This will most likely be an ongoing theme here at Mile 14, like everything in life, life itself is a work in progress and we learn as we go , everyday every hour. So I decided to do a list of the things that have been working for me as I try to gracefully wander into my 70's... I know all of us have heard the rhetorical things like " ageing ain't for sissy's " or a variant of that but I wanted to make sense of those things, kinda sort through what I'm learning and how I handle things differently now after going on 68 years of experience. The biggest thing I need to learn is TO TAKE YOUR OWN ADVICE....so this, a letter to Jeff.
1. shoulda's, coulda's always mean didn't. Regrets will seem to make more sense if they are the " I wish I wouldn't have " variety instead of the " I wish I had " variety.
2. Stretch before you get out of bed, everyday.
3. Question authority as a way to help the world...afterall, now you are the authority.
4. Never tolerate being talked down to or lectured by young people. Be proudful.
5. It's seems a natural part of ageing to want to be more cautious , be aware of that and then move on.
6. Sing loud and often.
7. There is nothing you can't do too much of, new is good.
8. Exercise everyday. If 10,000 steps is the good, 14,000 is better.
9. All you need is what you have....money wise, people wise, love wise, health wise etc.
10. Buy the double for a dollar at the airport.
11. I used to say ' reward your friends and punish your enemies ' now it's only about your friends. Ain't got time for the idiots I've known along the way. You don't have to be 'friends ' with everybody but you do have to be 'friendly' with everybody.
12. Forgive, forget ....just live better and laugh more than the people who have disappointed you in life.
13. Don't shy away from sadness, you're at the age when it will accelerate so face it with love , warmth and dignity.
14. Everything in your life brought you to this wonderful point, the things you shouldn't have done, the things that broke your heart and the successes you've had . Don't be ashamed or make excuses for anything, anything period .
15. Things are just has hard and happy is just as happy for everybody on the planet....try not to start the story with ' well back in the day ' or ' when I was cutting my teeth in the business '
16. A little pain is good. If you don't have some day to day pain you aren't doing enough . BUT, if that pain is more than a little or it is unusual, take care of it. You're in charge of your health so educate yourself and see the Doctors when you must with the goal of 30 more years...or so....
17. Have fun....always.....ain't here for a haircut ! enjoy the ride and sit up top whenever you can.
So MPeasy is in Helena with her sister working on the house and the plan was to meet her at her sisters mountain retreat at Moose Lake and spend the night then drive home to Hammy. I get out of bed and it's 50 degrees , did I mention that it's spring here ?....So.... I put on my shorts and flip flops and take off for Moose Lake about noon. I've always considered myself a common sense guy but this time I under estimated the difference in elevation, Hammy is at 3,570 feet and Moose Lake is at 5,300. Here's pic of me in the Frankenstein's boots that Jim Weaver had to lend me.
On the way I stopped in the scenic town of Phillipsburg that is said to being over run by
Californians like Kelly Clarkson, I needed gas and one of those really soggy egg salad sandwiches that I like when I road trip. The only guy around was the guy running the cash register and he started up the conversation....
" you ain't from around here are ya /"
" Nope, ya can tell huh ?"
" So where ya goin ?"
" Moose Lake to see the relatives ?"
" You got 4-wheel drive ?"
" yup, I got a little S.U.V. ?"
" You get stuck up there , ain't nobody to help ya ?"
" Oh I think I'll be O.K. "
" Them California S.O.B's won't help ya "
" Used to be you could buy land here for 500 bucks an acre, now it's over 4 thousand thanks to them people "
" Well thanks for the chat. gotta go ".
As I drove along the sun was beating on me and I had the roof open and thinking when I got to the Lake me and MP would take the canoe around the lake for a cocktail cruise....Wrong...let's just say spring ain't hit Moose Lake yet. Beneventi has been telling me that the Root is where the Indians would winter as it's the mildest climate in the Big Sky. We drove back through the Big Hole country and I think he's right, the Root is a parallel universe, an island of ...dare I say it.....California like weather in Mooootana. Here's a pic from the wood fired hot tub and the Wise River area on the way home.
They got a funny way of running things in Alaska but boy howdy this Montana is going to take some getting used. I'm really frustrated by the way the government works....hold that.. doesn't work. I guess I shouldn't be to surprised as the current legislative session has had bills to allow concealed hand guns in schools and bars, the vote was actually close. And of course they got a Governor here that was warned for not taking the mandatory wolf trapping course when he killed a black one because he's ' been trapping his whole life'...even if he is from back East.
Nobody wants to work and it seems the covid has turned into a big ol do nothing culture amongst all the government workers who seem to me to be the only segment of America that didn't lose jobs through all this....So it goes like this : When we arrived were told all the DMV and most other State agencies are closed but don't worry about your licensing as we're relaxing the rules until the covid spike ends. The finally it was OK we're taking on-line reservation for licenses , license plates and of course I need M.T. numbers for my boat to be legal. The 800 number rings for a full two hours and the on-line form has a ' create your account ' page which assigned me a password with a total of 18 letters , numbers and figures....Finally got our reservations for the first available day, May 25th. And the real rub is that you can't get a resident fishing license without a resident drivers license. So I call Fish and Game and ask if there's not something that can be done, ol #003 needs to go fishing. A surly woman told me it's not up to them it's the legislature so if I got problem go to them. I got the feeling the legislature is a little busy with all the important stuff they do to help me go fishing....
How's about a song....MP said she wasn't fond of this song I wrote about gossip in Soldotna so I round filed it for a couple years. But my friend Terry is helping me put together a second and third verse and as he says....at it's core it's really a love song. I was at a meeting and was introduced to a lady who said she was happy to meet me finally as she had heard that me and MP had a very loving relationship....so I thought that's weird, but really cool at the same time.
Mile 14 on the Kenai River, well, its a special place on earth. I tell people the Kenai river is like my first girlfriend, always changing, fickle, unpredictable but absolutely gorgeous. This place is the major league of salmon fishing, and you'll see why. No politics here, well maybe a little fish politics, just plain simple fun and adventure.
I have been a fulltime guide on the Kenai River here in Alaska since 1981. I'm a fishing machine between my summer job and surf fishing in Mazatlan Mexico. I've been married to the best person I know for 32 years. I'm a musician , health nut and I like to have fun. Mile 14 is where I live on the Kenai River. So this Blog will be my views, experiences, huge catches and adventures right here from Mile 14...and most of them will be true.
