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" />" width="500" height="214" alt="ccb" />" />What a weekend we’ve had in Alaska! We began Friday evening with a cookout that would make “Country Living” magazine envious. There were 11 of us (8 grownups and 3 little girls) enjoying a pond- side supper on two picnic tables lined up end to end. Courtney and Jeff had prepared hamburgers and hot dogs and Jamie and Earl supplied ribs. Everything was cooked ahead of time and warmed up on the grill before suppertime. Everyone brought side so we had plenty of corn on the cob, pasta salad, broccoli salad, and fruit salad to go around. Of course it wouldn’t be country living without desserts. Charley and I proudly contributed my Aunt JoAnn’s and Aunt Sara’s no bake Lemon Pie. Other desserts included pineapple/strawberry shortcake and apple crisp pie with ice cream. I had a small portion of each.
My Friend and his new friend, Diesel
After the girls had another escorted paddle trip around the duck pond, we loaded up and headed to the skeet shooting field. Having not shot skeet in quite some time, I must say I was quite impressed with myself. Yeah, the only problem was there were barely any witnesses. Everyone but Chuck was doing other things when I was blowing those clay pigeons up. Chuck in true professional duck hunter form, blew most of his skeet out of the sky. Lucille McGillicuty, who has a real problem with loud noises adapted VERY well to the continual sounds of gunshot after only 1-2 fright induced fits preceding the shootout. She adapted so well in fact, that she kept trying to remove her earplugs so I had to keep twisting them up and plugging them back in.
This is some sort of machine gun I was trying out. I shot with Chuck's shotgun most of the time.
See the skeet?
See the skeet blown to bits?
After we picked up the empty shells, we walked back to the pond for some more sitting, talking, and view admiring. I was surprised to learn we stayed out there until 11:30 p.m. It’s so hard to tell what time it is around here.
On Saturday, Chuck and Lucille McGillicuty went over to the Jeff and Courtney’s so that Chuck could returns some favors and so Courtney and Lucille McGillicuty could plant potatoes. I took my shower and made several calls back home before placing the final call to Chuck for my pickup (we still only have one vehicle). When he and Lucille McGillicuty arrived at the blue cabin we started gathering our gear for our “Great Alaskan River Adventure”!
Our adventure began at the Clearwater River State Park and Campground. Our crew comprised of 9 and we shoved off in 4 canoes. I settled in my usual spot facing Chuck with Lucille McGillicuty at my feet, while Chuck steered us in the direction of his fishing holes. After Chuck caught about 7 impressive Arctic Graylings, I turned around and focused on getting downriver.
We all got our exercise when our float turned into a race. When Chuck and I tired out, we established a new finish line and declared ourselves the winners.
Our adventure began at the Clearwater River State Park and Campground. Our crew comprised of 9 and we shoved off in 4 canoes. I settled in my usual spot facing Chuck with Lucille McGillicuty at my feet, while Chuck steered us in the direction of his fishing holes. After Chuck caught about 7 impressive Arctic Graylings, I turned around and focused on getting downriver.
We all got our exercise when our float turned into a race. When Chuck and I tired out, we established a new finish line and declared ourselves the winners.
Earl and Jamie
Courtney and Jeff
Reeling one in
The first catch of the day.
From my view
I couldn't decide which of the above photos I liked best so I just picked them both.
MORE fish. Some of these might actually be the same fish. I take soooo many shots for Chuck's hunting and fishing articles, I get confused.
Passing off the fishing rod.
Reeling it in!
Kinch and Debbie
Earl
A bush plane flying over
Despite the look on my face this was actually my favorite part of the trip. Lucille McGillicuty actually wanted me to hold her just like old times. Chuck had the zoom lens on and couldn't get her in the photo too.
After a while, we pulled our life jackets on in preparation for the merging of the Clearwater River and the Tanana River. The Tanana is filled with silt and if you go overboard without a life jacket the silt quickly fills any available space in your clothing and pulls you down like lead. The silt makes the water look like light gray milk. Once we paddled a few miles we reached Clearwater Lake Inlet and paddled UP stream to Clearwater Lake. Paddling up stream is a challenge all on its very own, but choosing a “bypass” that was supposed to shave off a great deal up upstream paddling, proved even more challenging. Maybe it did shave some paddling time, but I’ll tell you what it didn’t do. It didn’t get deep enough to allow floating without getting out and pulling. Chuck was prepared for trouble and wore his thigh-high waders. The water didn’t get deep enough to get his jeans wet so he was good to go. Some of us (me) were wearing galoshes that quickly filled with water. Imagine taking an ice cold pitcher of water and filling your boots with it, THEN imagine you are taking a walk in more ice water. It was downright painful ya’ll. When the time came to get out and do it again, I tried going barefoot. Barefoot only works for about 120 seconds in ice water. I jumped back in and resorted to emptied out but still wet galoshes. Really and truly I didn’t get the worst of it. Some of the people on our trip wore river type sandals and a guy named Kinch sunk into mud on the river bottom and was wet up to his waist.
Again, I couldn't pick a favorite.
Love this canoe
A beaver that we got really close to.
He's slapping his beaver tail.
I was chilled to the bone even after arriving home but was too exhausted to warm myself in the shower. This morning, I finally warmed up and was ready for more adventure.
Hayley your photography is awesome! What a gorgeous place. I'm so thankful for Courtney and Jeff and their boys. I'm so glad you have such nice friends already. I'm sure you are also. Love you and thanks for the blog and photos.
ReplyDeleteVery good pics Hayley! Can't wait to come visit you one day and see it all for myself...
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you!
ReplyDelete'Dis whole post is blowin my mind! Wow! So those are your new friends... okay okay.. cool.. So you are shooting a machine gun.. which is new.. okay.. 'Dat beaver slappin 'is tail in broad daylight is crazy.. cool cool.. Silt-milk can infiltrate people's clothing and stuff... not cool, but gettin it gettin it... Anyhow. Hey, BTW, that last pic of you is super crazy/beautiful. THere's too much to comment on here, so I'll just say this:
ReplyDeleteGreat entry, sister.
I'm so bummed I missed the bbq and skeet shoot! I've been begging her for months! :) Looks like a fun trip. You're cleaning up, Alaska style. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat post Hayley. That silt water is too scary. Glad you had the adventure I guess but so glad your now in the lower 48.
ReplyDelete