Hi, ho: It’s back to work

Crankcase oil levels — good. Power steering fluid — full. Brake fluid — full. Transmission fluid — looks good. Battery — green is showing through the viewing eye, so looks good. Antifreeze — maybe a pint low, but not enough to worry about. Windshield cleaning fluid — I’ll just throw a gallon bottle in the vehicle and call it good. Tire pressures — good.

Houston, we are ready for liftoff!

After filling the freshwater tank and checking the propane levels and the charge on the house batteries, the motor home was ready. All I had left was to carry my clothes and some groceries out to the RV and stow them away. My sleeping bag and pillow were already lying on the cab overbunk. Oh, I almost forgot — I need to make sure my camera, laptop computer, raingear, hardhat and rubber boots find their way into the RV, too.

Why would I want a hard hat for a motor home excursion during a fine Alaska summer, you may ask? Everything else is either necessary or makes that weekend recreational trip just that much more comfortable and enjoyable. Well, unfortunately, this preparation is not for a recreational trip. I’m going to work.

I’ve been waiting to hear about a possible part-time job helping a friend with some inspection work. I had almost given up on things developing when the phone rang about a week ago. As is typical for this time of year, everything happens at once. As I write this, I was set to travel to Seward for about 2 1/2 days of work this week.

However, a voice message and an email both alerted me to the fact my destination had changed. Instead of Seward, I was now to go to Whittier. Seward reservations were canceled and the RV preparations commenced, since it was too late to make last-minute reservations in Whittier this time of year. I’ll be calling in prior to leaving just to confirm Whittier is where they want me. My employer would really like me to work full-time, but is willing to accept my two to four days per week schedule. After all, I am retired.

With this rather sudden work opportunity, I’ll miss most of the Alaska Territorial Muzzleloading Shoot, which started yesterday and continues through Sunday, at the Upper Susitna Shooters Association range at Mile 94 on the Parks Highway. I’ve been looking forward to attending this match for several months, especially since I missed last year’s event because of medical situations (neck surgery). I was hoping to get back in the thick of medals competition and was planning to shoot a “new” rifle in the flintlock matches.

As everybody knows, though, unless one is independently wealthy and can afford to do what they want when they want, if a chance to make some money comes along, you go to work. I am not independently wealthy. In fact, this fixed income stuff is getting a little old in light of the fact everything keeps going up in price while my pension stagnates or even is reduced a bit each year because of ever-changing tax structures. Don’t get me started on that topic.

All is not lost, however. The work will only last through maybe the first week in August, so there will still be time for coho fishing. I’m planning a moose hunt with three friends for the end of August into early September. I’m also hoping to get some small game hunting in prior to winterizing the motor home sometime in late September or early October.

The up side to the job is good pay — that’s always an inspiration to work — and spending some time in Whittier. I’ve been there before, but only as a day visitor. Being there for several days will allow some time, I hope, to explore the area and maybe learn some new fishing spots and meet some new people. If time permits, it would be nice to do some fishing, even if it’s only standing on the bank and wetting a line.

This work situation has the potential to turn into a regular opportunity each year, plus some possible extra time during the winter as well. That’s when some planning needs to happen, because my wife and I have been thinking of trying a little snowbirding to see the country and get a break from winters in the Valley. Job timing will have an influence on how well that idea works out. Either way, it looks like the RV will get regular use.

On another topic, the eastside king salmon fishery is over. For a lot of folks, that spells the end of king salmon fishing, even though the season continues through July 13 for westside Susitna tributaries and the Talkeetna drainage. The Eklutna Tailrace king salmon fishery runs through the end of July, if memory serves, and bait is legal at that location only. The Eklutna king fishery is an artificial run and Fish and Game encourages folks to catch every returning king salmon. I suspect there will be plenty of folks trying to do just that as the other king fisheries wind down and close.

I’m looking forward to silvers returning, hopefully in good numbers spread over the entire run. We’ll see if that actually does happen, based on Board of Fisheries actions taken this past spring. I’m hoping!

Howard Delo is a retired fisheries biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. You can leave him a message by emailing sports@frontiersman.com.