Pimpla Dag

Goals for Sweden

1. Re-establish roots in Sweden
2. Ski too much
3. Parooze the talent
4. Learn how to ice-fish

Thus far, I have not accomplished much on this list, except for the inherent goal of having fun. I have however learned how to fish. It is actually a complicated process considering the amount of stress I had to go through to operate a snowmachine to get out on the ice.

The word for ice-fishing in Swedish is pimpla, and is most commonly associated with the phrase 'pimpla öl.' Translation: (used as either a statement or a question) Fishing for Beer(!,?)

This is how the day starts: overalls that keep you far too warm combined with a machine and little experience using it, equals stress, although I do not look it.

This is how stress starts: me trying to put the snowmachine into gear.

This is how most Swedes behave out on the ice: Mangus after falling into the lake trying to find out why there was no ice in the middle of it.

Not the worst place to be on a sunny day in March.

Making holes in the ice, and hoping the fish just hop right on out.

The Pimpla Stuga: a step up from the squatter cabin some Fort Collins skiers have been getting used to.

The man who makes it all happen: my boss and pal, Karl Arne.

Swedish grill hotdogs are wonderful. When you eat a hotdog here, it is called 'hotdog with bread.' Here, we eat them in tortilla-like wraps, with sweet and strong mustard.

My homie Alfred (also known as Popeye to the few Americans who know him) doing what he does best.

While waiting for the fish to bite, this is how we spend our time.

Can you belive it! We actually caught a fish! This fish was pulled up by a guy who had not even stepped on the ice that day. He was helping me pull in the lines, and he pulled this fish up at the first hole he went to. Right after he took the fish off of the hook, he caught another fish that was too small to keep.

Cooking the fish over the fire.

Fighting for the meat!

The stressfull ride home. We weighed the thing down a little.

The day was a success despite the unhealthy levels of stress I had trying to drive the snowmachine to and from. We actually tipped the thing three times, and I did not even know that they could flip! Not a bad start to getting the things on my list checked off.