wv top ten

leaving WV: TU

leaving WV: fishing in Pocahontus (sp?) County

leaving WV: state politics

leaving WV: living historic district, walking Kanawha, going downtown, race on virginia, vandalia, bluegrass kitchen

leaving WV: Mtn Stage

leaving WV: story of Frank

leaving WV: bridge day

unpacking

The moving van showed up and unloaded 17,000 pounds of household goods. One of the movers was a college student and basketball player. He ran all day long with boxes, furniture and whatever. It was raining (of course) and the inside of the van got a little wet and slick. He would slide down the wood slats like he was skateboarding. The driver's only request is that he move most things only once. We had them move a TV but other than that our furniture measurements and diagram worked fine.

Several neighbors stopped by and welcomed us to the neighborhood. Very nice.

leaving WV: the Greenbrier

The Greenbrier is a resort in southeastern West Virginia. I stayed there as part of my interview process with the notion that it would be part of my job responsibilities. Indeed, the hospital association, physician society and state business chamber all had their annual meetings there. Meetings at the Greenbrier are a veritable Who's Who in the state. The grounds and hotel are impeccable. The amenities are enticing. The food is delicious. It was a treat to go there. I met a lot of people, learned about the state, represented my company and had fun in the process.
http://www.greenbrier.com/site/

odometer 2,590

Well, Mapquest was right: 2,590 miles later, I am in Eugene. Had a very nice ride from Bend. Bachelor and the Sisters were glistening with new snow. Hood was up north. Went past the Metolius River, Sutter Lake and hooked up with the McKenzie. The air was crisp and clean. Stopped for a very good latte.

Since we arrived in Oregon, things have felt very good. I realize I am comparing the landscape to Nebraska, Missouri and the like, but Oregon looks really good. The open range. The grand rivers. The colorful mixture of deciduous trees turning color against the green evergreen and blue sky. The conical mountain peaks.

Anyhow, we got the key from the realtor and went to our house. Everything is clean and very much in order.

leaving WV: golf

I really don't play golf. I have had and continue to have an interest in golf. It's just that it is an outdoor sport that takes all day and competes directly with fishing. In my position as President, I was invited to many Hospital Foundation golf fund raisers and, indeed, we held our own tournaments to cultivate broker relationships. So, I decided, I really needed to take up golf. I joined Edgewood Country Club, got some new clubs, booked lessons with the pro and started practicing regularly. Little by little, I started to develop a game. Usually in a tournament with "captain's choice" or "best ball" rules, I would contribute several strokes to the team. If handicaps were involved, I could make a large contribution because mine was so high. West Virginia has some wonderful golf courses, including the Pete Dye at Clarksburg which is part of the Nationwide Tour.

Edgewood also has a very traditional club with good dining in a comfortable atmosphere.
http://www.edgewoodcc.com/

odometer 2,461

I'm in Bend, Oregon. There were some heavy gusts of wind this morning that shook the car. Other than that, it was sunny and cool. After buzzing along on I-84 at a comfortable 75 mph, I turned off on highway 20 in southeastern Oregon. The two lane road was slow with a 55 mph speed limit and small towns with 25 mph sections. Tomorrow morning, I'll drive to my destination, Eugene. I'm staying in a hotel I have stayed at many times before and ate dinner in a restaurant I've eaten at before. So, I guess, it's some kind of homecoming.

leaving WV: my job

I moved to West Virginia for my job as President of a health plan. I enjoyed that work. I made a major contribution to the organization. I instilled the people with a sense of enthusiasm, pride and accomplishment. We significantly improved performance. The health plan business is a tough one. Employers want lower premiums; hospitals and physicians want increased compensation; members want more covered services and less out-of-pocket costs and the health plan is in the middle. I led in a complex environment and improved the organization's reputation in the process. Despite the complexity of the business roles, I met a lot of wonderful people in the process and enjoy my relationship with several hospital administrators.

leaving WV: photo essay

I created a photo essay of my West Virginia memories. See the tab, Photos or FlickrPhotos. It shows photos of my house, different fishing spots, music venues, political events and a nice sunset.

http://www.patrickdowd.com/photo/album/72157602766370074/West-Virginia.html

odometer 2,012

Spending tonight in Twin Falls, Idaho. This morning, there was frost on the car windshields. Drove across Wyoming. The Snowy Range had a light dusting of snow, glistening in the early morning light. Went past the Green River and memories of a fine fishing adventure. Had lunch in Ogden; it's pretty with snow covered mountains around it. So far, the trip has been smooth and uneventful. At worst, it's tiring and somewhat boring. I miss exercising, walking around and socializing with people. Basically, we drive, eat and sleep. I don't think I would like being a truck driver.

Tonight we are in a Holiday Inn Express, last night in a Comfort Inn. Another night in some other kind of Inn, maybe Quality. I think I prefer Holiday Inn Express, but I couldn't tell you why. They seem pretty much the same, especially the breakfasts.

odometer 1,547

Made it to Rawlins, Wyoming. It's raining and about 35 degrees. I'm back in altitude, 6,755 feet. Nebraska was Nebraska. There were some trees along the Platte. Overall, I was thankful for CDs and audio books. The day was warm and sunny until I hit Wyoming.

odometer 1,077

Over one thousand miles from Charleston, about 40% of the way there. I'm in Kearney, Nebraska, headquarters for Cabela's. Got stuck in Friday evening rush hour in St. Louis. Got stuck in Saturday morning football traffic this morning, the Missouri Tigers. I'm listening to an audio tape by Thomas Friedman entitled, "The World is Flat." By the look of things around here, he is correct.

Because we are driving two cars, we can't switch drivers. 500 miles per day is a lot. The directions say, get on I-80 and go 828 miles. I won't have to make any turns tomorrow.

leaving West Virginia

With considerable sadness, I leave West Virginia. The best part of the state is the people. I have met some wonderful people here: honest, engaging, intelligent, and committed. People full of heart and integrity. The culture and history are unique and interesting: hard work, tough times, and a sense of togetherness in the midst of geographic isolation. When I think of West Virginia, I hear the fiddle playing in the hollow. I see the people coming together to enjoy each other's company.

The second best part is the hills, the mountains of West Virginia. They are abundant and they are beautiful. Pocahontas County and the Monongahela National Forest are magnificent. The Elk, Cranberry and Williams Rivers are full of trout and the pristine scenery is gorgeous.

In the end, I feel like I, too, have abandoned

odometer 53: homeless

The house is sold; the cash is in the checking account. The house is now empty (and clean). The supersize Allied van wasn't quite full. The crew was very professional, friendly, energetic and got the job done; they closed the doors about 6:30 p.m. We drove 53 miles to Ashland, just over the Ohio River in Kentucky. We have no home, but I don't feel homeless. The movers thought we would weigh in at over 15,000 pounds, maybe as high as 18.

move route: 2,576

Basically, we take I-64 west to Kansas City, work our way north and hook up with I-80 around Lincoln, go on through Wyoming and then Salt Lake City. Go north for aways on I-84, wander through southeastern Oregon toward Bend...and then we are there. About 2,576 miles and 38.5 hours of drive time.

sad

I feel sad.
Possessions out of place.
Relationships disrupted.
A gray sky and a chilly morn'.

The Fall is a time of new growth dying,
the sunset of the summer.
My house, that was my home, is torn apart.
Things are missing.
I live out of a suitcase, my toilitries in a bag on the vanity.
The surround sound, once 7.1 is now 3.1.
The cans of food are gone, ravioli, chicken noodle soup, all.
My office, now full of furniture and boxes, has no room for me.
Children grown, friends left behind.
Memories fading, the past crowding the present.

Tomorrow, the movers come.
Today, the last day in this house, in this town.
Yes, it's still the States.
No matter where I go, I am still here.
Yes, I know, once I'm on the interstate,
everything will be behind me, and
my eyes will look ahead, constantly.
I will speedily go West into future time zones to
catch up with new memories.

But, today, now,
I feel  sad.

Eugene local fishing water

One of the attractions of Eugene, Oregon, is the fishing. The new house isn't on the river, but there is plenty of local water. Here are some fishing spots and distances from home.

The McKenzie River, famous for McKenize driftboats:
--at the lower end of the McKenzie
    at Walterville, 20 miles, 30 minutes
    at Coburg, 14 miles, 20 minutes
--farther upstream to Rainbow 55 miles, 1 hour, upper fishing area

The Willamette River, joins the Columbia River at Portland
--in town, 4 miles, 12 minutes
--upper Willamette at Westfir below the dam, 40 miles, 50 minutes

Fern Ridge Reservoir, at Veneta, 17 miles, 31 minutes

Ocean at Florence, mouth of Siuslaw River, 64 miles, 1.5 hours

Umpqua River at Winchester, 65 miles, 1 hr 7 minutes

Rogue River at Grants Pass, 137 miles, 2 hrs 16 minutes

Deschutes River at Bend, 133 miles, 2 hrs 32 minutes

Most of the rivers have resident trout as well as seasonal runs of steelhead and salmon. The problem will be to decide which direction to go and what species to pursue.

4Sale

George returned to pick up the metal cabinet. The owners of the house had left it in the basement when we bought the house. Then he started to look at my speakers, my old surround sound system: there were five speakers, a center, two rear and two front. The day before, we had talked fishing. Now, he presented some flies he had tied for me: big nymphs with black chenille and orange undersides. I started to explain how the amplifier worked and how to hook up all those speakers so they worked.

Then Sharp showed up. George had already pulled up to the garage. Sharp parked his big 4x4 truck in the driveway. He had his football-playing son with him. Three other ladies were buying glassware, jewelry and knick knacks. George decided to buy all the surround sound speaks, the amplifier AND the big Merlin, floor-standing speakers. I told him he would really be thumping with the 125 watts per channel Pioneer. He pulled his "mad money"from his wallet.

We went down to the basement. The dryer was still going. The washer had leaked water all over the floor where I had disconnected the hoses. "Sorry, I wanted to get one more load of wash done before I let these go." "That's good advertising. Now I know they work," said Sharp. His son started moving the washer while I took the laundry out of the dryer. George couldn't leave anyway because Sharp had blocked him in the driveway, so he also came down to help. As we pushed and tugged the washer and dryer from the basement to the truck bed, we talked about Las Vegas and Buicks.

It was a good old-fashioned garage sale. We kept lowering our prices until virtually everything found a home. I found this process very satisfying. I did not want to part with many of these items and considered them valuable. Now, I knew the people that were taking my household goods and personal effects. I felt satisfied because they were happy to have them, they were new and different for them and would make their lives a little more comfortable. I was surprised how easy the process was and how fun it was to meet all these people.

positive inventory

When I went to Asia, I had about forty pounds of gear including eleven pounds of photographic equipment. Now I am moving to Oregon and the moving company estimates my household goods at 15,000 pounds. For two months, I lived with gear weighing less than my body weight and really didn't miss anything, yet I intend to move over seven tons.

I learned something packing for international trips. I can't take everything I need out of the closet, stuff it all in my suitcase, take a few things out and hope it is lightweight. I needed a positive inventory, meaning a list of things I need to take. Before I even touch anything physically, I need to challenge myself if that item is absolutely necessary.

With the exception of fishing equipment, I have gone through every room in the house and found something to purge. I don't intend to create a positive inventory for my entire household,

Patagonia flies

  Dawn and I presented our Patagonia Adventure to the local chapter of Trout Unlimited. About 70 people were in attendance. It was lots of fun and well received. Here is a link for our local chapter:
http://wvtu.org/kvctu.html

I took some photos of the unique flies we bought in Argentina.

moving WV:OR

Time to move. I'm moving from West Virginia to Oregon. Or, if you prefer, I am moving back to Oregon. I now live in Charleston: I moved here from Portland. I am now moving to Eugene.

I've lived in a lot of places: New York, Colorado, North Carolina, Oregon and West Virginia. I didn't have any choice about New York. I moved personally to Colorado. The other moves were corporate moves for my job. I'm now returning to Oregon for personal reasons.

my longest Saturday night

(Sept 29) I arrived in Eugene about 4 p.m., Saturday, right on schedule. The only crinkle in my plan was my lack of sleep. On the plane, I traveled with a fifty member adolescent girl dance troupe. They were ages nine to fourteen. For their prize, they had won the competition championship in Australia and were flying to America to perform at Disneyland for three days.

For the first three or four hours, I admired their excitement, youth, vitality and exuberance. Then I wanted to sleep. Their voices pierced right though my earplugs. Their voices pierced right through my earplugs when I had a headset on top of my ears and the music playing loud. There were three girls in the row ahead of me and three in the row behind. Every time one got up, they all got up. They....

Dawn on her birthday

For Dawn's birthday, we took a break from moving and visited Babcock State Park, located in Fayette County in south central West Virginia. Babcock is famous for the Glade Creek Grist Mill. The mill is a built from the parts of several older mills. There were lots of photographers capturing the mill and the Fall foliage. Here's a link:
http://www.babcocksp.com/

Give Peace a Chance

All we are saying
Is Give Peace a Chance
--John Lennon

(Sept. 28) What's wrong with being an aging hippy? The obvious answer is, "Who wants to be an aging anything?" I grew up in the 60s and 70s. I was a freshman in college when President Nixon sent the B-52 bombers to Cambodia. I participated in teach-ins, discussions, rallies and marches. Looking back, I would say, "It made a difference." It made a difference in the U.S. with the withdrawal from Vietnam. And, it made a difference to inspire and enable other popular uprisings in Eastern Germany with the tearing down of the Wall and in eastern block countries like Czechoslovakia.

I spoke with a woman from Bali, Indonesia. In planning travel destinations, I have put some countries on the low priority list because of anti-American sentiment.

Whistle Blower

(Sept 28) My father was a carpenter, a union carpenter. The whistle was a symbol. The foreman was the company man. The shop steward was the first union man on the job and usually the last to leave when the project was completed. The steward blew the whistle at 8 a.m. and the men started work and again at lunch, after lunch and at the end of the work day.

When I first got into backpacking in the 70s, my father gave me a metal whistle with a wooden ball inside. Over the years, I've carried that whistle on and off. If I got stuck somewhere, maybe sprained an ankle, I could call for help. This year, I carried it all over South America, Asia and the USA.

This morning it was confiscated by the Australian government as a part of the war against terror.

Happy Birthday, Dawn

 Dawn,
Happy Birthday!

my longest Saturday

(Sept28) I set two alarms for 2:50 a.m. to make sure I would be awake for the 3 a.m. shuttle. My clothes were laid out like a fireman's. I was all packed except for the fleece I was wearing to bed. I awoke before the alarm. The bus drivers had taken the tents beside me. "Alright, mates. It's two-thirty. Time to get a leg up." My flight plan is Brisbane to Melbourne to Los Angeles to San Francisco to Eugene. I arrive in Eugene after 4 p.m., so I should get to my hotel by 6 p.m.

Without calculating each leg of my journey, total travel time (on schedule is):

3 a.m. to 6 p.m. >>> 15 hours

Time difference >>> 17 hours

Total in transit >>> 32 hours

I'm sure it sounds worse that it will really be !!! :-)

fesitval

I went to a festival at Ivory Rock Conference Center. It is about one hour from Brisbane.The festival was well-organized; the topic was peace. Temperatures ranged from about 11 to 33 Centigrade or about 50 Fahrenheit at night to daytime highs in the 90s. The sun was brutal. Apparently the ozone layer has been significantly depleted in this area.

I met people from Fiji, Indonesia, Taiwan, Argentina, Ireland, Denmark, Puerto Rico, Holland, Italy, India, Malaysia, Spain, Switzerland, Canada, Australia and the U.S.A.

Brisbane

I stayed at the Royal on the Park Hotel in Brisbane. It's on Alice Street, right across from the Botanic Gardens. As I stepped outside, I saw a storm moving in while the sun, low on the horizon, reflected on the building. I took a walk in the park. It's spring now. The flowers are blooming and everyone is out exercising. There is a walking/cycling trail along the Brisbane River, that goes on farther than I chose to walk. Footbridges connect to the far side of the river with yet more trails. The weather was cool. Although they report a twelve year drought, it rained on me. I wandered through the Queen Street Mall and ate several meals there. I expected steak, crocodile and kangaroo specialties, but was surprised at the excellent Asian fusion cuisine. The city is culturally diverse and lively. Brisbane is the capital of Queensland and located near the Pacific.

inside and outside

My sister, Alicia, has a nice office at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Her view is the Shrine Auditorium where the Academy Awards and Emmy Awards are given. She can also see downtown Los Angeles. We had a good visit.

Australia

from Journal entry of  Sept. 22

They do say, "mate." When you walk on the wrong side (the right side) and bump into them, they say, "Sorry, mate." They have dollar and two-dollar coins that are very small. I am almost on their time zone. I went to sleep about 8 p.m. and awoke about 4 a.m.

Time is confusing. I called Dawn at 7 a.m. It was 2 p.m. Pacific Time for her. But she was living in Saturday and I was living in Sunday. I'm living in the future!

what David said

from Journal entry of  Sept. 22

David said, "Watch the company you keep," "Everything happens for a reason" and "There's only the present." For 14.5 hours we sat beside each other on our flight from Los Angeles to Sydney. His thoughts:

1. Over time, people start to become like the people they associate with. Their interests become ours. We do similar things and start to think alike. We dream about the same things and tend to have similar goals.

2. It's not by chance we are where we are. Our actions to date set our current circumstances in place, a reaction to past causes, an inevitable conclusion to past actions. We took the same fights, so we were meant to meet.

3. In the present, there is a memory of the past and a glimmer of the future. But neither the past nor the future actually exist separate from our current understanding in the present. Yet our respective histories frame our thoughts. Our fears and wishes color the future. But all of this occurs in the present.

twitter

from Journal entry of  Sept. 22

Have you checked out twitter.com? Basically it is for text messages or instant messages. Rather than just messaging your friends to say, "I'm at the DQ in the Mall," you send the message to twitter to let the whole world know. Everyone gets their five seconds of fame. "I'm at the subway station." "I'm at the dry cleaners." When your message hits the website, it shows up as the last entry. That is, until someone else's update hits the website and their entry becomes the last entry. You are on the front page for about five seconds. After that, your entry is old news.

Instant messaging has a certain kind of appeal. When I blog, I've arrived in Australia, I am doing the same thing. It's an important event in my life. The day feels special. Some people may be interested. A smaller number might be relieved. But all the Australians will be totally bored. Is faster better? I could twitter, "I'm washing my socks." But maybe, it would be better to slow down and find something to say.

In any event, since this will actually be posted some future date in time. I probably need to update my cellular capabilities.

Sydney

from Journal entry of  Sept. 22

I am in Sydney airport. I just drank a Regular Latte from Gloria Jeans. It was quite good. The 14.5 hour flight from LA was reasonable. I spent about 10 hours trying to sleep and actually slept 6 or 7. People kept stepping on my feet, talking loudly beside me and ,in one case, dropping something on me. The person beside me, David, is going to the same conference I am going to, Amaroo. He has attended for many years and spoke enthusiastically about it. I'm waiting for my flight from Sydney to Brisbane. I'm glad I stayed in L.A. an extra day before this part of the travel.

 It's 9.30 a.m. here on Saturday. At home, I think it's 7.30 p.m. on Thursday. It's confusing to me. I left Wednesday night and arrived here Saturday morning. I get a day back on the way home. How does that work? If I get a newspaper on Friday morning and look up how stocks will do the next day and then call back to the States and place a trade, will I win? I'm looking forward to checking into my hotel and cleaning up.

test

testing from pda on home network

change

Buddhists say everything is changing. They say that from observation because everything is changing. They say it as a means of comforting those suffering from current trials and tribulation. And, they say it as a means of encouraging focus on the eternal and unchanging.

On a more mundane level, for one reason or another, I move every few years. New York to Colorado to North Carolina to Oregon to West Virginia. Each move is accompanied with moving from one home to another. Typically, I go through all my possessions and downsize. Old things go. Broken things go. Things I don't like go. Things that weigh too much for their value go.

With each move, I typically leave a job and friends. I remember the good times spent socializing with interesting people. I think about the places I still want to go in that locale. I think about my house and how it has become a home, the changes I've made to it, and how fond I've become of my neighborhood. I know all the good reasons for going, but I feel sad to be going. I promise I will come back and keep in touch. Frequently I do, but it's not quite the same.

Oregon

Oregon has a lot to recommend it. I lived there for many years and it looks like I am going back there. This photo is the Upper Willamette River southeast of Eugene. The water flows from Dexter Reservoir and looks fishy.  In Eugene, the McKenzie flows into the Willamette. The river flows north and ultimately joins the Columbia at the city of Portland. The river is healthy with trout, salmon and steelhead.

Oregon also has the Cascade Mountains. They are not as high as the Rockies, but they are geologically new mountains and have hiking, biking and skiing in abundance. Oregon also has the ocean. The water is cold, the scenery breathtaking and the saltwater fishing is coming back. Like many places in the world, overharvesting decimated almost all the species, but the habitat is still good.

a drier Colorado

This storm cloud over Long's Peak in the Rockies is apparently less common than it used to be. When I lived in Denver, clouds would build up over the mountains every summer day. In the late afternoon about four or five o'clock, the clouds would finally spill over the peaks, like a mighty wave bursting a dam, and come speeding over the high, desert plain. Typically, the clouds would be a crackling thunderhead. Hail storms were frequent. The clouds would dump rain and move on toward Kansas. It lowered the temperature, watered the plants, and made for a fresh, refreshing evening.

My friends in Denver tell me this hasn't happened for about ten years. It typically gets cloudy, but it doesn't rain. The climate has gotten drier. The dust blows more frequently. Cactus now appears at higher elevations. No one is sure if it is global warming, the result of people in sub-divisions watering their lawns, damming the rivers, or all the above. But, it is different.

Would that there...

 "Would that there be you friend in the wood chipper?" Lake Melissa looks serene in this photo, but in the winter, the snow gets deep. In the movie Fargo, Frances McDormand, playing the character of police chief, Marge Gunderson, catches up with the bad guys here. Unfortunately, one of the bad guys has gone through the chipper, courtesy of his "friend." Note, alternatively, the location of the kidnappers' hideout cabin has been reported as Stillwater. Not everyone is Minnesota thinks this film is funny.

ODOT 6,797

As I pulled in front of my house in Charleston on Friday, August 31, my odometer read 6,797. I had been gone since July 2, basically two months. In addition to the mileage on my car, I drove another thousand miles on the rental car in Oregon. Lots of driving. West Virginia to Colorado. Spent time in Estes Park, Del Norte, Colorado Springs and Denver. Flew to Oregon. Visited friends in Portland and looked at houses in Eugene. Flew to Colorado. Visited more relatives. Drove through Wyoming to South Dakota. Retreated from the Black Hills and stayed in the Badlands. Visited relatives in Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York and Pennsylvania.

It feels good to be home. Aside from stuffy air, the house is in good order. Last night, I went to the Charleston Regatta and listened to the Gin Blossoms and watched the fireworks. Now, I need to catch up on my blogging. Visiting with relatives is wonderful, but it was hard to find spare moments to process photos, upgrade my website and write about life. In between getting my house ready for sale and my possessions ready to move, I now need to get back to work....

Sturgis Rally

Dawn and I drove from Colorado Springs to the Black Hills of South Dakota with plans to fish Rapid Creek, Spring Creek and French Creek. We got as far as Custer and noticed hundreds of motorcycles. It was Sturgis Rally week. We were lucky to get a place to stay in a basement apartment. After recovering from our disappointment, we went to Mount Rushmore and then to stay in a cabin in the Badlands.

We enjoyed the bikers: they were friendly and added an element of "bad" to the Badlands. The only problem is that they are numerous and noisy. I saw enough of the Black Hills to want to go back when there are fewer people.

Fishing, South Platte River

I fished the South Platte River at two different locations. The Platte is fishable for many miles. I fished below Eleven Mile and below Cheeseman Dam. The other  significant areas are below Antero Reservoir (just opened during the past couple of years) and below Spinney Reservoir. The Platte runs through South Park, a wide, flat basin surrounded by mountain peaks (including the Collegiates).

I fished Cheeseman Canyon with Ron above the Wigwam club along the Gill Trail. The river is heavily fished in this catch-and-release section. The fish are well-educated and difficult to catch--meaning I only caught one. The fish are easy to spot in the crystal-clear, cold water. The fish are numerous and some are quite large. We fished in the middle of the day; I think the morning or evening might be more productive. I saw a couple of trout take insects on the surface, but the overall pattern was small weighted nymphs. I didn't see any other fishermen catching fish. The gorge is very pretty with huge boulders, evergreen trees and the gurgling river. The Gill Trail has been much improved so that the hikers and fisherman stay on the trail. Now, the foliage is recovering everywhere.

On another day, Ron, Dawn and I left Colorado Springs to float the
Arkansas River. But storms the night before turned the water into a frothy, chocolate milk shake. We drove the entire river and wound up fishing the Platte below Eleven Mile near the bridge. The parking lot had lots of  trucks. Everyone seemed to catching lots of small fish. During the first hour, I caught six small fish on tiny nymphs and 6x tippet. Ron and Dawn also caught numerous, small fish. After lunch I sought larger fish in the deep back eddies. The heavier split shot caught lots of seaweed and more small fish. Ron caught some using a #18 Trico on the surface.

The South Platte is close to Colorado Springs (and Denver) and is a world
renowned catch-and-release area. The trout are extremely selective and
fishermen either need to fish the river on a regular (maybe daily) basis or have a good dose of luck.

Garden of the Gods

 We visited the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The rocks really are that red color. The Garden is just west of town. It is part of the same chain of rocks as Red Rocks Ampitheater in Denver.

House on River

A house on a river is somewhat of an American archetype, especially for a fisherman. You awake and just as the coffee makes its way through the filter into your cup, you notice through the kitchen window that the trout are rising behind the large boulder downstream of the riffle.  You grab your fly-rod from the corner of the garage where you left it the night before. It is all set up. You walk intently across the lawn with hot coffee sloshing on your fingers wondering if they are feeding on baetis, midges or a more juicy PMD.
Ah, yes. And then, there is life and the reality of it all. A house on the river is probably next to a busy road, has lots of neighbors, is far from town and isn't all that great in the off season.
Since humans have been walking, hunting and trading, they have been building trails, roads and railroads through the river valleys. Many river beds are commercial areas. Public reclamation efforts have turned other areas into federal and state forest, parks and otherwise protected lands. the remaining private land is divided between commercial, agricultural and residential.
The outcome is that the house on the river is certainly pricey and all too frequently in earshot of a noisy road or railroad line. Your backyard will be a playground for kayakers, canoers, rafters, fishermen and other water-sport enthusiasts.
If you are close to a town, the land will likely be subdivided to the point where houses almost touch each other. If you are further out from town, you will drive for just about everything: groceries, gas, schools, libraries, and friends.
And then there is winter, rain and off-season.
I've probably looked at too many properties recently and been too disappointed. But, I think the house on the river is best relegated tot the weekend or vacation home status.

Update

So, anyway, I visited family and friends in Colorado Springs, Denver and Portland. I visited Eugene and shopped for a house. Now I am in Portland headed for Colorado Springs.

Fishing, Rio Grande, July 9-11

Fished the Rio Grande from South Fork to Del Norte for three days. Wonderful experience. Dawn and I joined Ron and Fritz in their rafts. We caught many large browns and some rainbows. Caddis dry flys like Elkhorn Caddis, Stimulaor, Goddard's Caddis and Humpy worked well on the surface for the first two days. Gray or yellow, sizes 14 to 18. The third day, nymphs ruled. The #14 Beadhead Prince Nymph with Legs was very effective. Various caddis nymph patterns also worked. There were a lot of Green Drakes hatching, but our Green Drake patterns were not particularly effective.

The flow from the reservoir decreased each day and the water level declined accordingly. By the third day, the insects and fish seemed to be hunkering down in the remaining water.
Fritz has a B&B, Riverside Meadows about three miles downstream from the town of South Fork. It is very upscale, comfortable and friendly. As you lie in bed, you can hear the river flowing. The cabins are private with dining in the main lodge. Fritz and Paula prepare wonderful food. For fishing, you can put in or take out a raft at their property.
Ron is an expert fly-fisherman that knows Colorado and the West inside out.
Fishing from a moving raft takes some getting used to if you typically wade the riverbanks. When I wade, I try to stalk the fish by slowly wading upstream to prime holding areas and watch before I cast. When rafting, you move briskly downstream and cast rapid fire to the next holding spot. If you wait to see a fish rise, you will typically float by the spot before you can position your cast; you can't wait for the fish to rise again. I like to spread out from my friends and leapfrog fishing spots when I wade. Everyone is compressed in a raft; only two people can fish at a time. You need to be attentive not to cross lines or cast at the same time.
The Rio Grande flows from the Rockies near Creede and ultimately forms the border between the U.S. and Mexico. Most of the land along the prime fishing water is private so wading is impractical. South Fork is located in southern Colorado west of Alamosa. Don't confuse it with south Park of TV cartoon fame.

Fishing. Rocky Mtn Natl Park

Since 1969 the fishery management philosophy at Rocky Mountain National Park has been to restore the greenback cutthroat trout, the original native fish. Rainbows, browns and brooks are harvested; the cutthroat is catch-and-release only.

Dream Lake had a fair number of actively feeding trout just downstream of the inlet. Sprague Lake had a fair number of actively feeding fisherman at the large picnic area. The Big Thompson River near the museum looked productive with about a half-dozen fly fisherman.

Bear Lake had a number of rises, but is closed to fishing.
The park is beautiful and has many accessible destinations. Consequently, parking lots fill up before noon and a shuttle has transports for hundreds of people. Some of the trails are paved with asphalt.

Rowdy and the Seven Brides

7-7-7 is auspicious as a date. For Dawn and I, it was our seventeenth wedding anniversary. So, we returned to the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado. We visited the church where we were married in 1990 and the Music Room at the Stanley where we had our reception. We ate dinner at 7 p.m. (but did not have room for seven courses).

There were seven weddings at the Stanley that day. One large groom named "Rowdy" had an outdoor wedding at 6 p.m. We sat in the front porch watching the thunderclouds roll over Long's Peak. A large downpour occurred as the bride made her entrance.

Colorado

Clouds in the West.
The fields around me look like Kansas--flat, alternating green corn and golden wheat, gray grain silos in the distance. But the sign twelve miles back said, Welcome to Colorado. The clouds in the west obscure the mountains. I know the Rockies are there. Sometimes I see some horizontal shading with triangular contours among the the clouds. We are probably too far away to actually see mountains. But it feels like coming home. I lived in Colorado for twenty years. I want to see the Front Range.

4th of July

We crossed the Mississippi at St. Louis in the morning. Missouri came and went. 

A major thunderstorm blew across I-70 just west of Kansas City. I pulled off the road for awhile because the fastest speed on the wipers couldn't clear the windshield. You can see a long way in Kansas. But there's not much to see. Driving is easy. Cruise control, no hills. Steady wheel, straight ahead.

The trip odometer hit 900 at Junction City--time to stop. REO Speedwagon played at the local festival. The lead singer said they had just returned from their European tour. Most of the crowd was military from Fort Riley. He told the crowd the USA was the best country in the world.

START: USA 2007

After a day of driving, I am somewhere in Illinois, about 493 miles from Charleston and not quite to St. Louis. I can't wait to see the mountains of Colorado poking above the long plains of the Midwest. Driving directions are simple: Take I-64 from Charleston to St. Louis. Take I-70 to Denver.

Planned distances by day: 493, 400, and 475.

Visiting Family, Friends and Fish in the the United States of America
Planned destinations:

• Colorado--Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado River, Colorado Springs and Denver


• Oregon--Portland and Eugene (McKenzie River)


• Minnesota--Minneapolis and St. Cloud


• Wisconsin--Milwaukee


• New York--Schenectady and Long Island


• Pennsylvania--Delaware Water Gap

Total Miles:  5,000 and $700 of gas.

Luggage: for my Himalaya Adventure, my luggage was limited to what I could carry on my back and weighed under 30 pounds. I had two changes of clothes. Now, I travel in luxury; my Toyota Camry trunk overflows into the back seat of the car.

• lots of pants and shirts--even shorts, bathing suit and a jacket and tie


• complete trout fly fishing gear


• cooler, folding chairs and table, sun shade, sleeping bag, ThermaRest

Wow! That's luxury.

birthday blog

What do I want for my birthday? A new home page. I got it. I hope my visitors can more easily find my content. I wrote my "static home page" with search engines in mind. Embedded in the HTML are metatags that Google and Yahoo can use to find my content more easily.  I hope this results in more hits to my website. The metatag ties into my new home page, blogs and photo tags. Seems fishing is more popular than travel.