Solstice

June 20th was the longest day of the year (a day early since 2012 is a leap year).  So we got a call that we needed to get out of work on Thursday and head out to our friends lodge on Wednesday night.  We certainly did not need any convincing.  The weather was gorgeous, there were fish in the river and we knew a good time was to be had despite the army of mosquitos.  

Sleeping Lady 

 Amanda

 We have to take a boat ride out to the lodge since it is off the road system

Mike and Mert's lodge is on the edge of the frontier.  Sure is wild country.  

 Trophy Moose

 Trophy King Salmon

Trophies - Family photos

The view from the lodge full of clouds

Love

At midnight the clouds cleared and a setting sun on the longest day of the year was in view...along with Denali.  

 At 6am the fishing opens for the day.  We set our alarms and had high hopes since we saw and heard fish rolling all night and no one else was on the river.  Well at 5:45am there were quite a few folks ready to fish.

 Lodge - from up river

 Eagle

 Brendan and Jay - we fished for 4 hours.  Had one hook up but did not land the fish.  Brit had all the luck and did land her first salmon ever, she did not have "enough luck for all of us"

So Wild Bill had a hat on all the time.  Then his sister says Bill show Jay your new haircut.  Super mullet!  I said "this pose will be on U.S. Currency some day"  

 Amanda, Brendan, Bec - Heading out

 John and Brit - John just bought this boat and we all were a little jealous of the "lil Red Raft".  Brit is glowing from catching her first salmon (also something we all were a little jealous of)

 Jessie and Brendan

Lakota and Bill

Mert - Showing everyone where the mountains are

Red Raft showing the Big Susitna who's boss

Jay and Phinn Camping Trip

 With Amanda out of town Phinn and I loaded up the truck and headed east toward Glennallen.  We put over 500 miles on the truck and had a blast.

 Can you see the sheep?

 Wrangell-St. Elias is the largest National Park with over 13 million acres (the entire state of Massachusetts is 5 million).  This park was formed in 1980, there is limited access (charter planes only),  they allow hunting for rural inhabitance (very unique for a National Park) and with the bordering park in Canada make up the largest wild preserve on the planet.

 Old fish wheel.  The current of the river spins it, then it scoops up the salmon, then when it is at the top of the cycle the slanted basket dumps the fish into the hold.   wicked smart.

 Just south of Glenallen is the Klutina River where it meets the Copper River.  The Red Salmon were there and so were the fisherman and women.  I saw a bald eagle swoop down and steal a fisherman's catch and this overweight guy screaming and chasing the eagle (ha!).  I could not get a bite.

 Fresh Red Salmon

 Then we drove north to the Denali Hwy.

 Phinn loves this road

 2 Bald Eagles

 In flight

 Campsite for the night

 When we were cooking dinner we heard some wolves howl.  Had to keep the 44mag by my side.

 What a nice night to fish

 Arctic Grayling.  Coming to Alaska my goal was to catch Salmon (which I have done).  My next goal was to land a Grayling.  They call this the "sailfin of the north"  I will remember this fish my whole life.

 Grayling #2.  That is a really big one.

 Phinn chasing the ducks.

 Midnight Sun

 Feelin' the love of Alaska summer (despite not having Amanda near).

 Jay and Phinn in the bed of the truck for the night

 Sunday Morning.

 It is 48 degrees, but the sun was shinning.  I was wearing flip flops, sunscreen and short sleeves.  It feels like 75 degrees in New England

Ride home.  Notice that line below the mountains, that is the Alaskan Pipeline.  We had 275 miles to drive home.  Made a phone call to Dad for fathers day and got to talk with Uncle Dann, Grampa and Dot.  Then I headed back over to the Klutina River to fish for 4 hours.  I had one fish on, it was an awesome fight for a minute but I could not land it.  The grocery store is selling Copper River Red Salmon for $19.99 a pound, so going home empty handed was a little disappointing.  All in all it was a stellar weekend.  Summer in Alaska really is something to love.

June

 Sorry for missing a blog post last week (I was having some computer issues).  After 7 weeks in Anchorage, Ryan was moving to Oregon for his next chapter (and he is super excited).  Karl, Tory and Des flew up from Juneau so they all could fly to Oregon with Ryan.  Des is actually headed to Arizona to spend the summer with family.  Amanda and I had a great send off dinner with them.  Sure do love those kids and couldn't be more proud of Karl and Tory.

First week of June

 Ketchikan - Jay headed down to Ketchikan for work on Thursday and Friday.

 Cool statue of all the visitors to Ketchikan.

 Creek Street

 Ketchikan is known as the "First City of Alaska"  Notice this bar was opened in 1893.  That is super old for a place that has only been a state for 50 years.

 Sunday afternoon we headed to our favorite little mountain town...Talkeetna.  The place was packed with tourist from the train and with climbers from all over the world (it is the middle of climbing season for Denali, Hunter and Foraker).

 Amanda is happy.  She had worked 3 straight nights until 4:30am and finally got some time off.  She is actually known here at the West Rib Pub as the only girl who eats "Satan's Revenge Wings"  The chef actually handed us a pint of the spicy sauce on the way out.

 The West Rib Pub is the only place you can get Ice Axe Strong Ale.  9.2% alcohol and they will only serve 2 per person.  Really is one of the best beers we have ever found

 Mayor of Talkeetna - Stubbs

 Over at the Denali Brewing Co. we had a great meal and watched the Celtics game

Earlier in the week I got a few more hours at the tattoo shop.  The lower left arm is now complete.  Life Cycle of Salmon