Tag Archives: Rick Freeman Wander Junkie

Germany Trip, April 2016

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This trip started with an upgrade to business class on my Delta flight from Seattle direct to Amsterdam. I rented a car from Sixt at the Europe’s fifth busiest airport (Schiphol) and headed for Cologne, Germany for my first night. My hotel was a minute walk from the famous Cologne Cathedral…a very cool Gothic twin spires medieval church. This church averages 20,000 visits a day and I was part of that crowd.

Being in Germany one needs to take advantage of the autobahn and the proficient drivers that drive it. Living in Seattle for the past 20 years I have experienced the slowest and incompetent drivers than any other city I know. So when I have a chance to drive legally at a high-rate of speed…I do. I tried with my Kia Sportage rental on my way to Grenoble, France with the pedal to the metal I was able to reach 114 mph / 184 kph and I didn’t let up until I hit traffic. What a pleasure it is to drive fast in an organized manner and at the same time it’s actually safer than weaving in and out among the lethargic Seattle drivers.

After a visit in the beautiful town of Grenoble, France I was off to the most stunning city in the world where my good friends Benoît Clerc and his soon to be wife Audrey live…Annecy, France. Not only did they prepare a home cooked meal, Benoît opened up a 1999 Chateau de Puligny Montrachet Monthelie wine to go with it. Benoît and Audrey are climbers and adventures and understand the importance of travel…my kind of people.

After another long day of driving I was in Munich meeting up with my good friends Michael Williams and Andre Nevell. Due to an enormous event in town we ended up staying in a hostel, this was my first stay in a hostel so I was a little apprehensive at first. Even this hostel was charging 400 Euros per night per room.

Alaska Fishing Trip, August 2015

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Not too many people in this world get a chance to go on an epic fishing trip in Alaska for Salmon and Halibut, but I did and with the blessing of my beautiful wife Linna and I took it. My long-time friend John Dorsey asked me to come along on this grand fishing trip with both his sons. His son Michael Dorsey is a professional fishing guide during the summer and hunting guide during the winter at the famous Hatchery Cove Lodge on Evans Island near the tiny village of Chenega, Alaska. Michael is the Captain of Halibut Hooker, a new 43 foot fishing boat equipped with two 310hp Volvo engines owned by Bob Hodsons. Bob is also the owner of Barney’s Sports Chalet barneyssports.com a specialty outdoors shop in Anchorage, Alaska. A special thanks goes out to Bob Hodsons to let me live the dream for a few days!

John and his other son Matthew Dorsey from Fort Collins, Colorado flew into Seattle from Denver where we met up and the three of us took the same Delta flight to Anchorage, Alaska. Delta Airlines is starting to match routes with Alaska Airlines and Delta was offering this killer deal for $180 bucks round-trip from Seattle to Anchorage…oh hell yes.

Michael and his son Hunter were waiting for us in Anchorage, I haven’t seen Michael for a couple of years and I didn’t recognize him at first sporting a thick Jeremiah Johnson reddish beard. We picked up groceries in Anchorage and drove over to Whittier where the Halibut Hooker was mooraged. We quickly loaded up the boat with 5 days of supplies and took off on a three hour tour to the Hatchery Cove also owned by Bob Hodsons.

We fished for 4 days nearly limiting every day on Coho Salmon, Halibut and a bunch of Rock fish. We were allowed 3 Coho (Silvers) Salmon and 2 Halibut each day, but 50 miles to the East in Resurrection Bay near Seward, Alaska you were allowed 6 Coho a day.

When it comes to fishing, the Dorsey clan have so much fishing experience that you will be assured there will be fish on the boat and a lot of it. Even though I held my own, the Dorsey’s out fished me each day; they are also gentlemen when it comes to splitting the vacuum packed fillets at the end of the trip.

Eagle Peak, September 2009

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Eagle Peak
Date: September 20, 2009
Difficulty: 6 out of 10
Distance: 7.2 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 2,955
Time: 4 to 5 hours
Location: Near Longmire, Washington
Users Group: Hikers Only
Permits: $10 per car access fee
Hiking with: Linna Freeman, Patricia Chow & Garth Heuchert

After finishing an easy hike yesterday (Comet Falls) and today was going to be sunny warm day, we needed a hike with a colossal view; this is where Eagle Peak comes in.  This hike should only be done on a sunny day, the Mt. Rainier views are to die for.  This hike also deserves a little picnic on top so you spend time resting and absorbing the enormous views.