Summer to Fall (off the mountain)

Wow, the time flew. Between great fun with Astra Heights at cool events such as Venicestock and guiding in the Sierra with Sierra Fly Fisher, I also worked on flying my jeep off of the roadside in Yosemite. Oh and don't let me forget Nicaragua with Rebecca, Quinn and Megan followed by a wonderful trip with Alexis and Jeanette to Mexico then a trip with Noah Snyder and Jim Lowe into the Bob Marshall Wilderness, Montana. 52 miles round trip on foot! So summer had all sorts of lessons learned such as highsticking the Merced at low elevations for hidden pockets of unusually strong wild bows to correcting a vehicle's direction to avoid rolling it! *See photos below* As many of you may know, Oprah recently went camping in Yosemite National Park. She apparently did some fly fishing too. I work seasonally in the Sierra and often enter the park. In the middle of summer, after a fun day of guiding, I went off the road. I walked away unharmed. I am very lucky.




That very evening, a rather brazen tow-truck driver pursuaded me that using his pulleys and chains, he could "stretch" the vehicle back out to a functional state. I was too exhausted and upset to even protest. The next day I used the jeep on a guiding run and the following day I drove it to LA! Feeling the little jeep's spirit, I began plotting the salvage process.

Jesse, in Corona, has a yard full of parts and this began the "healing" process. This photo below shows him pulling a hood off on an old Samurai for my wounded Sammy. I also had a favored mechanic inspect the frame, alignment and state of the hubs along with many other essentials.

A few weeks later, with all parts in hand, I had the vehicle taken to the doctor.

And, alas, voila! The happy jeep is rolling again looking sexy.

Now, you thought it'd be so easy? Of course the National Park Service's law envorcement division hit me with a ticket...(no I was not drunk). Did you know that they have a cute little court house right in the heart of Yosemite!!!???? Click on the image below for a slightly larger look. I ain't joking.

After my hearing, I got the fine reduced and they also offered traffic school. I am about to wrap up my online course. I am re-visiting important lessons such as "Don't stall your car on a railroad track".

This entry is being posted as I waltz again into the phonebooth of rock and emerge on Monday in Berlin Germany as a member of a great band The Fuzztones. I'll be roll-casting a guitar cable in Italy and Greece to name a few. Never a dull moment and 2010 is far from over.

Sierra Critters

The wrap up of the fall Trout Camp was good. Fish emerged from a cold front with a vengeance and reminded me that last year, the best fishing took place a tad later in the season. Too much real world BS here in LA and I had to return. That said, you've seen the fish, now consider the critters!

Horses and Dogs are critters too! Gotta love this shot. The dog had limitless energy and chased squirrels on the trail as we fished one day. My horse had a mind of its own and often took its own path which on one or two occasions, was the safer route.

I love reptiles and this year I found my first rubber boa. What an amazing animal.

They're Heeeeeere!

The ghostly visitation of fall browns is by far one of the greatest parts of the season. Albeit not always large, the early agents of this migration get a lot of my love. A pre-dawn hike and the sun rises on a plunge stacked with fish. The mountains, the critters and the fish .... life is good!

The Hills Are Alive

With the sound of poppies poppies poppies!
Although I focus on the fish, the rest of the "picture" has to be taken seriously. Be it the reptiles, the birds and the flowers. Heck, even the ants (trout love 'em!). A recent jaunt with Jimmie Morales to work with a large crew of anglers in the west slope had us drowning in flowers. The fishing was a challenge because of the onset of snowmelt but the persistent and those who fished the edges carefully were rewarded.

And a closer look ...

And finally a little science for y'all... see these mountains in the distance?

Their coat of snow is melting and our crew was there just as it was kicking -in. Saturday the fishing was better. Turbidity, temps and flows (CFS) rose sufficiently enough on Sunday to put a damper on our friends, the trout.

Despite this, fish were caught and the glory of California was celebrated as places like Fargo suffered a blizzard.