Million Dollar Pool

Out the north road on the Kenai Spur Hwy in the small town of Nikiski is a beautiful pool. When they built it back in the early eighties it cost a million dollars. Well worth every penny in todays dollars. Bought a punch card and went swimming in it for the first time today. No, I didn't go down the slide. One of these days I'll get a wild hair. Maybe.

Home of the Moose

Back to swimming in the Palmer High School pool. Since I am now a senior citizen (55 in Palmer and Wasilla) I get a discount. $35 instead of $45 for a 10 swim punch card. One night a week I do open swim instead of laps and swim with my niece and her 2 boys. 3 years old and 4 months. Its never too early to learn how to swim and enjoy the water. They love it and so do I.

More Pennies Today

It was snowing when I woke up and its still snowing. I'm using my swimming flipper to remove the snow off my car. Also swimming at the Valdez High School pool...for free! Gotta love Valdez.

Finger Lake

Finger Lake is off of Bogard Road in Wassila. Stopped by there today on my way back from a job to reminess the time years ago I fell into Finger Lake. It was early spring and there was still ice floating around. I was on a little blow up raft that had a big leak and there was water on the bottom so I sat on the edge to not get my butt wet. I was tied off to some friends in a canoe and we were heading to the island in the middle of the lake to bbq. A little wave and a little wind tipped me over backwards into the cold lake. Luckily, a friend in the canoe, held the raft upright when I came shooting up out of the water and I knew how to swim to shore. So much for not getting my butt wet at Finger Lake.

Smokey Daze

70 forest fires burning in Alaska; Minto Flats is largest

Soldotna was clouded by smoke from the nearby Tustemena wildfire today causing closure of the Skyview pool.


The sun burned orange and gave off an eerie Mars like glow to earth.

A good rain would do us good. Soon.

Best High School Pool in Alaska

Skyview High School

I have not swam in all the pools in Alaska (yet) and all the pools so far have been wonderful. But, the Skyview pool is the newest. Very, very nice. $35 for 10 swims.

Things are going good down on the Kenai. Getting the lodge spiffed up and made breakfast for my first guests this morning. Baked the bacon and they said it was the best bacon they ever had. And I heard from the guides they are tippers. Fish or no fish.

Wasilla Pool Pass

Hit the Wasilla High School Pool today and I liked it. Its not a saltwater pool like the YMCA in Anchorage. Its more like the Valdez High School Pool except no diving. The cool thing about is at one end its 5 feet deep so I can tread water freely. I got a punch card for $40 for 10 lap swims. They rent a locker key if you don't bring your own for a dollar and a shoe. Tomorrow I'm bringing my own lock. I own one!

Joined The Anchorage YMCA

Checked out the saltwater lap pool Monday night. Paid $8 for a day pass before deciding to join today when my unenjoyment check hit the bank. $45 to join and a monthly fee of $45.

I'm not an underwater swimmer. I skim across the water neck up. So far I have not been splashed or dunked. No saltwater has gotton in my eyes...yet.

That wooden box next to the pool is a bunya.

BIG WAKE in Yakutat

Surf's up in Yakutat

Catch a wave off the North Gulf coast of Alaska.

[.... Pictures and story here....]

Welcome to the Wake Zone

Swimming, the only sport with no half times, no subs, no timeouts and you only get 1 shot at your goal.

The calender on the right with puppy dog faces represents days we jumped in the pool the month of November.

The hardest part about swimming is the 5 minutes before.

Then its Welcome to the Wake Zone.

Sitting in the Sun

Glad to report warm and sunny SPRING like days in Valdez. This was the view from the high school pool parking lot this evening.

Snow Birds

Another 8 inches of snow fell on Valdez today. When it did stop snowing high winds came up and started blowing snow all around. So much that the evening plane did not fly. Forcast is for high winds til Friday.

While the weather outside was freezing tonight I was inside the pool lap swimming for an hour. As long as a Nanook Hockey game doesn't fall at the same time lap swim is, I'll be at the pool. The next two weekends they'll be playing on home ice in Fairbanks starting at 7:05 Alaska time. Lap swim is 5:30-6:30pm so I'm home in time for the pregame show. Yeah!

Lap Gear

While in Anchorage for the Cup games I picked up lap swimming gear at the Sports Authority. I'm like a duck in the water. Too broke to fly south.

FishTaxi's Stats

A fun thing about blogging is seeing how many visitors you have. I admit I like having lots of people stopping by. Thats why I try and blog everyday. Thanks for dropping in!

In other news swimming is going along great. I can't believe how good I feel. Its been over 4 months since my last flare up of sacroilitis. I stand taller, sit straighter and jump higher. Now I want to learn to snorkel.

Up, Up and Away!

I got to fly on ERA's new Beechcraft jet on my way out of town Friday. What a nice plane. Sitting on the left I got this view of Sugarloaf Mountain in the middle of the Chugach Range. Flying back both times was the Dash 8. A combo prop/jet.

Now its back to work, swimming and tanning to get ready for my next adventure. Purchased some new lap swim gear while in Anchorage. Also got me and my swimming partner new Speedo swimming caps. We look funny but they are comfortable and really are the ticket for swimming in a chlorine pool. They are white with the American flag on one side. I pretend I'm in training for the Olympics!

Vacant Dock

Time is going by fast for me lately. I've settled into a routine working 2 jobs and swimming 3-4 times a week. I am actually looking forward to this winter. I have a few trips planned with all this money I've been making. One is coming up Oct 19th and 20th for the Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup hockey games in Anchorage. This is my nephews senior year and its about time I made it to a "live" Alaska Nanook hockey game. I'll be wearing my #34 hockey jersey and my cheesehead hat. And the hotel we're staying at has a pool!

Bionic Pink Flippers

If there was a bowling alley here I'd have my own bowling ball and shoes and carry them around in a bag.

Bedroom Bouquet

My friend with the green thumb flowers still look great. All the pictures I've been taking of her beautiful handiwork this summer I am putting on a cd for her to enjoy this winter.

This is what the sky looked like tonight when we got out of swimming. Clearing up nicely for the full bright moon thats out there right now.

Should get some good pictures of the fall colors tomorrow. They are changing fast. Soon it will be dark when we get out of swimming.

Tanker Traffic

Took this picture from the Bettye Cato "Bridge to Nowhere" over Mineral Creek Canyon this afternoon. In the distance is a super tanker being escorted out of Prince William Sound.

This is my third week straight of swimming M/W/F nights and it just keeps getting funner and funner. Tonight I was swimming two laps in under five minutes. I'm still using the flippers and I'm up to 2 boogie boards now. I swim backwards with them one way and forward the other. Much better as my neck was killing me trying to keep my head out of the water. I can't stand going underwater. I had 3 years of swimming lessons as a child and never got out of beginners. But I am enjoying swim nights and my body shows no more signs of sacrolitis. Besides that my jeans are fitting better!

Buccaneer Waters

Started up with lap swim at the Valdez Buccaneer's pool tonight. The price went up a buck from last year but still worth it. I forgot how much fun swimming is and how good it makes me feel. As an added bonus I won't wash my hair til morning and maybe it will turn blonde.