Back from the North Slope

Just getting aboard tonight.

R&R started yesterday 10am. Left Deadhorse in calm weather but cool enough to freeze the whiskers on my moustache. Anchorage was about 40 degrees and the roads were wet or slushy. In parking lots there were still big slabs of potholed ice on the lanes and up to the stores. Getting back to Cooper Landing along the Seward and Sterling Hwys was not as challenging as it could be but there was much evidence of off-road events in the berms, especially going up to Turnagain and Summit passes. From Summit Lake Lodge to Cooper Landing, the road pretty much sucked. Rather large ice potholes and common sense kept the speed down until we were nearly into town itself. The only thing icy about Cooper Landing was my driveway behind Wildman's, which was a sheet of ice inches thick. Carol told me that someone had nearly slid past our house and into the back of Wildman's by mistaking the last part of our drive for a turnaround. He had to go buy a bag of sand to get himself out - even in 4WD.

It was beautiful today with temps just below freezing and a mostly clear sky with no wind. The sun never quite made it over Cecil Rhode but came damn close this morning. Me thinks Cooper Landing could have sun as early as tomorrow. At least in the elevations above the road.

Saw a few fisherman today above the bridge. No fish, but I don't think they were doing what I would, which would be fishing roe stationary close to the shore. The ice is rotten now because of the week stretch of warm weather. Fritz said he could see fish under him the last time he crossed Kenai Lake. Not too far from the soles of his boots, too.