S-s-s-s-summertime

"This is one of the best days of my life."

I uttered that phrase more than once this summer. For me to slap that on a day is pretty big because I have lots of "best days" and I usually just move on to the next one without much thought.

I always mourn winter ... only because I'm crazily addicted to skiing.  I bitched about the "in-between" ... and didn't expect much from the summer months. Just really looking forward to locking into the boards again and continuing my adventuresome exploration of the MostAwesomestWinterNeverland.

Now suddenly, Ol' Man W. has violently lurched out of his long slumber and all I can seem to think about is ... s-s-s-s-summertime ... the warmth of the sunshine on my face, the feel of the fly rod dancing in my hand, the dirt rolling under my knobby tires, the trail snaking beneath my hiking boots, the miles of Colorado pavement endlessly spinning by, the happiest of happy hours, the rock of the panga and (most importantly) the pleasure of gazing at the sweet tanned faces of the people that I love.

Hello Sunshine

Porcupine

Why not start the season with a very technical ride? 

Trick to Crash ratio approximately 25:1. 

One of the best rides of the year - hands down. 

Shadow Dancing

Lori DeBardelaben: part ham, part bacon. 

My high-speed, tailgating, blind corner, downhill racing buddy.

My favorite wheel to grab.

Another Awesome Rim Ride in Fruita

Jessica Johnson Simmons: secretly my favorite Colorado (all-around) mountain biking partner.

Disclaimer - "favorite" was computed using comprehensive meta analysis.

[(ascending time - descending time/snack breaks + breathing breaks), sprint finishes, punctuality, sarcasm]

Coincidentally married to the leading candidate in my "overall favorite man" non/family category (see "Porcupine").

BV Rainbow

CK, Lori and Jess witnessed a leprechaun dancing under this rainbow.

Monarch Crest

My favorite ride in Colorado - with my mountain biking posse.

20+ miles into the ride, I insisted on riding the Rainbow Trail, despite life-threatening lightning rolling in at elevation.

I blurted out that it may be my last opportunity to ever ride this trail in my life - they fell for it. 

Card played.

Suddenly Last Summer

(photo - L. DeBardelaben)

Stairway to Heaven 

(photo - L. DeBardelaben)

Chasing My Favorite Wheel 

(photo - L. DeBardelaben)

Sister and Sebastjian

This sweet boy loves to dance to Billie Jean.

"Who will dance on the floor in a round?"

Love, love, love.

The Big One

Panama City Beach

Much needed family time.

One Happy Mama

Panama City Beach

.

Crabbing

Panama City Beach

Sisters/RMNP/Brookie Unicorn Stream

This is not Thailand.

RMNP

200,000 Star Mobile Hotel/Stillwater Pass

Bad-Ass Bug Slinger

"I SAID ... What Are They Biting On?"

Royal Coachman - SHE SAID.

350 Feisty Brookies = Tight Lines

I could write an entire book just about this day - WOW.

FROLFing/Black Mountain NC

Hanging out, catching up, eating snacks, drinking Cokes, and playing frisbee golf with Xander.

Dream date.

Boulder Creek Baby

Poison Tungsten - the most irresistible fly.

Boulder Creek Mama

Happy Hour.

Beauty in Belize

Looking for bones.

Mitchell Lake/Indian Peaks Wilderness/THE END

The last day of s-s-s-summertime ... first day of "in-between".

NOW, enough talk about the heat, it's officially time to focus on snowmegeddon and bombogenesis.

Did you hear that? 

That was the sound of gears changing.

Come Fly With Me

Last spring at Front Range Anglers in Boulder, I watched Lori-Ann Murphy (fly fishing director at El Pescador, Belize) passionately demonstrate strip setting the hook for a bonefish, permit and tarpon on fly.  There was no 10-wt rod in her hands and no exotic fish on the line ... but I could IMAGINE it all so very clearly.  In 1989, she was the first woman to be named an Orvis-Endorsed fly fishing guide.  In 2009, 175 men applied for the fly fishing director position at El Pescador (not one woman applied - not even her) ... and she got the job offer.   She is a fishing Goddess. 

Lori-Ann Murphy

We were greeted at the tiny San Pedro airport on Ambergris Caye (the largest island of Belize) by an El Pescador representative.  

Tropic Air to San Pedro

In San Pedro, our luggage was swiftly loaded onto a small boat, we took our new ocean front seats and an ice-cold Belikin magically appeared in our hands.  

The seven minute water taxi from San Pedro to El Pescador was intoxicating.  

As we were pulling up to the dock at El Pescador Resort, the Fishing Goddess herself was strolling towards our boat to welcome us "home" … it felt like we were all characters in an International Fly Fishing Film Tour (IF4) short.  I was overcome with joy by the realization of a dream becoming reality in my life.

Mi Casa

Up at 5:00 AM, breakfast at 5:30, on the boat at 6:00 AM.  

5:30 AM

You think fly fishing on a Colorado trout stream is hard?  Try standing on the front of a 22' panga with an expert guide (who just poled the boat 100 yards hunting bonefish) desperately shouting at you to hit "flashing" fish at 11:00, 40' out with incoming wind.  OMG - talk about pressure.  I knew that it would be difficult.  So, I purchased a Helios 2 8-wt fly rod a month in advance to practice the double-haul cast (a variation of the overhead cast, increases line speed thus adding length to your casts) for this very moment.  I practiced a LOT ... the neighbors probably thought I was insane for fishing in the cul-de-sac for imaginary fish every evening before bedtime.  UnFORTunately, my land-based casting technique didn't completely transfer to water and I had a very hard time sight casting to fish.  I landed only 2 bones on Day 1.  Deb was shocked and slightly delighted - she said evidently I was "human" after all.

"There (s)he stands, draped in more equipment than a telephone lineman, trying to outwit an organism with a brain no bigger than a breadcrumb, and getting licked in the process." - Paul O'Neil, 1965

Back at the resort, we took advantage of the free casting clinic offered each evening.  I received instruction from the El Pescador Associate/fly casting specialist Mr. Issa and Deb received a casting lesson from The Goddess herself, Lori-Ann Murphy.   Needless to say, it helped tremendously.  

Torpedo of the Flats

Nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught.


At the end of a hard day of fishing, there was plenty of pool time and Belizean Painkillers :)

The seafood was caught local that day and served family style each evening (with a side of fishing lies).  

Eat. Sleep. Fish. Repeat ...

Mi Amor

Riding out to the flats each morning was a blessing.  It was absolutely amazing and no picture can capture the hallelujahISH of that experience.  I felt incredibly alive ...

Tomas

Baracuda

Bent Rod

I'm thankful for bent rods and tight lines.