My last run into town...

[reuben_j_cogburn]

We are expecting a big warm up coming, so I am making my last run to town for gas and a few other things....
I will not really be able to communicate very well until I return to town this summer...
So I thought I'd post a few pics of the route...


This is an old trappers line cabin about 1.5 miles from my cabin, and near my line... It is about 4x6' and just tall enough to crawl into. There is an old rusted out yukon stove inside as well as a few pots and pans... The pic shows just the peak of the gable end and the moss roof...

A shot of Denali from one of the six swamps I have to cross.. This is the easiest travelling.. All the rest is through the woods, and alders until I get to the river..

I often have to wait until one or more of these move off the trail.... Today was no exception when I came over a small hill to be surprised by a cow and calf bedded down next to my trail.... They jumped up and moved off, and I really was to close to them to stop or manoeuvre so I just hit the gas and kept going...

I stopped to take a pic on the river.... It was even colder than it looked! I rarely see anyone on the river at first light... Not many early birds up here...

This pic is the first time I ran the river this winter... It was Dec 18th... Note the chainsaw that was required to cut deadfall out of the way, to get to the river as there was not enough snow to just drive over them.... The next day I made my first freight run of the season... The earliest I've ever run the river..

This is a pic of the Alaska range, taken from a scenic overlook, After I leave the river, near town, I head to the hills to drop my machine, and sled at a friends house, while I go grab my supplies... I do not keep a vehicle on the road year round... It is just to expensive. So I have a friend drive me once I get back on the road system...

I probably won't be leaving the homestead until June this year.... But if the river holds together I may run in.. otherwise .. ciao...

 

[hittman]

Thanks for the update and beautiful pictures!

 

[pruger45]

Good luck RJC!

 

[Taterman]

Great pics, thanks for posting them. Looks beautiful up there.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

We "live the life" thru you. Take care, Sir.

:)

 

[Kevin]

Thanks for the pictures! Good luck.

 

[T.A. WORKMAN]

Stay Safe!
Enjoy your posts,,have a good spring and summer.
Terry

 

[graygun]

Thanks for posting. What happened to your van ?

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

Great pictures. I miss seeing Denali. Looking forward to it in August.

 

[45Colt_Man]

We had a helicopter contract base out of Talkeetna thirty some years ago. Can't remember the name of the guy that ran the country stoore at the time. Heck of a nice guy. One of my mechanics was stationed there and we over to see if we could borrow a boat motor to go fishing with. Owner graciously obliged and said fuel leaks so the valve is turned off. My buddy gets the motor drives out and carries the motor through the water to attach to boat. He spends twenty minutes trying to get motor started, grabs a T-post and paddles back to where we were exhausted. I said "Frank did you turn on the gas valve" received a dumb look, he turned on the gas valve and motor started on first pull. I miss so many things from my 25 years in Alaska, but not the winters.
God Bless Reuben enjoy your time there.

 

[golferboy426]

your posts are SO appreciated Stay safe, warm & well fed

 

[WendyZXZ]

Those are great pictures, stay safe and warm, good luck!

 

[turd]

Just a ?, but are there any women up there? What do you do for months at a time.............

 

[jimbo1096]

Be safe RJC. It take a tough man to live up there and even a tougher woman. Enjoy you time in town and keep a safe trail back to the homestead and for God's sake don't fall in the river! What are you carrying for protection while out on the trail?
Interested readers want to know!

 

[don44]

Thanks for the post and pics.... Very much appreciated!

 

[4kdave]

GREAT pics. Ruben, thanks for posting and keep us posted on your Summer activities.

 

[reuben_j_cogburn]

Well..........
It wasn't my last trip to town. I could not fit a few items on my freight sled... due more to bulk, than weight. So I make another run...
Not a full fledged run.. just a quick turn-n-burn from my friend Jeff's place... that just leaves the trip where I swap my Polaris widetrack (in pics above), for my second machine.. a 91' arctic cat, Jag long track. The Polaris needs some attention.
But since the Polaris is the workhorse, I need it at the homestead until the last minute, I will hold off as late as I think I can...
I hauled another 25 gallons of gas in the last run, so I'm hoping that I will have about 35 left over for next fall. That way I won't have to haul so much up in september.

Since I won't be around much until I return to town sometime late may or early june, I trust those of you who have put up with me all these years to fill in the blanks to any questions posted.... as I may only have a few chances to log on...
Technically I have my phone, but really hate the thing....

I will try and address a few posts...

Graygun:About my van... I finally found a parts blazer, which will provide a new engine and other parts... she has been sitting since the flood.... no cash to get her going...
I would have gotten to it last summer, but building a new freight sled, and rebuilding one of my atv's was more important to me...
P!us there will be a lot of other issues with it as well, I'm sure!

Turd: women?? Well..... there are women in town.... if you like deadlocks, tiedye, and minimal hygiene......
If you think I'm joking ask gramps...... :wink:
There is tons to do.... while I still have firm snow I have to haul firewood and locate, cut and haul cabin logs and poles.
Now that trapping season is over I have time for coyote hunting... or sitting....
There are the other chores... hauling water, splitting wood, harvesting chaga..... Once the snow rots I will be pretty effectively stuck in the yard.... Then I start repairing the things I broke last winter... 2 pair of snowshoes, and a lot of other stuff. And I will be building cubby's for wolverine and lynx... chainsaw holders for my snowmobiles and atv's....(see pic in o.p)
No shortage of stuff to do...
Then... if I am here when the bears wake up... and before the ferns and other foliage pop out.. I will try and scrounge up a bear...

Eventually, it will all come down to heading down to the river to meet Rhett, who will run me down river back to the road system..... where I will toil in misery until I can sneak back home to be bloodlet by mosquito's for a week or two....

Jimbo: I fell in the river just the other day! I was heading in, on a run and encountered a LOT of overflow at the gaging station. I could see a few machines had roared through..... probably when it was mostly just slush...
but it was glazed over and frozen ice that morning. I pulled up short and walked it first... There was no danger in drowning... just getting stuck.... which is a major pain. I could hear water running and it was obvious the ice was still to thin.... (I grew up ice fishing so am familiar with ice .... moving water just complicates it a bit)....
As I was turning around to head back my right foot broke through to the original ice below... which was, coincidentally, just over the top of my boot..... :cry:
I went back up river, to a side trail through the woods and back onto the river... a two mile detour for a 50yd patch of water....
Now most know that you can't just jump off the river anywhere... you need a good sloped bank. Fortunately there was one, and someone had the foresight to break trail early on for such an event.
I was very near town, and it was faster to continue on.. I wasn't seriously wet, and the temps were mild... so changing out boots wasn't required. But I am going to reseal my mukluks!

So that's about it.... I had better get going.... I gotta refill the woodbox when I get back, then maybe run in a load of firewood.......
It is a rough monotonous ride, so I better get it done....

Ciao y'all.....

 

[gramps]

Be safe RJC. It take a tough man to live up there and even a tougher woman. Enjoy you time in town and keep a safe trail back to the homestead and for God's sake don't fall in the river! What are you carrying for protection while out on the trail?
Interested readers want to know!

Reuben didn't answer your question here, so I found your answer where he was discussing his gun.http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=243763&p=2447973#p2447973
gramps
Ps be careful my friend. The only time I was in Talkeetna, I had my wife ( now ex wife :shock: ) with me. Yep, as a nurse in the ER the wimmen were as described. :roll: