Saginaw Paul

Letters from Saginaw Paul

June 2003 Postcard
August 2003 Postcard
March 2004 Postcard
April 2005 email
February 2006 email
May 2006 email

May 2006

HEY PADDLE MAN,
Hope this finds you happy,
Thought I would keep in touch, seen that your computer is broken on the outbound. I'm out of Mexiico. Now Im way up north.
went to work up on the denver glacier near skagway.I think that I told you, sled dog tours. Although I have been here a week and I still have not been able to get up to the glacier. BLIZZARD!! All the time, they finnally got the first set up creww down but then the weather went to hell And we could not replace them . There has been over 10 feet of new snow in the last week. We figure today, at least 2 more feet. Not good. But I have been getting
paid to wait for the choppers to fly, thats ok. the gear is ready and so am I. We live in real nice motor homes and 5th wheels while in town, they pay and feed us. What the hell. But Im just itchin to fly up. The first crew come down alll beat up and cold, there water jugs were freezing inside the tents. I love it, weed out the whimps. Some green horns are on there way home allredy and the dogs are not even up there yet. Pussies!!!

KIDS, Somebody elses, ha ha. I am in heaven, Im pretty sure that I will stay all winter this time. There is so much work for truckers. I can make about 500.00 per day for the next 3 years at least, they are building a new road. Why not?? but one thing I learned all the money in the world can not replace a good life living and having fun. It goes very fast just look back old man, what happen to the last 20 years, well I know you are one of the few that tear it
up . Way cool.
I miss my paddle friend, Take one min. send a word
or two. I will not have email after Im up on the denver, so. When I can get down , who knows? but I will write back.

Your amigo, Paul, Saginaw Paul

February 2006

Hello Scott, Hope this finds you and your new wife well. Just thought I would drop you a fast line or 2. Im hanging out in Aculpoco. Been here in Mexico since the first part of Dec. Aculpoco fo 5 weeks, got a great place to stay, pool and a bar, yee ha!! Very hot here . Either the pool or the ocean. I fell in love with Mexico and the people, there great .

Got a cool job lined up for this summer, Ill be living on the Denver glacier near Skagway Alaska . I will be working for a co. that gives sled dog tours on the glacier. I will be taking care of a team of dogs. I will live on the glacier for 5 months. Cant wait.

For now its cold coronas and woman in tiny swim suits . Well I wish you well take good care and ENJOY!!

Your friend in the sun, Paul

April 2005

Hey paddle man. Are you ready for Alaska ? Hope so. I got lucky! While in Sitka , Alaska . I met the captain of a fishing boat. Well long story short, 3 of us took a 58 foot boat 600 miles across the Gulf of Alaska . Wow!! We went to Kodiak where I got a job as a park ranger assistant. I will be all summer on a remote island called Shuyak. It is 75 miles north of kodiak. This is where after 13 Countries 36000 miles I have found a home. This is really my new home. So if you want some real adventure come see me, I know that you only have a short time but you know where I'm at. The big problem is the price to get to the island. I have a friend that was going to come but that stopped him. About $800 round trip from Kodiak, its only 75 miles. There are 4 state park cabins there. That is what I will be doing, maint, and greeting the adventures that come here. It a perfect place for you and your friends. People come from around the world to kayak all the protected bays .I will have a 14 foot zodiac and a nice kayak to use to get around. The only thing there is some of the best Fishing in the world. 4 cabins, big big bears and me and 2 other lucky people that will get a pretty decent wage plus 70 per week for food. Just to do something that I would most likely have paid to do this summer. It's like winning the lotto. Well you now have a friend that lives in wild part of Alaska , come see me sometime. Your friend with the bears, Paul

March 2004

Hey Scott.
Again, sorry that it has been so long. Hopeyou are fine. This journey has taken me here. What a place. Yesterday I was to take a train to Lisbon, but there was trouble. I'm sure you heard. Very sad. I was in Atocha the day before the attack, on a train. I'm luck! I'm at the train station waiting to to go Portugal. I've been 3,000 miles on bicycles on west coast, across Death Valley. In December my Mom & Dad were killed in a car wreck. I was wat the airport on my way to Hawaii when I heard the bad news. So I went to Michigan to take care of things. I am back in gear neow. I have a train pass for unlimited travel for 3 months. That will keep me busy. After Portugal, Morrooco, then Italy, Greece, then? I will see Scandanavia later. I'll get drunk in Ireland and catch a good buzz in Amersterdam. Perhaps wear a kilt in Scotland. Ha Ha. Join me somewhere. I would love that. Your friend in Spain. Paul.

email - paulvantol@hotmail.com

August 2003

Hey Scott.
Sure hope this finds you on a Sunday night and you are just getting back from a camping trip. Sorry I took so long to send words. Guess I'm no good at those things. I'm up in Denali Park. In my tent above tree line overlooking a huge river valley. Bears are here big time. Makes it kind of spooky. Fishing is getting to be a lot of work fighting fish after fish! There has been many times I had to stop to rest my arm. To much to tell. In all this IS the time of my life!! It has been 139 days and I'm just getting warmed up. Perhaps next year I could meet up with you here. Pretty sure I'm coming back.

Take Care. Your Friend, Paul.

June 2003

Hey Scott.
Well, I am finally taking some time to write. Hope this fins you doing well. I have a little down time, I took a fall in the mountains and had to get a MED flight to Juneau. Spent 4 days in the hosp. Not what I had planned. I damaged a nerve in my neck but it has been 2 weeks and I am getting a lot better. I'm in the S.E. and its really something to see. The first time I went fishing, had a river to myself surrounded by jagged snow capped peaks. I caught 14 Dolly Vardens in less than 1 hour! 2 or 3 pound fish. The Eagle were jealous. From where I'm camping I have seen 5 humpbacks in the last 2 days. They cruz past in front of my tent I can see barnacles hanging on them. Wish you were her sharing some of this excitement. That river I fished in Haiwes a local told me one day he counted 9 brown bears in a bout a 1 mile stretch. It makes me very careful! They like to fish too. Soon the silvers will be in.

Take Care Scott. Your Friend, Paul.