Darkness Falls

The other night, Lithus and I turned off the lights about three a.m. ~ and it was dark. Really dark. Nighttime dark. For the first time in months. As it turned out, there was a major weather system overhead and the clouds were thick enough to block all the light. Every night since, we've been back to the dusky, not dark but not light to which we have become accustomed. Still...it was dark. Part of me is grateful. Part of me, I'm surprised to say, found it disquieting. All of me continues to be amused at the very fact that a dark three a.m. was even notable. Winter's coming. And it's gonna be dark.

Summer in Alaska

Before moving here, whenever I thought of Alaska, I thought of the glorious icescapes and snow covered mountains. Those things are here. Absolutely. But there is also another side to this country.

It's verdant and green (and red and purple). I'm a bit amazed, honestly, at how quickly everything grows here. There's a savageness about the flora, as if each blade, weed, flower and twig realizes it has just so long before the snow flies again and once it does, it flies long and hard and deep.

 Gate E, June 19th











                                                                                            Gate E, July 16th

More than Helicopters

The Ducks.
Super Scoopers (or, as I have always seen it in my head Sooper Scoopers)
The CL-215.

I love this aircraft. In fact, I think since the Concorde is no longer flying, this is probably my favorite fixed-wing aircraft. (Yes, if there was any question, the fact that I do indeed have a favorite fixed-wing aircraft ~ and the implication therein that I have a favorite rotor aircraft ~ should solidify once and for all my awesome level of goobieness. Which is now a word. And my suitability for a life as a gypsy. Or pilot groupie, whichever you prefer.)

I wish there was some way to capture the elegance of these aircraft. On the ground, they just look like the boxy warhorses they are. But in the air...Man, they're beautiful. And the fact that they harken back to the romance of WWII or African explorers doesn't hurt.

Fourth of July Randomness

In light of the holiday, I thought I would spend a little time outside today. Enjoy summer. All that happy crap. So, I grabbed my camera and out I went. Sadly, I still haven't gotten close enough to the porcupine to capture him on film/digital/whatever it is in my camera now. Here's what I did get:

Really beautiful, fake looking clouds. And a mysterious looking ball thingy. Given that we are on a decommissioned Air Force base and it is so obviously not Epcot, I can't help but wonder what is/once was hidden in there.

The coolest birdhouse ever. Complete with denizen.

This...metal...wire...thing...attached to the fire hydrant. I got nothing here, people. Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome.

And my personal favorite. Can't quite see it? Here:

Kinda makes you want to get on that bus and ride, just to see where you end up, doesn't it?

"See You In a Bit..."

Earlier this week, Lithus had two days off. His schedule is he works for 12 days, then gets 2 off. By Monday night, we were in Fairbanks (never underestimate the joy of really, really clean sheets, a bathroom you don't have to share, or a tub). By Thursday, we were heading back to Galena. The BLM had him back here by about 11:30. By noon, he was back up in the air, taking a crew out to the tundra for a fire. While he wasn't 100% sure he'd get back that evening, they were confident enough he would that his mechanic was told to stay here.

It's now 17:00 on Saturday and I haven't seen him since. Before anyone asks, no, I'm not the least bit worried about him. Here in Alaska, flight crew checks in with dispatch via radio or satellite phone every 30 minutes. The place is too big and things can go too bad too quickly. So, I know he's fine. It's a small base. Word would've gotten around. Nope, he's just stuck on the fire, out in the tundra.

                                                                                    
Today, the mechanic insisted that either a) Lithus and the aircraft come back to Galena or b) the mechanic be flown up to the aircraft. There is, after all, a reason each helicopter travels with its own mechanic. The BLM has sent the mechanic to the tundra, the helicopter, and Lithus. This doesn't bode well for a return this evening. Or tomorrow evening, for that matter.

It did, however, give me a chance to put together a care package:

• toilet paper (shit tickets, as it's called in the field)
• bug spray (bug dope)
• nicotine lozenges (he's quitting smoking and they frown on pilots committing homicide)
• toothpaste
• a change of clothes
• a book
• allergy meds                                                        
• alcohol wipes
• snacks                                                        
• baby powder                                              
• love letter                                                                          

The only thing I couldn't figure out how to get to him was booze. We have rum. We even have an empty mouthwash bottle, so I thought about the old military trick of putting the booze in the mouthwash. Unfortunately, we only have spiced (brown) rum and the mouthwash was mint. Even if I had rinsed the bottle well, I don't think anyone would believe brown mint mouthwash. Ah well. Still, for my first Alaskan tundra care package, on very short notice, I think I did okay. I'll let you know what he says. Whenever I see him again to ask. 


Note: the photo is of Dave, our mechanic, with the care package under his bag in the basket.

Of Porcupines and Other Stuff

The other day, I was informed by our mechanic that there was a porcupine "out back" and did I want to see it. Oh hell yes.  This is where it got interesting.

First, I admit it; I was expecting to see something like this:

Instead, I saw something like this:

(Ed. note ~ this is not my porcupine, nor is it my photograph. Thanks to whomever took it.)

And "out back" was down here:

Can you tell that there's a hill ~ a tree-y, weed-y, rock-y hill ~ before you get to the bottom flat-for-Alaska part where the porcupine was reported to be? Well there is.

Plus, by this time, said porcupine was poofed out and pointy because of the bipedal interlopers wanting his picture when, really, he was just enjoying an early evening perambulation. So, I decided to stay where I was, enjoying looking at him, and not worry about getting close enough for a picture.

But I did find flowers:

And moose poop:

So, it wasn't a total photographic loss. Because seriously...moose poop.