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Zeldman

Zeldman

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Jun 13, 2014
Messages
18,831
Location
high desert NM
Display Name
Future Speedo Zeldman
Last day 30 August 2015

After spending the summer in Homer, AK, flying out to Katmai National Park and Lake Clark National Park, landing on the beach and guiding tourist to look at bears, I am DONE. I am finished.

This will be my last time to work in Alaska. No, I mean it this time. I know I have said this before, but I have had enough. This is not a joke. We haven't slept in a real bed since the first week of May.

One day and a wake up and we start the long drive back to New Mexico, which will be the vacation portion of our summer.

The saving grace was that we had plenty of fresh salmon, fresh halibut and fresh king crab. We caught the salmon and halibut ourselves and we were given the crab by friends. (hmmm... that doesn't sound right)

If anyone ever plans to vacation in Homer, just a reminder, the best seafood restaurants in Alaska are not in Homer.
 
Zeldman said:
Last day 30 August 2015

After spending the summer in Homer, AK, flying out to Katmai National Park and Lake Clark National Park, landing on the beach and guiding tourist to look at bears, I am DONE. I am finished.

This will be my last time to work in Alaska. No, I mean it this time. I know I have said this before, but I have had enough. This is not a joke. We haven't slept in a real bed since the first week of May.

One day and a wake up and we start the long drive back to New Mexico, which will be the vacation portion of our summer.

The saving grace was that we had plenty of fresh salmon, fresh halibut and fresh king crab. We caught the salmon and halibut ourselves and we were given the crab by friends. (hmmm... that doesn't sound right)

If anyone ever plans to vacation in Homer, just a reminder, the best seafood restaurants in Alaska are not in Homer.
Click to expand...
halibut is cheaper in Cosco than it is in Homer.
 
I wasn't very impressed with homer when I was there. Kodiak is way better! :D
 
Last edited:
Note to self:

Take lots of weed or booze if ever exiled to Homer AK.
 
txflyer said:
Note to self:

Take lots of weed or booze if ever exiled to Homer AK.
Click to expand...

:lol::lol::lol:

Don't worry, plenty of both here. The old hippies make and grow their own. All you have to decide is if you want organic or not....

This place is a throwback to the 60s. A quaint little drinking village with a Subaru problem....:lol:

Peace, man....Far out man....right on man.....groovy man..... Dave's not here man....:rolleyes2:
 
Alaskans look forward to the end of tourist season. Homer's a different town once the visitors are gone.
 
Stewartb said:
Alaskans look forward to the end of tourist season. Homer's a different town once the visitors are gone.
Click to expand...

The tourist are pretty much gone now. I was here a couple weeks before the season started. Most of the tourist that are still here are from the Anchorage, Mat-Su area, one last trip before the weather changes. The spit is really quiet now. Last week there was a cruise ship in town, and when that left the town really emptied out.

It just bothers me to hear people in Homer say how they hate tourist when they depend on tourism for their very existence. From the start to the very last flight I did my utmost best to give the folks the best experience of their trip. Some of the other pilots got burned out and started treating the clients in a less than stellar way, even out right rudeness.

At least I can say I have driven to both ends of the road in Alaska, the north end and now the south end.

And only one C-206 float plane took off this morning...peace and quiet.

Montana, the last great place, may be my next stop...:yes:
 
my point is that your perspective is different when you make a place your home than when you're attached to a place for work.
 
Stewartb said:
my point is that your perspective is different when you make a place your home than when you're attached to a place for work.
Click to expand...

I get your point and I understand what you are saying. I lived in Alaska full time from 98 to 06.

I just expect people that work certain jobs act like they love it around customers. Maybe I expect too much in todays "new normal".

Just an hour ago. The landlord came up to inspect our little garage apartment. Without any evidence, he stated that we used too much electricity and water and wanted to withhold $250 bucks out of our damage deposit. I wanted to see our monthly cost and the previous 3 summers cost to compare. We got our full deposit back.

I can say, this company is one of two companies in Alaska where I didn't have to file a lawsuit to get paid, so I guess it wasn't all bad.

Just noticed your locations. I was born and raised in B/CS. Lived there until I moved to Alaska.
 
Zeldman said:
I get your point and I understand what you are saying. I lived in Alaska full time from 98 to 06.

I just expect people that work certain jobs act like they love it around customers. Maybe I expect too much in todays "new normal".

Just an hour ago. The landlord came up to inspect our little garage apartment. Without any evidence, he stated that we used too much electricity and water and wanted to withhold $250 bucks out of our damage deposit. I wanted to see our monthly cost and the previous 3 summers cost to compare. We got our full deposit back.

I can say, this company is one of two companies in Alaska where I didn't have to file a lawsuit to get paid, so I guess it wasn't all bad.

Just noticed your locations. I was born and raised in B/CS. Lived there until I moved to Alaska.
Click to expand...

The hospitality industry takes a special type. Not all pilots are programmed for it. Or fishing guides, ski instructors, etc. I respect those who are good at it.

On the way south for a few meetings. Perfect timing to miss his highness booger up Alaskan aviation!
 
Zeldman said:
Last day 30 August 2015

After spending the summer in Homer, AK, flying out to Katmai National Park and Lake Clark National Park, landing on the beach and guiding tourist to look at bears, I am DONE. I am finished.

This will be my last time to work in Alaska. No, I mean it this time. I know I have said this before, but I have had enough. This is not a joke. We haven't slept in a real bed since the first week of May.

One day and a wake up and we start the long drive back to New Mexico, which will be the vacation portion of our summer.

The saving grace was that we had plenty of fresh salmon, fresh halibut and fresh king crab. We caught the salmon and halibut ourselves and we were given the crab by friends. (hmmm... that doesn't sound right)

If anyone ever plans to vacation in Homer, just a reminder, the best seafood restaurants in Alaska are not in Homer.
Click to expand...

I've said that before. Now, 4 years later, I'll probably go back to for a 5th flying out of Juneau. Just too much fun and I work with pretty good people. I still enjoy showing tourists a good time or bringing a Caravan full of UPS, USPS and other assorted freight into Skagway. :)

Enjoy the drive home.
 
Htaylor said:
I've said that before. Now, 4 years later, I'll probably go back to for a 5th flying out of Juneau. Just too much fun and I work with pretty good people. I still enjoy showing tourists a good time or bringing a Caravan full of UPS, USPS and other assorted freight into Skagway. :)

Enjoy the drive home.
Click to expand...

I know, I have said it before. I left a few times over the years but always got good offers to come back. This time its different. All the offers I have now are bush type jobs, doing the same thing I did when I came here in 98.

Don't take me wrong, I enjoyed flying the bush, taking bypass mail to the villages, getting local folks to and from their destinations, meeting and learning the eskimo way of life, the hardships, and pleasure, of living in bush villages. I have met some really great people and a few sour pusses, also lost several friends in crashes, survived winters, enjoyed summers, I have seen huge pods of whales off the west, northwest coast, I have seen large groups of walrus, huge migrations of caribou, moose, bears in the bush and in my house. This summer I guided tourist for bear viewing. I have had bears, with cubs, come up to 11 feet of me. I landed on beaches with 90 degree crosswinds blowing towards the water. Over the years I have lived in Bethel, Kotzebue, Fairbanks, Juneau, Nome and Barrow. I have been temporary flying in King Salmon, Deadhorse, Tok and a few other places. I have many happy memories of my time in bush Alaska.

But it is time to move onwards and upwards. I thought taking a sabbatical from my business would help me decide what I want to do, and it has. I learned that I am finished in Alaska.

But I have said that before.....:lol::lol::lol:

Enjoy your time in Alaska, fly safe, know your limitations, your airplanes limitations and always have a way out.
 
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