Although this is tied on a Kamasan hook - it looks like you could substitute any scud hook as a replacement.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Jan's Emerger - FOTD
Another FOTD - Jan's Emerger - I really like this pattern because it is a hybrid emerger/sunken midge/trico all in one. The foam on top really makes this thing float and the white feathers on top allow you to see the fly really well. Looks like this fly will really work.
Although this is tied on a Kamasan hook - it looks like you could substitute any scud hook as a replacement.
Although this is tied on a Kamasan hook - it looks like you could substitute any scud hook as a replacement.
Ultra Prince Nymphs - FOTD
Ok, I know I have done a bunch of FTOD today, but trying to catch up on some of my favorite (pretty) patterns.
This is a nice looking Ultra Prince Nymph by Platte River Fly Shop.
This is a simple fly, but is absolutely beautiful.
This is a nice looking Ultra Prince Nymph by Platte River Fly Shop.
This is a simple fly, but is absolutely beautiful.
Nymph FOTD
These guys are awesome too:
Not too difficult, and not super sexy, but I like the gloss finish on them.
Not too difficult, and not super sexy, but I like the gloss finish on them.
One good looking Scud! FOTD
I like scuds/czech nymphs - I think they mimic most of the bugs in the rivers I fish - they are everywhere when you turn over rocks, pull up some weeds, or kick the dirt around.
This scud is one of the nicest I have seen - of course I can't tie these as good, but there is step by step tutorial on that link.
This is my FOTD.
This scud is one of the nicest I have seen - of course I can't tie these as good, but there is step by step tutorial on that link.
This is my FOTD.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Clownshoes! FOTD
Great article out there today from Singlebarbed about Clownshoes - yeah, that's right, Clownshoes.
These flies are pretty damn sexy, and look like a good tie. I'll have to dream up something like these.
These flies are pretty damn sexy, and look like a good tie. I'll have to dream up something like these.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Lightbulb Speakers
Check these out - these are cool as hell!
These speakers inside a lightbulb use bluetooth technology (that you can add to an iPod or other portable audio devise) to beam your music around your house wirelessly. This seems like a practical idea that someone should have thought of LONG before this!
These speakers inside a lightbulb use bluetooth technology (that you can add to an iPod or other portable audio devise) to beam your music around your house wirelessly. This seems like a practical idea that someone should have thought of LONG before this!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Oh, and I forgot to mention....
it was at least 72* today, and it was awesome. I woke up this morning, took Avi to daycare (brought Cabo along as well), stopped by my buddies carwash for gas and chatted with him, then took Jen and Zach to breakfast and Home Depot. We hung out around the house for a bit while Jen showered, then I worked on the camper and my fly tying displays until 6pm. Did dinner, watched some CSI and Gary Unmarried on the TiVo and now am headed to bed to read some more of Outliers by Malcom Gladwell.
I can't remember the last time I had a fulfilling, stress-free day, but today was certainly one of them. Just two days left of work until the weekend! Oh yeah, and snow on Friday! Oh well, back to the grind.
I can't remember the last time I had a fulfilling, stress-free day, but today was certainly one of them. Just two days left of work until the weekend! Oh yeah, and snow on Friday! Oh well, back to the grind.
Camper Mods - Part 1
I took the day off and started on my camper mods. I thought I had plenty of time today, but things took longer than expected, not to mention work just wouldn't leave me alone - so I had some distractions.
I set the camper up in the drive way and just went nuts taking things apart. This is what the camper looked like to start (this is the view from the door looking in):
The top picture shows looking left - that is the sink flipped upside down with the blanket in the bottom, and the middle picture is the view directly in front of the door showing the ice box and storage cabinets. The bottom picture is looking immediately left at the bench seating closest to the door and the drop down table.
The sink isn't of much use, even when we are hooked up to water at a campground we hardly use it. I don't want to total get rid of the sink - I just need to be more creative. The ice box is useless with a vertical door - we just throw stuff in there and never use it. The bench seating holds a lot of storage, but the 4 foot long plywood covers over the benches are hard to maneuver with one hand and in such a tight space. I had some better ideas for that space - but I needed to roll up my sleeves and see what I can change/add/delete.
As you can see above, I started taking everything apart - first removing the icebox from the front, and removed the flip over countertop/sink. I also removed the bench plywood and cut them in half. I yanked the sink drain out of the cabinet as well.
See the top photo above: I cut the plywood bench covers in half, drilled a finger hole to open them, then added two hinges each so you can pop them up - and only half as wide - so much easier. As you can see from the bench, the left side has a porto-potty, that makes late night potty breaks a lot easier - just pop that side up and have a seat - extra storage for hoses, water jugs and toilet paper as well.
See the bottom photo above: I put the ice box horizontal, making it like a cooler with the top flush with the cabinet - so it isn't in the way when the beds slide in. I had to move a wall slightly and add some wood for support along the edges of the icebox. I also had to add some support to the bottom, since the icebox didn't touch the floor and would be heavier with food inside that the edge pieces could handle. This made a nice little storage area about 7.5 inches high and 22 inches wide.
Well, now that I had the icebox moved, I had to cover it all with the panelling so it would blend in. As you can see from the bottom pic (above) the storage space under the cooler is pretty large.
Well, that was all for the day - I only hit Home Depot once in the morning and bought the hinges. I have plenty more to work on it next time, including:
Add a mini-table going across the benchs (instead of the huge table - which usually ends up outside).
Add carpet tiles.
Add radio.
Add a battery.
Add hooks on doors for tools.
Mount carbon monoxide sensor.
Add rink holders.
Add paper towel holder.
Add PVC pipe on outside for storage.
As you can see I got a good start, but have my work cut out for me!
I set the camper up in the drive way and just went nuts taking things apart. This is what the camper looked like to start (this is the view from the door looking in):
The top picture shows looking left - that is the sink flipped upside down with the blanket in the bottom, and the middle picture is the view directly in front of the door showing the ice box and storage cabinets. The bottom picture is looking immediately left at the bench seating closest to the door and the drop down table.
The sink isn't of much use, even when we are hooked up to water at a campground we hardly use it. I don't want to total get rid of the sink - I just need to be more creative. The ice box is useless with a vertical door - we just throw stuff in there and never use it. The bench seating holds a lot of storage, but the 4 foot long plywood covers over the benches are hard to maneuver with one hand and in such a tight space. I had some better ideas for that space - but I needed to roll up my sleeves and see what I can change/add/delete.
As you can see above, I started taking everything apart - first removing the icebox from the front, and removed the flip over countertop/sink. I also removed the bench plywood and cut them in half. I yanked the sink drain out of the cabinet as well.
See the top photo above: I cut the plywood bench covers in half, drilled a finger hole to open them, then added two hinges each so you can pop them up - and only half as wide - so much easier. As you can see from the bench, the left side has a porto-potty, that makes late night potty breaks a lot easier - just pop that side up and have a seat - extra storage for hoses, water jugs and toilet paper as well.
See the bottom photo above: I put the ice box horizontal, making it like a cooler with the top flush with the cabinet - so it isn't in the way when the beds slide in. I had to move a wall slightly and add some wood for support along the edges of the icebox. I also had to add some support to the bottom, since the icebox didn't touch the floor and would be heavier with food inside that the edge pieces could handle. This made a nice little storage area about 7.5 inches high and 22 inches wide.
Well, now that I had the icebox moved, I had to cover it all with the panelling so it would blend in. As you can see from the bottom pic (above) the storage space under the cooler is pretty large.
Well, that was all for the day - I only hit Home Depot once in the morning and bought the hinges. I have plenty more to work on it next time, including:
Add a mini-table going across the benchs (instead of the huge table - which usually ends up outside).
Add carpet tiles.
Add radio.
Add a battery.
Add hooks on doors for tools.
Mount carbon monoxide sensor.
Add rink holders.
Add paper towel holder.
Add PVC pipe on outside for storage.
As you can see I got a good start, but have my work cut out for me!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 - South Platte River @ Deckers
Sunday, Jan 18, 2009 - South Platte River @ Deckers
Beautiful day - highs in the 50's, sunny, flows 124 cfs and clear water
Fishing with TSyl and WillHoltus from the board. Got down there around 10am, left around 2pm. I'd post pics, but again, I forgot my camera.
Not much to report - we didn't catch or see a fish the entire time we were there. Tried fishing the Rock Garden stretch and the big bend above Trumbull. Nothing. It was painful, because it was such a beautiful day. It was busier than most summer weekends - great weather and the week after the Fly Fishing shows probably was the culprit.
It was a good day to get out with friends and fish.
Beautiful day - highs in the 50's, sunny, flows 124 cfs and clear water
Fishing with TSyl and WillHoltus from the board. Got down there around 10am, left around 2pm. I'd post pics, but again, I forgot my camera.
Not much to report - we didn't catch or see a fish the entire time we were there. Tried fishing the Rock Garden stretch and the big bend above Trumbull. Nothing. It was painful, because it was such a beautiful day. It was busier than most summer weekends - great weather and the week after the Fly Fishing shows probably was the culprit.
It was a good day to get out with friends and fish.
Friday, January 09, 2009
Camper Modifications
A couple of people have asked why I haven't been fishing lately, and if I plan to even go fishing thsi winter. I have never been a huge fan of winter fishing, especially since most of the days I do end up going tend to be windy, below freezing and snowing - just seems like my luck. SO this year I have decided to tie flies, sell/make some fly tying displays, and work on my camper and add some modifications.
I have a 2002 Jayco 8 ft pop-up tent trailer. Nothing fancy, actaully it is quite boring - no battery, no furnace and no fridge - stripped down.
I haven't done a whole lot to it, cut a hole in the floor for a vent, and bought a bunch of trinkets for it - like a heater, new faucet, replaced the lock and a few other nice to haves. Having camped in the thing for 3 summers now, I know what I have and what is missing. This year I hope to add a bunch of upgrades to make the camper more usable. I have a buddy at work that is anxious to help out and he is very handy.
These are some of the mods I want to do (I will post before and after pics as I do each mod):
Add a cooler/counter space/detachable sink
The current swing sink folds up and over so the beds can fold in over the top of them. The "icebox" is vertical so you can't put ice and anything in there - so you have to carry a cooler with you anyways. Adding a removable cooler into the cabinet will be more practical and we will actually use it. The sink can be yanked out and made portable - the faucet can be less rigid. The current icebox has a drain at the bottom that I could use to drain the cooler/sink.
PVC tubes for storage
Easy thing to do - buy some 4" pvc, add a permanent cap on one end, add a removeable cap on the other. Mount the pvc along the bottom of the camper - you can shove the outside carpet, extension cords, etc in there rather than taking up valuable space inside.
Roof racks
I'd like to add roof racks to carry gear and a kayak/caneo - seems like a lot of space on top that is unused.
Carpet tiles
Carpet tiles are cheap and easy to clean, and the lenolium floor is getting old.
Paper towel holder
Need to add a built in paper towel holder - these things seem to fall all over.
Drink holders
You can't have enough - and in the new counter space where the sink was I will add cup holders in various places.
Furnace
This is a big one - my buddy has some ideas, but I would like to add an in wall unit that runs on propane.
Make table across bench seats
The table in the middle needs to go - not enough room in the camper to move around in there and have a full sized table. I'll cut two pies of plywood and lay them across the opening - this way you can stack them up and lay them across and only take up half the space. Easy fix.
Cut bench covers in half, and add hinges so easier access
The storage under the couches is covered by a solid plywood sheet - I'll cut them in half so you don't have to pick up the entire piece of wood, and add hinges so you can just pull up.
Add battery/battery charger
This will be a huge thing because of the investment in battery, charger, wiring, solar panel??, etc. But it needs to be done - and Mark is pretty good at these kinds of things. I'll have to mount the battery box to the hitch as well.
Cut grill mount to make less heavy and shorter
I made it wayyy to long - cut it down for easier storage and less weight.
Fix grill support bar
The support bar is lame at best - needs to be fixed.
Jug for gray water
Sounds dumb, but I need to store my grey water better - I saw a mod that has a cool
Mount battery op Radio where fire extinguisher was
I have a spot where the fire extinguisher holder broke - perfect spot to add a battery operated (or wired) radio or CD player. I'm not sure why I hadn't thought of that sooner.
Trash holder
No place to store trash - I just need to add some kind of trash recepticle that I can add a plastic bag to when we camp.
Add hooks to hang utensils from grill
Just simple stuff to make things more accessible.
Clasps on door to hold tools
Sounds dumb, but the crank for the top is always under a pile of stuff - I can easily add a latch to the door so it is always in the same place and easily accessible.
Add a level for horizontal stableness
I already have one for vertical stablizing - but not one for horizontal - which I have found is pretty important too.
Let me know if you guys think of anything else I need! I'm excited to spend some time on this project - I need a new project!
I have a 2002 Jayco 8 ft pop-up tent trailer. Nothing fancy, actaully it is quite boring - no battery, no furnace and no fridge - stripped down.
I haven't done a whole lot to it, cut a hole in the floor for a vent, and bought a bunch of trinkets for it - like a heater, new faucet, replaced the lock and a few other nice to haves. Having camped in the thing for 3 summers now, I know what I have and what is missing. This year I hope to add a bunch of upgrades to make the camper more usable. I have a buddy at work that is anxious to help out and he is very handy.
These are some of the mods I want to do (I will post before and after pics as I do each mod):
Add a cooler/counter space/detachable sink
The current swing sink folds up and over so the beds can fold in over the top of them. The "icebox" is vertical so you can't put ice and anything in there - so you have to carry a cooler with you anyways. Adding a removable cooler into the cabinet will be more practical and we will actually use it. The sink can be yanked out and made portable - the faucet can be less rigid. The current icebox has a drain at the bottom that I could use to drain the cooler/sink.
PVC tubes for storage
Easy thing to do - buy some 4" pvc, add a permanent cap on one end, add a removeable cap on the other. Mount the pvc along the bottom of the camper - you can shove the outside carpet, extension cords, etc in there rather than taking up valuable space inside.
Roof racks
I'd like to add roof racks to carry gear and a kayak/caneo - seems like a lot of space on top that is unused.
Carpet tiles
Carpet tiles are cheap and easy to clean, and the lenolium floor is getting old.
Paper towel holder
Need to add a built in paper towel holder - these things seem to fall all over.
Drink holders
You can't have enough - and in the new counter space where the sink was I will add cup holders in various places.
Furnace
This is a big one - my buddy has some ideas, but I would like to add an in wall unit that runs on propane.
Make table across bench seats
The table in the middle needs to go - not enough room in the camper to move around in there and have a full sized table. I'll cut two pies of plywood and lay them across the opening - this way you can stack them up and lay them across and only take up half the space. Easy fix.
Cut bench covers in half, and add hinges so easier access
The storage under the couches is covered by a solid plywood sheet - I'll cut them in half so you don't have to pick up the entire piece of wood, and add hinges so you can just pull up.
Add battery/battery charger
This will be a huge thing because of the investment in battery, charger, wiring, solar panel??, etc. But it needs to be done - and Mark is pretty good at these kinds of things. I'll have to mount the battery box to the hitch as well.
Cut grill mount to make less heavy and shorter
I made it wayyy to long - cut it down for easier storage and less weight.
Fix grill support bar
The support bar is lame at best - needs to be fixed.
Jug for gray water
Sounds dumb, but I need to store my grey water better - I saw a mod that has a cool
Mount battery op Radio where fire extinguisher was
I have a spot where the fire extinguisher holder broke - perfect spot to add a battery operated (or wired) radio or CD player. I'm not sure why I hadn't thought of that sooner.
Trash holder
No place to store trash - I just need to add some kind of trash recepticle that I can add a plastic bag to when we camp.
Add hooks to hang utensils from grill
Just simple stuff to make things more accessible.
Clasps on door to hold tools
Sounds dumb, but the crank for the top is always under a pile of stuff - I can easily add a latch to the door so it is always in the same place and easily accessible.
Add a level for horizontal stableness
I already have one for vertical stablizing - but not one for horizontal - which I have found is pretty important too.
Let me know if you guys think of anything else I need! I'm excited to spend some time on this project - I need a new project!
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Approaching a milestone!
What milestone? 100,000 miles on the Rodeo.
Yes, this is the first car I have kept longer than 2.5 years. This is my 5th car - 1994 Chevy Cavalier, 1996 Chevy Cavalier, 1999 Dodge Avenger, 2000 Ford Explorer and 2002 Isuzu Rodeo.
I have never had a car over 75,000 miles, so I am in uncharted territory. I hate being outside the warranty (well, WAY outside the warranty), but I really trust this truck (knock on wood because I probably just jinxed myself!). It takes a beating and keeps on moving. It isn't anything fancy, but has held up well and runs great.
She's a fine old girl!!
Yes, this is the first car I have kept longer than 2.5 years. This is my 5th car - 1994 Chevy Cavalier, 1996 Chevy Cavalier, 1999 Dodge Avenger, 2000 Ford Explorer and 2002 Isuzu Rodeo.
I have never had a car over 75,000 miles, so I am in uncharted territory. I hate being outside the warranty (well, WAY outside the warranty), but I really trust this truck (knock on wood because I probably just jinxed myself!). It takes a beating and keeps on moving. It isn't anything fancy, but has held up well and runs great.
She's a fine old girl!!
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Catch Magazine - Issue #3
http://www.catchmagazine.net/Sunday, December 28, 2008
Enough Already!
These "he said"/"she said" stories are only interesting when they involve hot chicks, and let's face it, neither Jay Cutler or Philip Rivers is a hot "chick" in the NFL. Both players are more than full of themselves. Living in Denver makes this really hard because everyone stands up for the classless Jay Cutler. Although extremely talented, Mr. Cutler makes an ass of himself consistently on and off the field. With his mouth he claims he has a stronger arm than John Elway (even if he DOES, which he DOESN'T - he needs to keep his mouth shut), trash talks Rivers to the media - but we never really know what Rivers said to him (so why don't you tell us that Rivers was telling you that you sucked - when you WERE! - the truth must hurt). On the field you seem to be a leader until you throw a dumb INT. The QB position is the most important on any team - you need to be a leader and win these games....but you don't.
Congrats on your Pro Bowl - I'm glad you think you deserve it. I've been lucky enough (I threw up a little in my mouth) to watch you botch a few games and sulk on the sidelines - you shouldn't even be within 5,000 of Hawaii when guys like Matt Cassell and Chad Pennington get snubbed (oh yeah, Chad will be playing next week - you'll have your feet up sulking I'm sure). Don't let the stats fool you, none of your even match up to Rivers - 24 TDs and 16 Ints are mediocre, 32 TDs and 11 Ints seem stronger, your QB rating is mediocre, and you did all this with better OL, wide receivers and TEs. So how did you earn your Pro Bowl again? I guess they had to have at least ONE Pro Bowler from every team - congrats again!
Rivers on the other hand takes the high road. Sure he is a little cocky - which he should be (he has the winning percentage to back it up - had it not been for Norv Turner and Ed Hocules he would easily have won the division and the Broncos wouldn't be smelling the playoffs after week 10) - but he brushes off the trash talking as merely part of the game (which it is - isn't it?). His stats are better, so that probably gives him some right to talk trash too.
Hey Jay Cutler, some advise for you - want to be a good QB? Rise to the occassion, look at the history of your franchise, learn from the class acts that John Elway and Terrel Davis were - and shut the hell up. Winning games is all that matters - and you don't exactly have a winning track record. You'll find out that your arm has a much stronger voice than your mouth ever will.
Oh, and karma is a bitch - when the Chargers get a second chance to right things tonight in SD, I hope the game ends on a controversial call that goes SD's way - this way I can hear all the Bronco fans tomorrow crying about how they were robbed. YOU SHOULDN'T EVEN BE HERE! Your organization needs an enima - get some youth in there, and a defense. GO CHARGERS!
Congrats on your Pro Bowl - I'm glad you think you deserve it. I've been lucky enough (I threw up a little in my mouth) to watch you botch a few games and sulk on the sidelines - you shouldn't even be within 5,000 of Hawaii when guys like Matt Cassell and Chad Pennington get snubbed (oh yeah, Chad will be playing next week - you'll have your feet up sulking I'm sure). Don't let the stats fool you, none of your even match up to Rivers - 24 TDs and 16 Ints are mediocre, 32 TDs and 11 Ints seem stronger, your QB rating is mediocre, and you did all this with better OL, wide receivers and TEs. So how did you earn your Pro Bowl again? I guess they had to have at least ONE Pro Bowler from every team - congrats again!
Rivers on the other hand takes the high road. Sure he is a little cocky - which he should be (he has the winning percentage to back it up - had it not been for Norv Turner and Ed Hocules he would easily have won the division and the Broncos wouldn't be smelling the playoffs after week 10) - but he brushes off the trash talking as merely part of the game (which it is - isn't it?). His stats are better, so that probably gives him some right to talk trash too.
Hey Jay Cutler, some advise for you - want to be a good QB? Rise to the occassion, look at the history of your franchise, learn from the class acts that John Elway and Terrel Davis were - and shut the hell up. Winning games is all that matters - and you don't exactly have a winning track record. You'll find out that your arm has a much stronger voice than your mouth ever will.
Oh, and karma is a bitch - when the Chargers get a second chance to right things tonight in SD, I hope the game ends on a controversial call that goes SD's way - this way I can hear all the Bronco fans tomorrow crying about how they were robbed. YOU SHOULDN'T EVEN BE HERE! Your organization needs an enima - get some youth in there, and a defense. GO CHARGERS!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
Zachary Cole Edwards
Born 12/15/08 at 8:26am
7 lbs, 12 ozs and 20.75 inches long
Mom and baby are doing well.
Follow the Link to the Pics
7 lbs, 12 ozs and 20.75 inches long
Mom and baby are doing well.
Follow the Link to the Pics
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| From 121508 - Zachary Cole |
Saturday, December 06, 2008
$1.59/gallon gas!
Yep - that has been the cheapest I have seen it - although rumors abound that it might be had up on Santa Fe for $1.49!
Friday, December 05, 2008
Hockey 12/5 - Thursday League
First game of playoffs (I guess because there are only 6 teams we got a bye from the first game)
No points
Played against Dean and Chris the goalie
Not much to say
won 6-4
No points
Played against Dean and Chris the goalie
Not much to say
won 6-4
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Thanksgiving
We had a fun Thanksgiving today - did a ton of stuff and hung out with friends all day and are just starting to crash.
Jen started the day by working from 7am-2pm. Avi and I got out of bed around 8, she went over to our neighbors to play with the kids at 10am. A bunch of the neighborhood guys played some football at the park this morning for an hour or so - our first annual Deer Creek Court TDay game. We all had a blast - I wish I had taken pics.
I fried up a turkey after the game at my neighbors house - he actually fried up 4 of them in his driveway. That was a pretty interesting process. I peeled and cut our sweet potatos as well. Jen got home at 2.
About 4pm we headed over to Suzie's house for our feast. It was the normal crew and great food - good company as well - and good to see everyone. We just got home 30 minutes ago and put Avi in bed. Time to hit the hay myself.
I hope everyone had a happy thanksgiving!
Jen started the day by working from 7am-2pm. Avi and I got out of bed around 8, she went over to our neighbors to play with the kids at 10am. A bunch of the neighborhood guys played some football at the park this morning for an hour or so - our first annual Deer Creek Court TDay game. We all had a blast - I wish I had taken pics.
I fried up a turkey after the game at my neighbors house - he actually fried up 4 of them in his driveway. That was a pretty interesting process. I peeled and cut our sweet potatos as well. Jen got home at 2.
About 4pm we headed over to Suzie's house for our feast. It was the normal crew and great food - good company as well - and good to see everyone. We just got home 30 minutes ago and put Avi in bed. Time to hit the hay myself.
I hope everyone had a happy thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
Best of 2008 Fly Swap
I just finished up hosting a fly swap and posted the images in my Picasa Album.
Here are some sample pics:
Thanks to all the guys who participated!
Here are some sample pics:
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| From 112008 - Fly Swap |
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| From 112008 - Fly Swap |
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| From 112008 - Fly Swap |
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| From 112008 - Fly Swap |
Thanks to all the guys who participated!
Hockey 11/20 - Thursday League
1 goal, 1 assist
played with John the goalie and the kids
played D
won 14-0
the other team was yelling at us for running up the score - when in actuality our captain told us no more goals after 10 unless they are tip ins or long shots from the point.
played with John the goalie and the kids
played D
won 14-0
the other team was yelling at us for running up the score - when in actuality our captain told us no more goals after 10 unless they are tip ins or long shots from the point.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Gas at $1.91/gallon? Amazing
I filled up yesterday and paid $1.91/gallon - it cost me $18 and I was more than 3/4 empty. That is amazing.
That said, it was not all that unpredictable. I mean, looking at the basic economic principals answered this question - supply vs demand - what had changed since last year? I mean, why would oil prices spike - and could they continue to stay as high as they were?
Demand
Since our entire country has put searching for alternative renewable as their top priority, I do not think demand (or future demand) for crude oil increased. Any future demand increase would be offset by the increase in usage of alternative energy sources. So it is safe to say that demand didn't change
Obviously there was some change in the supply of crude oil that sent prices skyrocketing - but was this actual supply or perceived supply? I mean, did any country significantly threaten to decrease they oil supply to the US or other parts of the world? When I think of the major suppliers of oil I think UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and then Iraq. The first three countries have very good relations with the US - and they all are highly dependent on exports to fuel their economy - so no way would they threaten the largest importer of oil (the US) with reduced supply - especially when the US could easily impose their will with boycotts or sanctions. So that leaves Iraq - which certainly has had issues with producing oil and exporting it since the US has taken up the war. But their exporting capabilities were very very low to begin with - they actually have little infrastructure to export the oil - most of their oil stays within their country and the middle east.
So I guess what I am saying is, I don't understand how the ACTUAL supply of oil could have been changed all that much. I think there was a perceived supply issue, but somehow that was blown way out of proportion and the end user consumer paid the price for over a year
Whatever this was all about - I'm glad the economy has straightened it out and I'm paying less than $2 a gallon!
That said, it was not all that unpredictable. I mean, looking at the basic economic principals answered this question - supply vs demand - what had changed since last year? I mean, why would oil prices spike - and could they continue to stay as high as they were?
Demand
Since our entire country has put searching for alternative renewable as their top priority, I do not think demand (or future demand) for crude oil increased. Any future demand increase would be offset by the increase in usage of alternative energy sources. So it is safe to say that demand didn't change
Obviously there was some change in the supply of crude oil that sent prices skyrocketing - but was this actual supply or perceived supply? I mean, did any country significantly threaten to decrease they oil supply to the US or other parts of the world? When I think of the major suppliers of oil I think UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and then Iraq. The first three countries have very good relations with the US - and they all are highly dependent on exports to fuel their economy - so no way would they threaten the largest importer of oil (the US) with reduced supply - especially when the US could easily impose their will with boycotts or sanctions. So that leaves Iraq - which certainly has had issues with producing oil and exporting it since the US has taken up the war. But their exporting capabilities were very very low to begin with - they actually have little infrastructure to export the oil - most of their oil stays within their country and the middle east.
So I guess what I am saying is, I don't understand how the ACTUAL supply of oil could have been changed all that much. I think there was a perceived supply issue, but somehow that was blown way out of proportion and the end user consumer paid the price for over a year
Whatever this was all about - I'm glad the economy has straightened it out and I'm paying less than $2 a gallon!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
MVPedroia!
Although this would seem relatively impossible for a tiny 2B to win the MVP - unless it was a down year for the entire league, Dustin Pedroia did it. The kid is 5'7" on a tall day and can't weigh more than 160 lbs - but every bit of it is heart. I love this kid - and I'm glad he has made his mark on MLB and the Red Sox. He is easy to root for and will be a Sox for many many years.
Also, I bought my nephew a Pedroia jersey for his birthday - I think it was a good choice!
Also, I bought my nephew a Pedroia jersey for his birthday - I think it was a good choice!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Saturday, November 15, 2008 - FryingPan River
A last minute trip had Chad, myself and Matt headed out to the Pan late on Friday night. We arrived at a cheap motel around 9:15 in Glenwood Springs - grabbed the room key and then hit Village Inn for a quick bite. We were basck in the room at around 10:15 - had a beer or two, watched some Soup and then passed out. I was lucky enough to draw the floor - but hey, I controlled the heat in the room and kept the place at a nice 75 degrees!
We got up around 6am, hit the free breakfast at 6:30 and were on the river (after a nice 30 minte drive) around 7:15. The morning was, how do you say this nicely? Frickin freezing! Literally. It was 19 degrees when we left Glenwood Springs, and the Ruedi Canyon had to be about 5 degrees colder. We went straight for the dam - stopping at the bend pool. I fished the gage station to no avail - but honestly I wasn't all that upset since had I caught a fish I would have had to touch it and get my hands wet. The water was not the problem, as it was at least 34 degrees, it was the pain of having wet hands in the cold for even a few seconds. The water was emitting a nice little steam. I took this photo immediately when we arrived - it is the sun hitting the upper stretches of the canyon - this is probably about 800 feet above us.
I didn't catch a thing - I had switched from nyphing to streamers to even dry flies as the fish were hitting the surface on something other than a size 20 BWO. Matt had some luck, but spent most of his time down in the shadows - he said it took him 10 minutes to tie a single knot - so that wasn't much fun. The sun him the gage station first, so I was lucky enough to enjoy some warmth. Chad of course was catching everything, he had tons of luck on an 18 mysis pattern. This was a brown he fished out of hole just below the waterfall.
Around 11 am we moved down about 1/4 mile to one of our favorite holes. I started getting into a couple fish, but I did have a very large fish get off on me. I fished up and down this section with minimal luck. Chad and Matt headed down river and we met back at the car around 1pm. We moved down river again to one of Chad's favorite spots - a place where he had some great luck the last time we were here. He and Matt headed the opposite way again. I fished a deep channel with no luck. The water was way down this year - flows were about 70 cfs and that is very very low for this river. Avg flows are around 100+ cfs, and many of my familiar spots were very very shallow. Also, because the sun doesn't really get "overhead" in the winter the light was messed up, so you couldn't tell if the hole you were fishing to was 4 inches or 4 feet deep. That throws off a nymph fisherman pretty badly. I suffered through some slow times until I finally got the weight and indicator depth correct and then I picked up a couple of hits.
We moved down to our last stretch - it was getting "late" about 4pm. I could actually see CHad and Matt within eye shot. I was fishing this strange run that had a huge rock you could stand 10 feet above the water on, but the hole was practically unfishable due to a tree being down at the top of the pool, all the water pushed against the rock, and there were two or three large trees that were under water with branches make a deep nymphing style of fishing impossible. I floated my nymph rig through this section a few times, then said the heck with it - I put the rig right into the danger zone - and hook a pretty brown trout! The pic below is of the brown - he wasn't long (about 15 inches) but he was thick and fiesty, and his coloration was magnificent. He was almost an orange on his belly with deep blues and dark red spots. He had a small blue patch on his cheek - he was a really good looking fish.
I fished a few yards more down to the guys - who were picking up fish left an right on egg patterns. They were standing near each other standing on the huge red rocks that lined both sides of the river, casting streamers to hungry fish - I think they both caught 6 fish each in a half hour or so. It was about 5:30 and we called it a day. We stopped in Glenwood for Wendy's and then I made it home by 9:05pm. A long day, but it was gorgeous. Although the temperature may have hit 40 degrees in the canyon we were all chilled to the bone - I slept in front of an electric heater last night hoping to get the chill out.
We got up around 6am, hit the free breakfast at 6:30 and were on the river (after a nice 30 minte drive) around 7:15. The morning was, how do you say this nicely? Frickin freezing! Literally. It was 19 degrees when we left Glenwood Springs, and the Ruedi Canyon had to be about 5 degrees colder. We went straight for the dam - stopping at the bend pool. I fished the gage station to no avail - but honestly I wasn't all that upset since had I caught a fish I would have had to touch it and get my hands wet. The water was not the problem, as it was at least 34 degrees, it was the pain of having wet hands in the cold for even a few seconds. The water was emitting a nice little steam. I took this photo immediately when we arrived - it is the sun hitting the upper stretches of the canyon - this is probably about 800 feet above us.
I didn't catch a thing - I had switched from nyphing to streamers to even dry flies as the fish were hitting the surface on something other than a size 20 BWO. Matt had some luck, but spent most of his time down in the shadows - he said it took him 10 minutes to tie a single knot - so that wasn't much fun. The sun him the gage station first, so I was lucky enough to enjoy some warmth. Chad of course was catching everything, he had tons of luck on an 18 mysis pattern. This was a brown he fished out of hole just below the waterfall.
Around 11 am we moved down about 1/4 mile to one of our favorite holes. I started getting into a couple fish, but I did have a very large fish get off on me. I fished up and down this section with minimal luck. Chad and Matt headed down river and we met back at the car around 1pm. We moved down river again to one of Chad's favorite spots - a place where he had some great luck the last time we were here. He and Matt headed the opposite way again. I fished a deep channel with no luck. The water was way down this year - flows were about 70 cfs and that is very very low for this river. Avg flows are around 100+ cfs, and many of my familiar spots were very very shallow. Also, because the sun doesn't really get "overhead" in the winter the light was messed up, so you couldn't tell if the hole you were fishing to was 4 inches or 4 feet deep. That throws off a nymph fisherman pretty badly. I suffered through some slow times until I finally got the weight and indicator depth correct and then I picked up a couple of hits.
We moved down to our last stretch - it was getting "late" about 4pm. I could actually see CHad and Matt within eye shot. I was fishing this strange run that had a huge rock you could stand 10 feet above the water on, but the hole was practically unfishable due to a tree being down at the top of the pool, all the water pushed against the rock, and there were two or three large trees that were under water with branches make a deep nymphing style of fishing impossible. I floated my nymph rig through this section a few times, then said the heck with it - I put the rig right into the danger zone - and hook a pretty brown trout! The pic below is of the brown - he wasn't long (about 15 inches) but he was thick and fiesty, and his coloration was magnificent. He was almost an orange on his belly with deep blues and dark red spots. He had a small blue patch on his cheek - he was a really good looking fish.
I fished a few yards more down to the guys - who were picking up fish left an right on egg patterns. They were standing near each other standing on the huge red rocks that lined both sides of the river, casting streamers to hungry fish - I think they both caught 6 fish each in a half hour or so. It was about 5:30 and we called it a day. We stopped in Glenwood for Wendy's and then I made it home by 9:05pm. A long day, but it was gorgeous. Although the temperature may have hit 40 degrees in the canyon we were all chilled to the bone - I slept in front of an electric heater last night hoping to get the chill out.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Hockey 11/13 - Thursday League
2 games
first game
no points
Chris was our goalie
first game ended in a fight with 3:30 left
won 6-3
second game
no points
John was our goalie
won 8-6
first game
no points
Chris was our goalie
first game ended in a fight with 3:30 left
won 6-3
second game
no points
John was our goalie
won 8-6
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Hockey 11/6 - Thursday League
2 goals, 1 assist (maybe 2 assists)
played with the kids and John the goalie
played D
won 10-2
+7, no goals against
played with the kids and John the goalie
played D
won 10-2
+7, no goals against
Monday, November 03, 2008
Catch Magazine
I hadn't seen this before - but a new issue of Catch Magazine (Fly Fishing photos) is online - check it out HERE!
Sunday, October 2, 2008 - Chatfield Reservior
I'd say I fished today, but that would be stretching it. Really it was more of a kayaking expedition and shoulder therapy. I brought Cabo to Chatfield Reservior and made a few laps around the usual spots - however I didn't catch anything. It was a little windy out there, and that made dragging streamers tough - the yak would get all turned around in the wind when I stopped paddling and tended to the rod. The weather was beautiful - I was in a t-shirt the whole day.
I did some paddling and my shoulder throbbed - but it was the first real workout that I have had on the shoulder since the pinched nerve. When I finally anchored up to fish, the wind completely stopped and the water was like glass (kind of eery actually). On the way in I saw Tom Shyrock and his son fishing the inlet, but not having much luck either. The water level was down slightly. The west inlet was only 8 inches deep ro so - I was lucky not to drag bottom a few times - although if I had it would have just stirred up about 4 inches of muck.
I did some paddling and my shoulder throbbed - but it was the first real workout that I have had on the shoulder since the pinched nerve. When I finally anchored up to fish, the wind completely stopped and the water was like glass (kind of eery actually). On the way in I saw Tom Shyrock and his son fishing the inlet, but not having much luck either. The water level was down slightly. The west inlet was only 8 inches deep ro so - I was lucky not to drag bottom a few times - although if I had it would have just stirred up about 4 inches of muck.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Hockey 10/30 - Thursday League
1 goal, 1 assist
played with John the goalie and the kids
played D - only 3 defensemen, so played a lot (10pm game which sucked ass)
won 8-7
played with John the goalie and the kids
played D - only 3 defensemen, so played a lot (10pm game which sucked ass)
won 8-7
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Hockey 10/23 - Thursday League
2 assists
played with John the Goalie
won 8-5
down 5-2 at the beginning of the third - scored 6 unanswered as the other team tired out.
played with John the Goalie
won 8-5
down 5-2 at the beginning of the third - scored 6 unanswered as the other team tired out.
$2.79
I just paid $2.79 a gallon for gas, that is amazing. Less than $40 to fill my tank. I can't wait to fill up the 4Runner and see how much that costs - imagine a tank of gas for under $70!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008 - High Mtn Fishing
I took the day off from work to do some fishing while the bosses were in SF doing the Quarterly Business Review - my job was done, so what better time to get away from work.
I'll be honest, after hearing the wind whip up all night and that it was snowing like crazy in the high country, I wasn't interested in spending my day at a lake around 10,700'. But I went anyways. I was hoping to kayak this lake and try to get into some big Macks. I tied up some huge size 4 streamers on Tuesday night - in black, tan, white and chartuese - and was ready for some pigs.
The ride up got sketchy even before I hit South Park - it was a slick road and the temps were below freezing. This is about the coldest day we've had so far. The mountains were beautiful with a fresh coating of the white stuff. South Park wasn't as windy as normal and the sun was in and out in stretches - so it looked like a good day.
I saw this beautiful horse on the way in - he was with another pack of 3 or 4 hiding in the bushes.
As I increased elevation, winding through dirt roads and beaver ponds, the snow started getting deeper and the road got harder to see. When I got to the last road that headed up to the lake, I was the first set of tire tracks on it at 9:30 am - I took the road slow and at the top parking lot the snow was about 8 inches deep and there were some rather large drifts on the far sides of road where the wind slowed and the snow collected.
This un-named lake is a haven for bait chuckers and fish keepers - and there are many posts and pics on the internet of rednecks with stringers full of macks from this lake. I guess I shouldn't be bitter about people actually keeping fish legally, but I am bitter about all of the beer cans, egg containers, powerbait jars, cigarette butts and other garbage that seem to follow bait fishermen to far off places like this. Coincidence? I think not.
The parking lot was empty and the wind was kicking up to 40 mph, so I decided not to take out the kayak. Which sucks because I brought the sinking line and wanted to troll the big streamers along the bottom. I hiked my way about half way around the lake and nestled myself just around a small corner to avoid most of the wind. I pitched the streamers for about an hour and a half - with little luck. I did have one hit right in front of me about 8 feet out as I was about to pull the streamers our of the water. It hit late and kind of surprised me - I saw a huge flash of an under belly that was about 18 inches long (or so). That would have been a nice fish.
I nymphed a bit and had a few wacks as my indicator dropped below the surface briefly and when I gave it a pull there wasn't anything there. The fish actually kept attacking my balloon indicator - which was kind of funny. I switched to a big dry fly, but they weren't interested any more. The weather was hazardous to say the least - I dressed in (I'm not lying here), a turlteneck, long sleeve t-shirt, turtleneck sweatshirt, 2 hooded sweatshirts and then my thin waterproof LL Bean fishing jacket - I had a face guard and a hat on as well - with fleece pants, thin fishing pants and waders as well. I wasn't cold except my hands once in a while, and the wind in my face was annoying. I called it a day at around 2:30pm and then the sun popped out and felt nice. The wind however, never let up.
I got skunked, but I'm not upset. It was better than working and I enjoyed this new lake - next time I will get a better opportunity on a much better weather day!
I'll be honest, after hearing the wind whip up all night and that it was snowing like crazy in the high country, I wasn't interested in spending my day at a lake around 10,700'. But I went anyways. I was hoping to kayak this lake and try to get into some big Macks. I tied up some huge size 4 streamers on Tuesday night - in black, tan, white and chartuese - and was ready for some pigs.
The ride up got sketchy even before I hit South Park - it was a slick road and the temps were below freezing. This is about the coldest day we've had so far. The mountains were beautiful with a fresh coating of the white stuff. South Park wasn't as windy as normal and the sun was in and out in stretches - so it looked like a good day.
I saw this beautiful horse on the way in - he was with another pack of 3 or 4 hiding in the bushes.
As I increased elevation, winding through dirt roads and beaver ponds, the snow started getting deeper and the road got harder to see. When I got to the last road that headed up to the lake, I was the first set of tire tracks on it at 9:30 am - I took the road slow and at the top parking lot the snow was about 8 inches deep and there were some rather large drifts on the far sides of road where the wind slowed and the snow collected.
This un-named lake is a haven for bait chuckers and fish keepers - and there are many posts and pics on the internet of rednecks with stringers full of macks from this lake. I guess I shouldn't be bitter about people actually keeping fish legally, but I am bitter about all of the beer cans, egg containers, powerbait jars, cigarette butts and other garbage that seem to follow bait fishermen to far off places like this. Coincidence? I think not.
The parking lot was empty and the wind was kicking up to 40 mph, so I decided not to take out the kayak. Which sucks because I brought the sinking line and wanted to troll the big streamers along the bottom. I hiked my way about half way around the lake and nestled myself just around a small corner to avoid most of the wind. I pitched the streamers for about an hour and a half - with little luck. I did have one hit right in front of me about 8 feet out as I was about to pull the streamers our of the water. It hit late and kind of surprised me - I saw a huge flash of an under belly that was about 18 inches long (or so). That would have been a nice fish.
I nymphed a bit and had a few wacks as my indicator dropped below the surface briefly and when I gave it a pull there wasn't anything there. The fish actually kept attacking my balloon indicator - which was kind of funny. I switched to a big dry fly, but they weren't interested any more. The weather was hazardous to say the least - I dressed in (I'm not lying here), a turlteneck, long sleeve t-shirt, turtleneck sweatshirt, 2 hooded sweatshirts and then my thin waterproof LL Bean fishing jacket - I had a face guard and a hat on as well - with fleece pants, thin fishing pants and waders as well. I wasn't cold except my hands once in a while, and the wind in my face was annoying. I called it a day at around 2:30pm and then the sun popped out and felt nice. The wind however, never let up.
I got skunked, but I'm not upset. It was better than working and I enjoyed this new lake - next time I will get a better opportunity on a much better weather day!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Red Sox Lose!
Yeah, that's right, I'm blogging about the Red Sox losing. Why? I ain't hanging my head, I ain't ashamed of thos team, and I'm certainly not impressed by the Devil Rays. I think it is laughable. Laughable that the Sox could beat the best team in the AL, the Angels, and then fall behind a team that has the worst bullpen in the history of the psot season and then lose. But hey the Rays won the series - and the Sox are going home - but why shouldn't they? This team has so many injuries and so many holes that they shouldn't have even gotten this far in the first place. I mean, come on - no one was supposed to go to game 7 after getting killed in games 2-4. But we did, we faught down to the wire and we almost did it. This team was missing a few pieces - and Ortiz bat, a Lowell bat, Ellsbury pulling an 0-fer, a hurt Beckett, a mediocre Lester, a sucky Wakefield, (dare I say it) no Man-Ram bat behind Ortiz, and no production out of the bottom of the order - but hey, imagine getting to game 7 of the ALCS with a dump of a team we had in the last 3 weeks! Amazing. I'm happ the season is over - time to patch some holes and continue our dynasty.
The sad part is that MLB is headed into the worst rated World Series ever, and no one will watch any of the games. The Rays will get spanked in Philly when they have to bat a pitcher, and can't move guys over. They will get killed at home when Howard, Burrell, Rollins and Utley bat around inning after inning in that tiny ballpark. And the sadest thing? When Tampa Bay and Baltimore are battling it out for 4th place in the AL East in 2009 again and no one remembers who the loser of the 2008 World Series was. But hey, good luck Rays!
Pedroia - I love ya, and see you next year, you are the MVP this year and I can't wait to see them give you the trophy!!!
The sad part is that MLB is headed into the worst rated World Series ever, and no one will watch any of the games. The Rays will get spanked in Philly when they have to bat a pitcher, and can't move guys over. They will get killed at home when Howard, Burrell, Rollins and Utley bat around inning after inning in that tiny ballpark. And the sadest thing? When Tampa Bay and Baltimore are battling it out for 4th place in the AL East in 2009 again and no one remembers who the loser of the 2008 World Series was. But hey, good luck Rays!
Pedroia - I love ya, and see you next year, you are the MVP this year and I can't wait to see them give you the trophy!!!
Friday, October 17, 2008
11/16 Hockey - Thursday League
nothing
playes with the kids and John the goalie
won 13-3, I left with 6 mins left to see the rest of the Red Sox game.
Sox down 7-0 in the 7th, come back to win 8-7. Absolutely amazing.
Then Avi was up all night every 40 minutes or so puking her guts out - 1 hour sleep and a full day of work today. Fun Fun.
playes with the kids and John the goalie
won 13-3, I left with 6 mins left to see the rest of the Red Sox game.
Sox down 7-0 in the 7th, come back to win 8-7. Absolutely amazing.
Then Avi was up all night every 40 minutes or so puking her guts out - 1 hour sleep and a full day of work today. Fun Fun.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Frost
Woke up this morning and the deck had a layer of sheer ice on it - poor Cabo was slipping and sliding all over it! The rain last night really wreaked havoc on the cars and surfaces that couldn't absorb it. I had to actually scarpe my windows off this morning.
Winter is on the way!
Winter is on the way!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
October 11, 2008 - Cheesman Canyon
I got a chance to get out and fish with Chad this weekend - hit Cheesman at 6am. It was slow going this morning because the fog was as thick as pea soup. The morning was slow fishing for me - but the late morning heated up. Caught 6 fish or so on a grey size 22 RS2. 3 of the browns were nice size - about 16 inches. It was a strange weather day today - the weather was actually better in the canyon than at home here. The wind was cold, but it did not start sprinkling in the canyon until just before I left. Rainy and crappy here in Denver though. The browns are really fiesty and active.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Hockey 10/2 - Thursday League
New season
1 goal
played D
played with the kids
played against Brian, Dean and Chris the goalie
won 11-6
1 goal
played D
played with the kids
played against Brian, Dean and Chris the goalie
won 11-6
Saturday, September 27, 2008
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