Fishing and Fast Wheels

There’s lots going on in Alaska these days… Where to begin? Last week, Donald spent 4 days dip netting for salmon down on the Kenai Peninsula with his friend Rick and Rick’s dad (also named Rick). The Ricks live down the street from us. Both Donald and the younger Rick are computer game junkies. But apparently they’re not averse to the occasional fishing trip. They returned on Saturday, at which time the older Rick invited Stephen to join him Sunday for a subsequent fishing trip. This one would use his ocean-going fishing boat out of Seward. They left around 5am Sunday morning and Stephen crawled into bed at 1:30am this morning. He had a splendid time.




He took my camera with him and captured some great scenery and interesting fish specimens. Our freezer is now stocked with salmon, red snapper, rockfish, and halibut. Apparently he missed getting a photo of the giant cod which was attempting to eat the bass he was in the process of reeling in. It was at that same moment that the fish police showed up and began harassing them about catching too many red snappers, etc…. But he seems to enjoy retelling the “cod-that-got-away” story…

In other news, the Sadler’s Ultra Challenge is underway. This is the longest wheelchair race anywhere. Wheeled competitors race from Fairbanks to Anchorage. They started this weekend and should arrive in Anchorage by next Saturday I think… This is like the Iditarod of the wheelchair world. Why it’s in Alaska, I’m not sure. Maybe because we have good summer temps (no heat wave!), lots of daylight and fairly uncrowded roads which are easy to commandeer.

I believe you can follow the racers at http://www.challengealaska.org/.