Map Decor

Colorful topography maps of Alaska the kids in Valdez school made.

Shorter Nights

The winter days are getting noticably longer. South Central is gaining about 5 minutes a day. During this latest cold snap, being clear & cold, the sunsets have been magnificant.

Operation Snow Globe

I put a red arrow pointing to the FishTaxi. We all gathered in the Valdez HS gym for this shot of the whole gang. Photo compliments of the City of Valdez. They gave us all copies with our checks and printed a poster size which we all signed. Quite the deal.

Happy Horse

Back home in the valley of the horses. Looks like spring around here compared to Valdez; snow wise.

Bumper to Bumper was able to fix my tail lights in under 20 minutes for $20. It was a fuse. Ordered a front headlight & right blinker assembly on-line. No junkyard in the state had one. Kendall Toyota in Anchorage would have had to order it, too. I found it used for $150 less.

Soon my horse (van) will be as good as new and ready to ride!

Moose Mishap

I clipped a calf moose following close behind the cow who darted out in front of me at Milepost 50 of the Richardson Hwy on my way down to Valdez.

It was dark & snowing. I was going about 40-45mph. When all of a sudden there they were, about 30ft in front of me, crossing the road.

Moose collisions are not only breaking vehicles this year they are breaking records. With the deep snow in the mountains they are hanging low in the valleys. More moose on the roads, train tracks & neighborhoods causes more chance of encounters. Most not friendly.

As I braked and turned into a slid to the left, hoping to miss the calf, when my right front collided with its right rear haunch. The impact knocked it off its feet sending its rear onto my hood. Then bounced off towards the right snowbank and luckily not into my windshield & front seat.

My mechanic in Valdez punched out the dent (my hood opens!) and duct-taped the plastic blinker cover back on but wasn't able to fix the electrical problem. No tail lights! So I scooted back to the Mat-Su Valley during the day light & have an appointment at Bumper to Bumper tomorrow to see if they can find the short. Also lost the plastic blinker cover somewhere so I am checking junk yards. Must have needed MORE duct-tape!

On the way back I saw a lone cow moose at 50 Mile with no calf. I feel so bad.

Be careful out there and don't over run your headlights like I did. No matter what the speed limit or road conditions the moose are out there. Closer than you think.

Valdez Snow Spill

Workers climbing the snowbank to get to the roof.

Shadows on the gym wall of some workers on the opposite roof.

Ladder to the roof of Valdez High School.

Workers are lifted on top of Valdez High School gymnasium. This is where I bowed out.

Got me a job in the kitchen cooking for all the hard working, starving snow shovelers out in the bitter cold now that it stopped snowing. For a while.

Valdez Snow Removers

Big loaders blow the snow out of the way.

Old street signs are made into cutters to cut the snow into blocks.

The saws laying against the snowbank on the left are nifty snow cutters, too. The scoops pick up the blocks of snow.

We push the scoops full of snow to a snow shoot. This is to miss having to move the snow twice off an already shoveled roof. The snow slides easy on the plastic as long as the loaders can keep up with removal.

I'm working 2nd shift and it looks like it could last a couple more weeks! About a hundred city buildings need to have the snow removed.

Follow the Snow

Heading down to my old stomping grounds in the morning. Seems good ol' Valdez town is in need of snow manicurists big time. Nothing pressing is happening here in the valley so I might as well "follow the snow" & "make some pennies from heaven". Be fun to visit old friends & take some pics too!

Photo above from the Valdez Star. Its an Alyeska photo release from the Valdez Marine Terminal

Big RED

Nice spawning Kenai Sockeye caught & released by a Jimmie Jack fishing guide. Almost looks fake.

Bingo Mania

Something fun to do in the deep, dark winter is play BINGO! Especially if you win like I did tonight! There are smoking & non-smoking rooms. You can still smoke at BINGO, the bars, in cabs & owner's choice restaurants in the valley. Thurs-Sunday nights with late-nights Friday & Saturday. I like that they start at 6:30 and I'm home by 9:30. And tonight about $150 ahead!

Located at 6445 E. Blue Lupine Rd. in Wasilla.

Die Hard Fisherman

December 20th on the Upper Kenai bridge.

Took these pictures driving back to the valley from the Kenai Pennisula. In between storms that almost closed the highway. Lots of snow so far this winter. Nothing compared to Valdez though.

T-Shirt Weather

This boxboy said he wasn't fazed by the below zero weather. Took his coat off to go outside.

Twig Eater

Over 30 years in Alaska and I still get excited & grab my camera when I see a moose.

Moose means "Twig Eater" in native tongue. Makes sense because thats what they eat. In the winter (-17 degrees today) they subsist on spruce tips.

Their long legs enable them to walk in deep snow. They can move fast for their size and seem clumsy but can gallop up to 35 miles per hour!

The last pic is of his butt going down the hill. He was moving fast.

Happy Twenty Dozen!

My New Year's Resolution is to keep this blog up and running. After taking a little break & enjoying the holidays its back to work. If you can call this work. I love taking pictures & sharing them with the world. I have a book in me that I want to write, too. So Happy New Year & stay tuned.