Backwards posts

So I seem to always forget how to post these pics and the order ends up backwards.............. So read in reverse....... Oh and here is a picture of Rachel's Kayak that she built! That's MY sister!

Having a go as a lookout

I thought well I was up there I would try to see what it was like to be a lookout. I looked hard but was unable to locate any smokes.  Phil, the actual lookout allowed us to check the place out, showing us unparalleled hospitality. Thanks again Phil for a great time. I  some of the things I love doing when I'm home, I played a few games of cribbage (lost all of them) listened to Red Sox baseball, and enjoyed some good company. It was a great evening at Hillsborough Peak lookout.

A nice and easy fire

It was not the most difficult fire I have ever been on but sometimes that is just great. The altitude was hard on the lungs, but it was a great fire to warm up with. I know know the things I need to bring (I seem to forget after each season) I set up my hammock right near the lookout and had an amazing view of the forest. I climbed the lookout and took in the views, caught the sunset, and was just real lucky to be able to be out there. 

Possibly the best fire I will ever get to jump...

I jumped a fire with Dawson my jump partner on Friday. It was an amazing jump at 10, 000 ft right at the Hillsboro lookout tower in the Gila Wilderness. 

A new base.....A new plane

We have a plane that I have never jumped out of before, they call it the "Doug" It's a DC-3 and it's pretty neat. It is like being in an Indiana Jones movie or something. It is also know to give most folks on board a sick to there stomach feeling which leads to barfing inside the hot plane either into your suit or hopefully into a barf bag. Rumor has it last yea a jumper was in the door ready to jump and threw up through his face mask as he went out.... Will that be me?? I sure hope not. Anyway, here is the "Doug" out on the ramp as some storms rolled through. It sure is a nice looking plane with the new shiny paint job.

New Mexico or bust

The Forest service sets up a jump base down in Silver city, New Mexico every year to jump the Gila National forest as well as Arizona. The BLM (Alaska, and Boise) only send two jumpers a year to the southwest to be Gila Smokejumpers. I was lucky enough to pull my name out of a hat and get on the jump list near the top.  The choice went down the list and I had the chance so I went. I wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do being that I'm still new to Alaska, but the opportunity to come down here may never come again. I'm In silver City now, the base, the people, the town are all pretty neat. I like the desert and hopefully Ill get to jump the Gila wilderness a few times. Here are some pictures of the new digs.

Carpenters boat shop

I received a letter from the Boat shop in Pemiquid, Maine accepting me into the program for the entire off season. I will be living there learning to build wooden boats and working on other carpentry skills. I am excited to join this community and pick up some great skills. 

Yeager's cabin

Our crew supervisor is building a cabin out of rough logs. I was fortunate enough to get out and lend a hand one day. It is crazy the process he goes through building this huge place. Here are some pictures of the cabin being built.

Refresher training

Back in Fairbanks, back to work, ready for another fun season.  It was great to be back at work and back into the swing of things at the base. we had a two week refresher, jumping six times in the snow, it was a great time. That first jump always gets your palms sweating but it was just like riding a bike after that one was out of the way. It's back to making hay so I can put some money into the house and enjoy another winter.

The volcano blows

Mt Redoubt, across the inlet erupted while I was in Homer. As The dogs and I walked down the beach I looked up, coffee in hand to see the ash plume.  Homer looked prehistoric this morning, Eagles all over the beach, dogs playing, the eruption, Just waiting for the dinosaurs to show up.  

A few days In homer with Rachel

The transition back to Alaska was much better this year being that rookie training and 5 weeks of agony was not on the horizon. It was great to be back in Homer and and back in Alaska. Rachel lives at Ben's place now which is an incredible house he built with friends overlooking the bay and town. It is really an amazing place to wake up in the morning. Rachel and Ben are crazy busy people so It was a good time for me to wind down and adjust for the next six months.  It was real hard to say good by to Shaemus, we have spent pretty much every waking hour together for the past six months. Thankfully he now lives with two other great dogs and is going to be just fine. Anyway, it was great to see Rachel and meet Ben and some of there friends, I look forward to getting down there again this summer

Back to Alaska

Leaving Maine was tough for sure, leaving the new house, passing Shaemus off to Rachel, just as we were getting settled. This crazy seasonal schedule is wonderful though. I never seem to be in one place long enough for it to get stale. Shaemus did not want to go on the plane again, I thought he may have forgotten about the crate by now but he knew exactly what it meant. I was throwing treats into the crate at Mom's house and he wouldn't go in to get it, I was amazed, he loves food in a major way. We made the trip and he didn't have any problems, another dog was in a crate next to him on the flight so at least he had someone to talk to.  I'm pretty sure I heard him Shaemus whisper under his breath as this picture was taken, "Seriously?"

St. patty's day 5 k

Weekend with some friends

Sarah and Pip came up from York, we had a beautiful weekend eating good food, hiking around and running a road race in town.  It was my last weekend more or less at the house so it was good to spend it with some fun people. 

Getting our paint on

Lauren came over to help me throw some paint down on her future residence. We managed to get one of the ship bed rooms pretty well done. We had a good time for sure, and after a couple beers, and some good food, it came out alright. I have some real trouble choosing paint colors but finally had to throw caution to the wind and pick something. No pictures of the finished product but they will come once I get the trim completely done.

Nina visits

Nina came up to visit from NYC, as always we had a crazy good time. We went tubing up at the snow bowl, rocked out in Rockland, made and ate some real good food. I had the pleasure of eating at her Aunts house on Valentines day, her husband is an amazing chef and made some of the best food I have had in a long while.  She didn't need to be coaxed into the fur coat, it looked as though she had been wearing it around NYC for years. 

Carpenter's boat shop

I have been real interested in building wooden boats for a while now. I have really wanted to improve my carpentry skills and learn the trade. A jumper I work with in Alaska worked as an apprentice at the boat shop in the 80's and spoke very highly of it. It is located in Bristol, Maine. They basically have a completely free program in which they teach wooden boat building, furniture building, while living communally eating local food and actively participating in helping the community. It is really an amazing place, I spent three days there working with them immersed in the community in order to apply for the fall of 09'. Hopefully I will get accepted and I will be living in Bristol, coming home on the weekends to work on the house. If anyone is looking to donate money or help an organization, I think this is a wonderful place to do so.  www.carpentersboatshop.org

Mom comes to visit

Mom came up to visit with her friend Lauri (hopefully spelled correctly)  though they only came up for one night, they were able to hit up the Farnsworth museum, eat some good local fish, and even wear the fur coat. 

Shaemus

Shaemus is adjusting to the new house just fine. He likes to be upstairs in my room on his bed when were home, unless he senses me leaving in which point he will come part way down the stairs, and take a look to see if it is worth coming all the way down or not. It is borderline crazy because he thinks I'm leaving all to often. Oh I'm going to miss that crazy dog this summer.......

Some house pictures

Mom came up to visit and man was that a blessing. I can't emphasize enough what she helped me accomplish. Before she showed up I was chilling on Shaemus's dog bed eating cereal and reading at night. She came to my Rescue and together we transformed an empty space into a great chill house. I couldn't be happier, thanks Mom! Here are a few pics from the house. We also went to see a jazz concert that was great, new orleans style jazz, "The New Black Eagle Jazz Band" We had a great time and still didn't get to the Farnsworth museum...... Sorry :) (Ill go next time I really want to)

Tim comes to visit

Tim, and his nice girlfriend Ellen were able to come up from NH and see the new house, and experience Rockland. We had a good time venturing out on some of the amazing coastline that the area has to offer. We lucked out and had a warm weekend. Tim did some birding and Ellen and I did some relaxing, and Shaemus completely lost his mind which is always entertaining. 

Now that's what I call service!

Dad's truck died right next to the shack in a puddle of water. With temperatures plummeting and the day waning, anyone would be getting nervous maybe even a little panicky. Not Dad, cool as a cucumber, he called his trusty mechanics wife, and placed an order to have him come down. Within the hour Robert was out on the ice in the middle of the lake, hard at work on the truck in the driving wind. In no time he had it going and the problem was no longer. He is an animal, really talented, and impervious to the cold, working bare handed the entire time. I think Dad paid him with the nice fish he caught.. Crazy, only in Danforth......

Watch out for that hole!

With the bite on, one barely has the time to drink a beer, or cook a hot dog, never mind remember the 4 inch deep water gushing out of a miss-drilled hole just outside the shack. This was truly a mess but what can you do? I have drilled many holes next to a shack with no problem so there was no reason this one would be different. Well, this one was an exception,  it created a semi frozen pond the width of a road and it would not freeze due to the constant flow of water coming out of the hole.  It was almost forgotten all together until one man returned from his trap's to the shack. In a blink of an eye, a leg was completely submerged and a boot full of water and Matt was trying not to turn into a pencil and disappear under the ice forever, or at least until spring thaw.  It was a small dark spot on what was to be great fishing, a new boot and some razzing we were all having a good time. Here is a look at those treacherous holes, and the aftermath. Looking back Sheehan, that wasn't so bad right?

Ice Fishing

Before I closed on the house, I was lucky enough to have Matt, his buddy travis come up for a weekend of fishing out on East Grand. The all mighty JL made his presence felt, coming up for the weekend pulling up some nice fish, and entertaining us all. Dad even got a chance to get away and put a few traps in the water. Good thing he did, look at that laker! It was quite a weekend, We had some cold weather and endured a gigantic pool of water that nearly surrounded the shack, making for a treacherous passage to and from the shack. Despite everyone being heads up throughout the day,the hole managed to take a prisoner........