I'm back Jack...

I had a great time in Germany. It was good to see my family again. My Oma still had this letter laying around and I thought that it was hilarious.

I'm ready tho get back on the water again. Weekend on the Gorge sounds good, but I hear it might not smell so good.....

Butte Fire

Belatedly here's our Badass Big Hole Bash.
Fishing: typical, yellow streamers off the banks. Lost dozens.



River Flows: Iced Tea color, and just enough to clear the dam. Well most of it anyway. Drift boat #1 got a bit of a gouge drift boat #2 a full on hole, right through the bottom, taking on water. But the ingenuity of the captain prevailed when a piece of discarded plywood floating by the bank was found, cut with a handsaw, screwed with self tapping screws (by hand) and caulked shut. The next day, when the phrase "I don't care what it costs, I'll pay it to get off this river" was uttered it was the fishiest boat on the river....because Rob was cheating.





Sunday night was debaucherous. Full fire rights were claimed. Forest Service technicians engineered a christmas tree decorated with marshmellows, and whiskey bottles. All ensuing difficulties were resolved with the use of 150 trusty bottle rockets.




Zach never left his seat, all night. The one time he stood, everyone cheered and I put two lit bottle rockets in his hand. At the end of the night, after all the bottle rockets were gone a perfectly innocent marshmellow fight broke out into an empty beer can fight. How's your face Mikey?




When the first ranger appeared he had obviously missed the party. He opened the door to the Centurion, got Mikey's info, then proceeded to every tent to interrogate the rest of us. The second ranger, in a blinding display of government efficiency, made his way from Helena in his F-350 for the sole purpose of giving us a ticket for something we couldn't even remember doing.
Cop: So you guys have any acid or anything I should know about?
Mikey: No sir, of course not.
Cop: Where you guys from?
Mikey: Missoula
Cop: Oh, figures. Why don't you guys go party up the Blackfoot?
Jesse: Cause it's blown to shit dude.


All Points Bulletin: it's the same fine for lighting and bottle rocket in a restricted area as it is for shooting a gun. Bring skeet.

Gorge Overnight?

Remember that the solution to pollution is dilution. Since there were no comments and apparently little interest in running Beartrap (I would think that Zach would want redemption), I figured I would bring up my thoughts for next weekend (7/29). Petty Creek to Forest Grove, overnight through the gorge. Fishing, swimming and a little whitewater. Since the whole river burned last year, hopefully it won't be on fire next weekend. Let me know if you are interested. Jesse reminded me of something, ONE RULE, NO FIREWORKS...thanks for the new tent Philly!

“Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, champagne in one hand strawberries in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming WOO HOO – what a ride!” (Idaho Becky)

Beartrap Anyone???

Whitewater season does not need to be over! Let's take advantage of man's blemishes on the face of this earth and run a dam controlled river. The weather is supposed to be hot, the beverages cold and the whitewater awesome. There may even be some fish in this stretch. I've already started digging for worms in my garden.

Arturo and myself are planning on a Beartrap float this Saturday and we are just doing it as a day trip. I know this is a heck of a day trip for you Missoula folk, but you are also more than welcome to crash at my place Friday and we can car pool or figure something out. I hear the hoppers are going on the MO for a Sunday type adventure. Let me know if you are interested...and as far as words of wisdom for the day, always watch out for the splash back.

Groover

I believe in love

You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.

You shall be together when the whitewings of death scatter your days.

Ay, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.

But let there be spaces in your togetherness,

And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

Love one another, but make not a bond of love:

Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.

Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.

Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.

Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,

Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into eachother's keeping.

For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.

And stand together yet not too neartogether:

For the pillars of the temple stand apart,

And the oak tree and the cypress grownot in each other's shadow.

-Kahlil Gilbran, The Prophet

Congratulations!

Montana = HILARITY!

Berkley Pit is a tourist mecca and all the EPA's fault. Yup. Watch and learn.

Bad Pit

Now the rest of the nation can laugh with - NO at us.

Soul Cream

After spending more time flying to and from Pennsylvania than I did actually spent IN Pennsylvania, I needed some soul healing. It is amazing what backpacking does to put your life in perspective. Namaste.

Double Take....

Guide of Guides....Geoff Ogden

NEVER GET OUT OF THE BOAT

Well, sometimes we are forced out of the boat no matter how hard we try to stay in.

fishing in idaho

Last Saturday marked Idaho's annual "free fishing day", designed to attract new people to the sport. Seasons, limits and licenses did not apply. Becky and I had coincidentally scheduled a trip that day and found ourselves surrounded by throngs of white trash intent on "catchin' supper."
We quickly decided that when in Rome applied and we followed suit. The most impressive catch of the day was the 24" dreadlock-- oops. The trout were tasty!!!

Buzz Kill

There has been some ugliness on the rivers this year. First the deal on the Lochsa with Corey and now this on the Gorge. Rafting is dangerous, that is all there is to it. Are we doing it so much that we are starting to take our safety for granted? Shit, we had swimmers on the BLACKFOOT this last weekend. Accidents happen. I just want to toss this out there. Take stock, think safety.

Whitewater Rescue Classes. It is too late for this year, but next year. Merry Christmas, honey.

Good Times......

TUESDAY, DON'T FORGET!

Tuesday is the primary election. Normally, the primary isn't VERY important, but this year it is.

On Tuesday, you will get to voice your opinion on who runs against (and hopefully beats the ever loving crap out of) Conrad Burns. I proudly voted for Jon Tester, a man who I believe can stand up to Burns. Don't get me wrong, John Morrison would be a fine candidate, but there are a couple reasons I don't think he can beat Burns. One, he is a career politician without any legislative service. Two, he is a pretty boy. Three, he had some sort of affair that will call into question his ethics. Jon and John are neck and neck in the polls. Show up, vote and help Tester win, the polls don't account for people like us.

Tester is a farmer from Big Sandy, he will protect your rights to public lands, he will work for inexpensive health care, and work toward lowering energy prices. Issues page.

Equal Opportunity

As a feminist, I believe that whatever a man can do (click the next arrows), a woman can do just as well, or better (click the next arrows). Love you Mikey. To our credit, it was 5.25 feet, the highest river level the boats have ever been down.

Yeah, yeah, woman drivers, didn't have my oars in the water, blah, blah, blah. I learned a lot of lessons on Saturday. One, it takes a lot of love for your wife to flip your boat and then tell her 8 million times how great of a job she did. Two, put your flip lines on the D-Rings. Three, five feet is a little too big for your first time rowing the Lochsa, unless, you are Brian. Oh, and lastly, KEEP YOUR OARS IN THE WATER!

Cleaver
Walt