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Mail Run

UgashikBob

UgashikBob

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 15, 2005
321
0
Outlet Lower Ugashik Lake AK
Made another mail run downstream to the village yesterday for our first mail in over a month and got back just in time for a Chinook to hit with high winds and high temps. Ice started running from the lake upstream and made me happy I made the run when I did.
02072011-1.jpg
02072011-3.jpg
 
Re: Mail Run

Lindy:
If snow conditions are OK I can cut cross country and trim it to 22 miles one way. If I follow the river all the way it is 30 miles. Nice trip with good conditions but the first one keeps your attention till you have your own track to follow back. Although its a navigation aid the fact the ice was safe if more assuring. About midway where you know your walk is 15 miles either way seems to make the motor develop strange noises.
 
Re: Mail Run

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">...where you know your walk is 15 miles either way seems to make the motor develop strange noises.</div></div>

Yeah, I bet.
laugh.gif
Be careful out there!
 
Re: Mail Run

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: UgashikBob</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> About midway where you know your walk is 15 miles either way seems to make the motor develop strange noises. </div></div>

Thanks for the chuckle on that my friend! Funny how your mind works isn't it?? If a tough old buzzard like you has them same hearing issues then I don't feel so bad when I hear noises in the middle of nowhere from my Toyota when yote hunting!

Take care up there Sir.

Respectfully,
Dennis
 
Re: Mail Run

SDW:
I know some areas around Lemon that aren't exactly populated. I moved from Pierre up here in the early 80's when it got to crowded down here. There are times it feels crowded up here in the summer but this time of the year is what its all about. When I stopped to take that first photo the other day I just sat there for about 15 minutes thinking about people stuck in traffic sucking up ugly air etc and considered myself very wealthy to just set there and grove on the silence.
 
Re: Mail Run

I'd have it air mailed. A drop would be closer to retrieve than 15 miles in-between places.
grin.gif
Looks beautiful though. I agree with crowded places though.
 
Re: Mail Run

Have done plenty of air drops. Not as easy as it looks. Unless you use a cub you are limited to what will fit out some pretty small windows. If you like living on the edge you can check the aerodynamics of opening a door close to stall speed. Amazing what you can drop into snow covered tundra without hurting it.
 
Re: Mail Run

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: UgashikBob</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Have done plenty of air drops. Not as easy as it looks. Unless you use a cub you are limited to what will fit out some pretty small windows. If you like living on the edge you can check the aerodynamics of opening a door close to stall speed. Amazing what you can drop into snow covered tundra without hurting it. </div></div>

I've been to AK in winter and it is awesome. I'd even consider movin there someday if I could find some work. You lookin for an apprentice? LOL
 
Re: Mail Run

Interesting Bob, I kinda wondered what you do out there. Our river here is frozen over. I see you had a chinook but why so much open water?
 
Re: Mail Run

LX:
In front of our home and about 1/2 mile upsteam is technically a rapids with some fast water in spots hence the open water. Usually takes some long -30 spells which are rare to lock it up. This year it has locked up twince with only -10 temps and I don't know why. Even with a lot of tidal influence the rest of the river downstream from us is usually good to go but have made the run all the way down then couldn't get off the river because the tides kept the edges open. The attached photo was a couple weeks ago during one of the two times this winter it locked up.
01142011-1.jpg
 
Re: Mail Run

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">This year it has locked up twince with only -10 temps and I don't know why.</div></div>

Global warming...
laugh.gif
 
Re: Mail Run

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: UgashikBob</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Have done plenty of air drops. Not as easy as it looks. Unless you use a cub you are limited to what will fit out some pretty small windows. If you like living on the edge you can check the aerodynamics of opening a door close to stall speed. Amazing what you can drop into snow covered tundra without hurting it. </div></div>



did someone say air drop.....?


nice pics as always
 
Re: Mail Run

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Thud</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Easy Bolt, I don't think you could fit through a window in a Cub or a C130.</div></div>


says YOU...............
 
Re: Mail Run

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: UgashikBob</div><div class="ubbcode-body">LX:
In front of our home and about 1/2 mile upsteam is technically a rapids with some fast water in spots hence the open water. Usually takes some long -30 spells which are rare to lock it up. This year it has locked up twince with only -10 temps and I don't know why. Even with a lot of tidal influence the rest of the river downstream from us is usually good to go but have made the run all the way down then couldn't get off the river because the tides kept the edges open. The attached photo was a couple weeks ago during one of the two times this winter it locked up.
01142011-1.jpg
</div></div>

Thanks for the info and pic Bob, we're having a chinook here also. Day 2 = 35 deg and breezy. I hear you got some big grayling in that river?
 
Re: Mail Run

A different world, a different life. When I moved from Metro NYC/NJ to Central NY, it was a pretty big adjustment; but seriously, from here to Ugashik Lake would be a bigger one.

You give me much to appreciate and admire. I don't think I could make such a transition, and I'm sure we aren't hearing about the trepidations, etc. After reading your posts for awhile, I'm equally certain we never will, I just don't see it in your nature to be negative that way. That kind of nature wouldn't have prospered as you do.

But I most certainly envy you the basic rightness of your existence.

Greg
 
Re: Mail Run

LX:
Used to be really big grayling you could see from our deck but between the wildlife whorehouse that used to be next door and the otters they beat them up pretty bad. When I was in better shape I beat the otters down trapping but they have bounced back. When we first built out here you could not catch a Grayling under 20" but when that year class went away they were all but extinct for awhile. Starting to see different year classes now so hopefully down the road it might come back.
GL:
I'm sure everyone realizes nothing comes without a price. One of the neatest things I like about Alaska in general is nothing good comes easy. There are a lot of things out here that require a lot of effort that a pavement pounder takes for granted but the opposite is also true. I've lived in urban areas all over the world and I'm still here. My exit strategy was always a body bag but there are other considerations.
 
Re: Mail Run

Bob, keep posting. That's some great stuff! I'm getting nostalgic for skis on tundra tires and an IO540...
 
Re: Mail Run

GM:
The sound of a Lycoming is a type of noise pollution we don't mind as it usually means company. Have seen two aircraft below 30,000 feet since last October. Company has been a little sparse since the only humans I've seen were during my mail runs.
On a clear day we have the jet races starting about 1pm with anywhere from 7 to 10 heavys heading towards the orient. Spotting scope on the tail says mostly JAL & KAL.
 
Re: Mail Run

Bob;

I did a bit of Internet research on you some time back.

I learned three things.

I had underestimated you.

A lot of what I thought I understood about you was wrong, and the truth is a lot more likeable. Your values are not so different from mine after all. I just never had the opportunity to try and see things from your perspective. Glad I invested the time in trying to.

I envied (and still do) the life you get to lead.

Greg
 
Re: Mail Run

MK: Starband
GL:
One of the luxuries of this lifestyle is there is not a lot of people you have to appease. My intent is not to offend people with my viewpoints but I'm sure it does. I suspect it would be difficult to understand some of my views unless you had actually lived this lifestyle.
 
Re: Mail Run

Just curious Bob, do the Brownshirts cruise by on occasion?
 
Re: Mail Run

LX:
Good question. Back when they had a rotory in King Salmon the word got out about my brides(46 years today) cooking and we had frequent visits. Now that the rotory is gone they are not as frequent because its not as easy to get in here even on ski's due to our ever changing conditions. We haven't had a visit yet this winter but am sure we will. Always enjoy them and on the books they are known as welfare checks.
Saw on another thread you made sergeant in just 26 years. Took me a lot longer than that.
 
Re: Mail Run

Bob, tell your bride "Happy Birthday" from us! You cooked her dinner, right?

You hear much, from your friend here in the 'Peg?
 
Re: Mail Run

SN:
Just talked to him in the "Peg" a couple months ago. We were all set up for a reunion down in South Dakota but it fell through. Guess we'll have to have reunion up in York Factory. We made several trips up there and Churchill together in days of yester year and it was a trip.
Actually I probably didn't make that very clear but today is our 46th wedding anniversary.
 
Re: Mail Run

[/quote]did someone say air drop.....?[/quote]

When we did hand drops the closest I could get was a few hundred yards away from drop zone. Poor guys had to get the stuff. Not as easy as one would think. No aerodynamics on the stuff we dropped ou the back.
 
Re: Mail Run

I20:
With the alders and tundra its amazing what you can successfully air drop if packed tightly. Snow is even better. In sheep camp we used to drop everything but optics and rifle. Even water is the liter plastic bottles if you got lucky. Tried salt and beer together once. Didn't do well.
 
Re: Mail Run

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: UgashikBob</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I20:
With the alders and tundra its amazing what you can successfully air drop if packed tightly. Snow is even better. In sheep camp we used to drop everything but optics and rifle. Even water is the liter plastic bottles if you got lucky. Tried salt and beer together once. Didn't do well. </div></div>

What about the tomato juice?
 
Re: Mail Run

I2:
Never tried that. One advantage of dropping your cape salt and beer toghether is its easy to find in the alders because when beer and salt mix after breakage it really foams. 2 cans out of the six pack survived and was mighty tasty after a 18 mile hump in to get them.
 
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