This past Thursday and Friday I finally made it back out onto the hard water. It felt good to set the auger down on the ice again after a long pause. The sciatica that knocked me out for the last couple of months slowed down more than just fishing. It also delayed the final phase of the electrical work on Truckie. I should have finished that modification already, but sometimes the body votes otherwise. The good news is I’m finally feeling strong enough to take that project back on soon.
I camped both nights in the back of Truckie and I continue to love the modifications and fabrications I’ve built into it. Every trip is a little field test. Each night out confirms that the effort was worth it. A few final electrical tweaks remain before I can call the build truly complete.
The real highlight of the trip was the company. My son camped with me, which made the whole experience even better. On Friday the wind came in hard and started howling across the ice. It was the kind of wind that reminds you Alaska is still in charge. The fishing tent tried to turn into a kite at one point, so I ended up anchoring the sled base to Truckie with a ratchet strap. Problem solved.
Because it was an inservice day, both kiddos were able to come out and spend some time in the ice fishing tent with us. Watching them laugh and stay warm while the wind rattled the canvas outside made the whole trip worth it.
Cold air, thick ice, good gear, and time with the kids. Hard to ask for much more than that.
More adventures soon.
— Joel
Kilted Adventures
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