Sixth Year Anniversary Trip

Natalie and I had our sixth year anniversary a few weeks ago and decided to go to a state that had been on our radar for a while. The destination was Colorado, a place neither of us had been before. We were both seeking cooler weather and knew Colorado would be nice this time of year. The heat had just swept across Southern Utah and it was time to get out of here.

Our first stop was at our favorite restaurant in Moab called Pasta Jays. We visited this place for Valentines once and were really impressed. I got the manicotti and Natalie the asparagus and artichoke raviolis with tomato cream sauce. What I love about this place is the food comes out piping hot and tastes amazing. So much better than Olive Garden.

Our journey to Colorado began by traveling behind the La Sal mountains. The mountain range still had a dusting of snow on top, which seemed quite surprising due to the extreme heat. These mountains were beautiful, but I had a feeling the mountains of Colorado would be far more majestic.

The drive into the new state started out quite interesting. A truck ahead of us had suddenly pulled over and it soon became apparent that the man inside and the woman were fighting. She immediately got out of the vehicle and when we drove past them she held up her arms as if to say "come pick me up!". We slowed down, but kept on driving. I'll admit, I kind of felt like a jerk. But I honestly could not tell if she wanted a ride or not. We then noticed that she had gotten into the bed of the truck-- strange. While driving along they would pass us multiple times. They would drive ahead, pull over, and we would pass them and then a few minutes later here they came again. We noticed she was no longer in the cab.Maybe they worked things out? At one point, we saw the truck pulled over a ways off the road. We drove past, and never saw them again. Whatever happened, I hope they worked it out. Also, while driving Natalie passed one of the locals going ten under the speed limit. As we passed he graciously flipped us off. This was our first experience of Colorado. Good thing the mountains were coming into view by now. We could not get there fast enough.

The San Miguel river with towering pines was a refreshing site to drive along.The river was roaring from a heavy winters snow pack and I kept wondering what it would be like to fish when the flows were down. Soon enough the valley opened a little and we could see the tall mountain peaks that towered above the town of Telluride. The peaks were unlike any mountains I had yet seen in Utah. They were tall, spiny and wild as ever. Driving into town felt like going into a city that was a cross between Jackson Hole and Park City. The old western style vibe was there but it had a definite modern presence.

That evening, after unloading our gear at the Victorian Inn, we went for a walk along the river that runs through town. Looking up out into the distance, the elegant bridal veil falls seemed to be the main supplier of this river. It was beautiful, and the river provided some much needed cool air. We passed over a bridge where some locals were hiding out and we were met with a peculiar scent. Now this felt like more of the welcome to Colorado I had forethought. Cool rushing water, towering mountain peaks, and the scent of mary jane. We had landed.

"To Hell You Ride" as the nickname goes

Chocolate Milk

Sunset walk

For the following two days in Telluride, our adventure consisted of all things both Natalie and I love. We of course did some hiking. One early morning we took the gondola up for pristine views of the entire valley which did not disappoint. During the ride, a couple local guys rode with us and after what seemed like countless minutes of awkwardness due to none of us speaking, I broke the silence. Mainly in part due to the Howler Bros and Simms clothing that covered them. They were of course fly fisherman, and it was fun to chat with some locals about what the area has to offer. They told me what I already knew, all the rivers were muddy, but the lakes were beginning to produce. Of course, one major item missing from this trip was the fishing. Yes I brought my gear, but I never had high hopes of clear water. Being that our anniversary lands in June, I am always facing the spring runoff hurdle.

Regardless, the morning's richness was amplified by the cool crisp air and wildness of towering peaks above us. If I could not fish, at least the surroundings were on point. The Bridal Veil Falls hike was another great one that actually unveiled numerous other water falls. At one point I climbed up onto a big rock and was met with a spectacular view of the entire surroundings.

Can you spot me?

Second guessng my efforts

Picture at the gondola drop-off

After hiking we went to what was one of my favorite parts of Telluride. The Friday farmer's market. It puts our local Cedar City one to shame. Beautiful local fruit and vegetables piled out of baskets, local decadent fine chocolates (the kind ladies selling gave us a free one because we told her it was our anniversary), hand carved cups made from wood, fresh baked pastries, local flowers and herbs, grass fed meat, and the bread! At one particular booth, a local artisan had a beautiful assortment of bread. Though everything looked amazing, my eyes eventually gazed upon the cheese bread. We bought some, sat on a nearby rock, and were both experiencing the best cheese bread we had ever had. Mmm.

Telluride Farmers Market

Maverick Cheese Bread is no comparison to this

Chocolatey goodness

Of course we hit main street and explored the local shops. They were what you'd expect in just about any mountain town. Numerous shops selling local attire branded with Telluride. Countless coffee shops, fine and casual eateries, a weed shop, and of course, my favorite, a fly shop. Most fly shops to me are roughly the same. You walk in and the guy(s) at the table are usually friendly. Most all have beards and look as if they have spent countless nights in the mountains. My kind of people. The man at the counter was talking with another who seemed to be a local about saltwater fly fishing and drag strength. They discussed the new reels coming out in our modern time and how drag is essential for big fish. Someday I will experience saltwater fly fishing.

Anyone there?

Dog Parking

Crazy locals

On the way out of town we hit the local pizza pub and snatched a bbq chicken to go. This seems to be a tradition of Natalie and I's. It seems our favorite mountain towns all have a great pizza place that we cannot wait to try.

Mmm tasty

Leaving Telluride

Our next destination was Durango. My sister and bro in law had been there before and gave us a slight glimpse of what we'd expect. We were both excited, and quite nervous as well. In two days time we would be running the Animas river during peak flows. The only visual I had seen of this river was on the internet. It looked big, but I knew I would have to see it in person to really feel it out.

The first destination in our new area was Mesa Verde National Park. The park was small, but housed beautiful ancient Indian dwellings. There was not much hiking here that we found, just short walks to look-outs of different dwellings.

An obstacle for our first night in Durango was finding a camping spot. A light bulb eventually went off in my head and we were soon heading toward the local BLM office. They, of course were not open. However, there was a detailed map we took showing countless camping sites and minuscule information about each area. We picked a place about ten miles out of town, along a river, and hoped there would be an open spot.

We finally reached the area and it was perfect. Not too rugged for our Mazda 3 rental and there were numerous open camping sites. Although we could not see the river from camp, it was still a nice area. There was river access down below, and you can be sure I will be back with rod in hand. We pitched our tent, set up the new hammock, and enjoyed a moment of solace as the pines swayed and the birds sang us their tune.

That evening, around midnight curdled up in my sleeping bag I woke to the sound of something outside our tent. Startled, I sat there for a moment trying to decipher the scene. Finally, I determined it must be cows grazing that we saw earlier near camp. I peeked out the tent window and looked out and confirmed my theory. At least thirty cows had invaded our camp and were munching away. Dang cows.

The following morning Natalie and I boarded the Durango and Silverton Railroad. We sat in an open train cart so we could have a true experience. After passing north through town we were soon into the canyon section where the Animas runs through. The ride was nothing short of spectacular. We passed along steep ridges that looked down into the valley, and rode right along the river for the majority of the trip. The canyon section was beautiful with the roaring Animas and tall mountain peaks. Everything was green with wildflowers abound.

During the ride we met a nice Japanese guy who was taking photographs. He was a true mountaineer, having climbed numerous mountain peaks and explored many national parks. We each talked about our own individual adventures and we came to find out that he would be getting off soon in the canyon to climb four more mountain peaks that were at least fourteen thousand feet. He was going solo, and I couldn't help but think how dangerous that was.

About a third of the way through, the train stopped and let off a youth group going on a fishing expedition and the lone Japanese man. As he was setting up his backpack below I gave him a thumbs up as we rode passed him and thought to myself, "be safe dude."

The town of Silverton felt like going back in time to an old western town. There were no paved streets, and no traffic lights. The buildings were all old and had that classic western style look. This was an amazing place.

After spending time scouring the shops we were soon picked up by the rafting company to take us back to Durango for our float. The ride back was beautiful, as we were now above the canyon we had just gone through. We passed by multiple rivers and it was definitely a place I will come back to fish and explore.

After a quick change into our wet suits at Mountain Waters headquarters, we were anxiously waiting to get out on the river. The temperature outside was in the 90's, and it was time for some cool mountain water to break the heat. We loaded up into an old school bus and were on our way.

Our guide, and 6th year veteran river runner.

After a quick briefing alongside the river about safety and what to do in worst case scenarios, we were off and floating. We were riding along with another local family from Colorado. They had two children, whom took the bow for the first part until we reached more treacherous water. Natalie, being quite scared, rode right in front of the guide. I did my best to try and calm her, but her face told me she was fearing for her life. Luckily, our guide was awesome and provided reassuring words of comfort to her as well. After ten minutes of non-threatening rolling water, her nerves seemed to lift a bit and she was smiling.  It was fun to see the boys up front get wet and scream when we hit bigger water. I kept thinking I wish I was riding with my nephews, they would love this.

Eventually, we approached the class four section and let the kids out and picked up another guide to provide more weight to our raft. Another guide company had just set off toward the rapids and we all watched with intent as they rode the class four. As far as I could tell, they made it down, though it was hard to tell due to the decreasing slope of the run. Our safety guide raft team then went down and we would soon follow. The two man team was along for the entire ride to provide backup assistance if needed.

Our guide then gave us instruction as to the various scenarios that could play out during the run. I'll be honest, at this point I couldn't really focus on what he had to say. The only thing I remembered was to keep rowing through the waves and to not stop and celebrate that we had made it through. Or, worse yet, to grab a-hold of the rope along the side of the raft if we were to fall out. With GoPro filming and clenching tightly to my oar, we set off.

I could soon see the first drop, and it was a good seven foot descent into a white whirlpool of splashing water. Within a matter of seconds, we hit the drop and my footing came out from the bench seat in front of me. I felt for sure I was going to fly out. There was a matter of a few seconds where time seemed forbidden and my thoughts were blank.  Few moments provide this experience in life. For me, it's times of great adrenaline rush and the unknown of what is about to happen. For instance, a time when I rolled my four wheeler on top of myself along a cliff side. There was a matter of seconds of total blackout, and when I was finally laying on the ground looking up at the sky, I felt numb, both body and mind. This is what it felt like on this first drop. Water came surging over my head and I could not see anything. My footing came out and I did not know where I was. When the water finally cleared, luckily I was still in the boat, but leaning half in and out. I quickly re-positioned myself and put my feet back under the seat and surveyed the surroundings. Natalie was right beside me. She had flown into the section of boat I was in. Later on I found out that the guide had actually been jolted into Natalie's seat. It was a powerful drop. Luckily, all others were still inside the boat, and we were soon bracing for the next waves. During the madness, our guide had lost one of his oars and was scrounging for another. Luckily, we were now positioned in an eddy and he was able to grab a spare oar. We ended up making it through the class four section, and what a ride it was. The remainder of the trip was easy going with fun waves that got us all a little wet. The kids were riding up front again, and having a blast. All in all it was quite the experience, and one that I'd love to have again.

Words from previous river runners

The highlight to our last day was four corners. It was in the middle of no-where, but I'm glad we made the stop. Local artisans surrounded the area with all kinds of goods. Everything from jewelry, art, pottery, and various crafts. We picked up a couple gifts for family and ourselves and made the long boring drive back to Cedar. The trip was a huge success, and Colorado left an impression on us that we will never forget.

"The Wedding Vase"

Gear Review: Patagonia Tropic Comfort Hoody II

As an avid outdoorsman, I spend a lot of time out in the sun. Fly fishing definitely takes the top spot, however I also enjoy hiking, kayaking, and camping. With how much time I spend outside, I am constantly being battered with the hot sun. I do not particularly enjoy putting on sunscreen, so for the past while I have been searching for something to protect me from the rays. I tried a buff and, although it works, I find them better to wear in the winter. When the temperature is hot, a buff makes me feel even warmer. Also, when I put a buff over my mouth and nose, it fogs up my sunglasses, a big no-no. I then wore a long sleeved Columbia shirt for a while. It worked, but again it did not cover up my hands nor my head and neck. I wanted to find something that would provide substantial coverage of my upper body. Preferably, I wanted it to be a solo item. I didn't want to pack a sun shirt, gloves, and buff all to protect me. Frustrated, I did more research and finally found the perfect solution. Researching led me to an article from Fly Fish Food, reviewing a great sun protection shirt from Patagonia.

The Patagonia Tropic Comfort Hoody II is the only clothing item you'll ever need for great sun protection. Not only is it rated for UPF 50+, it's also lightweight and incredibly breathable, all very important characteristics when spending all day in the sun. I never feel too warm in this shirt, and with it's lightweight stretchy fabric, am never restricted with casting.

Another big selling point are the sleeves which contain thumb holes. I don't know about you, but I would find the tops of my hands to always be a place that sunburned. With this sun hoody, the sleeves extend the fabric to the knuckles which completely cover your hands. This is a well thought out design, and makes me wonder why so many other top companies have not included thumb holes.

The hood is another great feature. With it's wide capacity it easily covers your face, even when wearing a hat. There is also a button at the top of the shirt that when buttoned, easily covers your neck. Due to the lightweight fabric, your head never feels warm as one might suspect. The hood simply eliminates the need for a buff, a big positive for me.

Lastly, Patagonia claims that the item has permanent odor control with Polygiene technology. I can attest that this clothing item will not leave you stranded outside the tent due to your buddy kicking you out because you smell like skunk. Whatever Polygiene is, it works. Odors do not linger around with this hoody.

Truth is, if you spend lots of time outdoors, you should be taking care of your largest organ, your skin. Living in Utah, which has one of the nations highest rates of melanoma, I try and take extra precaution when I know i'll be in the sun for long periods of time. I have spent many days all day in the hot sun and have never been burned when wearing this hoody. Although my skin can at times feel very warm, I have never burned. You will occasionally still need to put sunscreen on your face, as the hoody cannot completely block out UV rays (reflection of sunlight on water). Though, it still does provide ample protection.

Patagonia is also one of the only companies who strives for clean practices when making their clothing and gear. All of their cotton is organic, and the facilities that produce and house their gear use much less (and more efficient) energy than others. All good things for the environment, which is the cornerstone of the company. This is a company I am thoroughly impressed with, and that's why I will continue to purchase from them.

Spring Retreat: Annoying Campers, Kayaking, Trout Bum, Pink Flies, and a Hula Girl

Part I: Family Camping Trip

Spring has unleashed it's warmth over Southern Utah, so the family and I set out for our first camping trip with our newly two year old daughter. Would she sleep all night in a tent? Who knew, I wasn't really thinking about that. I just needed to get away from the world. My birthday was the day after hers, and I finally got a new tent that I had been wanting. It was a perfect time to hit the mountains.

We set out to a nearby reservoir that we had camped at once before. The road leading up to the water was lush with vegetation and giant red rocks towered above. Someday, I would like to hike around in the area and explore. We arrive at the lake and set up camp near where we did our first bout. As soon as I was finished, I anxiously set up my new kayak and hurried out to the water to try the new rig. The rowing took a while to get down, but I think I have the general motion. It will take a few more trips  to fine-tune the technique. I eventually returned to shore and decided to take the whole family out. Maybe I will toss Daisy aside and let her swim, maybe.

Emma's ready to go

It was a little awkward at first. The rowing was out of sync, we were leaning to the right, but the kayak was upright and floating, all that mattered. Natalie's nerves were high when we were out in the middle of the water. I tried comforting her, but my words seemed to blow right away as the wind was.

The wind and erratic rowing took us to the far shore where Natalie was much more comfortable. After a while, our rowing began to improve and we were soon far away out into the lake. It was really fun being out on the lake with the whole family. You can cover lots of water in a relatively short amount of time. This will be great when scouting for fish.

We eventually return to shore and I venture out again solo, in hopes of finding some tug. I make my way over to a small bay and cast out my line. Within a matter of seconds I realize that fishing from a kayak is definitely going to take practice. The main problem was the wind. Any subtle shift in the wind and the kayak would turn, messing up my drift. I foresee many early mornings and late evenings free from wind will be key if I want calm water and better drifts. I ended up not catching anything, but felt a few nibbles. At least the fish were interested.

I return to camp and while I wish I was in a state of peace, sitting there enjoying my surroundings, I certainly could not . From the camp nearby a loud annoying ruckus was going on. Adults were yelling at their kids, swearing, and just being loud. Out from the trees came a dude with a purple mohwawk. I had to get out of here. I go to the mountains to escape from people. Life's too short to deal with this crap. We decide to break camp and head over to where the stream flows into the lake to pitch our tent.

As we were carrying gear over, I noticed a trio of fly fisherman fishing the inlet. I sparked conversation with one of them, someone who turned out to be a true trout bum I have known through the internet. He was one of the guys behind Whisky and Windknots, a fishy blog dedicated to our grand sport. We chatted for a while, mostly about fishing of course. It was fun to talk with someone who's fished a lot of the same areas as me. Hopefully our paths will cross again.

The camp was perfect. No noise but the sound of rushing water and wind through the trees. We enjoyed a nice campfire meal and dessert and all watched the sun fade over the mountain. Now this is why the mountains call to me.

Healthy Food = Feel Good

One thirty AM, Emma is awake crawling all over us and not going back to sleep. Soon enough we're all awake, and now Emma is crying. She will not go back to sleep, no matter what we try. At this point the thought of an early morning sunrise, flat water, and bent rod all but seems to disappear. This is life with a toddler. I love her, but man it was hard packing out in the middle of the night. We break camp, and make the grateful quick drive back to home.

Part II: Redemption

Due to the disaster the day before, I had to get out again into the mountains. The void was less than half full, as I had not been out fishing for a long time. Mike and my dad pick me up, and we head North to one of our favorite mountains.

The destination was a small secluded stream with plentiful trout. And plentiful it was. Due to runoff, the higher water had us reaching for pink flies that would shine through the muck. Mike's trusty "muddy water worm" was the true ticket of the day. It has proven it's worth time and time again. Although, the san juan proved to be working fairly well also. The fish would even hit our dries once in a while. At one point, I was fishing a pink chernobyl that met the lips of a few trout. My void was beginning to fill, this was something that had been missing in my life for far too long.

Healthy snowpack

Mike was kind enough to let me try out his light saber, aka his Blue Halo 3wt. This rod truly shines on small water. If I could describe the rod in one word it would be smooth. The casting, the delicate presentation, and the fight of a fish, all perfectly smooth. There's just something about fiberglass that truly shines. 

We break for lunch on the side of the stream, and I scarf down a PB&J and banana. It was nice to feel some calm and peace from last nights disappointment. Eventually, the stream was calling to us and we venture out again. While fishing, I make my way around a corner to find something rather unusual. A girl, standing on some sort of platform, performing an array of hula hoop techniques. I would have never guessed to see an acrobat in this type of country. Nonetheless, she seemed not bothered by our presence. We decided to not fish through their camp, and headed upstream to the last pool.

We traded off picking fish from this pool, and eventually retired back to the jeep. The day was filled with beautiful fish, thundering clouds, and free spirits. The perfect redemption from the day before.

Man Caves, She Sheds & Mother Bunker's

My sister Katy is a talented writer who is curently dishing out articles weekly for Disney's Babble. This is a website dedicated to parenting and lifestyle. Her latest article, one that I am rather drawn to, is about man caves vs she sheds, or the alternative "mother bunker" as my sister explains. The man cave is something that has been around for a long time. I myself have my own corner of the house dedicated to the art of tying flies. It is my little escape where I attach fur, feather, thread, and/or synthetics to a hook in hopes that it will look enticing to fish. As men need their so called "man caves", women are now on to the trend and making there own "she sheds". I'll admit, when I saw the picture in her article of the so called "shed"(its more like a mini-house), I thought to myself, "man, I want one of those." Just not one with a pink door and flowers all over it. Mine would look like a miniature cabin with a rod-rack out front to hold my fly rods. Anyways, give the article a read. It will surely make you laugh.

FishEatFlies Man Cave

                   https://www.babble.com/relationships/man-cave-mother-bunker/

Winner Winner

I have been on a long dry spell. What kind you may asking? A non-winning contest dry spell. Yes i'll admit, I am a contest junkie. I have been very lucky to win some great fly fishing and tying gear the past few years. Last week, AvidMax on Facebook held a fly tying contest in which they were looking for the most creative fly you have ever tied. It did not take me long to know which fly I needed to enter. I won 3rd place in the contest, which scored me the Tacky Dry Fly Box. This will be a great addition to my arsenal. I must give credit to fisheatflies for helping me with the pattern. We both tied roughly the same fly that evening, incorporating lots of synthetics and bucktail. I fished the pattern on a lake known for big tiger muskie, but never even saw one that day. Regardless, the pattern sits on top of my tying desk where hopefully someday it will pierce an esox predator.

Don't Hotspot Utah's Wild Places

It upsets me to see an article from a nation wide fly fishing magazine talking about one of Utah's best kept secrets. I'm grinding my teeth as I read about and see pictures of a particular lake that I have fished before. Orvis guru Phil Monahan goes on a cutthroat slam in Utah and travels to my neck of the woods seeking bright colorado cutts. Here is my message to you Phil: Dear Phil, please do not talk of secret fishing places in a national magazine for others to see. I understand that you were highlighting the new Utah cutthroat slam, and it's importance in conservation and awareness. However, as a local angler and someone who wants special places to remain that way, it was upsetting to see this area brought to light on a national scale. You wouldn't want others showing off your secret spots would you? Or are you just interested in making sure Orvis keeps you on as editor of OrvisNews by pushing great content? Regardless, know that you have upset many locals here in Utah, and you should think twice before talking of special wild places that are seemingly becoming more out in the open with social media. From: Your fellow Utah angler.