Some months are busier than others, and September usually wins the prize at ALO. For some reason, new business usually streams into the office during that month, hunting season is in full swing, fishing is at its best, and to top it off, winter preparation needs to be completed because the Angstmans are headed for Minnesota at the end of the month. This year that whole list of things was compounded by training for the Portland Marathon, which happens Oct 5th. Sue and Myron trained all summer with Kathy Baldwin. All plan to walk the marathon, while Sarah runs. Ben will do a combination of the two. September training was the most time consuming, including a 20 mile walk. Kathy and Myron tied in the 2002 marathon, and Kathy is favored to win this time owing to more dedicated training. Check the marathon website for results.
September at the mountain cabin was spectacular. Several visitors spent time there, including John McDonald and Bev Hoffman who visited the lake for the first time in many years. John is always snapping pictures, and . Fishing improved dramatically during September, and Andy caught the biggest fish of the year during the last weekend of September. The camera battery went dead, so no picture is available. The same weekend, James, Ben and Andy harvested two caribou at a camp not far from the cabin. Our new dog handler Casie Stockdale went along on that trip. Casie was hired for OFDF after spending the summer working on the glacier above Juneau with Jessica Klejka. Casie will also be helping the Kuskokwim 300 as assistant manager. After a few days on the job, it is clear the 300 will be in good hands this year. The race was advised that its former manager Staci Gillilan will plead guilty in October to one felony count of theft. This problem was detailed in an earlier edition of ALO news, and after the case is completed, a full account will appear here. The sooner that sordid episode can be put in the rear view mirror, the better. A reminder to all who read ALO news, its nice to trust people, but remember not everyone can be trusted. People who violate trust should be treated accordingly.
There was only one settlement to report this month. A minor Bethel car accident resulted in a $25,000 settlement. The Jeff King moose case is still awaiting a verdict, and you can read the ALO closing argument here. King Closing Argument Readers comments are welcome.
No month is complete without some dog news. Bethel musher Nick Cooke made a dog house for ALO office dog Henry, which now sits on the front deck of the office. And Bethel pilot LJ Davis actually sent me a photo knowing that it would likely end up on the internet. What was he thinking? Finally a group of photos, which include the new outhouse, the cabin kitchen, Sarah’s garden harvest, and fishing in the hills. You can see all those photos here,