A privilege

albula

albula

We are all Bozos on this bus
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After having been diagnosed with the Big C shortly before last year's trip to Norway and before being able to see an oncologist I really didn't think I would be able to travel and fish again. So I went anyway. Now, a year later, the treatments leave me unable to do everything the same way I used to. I hike in slowly and get in the water for a while but then take a rest and watch my brother and Yardsale cover the run and I'm completely content. It is a privilege to once more see an old friend. I thought we would never meet again.
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Good for you, attitude is everything. I was diagnosed with throat cancer last August and while treatment was successfully completed recovery is longer and harder than I imagined. Prior my BMI was 24.5 (5’11” & 175#), I lost 40 lbs and 1/2 was muscle which is hard to regain at 71. I have recognized that I’ll never be back to that condition but I’m still in better condition than a lot of my peers. I’m still dealing with some treatment for squamous cell carcinoma that have popped up on my hands, arms and head since radiation and chemo destroyed my immune system. Had the last of those today (hopefully) and hope to be back on the rivers this fall.
@albula, are you back in Norway? My bucket…….
 
Robert Engleheart said:
Good for you, attitude is everything. I was diagnosed with throat cancer last August and while treatment was successfully completed recovery is longer and harder than I imagined. Prior my BMI was 24.5 (5’11” & 175#), I lost 40 lbs and 1/2 was muscle which is hard to regain at 71. I have recognized that I’ll never be back to that condition but I’m still in better condition than a lot of my peers. I’m still dealing with some treatment for squamous cell carcinoma that have popped up on my hands, arms and head since radiation and chemo destroyed my immune system. Had the last of those today (hopefully) and hope to be back on the rivers this fall.
@albula, are you back in Norway? My bucket…….
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That I am. Until he end of the month. Tailout of a favorite run.
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The river is more than twice as big now than last year at this time due to the white stuff in the mountains melting at an astonishing rate. It has been warmer here, north of the Arctic Circle, than in Port Angeles, up to 80 some days with not a cloud in the sky. The sun is incredibly intense, much more so than in Washington. I should have packed more lightweight t-shirts, a pair of shorts and left the fleece and puffies home. Instead of getting out of the water on a cold and rainy day to huddle by a stream side fire in a gapahuk we strip the waders down and seek a place to relax in the shade hoping for a little breeze. But it is still Norway and there is no place I would rather be.image.jpg
 
Though the meds may slow him down, there’s no stopping the old man!

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A privilege indeed. Somehow here I am in a place I would never even imagine fishing. Beauty beyond words. Snow caped mountains that quickly turn to creeks that fall down the hillsides and join together to create the most incredible river I’ve stepped into. While we haven’t crossed paths yet, just knowing that massive salmon are moving out of the nearby fjords and cruising through the runs is incredibly exciting.

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albula said:
After having been diagnosed with the Big C shortly before last year's trip to Norway and before being able to see an oncologist I really didn't think I would be able to travel and fish again. So I went anyway. Now, a year later, the treatments leave me unable to do everything the same way I used to. I hike in slowly and get in the water for a while but then take a rest and watch my brother and Yardsale cover the run and I'm completely content. It is a privilege to once more see an old friend. I thought we would never meet again.
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Very well done!!
 
Beautiful! Water conditions look very similar to the Kenai last I fished it; 2nd week June running at 4500 cfs iirc, 140% of normal. Once I switched to a full intermediate sink line with a 6 or 7 ips tip it started producing. I’d guess you’re fishing down and dirty….
 
Had to say farewell yesterday to a now even better friend and made plans to meet a Norwegian buddy from last year with whom we had remained in contact. Robert (pronounced Roobert here in Nordland) instructed where we should meet to fish a new river and in closing on the phone said "I will bring for us a lunch." And he did. Pan fried stream side with citrus pepper and salt, fresh brown trout that his wife had caught the day before in a mountain lake near their home and a great beer cooled in the glacial river. He served it atop Norwegian flat bread spread with sour cream. That may now be my favorite way to enjoy fresh trout.

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Looks amazing. I've only been to Norway in April and May but it might be the most beautiful place on the planet. One of the "happiest" too. I could probably live there... maybe. Dec-Feb might be tough.
 
That's a shore lunch well deserved. What an opportunity.
 
albula said:
The river is more than twice as big now than last year at this time due to the white stuff in the mountains melting at an astonishing rate. It has been warmer here, north of the Arctic Circle, than in Port Angeles, up to 80 some days with not a cloud in the sky. The sun is incredibly intense, much more so than in Washington. I should have packed more lightweight t-shirts, a pair of shorts and left the fleece and puffies home. Instead of getting out of the water on a cold and rainy day to huddle by a stream side fire in a gapahuk we strip the waders down and seek a place to relax in the shade hoping for a little breeze. But it is still Norway and there is no place I would rather be.View attachment 160436
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If you told me this was on the Skagit/sauk, I woulda believed you! Gorgeous water
 
adamcu280 said:
Looks amazing. I've only been to Norway in April and May but it might be the most beautiful place on the planet. One of the "happiest" too. I could probably live there... maybe. Dec-Feb might be tough.
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x2...had a couple of week long biz trips to Oslo, wife came along on one and we got out of the city on a weekend for a drive around and stay at a B&B, spectacular scenery. And the folks I worked with were quite congenial, pretty much the opposite of the folks I encountered on projects in Germany and the UK.
 
SurfnFish said:
x2...had a couple of week long biz trips to Oslo, wife came along on one and we got out of the city on a weekend for a drive around and stay at a B&B, spectacular scenery. And the folks I worked with were quite congenial, pretty much the opposite of the folks I encountered on projects in Germany and the UK.
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My first trip to Norway was for a ski version of the Jotunheimen Traverse. As we were skiing through the region I kept thinking how familiar it looked. Turns out we were only about 100km from where the Hoth scenes were filmed for "The Empire Strikes Back". Luckily it was spring and my tauntaun didn't freeze before I reached the first marker.

Since then I've made it to Lofoten/Vesteralen twice and once to Svalbard.

Cost of living's pretty high, but then again you're not paying for your education or health care.
 
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