Ice-fishing Fernan

Alright, so I went out ice-fishing this morning.

Managed to catch the tail end of the bite (pardon the pun) and then just sat there and got cold for a couple more hours. I pulled in six perch, two of which I put back...due to the size. I think the second small one might have been the first small one I put back...can't be sure, but it sure looked the same!

The bummer with perch is that when they look big, once cleaned and dealt with, they don't give you much to eat. So, it'll be a "light" dinner of fish..probably followed by another dinner. But I'm not complaining.

So I tried to think about how ice-fishing was like life. It's true, you try different techniques and use what works...modifying appropriately. However, there is a point that you just feel like trying something new. This translates in a new hole (maybe there's better fishing THERE), different lures (maybe this will work better), and then the experiments (I'm just going to try THIS technique at a different depth). Equate life with ice-fishing as much as you want. All I found is that ice-fishing is cold and that's pretty much all there is to it. Yes, you have time to think and have a good time...but to compare it to life is a simple play with basic English class and interpretation. EVERYTHING could then be compared to life if looking at it like that. It was a basic thing I said yesterday and I am almost embarrassed about the statement...but not too much.

But, I was impressed with my new boots. They are rated at -100 degrees and they live up to their rating. So I sat there very comfortably in my nice boots and layers of wool. I had an interesting visitor. Okay, so you know when someone is staring at you from a distance and it makes you uncomfortable? Try that with a bird. Try having a seagull stare at you for over an hour from thirty yards (and closing). It was interested in the fish I had laying on the ice and was eyeballing me like you wouldn't believe. I thought about scaring it off, but was intrigued as to how courageous it would become. Not so much. It finally got tired of me and flew off to harass other fisherman. I actually had the thought of throwing it one of those small fish, just to be nice...but I figure that's considered "waste of game" and didn't.

The ice is bare of cover and has absolutely no traction; and I forgot my grippers for the boots. Consequently, I managed to eat it once because of a crack in the ice...one edge was sticking up more than the other and when I was going from one hole to another, my boot caught and I went DOWN. Embarrassed, but okay. Made me laugh at myself, so that's good.

So there really is no story here. But the fishing was good and I'm glad I got out. Got back to the truck on ahead of an approaching snowstorm and am now hunkered.

Life is good.

Alright..it's been awhile

Hey.

Remember me?

Yea, it's been busy here. For you all who don't know this is "NEPA season" which is a lot like "fire season" only inside a building. They have Pulaskis...we have computers. They have MREs in the ash, we have sandwiches eaten at the keyboard. They have deadlines dictated by the weather and fuels, we have deadlines dictated by the Ranger and fiscal year.

I was sequestered for the past three days reviewing an EA with my team. We pushed through it, while the rest of our other work piled up. I have at least five projects on my list...waiting for me. Holidays don't help government workers like you might think..they actually can dig into timelines and leave us with little time to get stuff done. Many members of our core team said they will be working at least PART of this weekend because of this coming holiday.

Not yours truly, however. I shall not get stuck, because I don't have to be. I seem to be able to give 120% when it's needed and can easily slip into 100% when it's "situation normal."

Otherwise, what have I been doing?

Since Christmas I have gone snowboarding twice. The second time was insane. I got to work at 0545 and left at 0800...taking 6 hours off last Friday because we received a TON of snow last week...and the gondola was closed on Thursday because of wind...so Friday showed me two feet of powder on EVERY RUN....ALL DAY! It was simply incredible. Powder turns until we were absolutely too tired to continue. We hiked and found more snow than others could ever dream of around here. We skied until our legs burned (seriously, we were so tired and sore we were falling down from exhaustion), we got a couple pilsners and rode the 20-minute gondola down to the truck, talked about the world, and headed home...perfect!

I have been in CDA lake a total of five times now this year. The first two were mine alone...and mine always. The second two were with a close friend...his first time(s). It's a funny story because I dared him the second time...we were standing down there dripping wet and I told him, "if you were a man you'd do it again." I got some resistance from him, so I jumped in again to prove the point. He HAD to follow suit! It's the way guys are I guess. Of course...the second time in within five minutes made us crazy-cold and both our fingers didn't function correctly for awhile. Something you can laugh about later I guess. Well, then we got into the beer downtown and were pretty proud of ourselves...so we "trolled" for someone to commit to jumping in the lake by walking down the sidewalk and asking people if they'd jump in! We finally found a guy with a group who was game (it was his girlfriend's birthday...I think he did it for her) and he and I jumped in (my buddy politely declined). Nicely, this fella bought us all a drink at the resort and we all danced there the rest of the night.

I am part of a trap league now, so we're shooting on Sundays. I shot like crap, as did most of the team (except for the newbie), last weekend. Hopefully, this Sunday shall go better. That's really all there is to say about that. No big group there at any one time. Just a place to shoot and get a score. Nothing like how my Dad shot in Kamiah where it was a big event. Kinda a bummer, but the positive is that it's small, local, and full of people just there committed to shooting, teams, and camaraderie.

Ice fishing is coming into it's own. I want to go get my new license(s) tomorrow so I can go out. The ice is finally good and I have a "hankering" for perch. Shoot, I just want to sit on the ice and be cold I think. There is something odd about ice-fisherman. I think it's the silence, the unknown, and the expectation of what MAY happen. It's like life condensed down into a simple man, a hope, and then a change (twitching rod tip). After that, you land a fish...deal with the excitement...adjust your technique appropriately to gain the advantage...then return to the game. Again and again. Ice-fishing can darn near be equated to life. Hmmm, that's an interesting thought. I'll try to think about that more while I'm out there this weekend.

Uh, other than the normal workday, bar-nights, cold weather, snow....then rain events, and random spats of entertainment...not too much else is really noteworthy.

I live and I make do. I always have a problem with winters...but the more time I spend in one place, the better time I have and the better I can deal with it. The relationships, the activities, the attitude all morph with time and create something that works for me. I have found friends, new hobbies, and patience in every place I reside.

What have you found this winter?

Just a hint:
Get outside as much as you can.

This is CDA...dusting?

I just went out to check the ice on Fernan Lake. What I was doing was to drive along the lake and see how many people were out on it...ONE. Not good enough for me.

On my way back I noticed a car parked in the opposite lane, running, with a dude in it looking like he had passed out. I backed up to him and pounded on his partially open window. No response. So I opened the door and jostled him awake. He had a can of "dust off" in his hand..the kind of thing that you use to clean your keyboard. It is a new type of "high" that kids are using. "Dusting" Here's an article:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8714725/

It came through our network a couple of weeks ago, and I'm glad I was able to recognize it. I stood there and the guy got more coherent as we talked. I asked him where he was headed...he mentioned a road on the OTHER side of town. At this time, our FS law enforcement guy just HAPPENED to be coming down the road, so I flagged him down. He took control of the situation. And called the Sheriff.

They were talking to each other and I went on point at the rear passenger side of this guy's vehicle...noticed him tucking ANOTHER can of this shit under his leg. I made him unlock the passenger side door and again gave him a verbal licking. "Dude, you are NOT accomplishing anything with this shit. You're in a heap of trouble right now. Act right!" I gave this second container to law enforcement.

I talked to the fella. I asked him about ice fishing and why his car was all beat up. Trying to keep him in place, then FS law took over...then the sheriff took over. I gave them my info and took off. "You can stay if you want" they said. Nah.

The guy had a serious history. It's good I found him on this icy road. I couldn't STAND on this road without sliding around. He was driving on it FUBAR.

Makes me wonder about what I have gotten myself into here. Just last year I was canoeing on Fernan lake and had kids try to break into my truck. (I saw them do it and was paddling like a madman to confront them.)

It is not the life I grew up knowing and it all makes me very paranoid.

Just a thought

I wanted to give everyone an opportunity to read something I believe in. Now, I know this is hard, but it is definitely worth a look. Even if you are adamantly opposed, at least give the other side a gander and THEN respond. I appreciate any and all comments on this one...

http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.Blogs&ContentRecord_id=f80a6386-802a-23ad-40c8-3c63dc2d02cb

This is from the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Read the complete report if you have time to peruse 128 pages (there is a link at the top.)

It speaks of what I believe and have believed since the "global warming scare" began and became a keyword. Anyone in a science field realizes that all populations and events happen in a sinusoidal pattern. A steady state if you will...the trouble is...our concept of TIME and SCALE is nonequivalent to what we are trying to study...ie) our climate.

Ask your local weatherman what the exact temperature will be in three days. Then hold him to it. If the maximum temperature is not reached or exceeded...ask WHY. WHY wasn't he perfectly correct? How many times have each of you blamed the weatherman for something that did or didn't happen? I've done it. I still do it.

Models.

Models are an ESTIMATE...and the formulas and assumptions that are put into them make for different outcomes. I have recently been asked to judge an assumption based on GIS and remote sensing that some large government agencies have proposed to base some serious decisions on. I look at their data and the writeup on their methodology and can find NO WAY to support it. The myriad of factors that go into predicting what they are trying to make decisions based on are grossly underlooked or shall I say it; completely ignored. It makes me ashamed to even be dealing with the issue. It has something to do with temperature of a "state of matter"...so anyone reading this has at least an idea of what I'm talking about. I shall not go into any details as I don't know the impacts just yet. It is NOT about climate.

I have read reports and documents that proponents of "global warming" have put out. I have NOT read Al's book...nor seen the movie...because I'm not sure of his scientific background or understanding of said science. I don't know what he may have been TOLD and/or what he BELIEVES in to base my distrust on. But what I have done is to look at both sides of scientific papers....not hearsay.

I cannot base what little I know of climate on what I hear in the news or in papers. Yes, the proponents of "global warming" could have errors in there papers. And yes, the people that speak against it may have errors in what they are saying, but why trust what mass media sells you? If you really want to argue an issue, I think all sides should be considered and all reports and documents should be reviewed. THEN form your opinion.

Emotions are different than science, and our knowledge evolves continually.

Just a disclaimer though...I also view this "scare" as a catalyst that will encourage development and support of science that creates other forms of energy. Perhaps these new forms of energy will foster another "scare" or movement that tries to change it...it all seems to in the past. As it is...technology is moving fast and I think energy can move along with it. I think we are going to be immersed in a new world at some point here...BECAUSE of this whole thing. And I'll embrace that as long as people at least recognize the facts behind it all, and aren't led by the Piper into assumed thoughts and beliefs.

Google "nanotechnology" if you want or need examples of where we are certainly headed.