On this Quest

 that was a pretty quick two years...You see, on this day two years ago me and MP off loaded from the Alaska Ferry Kennicott and next thing you know we were in an old white truck driving through Saturday morning traffic on the interstate being passed by Subaru after Subaru. I was a little freaked out. Then we hit Moootana and stopped for a selfie at a rest stop and it was 100 degrees. I was really freaked out. Then we got to Missoula and my truck made a huge puddle in the street....I was Ultra freaked out....it turned out to be the air conditioner's normal ice build up melting, mmmm...man did I have a lot to learn. I traded this view

For this view, sunrise from our house

I'm going to do one of my lists in a bit but first I want to tour the state. We've been everywhere and around here there's a lot of 'everywhere'....these were just the last few weeks when we ventured to central Montana to see Ackley Lake where they put Tiger Muskie in to eat all the suckers and now it's a Montana big fish secret place. 45 incher caught the week we were there. Here's our set up, pretty sweet eh ?  We're still working on the bed situation, although it makes a huge bed it's harder than a Mike Tyson left hook. 

Ackley Lake...to semi-quote Chick Kishbaugh " I fished for Muskies and they were unaware of it. But a gorgeous 3000 acre lake in the middle of....no where.

The closest town is Hobson which for a small one is really nice. I gotta buy mooo juice for my Danish in the morning and the it's just killing the lady at the little store....she's just got to finally ask where we're from. The right answer is anywhere besides California and we have a good laugh with her. I ask if typically a person can get one of the 17 camp sites on a week day and she tells me there is nothing ' typical ' about  Ackley Lake, or Hopson for that matter.  Even the Elevator is nice in Hobson

Then ya got Geraldine on the way north to the Big Mo. The vista's are incredible and when they built the mountains they decided to just stop half way up. Weird.

Here's pic of me and MPeasy in Fort Benton where they say Montana started...I don't know about that but the story they tell of ' Ol Shep ' who waited his whole life along the railroad tracks for his owner who had died to come back will bring a tear to your eye. Every town's got a claim to fame, I traded the World record King Salmon for Ol Shep......jeeez  Louise. That would be Ol Shep in the background.

You tell me....what does the Hotel at Boulder Hot Springs remind you of ?  I'll give you a hint. Red Rum , Red Rum , Red Rum, Red Rum....Still ain't got it ?  OK, another hint " here's Johnny".

ahhh, the OverLook....Don't quit reading I'm doing a list and then I'll finsih off another exciting chapter of Mile 14 with a song.

Things I miss about Alaska.

1. Sound Off :  KSRM's daily call in radio program.  The content is really drivel and of course the same people call in all the time, BUT, it can be entertaining and sometimes semi educational. AND when Bob Bird and Jesse  Borkman go to moralizing the world there's something strangely rewarding in saying " I can't listen to that #%&*! anymore " and then turning it off..

2. Salmon :  I know, I caught enough of them for a lifetime so it's not that part...I guess it's just the value of it, the culture of it....it was my whole life. I miss handling it, eating it, talking about it....all of it. Sure could use a fillet or two if anyone can help.

3. Trusty Hardware : The worlds largest selection of Qwikfish Lures is a beautiful thing... And man oh man I could use me some large spools of line and a couple 3 dollar head lamps...Oh, and some discounted P-Line Lazer Minnows....

4 : Hobo Jim.....Damn that broke all of our hearts.

5 : Watching MP flit around in her greenhouses in the morning with her robe on.

6 : The Arthur clan and all our  friends .

7 : Being Alaskan....I'll stop with that one but you know being an Alaskan ( and I guess I always will be ) has a certain shtick to it. It's being a bit different, a bit independent, a wanderer , a risk taker...an Alaskan.

Lately I've learned a lot about ageing, looked it right in the eye. I have new hearing aids, gonna be 69 years old in a few days. My friends are dying. But this song that Toby wrote for Clint is my mantra. Ken Smith told me he's felt that way for years, it's the only way...there's only one direction and that's forward . That's why I'm here typing as I gaze out at the Little Belt mountains on the two year anniversary of our exit and then entrance from one life to another. Just another refuge searching.