TechZati

August 9, 1995

Well, I’m in Denali…  I have a job as a front desk clerk.  It will be strange sleeping in a bed again.  I just got back from the Talkeetna Bluegrass Festival, it was alight.  They bulldozed a huge area just for the festival, I didn’t sit well with that.  The music was pretty good.  I spent most of the days sitting in the back of my truck watching people.  I saw basically all of Trans-Aqua again.  We sneaked Chad’s car in.  We found a musicians pass and got it in, no problem.

One day we were all sitting in the back of my truck and I saw some Ptarmigan.  Sparky and Todd threw some racks at they and knocked out two of them.  Sparky cooked them up.  They were actually really good.

After Talkeetna, we went fishing in Montana Creek.  Talk about 2 days of fantastic fishing. Probably my 2 best days ever.  It was actually only me and Doug who were fishing.  We started by the bridge and snagged humpies left and right.  They are pretty for fish.  The next morning thought. Oh my God!  I was fishing in this back eddy hole.  A bite within 10 casts or less every time!  I hooked at least 6 dogs (chums), 2 trout and a couple humpies – Insane! The dogs are beautiful fish.  It was all catch and release.  Absolutely perfect day of fishing.  I had waders on and the water was so clear!  These fish fought like maniacs, at least every 5 casts I would hook one right in the mouth.  To see a silver fish with read and purple stripes jump on the end of your line [6 weight fly rod] A-mazing.

After fishing we came up to Denali.  I found a spot right off the road.  We set up camp and walked down under a bridge [over a gorge].  This walkway went right under it along the girders.  So, of course we all went up it.  Looking down over the river was such a feeling of vertigo!  It was a couple hundred feet high and just incredible. Chad is a nut and was going out along the girders and goofing around.  Didn’t make one feel comfortable at all. No Fear I guess.

So, now I’m in Denali.

July 28, 1995

This last week has been insane here.  We had a beach party [near Soldotna] and it was NUTS.  Freddie rode his mountain bike off a dirt cliff – broken leg.  I jumped off after that.  At the party, it was definitely more than a normal bonfire.  Everyone was blitzed and doing crazy stuff.  Doug was fire-rolling and people were falling in the sand all over the place.  Sparky got bit by a dog and it slashed is palm pretty good. It must have been a full moon or something. It was “insanity.”

Salmon run is almost done.  I’ve been fishing tons.  These salmon runs are great – I learned how to fillet fish a couple of different ways.  I’ve definitely proved something to myself.

July 25, 1995

2 days ago, I went fishing for salmon in the Upper Kenai with Chad, Doug and all the Wisconsin guys.  Caught 2 mostly by snagging.  Definitely a fight.

The day before I drove up to Denali and found a job.  I’m not sure if I’m going to take it yet or not.  This cannery wok is actually still ok.  I can’t believe that it’s almost the end of July.  The WI guys are going back to school in a couple weeks. Then, I think it will hit me I’m done.

July 3, 1995

The cannery I work for is called Trans-Aqua [Kenai Peninsula] and I’m still waiting for work…  A couple days ago I went fishing for King Salmon. I snagged a few fish [not King's] – it was exhilarating!

There are a few guys from Wisconsin who I’ve been hanging out with.  They are hilarious.  These guys, I think, are the kind of people I wanted to hang-out with this summer.  The granola-partier type.

I still have no idea what I should write in this journal, but I’ll give it a while.  I’m not sure what I’m looking for being out here.  I think it may be I’m trying to find a place for myself where I’m not second guessing myself on whether people are looking at me because I’m Chinese or not.  I’ve been talking to this woman Erin who is curious as to my perceptions on what I think – people think…? Neat lady…  Maybe I’m searching for friends whom I totally click with because I didn’t really have any good childhood guy-fries.  I guess I’ll know it if and when I find it.

I didn’t feel the thrill of being away as much as in Montana [Glacier National Park – summer of 1994], but I’m expecting something to be a certain way – I need to stop that.

I think about my experience in Glacier a lot.  That place had a profound effect on me.  Definitely because that was the first time I took time for myself.  I’m beginning to look forward to moving on from this cannery.

But these guys from Wisconsin are really nice people – genuinely.  We went out to the beach the other night.  The sunset was beautiful on the ocean.