The Pass is Open!

"I Opened the Pass!"  That's what Roger told me, as he does every year when he is finally able to break through the snow with his grader and open up the Overland Pass Road, connecting my neighborhood with Summer's Bay.  That as all I needed to hear - right after training I headed out on the KLR, eager to be one of the first through, the perfect ride home from a long day . . .

As you may have surmised, the ride didn't go exactly as planned.  Overland Pass is a bit rough in spots, especially right after it is open for the year, and I was certainly riding it for all I was worth.  The ABS skid plate was no match for the rock that pierced the underbelly of the bike, breaking off the "tip of the spear" in the case.  As you can imagine, the oil drained out completely.  The interesting part is how long it took me to realize that little tidbit of information.  The Kawasaki KLR is known to be a tough, bullet-proof "poor man's BMW" . . . . I will say it will go miles in a low oil condition with nary a hiccup . . .

So, we've been having this amazing riding weather, and my poor KLR is in my shed waiting patiently for me to tear it to the frame, make repairs, and get it back on the road.  As you may know, spare time is at a premium these days, but I'm thinking when Goldfish goes on vacation this Friday I'll be able to get out there on the nights I don't have Fire Academy.

The whole reason I have a KLR 650 out here on the island, 800 miles from the nearest motorcycle dealership, is so I can ride it hard and do all my own repairs getting intimately familiar with the bike so I can do my dream ride in a few years, from the top of Alaska to the tip of South America, on a KLR,  with confidence I can fix anything that breaks along the way.  I've been from Alaska to Maine and back on bikes, and all points in between, so the north to south ride is the logical next step.

So I'm really bummed I'm stuck in my old beater truck with all this gorgeous weather we've been having - but I'm thrilled to be tearing the bike down, learning it from the inside out.  And seeing that rock jutting out from the aluminum like it grew there just makes me smile - man, what a ride that was . . . . . . I EARNED that rock through the case . . . . . . 

Odds and Ends . . . .

In reviewing recent photos to post, it's tough to choose - I am definitely documenting a lot more than I have time to upload and comment on, it's a busy time of year.  You can see that Chico is still gorgeous - the old man is slowing down a bit but still looks very distinguished, even with the greying muzzle.  Wish I could say the same for me . . . .

We're not sure who "Buttons" is, but they are apparently buried on the hillside behind our house.  Can't blame the owners, it is a beautiful spot . . .

Goldfish had a gift certificate to Amazon that she got for her birthday, or something, and after much deliberation, she got a pimping ice cream maker with it.  To celebrate our island anniversary on the 19th (we always celebrate every 19th, to recognize the day we moved out to Unalaska - this month was 3 years!) she made a batch of strawberry ice cream that we used to make banana splits - amazing!

This is our new buddy Paw-Paw, named because he has an injured and disfigured rear paw.  At the sound of my truck or motorcycle he comes running to say hello and just can't understand why Chico won't come out to play with him . . .

The island has been greening up wonderfully with all the rain.  Goldfish leaves in 10 days for a three week vacation back on mainland Alaska with her family while I continue to soldier on with Fire Fighter training and a busy work schedule.  I'll miss her badly but I imagine that three weeks will fly by in a flash.  "B" season at work has been going fairly well with the pollock fishery showing some signs of growth and recovery.  I'm starting to see a few folks cleaning salmon, so the fish runs are starting to show in the local creeks, and we are really hoping for a good berry crop this year!  My son is coming out while Goldfish is gone for a quick 4 day visit, then Goldfish's Mom is coming out in August, and her brother for Thanksgiving.  And somehow this summer I want to paint the house!  Okay, off to bed to rest my weary bones - cheers, more news tomorrow night . . . .

Where to Even Start? I think I need multiple posts . . . .

I guess let's start with a belated Father's Day post.  My sister already did a great job posting on our family blog, covering all the Dads, so let me just say a few words about one.  We couldn't ask for a better Dad, he taught us all about hard work, honesty, faith, and compassion.  He gave me the love of woodworking, reading, and travel.  There was never a day that I had to wonder if he loved my Mom, or if he loved any of us.  I don't call him as often as I should, but he is always the guy I am writing to when I'm sitting here at the computer past my bedtime, trying to think of coherent captions for the pictures I have uploaded.

I had to settle for leaving him a message on his recorder on Father's Day because he was probably in church, and then my brother brought him down to the Maine coast for a lobster feed.  I would love to have him out to the island, but I understand the grueling marathon involved in traveling from Maine to Unalaska.

Love you Dad!

Fire Fighter I Training

Again, it has been almost two weeks since I posted, and I apologize.  Lots of you know that I have been a volunteer with Public Safety for about 18 months, serving as an Emergency Medical Technician and more recently a fire fighter.  We are not a busy service out here on the island, but I have been on over 60 runs so far this year, mostly medical but some fire, and since May 10th I have been attending formal training to become an certified Fire Fighter 1.

I have made a conscious decision long ago to not blog about my volunteer service, whether with Public Safety or any other agency, for many reasons mostly related to protecting the privacy of the citizens of Unalaska that I serve.  Integrity, compassion and discretion are core values for the volunteers of Unalaska Fire Rescue; discussing anything related to an ambulance or fire call would be unprofessional, disrespectful, and in most cases illegal.

With all that said, it would be remiss of me not to explain why I blog so rarely lately - Fire Fighter I training occupies 20 to 30 hours a week between classwork, hands-on and outside reading, depending on each week's schedule.  For me, this is on top of an 80 hour work week, and any free time I have is generally spent with my poor long-suffering wife who puts up with me dashing out of bed at 3 in the morning when someone needs help - she is the hero in the family, not me.  

I would also like to mention that many of the folks I admire most on the island are cops, fire fighters, or EMTs, and I am THRILLED with the folks who are training with me in Fire Fighter I - Dan, Darrel, Eric, Flor, Dimitri (who took the photos on this post), Cadet Barbar (the little brother I never had), and Tracy, it is indeed a privilege.  While I am publicly giving kudos, let me mention volunteer Captain Gary Sandness, who sets the tone and inspires public service participation at Alyeska Seafoods; Company Vice President Sinclair Wilt, who allows me to respond to emergencies during business hours; Lieutenant Joe Robinson who sets a great example in all things and introduced me to the service; my run buddies FF/EMT Flor Luna, FF/EMT Kris-Ann Wilcox & Captain Salvador Alvarado whose ready smile, quiet leadership and easy going manner at 1 AM inspires us all to try harder.  Thanks to Captain Deffendal who has been a volunteer for over 20 years, and has the best bed-side manner on the force.  Thanks also to the paid staff - Captains Day and Gray who are leading the charge on getting us ready for the state exams, Captain Sheffield for always striving to raise the bar on the medical side, and Fire Chief Long who is one of the best instructors I've ever had in 30 years of classes at seven colleges and the US Army, and who has a vision for Unalaska Fire Rescue and still believes at the ripe old age of 40 in the inherent potential in all of us. 

Much like the three years of island blogging before now, I don't imagine I'll mention much about all this after tonight, except maybe "big deals" like graduation from Fire Fighter I.  I know my volunteer service will continue to be challenging, emotionally rewarding, and a source of pride in the years to come - for the island readers, give us a wave when you see us on the road, on a call, or training - we really try to be the best we can because we love the island and the people on it!  Cheers, Steve