Friday, February 29, 2008

Ride into the Sunset












A group of local Valdez snowmachiners hauled therr machines up to Thompson Pass and took off towards the Copper River last Saturday.


Photos by Russell Roetman

Thursday, February 28, 2008

legal beagles

no seatbelts required

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Tower Spotting







Spotted this immature eagle hanging out on top of the KCHU public radio FM repeater.

Monday, February 25, 2008

Weather Matrix

This is cool. WeatherMatrix caught up with me on a google search and linked to me in a story on his website.

From the Matrix>>NOTE: Clearly, they have not found the trick that we use here in Central Pennsylvania (a place where you rarely get enough snow to hid a hydrant): attaching flags that can be seen above the snow. Oddly enough, we seem to be the only people doing this - I couldn't find evidence of this outside of Alaska on Google. If you have flags on your hydrants, email me.<<

Since then he's got lots of emails of townships with flags on their fire hydrants so they can find them when needed. He also corrected his mistake of identifying the town in question as Madison, Wisconson. The snowed in town that couldn't find its fire hydrants was in fact Green Bay, Wisconsin. Go Packers!!

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Beautiful Weekend


Except I was sick with a cold all weekend and missed out of the beautiful bluebird days. Then today I started getting a sore throat and by tonight I can't talk, my nose is running, plugged up and itches until I have a sneezing fit. arrgh
Everybody has had it and it was a matter of time before I caught it. I'm drinking lots of water and Campbell's chicken noodle soup.
I don't know if I'll will work tomorrow or not.

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Change is Good

The sun is high in the sky making for longer days. Leaving the winter darkness behind once again.

Got this off the Public Information Office trooper dispatch this morning and thought it was kind of funny.

Location: Juneau
Case Number: 08-13161
Type: Assault IV
Text: On 2-19-08, Juneau AST received a complaint from an inmate at the Lemon Creek Correctional Center that he had been assaulted by another inmate. Investigation found that inmate John Ryan Borglund, age 32 had physically assaulted inmate Charles Fischer, age 41 after they argued over a game of SCRABBLE.
Charges will be forwarded to the Juneau DAO.
Author: MED9
Received Friday, February 22, 2008 11:22 AM and posted Friday, February 22, 2008 11:53 AM


SCRABBLE can be vicious at times!

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Banner Year

Dipnetters post banner year at Chitina


CRAIG MEDRED / Daily News archive 2004

Dipnetter David Predger of Anchorage gets to the business of cleaning salmon along the Copper River near Chitina. Predeger was with a group of five who caught just over 100 salmon in a morning of dipping.


KELLY BOSTIAN / Fairbanks Daily News-Miner archive


Shin Suzuki of Anchorage shows off the king salmon he caught dipnetting in the Copper River at Chitina.





At this time of year I like to dream about the Copper River Reds that are coming back this summer.

Never can have too many CRR's in the can.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Moving Ice

Valdez has been pouring down rain and its really ugly out there right now. If it was snowing we would have recorded 5 feet.

This video is from the Anchorage Daily News of the tide changing in Cook Inlet.

Moving Ice

Monday, February 18, 2008

Watch my Back





The eagles are hungry at this time of year. Not a lot to eat except other birds like seagulls. Its also mating season coming up. Lots of eagle action going on. In the top picture you can see the eagle on the Eagles building steeple in the distance. The Eagles building used to be the old movie theatre in the 60s and 70s. The parents went to the bar upstairs while the kids watched movies downstairs. I'm thinking about joining the Eagles club. Since there is no American Legion or Moose Lodge in Valdez.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

scrabble head

Rainy days and snowy nights.

You can always find a game at




www.Scrabulous.com

Addicting.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Friday, February 15, 2008

Spotted Eagle


Theres been a bald eagle convention going on in town.


Wheres the Moose Lodge?

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Standing Tall


This little girls shoes had rollers on the bottom in the front.
Future winter Olympic sport.
Only in Alaska.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Climb That Roof




Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Valdeezzz...at the Pumps



Balmy in Valdez. Everybody was whistling around town with a high temp of 28 degrees above zero and no wind. Until they needed gas, groceries and spirits.

The price we pay to live in prime snow/fish country.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Serious Snow

The cold snap is over and a few (13+) inches of fresh snow fell on Valdez town today. It warmed up to 22 degrees so this snow was light and fluffy.

The ski campers are appearing geared up for spring skiing.


This is a sign of SPRING.


Valdez Heli-Camps are bach!

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Pet Moose


This is funny. I wonder when they ate it?

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Funny Brits



Found these guys looking for fish recipes. They are on the BBC so you have to be in the UK to view the videos from BBC - Food - TV and radio. I snagged these pictures off their Official Hairy Bikers website. They travel around the world on motorbikes in search of good eats.
I want that little blue boat!

Friday, February 08, 2008

Brisky Bridge

We have not had an inch of snow yet in February. Just clear skies and high winds.

I don't know who this guy was running from on the bridge.

Thursday, February 07, 2008

Cheap Rent


Valdez has high rent unless you qualify for low income housing. Which covers the service industry job wages in this town. Need people to man the one store and gas station.

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

FishTaxi Pizza Pie

I borrowed this from the J-Walk Blog. It looked too good not to share. Dominos has a thing where you can create a pizza, give it a name, and let others order it: BFD Builder.

Mine is Thin Crust, Sauce (light), Cheese (extra), Italian Sausage (extra), Black Olives, and Mushrooms.



Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Interesting Day in Alaska


Lots of action going on at the old Rexal building. Its supposed to be some kind of inside mall. They got all the windows boarded up so I can't see in.







For the first time, that I can remember, Alaska held caucus' all over the state.


When I first moved up here in 1980 I got a job in Kodiak working king crab. At that time Alaska had 4 time zones. On the fish pick line at 4 in the afternoon the radio was announcing that Ronald Reagan was the president when Alaska's polls were 4 hours from closing. Seemed to us Alaskans who was elected president was decided in Iowa.



Now we are only an hour behind Seattle. And if we could get rid of Day Light Savings Time we will only be an hour behind Pacific Time for 6 months of the year.

When I was in in Hawaii it was the first time in my life I didn't spring ahead or fall behind.

Vote for the FishTaxi for President of Time!

Monday, February 04, 2008

Fish News


Hot off the Press
CCHA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

2/4/08
This week's Players of the Week honors go to:
Michigan State senior forward Bryan Lerg (Offensive),
Alaska senior defenseman T.J. Campbell (Defensive),
Alaska senior goaltender Wylie Rogers (Goaltender)
and Bowling Green freshman forward Jacob Cepis (Rookie).
WAY TO GO T. J. and Wylie!!!

Sunday, February 03, 2008

Super Alaska Hockey Weekend





My ALASKA NANOOKS swept the Western Michigan Broncos in Fairbanks this weekend. Earning the Nanooks 7th place in the CCHA and possibly home ice advantage for the playoffs.

Friday nights story and stats:

Knelsen, Alaska Land Two Huge Points With 3-2 Overtime Win Over Western Michigan

Saturday nights story and stats:

Alaska Survives Late Scare To Complete Western Michigan Sweep In 3-2 Game

Whats cool about college hockey is the season isn't over til late March.

Congrats to the Super Bowl Champs New York Giants from a Cheesehead!

Saturday, February 02, 2008

Let it Blow



Happy Ground Hogs Day!

Friday, February 01, 2008

Fastest Fish Filleter in the West




This guy makes a lot of money on the dock with his filletting skills.