It's just a bit different

It's like silent, the air is clean and crisp, it's boy howdy dark at night and I have a feeling of well being and contentment. Now I know that in a few months I'll be itching for Mazatlan again but for right now I'm happy guy right here at Mile 14 of the World Famous. It's my place, my element. It's an amazing thing to me that with modern transportation your life can change so drastically so fast...A few Tanqueray's and 4 flights in 20 hours and walla, home sweet home....and as usual we forgot the blue print. Our house sitter locked the dead bolt that we don't have a key to because just a couple years ago we had Arkey the locksmith drill out the door knob when we forgot where we hid the key for that always forgotten ' safe keeping'.

Kinda cool that a 65 year old guy can still do that, of course I had no choice. I'm just glad there wasn't a sharp knife on or in the sink or I'd of had that vasectomy finally.

What a wonderful night we had. I played my guitars and then barbied the first steak we've had in near 5 months, a little Merlot and listened to the SoHi boys loose in the semi finals of the State B-ball championship by only 5 points....And sleeping soooo good, the King sized bed is big enough that when MP rolls over and throws that elbow like she does she can't reach me. And then we walk down to the river. The snow is going fast as it's not freezing at night. You've seen this shot many a time from our overlook, the river is clear and running high and maybe an entire month ahead of the historical ice out date.

I suppose it's part of the mild winters we're having but every spring I find more and more beetle killed spruce trees and they really change the look of the property. When the snows gone I'll fire up the ol Stihl Farm Boss and go to work, this year I'll have plenty of time.

Everybody that's been to the  paradise that is Stewart's Landing will recognize these two pics. The first is the parking lot and the walk way to the river and the next shot it from the launch looking straight down the river, gorgeous in a uniquely Alaskan way.

So I'm excited about the upcoming season. Ya know I've spent the last 37 summers doing my very best to help other people have fun and enjoy this special place...So this year I'm going to do my very best to help myself have fun so it should make for good blog editions. We'll be fishing but without some of the everyday routine of the past....like in the rain, in the dark, when there's no fish and we can go ANY time we want, it'll be great. I hope you all keep reading.

Re Entry

Yup, we're on final approach. This time next week I'll be reporting from the banks of the world famous, it'll be quiet, it'll be gorgeous and believe it or not I'm hoping it will be rest full.. But you know in life there's always a good and a bad, a ying and a yang for everything and there's plenty to miss here in Mexico and plenty that won't be. So how about one of those lists that I say gives order do a disordered life. I once heard that a good way to help make decisions is to make a good /bad list...well this ain't that but maybe I oughta start thinking that way...makes more sense than writing a letter and not mailing it as Dear Abby would have you do.

What I'll miss

1. Fishing in the morning...being alone. Working out the things on your mind as you walk and cast and see that yup, you're first on the beach, it's just you, nothing and I mean nothing can go wrong. 

2. Mexico of course....I love the people who smile and share so easily. I love the food, the taco stand the chicken...you want the best chicken in the world ? well just look for a cloud of smoke and the smell of Mesquite as you travel and walla....how about this homemade Ford Suburban...soooo coool.

3.....the Fabulouso aisle. I know it sounds weird but every store in america should have a Fabulouso aisle or display. It smells wonderful and the colors just can't keep you from smiling...So in Jeff's world if I'm shopping for Fabulouso I gotta try them all, whats best for me, the Electric Cherry or the Bold Ocean Blue ?....maybe even the Sherwood Forrest Green....decisions, decisions...

4. My friends....I'll miss them all and if I forgotten you it's only and over sight. all of you do sooo much for me, it's this place on the earth that you share so generously with me. Ernie, Slah, Maria, Willy, Alejandro, Stewart and Jay, Kiki, Raymundo and Carlos. Tim, Kenny, Juan, Sean...and the cheese guy at the market, we love you all.
5.  Fish for dinner, at least the southern style, plus here I always have french fries with my deep fried pescado but up north we'll be stopping the papa's habit, back to the gym ya know....Here's pic of a bucket full I filled up for a friend the other night.

Things I won't miss.

1.  Condo Life...

See you  Alaskan's real soon....

and the winner is....

Inspired by the recent academy awards where both Bohemian Rhapsody and A Star is Born showed the way the musical staff here at Mile 14 southern bureau decided to critique the Carnaval Parade 2019. It's kinda hard to pick favorites when every thing is so coooool....the coolest thing was simple, thousands and thousands of people milling and sharing and laughing and....not problem 1. Great vibe, thank you Mazatlan....SO HERE WE GO.

Best in Costuming:  well it helps that I'm in the pic. 1st goes to my new friend GuitarMan and the runner up is Radio Waves. Radio Waves is iconic here in Mazatlan . He shows up everywhere and blasts Banda music on FM 89.7,,,,some time I'll tell you about being invited to play music by them.

Best Beauties:   Mmmmm, everyone nows that the code of the west runs my life, loyalty is my thing. so even though this is toughest category at this academy I'm going with the past Carnaval Queens.  So just like the locals who revere their elders I loved these ladies energy...

Runner up in the Beauties is this Gal...if she wasn't Queen of the whole Mary Ann then she should have been and we at Mile 14 deserve a seat table next year.

Best connection to The Curse of Oak Island :   It makes perfect sense to me that if the cultural memory of middle america remembers the Knights Templar being in Mexico then it's perfectly possible that they also buried the treasure and built the flood tunnels to baffle future treasure hunters. I personally think the treasure will be found next Tuesday night on the History Channel. Be watching. 

Best Vendor Food :   Well the Cotton Candy and the Peanut guy didn't have a chance when the Jicama guy arrived. This stuff was selling like hot cakes. I personally think it tastes like a radish that was left in your garden until October BUT, people here love it. It's sliced just right and then smothered in the red after it's dipped in the red is all I know, I ain't tasted that part...All I know is that is you want to be colorful for Carnaval just have this guy help ya out and you'll be wearing enough of that stuff that people will ask where you got the red plaid shirt.

Best Use of Common Sense :   I've always had a soft spot for carpenters, I tired to be one at a time in my life and realized my heart just wasn't in it...at least for 30 or 40 years worth. But if they had told me I'd get to ride on the top of 40 foot float at Carnaval in Mazatlan I mighta stuck with it a bit. I think they fold down the really high stuff and prudence dictates a carpenter with a fist full of grabbers and a 20v DeWalt be close by to keep the thing from getting out of control....don't need that....well played Mazatlan, do you guys know anything about Salmon Fisheries management ???

Best Smile :  The staff took hundreds of pictures and after close review and 3 Pacificos we agree it's a tie. Of course we were all kinda smiled out because it's just what everybody was doing so it made this an impossible category. 

Best Float :   This is a big one. But staying in theme we had to go with Ol Smiley. good ol Smiley. He could have won by himself but throw in a doublea and it's game, set , match.

Best Mardi Gras Float :   It's huge, it's got a pretty girl, flowers AND it's purple....all the ingredients. 

Most comfortable in his own skin and likely to be a motorcycle cop in real life :

Best Dance Troupe : another tough one....but these young people had it seriously goin on. Perfect timing, costumes and energy.

Best Fish : Now this is important. If this staff can't pick a winner well we ought just head for the Blue Gill pond and bait up a maggot. It goes to the Dorado's, or are they Mahi Mahi or maybe Dolphin's,,,,anybody got a pan fish set up I can borrow ?

Best What the Hell is that :   I got no idea....but the hair looks kinda familiar.

Best Music :  This is my serious typed print now...Banda El Recodo stole the show. Big Banda sound by one of the most renowned Bands in Mexico. They played to a sold out crowd at the baseball stadium and then became the first time I'd ever seen this caliber of music in person. As the Float moved along the malecon Hundreds of people followed along filming and dancing. WOW.  I have video and if I remember I will post when I have internet strength to do it.

Best Mary Lou Reton :  

Best Beer :  We all know that Pacifico owns this town, it's made here. I'm sure the first thing that Radio Wave or Guitar man reached for when pulling off their suits was a Pacifico....BUT.... as the parade ended the trail sweepers arrived by the dozens who was there with empty trucks to help ? Corona ! So Corona gets the nod because you know that we here at Mile 14 are really just unabashed liberal greenies in search of clean air, clean water and ahhhh....a few fish. So mucho Gracias Corona, Mazatlan and of course my running buddy who just celebrated 41 years of marriage with me  over a wonderful hamburger supper on our outdoor deck...until the automatic sprinklers came on. Oh well.

Best in Love :