2011 Trip to Idaho, The Gem State!
Esto Perpetua - It is perpetual - I hope they are talking about the fishing and hunting!! Maybe they meant Pesto Perpetua?
The 2011 YG Trip has been completed- Working Title - Indolent Idling In Idaho!! We visited Kelly Creek, Moose Crreek, North Fork of the Clearwater, Lochsa, Selway, and added in Rock Creek, MT and the Blackfoot River, MT.
The Plan:
Wed Aug 24 Travel to Kelly Creek Area (Kelly Cr, NF Clearwater, Moose Cr)
Thur Aug 25 Fish!!
Fri Aug 26 Fish!!
Sat Aug 27 Fish!!
Sun Aug 28 Fish!!
Mon Aug 29 Travel to Lolo Hot Springs to the Lochsa River
Tues Aug 30 Fish!! (Lochsa, Selway, and related creeks)
Wed Aug 31 Fish!!
Thur Sep 01 Travel to Drummond, MT and fish Rock Creek
Fri Sep 02 Fish!!
Sat Sep 03 Drive up to Ovando, MT and fish the Blackfoot River
Sun Sep 04 Travel Home!!
In Kelly Creek, stayied at the Forest Service Cabin
right by the stream. In Lolo Hot Springs, we will be "The Lodge", and
we'll be at the Drummond Motel in Drummond, MT. Because the Forest Service
Cabin is far from any services, we broughtall our own food, cooking
plans, etc. for those five days.
Now most history books will tell you about the battles and famous generals or
admirals or warriors etc. What they don't tell you about are the chief
cooks, bottle washers, drivers, etc who make it possible for those hero's to be
ready to go to battle per se. All great campaigns start with good
logistics - so begins this year's YG adventure. Yes the first step is to
make a menu, followed by a shopping list, and followed by a shopping trip(s).....So
on Tuesday Aug 16, we started the shopping trip phase.
All good shopping starts with Costco - here are (L to R) Jack (our bodyguard for the day), JR, and Andy outside of the Issaquah, WA Costco - Costco Corporate HQ is about a block away so this store becomes their test store for marketing ideas.
Entering the store, an aisle-by-aisle battle plan is established...
The battle is begun - the first spoils of war!! Bacon!!
Close quarter actions in narrow urban aisles require precision maneuvers to gain the advantage - it's good to have Jack covering the flanks
Now the serious actions begin with the acquisition of beef!!
Planning for the pastry and bread gambit - still looking for the right pie(s)
At one point, the shoppers approached the Produce area but a strange force field caused a rapid retreat - that front will be dealt with at a later date
At the end of the first phase of the shopping trip, John does a "flash the cash" maneuver while Andy shows his still useable Price Costco membership card - that goes back some in time!!
After taking the spoils back to JR's for refrigeration and freezing, we head out immediately for phase two of the shop-up at the local QFC
Andy looks at flowers for the dining table - if you knew Andy, you would know how sensitive he really is... and how unlikely this photograph is....
It is easy to eat beans from a can, but to have pate, brie, and truffles with the chardonnay in the forest.....well, it sounds just divine.....and doesn't seem likely to occur
Looking at the list and what it cost us!
JR flashing the (less) cash at our final check-out at QFC!
So ended the first big shop up for the 2011 trip!
The final report is in development with a out 855 photos to sort through and 12 days of rich notes of activities and events. It should be up by 15 October and maybe sooner.
Here are some photos to wet your appetite and to describe the trip graphically!
Andy with a very realistic start on a mouse pattern!
Andy with a real fish!
Bull Moose on Rock Creek
This is THE Exxon-Mobil oversize load which caused the damage on
Highway 12
Greg fishing Kelly Creek about 1 1/2 miles up the trail
JR with a NF Clearwater Cutt
The Gang with Kathy at the Blackfoot Anglers in Ovando, MT
Mike with a nice Cutthroat
North Fork of the Clearwater
They don't show you in most casting classes how to prepare for
the next cast
Rock Creek
Rock Creek
Truth in advertising - not all fish were big....
Met fellow fisherman Mark and his cousin on Rock Creek -
Tagged Cow Moose by the NF Clearwater
Since we're in Montana, we tried to go incognito with the
Unabomber look -
And much, much, more!!