Just following up so this blog will not be deleted. Kirkland will be entering 7th grade on Tuesday, while Kaylee will be venturing into the 4th and Kaci will be spending yet another year with my parents. She should start K-4 next year as she turns 3 this December.
The summer we spent in Alaska is talked about so often and we often dream of yet another summer in the "last frontier". Personally, I really miss the summer league, the guys and the Becks. It was one of,m if not the best, summers I have ever had. Hopefully, we will find a way to spend another great two months in Alaska soon.
Until next time...................
Friday, September 2, 2011
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Wow, two whole years.............
Well, it's been two years since we traveled with Athletes in Action and I often find myself asking where has all the time gone.
Things have definitely changed........let's see........Tammy has changed jobs and now works at Pickens Savings & Loan. She loves having her nights and weekends off. She didn't miss any of Kaylee's volleyball games or any of Kirk's baseball games due to work. Kirkland will be entering middle school in the fall, scary and exciting all in one. Kaylee has started playing volleyball and will be entering 3rd grade next year. Kaci, well, let's just say she keeps us all on our toes. She enjoyed our summer in Alaska via Tammy's tummy, but I have promised her often that she will get the same experience we did that summer of 2008.
Not sure who, if anyone, will be reading this blog update. Just wanted to throw some quick updates out there so it will stay active and not be deleted.
Things have definitely changed........let's see........Tammy has changed jobs and now works at Pickens Savings & Loan. She loves having her nights and weekends off. She didn't miss any of Kaylee's volleyball games or any of Kirk's baseball games due to work. Kirkland will be entering middle school in the fall, scary and exciting all in one. Kaylee has started playing volleyball and will be entering 3rd grade next year. Kaci, well, let's just say she keeps us all on our toes. She enjoyed our summer in Alaska via Tammy's tummy, but I have promised her often that she will get the same experience we did that summer of 2008.
Not sure who, if anyone, will be reading this blog update. Just wanted to throw some quick updates out there so it will stay active and not be deleted.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
November 15 and then some....
Hard to believe it has been 3.5 months since we left Alaska/California. The time has flown by and things have changed.
Tammy is now only 3.5 weeks(something about 3.5, huh) away from delivery of Kaci Lee and we are all excited. Her new room, ur corner, is almost done. Yes, our new little girl will not have her own room, instead she will have her own corner of our room. You see our little 2 bedroom, plus Kirkland's closed in porch that makes 3 bedrooms, is way too small now. Our house is up for sale, any takers(124 Poinsett Ave, 29671) just email or comment on the blog.
The time has changed here in SC and so darkness is upon us as soon as 5pm now. I can only imagine how our friends up in Alaska feel with darkness closing in on them virtually all day. I get depressed when the time changes here and it gets dark so early, no way I could live up there in the winter. All though a few days in the snow would be fun!
Yes, we did see Sarah Palin while in Alaska, although I must admit she was known as only the Governor of Alaska on July 4 when we heard her speak in Fairbanks. Too bad we did not know what the future would hold or otherwise I would have listened and not strolled around the park to find the worse tasting Caribou sandwich I have ever eaten.
I miss a'lot of Alaska and our family talks about our adventure often. We also miss the Becks and the times we shared with them.
I keep up with a'lot of the players, staff and families through Facebook and have enjoyed continuing the friendships that were created in what seems like a land so far away.
Well, enough for now...plus, I don't think anyone will actually read this since I stopped blogging back in August. I caught the "bug" to blog one more time when Travis sent me his uncompleted blog of his trip to visit with us.
Oh well, should you read this check back soon for some photos and videos that I will add later.
Tammy is now only 3.5 weeks(something about 3.5, huh) away from delivery of Kaci Lee and we are all excited. Her new room, ur corner, is almost done. Yes, our new little girl will not have her own room, instead she will have her own corner of our room. You see our little 2 bedroom, plus Kirkland's closed in porch that makes 3 bedrooms, is way too small now. Our house is up for sale, any takers(124 Poinsett Ave, 29671) just email or comment on the blog.
The time has changed here in SC and so darkness is upon us as soon as 5pm now. I can only imagine how our friends up in Alaska feel with darkness closing in on them virtually all day. I get depressed when the time changes here and it gets dark so early, no way I could live up there in the winter. All though a few days in the snow would be fun!
Yes, we did see Sarah Palin while in Alaska, although I must admit she was known as only the Governor of Alaska on July 4 when we heard her speak in Fairbanks. Too bad we did not know what the future would hold or otherwise I would have listened and not strolled around the park to find the worse tasting Caribou sandwich I have ever eaten.
I miss a'lot of Alaska and our family talks about our adventure often. We also miss the Becks and the times we shared with them.
I keep up with a'lot of the players, staff and families through Facebook and have enjoyed continuing the friendships that were created in what seems like a land so far away.
Well, enough for now...plus, I don't think anyone will actually read this since I stopped blogging back in August. I caught the "bug" to blog one more time when Travis sent me his uncompleted blog of his trip to visit with us.
Oh well, should you read this check back soon for some photos and videos that I will add later.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Mystery is over.....
Well, it took almost two months but the mystery is over. While at the Dodger game on August 3 we sat behind this guy that kept getting his photo taken with other fans......I talked with him throughout the game and he introduced himself as Bill.
He was a unique guy....rode his bike to the stadium, still had his bike helmet on until he sat in his seat, signed autographs, took photos with fans and even had a Cornell Bike Team shirt on. Very knowledgeable as well about the game and other things.
It was driving me crazy as we seemed to be the only people in the area that did not know who he was. In fact, as we were leaving the game this other fan came up to him and asked him to sign his ticket. The other man told Bill that "his son would not believe I had a chance to meet you".
Well, later that night and numerous days since then I have searched the internet trying to find out who "Bill" is..........no luck and I gave it up for never knowing who he really is until........
Travis(cousin) emails me last night and says he thinks he has figured out who Bill is. Travis sent me a link on Bill and I looked up the photos and BINGO!!!! We have a winner......Bill was(is) Bill Nye, the science guy.
Amazing, now I can rest.....
Check this link out for our photo of Bill Nye and what Travis had to go on:
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Sweet Tea!!!!
Our final stop was in Atlanta as we arrived at the airport around 10:15pm Monday night. A quick nap at the local Holiday Inn and we were back on the road Tuesday morning heading home.
The photo on the left shows our last meal on our trip. For those following along the way, you may remember our last meal prior to starting our trip back in June was at the Cheesecake Factory in Atlanta. This time we kept it simple and hit the local Chick-fil-A. It was no ordinary Chick-fil-A though, it was the original. The first one, established in 1946 in Hapeville, Georgia is located right near the Atlanta Airport. I would highly recommend a stop next time you are there. It is actually a Dwarf House original as well and features the "new" style Chick-fil-A, but still has the old, original style complete with menu style orders. I had grits, eggs and a huge slab of Chick-fil-A chicken. The biscuits were good as well, but the highlight was my big glass of pure southern sweet tea!!
We made it home to Poinsett Avenue around 3:00pm. We already miss our new friends from the Alaska trip, but it was good to be back home as well. Many thanks to our families as they made our trip back in even better with some home improvements, cleaning and food waiting on us. Dexter was a bit sluggish from the heat and the fact that he is now closing in on 80 in dog years. He soon warmed up and gave Kaylee a big sloppy kiss.
Kirkland was glad to be home and see everyone. He has even started scheduling his next fishing trip. Kaylee was real excited to be back and has enjoyed just "being home".
Tammy is recovering from the trip, she picked up a late head cold the last day of the trip and is resting. As for me, I am anxious to get started with the school year and the new season that awaits.
The trip was great for all of us. We met new people, experienced life in other parts of the world(even though Alaska is a state, it seems like a different world), and we were all challenged and stretched in different ways.
Who knows, we may soon end up back in Alaska or California one day.
A BIG thank you to all that have read, prayed, and followed our trip along the way. We could not have done it without you. I hope you have enjoyed the blog and I hope I provided a small insight to our summer. There is no way I could have accurately portrayed everything. It was that big of a summer and we enjoyed it.
This blog thing is contagious and who knows.....I may keep posting. Not that anyone would really have an interest, but check back soon for more updates. We do have kind of a big deal arriving in December and we are all excited about that. By the way, we are taking names at this time. Any suggestions....just send away.
Until next time..............................
The photo on the left shows our last meal on our trip. For those following along the way, you may remember our last meal prior to starting our trip back in June was at the Cheesecake Factory in Atlanta. This time we kept it simple and hit the local Chick-fil-A. It was no ordinary Chick-fil-A though, it was the original. The first one, established in 1946 in Hapeville, Georgia is located right near the Atlanta Airport. I would highly recommend a stop next time you are there. It is actually a Dwarf House original as well and features the "new" style Chick-fil-A, but still has the old, original style complete with menu style orders. I had grits, eggs and a huge slab of Chick-fil-A chicken. The biscuits were good as well, but the highlight was my big glass of pure southern sweet tea!!
We made it home to Poinsett Avenue around 3:00pm. We already miss our new friends from the Alaska trip, but it was good to be back home as well. Many thanks to our families as they made our trip back in even better with some home improvements, cleaning and food waiting on us. Dexter was a bit sluggish from the heat and the fact that he is now closing in on 80 in dog years. He soon warmed up and gave Kaylee a big sloppy kiss.
Kirkland was glad to be home and see everyone. He has even started scheduling his next fishing trip. Kaylee was real excited to be back and has enjoyed just "being home".
Tammy is recovering from the trip, she picked up a late head cold the last day of the trip and is resting. As for me, I am anxious to get started with the school year and the new season that awaits.
The trip was great for all of us. We met new people, experienced life in other parts of the world(even though Alaska is a state, it seems like a different world), and we were all challenged and stretched in different ways.
Who knows, we may soon end up back in Alaska or California one day.
A BIG thank you to all that have read, prayed, and followed our trip along the way. We could not have done it without you. I hope you have enjoyed the blog and I hope I provided a small insight to our summer. There is no way I could have accurately portrayed everything. It was that big of a summer and we enjoyed it.
This blog thing is contagious and who knows.....I may keep posting. Not that anyone would really have an interest, but check back soon for more updates. We do have kind of a big deal arriving in December and we are all excited about that. By the way, we are taking names at this time. Any suggestions....just send away.
Until next time..............................
Monday, August 4, 2008
LA.......
Today(Sunday) was an early game at Dodger Stadium. We grabbed a quick McD's breakfast and headed out to the 101 for the Dodgers/D-Backs.
Once we got to the field it was off to Autograph Alley to see some of the players I grew up watching. We met Bobby Castillo, Jerry Reuss, Bill Madlock, Kenny Landreaux, Mike Davis and Bob Welch. Once we were out in CF on the warning track I noticed Bob Welch sneaking a peak at his old stomping grounds. Kirkland and I hurried over and asked if we could get his photo. He was very nice to oblige and Kirk got his photo snapped with a former Rookie of the Year in Bob Welch.
The game was a good one, Dodgers won and we even saw Manny go yard, along with a double. Easy to say he is a fan favorite. I am still seeing how he fits in. So far so good, hitting about .700 in 15 or so at bats.
Well, it's off to bed now. We have one more night here in LA before we leave tomorrow(Monday) for our flight to Atlanta and then home on Tuesday.
I have uploaded a few more photos. Click here to view and check back soon for some more.
Once we got to the field it was off to Autograph Alley to see some of the players I grew up watching. We met Bobby Castillo, Jerry Reuss, Bill Madlock, Kenny Landreaux, Mike Davis and Bob Welch. Once we were out in CF on the warning track I noticed Bob Welch sneaking a peak at his old stomping grounds. Kirkland and I hurried over and asked if we could get his photo. He was very nice to oblige and Kirk got his photo snapped with a former Rookie of the Year in Bob Welch.
The game was a good one, Dodgers won and we even saw Manny go yard, along with a double. Easy to say he is a fan favorite. I am still seeing how he fits in. So far so good, hitting about .700 in 15 or so at bats.
Well, it's off to bed now. We have one more night here in LA before we leave tomorrow(Monday) for our flight to Atlanta and then home on Tuesday.
I have uploaded a few more photos. Click here to view and check back soon for some more.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
A Long Night.......
We finally made it..........to LA that is. After a very long day/night that started Friday morning at 11am and ended just around noon today(Saturday). It has been a long time since I have pulled an all-nighter, actually back in college finishing a final paper.
Kirkland, Kaylee and Tammy are actually taking a quick "power" nap right now as I type at 2:46pm local time. I am wired, after all, it has been an unbelievable two months and we are in Los Angeles right now and only minutes from Dodger Stadium. Actually, we are more like an hour or more away. We quickly learned you avoid the 405(San Diego Fwy) as much as possible.
After their quick nap we are going to drive down to Malibu, Santa Barbara and then thru Beverly Hills. Hopefully, some good photos will follow, although the smog is everything you have heard it was. Hardly a chance to take a good aerial or long range photo, way too much smog.
The flights were good, no turbulence at all. We left Anchorage early this morning(Saturday) at 1:55am and got in to San Fran around 7:30am. We picked up our bags and jetted back to the Southwestern terminal for a 9:10am flight to Los Angeles. Yes, it has been a long night. We spent six hours in the Anchorage airport because our bus driver had another last minute duty to fulfill. No worries, we all shared some good memories of a great summer.
It was tough seeing the guys take off in San Fran. I know some will stay in touch and I will perhaps even see some of them one day somewhere else across the country. They all left....back to Oregon, Texas, Penn., San Diego, Alabama, NC, Illinois, Louisiana, Tennessee, Florida and even Georgia. I wish them all the best this upcoming year and hope they stand tall in all that they learned and were challenged with this summer. Some left stronger in the Christian walk and one even left a brand new believer as of last week. The wins were few, but the memories, decisions and life lessons were numerous and will never fade.
I will try and update after our tour of LA tonight. Can't make any promises though. I am going to grab a quick "power" nap before we take off as well. Tonight will be a good sleep!
Quick note......the guys and Kirkland played the "dollar man" trick again in the airport. One guy actually dove for the dollar bill on the floor. Check some of the earlier posts to see the "dollar man" in action. I might link it next time, too sleepy now.
Kirkland, Kaylee and Tammy are actually taking a quick "power" nap right now as I type at 2:46pm local time. I am wired, after all, it has been an unbelievable two months and we are in Los Angeles right now and only minutes from Dodger Stadium. Actually, we are more like an hour or more away. We quickly learned you avoid the 405(San Diego Fwy) as much as possible.
After their quick nap we are going to drive down to Malibu, Santa Barbara and then thru Beverly Hills. Hopefully, some good photos will follow, although the smog is everything you have heard it was. Hardly a chance to take a good aerial or long range photo, way too much smog.
The flights were good, no turbulence at all. We left Anchorage early this morning(Saturday) at 1:55am and got in to San Fran around 7:30am. We picked up our bags and jetted back to the Southwestern terminal for a 9:10am flight to Los Angeles. Yes, it has been a long night. We spent six hours in the Anchorage airport because our bus driver had another last minute duty to fulfill. No worries, we all shared some good memories of a great summer.
It was tough seeing the guys take off in San Fran. I know some will stay in touch and I will perhaps even see some of them one day somewhere else across the country. They all left....back to Oregon, Texas, Penn., San Diego, Alabama, NC, Illinois, Louisiana, Tennessee, Florida and even Georgia. I wish them all the best this upcoming year and hope they stand tall in all that they learned and were challenged with this summer. Some left stronger in the Christian walk and one even left a brand new believer as of last week. The wins were few, but the memories, decisions and life lessons were numerous and will never fade.
I will try and update after our tour of LA tonight. Can't make any promises though. I am going to grab a quick "power" nap before we take off as well. Tonight will be a good sleep!
Quick note......the guys and Kirkland played the "dollar man" trick again in the airport. One guy actually dove for the dollar bill on the floor. Check some of the earlier posts to see the "dollar man" in action. I might link it next time, too sleepy now.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Last night in the last frontier..........
Wow, seems like just yesterday we were boarding the plane in Atlanta leaving for sunny California. Now we will be boarding our Alaska Airlines flight early Saturday morning at 1:30am leaving for San Francisco.
Time sure does fly when you are having fun and this has been a great trip.
Our last game(s) was scheduled for today(Thursday) but the trip would not be complete without another rainout and that is what we got tonight. The game we were tied with the league leading Pilots could not be finished and our last regular season game was cancelled as well. The Chena River, the one that runs thru Fairbanks, is actually coming out of the banks in some areas. The whole state, yes the whole state, is actually under a flood warning. We are living history here during the summer of 2008 in Alaska.
The next few days will be a whirlwind and I will try and update photos and the blog as often as possible. For those following our travel here goes:
**All times are local**
Friday 11am: Depart for Anchorage from Fairbanks via bus/vans
Friday 6pm: Arrive in Anchorage
Saturday 1:30am: Fly(Alaska Airlines) out of Anchorage to San Fran(Yes, we will be in the airport for close to 7hrs)
Saturday 7:30am: Arrive in San Fran
Saturday 9:10am: Fly(Southwest) our of San Fran to Los Angeles(LAX)
Saturday 10:40am: Arrive in LA
Saturday spend the rest of day sightseeing in LA, Malibu, Santa Barbara, etc.
Sunday 1:10pm: First pitch in Dodger Stadium!!
Sunday evening spent in Woodland Hills, CA
Monday 1:30pm: Fly out of LAX(Delta) to Atlanta arriving local time in ATL around 9:50pm
Monday night spent in Atl then drive back to SC on Tuesday morning
Tuesday/Wednesday will spent adjusting to hot, humid weather and darkness for the first time in two months.
Things we are looking forward to back home:
Seeing family, friends and Dexter
Secona
Homecooked meals
A dollar menu that is actually a dollar and not $1.75
Cheaper gas prices, $4.49 last fill-up
Clean water
Birds(there are very few birds here in Alaska, unless you count the mosquitoes)
Sweet Tea
No Alaska Glaze looks on people's faces
Friendly people that actually respond when you nod your head or say "hello"
Seeing the stars at night
Drew(Kirkland)
Golf(Giddy up Cupsters!!) Yes, I am in next week!!
Things we are not looking forward to back home:
95 degrees and 100% humidity
Thunderstorms(Kaylee)
Darkness(I know it's listed above as well, it will still be weird)
Our time here has been great. Now, we must carry on what we have learned. We have lived in and around some great people for the last two months. We have experienced so many different lifestyles. It really is amazing how parts of this country are so different.
Our challenge will now be to take what we have learned and model our lifestyle in that direction. The challenges will be tough and the future is always unknown.
Time sure does fly when you are having fun and this has been a great trip.
Our last game(s) was scheduled for today(Thursday) but the trip would not be complete without another rainout and that is what we got tonight. The game we were tied with the league leading Pilots could not be finished and our last regular season game was cancelled as well. The Chena River, the one that runs thru Fairbanks, is actually coming out of the banks in some areas. The whole state, yes the whole state, is actually under a flood warning. We are living history here during the summer of 2008 in Alaska.
The next few days will be a whirlwind and I will try and update photos and the blog as often as possible. For those following our travel here goes:
**All times are local**
Friday 11am: Depart for Anchorage from Fairbanks via bus/vans
Friday 6pm: Arrive in Anchorage
Saturday 1:30am: Fly(Alaska Airlines) out of Anchorage to San Fran(Yes, we will be in the airport for close to 7hrs)
Saturday 7:30am: Arrive in San Fran
Saturday 9:10am: Fly(Southwest) our of San Fran to Los Angeles(LAX)
Saturday 10:40am: Arrive in LA
Saturday spend the rest of day sightseeing in LA, Malibu, Santa Barbara, etc.
Sunday 1:10pm: First pitch in Dodger Stadium!!
Sunday evening spent in Woodland Hills, CA
Monday 1:30pm: Fly out of LAX(Delta) to Atlanta arriving local time in ATL around 9:50pm
Monday night spent in Atl then drive back to SC on Tuesday morning
Tuesday/Wednesday will spent adjusting to hot, humid weather and darkness for the first time in two months.
Things we are looking forward to back home:
Seeing family, friends and Dexter
Secona
Homecooked meals
A dollar menu that is actually a dollar and not $1.75
Cheaper gas prices, $4.49 last fill-up
Clean water
Birds(there are very few birds here in Alaska, unless you count the mosquitoes)
Sweet Tea
No Alaska Glaze looks on people's faces
Friendly people that actually respond when you nod your head or say "hello"
Seeing the stars at night
Drew(Kirkland)
Golf(Giddy up Cupsters!!) Yes, I am in next week!!
Things we are not looking forward to back home:
95 degrees and 100% humidity
Thunderstorms(Kaylee)
Darkness(I know it's listed above as well, it will still be weird)
Our time here has been great. Now, we must carry on what we have learned. We have lived in and around some great people for the last two months. We have experienced so many different lifestyles. It really is amazing how parts of this country are so different.
Our challenge will now be to take what we have learned and model our lifestyle in that direction. The challenges will be tough and the future is always unknown.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Rain, cold, flat tire....OIA
For those that have been keeping up with our trip this summer by reading this blog you have come to know two things:
OIA means "only in Alaska" AND it has rained almost every day this summer.
Well today was no exception. It rained, still is as a matter of fact, and it is cold AND we had a flat tire this evening. No worries......today was still a great day.
We had our final discipleship series today and it was a debriefing of sorts. The guys had an opportunity to share what they have learned and how they have grown this year in their walk with Christ. It was very refreshing to hear college student-athletes relay their thoughts about how their walk with Christ has been strengthened this summer.
We play a DH tomorrow at 5pm, provided the 100% chance of rain is inaccurate. It has become comical now, the rain that is. This has been a summer for the books.
Kirkland and I tried to fish this afternoon, however, the river has come to the banks and some flooding has even started in the interior. Very odd for this time of year. I do feel sorry for the locals. They thrive on their 2-3 months of summer. Construction is taking a beating as well due to the weather. They are talking about how this summer will be set them back for years.
Well, off to finish the The Shack. If anyone else has read it let me know, I would be anxious to hear your opinion of the book.
OIA means "only in Alaska" AND it has rained almost every day this summer.
Well today was no exception. It rained, still is as a matter of fact, and it is cold AND we had a flat tire this evening. No worries......today was still a great day.
We had our final discipleship series today and it was a debriefing of sorts. The guys had an opportunity to share what they have learned and how they have grown this year in their walk with Christ. It was very refreshing to hear college student-athletes relay their thoughts about how their walk with Christ has been strengthened this summer.
We play a DH tomorrow at 5pm, provided the 100% chance of rain is inaccurate. It has become comical now, the rain that is. This has been a summer for the books.
Kirkland and I tried to fish this afternoon, however, the river has come to the banks and some flooding has even started in the interior. Very odd for this time of year. I do feel sorry for the locals. They thrive on their 2-3 months of summer. Construction is taking a beating as well due to the weather. They are talking about how this summer will be set them back for years.
Well, off to finish the The Shack. If anyone else has read it let me know, I would be anxious to hear your opinion of the book.
Monday, July 28, 2008
7 e's make for a long day.......
It's 10:40pm on July 28 as I type. We just finished up the day at the Duke's residence, host family coordinator for Fairbanks. They live in the North Pole, about 20 minutes from Fairbanks. The Beck's and our family, along with Todd Jeffress(Wayland Baptist), Nick Crawford(UAB) and Quinn Clair(Cuesta College) all had dinner at their house tonight. The meal was incredible and a first time, long time for a homecooked meal. The steak and halibut hit the spot and the keylime pie was just the right finish. I love seafood, but not a big fish guy. However, the halibut was extra tasty on this cold rainy night. Yes, I said rainy......AGAIN.
We played the first place Pilots this afternoon and trailed by only one run entering the 8th inning. It was a great game if you took away the fact we gave up two runs in the 8th, three runs in the 9th and committed seven errors in the game. Let's say we had a little talk after the game. It was the first time I saw the guys just go thru the motions. Hope we show up on Wednesday.
Tomorrow(Tuesday) we have our "debriefing" in discipleship. An opportunity for the guys to talk about what they have learned, how they have grown and how they can keep their walk strong as they head back to campus.
Chris shared an interesting note last week.....all though it is not factual, they(AIA) seem to think that close to 60% of the student-athletes that play/team up with AIA in the summer are not walking strong with Christ after five years. That is an astonishing number. I really hope our guys stay strong. I know it will be hard for them as they head back to the campus this fall. Let's face it, this generation lives by the "reset" button and does not always take consequences of their mistakes into account until it is too late. I guess we were all like that and perhaps still are at times. Campus life is tough and there are so many pitfalls out there for the college student.
Keep these guys in your prayers the rest of this week. It has been a long grind for them and they are tired, beat up and ready to get home for awhile. Many of them have not been home for any length at all since Christmas and before that it was last August(2007).
We played the first place Pilots this afternoon and trailed by only one run entering the 8th inning. It was a great game if you took away the fact we gave up two runs in the 8th, three runs in the 9th and committed seven errors in the game. Let's say we had a little talk after the game. It was the first time I saw the guys just go thru the motions. Hope we show up on Wednesday.
Tomorrow(Tuesday) we have our "debriefing" in discipleship. An opportunity for the guys to talk about what they have learned, how they have grown and how they can keep their walk strong as they head back to campus.
Chris shared an interesting note last week.....all though it is not factual, they(AIA) seem to think that close to 60% of the student-athletes that play/team up with AIA in the summer are not walking strong with Christ after five years. That is an astonishing number. I really hope our guys stay strong. I know it will be hard for them as they head back to the campus this fall. Let's face it, this generation lives by the "reset" button and does not always take consequences of their mistakes into account until it is too late. I guess we were all like that and perhaps still are at times. Campus life is tough and there are so many pitfalls out there for the college student.
Keep these guys in your prayers the rest of this week. It has been a long grind for them and they are tired, beat up and ready to get home for awhile. Many of them have not been home for any length at all since Christmas and before that it was last August(2007).
Last week.......
Today begins our last week here in Alaska. It has been a great trip and one that we have really enjoyed. So many of you are responsible for helping us make this trip a reality. We thank each of you that may have provided financial donations and prayed daily.
I have uploaded some photos, click here to view.
Check back soon for more updates.
I have uploaded some photos, click here to view.
Check back soon for more updates.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Called due to darkness.........
What a comeback.......we were up in today's(Saturday) game 6-1 after scoring five runs in the bottom of the sixth. Then we were down
8-6 after giving up seven runs in the top of the seventh. Fortunately, we came back to win in the bottom of the ninth 10-9. It was a good comeback and a good game.
The second game today was suspended due to darkness. It seems that the "summer sun" is slowly coming to an end and our game was "called due to darkness" around 11pm. We will pick it up tomorrow(Sunday) at noon leading 6-4 in the top of the fifth. Hopefully, we can hold on for the win and move up in the standings. We are 6.5 games out of first place, but only 2.3 to 3 games out of second. Most teams just beat each other up in this league.
The title of this post is "called due to darkness", ever thought about that in terms of your life? It would be a bad day to have your life end due to darkness. I have been reading The Shack, an interesting book to say the least. The jury is still out on whether or not I would recommend it to others. It starts out really good then takes a huge spin midway through. It did bring me to look at God's creation as we traveled back from Palmer to Fairbanks. We passed through the Denali Park area around midnight as the sun was setting and we ran across some incredible views. It really is amazing as to the beauty of what God created. I will have some photos up soon of the drive.
For those of you that may have read The Shack you will know what I mean by stopping and taking note of creation by God's hand. The mountains were huge and the clouds rolled over them with streaks of orange and purple. It was one of the most incredible sights I have witnessed.
Some people live in darkness all the time. They will never see the "light" and will one day have their life "called due to darkness". One of the things I have learned this summer is the power of living your testimony. That is hard to do and we will all fail at times. It's tough to live each day motivated and striving to show other's your Christian walk. Let's face it, it becomes tough to do if we do it right. We may think we are living for God, but we have to ask our self daily how focused are we and what can we do each day to become a better Christian.
This summer has really opened my eyes to many things in my life. It has allowed our family to grow stronger. I never realized how much my job takes me away from my family. This summer has allowed them to come into my world so to speak and has allowed me the opportunity to see that while baseball is my passion, it is not my life. I am blessed to be able to use baseball as a platform for Christ and I hope I can carry home some of the things I have learned this summer.
Well, it's after midnight here and 4am back home in sunny SC. Off to bed for a quick nap and then to the field for a "show and go" day at the park.
By the way, it rained again today. It was just a few large spits of rain, but we are now on day 15 I think of consecutive rain. The locals were talking about reading where something about the jet stream had shifted and this could be their summer weather for a few years. Not sure if I heard that right or not but that could be bad for this area. Imagine your two months of good weather and sun being limited even more. Wow, that's "OIA", only in Alaska.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
On the road again.........
We are now back in Fairbanks for the last week of the trip here in Alaska. We got in
early this morning(Saturday) about 2am. Our schedule did have us arriving Thursday afternoon but the weather decided to play havoc with the schedule. We played a doubleheader on Friday and lost another close one run game. These one run losses are adding up and becoming frustrating.
Last week or rather the last 12 days in Anchorage will be our last there until we return on August 1 for our flight back to San Fran.
The guys showed signs of wearing down this last game. You can see the bounce in their step is not always there and the frustrations of poor at bats or hanging curve balls is growing daily. It has been a long grind for them. Remember, they all started back in August last year with fall season, weights and conditioning. It is a year round grind that you have to love to continue playing.
We play a DH today against the second place team in the league at 5pm. Tomorrow will bring on a Church visit, game and then host family meal later in the evening.
The host families have been great for the players. They take these guys in for the summer and feed and house them.
The family is doing good although Kaylee is ready to go home. Kirkland actually said he missed home yesterday, which is odd for him. He usually loves going to the games and hanging out with the guys. Keep Tammy in your prayers. With all the traveling I hope she is able to rest as needed. She is a trooper and getting some good rest.
We finish up our discipleship this week as well. A recap to help keep the guys focused when they return to campus is in the works for the remainder of the time.
I have a'lot of stories left to tell and photos to update, but just got a call and need to run for the day. Check back later if you have nothing to do.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Alaska Glaze.......
It's Wednesday, July 23 and we all have the "Alaska Glaze" going on right now. The"AG" is that stare you see in people's eyes and that blank look they give you. It comes from the sun being out all day, except for the 12 days in a row it rains.
It's raining again today......actually, the weather has it raining in some form or another for the next 6-8 days. I know, the south is experiencing record heat and drought conditions and I should be thankful for the rain. It's just a little hard to play baseball in the rain.
We were tied 2-2 in the 7th with the second place team last night and it started.............to rain of course. The game was suspended and it is raining today. It now looks like we might be rained out tomorrow which will force us to stay two extra days in Anchorage, play a DH on Friday, leave Anchorage around 3am and play another DH on Saturday at 5pm in Fairbanks. What a cruel joke!
It is cool and not 100 degrees so I need to be thankful I guess. Plus I am here with family, friends and a bunch of Alaskans.........
Corwin(discipler) left today for Florida, his hometown. He will get back with the Miami Dolphins soon and start the NFL season in another month I guess. He did a really good job as has all of the disciplers. His last session was on worship and how Christians should approach worship. It was really good and got good interaction with the guys.
He talked about how our view of God must expand if we are to worship Him faithfully. He also provided four "must haves" for good worship:
1-reverence
2-public expression
3-service
4-sacrifice
The challenge set forth from our disciplers this summer(Bruce, Mike & Corwin) have all been met head on by all of us on the team.
Well, it's off to the stadium for another rain out. I will try and post some photos tonight when I get back. I think our team is going bowling if we do get rained out tonight. That should be fun.
It's raining again today......actually, the weather has it raining in some form or another for the next 6-8 days. I know, the south is experiencing record heat and drought conditions and I should be thankful for the rain. It's just a little hard to play baseball in the rain.
We were tied 2-2 in the 7th with the second place team last night and it started.............to rain of course. The game was suspended and it is raining today. It now looks like we might be rained out tomorrow which will force us to stay two extra days in Anchorage, play a DH on Friday, leave Anchorage around 3am and play another DH on Saturday at 5pm in Fairbanks. What a cruel joke!
It is cool and not 100 degrees so I need to be thankful I guess. Plus I am here with family, friends and a bunch of Alaskans.........
Corwin(discipler) left today for Florida, his hometown. He will get back with the Miami Dolphins soon and start the NFL season in another month I guess. He did a really good job as has all of the disciplers. His last session was on worship and how Christians should approach worship. It was really good and got good interaction with the guys.
He talked about how our view of God must expand if we are to worship Him faithfully. He also provided four "must haves" for good worship:
1-reverence
2-public expression
3-service
4-sacrifice
The challenge set forth from our disciplers this summer(Bruce, Mike & Corwin) have all been met head on by all of us on the team.
Well, it's off to the stadium for another rain out. I will try and post some photos tonight when I get back. I think our team is going bowling if we do get rained out tonight. That should be fun.
Monday, July 21, 2008
There's no crying in baseball, just rain.....
There is no crying in baseball, just some rain, at least here in Alaska. We got rained out today and will now play one of the games on Wednesday. Since last Monday(15th) we have had rain almost everyday. Wish there was a way to ship this rain down to the lower 48, at least the Palmetto State. I heard it was closing in on 100 degrees today with no rain in sight.
I talked to a local today who has spent most of his life here in Anchorage. He said it is the worse summer he can remember since 1968. They got some snow in July that year, who knows, we may get a flurry or two before it is all over.
We will now play a split doubleheader against the Pilots on Wednesday(12pm) and then head down to Palmer and play the Miners(6pm). Talk about some creative scheduling. The bad thing is they are forecasting more rain for tomorrow(Tuesday).
The temps have been a cool 50-ish for the last 7-10 days. The low for tonight is set for high 40's. I know that would be a welcome relief back home.
Here is some catching up for all at home:
Kirkland: Is growing out of his windpants this summer. We had to look at buying him some new ones at Wal-Mart the other day. His jeans are okay, but his windpants are slowly shrinking on him. Of course, with all the rain those high waters come in handy. These rainy days are playing havoc with his "energy level". We have to remind ourselves he has cooped up for several days due to the rain. He has enjoyed being bat boy and hanging out with the players. He plays catch each game and gets to know the guys each day.
Kaylee: Has 23 big brothers to hang out with each day and she loves it. Being the only girl she is eating the attention up. Her singing has picked up as she entertains us each day. She is growing as well and getting taller each day. I still think she is going to be taller than Kirkland.
Tammy: She is doing good, getting some good rest and looking forward to meals each day. I can say that since she is pregnant, otherwise, I would be in some big trouble. The baby is starting to cut cart wheels now and wakes her up around 5 am each day.
One of our player's dad was up visiting and told us his family's tradition of naming children. They all start with an "R" and have the same initials. He thought we were doing that with Kirkland and Kaylee and asked what we were going to name our third. We told him we had not really thought of any names yet......he mentioned staying with the "K" name series and since we were in Kenai.........well, you get the picture.
That's all for tonight, going to try and get in bed before 11 tonight. That will be a first.
I talked to a local today who has spent most of his life here in Anchorage. He said it is the worse summer he can remember since 1968. They got some snow in July that year, who knows, we may get a flurry or two before it is all over.
We will now play a split doubleheader against the Pilots on Wednesday(12pm) and then head down to Palmer and play the Miners(6pm). Talk about some creative scheduling. The bad thing is they are forecasting more rain for tomorrow(Tuesday).
The temps have been a cool 50-ish for the last 7-10 days. The low for tonight is set for high 40's. I know that would be a welcome relief back home.
Here is some catching up for all at home:
Kirkland: Is growing out of his windpants this summer. We had to look at buying him some new ones at Wal-Mart the other day. His jeans are okay, but his windpants are slowly shrinking on him. Of course, with all the rain those high waters come in handy. These rainy days are playing havoc with his "energy level". We have to remind ourselves he has cooped up for several days due to the rain. He has enjoyed being bat boy and hanging out with the players. He plays catch each game and gets to know the guys each day.
Kaylee: Has 23 big brothers to hang out with each day and she loves it. Being the only girl she is eating the attention up. Her singing has picked up as she entertains us each day. She is growing as well and getting taller each day. I still think she is going to be taller than Kirkland.
Tammy: She is doing good, getting some good rest and looking forward to meals each day. I can say that since she is pregnant, otherwise, I would be in some big trouble. The baby is starting to cut cart wheels now and wakes her up around 5 am each day.
One of our player's dad was up visiting and told us his family's tradition of naming children. They all start with an "R" and have the same initials. He thought we were doing that with Kirkland and Kaylee and asked what we were going to name our third. We told him we had not really thought of any names yet......he mentioned staying with the "K" name series and since we were in Kenai.........well, you get the picture.
That's all for tonight, going to try and get in bed before 11 tonight. That will be a first.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Good Day..............
Today was a good day.....it all started early in the morning as Chris(GM/Coach), Corwin(Miami Dolphins Chaplain/AIA Fire Discipler), Miles(Asst. Coach), John(Intern/Asst. to the GM) and myself met with about 100 youth from a large Church in Anchorage. We arrived at Anchorage Baptist Temple and Chris and Corwin spoke to the youth there in attendance. They both did a good job and relayed to them their testimony and what it means to be consistent with their walk with God.
We then stayed over and listened to Franklin Graham speak. The Church was packed and it was a good service.
After the service we headed to the stadium and Corwin met with the entire team for about 30 minutes.
We then prepared for our game and picked up a big 2-0 win over the second place Oilers. It was a good day.
We have a DH tomorrow(Monday) starting at 4pm. It will be a big test for our pitching staff and hopefully we can meet the challenge.
Less than two weeks remain and I talked with our team tonight about meeting the "grind" head-on. I really hope the guys can pull it together for the last few days and stay strong. They all have had a long year, starting back in August when we all started conditioning, weights and fall practice at our respective schools. The "year" will end August 1 and we will all head back to our schools in mid-August to start it all over again. Baseball is truly a marathon season. It is like no other sport.
We then stayed over and listened to Franklin Graham speak. The Church was packed and it was a good service.
After the service we headed to the stadium and Corwin met with the entire team for about 30 minutes.
We then prepared for our game and picked up a big 2-0 win over the second place Oilers. It was a good day.
We have a DH tomorrow(Monday) starting at 4pm. It will be a big test for our pitching staff and hopefully we can meet the challenge.
Less than two weeks remain and I talked with our team tonight about meeting the "grind" head-on. I really hope the guys can pull it together for the last few days and stay strong. They all have had a long year, starting back in August when we all started conditioning, weights and fall practice at our respective schools. The "year" will end August 1 and we will all head back to our schools in mid-August to start it all over again. Baseball is truly a marathon season. It is like no other sport.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Two Posts, One Day
Wow, actually making two posts in one day. Just providing the link for more photos. Added some from Kenai trip.
We have logged over 7,000 miles since we started this adventure back on June 2. Flying from Pickens, SC to San Fran, CA then on to Anchorage, Alaska >>Fairbanks, Alaska>>Anchorage, Alaska>>Kenai, Alaska>>Anchorage, Alaska. By the time this trip is over we will have logged over 14,000 miles......pretty cool, huh!!
Click here for more photos.
We have logged over 7,000 miles since we started this adventure back on June 2. Flying from Pickens, SC to San Fran, CA then on to Anchorage, Alaska >>Fairbanks, Alaska>>Anchorage, Alaska>>Kenai, Alaska>>Anchorage, Alaska. By the time this trip is over we will have logged over 14,000 miles......pretty cool, huh!!
Click here for more photos.
8th Inning and Franklin Graham
We got back in the win column today(Saturday) with a 3-2 victory. We beat the Anchorage Bucs in the MLB Showcase weekend, thanks in part to a big three run eighth inning. It was shaky at first but our guys hung in there and pulled out the win.
We have the remainder of the night off as we played today at 1pm. The rain stayed away and we actually had sun for most of the game, outstanding!!
Tomorrow(Sunday) we will go to Church here in Anchorage and visit one of the largest in the area. Chris and Corwin will speak to about 300 youth at 10am and then we will get the opportunity to listen to Franklin Graham speak at 11am. It should be an exciting day, especially if we can cap it off with a win over the second place team in the league later in the day at 4pm.
I added some photos and video to the flickr account. I will try and add more later.
We have the remainder of the night off as we played today at 1pm. The rain stayed away and we actually had sun for most of the game, outstanding!!
Tomorrow(Sunday) we will go to Church here in Anchorage and visit one of the largest in the area. Chris and Corwin will speak to about 300 youth at 10am and then we will get the opportunity to listen to Franklin Graham speak at 11am. It should be an exciting day, especially if we can cap it off with a win over the second place team in the league later in the day at 4pm.
I added some photos and video to the flickr account. I will try and add more later.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Rain, rain go away..........
Wish I could send some of this rain back home to SC.....we are now entering our 5th day of rain and it has really been an unusual summer here in Alaska. At least, that is what the locals are telling us.
We left Kenai this morning(Friday) and drove back to Anchorage. The drive is a very scenic route, unfortunately, the rain and clouds were prevailing today.
Kenai is a very odd place. Right on the coast it is a fishing community and a good one at that. We arrived on Monday with rain and left Friday with even more rain. It rained virtually the entire time and we never really saw the sun, except for a few peeks on our last day. The guys stayed in the "Bingo Hilton" as detailed in the previous post.
We played two close games against the second place team(Peninsula Oilers) and lost a rain game 8-1. The two close losses were 2-1 and 3-2. The rain game was something I have never experienced before and I have been in some rain games before at The Con.
The highlight of our family's trip to Kenai has to be the fishing trip to Moose Passage. Tammy and Kaylee stayed back due to the weather, but Kirkland and I ventured on. It was worth it!! We started out down a gravel road and ended up on a fishwalk off the Kenai River. We started fishing and soon learned we were doing something wrong. Kirk would cast out and bring nothing back in. Meanwhile, four guys up stream and four more down stream were casting and reeling in monster salmon each time. It was incredible!! One older guy had to bring in about 50-60 fish. Of course, due to fishing regulations you could only keep your limit of 10 and they had to be "caught" in the mouth, you know, the traditional way of fishing.
Well, I soon learned that Kirkland and I were fishing the wrong way. You see, when the salmon are running you don't really fish, you snag. In fact, you can put anything you want on the hook as long as it has something on it. The local we talked to only had an orange piece of yarn tied to his hook. It was a large hook as well. You simply cast and snag......the salmon then fight to the bank and you start over again.
Kirkland and I caught two the real way and it was fun. Those salmon really fight. I have uploaded a video below of Kirk's adventure with his first salmon. Be careful to watch his face when he turns to the camera, it is priceless!!
The rest of the Kenai trip was uneventful, except for the coastal view which I will put photos up on flickr. Click here to view some updated photos.
Corwin Anthony joined us this week as the discipler for the remainder of the Kenai/Anchorage trip. To read more on Corwin, click here.
Corwin has met with us twice and has done a great job already. He is getting to know the guys and opened up his series with "an all or nothing" approach to being a Christian. He did a great job asking each of us where we stand on a scale of 1 to 100........it was eye opening.
We made it into Anchorage around noon today(Friday) and was to have our game at 1pm. The next few days is the MLB Showcase where all the teams play each other here in Anchorage and about 20-25 scouts are in attendance. Only problem is that the rain followed us. Our game was postponed until Monday so our next game will hopefully be on Saturday at 1pm.
Click below to watch the video of Kirkland catching his first salmon, keep an eye on his face when he turns around to view camera. Make sure sound is up....enjoy.
We left Kenai this morning(Friday) and drove back to Anchorage. The drive is a very scenic route, unfortunately, the rain and clouds were prevailing today.
Kenai is a very odd place. Right on the coast it is a fishing community and a good one at that. We arrived on Monday with rain and left Friday with even more rain. It rained virtually the entire time and we never really saw the sun, except for a few peeks on our last day. The guys stayed in the "Bingo Hilton" as detailed in the previous post.
We played two close games against the second place team(Peninsula Oilers) and lost a rain game 8-1. The two close losses were 2-1 and 3-2. The rain game was something I have never experienced before and I have been in some rain games before at The Con.
The highlight of our family's trip to Kenai has to be the fishing trip to Moose Passage. Tammy and Kaylee stayed back due to the weather, but Kirkland and I ventured on. It was worth it!! We started out down a gravel road and ended up on a fishwalk off the Kenai River. We started fishing and soon learned we were doing something wrong. Kirk would cast out and bring nothing back in. Meanwhile, four guys up stream and four more down stream were casting and reeling in monster salmon each time. It was incredible!! One older guy had to bring in about 50-60 fish. Of course, due to fishing regulations you could only keep your limit of 10 and they had to be "caught" in the mouth, you know, the traditional way of fishing.
Well, I soon learned that Kirkland and I were fishing the wrong way. You see, when the salmon are running you don't really fish, you snag. In fact, you can put anything you want on the hook as long as it has something on it. The local we talked to only had an orange piece of yarn tied to his hook. It was a large hook as well. You simply cast and snag......the salmon then fight to the bank and you start over again.
Kirkland and I caught two the real way and it was fun. Those salmon really fight. I have uploaded a video below of Kirk's adventure with his first salmon. Be careful to watch his face when he turns to the camera, it is priceless!!
The rest of the Kenai trip was uneventful, except for the coastal view which I will put photos up on flickr. Click here to view some updated photos.
Corwin Anthony joined us this week as the discipler for the remainder of the Kenai/Anchorage trip. To read more on Corwin, click here.
Corwin has met with us twice and has done a great job already. He is getting to know the guys and opened up his series with "an all or nothing" approach to being a Christian. He did a great job asking each of us where we stand on a scale of 1 to 100........it was eye opening.
We made it into Anchorage around noon today(Friday) and was to have our game at 1pm. The next few days is the MLB Showcase where all the teams play each other here in Anchorage and about 20-25 scouts are in attendance. Only problem is that the rain followed us. Our game was postponed until Monday so our next game will hopefully be on Saturday at 1pm.
Click below to watch the video of Kirkland catching his first salmon, keep an eye on his face when he turns around to view camera. Make sure sound is up....enjoy.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Long roadtrip, tough loss and Kenai
It took close to 11 hours but we finally made it to Kenai yesterday(Monday). We had three stops in, but the drive was still a long one.
The drive down was great once we turned down to Kenai from Anchorage. I have posted some photos on the flickr site....click here for photos. The Seward and Sterling Highways are really beautiful stretches of land.
Once we arrived in Kenai the guys got settled in to the "Bingo Hilton". The "BH" is a bingo parlor that is operated by one of the teams in the Alaska League. The guys stay in "rooms" in the back. What a setup!! Four guys to a small cubicle with two bunkbeds. The ceiling is open so any loud snorers are easily heard thru the building. The guys actually got some sleep, surprisingly enough and seemed to enjoy the bonding time together.
Today's(Tuesday) game was a tough loss. We led 2-1 entering the bottom of the ninth and gave up a run that tied the game 2-2. The Oilers then won the game in the bottom of the 10th and defeated us 3-2. It was a tough loss. Hopefully, we will battle back tomorrow night.
Earlier today(Tuesday) we traveled down to a family's home just off the Kenai River. It was kind of like an Alaska river subdivision. Once you entered the gate you were just off a river and surrounded by water, fish, bear, moose and some of the best and only spaghetti with moose chili. For a minute, I thought I was back in SC eating at Sardi's. It was really good.
A'lot of the guys were prepared to fish, along with Kirkland and Myself. However, we soon found out that the river was fly fishing only and the salmon had not run yet, thus making the trout that eat the salmon eggs not in the area yet. Another odd fishing regulation here in Alaska.
The river is an incredible turquoise color, made that way from glacier runoff. Just one more beauty here in Alaska.
Kirkland and I are heading out to another section of the river in the morning(Wednesday) for about three hours of fishing. We have to catch a salmon before we leave.
Speaking of salmon.......once we arrived in Kenai we went to an inlet where the locals were using large dip nets to catch salmon. It is for two weeks out of the year and only locals are allowed to fish. They stand in the water(video coming soon) and catch the salmon in the dip nets. They run to the shore and beat the salmon over the head with large sticks. This kills them instantly and "preserves" the taste of the salmon. You see, once salmon are caught their stress level goes thru the roof and they produce a toxin of sorts, not deadly, but it does get in their system and it starts making the taste of the salmon go bad. You hit them over the head for an instant kill to make them taste better. It's a wicked sound, but I guess it works.
Well, it's midnight again.....off to bed for some early morning fishing. We also have another discipler coming in tomorrow. Corwin is with us here in Kenai and then Anchorage. He is a chaplain for the Miami Dolphins and I am anxious to hear him tomorrow. More details later.
The drive down was great once we turned down to Kenai from Anchorage. I have posted some photos on the flickr site....click here for photos. The Seward and Sterling Highways are really beautiful stretches of land.
Once we arrived in Kenai the guys got settled in to the "Bingo Hilton". The "BH" is a bingo parlor that is operated by one of the teams in the Alaska League. The guys stay in "rooms" in the back. What a setup!! Four guys to a small cubicle with two bunkbeds. The ceiling is open so any loud snorers are easily heard thru the building. The guys actually got some sleep, surprisingly enough and seemed to enjoy the bonding time together.
Today's(Tuesday) game was a tough loss. We led 2-1 entering the bottom of the ninth and gave up a run that tied the game 2-2. The Oilers then won the game in the bottom of the 10th and defeated us 3-2. It was a tough loss. Hopefully, we will battle back tomorrow night.
Earlier today(Tuesday) we traveled down to a family's home just off the Kenai River. It was kind of like an Alaska river subdivision. Once you entered the gate you were just off a river and surrounded by water, fish, bear, moose and some of the best and only spaghetti with moose chili. For a minute, I thought I was back in SC eating at Sardi's. It was really good.
A'lot of the guys were prepared to fish, along with Kirkland and Myself. However, we soon found out that the river was fly fishing only and the salmon had not run yet, thus making the trout that eat the salmon eggs not in the area yet. Another odd fishing regulation here in Alaska.
The river is an incredible turquoise color, made that way from glacier runoff. Just one more beauty here in Alaska.
Kirkland and I are heading out to another section of the river in the morning(Wednesday) for about three hours of fishing. We have to catch a salmon before we leave.
Speaking of salmon.......once we arrived in Kenai we went to an inlet where the locals were using large dip nets to catch salmon. It is for two weeks out of the year and only locals are allowed to fish. They stand in the water(video coming soon) and catch the salmon in the dip nets. They run to the shore and beat the salmon over the head with large sticks. This kills them instantly and "preserves" the taste of the salmon. You see, once salmon are caught their stress level goes thru the roof and they produce a toxin of sorts, not deadly, but it does get in their system and it starts making the taste of the salmon go bad. You hit them over the head for an instant kill to make them taste better. It's a wicked sound, but I guess it works.
Well, it's midnight again.....off to bed for some early morning fishing. We also have another discipler coming in tomorrow. Corwin is with us here in Kenai and then Anchorage. He is a chaplain for the Miami Dolphins and I am anxious to hear him tomorrow. More details later.
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