Drinking Winter's Best

We celebrated the last day of winter with a snowmobile ride down to Portage to look at deer in the deer yards outside of town. Trails were in excellent condition and we rode under a splendid, clear blue sky. The temperature was a chilly 27 degrees with a stiff wind blowing down the icy lake. After gassing up our sleds and hitting the trail we were soon sheltered a bit from the wind and saw many crows, song birds and a grouse on our way south. We stopped at Red River to watch the run-off in a break of open water under the bridge – the first open water we’d seen in many months. As we watched the water flow under the ice we wondered out loud about the brook trout we’d soon be fishing for. We crossed Portage Lake and wound our way toward town, bisecting many deer paths in the snow where the deer have been making their way to backyard feeding stations. These deer are luckier than their backcountry cousins and look to be in very good condition going in to the toughest month for whitetail survival. We stopped and watched several small groups of deer – does with yearlings, lone bucks, and others who have toughed out another northern Maine winter with us. I get a special thrill this time of year watching deer. They remind me of winter’s hardships that have been endured; they are a symbol of hope and the coming of spring. After completing our tour I playfully waved good-bye to the last group of deer we passed. I thanked them for showing themselves and wished them well until the snow is gone and fresh brows can nourish them. Back at the lodge we stoked the woodstove and hunkered down for another cold night.

This winter seemed to pass quickly. With the lodge and cabins shut down we’ve had no guests since December. It’s been a little lonely down here in cabin 7 but our jobs have kept cabin fever at bay. Our first real snow didn’t begin piling up until mid-January, so late in the season we had to cancel our annual Eagle Lake sled dog races scheduled for the 15th for lack of snow! Temperatures were cold enough for snow but storms that dumped piles of white downstate missed us completely, or left us with only 3-5 inches of snow at a time. We finally had enough snow on Jaunaury 22nd to take the snowmobiles out and did some off-trail riding in hopes of finding moose sheds. We found none and after an 80 mile round-trip we returned to the comfort of our cabin on a day when the temperature dipped to -20 and wind swirled snow down the lake in a ground blizzard.

At the end of January Wayne entered the annual Long Lake Ice Fishing Derby, having taken 3rd place with a brook trout last year his hopes were high to do better this year. He spent Friday preparing…he plowed a road to Alec Brook; packed his new tote sled with ice auger, live bait, propane, food, and beer; hauled his ice shack down the lake; drilled holes and had everything set up by nightfall when I returned home from work. Grant camped out in the ice shack, fishing for cusk. Wayne’s plan was to meet Grant Saturday morning and be fishing at sunrise. I stayed in bed. Later I took my snowmobile down the lake and met them for breakfast. There were dozens of groups fishing the ice between Alec Brook and Three Brooks Cove. What a sight to see so many families on the ice together! Ice fishing is as much a social experience as it is a fishing experience. Between checking their tip-ups, anglers visited with one another – catching up on local goings-on and monitoring each others’ catch. Fishing was fast Saturday. Wayne landed about 18 brook trout that day but none weighed more than the two pounds it would take to make them contenders for a derby prize. Sunday was a slower day of fishing. Late in the afternoon we packed up and fell in line with the parade of trucks, ATVs, and snowmobiles returning home as the clouded sky darkened.

During the week of February 7th Fort Kent was transformed from a sleepy little border town to an international stage for the IBU World Cup Biathalon. Athletes, spectators, press, and support teams from all over the world descended first on Presque Isle, and then Fort Kent for competitions beginning at 10th Mountain Lodge on February 11th. Local volunteers built an ice “castle” (beer hall) on Main Street for the weekend festivities. An International Light Parade was held on Friday night to welcome visitors and athletes to our community. The parade started in Claire, New Brunswick, crossed the International Bridge, then proceeded down Main Street in Fort Kent. Thousands lined the streets for the parade which was led by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. School children carried flags representing the countries competing, athletes and their coaches marched, lighted floats – many with music, singing, and dancing – were created by businesses and organizations from both sides of the border. As soon as the parade ended a spectacular battle of fireworks commenced…they were first launched from Lonesome Pine Trails then from across the St. John River in Claire, then a second volley from Fort Kent – amazing! NBA basketball star, Scotty Pipin, was spotted at various venues during the three-day competitions and festivities. I spent much of that week as host at Wilderness Edge Resort in St. Francis while owner Beth NcNally attended her daughter’s graduation from Marine boot camp in South Carolina. Biathalon team doctors and physical therapists from Italy and Germany were guests at the resort. I enjoyed making new friends from across the Atlantic and was entertained by their stories of previous World Cup and Olympic biathalon competitions. I hope to see them again when the World Cup returns to Fort Kent some day.

On the weekend of March 5th, sled dog teams from northern-tier states and several Canadian provinces called Fort Kent their home for a few days during the 19th running of the Can-Am Crown sled dog races. Wayne and I witnessed the start on Main Street in Fort Kent on Saturday morning. The night before, crews hauled in snow and transformed downtown in to sled dog racing mecca. Nearly 90 teams of 6, 8, and 12 dogs started their journey through northern Maine’s wilderness trails from Fort Kent’s Main Street. That afternoon I loaded the AVT and headed south to Portage as a volunteer at the Portage check point. The day started with light snow but changed to rain by mid-afternoon making the check point an icy, mushy mess. Most all teams were in by 8 p.m. and back on the trail by 1 a.m. Throughout the night conditions alternated from drizzle to down-pouring rain making conditions miserable for driving dog teams! From Portage the teams headed to Rocky Brook logging camps then on to Maibec where they took a long rest. It rained right through the night and in to Sunday. Wayne and I celebrated our anniversary Sunday by going to lunch at Lakeview Restaurant in St. Agatha. By the time we finished lunch rain changed to snow and it was a slushy ride back to Eagle Lake. By sunset we had a dusting of snow and ice as everything froze up after 2” of rain had fallen. We followed the progress of teams on the race web site. Monday broke with blizzard conditions. At 4:00 a.m. we had 2” of snow on the ground, at 7:00 a.m. 5” and by late afternoon 18-20” of snow had fallen! I continued keeping track of the teams’ progress from home. All but 6 of the 23 starters had scratched by Allagash according to CanAm’s official web site. Projected winners were expected to arrive in Fort Kent between 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. Jaye Foucher, who had scratched from the race in Maibec, was at the finish – her 9 mile commute to town took an hour, in a 4-wheel drive pick up! She kept me informed of developments via Facebook. I, in turn, kept my Facebook friends up to date with my postings. At 1:00 p.m, no one knew exactly where 5 of the teams were, only that they had passed a safety station near Wallagrass Lake and had not yet arrived at the St. Antoine Road station. Hours had passed…finally a search and rescue sled was sent out to look for them…they were found safely resting their teams on the trail. The run from Allagash had been brutal as snow accumulated, obliterating the trail and slowing their progress to a crawl, literally. At one point, musher Rene Marchildon led his team up a hill in a windblown field on his hands and knees. The run had taken so long that mushers had to stop and rest their teams before reaching the finish. The Bangor Daily news covered the race and has many articles to read if you’re interested. I won’t ruin the anticipation of a good story here – read the tales yourself, especially in the order they were written. Links are posted on CanAm’s web site at: http://canam.sjv.net/Articles/RaceNews.htm It was a race to go down in the history books as the most challenging ever where teams and mushers were pushed, some to their limit; others worked together just to defeat the wicked conditions between them and the finish line.

On Wayne’s birthday we took a trip to Presque Isle for birthday presents and dinner after he got home from work. He bought a new set of Craftsman tools and basketball sneakers. We enjoyed sushi at Oriental Pearl restaurant then birthday cake at home.

Here it is, March 20th – the first day of spring. Wayne went ice fishing this morning and caught 14 brook trout, all 12-14” long. I stayed behind to write this latest Fish River Lodge journal entry. Game warden, Chad Abbott stopped for morning coffee while out on patrol. The sun is shining and yesterday’s wind went down late last night. While the temperature is still below freezing, warmth from the sun softens snow and ice. We’ve got another week and a half left of ice fishing – Wayne made a date with Chad to go out on Thursday and hopefully bring in another limit of brook trout for dinner.

Next weekend I will head over to Heywood Kennel ( http://heywoodkennel.com ) in Stockholm for a day of fun by dog team. They are hosting a fun run and gathering of local mushers and friends. I offered to help with ANYTHING in exchange for the chance to take out a team. I’m so excited Lindy and Kevin will entrust me with a team of their sled dogs! My life before Fish River Lodge was consumed in large part by maintaining my own team of racing Alaskan huskies. Dog team owners will tell you, dog mushing is an addiction that never leaves your blood. I haven’t stood on the runners of a sled for a couple of years but I will “take a drink” when ever I get a chance!

We’ll spend the next few weeks drinking in the last of winter’s offerings. After that we await the slow, melt to spring…