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54TOBACCOOUTLETBUSINESSNOVEMBERDECEMBER2010wecouldtryourluckontheKenaiRiverbexaoredinner.Teskieswerecloudyandthefshingwasnothingshortoxaexcellent.Whilewefshedwekeptaneyeoutxaortheresidentblackbearswolverinesbadgersandwolvesx14andoxacoursethebugs.TeairwasthickwiththemincludingthenastyWhiteSocksandthegargantuanAlaskanmosquitoes.Wehadimmediateusexaorourmosquitoxaacenetswhichweworemostoxathetimewhilewefshedtheriverx19sheadwaterscomingoutoxathelake.Wedecidedtotakeaquicklunchbreakabout100sowewouldbereadyxaorourtakeoutat230.Itwasatthispointthatwetooknoteoxathethickeningcloudcoverandwonderedixaourpilotwouldhavetroublepickingusupatourscheduledtime.Tatconcerndidnx19tstopusxaromreturningtofshxaoranotherhour.Atabout215weheardtheplaneapproachingandhurriedtogetourthingstogetherandreadiedxaorourpickup.Tenweheardourplaneyoverheadandcontinuewithoutstopping.Withthelowcloudsitwasnowimpossibletopickusupuntillater.WeknewthattheightxaromourlodgeontheKenaiRivertoBugLakewasanhourwhichmeantthatwewouldprobablynotbepickedupuntilatleast430.THENOT-SO-PERFECTSTORMBynowwewererememberingthatourpilothadtoldusonthewaytothelakethatmorningthattherewasalargelow-pressureareaintheGulxaoxaAlaskabutithadnx19tappearedtobotherhimasitrelatedtoourcurrentdayx19strip.By430thecloudswerenearlydowntothelakeandafnemisthadbeguntoxaall.Ourspiritssank.Wesuspectedthatwemightbespendingthenighthereaxaterall.Wesetourfshingrodsasideandbeganbuildingalean-tooutoxasomePVCpipewexaound.Wehungourtentandraincoveroverittoprotectusxaromthexaallingtemperatureandincreasingrain.Telakewaslocatedatthebottomoxaaglacierandatthexaarendoxaalong2ordsotherewerenotreesonlybushesnearus.Wegatheredanydeadbrancheswecouldfndanddraggedthemtothefrepitwehadconstructedatthelakex19sedge.Wewereabletogetagoodfrestartedimmediatelyandonceagainwentbacktogatheringenoughbranchestokeepthefregoingthroughthenight.GalenandIgotbackoutwiththeyrodsandlandedtwonicecharwhichwouldconstituteournightx19smeal.Wepreparedthetroutonarocknearthefreandatewhatwouldturnouttobeourmealxaorthenexttwodays.FortunatelyweeachhadaquartoxaxareshdrinkingwaterwithussoourguideMitchdecidedtofreupthesatellitephoneandcontactthelodgexaorxaurtherinstructions.5oouramazementthephonewasblockedx14requiringacodethathadneverbeengiventohim.Wespentthenext45minutesdelvingintothe90-plus-pageinstructionbookxaorhelptonoavail.Mitcheventuallyxaoundasectioninthebookthatexplainedhowwecouldmakeanemergencycallevenixathephonewasblockedsohecalledthenumberonlytohearthemessagex1cWex19resorrybutwedonothaveemergencyservicesxaorNorthAmerica.x1dWewereummoxed.Asatellitephoneprovidedxaoremergencyusethatdoesnx19thaveemergencyserviceconnectionsUnbelievablebuttrue.Wealsodiscoveredthatthesurvivalgearwehadbeengivenlackedmanyessentialtoolsthatwouldhelpusinanovernightstay.Terewasnoxaoodoxaanykindnoashlightnodryclothingnolighterorheatingunitandnotoiletpaper.Fortunatelyitdidhavethreeslumber-party-stylesleepingbagsabasicfrstaidkitminuspainkillersandatent.Asduskapproachedabout11p.m.weknewweshouldtrytogetunderourmakeshixatcoverandgetsomerestuntilmorning.AstheAlaskannightfnallydarkenedtheskiesnearmidnightthewindandrainbegantoincrease.GalendidhisbesttoGalenandMitchbeforethebigrainbegan.Preppingtocookcharbycamprethenightofthestorm.DaveandGalenbeforethestorm.54TOBACCOOUTLETBUSINESSNOVEMBERDECEMBER2010