Just For Fun

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YUM !!

BIT OF A GOURMAND ?

Certainly Not A Gourmet !

pleasure derived from eating

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.. There was a football game: somebody won. There was an ice fishing tournament: somebody won. There was a neighborhood BBQ: we all pigged out.
.. Super Sunday in the neighborhood means a BBQ - weather be damned. It was 15° F and dead still. Last night it got to -11° F. The high pressure has settled in and the snow is afraid of the cold.
.. Depending on the annual host; it's steaks, hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, pork chops, or "all-day-brisket." This year it was chicken. Simple fare and plenty of it.
.. It's an easy recipe: drench, (you can think marinade,) the chicken halves in several gallons of "Yellowstone Brown Ale BBQ Sauce," overnight in the refrigerator. Then jab it with a fork and let it sit at room temperature for 3 or 4 hours. Keep it moist and keep turning it. Giant punch bowls serve for the containers. Then just BBQ the chicken over coals for about 45 minutes to one hour per side, (low heat in a covered grill is preferred.)
.. Serve with home-made potato or macaroni salad and freshly sliced tomatoes. Grind some dill seeds and sprinkle to taste over everything. Everybody should get at least 1½ chickens; fingers is O.K.
.. The key ingredient is the sauce. You can cook it up yourself if you can't find it in your local super market. It contains Moose Drool Brown Ale, Garlic, Onions, Sugar, Brown Sugar, Tomatoes. Everything is run through a blender, (or food processor,) and salt and peppered to taste. Simmer for a few hours to thicken. Make it thick and let it sit for a week before using.

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Choices

SUPER SUNDAY ?

How About Ice Fishing ?

commercials - shamercials

FLAT OUT FAST  !!!

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.. Too much happening to blink at 120 cycles. We'll catch the second half - maybe.
.. The pubs and theater will be full; so too the neighbor's couches.
.. Spent last evening with the kids and snow program at the hockey rink.

Thanks Dad.

.. The evening was another in the series of  "S'mores & More" events: great fun.
.. Fearless 4-yearolds vs. timid adults always results in cathartic confrontations.
.. We're constantly confounded by visitors and the belief that winter is something to be feared.
.. With open arms our neighbors embrace the opportunities of the season. No great fear here.
.. Not even fishing is ignored. The "post card" images of idyllic pools and inviting riffles are lost in the frenzy of preparations for a daily outing on the ice: with augers, coolers, tackle, warmers, (for the hands, feet, and innards,) and all the necessary impedimenta for a grand time.
.. The NAIFC regional Ice Fishing Tournement kicks off on Hebgen Lake in about an hour. Temperatures have warmed up to about -13° F: the sun is bright and the breeze is below 5mph - PERFECT !
.. We may fish. We may officiate. We may just watch. It's a big deal around here. There's a $21,000 pay out.
.. It's a simple thing: you get five hours to catch and keep five fish; top weight wins. Only Rainbow Trout count.
.. Every entry, (2-person team,) is carefully searched at the start, (there's plenty of places to hide a big fish in the gear, clothing, snowmobile, etc.) the gun sounds and if everything goes well you can be at home for the kick-off.  OR NOT !
.. We tried laying on the beach for a year or two. Sum Fun !

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Scrumptious.

Just Push A Bit Harder.

Skates Or Shoes - Your Choice.

YIKES,  IT EXPLODES !

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Apropos Of Nothing

MIDWINTER ESCAPE

The Lowlands Beckon

we respond

Headed into the promised land.
Few folks fish up'ere in the winter.

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.. It's a fur piece of road between here and there. It's a bit of burned hydrocarbons and furry eyeballs to get there and back over a three-day weekend. In the winter with snow in the air and ice on the roads it's a bit over seven hours of safe and sane driving. That uses up most of one day.
.. Getting situated and scoping out the possibilities and contingencies finishes off the first day and demands a bit of well-won sustenance. So that's what we did.

Three Fly Arsenal.

.. Up at dawn to a great breakfast at Pourman's Cafe - chorizo con huevos and other gut bombs to get through a long day. Then to the river road.
.. It's possible to fish downtown but it's better up the road a piece. So we get going to a place where the neighbors know us and the water is clear and the snow ain't too deep.
.. There's ruts and mud and ice and mud and ruts and ice. We knock on the door and accept the invitation for coffee. We're on the water by 9:00 AM.
.. Just three flies are ever necessary here, (well four, if you count the size 8 elk hair caddis that serves as an indicator.) The fish are willing and hungry all year long. The water, in winter, is never colder than about 40° F. Sometimes it gets to over 50° F in the shallow and sunny spots.

The Place.

.. We fish all day and even take a few. Big rainbows of 14" with shoulders like Gibraltar. They look like lake fish with their small heads and substantial girth. The air is cold. It freezes our guides, and hands, and ears, and warms our epitome.
.. Dark comes a little later down in the lowlands. It still comes too early and we're back in town by 7:30 PM. At our age it means an early dinner and bed. We do it.
.. We get up on day three and have the same breakfast. We fish a bit closer to the highway and downstream from town for a few hours. Then back in the trusty horse and gas up.
.. It'll be dark as we enter the mountains at 4-corners. That's O.K., we know the road and it's treachery very well. We look forward to the vacant wheat fields and the company of monster trucks and the neighbors' pickumups.
.. Home at 9:00 PM. Crash shortly after eating a couple of racks of Baby-Back ribs from the deli, (got there just as they were locking up - perfect timing.)
.. We'll sleep-in tomorrow.  Don't have to be at the salt mine until 2:00 PM. Our stomach growls as we snooze on the couch - typing this is exhausting.

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Heading home. A view for Mark in Texas.

Wikipedia Down

USE YOUR IMAGINATION

We Warned You 3 Months Ago

see the video HERE

TAKE ACTION

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LEARN MORE

Season's Greetings From The Neighborhood Kids

Winter's Nearly Here

The neighbors host one of the largest sled dog races in the Rockies.
This year there were 33 human teams and about 46 sled dog teams.
Included were 4 Iditarod winners and several contenders.
We believe running naked and barefoot in the snow is great sport!

It's The Berries - II

Double Sweet Shortcake, California Berries,
Fresh Real Whipped Cream, Hand Shaved Chocolate,
Golden Nectar Of The Gods

Rare Treats

SURF & TURF

Naughty Santa

The Real Santa

Tofurky Day

TO EACH HIS OWN

Fishing For Warmth

IT'LL WARM YOU TWICE !

.. The snow has come and the fishing is good. Some folks are prepared, others . . . .  Oh well.
.. Check out the sage insight about our winter over at WESTERN MUSIC & COWBOY POETRY.

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The Search Begins

CLOSED FOR THE SEASON

Open In About Six Weeks

but not for fishing

READY FOR A LONG WINTER'S NAP

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.. It's time for the neighbors to scatter. Scatter to those places where fish may be found for the next seven months as they wait for the season opening next Spring. It's not a real hardship - but it's a nuisance, gas prices being what they are.
.. Yesterday; the final day of the season in Yellowstone National Park was gloomy, filled with flurries, moderately warm, (35° F,) but a bit blustery as the winds swirled and curled.
.. We pulled out early, (about 3:30 PM,) after sticking an exceptionally small runner with a kype that would do a monster proud - and several residents that took a fly as big as their head.
.. Off to the local pub to swap lies, plan winter strategies, and reminisce: It's entertaining to watch fish grow during the Winter.

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REMEMBER WHEN . . . . ?

MISSING PERSON

YIKES !!!!

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Fising Denied

GIANT ERUPTION AT BISCUIT

Well, Not Too Giant

three pools made into one

FIREHOLE RIVER LOOKING NORTH:  OUTWASH FROM LEFT TO RIGHT

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.. We took our fishing gear into Yellowstone National Park and caught no fish. Instead we took several hours to wander around the thermal features of Biscuit Basin.
.. A thermal explosion and eruption occurred a couple of days ago and rearranged the topography of the three most visited pools along the boardwalk.
.. The debris field, scoured outwash area, and boiling muck now clouding Opal Pool give testimony to the forces at work just below the feet of wading fisher folk: or for that matter, any folk in Yellowstone.
.. Eyewitness reports place the vertical displacement of water at about 70 feet. It was a large single column of water the erupted with a violent explosion and showered debris into the three previously separate pools along the boardwalk.
.. Boiling water, scalding mud, and boulders the size of watermelons were ejected from the newly expanded vent. The amount of water expelled was sufficient to remove vegetation and some subsurface sand all the way to the Firehole River, about 300 feet away.
.. Only a few faithful geyser gazers were present for the eruption. Hoards of visitors are now not streaming to the area to view the scene. After all, this is the last week of the "Summer Season." There are very few folks around to enjoy our protracted salubrious weather. So be it.
.. We're going to make up for not fishin' by going fishing. Golly gee, there's only seven days left.

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VIEW TO THE WEST SHOWING SCOURED AREA AND EJECTA:
Salt & Pepper Spring on the right was filled with debris and is now a pepper & pepper spring.

VIEW TO NE: SALT & PEPPER SPRING,
CURRENTLY SHOWING MUD FROM BOTH VENTS

VIEW TO NW: SHOWING DEBRIS AND SCOURED AREA

SKETCH MAP OF ERUPTION AREA IN BISCUIT BASIN

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IGNOBILITY

OF RODENTS AND BOATS

Even Here !

PROBABLY INEVITABLE

We're Not Too Surprised

THE DAMN THING IS OVER 16" LONG!

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.. And so it goes!! The perfect hackle for our favorite Halloween Leech appeared before our eyes; - on the street, - in our neighborhood, (omygawd!)
.. Rather than wrestling the yourng child to the ground and pulling her hair out by the roots, we asked for a photo. She complied, (thanks Sandy.)
.. She also promised that we could have it when she was done with it, Thanks again.

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HINT

LONG ROD, SHORT LINE, STEALTH, & A GENTLE CAST RECOMMENDED.

One Wonders . . .