Can’t wait for the Alaska winter

It’s been just over two weeks since I arrived in the Valley. The first week delivered what I expected for this time of year, overcast and rain. However, the last week has given up “knock yer socks off” opportunities to get out and enjoy the vast beauty we call home.

It’s been difficult for me to take advantage of what we call “Indian Summer” back in the Yoop (Upper Peninsula) --warm, sunny days and cool crisp nights. Getting settled into a new job, a new way of living, a new place to live, and learning how to drive in traffic has consumed most of my evenings. By the time I’m home and changed into “play clothes”, it’s been nine o’clock or so. However, last Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday gave me an opportunity to at least START checking out the area.

If I were still down on the south shore of Lake Superior, you would find me out on my 4-wheeler hitting the two tracks to check out the maples which are just starting to show their rainbow of colors. And if I was fortunate enough to discovered a “tops pile” for a recent logging venture, I would be bombing around in my cancerous S-10 Blazer pulling an even more cancerous pickup box from a 1964 Ford. Of course, the bar oil, mix, toolbox and files, and my trusty Stihl and Husqvarna chainsaws would be there to. One can never have too much firewood after all.

But up here, I’m all about discovering…which side road do I turn down next? How far up this river do I want to venture before I get bored? The answer to the last question is probably never. My first visit to Alaska in August of 2015 already led me to the conclusion that, a person could spend five seconds staring at each spectacle of beauty in this state, and you could never see it all in a lifetime, or even three.

Without a doubt, Alaska has to be at least tied for the most beautiful state in the country…and maybe tops. Coming from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, I don’t take that statement lightly. The peninsula’s northern coast is lapped by Lake Superior, the largest, and probably the clearest freshwater lake in the world. Steep cliffs give way to sloping hills and miles of unfettered beaches. I made it a point in the almost three decades of living there to get out and enjoy it as much as possible.

From just before breakup, through the first hard frost, the mosquitoes shared that space. Toss in deer flies, black flies, sand flies so thick you literally inhale them, horse flies, no see-ums and ticks — and summers were still fantastic. Come late January, the snowmobiles—yes I said snowmobiles and not snowmachines, popped their skags outside the garage for the first time…and we’ll just have to compromise on the mobile-machine fight and refer to them as sleds.

I discovered sledding late in life, 10 years ago this winter. Herniated, degenerated, and bulging disks — a pair of knees that have been scoped and scraped for arthritis, repeated requests from the doctor to quit…I can’t. I’m not a very accomplished rider, but I don’t do trails—off-trail, side-hilling and power line riding. The latter two are what we did for real excitement because I lived in the highest community in the state already. At just under 2,000 feet above sea level, it’s a pittance by Alaska standards, I know.

When I decided to undertake this life-changing move northwest, I did so knowing that at least until after next breakup, the “big-boy toys” had to stay behind. So that means for this fall, no ATV. But a mountain bike is a good substitute, and healthier to boot. But what hurts even more is this winter…if we have one is experiencing sled withdrawals. Come early February, you may see a 6-foot-4 guy dressed in his FXR suit wearing a Ski-Doo modular helmet with the sun visor pulled down mumbling aimlessly through the woods of Big Lake. That will be me.

Along with its new page design, this edition marks the first; the Frontiersman plans to expand its outdoor coverage. Bottom line is I’m hoping to meet some of the folks from area clubs, organizations that love doing things outdoors. Heck, I’d pull someone’s skis all day for a chance to get on a sled this winter.

I’m not proud—yes that’s hint for anyone who wants to volunteer use of an extra sled this winter!