What stoketh thee...

[grizldoldfk]

hugging trees

[Trula]

Making my first batch of homebrew non-alcoholic ginger beer. If it turns out I might try a batch of root beer.

[Wilbur Kookmeyer]

My job. As much a that is hard to believe considering my tirade in the other thread.

My job can get me very stoked.

This won't mean anything to anyone however it is the even of Halibut season.

At midnight Alaska time...the lines go in.

It's been a countdown since the end of the season last November.

Right now, and in the past several hours....fishing vessels are and have been, heading out into gale warnings, frigid temperatures, and heavy seas, risking their lives for fish.

For food.

For sustenance.

Some will go down, others will go bust, and yet others will make serious amounts of cash.

the first fish off will be valuable.

20/40's are likely to start out in the high 10's for H&G right out of the box.

The market will be completely unstable for the next couple of weeks until the truck loads start showing up.

Trucks driving straight through from the gulf ports down the Al-Can. Heavy haulers with that extra axle and those burly "cattle" guards on the front. Filthy from the road conditions with wild eyed drivers behind the wheel.

Millions of pounds of fish will be landed this season and prices will remain high.

All of this....so that people will have halibut to eat.

But it is more than that.

It is livelihood.

It is the economic wheels turning.

Money goes everywhere.

Fishing. Transportation. Processing. Distribution. Food service. Retail. Tourism.

At 11:00 this morning a guy I have known for many years walked by and simply said "13 hours".

I knew exactly what he was saying.

This crap gets me off.

The smell of clean, fresh fish. The firmness of the flesh.

Halibut season is here.

And that means that the Oregon shrimp season is close behind.

And that means the warmer days are almost here.

Smaller, manageable surf.

Eighty degree days on the beach. Cooler of beer on the tailgate. Maybe some friends to help move them along. sun on my skin.

Copper River season. Trolls. Net Kings. Sockeyes. Chums.

Thousands and thousands of fish.

And it all keeps spinning.

It all keeps spinning.

So I say a prayer tonight that the Lord will watch over the men and women that are at this moment risking their lives to play their part in the great cycle of the fish world.

[redalert]

enjoyed that

nice bit of scribbling Wilbur

Something to be said for being knee deep in the job,
the big flow youve got no control of,
yet aware of the whole picture.
Aware of the satisfaction you take away from it, as well as all the grief.
Clarity.

You sir, may not be able to think your self into surfing,
but a good surf can make your thinking more clear.

that stokes

[FP]

Wales just sealed the Triple Crown!!!!!!!!!

Now on to the Grand Slam after we defeat France.

[wetchicken]

saturday in town with my wife buying various supplies, among them:

-2 seven foot pieces of 1 1/2 x 4" trim with a slight concave bevel (just enough room for a screw head) on one side, flat on the other
-7 four foot 1"cal dowels cut into 14 two foot lengths
-5 pieces of 6 foot foam insulation cut into 14 two foot lengths
-a box of 3 1/2 screws

about 50 bucks

pulled out the chop saw, power drill, bits, measuring tape, scissors, level, a handful of fender washers and a sharpie

saturday night in the carport putting it all together...

[Spider]

the clash on opb on saturday night.

[brdsurf]

The Cure live in Stockholm in February then dinner at one of the worlds better restaurants and getting comped about half the meal. Still a bit buzzing after that. One of the better nights I have ever had.
Now, stoked for two days free... havent had one since the before mentioned evening. Maybe a quick hit trip to Canaries in a couple weeks. Deals are good right now, hotel, airfare for about $400 from here for 2 weeks....Has my sous chef learned enough for me to be away though....

[redalert]

saturday in town with my wife buying various supplies, among them:

-2 seven foot pieces of 1 1/2 x 4" trim with a slight concave bevel (just enough room for a screw head) on one side, flat on the other
-7 four foot 1"cal dowels cut into 14 two foot lengths
-5 pieces of 6 foot foam insulation cut into 14 two foot lengths
-a box of 3 1/2 screws

about 50 bucks

pulled out the chop saw, power drill, bits, measuring tape, scissors, level, a handful of fender washers and a sharpie

saturday night in the carport putting it all together...

What is it you are building. Some kind of two foot high, insulated chickenhouse?

[speelyei]

my guess is some kind of board rack

[FP]

Pretty stoked on Rock and Rolls right now. Trying to sack up to proper vert rocks, unless I get side-tracked by surfing.

[smithgrind]

Copping an old man lower back strain, hitting the bench feeling like a relic, then saying F*CK IT and skating through the pain.

Worked on a few tricks I've never bothered with since I was a punk kid and found a shot of youth to counter the nagging truth.

[FP]

Yeah, what's up with trying to ollie out of vert after putting your back out?

[Spider]

teaching my dog to run alongside the bike. (and pray for the squirrels to stay away!)

[grizldoldfk]

unfortunate knee injury keeps me home with the kids. backyard fire. good quality time. gorgeous day (knowing my friends are scoring) and a little motorcycle chopping to boot. ibuprofren and this is the good life.