Fish River Lodge Journal

Summer arrived - TODAY!

2008-06-30T16:49:00.000-07:00

We woke to rain, but by midmorning the sun broke through the clouds and the temperature soared to 76 degrees; there are fire flies outside the window tonight. June brought lots of overcast skies, temps in the 60s, wind and rain. We either woke to rain, went to bed with rain, or it rained all day. At least the June breezes kept black flies at bay and the cooler temps and rain meant we were able to enjoy "spring fishing" right through the month.

Joe Decker (Point Pleasant, NJ) and Wayne got up with the sun to fish on June 1st. They caught 10 landlocked salmon for their efforts. Wayne kept one 18 incher for the smoker - there's nothing sweeter than smoked salmon for dinner! Lengths seem to be increasing on our landlocked salmon - it used to be we'd see lots of 12-14 inch fish, this season we're seeing lots of 14-18 inch fish. Vinny Grosso (No. Yarmouth, ME) and friends arrived on the 4th. That evening Wayne and I took a jaunt over to Blake Lake. We caught 12 brookies, all "keeper length" in 2 1/2 hours of fishing. We brought home 2 each for the smoker. By now you know we enjoy our fish best when smoked! Local anglers have landed several 4 - 4 1/2 pound salmon this spring, most recently a 4 1/2 pounder caught by Ross Gatcomb of Eagle Lake.

I made a quick visit "down state" to visit mom and dad, daughter Miranda, Nana Pat and Grandpa Armand in Brunswick and also to celebrate Acadia's (my grand daughter) 6th birthday on the weekend of the 7th and 8th. Visiting them makes me realize just how much I miss my family and how little time we are able to spend together. Oh, how I wish they could enjoy this lodge life with us!

Harold Hutchins returned with his fishing buddy Ernie for a week of fishing the 8th-15th. We enjoyed our first decent weather of the month on the 14th. Harold and Ernie had a surprisingly slow week of fishing until we learned they'd been trolling lots of lead-core. Next year they'll land that elusive trophy!

Congratulations Mrs. Miriam Webber (Cundy's Harbor, ME) - she was drawn for a zone 5 bull moose permit. On the 15th Wayne and I began scouting zone 5 for Mim and found some promising areas we will be keeping an eye on as well as searching for additional options for her September hunt. That same day we stopped by Munsungan Hunting and Fishing Club to visit with friend and camp owner Jim Carter. Jim gave us a tour of his operation and we got to see his raised vegetable beds - I am so envious of his gardens and ability to offer his guests fresh produce. I might be able to find a spot at our place to plant a few things next spring...We brough Jim's "flooded" Ski-Doo out of the woods. He was planning on making a special trip out to Fort Kent to have it serviced after it got stuck in over-flow and then the flood back in April. Since Wayne and I were headed to Fort Kent the next day anyway we offered to take it out and deliver it to Fort Kent Ski-Doo. We told Gary Dumond to give us a call when it was fixed because we will be making other trips in to the Munsungan region in the coming weeks and would be happy to deliver it back to Jim to save him a trip out. Plus, it would be a good excuse to pay Jim another visit!

I finally got our freezer defrosted - it took all of one day to do it. With much of the moose meat eaten it was real easy to organize what was left when I put everything back. We've hosted several dinner parties this spring and always enjoy sharing our facilities with others. Our dinner guests seem to love Wayne's cooking and the unique and relaxing atmosphere of dining at the lodge.

I'm helping get an ATV club organized in Eagle Lake to facilitate identifying a trail system and obtaining land-owner permissions. A new state law requires written land-owner permission prior to riding ATVs. Since clubs obtain the written permissions, club members may legally use the trails, thus we must organize a club if we are to offer ATV riding in the area. The trails we have proposed connect with other club trails to offer riders many options.

On the 21st Linda Engelhardt and I teamed up to paddle in Fort Kent's "Riverfest" canoe race from St. Francis to Fort Kent on the St. John River. While we didn't set any speed records, I am happy to report we took first place in the "Chamber Members" class - we were the first-place team representing Fort Kent Chamber of Commerce members. A plaque etched with our names and commemorating this honor will hang in the chamber office - check it out when you're in Fort Kent!

Wayne and I scraped and repainted cabins 2 and 3. It seems the snow piled around them all winter caused the paint to peel. It was a fairly simple job but took over two weeks to complete due to wet weather. The cabins looked horrible all scraped "naked" and awaiting their new coats! We provided those new coats on the 22nd and don't they look nice!

Miranda, Acadia, and their freind Tyler Bruce arrived on the 22nd for a visit. Acadia and I started each morning with a bowl of hot oatmeal - her favorite. On the morning of the 24th Tyler and Acadia caught 4 salmon and a brook trout. Acadia surprised me by announcing she wanted to show me "something" in the refrigerator when I returned home from work. I was so tickled to learn she had caught two of the salmon herself! She exclaimed, "We're having fish for dinner!" Which we did, properly smoked, of course. We went "moose hunting" one night and got to watch a cow and her small calf for about 10 minutes before they wandered off. We picked some lupine to brighten the lodge and I also transplanted some in my flower bed and along the hill next to the lodge.

The cabins are beginning to fill for the summer. Wayne's neice Tasha and her husband Pete Hudson (Bath, ME) brought friends Jay and Bethany up for a visit on the 27th. My friend Donna Loring made the trek north from Bradley, ME with her friend Jane Peasley. I enjoyed spending time with Donna again and forging a new freindship with Jane. Donna's quiet demeanor is in stark contrast to Jane's zany humor. We shared many stories and laughs with a glass of wine or beer in hand! They are two inspiring women indeed - Donna as Penobscot Nation's representative to the legislature and author of _In the Shadow of the Eagle_ (a must-read about the Maine legislative process and Maine/Indian relations) and Jane for her work in neorology. Jane also built her own log cabin in the woods. We've planned to team up and offer a program for women next spring. We want to empower and inspire women to challenge themselves - watch for details!

Rachel and Albert Hanson (Topsham, ME) are our former neighbors. They surprised us with a visit on the 28th. Rachel drew a zone 3 moose permit and they were up scouting - moose and places to stay - I hope they will join us in October. Larry Converse (Bolton, CT) stopped by for a visit with his grand daughter and Mike brought his daughter by to meet us. They were here a month ago and are staying down in Portage this time for a weekend of fishing with their girls. Zip Kelloge (Portland, ME) was up scouting streams and lesser rivers to run in his canoe. The high water offered opportunities not normally available this time of year. He hopes to return in September with friends to do some back country paddling. The Chasses (Portsmouth, NH), and Calverts (Waterboro, ME) have returned for another stay at Fish River Lodge over the 4th of July week. One of the things we most enjoy about running the lodge is welcoming guests back for another stay. We like to say people first arrive at Fish River Lodge as strangers but they leave our friends...

Me missed many of our "spring fisher-friends" this season. I know gas prices and the economy are keeping many people at home. It has certainly affected our business. We missed you guys this spring and you missed some fantastic fishing! In fact, Wayne just came in to tell me that Bill, grandson of Stephen Bragdon (Searsmont, ME), just came in with a 19", 2 lb. salmon he caught while paddling at the mouth of the Fish River tonight. It's not too late to plan a vacation at Fish River Lodge this year!

The snow is all gone, we think!

2008-05-31T08:13:00.000-07:00

In the three years we've been running Fish River Lodge, we've learned a simple lesson: lodge owners never lack for something to do! Other lodge owners warned us of this. My goal was to publish a journal entry every few weeks but a more realistic goal has become to publish monthly.

Gas prices are hurting all of us. When I wrote last month we were paying $3.67 a gallon. Today it is $4.09. That's why we're offering a SPECIAL to help ease the pain felt at the pumps. Bring us your gas receipt dated the same day as your arrival and we'll discount your week-long rental by the same amount. Don't let the price of gas discourage you from discovering our secret! The St. John Valley is a wonderful destination for those looking to get away from the hectic pace of life and allows visitors to take a step back in time to enjoy the hopitality found only in Aroostook County. Come discover scenic vistas, bountiful wildlife, no crowds and no long lines, no traffic and in many cases no traffic lights, and the peace and tranquility that we have found no place else.

4/30-5/10 Record snowfall brought record floods to the region. On April 30, we woke to a washed out driveway (all the way down to the sewer line!) and rising lake. Overnight we had received over 3" of rain which quickly melted much of the remaining snow, resulting is record flooding. All over The County roads were washed out and closed. A portion of the town of Fort Kent was evacuated. We began receiving calls from our Guide School participants at 7:00 a.m. Billy Doughty called first seeking an open route for his drive over from Greenville. We gave him an alternate through route 212 but by the time he got there it was closed. Others called with similar reports. For several days the only way to get in and out of northern Aroostook was via route 1 at Presque Isle, to Ashland, and up route 11 toward Fort Kent. Eagle Lake rose up to the driveway in front of cabins 7 & 8 nearly blocking access. All Guide School participants had arrived safely by 6:00 p.m.: Robert & Sandra Beske (Castine), Peter Cesary (Millinocket), Daniel Chiekering (Patten), Paul Corliss (Proctor, VT), Mike D'Angelis and Dana Dolson (Patten), Billy Doughty (greeville Jct.), Robert Morrill, Sr. (Monticello), and John Richardson (Augusta). Like a rising tide the lake crept closer to our cabins leaving a narrow passage open so the Beskes could maneuver around the snow and rising lake to go back and forth between cabin 8 and the lodge for class. We watched floatsam pass back and forth, with the will of the wind, all weekend. Helicopters flew over frequently deliverying supplies and medications to residents from Fort Kent to Allagash. The Irving Woodlands helicopter flew over their 2000+ mile road system estimating at least $1 million in damages. Bruce Labbe took his boat out to round-up the town's picnic tables as they were floating away. He tied them to their shelters which were swallwed up by the lake...the water crept to the edge of Old Main Street. Through it all we did our best to keep "business as usual" as we surveyed the local damage and read reports from the newspapers and internet. Instructors Carrol Ware and Adam Cates conducted another excellent guide school, preparing students well for their written and oral exams. Phil Corriveau delivered a load of gravel, Wayne bulldozed it and repaired our driveway. One May 6th, we had dinner at China Garden in Fort Kent with Bill and Alison Smythe and Jean LeBlanc to celebrate the completion of our first three years at Fish River Lodge! On the 8th we went for a drive in the back country to look for moose sheds but didn't get far due to washed out culverts and roads. Also on the 8th we announced "official" ICE OUT on Eagle Lake (this means we can get a boat to the Square Lake thorofare). On the 10th we found a "new" truck. We'd been looking at private-sale trucks and checked dealer lots for something to replace our "retired" plow truck. We found a well-kept, 1999 Chevy Z71 extended cab at Brother's Auto Sales in Caribou while "touring" the northeastern portion of The County. We saw several "ribby" deer on the way home. Those deer had survived a very long and hard winter.

5/11-5/17 Started raking the yard although it is very wet, still some snow banks remain. Mike Michaud stopped by to invite us to see his collection of 40 moose antler sheds he'd picked up this spring - VERY impressive assortment! After raking all day we called our moms on Mother's Day, then Wayne and I went for a walk in the woods to look for sheds. I gathered a bunch of fir cones and we saw two cows and two bull moose. One bull I jumped out of his bed - he was bedded in the snow. I guess 55 degrees is warm if you're a moose! We still have one little snow bank left on the 14th...more raking...Wayne is working part-time mowing lawns for Northern Maine General. We're both working about 25 hours a week for the corporation now. This week Wayne got ready for mowing season by replacing sod which had been plowed up over the winter. We finished much of our own yard work this week. On the 16th Wayne and Grant put the dock in. Our fire pit is still submerged beneath the lake. On the 17th Wayne removed the deck in front of old #9. The neglected cabin is beyond repair so we use it to store life jackets, paddles, and lawn chairs. The waterfront is looking very tidy now! Dick Keegan and his fishing buddy Cliff arrived for a week of spring fishing. Their motor was acting up so Wayne loaned one of ours.

5/18-5/24 Larry Converse party arrived to stay in cabin 1. Larry is familiar with the region because his dad was a sheriff in Portage for many years. Larry's dad became dear friends with warden (now retired) John Robertson. John is guiding Larry this week. The fishing has been slow due to high and cold water. Surface temp at 48 degrees. On the 24th Wayne repaired the carrying beam on the porch of cabin 6. That night John Robertson joined us for dinner and lots of fish stories! Wayne prepared appetizers of tout and salmon, moose, cheese and crackers. The weather has been unsettled with rain and wind daily, high temps in the 50s, if we're lucky. Although the fishing has been slow, every one has caught fish every day. Some have caught more than others. Jeff Love (Dover/Foxcroft) and his brothers and friend Scott arrived for the Memorial Day weekend. On the 23rd I came home to find the lodge deck rails and rocking chairs lined with song birds waiting out a passing thunder storm. There were juncos, house finches, white throated sparrows, chickadees and a pair of rose breasted grossbeaks trying to keep out of the wind and rain. We're looking forward to hosting Lou Gagnon (Henniker, NH) for an October bird hunt - summer hasn't yet begun and we're already making plans for fall! I met with Steve Daigle at Paper Signs, Ink in Fort Kent to begin design work for our "moose mailer" to go out to all zone 2 and 3 moose permitees.

5/25-5/31 Up early to meet Mike Michaud and his grandson Kaleb for our annual "back country fishing expedition". We loaded our gear on to ATVs and began the journey to "Secret Lake". We had to make several detours around trees that had come down after Saturday's wind and rain. We stopped at "the worm hole" to dig earth worms and I picked a few fiddleheads..."There's nothing better on a May morning than a fist full of fiddleheads and a coffee cup full of worms, except a cooler full of brook trout in the evening! " We found snow deep in the woods, I took a picture of my fiddleheads on the snow. We enjoyed a sunny, if not breezy, day on the water. By 3:00 p.m. we had all caught our limit of 8-12" brook trout. Back at the lodge we filleted and smoked the fish and grilled moose steaks to go with Mike's fiddleheads and locally grown potatoes. It was a hearty meal shared with freinds. The Jeff Love party joined us and we relaxed late in to the evening around the bon fire (which was so hot we needed a heat shield!) Memorial Day we burried Victor "Mouse Trap" (our beloved lodge cat). We will miss he and Alli's antics and his abilities as a mouse hunter. That afternoon we took the ATV out among the rain drops to explore more back county. We watched a HUGE beaver (35+ lbs.) working on his massive dam, and we located some potental bear hunting areas. Between mornings at work we cleaned cabins and caught up on laundry. On the 28th Wayne took Bill and Alison Smythe fishing. Alison caught a FAT 3 lb. salmon, Bill's fish were "racey". Today's the last day of the month. It is windy and rainy again. Joe Decker just drifted by - his motor quit on his way in. He's paddling wildly trying to make headway, got his motor started by replacing a spark plug and got ALMOST to shore and it quit again! He drifted by in the wind, again, paddling wildly, then switched to the trolling motor as Wayne was preparing to go out and get him in our boat. Joe floated by again in the wind when the trolling motor ran out of gas. He finally made it back to shore. Joe Decker is from Point Pleasant, NJ. This is his 40th season at Fish River Lodge. We will celebrate his many trips to the lodge tonight when he is our guest for dinner. Joe's struggle to get to shore when the wind and motors would not cooperate reminded me of another quote from Douglas Wood's "The Thing with Feathers": "The optimist's secret? Act as if you cannot fail." And the snow we saw on Sunday is all gone today, we think.

Time Flies as We Wait for Snow to Melt - April 28, 2008

2008-04-28T15:19:00.000-07:00

Where has the month gone? Our Minnesota friend, Ed "Seagull" Dallas, is looking for more news from Fish River Lodge...

April 3rd we "retired" the old dog truck I used to haul my dog team a few years ago. The long story is: I was headed to Caribou to attend an Aroostook County Tourism Board meeting and discovered my "new" truck had a flat tire soon after leaving the lodge. I backed home to retrieve the "dog truck" (a.k.a. "plow truck") and struck off again for Caribou. In New Sweden I was stopped by trooper Espling (I thought for speeding, he tells me my inspection sticker had expired) and then said, "Did you know your truck is overheating?" I glanced across the hood to see steam billowing and the temp guage maxed out! He kindly offered to meet me at Northland Variety so I could safely park the truck and then deliver me to my meeting in Caribou. After the meeting I announced I needed a ride north. Allain Ouellette of Fort Kent came to my rescue and delivered me to my truck and offered to follow me home. The truck overheated again in New Canada so Allain came to my rescue again and delivered me at my next stop...Paper Signs, Ink so I could pick up the World's Largest Snow Plow Parade posters. I called Wayne and he picked me up there; we returned to the truck (which had cooled off) and limped it back to Eagle Lake so Ricky Saucier could inspect it and fix the overheating problem. We learned that the cab mounts and frame were too rusted and too costly to fix. We will now use the truck on the property only.

April 4-6: Presque Isle Sportsman Show weekend. Alli and Grace met us at the top of the driveway with faces full of porcupine quills on the 4th, as we returned from putting up parade posters and before setting up our show booth in Presque Isle. I pulled the quills as quickly as possible and we struck off. Drizzly weekend, "snow eating" fog, good show attendance. Saw deer in Portage and a dozen or so robins! We enjoyed the annual "social" in Lila and Carroll Ware's suite after the show on Saturday. Carroll made a touching toast in memory of Maine's legendary Wiggy Robinson.

4/7-11: Wayne installed new dining room light fixtures; I returned lots of calls and emails, and sent out guide school confirmation letters. We're cleaning out the freezer (which means we're eating lots of moose meat!) We unpacked and stored our show gear for another season. Robins have arrived in Eagle Lake, and sun streams through the living room window in to the lodge - in the winter the sun never clears the hill so we only receive indirect light. Still about 3' of snow on the ground, but it is melting...Wayne chipped the ice dams off the roof, for the last time we hope. My dear friend, Linda Engelhardt, returned from Texas and is staying in cabin 2 until she finds a place to settle down.

4/12: Wayne and I drove down to Brewer for the annual Maine Professional Guides banquet. It was snowing when we left; we had a "white knuckle" ride to Ashland before snow changed to sleet and rain. We had a chance to visit with many friends in the industry at the banquet and were treated to a key note address by Doug Painter of the National Shooting Sports Federation. His message in a nutshell: kids who hunt and fish become adults who hunt and fish - they are our legacy so get them out hunting and fishing! I was presented a Marlin .45-.70 guide model gun for selling $1500 worth of raffle tickets. It is a beautiful lever-action with the MPGA logo and "2007" engraved on the stock. I will proudly display it at the lodge and someday present it to my grandaughter, Acadia.

4/13-18: Filed state's quarterly lodging and meal taxes. Revenue down 40% this winter - OUCH! Gas prices and snow throughout New England really hurt our winter business. More "spring cleaning" in the lodge and cabins. Wayne stacked "lost" wood that has surfaced as snow continues melting. Stored winter stuff that accumulated on lodge deck...ice auger, pack baskets, ice fishing traps, snow scoops and shovels, snow blower, snowmobile oil, etc. Time to remove the plastic from windows and wash away grime. Wayne plowed back the snow banks to open up the driveway now that the snow has softened. Spent a few afternoons on the deck in shirt sleeves as temps climbed in to the 60s! Song birds feeding on the mountains of seeds under the feeders. We have juncos, red-breasted nuthatches, chickadees, red winged black birds, starlings, grackles, blue jays, mouring doves and house finches. We hosted a very nice dinner party for Dr. Karen Roberts, arranged by Kate Mulrenen, on Friday. Guests enjoyed a liesurely dinner that lasted until 10:00 p.m. Dave and Linda helped us out with serving and doing dishes.

4/19: The World's Largest Snow Plow Parade!!! Started shuttling 150 balloons from Paradis' (Hannaford) to the court house on Market Street. Entrants arrived as early as 11:00 a.m.! They kept streaming in as Darlene Kelly-Dumond and I watched in amazement. We had NO idea what to expect. We could have a dozen entries, or none, or many more. We had 85 entries ready to parade at 2:00 p.m. There were graders, plow trucks of all sizes, snow blowers (both large commercial trucks and the kind you push - one by a guy wearing snow shoes!) We had a Harley Davidson motorcycle with a plow, a peddle-bike with a plow, "Brotherly Society of Beer Swigging, Big Snow Bank Shovelers" from Sly Brook (snow shovel drill team!), kids driving their battery operated "Jeeps" with plows, and trucks full of snow and decorated for the occasion. Ron, Travis, and Casey Toussaint (Eagle Lake) brought three plows - Ron's father's truck (which sank in Eagle Lake while plowing in 1969), Ron's truck (which sank in the lake in 2007), and Ron's restored Oliver tractor. We even had a "Plow Queen" (Kim Paradis of Fort Kent). The Sly Brook Shovelers and Quigley's "Fun by the Ton" took top honors. Darlene and I lead the parade - she dressed as a trapper, me dressed as a porcupine. The significance of our costumes is known only to the Acadians - I hope to learn what it is! Wayne and Tony Dube ("The Burger Boys") served burgers and hot dogs at the end of the parade route where spectators were able to view many of the entries. We were overwhelmed with the success of the parade, the joy and smiles shared along the parade route, and the spirit of the people of the St. John Valley who came together on a gray April day to celebrate winter! Thank you one-and-all who made the parade a success. We WILL do it again next year!

4/20-27: More spring clean up. We're able to rake the spots of bare ground that grow bigger every day. There's still about 1 1/2 feet of snow in the woods. The lake is very slushy and on 4/22 we could see open water at the mouth of the river. Kaitlyn and her friend Brittany were up for a visit this week. Wayne finished spring-cleaning the cabins in preparation for our guide school which begins 4/30. Tony Dube plowed away the snow in front of the cabins so the ground can start to dry out (wishful thinking?) I received a copy of "In the Shadow of the Eagle" from my friend Donna Loring. It is her account, in journal form, of her experiences serving as Penobscot Nation Representative during the 119-121 legislative sessions. I hightly recommend this excellent look at Tribal issues and Maine Tribal relations. We've enjoyed mild temps for the past two weeks. Wayne and I drove to Allagash and on to Dickey to see the remnants of last weekend's ice jams. I bought two beautifully handcrafted log chairs from Armand Scott of St. Francis. They have become a welcome addition to our "library" seating area in the lodge.

By 4/28 the river was opening up in front of the lodge (thanks to a stiff breeze all day). Ed Dallas has given me a collection of books (The Wisdom of Nature Series) written and illustrated by Douglas Wood. Doug is a naturalist and wilderness guide who has written a collection of inspirational books containing quotes that can mean different things to different people. Some of my favorite quotes: "Accomplish things the way an apple tree accomplishes apples", "save time with forgetting about saving time", and "tie strong knots". Two more of Doug's books arrived today from Ed: How Does Your Garden Grow and The Thing with Feathers.

I continue working part-time for Northern Maine General. It helps us make ends meet. I wish I could spend more time at the lodge helping Wayne. He has certainly carried much of the load himself lately. But we do what we have to. No matter how busy we are trying to keep up with runing the lodge, and no matter how tough times get, we both agree that this lifestyle suits us just fine...we are trying to "accomplish apples"! We will spend the next couple of days preparing for the arrival of our guide school students, and wating for the ice to go out and last of the snow to melt. It truly is spring time in the Valley! Until next time, I leave you with one last Douglas Wood quote, I think it is especailly appropriate for the season..."When the earth wants to smile, it grows a flower."

APRIL FOOLS?

2008-04-01T14:44:00.000-07:00

It's spring in The County, and it's SNOWING! April Fools Joke? Nope, just more of the "same old, same old" this morning. The good news is, by mid morning it changed to drizzle, then rain, and our high temp was nearly 40, so spring really is coming to us here in the north. You might think we're all tired of the snow, but no, we are celebrating - we have SHATTERED the old snowfall record of 180" and have now received over 220" of snow this season! To celebrate and officially say good-bye to winter I am working with Darlene Kelly-Dumond (Bee Jay's, and Fort Kent Muskie Derby) to plan The World's Largest Snow Plow Parade. It will feature every kind of snow removal equipment imaginable from as far away as Allagash, Portage, Madawaska, and points in between. The Fort Kent Lions Club is sponsoring a cookout following the parade. Between now and then, who knows what other whacky fun stuff will be planned! The parade will begin at 2:00 p.m. on April 19th, on Market Street in Fort Kent.

So, what does one do to celebrate spring when there's 5' of snow on the ground? Start getting ready for another season! We got a great deal on dining room chairs at Mardens; the price was too good to pass up so we bought 25; they're cushioned with red "pleather" on a black metal frame. I've ordered new tablecloths to compliment the red chairs, green plaid curtains mom made, and "honey toned" logs of the lodge. I painted the bar "barn red". Wayne will be installing new globe light fixtures soon - we'll cover the brass finish with flat black paint to compliment our wrought iron lamps and other metal elements (we've been watching too many home decorating shows!) Finally, we'll replace the bartop with a slab of heavily urethaned wood and remove the old carpet. We hope we can simply sand the floor boards beneath and urethane them for a fresh, new look in the dining room!

We spent all last weekend cleaning the kitchen, from top to bottom! It's an annual event we look forward to...we scrubbed, swept, vacuumed, mopped, weeded out junk, and orgainzed shelves. A winter's-worth of dullness has been washed away. The kitchen is now sparkling clean for us to prepare meals for our spring fishermen...next up...the living room...

Another sign of spring are the various sportsman shows being held throughout New England. We attended the Pine Tree State show in Wilton, ME over Easter weekend. We had a ball visiting with friends and clients from "down state": Northwoods Sporting Journal staff; NAVHDA Sebasticook Chapter members; Arnold Rice and "the boys" from the Phippsburg Sportsmans Club; Dave Paquet (Allagash Sporting Camps); Jim Carter (Munsungan Hunting and Fishing Club); Lila and Carroll Ware (Fins and Furs Adventures); Bill Saiff and his crew members Larry and Dave (Bill Saiff Charters, NY); "Max Trap" family; Russ and Carole Dyer (Ruffed Grouse Society, Bowdoinham, ME); Glen Rodgers and Gerald York (Bailey and Great Islands, ME); Don and Janice McPherson (Mexico, ME); and many more! We were blessed with a booth directly across the aisle from the Phippsburg Sportsmans Club - the guys made perfect moving targets when Wayne returned to our booth with a "blow gun" that shoots marshmallows! Arnold, DUCK! I gave a presentation on hunting bears over bait. We celebrated Larry's "156th" birthday, or something like that. He is often selected (embarressed) by fellow diners when we request waitstaff sing him "happy birthday" - it's an annual event after a day at the show. The weekend of April 5th and 6th we will be exhibiting at the Presque Isle show.

Wayne has shoveled all the snow off all the roofs again in anticipation of rain. Of course this is the 5th or 6th time he's done it this winter! But rain is a sign of spring so he happily completes the chore, hopefully for the last time.

Alli (our German shorthaired pointer) had lost weight over the last few weeks of winter. We were concerned...until we snowshoed up the hill, following her well-worn path, to discover she's been up there chasing rabbits! She's run herself ragged for hours at a time in hot pursuit. We almost missed the fir trees in the meadow; they are burried. All we could see as reminders of their presence were little clusters of buds sticking out of the snow. I'm looking forward to walking up there with Acadia this summer to show her how high the snow was.

Squirrels have exhausted their winter cache and crows are more active now. Daily, we watch a pair of crows carring twigs for a nest. Last week the dogs chased a red squirrel in to the lodge when they spotted it feeding on bird seed! They chased the squirrel across the deck outside just as Wayne opened the door from inside...the squrrel ducked in, between Wayne's legs. He shut the door just in time to close the squirrel in and dogs out. He "hunted" it down in the lodge for 20 minutes...under furniture, behind the TV, up the logs, across the beams...before cornering it in my office (which explains why I came home to find pictures down and papers scattered!)

We're looking forward to hosting another Guide School, beginning April 30. We contract with Lila and Carroll Ware to instruct the course. We provide meals and lodging. Every year we make new friends and watch as another group strive to become Maine Guides and hopefully wear "the patch" with pride.

As I update the journal this evening, the lodge is shrouded in fog. We can't see much beyond the windows and it is much like being in a blizzard. But tonight it is not blinding winter snow obscuring the far shore and Oak Point from view... The days are longer, our snow is wet and heavy now, icicles drip in the mid-day sun...These things all mean "spring" to us, and a dwindling supply of wood...

March 9, 2008

2008-03-09T09:17:00.000-07:00

Snow, snow, and more snow...It's Sunday, March 9th and we've received nearly 180" of snow (the old record of 180" was set back in 1955).

Our adventures since mid February: Ric and Kim Pau-Preto and Joe DeMoura enjoyed a wonderful week of riding through 2/16. Joe hit a deer with his snowmobile on the trail to Portage on 2/12. He tracked the deer, called a warden, and got to take it home for dinner!

The Eagle Lake Winter Rider's snowmoblie trail groomer got stuck off the trail south of the Carter Brook warming hut - in the middle of "now where", in the wee hours of the morning of 2/16. Also on 2/16, the Fort Kent cub scouts joined us for their 3rd annual ice fishing derby. A beautiful 17" salmon was caught while moms and dads made chicken stew and French fries for lunch. Wayne shoveled roofs, again. Cory Lathrop (Pittston, ME) and friends here for a dinner party. We were surprised when the Westons (W. Gardiner and old 4-H family friends) were part of their party! In addition to rib eye steaks, we served samples of Joe's deer.

The Webber family (Ron and Mim, their son Duane and daughter Dee, grandsons Tom Webber and Kyle MacPherson, and friend Colby Barnes) arrived for a week of riding on 2/16; Barb and Steve Ellis returned this year to ride too! Area trails in EXECELLENT shape at t he start of the week. Tom and Colby had a grand time...sledding in the rain, snowmobiling, recliner rides (old chair pulled by snowmo.), visits, and the first annual wreath burning. We finally took down our HUGE wreath that had hung in the lodge dining room since Thanksgiving - it made a fantastic "fire ring". I enjoyed spending time with all of the Webber family, especially filling the wood box with "uncle" Ron, dinner at the lodge on 2/21, and accompanying them on a ride to Madawaska on 2/22. They are dear friends (or rather more like family).

On 2/20 we watched a total lunar eclipse under crystal-clear skies!

Wayne attended the Springfield (MA) sportsmen's show 2/20-2/25. Rod Lebrecque helped him cover the booth for the 4-day show. A snow storm kept attendance down on Friday although there was lots of interest in our operation and he even booked a coulpe bear hunts :-) Wayne got home on 2/25.

Musher Rita Wehsler (Minnesota) arrived on 2/26 with her husband Bill and professional handler - Ed "Seagull" Dallas - to run the CanAm 250. We always look forward to CanAm week and seeing our mushing friends. Ed also stood as our Best Man when Wayne and I were married in Allagash during the 2006 sled dog races. Rita took her 12-dog team for a training run from Allagash to Fort Kent on 2/28 but missed a turn and ended up "misplaced" for a few hours out side of Eagle Lake. Snowmobilers went out to find her and sent her back in the right direction. Never a dull moment when running dogs! Kelly Cotiaux and John Lord stayed in cabin #3 with springer spaniels "Jibber", "Huntress" and "Sam." Kel is an annual spectator and one of the most enthusiastic. As a hunter and dog trainer herself she truly appreciates the athleticism of racing sled dogs. Another of the 250 teams stayed with us, Jaye Foucher (Ashland, NH) and her beautiful team of purebred Siberians.

Gail Swank (of W. Virgina and wife of race vet Steve Swank) and I helped head veterinarian, Nick Pesut of Presque Isle on 2/29. We varified vaccination paper work of the racing dogs during a mandatory vet examination. On the way home from Fort Kent Wayne and I saw our groomer fueling up at Bald Eagle - it's "unstuck"!

The CanAm races started on a snowy morning on 3/1 when nearly 90 teams left the starting line in Fort Kent competing in 30, 60, and 250 mile races through the northern wilderness. That night Ed, Bill, and I drove down to Portage to wait for Rita to arrive at the 1st check point. Teams began arriving in near white-out conditions. They rested in Portage for a few hours then headed off to Rocky Brook logging camps while we enjoyed a "white knuckle" ride back to Eagle Lake as 12" of snow fell. The race progressed toward Maibec logging camps and Two Rivers at Allagash on 3/2. Maine musher, Don Hibbs led much of the race but stalled outside Fort Kent Monday (3/3) afternoon when his team decided to take their own break. While Don rested with his team just miles from the finish line, Quebec musher Martin Massicotte passed him to take first place at 1:31 p.m., followed just 10 minutes minutes later by another Quebec team driven by Andre Longchamps. New Hampshire musher and 2006 CanAm champion Matt Carstens finished 3rd. Don arrived in 4th place, Mario Racine 5th, and our favorite musher - Rita Wehsler and her strong team wound up 6th. Her 6th place fisish did not accurately reflect the quality of her team - they were slowed when she had to haul two tired dogs in her sled early in the race and turned around to drop off another after leaving Maibec. If you've never experienced the thrill of the CanAm races, why not mark your calendar and plan a visit next year! Main Street in Fort Kent looks much like Anchorage, Alaska at the start of the Iditarod! For more information about the CanAm races visit their web site at http://can-am.sjv.net/ .

Wayne and I spent the next few days visiting with our mushing friends and attended the CanAm 250 banquet on 3/4. Jaye Foucher and her Siberian team hit a milestone in the racing world when they were awarded prize money for one of the fastest legs between Maibec and Allagash. Jaye finished 12th - CONGRATS JAYE! Rita and her Stoney Creek Kennels crew were scheduled to depart on 3/5 but a winter storm held them up - roads were closed in Quebec so they waited another day before heading back to Minnesota on 3/6.

We enjoyed a "taste" of spring on 3/6 and 3/7 under sunny skies and temps in the upper 30s. I took pictures of our cabins and lodge with snow up to the eves! We celebrated our 2nd anniversary on 3/6 with pizza from 4-Way Quik Stop, reading our anniversary cards, and enjoying a quiet evening at home. On 3/7 I attended a snowmobile club meeting of the Sly Brook Snow Riders. Bruce Labbe (trail master), Earl Labbe (groomer operator), and I (club president) went to present them with a check from the Eagle Lake Winter Riders and thank them for their assitance "rescuing" our groomer when the track broke and it slid off the trail in to 4' of snow. After attempting rescues with a grapple skidder (which bogged down in the snow just out of town and 16 miles from the groomer) and Ricky Saucier's unsuccessfully attempt to clear an access road with his giant snow thrower, the Sly Brook groomer operators came to our rescue!

Finally, after two months of early mornings and many late nights we caught a break; we got to sleep past 5:30 a.m.! Wayne and I enjoyed a couple liesurely mornings and the opportunity to catch up on calls, emails, bills, and correspondence on 3/8 and 3/9. Oh yeah, and more plowing and shoveling.

Today (3/9) we are digging out from yet another storm. We've gotten another 12+ inches of snow (it's hard to tell exactly how much fell because of blowing and drifting). I just pulled Wayne out of a snow bank after he got stuck trying to push snow banks back. We have finally run out of room to plow. The driveway is barely the width of a vehicle, the big rose bushes in front of the lodge are completely burried, snow covers many of the cabin and lodge windows, our propane tanks are completely burried, the dogs can climb on snow to the roof of the lodge, and I wonder if we've broken the old snowfall record yet?

If you LOVE winter, c'mon up and see us. We'll surely be riding snowmobiles through the month of April and in to May!

Welcome!

2008-02-10T15:11:00.000-08:00

Greetings from a VERY snowy Fish River Lodge! This is the first of a series of "journal entries" from the lodge. It is our goal to keep you updated with what's going on up here: weather and seasonal changes, fishing and hunting reports, recognition of our most loyal clients and their adventures, and what not.

It's mid-February and we have received over 10 FEET of snow already! It started snowing in Mid-November and hasn't stopped! We've survived two January thaws and the snow settled a lot during cold spells (when temps bottomed out at -30) yet we still have 4 feet of snow on the ground to play in!

We had a very successful sled dog race January 25-26 - visit the race site at www.geiweb.net/irvingel100/ for all the details! The weekend of February 2 and 3, we hosted "the boys" (Steven Cox and Jason Leighton parties) from Down East during the Long Lake Fishing Derby. While no winning fish were caught from Fish River Lodge - the fishing on Eagle Lake was decent with several good sized salmon, togue, and brook trout caught through the ice. Snowmobiling is EXCELLENT - the best we've seen in the three winters we've spent in Eagle Lake. Ric and Kim Paupreto returned for their SECOND week of riding this season, February 8-17. They report that the riding is GREAT on "beautifully groomed and wide open trails, awesome scenery, and warm hospitality." They averaged about 120 miles of riding a day, saw lots of deer, enjoyed some amazing sunsets, and weathered two snow storms.

Wayne will be exhibiting our Fish River Lodge booth at the sportsmen's show in Springfield MA, the weekend of February 21-24. Rod Lebrecque, a long-time client, will help Wayne staff the booth - thank you Rod! If you're in the Springfield area the weekend of the show stop by and say hello to Wayne and meet Rod! You will find the Fish River Lodge booth in the Better Living Center, booth #720. While Wayne's away I'll be making sure things run smoothly at the lodge during a busy school vacation week. We're looking forward to the return of the Webber Family and Barb and Steve Ellis; both parties will be up snowmobiling for a second season. The weekend of March 1-4, is the CanAm Crown sled dog races. C'mon up race weekend - we will have several teams staying with us. You'll have an opportunity to meet the mushers and their teams!

We're looking forward to a very long snowmobiling season. We should be riding well in to April so it's not too late to plan a winter get-away! Check back regulary to read more journal entries from Fish River Lodge...