick and was throwing up and fishing at the same time. It was awesome. I've never seen someone power through seasickness like that. What a champ. I actually came very close to getting seasick and that's very uncharacteristic of me. I'm not one for motion sickness. I was fine until I had to go to the bathroom, which was below deck, which meant I couldn't see the ocean, I could just feel it. That spelled trouble. I took a pill and was fine a half hour later.
I was lucky once again, getting bites constantly. Halibut fishing is a HUGE workout. HUGE. the ocean floor was 200ft down, which is where the halibut hang out. This means we had at least 200 feet of line we needed to reel in each time we needed new bait or caught something. Did I mention there was a 3lb weight on the line, also? yeah. My arms were jelly the next day. I must have caught 100 sharks, too. Little jerks! They were sort of cool looking, though, because they had pastel green eyes. Both my dad and Ed caught HUGE skates. My dad caught the biggest one I think I'll ever see. The guide said it was easily a few hundred lbs. It was a monster. I'm sure you can imagine the disappointment when we realized it was a skate and not a halibut. ohhhhhh well.
Halibut is a great fish for eating, so it was well worth the work! It's incredibly light in flavor and the texture is very meaty. We brought about 50lbs home to Mass, but we probably had a good 30lbs more up in Alaska that we left behind. Fish anyone?
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