BilletHead

Plateau fly shop, BilletHead

Lets Wrap this trip up now, We figured we had one more time we could fish on the trip but it was time to head Easterly and homeward. We decided to take a route back through RMNP. Fish there again, spend the night and head home. We hit the pavement and back into the park early enough to get a campsite. Got set up, strung up the rods once again and hit the creek to catch dinner. We caught a few Colorado Cutts and Brook trout. Kept a few brookies for dinner. The dinner was Fried brook trout, baked beans and "She,s a Peach" From the brewery in Vernal, The Last campfire of the trip was lit and we sat there and relived what all we got to do and see this vacation. One last wish was received as Pat got her jiffy pop! . More star gazing then that last fire extinguished and to bed. Up one more time in the high country we continued up the trail ridge road to the top for some breakfast. We wanted to see the sunrise to the East from the top and we did. How about some breakfast at 11,000 Plus feet? Nice and cool up here next to the Alpine visitors center we crawled up into the camper where Pat cooked scrambled eggs and crisped up the mix of regular and sweet potato fries leftover from the Vernal Brewing Company. After that we excited the camper and took a walk on a trail through the Alpine tundra for one more snapshot of the Pirate and Pat, On the walk up we played whack a mole with the marmots as I tried to snap a few pictures. They would come out and then back into the rocks but I caught a few out, I would like to have a marmot skin , From there we worked our way downward seeing a few more elk and towards the very bottom of the park wild turkeys. Through Estes Park and then towards Boulder. We wanted to visit the Front Range Anglers and surprise Randy on the way home. We did just that. A visit and recap of the total trip we had taken it was time for bug hugs and a sad but happy goodbye. The long trip across Kansas was made and one night on that ride we needed. We gained three more stickers for the folding table on the back of the camper, Thanks everyone for letting us share the trip. This can be done by everyone on here. Actually all you need is the family sedan, a tent and ice chest. If anyone wants help to do something like this trip or like the ones we have done in years past we can help so ask questions. Again thanks, The BilletHeads PS The Knee and leg? Just about the time we got home I was able to lift the leg off the drivers floor to gas and brake pedal. Yesterday was the first time I could stand up off of a low seat without having to grab something for help. This morning Sadie and I did a three mile walk and it only swelled a bit. Pockets of fluid on both sides is barely visible. About back as close to my normal self. Thank you lord for healing me! BilletHead

It would be funny, but mean and as always from the BilletHead come from the Heart , BilletHead

You know you can always count on the BilletHeaded Pirate if you would ever send me the new address. Don't buy the Bass Pro crap. You may have to pay dearly in the future someday , BilletHead

So we took the red cloud loop of the highway into the Ashley National Forest. Blacktop to rock and gravel Not too bad of a road compared to some we had traveled. Up and down in thick forest we seen deer and elk along the way then into a beautiful valley with open range cattle dotting the landscape. Soon a bridge and under this little ridge was the North Fork of Ashley creek. This was water more to our liking and something I thought I might get around in. Parked and rigged the rods. Pat got my wading shoes on me and she and the peg leg pirate went to fishing. I opted to drag out my wading staff and was glad I did, It took us awhile to get away from the road and find fish and when we did it was Colorado River Cutts. This was and is the native range for this subspecies, We landed several of this size, missed a few and only one chance as they wouldn't try again. A couple of bookie's took the temptation too , This was fun and what we again needed. Hobbled back to truck and back on the loop road we came upon this sign, No matter where we seem to go we are reminded of that Wrench Glenn character guy we have on OAF. I have even sent him road sign pictures of Sims creek. We laughed. So down the road until we ended up in Vernal Utah. We drove right by an urgent care and Pat said stop you need to see about your knee. I kept on going still having to manually lift my leg onto the gas pedal. Remember the saying you have to be tough when you are stupid . In Vernal we got a commercial campsite for showers and regroup. Pat and the Pirate did some shopping and decided to eat dinner out. Three times in the two weeks we ate out. Twice on the road for fast food and once this afternoon. A real sit down meal. As we drove looking we spied a little dump place. We drove in and after looking we passed right by it and behind that place was the Vernal Brewing Company. We pulled in, went inside and were led to a table. Pricy for Pat and the Pirate but what the heck this was a treat. We ordered a couple of their signature brews. Pat went with "She's a Peach" and I a "Dinosaur" Then ordered a couple of burgers and fries. The Pirate standard fries and Pat sweet potatoes. Brews were great and when the burgers came oh my they looked good. Good they were and spot on medium rare, This was the recharge we needed. The Pat and Pirate slept well that night. Knee had got better I thought but was retaining a great amount of fluid. Bossy Bride said it needed draining, Hard headed pirate said no, BilletHead

Well I will try to move this story along and see if I can finish the report up, So our next destination would be the Green River below Flaming gorge dam. We have been here before many, many years ago with BilletHead Jr. as a little guy and then once again a few years later just Pat and I. There is a nice campground called Dripping Springs we like. Not many trees and the ones there are small. Previous fire cleaned things out. The campground is paved with concrete picnic tables and these are covered for shade. Fire pits too a nice place to stay. On the way there we stopped at a fly shop/convenience store for fuel and a break. Went in to see part of the Ozarks on display, I think this has been discussed before on here that this shop had a supply:) . So we make it to the campground pay for two nights and have a meal of our variation of street tacos with the little corn tortillas we scored in Arizona . Gear reorganized and ready to fish the waning afternoon. We than went to the first takeout for rafts and drift boats and rafts, paddleboards etc. that put in at dam .If I remember right it is 6 miles up to the dam from here and we were at the Little Hole Access. We built and strung up rods and hit the trail going upstream. I noticed things had changed. Tall willows along the bank making it hard to get to water. Very few trails that led to water and water was higher than we had seen before. So this is where things went bad, sour or whatever you could call it. A drifter boat was right on the other side of the willows we were behind on our side of the river anchored. I could see the guide was dip netting a fish for his client. I wanted a photo and while trying to get a shot I lost my balance and went down folding my right leg the way it was supposed to go but twisting it too the way it is not supposed to go. It hurt, it hurt bad and Pat had to help me get up. I could not bend it and in an instant the knee and above it to my groin started swelling. i could hobble stiff legged slowly. Pat was ready to leave and go get me checked. No I am alright i said while in my mind I told myself you screwed up. We pushed on, actually Pat pushed on and I drug along like a pirate with a peg leg. in the Famous words of my good friend Brad "You have to be tough when your stupid". I was fast becoming not so tough and stupid for going on. We kept looking for places where the willows split and we could fish, i just had to stand up high on the trail not being able to go down the few places on the rocky bank. For some reason a short fat brown decided it wanted a BilletHead hopper and i had on to hand, We made it a mile and a half to turn around and head back to truck, I snapped a pic of my bride at that point, The knee had got to the point if I stopped for even a moment I had a hard time getting it moving again. What have I done I thought? Making it back at the truck and hard to get into drivers seat I had to lift my leg with my hand and arm to get it on the gas pedal. I could rotate my ankle to go from gas to brake but could not lift leg from floor. We made it to camp and set back up. Fire started the Mrs. Got to have her wiener roast. Three things Pat requires on trips like this. Marshmallows , wieners and jiffy pop over the fire. This gave her two of three so far., The knee and upper leg continued to swell, We finally got cleaned up after star gazing. We and I say we got me into bed. It took us both to get that done. Besides my daily prescription anti inflammatory I downed some alieve. It is the basically same thing as what I take over the counter. I have been warned to not do this often as it is not advised but tonight it was a judgement call and a must. Supposed to tale arthritis strength Tylenol instead like I said judgement call. Made it through the night and rolled out of bed. Knee still swelled like a mini tight balloon I thought it may of been a bit better. Not bending but resting pain wise. We discussed about staying or biting the bullet and eating our cost for the second night. Broke down camp and decided to leave and do a tour of the Ashley National forest looking for a small stream and more fish. A more easy place to negotiate, BilletHead

Yes I do John! Lots of them . I always over tie for trips like this. BilletHead

Boy Wrench, You left this discussion wide open for a joke. I am going to be a good boy and not say it, not say it, not say it, not say it. As far as trailer tires. I have had some strange wear patterns on some. If I can find one laying around I will take a photo. Like Gavin said it is cheaper to buy them already mounted on rims. BilletHead

Nice going John! I had no idea that there was jasmine rice paddies in Maryland . Capers too? BilletHead

No laughing from BilletHeadVille just some salivating. In the sticks we call it drooling . Good on you RPS, BilletHead

A tale of two meals from today, After a light breakfast and yard work we seasoned a venison roast with fresh rosemary from garden, black pepper, smoked salt and two big pats of butter. This was all vacuum sealed in a bag and placed in a sous vide bath @ 135 degrees. This would cook for 4.5 hours, in the meantime it was brunch. I split a loaf of French bread. Some butter and garlic salt sprinkled on and slipped under the broiler. When toasted well pulled. On this we slathered the remaining seasoned tomato sauce that I made from making stuffed peppers. Then a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese. A few garden jalapenos adorned the top, This was again slid under the broiler to melt the cheese,No the BilletHead pigs did not eat it all just half. I now have a snack for tomorrow. Then for the main course a bit ago I pulled the roast from the water bath as the Mrs. made fried taters and onions. The roast was again seasoned with garlic pepper and put on the hot grill of charcoal and peach wood, Grill chugging away, Pulled for the rest, The test slice! The plating with taters and the last of the garden slicing tomatoes, More leftovers for the week, BilletHead

Nice Chief, Been there done that. We did it a bit different by doing whole ingredients over coals and wood then chopping. It gives the salsa an added profile. Thanks for sharing, BilletHead

Thank you Dylan, Some of us know this and Tjm needs to do his research before reacting. The BilletHeads have caught the Columbia River Redband in the Yaak Valley of North Western Montana. Go Native! BilletHead

It was tough, more scenery, more fish, what to take pictures of. I hope you all are not becoming tired of the same old thing in different places. We are getting close to the end. Hopper Head? Most definitely, the rare bald headed, hard headed subspecies, BilletHead

After the meal I got nothing out of her the rest of the night. I refer this to the side effects of the "Squirrel Coma". A strange phenomenon that happens in the BilletHead household after big meals. It is like the cold part of the winter has set in. You just want to curl in in your nest and hibernate. This morning it is like she is in a different world. Up and at em , scurrying around and ready too gather nuts. If she gets to the point of cutting green walnuts I will have to intervene. The watch starts for green walnut stains on her lips a telltale sign Fall is approaching, BilletHead

You are right Ness. A couple years ago we got a few pounds at Hyvee in Springfield. I did them on charcoal, the paper sack trick to steam and then stripped off the chared skin. Some of those were used in the grilled cheese. Dang just thinking about it, BilletHead

As promised I cooked Pat A meal like I did with a single squirrel last week. I posted that but being the pig I am ate it all. Today we would supersize the meal. So I had two fresh harvests and then thawed a three pack of previous takes that had been vacuum sealed. With Pat as my sous chief we tackled the easy meal. Seasoned floured the meat and browned all in some goose fat which now is my favorite fat, Used the cheap white zinfandel to work up the brown bits in the skillet. As I was doing that Pat picked fresh rosemary from the garden and prepped it, also crushed the juniper berries and added that, This was all brought to a quick boil then the browned meat was put in, This was braised/simmered for three hours. Towards the end Pat cooked and mashed potatoes, Plated up and was happy, BilletHead

Mrs. BilletHead says "Dang" BilletHead

Time for the Fall crop, We did make it home after two week vacation to a few real nice tomatoes. Got them and then yesterday picked the rest and made some sauce. So this was the end of those and this morning it was time to clean up the garden. The two main beds were tilled and lettuce planted. Seed tamped in and watered. Hoping for a good germination, Peppers were also good when getting home and they are still doing well and will until a frost, We are real satisfied with the wicking self watering tubs and will be doing a few more for peppers next season. I have plans to make taps and plugs to drain the self waters so the trapped water not freeze and crack tubs. I also may plant a lettuce plant in each tub, BilletHead

Next morning up early 5AM to hot coffee and homemade granola cereal. We packed up again for the Trip to Wall Lake. Had not been there before so this was new. It was a longer hike but we were told an easier trail. It was, well used and easy to follow, Mrs. BilletHead took the point. I am sometimes pretty slow but steady. With my failed back I need to pick my steps carefully to prevent tweaking the lumbar and aggravating nerves. I can go far without a load and even though we had packs they were ultra light and kept us from having our hands full. We crested the trail to see, A much larger lake that Star. Wall seemed huge! We assembled rods and strung them up. Then Fishing as we beat the water again with hoppers, The fish began to come to hand, Some small brookies too and I had a nice one that ambushed my hopper next to a downed tree but it came unbuttoned and no picture no proof We actually walked all the way around this lake and at midpoint a foil pack of tuna and crackers. No hot meal, we only bought one but that will not happen again. Maybe even instant coffee next time? Back down the trail to our camp at Trial lake. It had been a big day and we were very tired. Slow and steady wins the race. I have a walking App on the phone. It registered at the end of our day 8 miles. Yes 8 and we both were surprised. Both of the trails to these lakes are easy and if you take your time as we did you can do it. We even seen some little children at Washington the longer hike. We did nothing but relax the rest of the day. Burned up all the firewood we had and even stayed up to see the stars. Next morning up over the pass into Wyoming and then dropping once again into Utah we did a shower and laundry at a KOA and continued on to another local with a hiccup, Billethead

Since JohnsFolly doesn't have a place for some of his Micros and unique fish species he chases I think I will get him a thread started. May I suggest he target one or more varieties of the Frog Fish. For all we know he at of already caught some of these. So @Johnsfolly here you go buddy, BilletHead

Yes and I have been receiving the harassing texts and photos like you did. How come you are not wade fishing for them? Worried about great whites? BilletHead

Up early and not at 4AM but 5, see there I told you we were going to slow down some. The tiger hunt starts. We loaded our little packs. Rods strapped to the side and began the hike to Star Lake. This lake was the first place we caught the Tiger trout last year. We began to ascend up the trail, And as we topped the dam we found, Rods built and strung up we began to beat the water with hoppers catching tigers, While Pat continued to fish I cooked lunch . Ramin noodles on the menu, First time using our new purchase the MSR pocket rocket 2. Impressed with the little unit. Folds up to fit in palm of hand. The small fuel tanks are light too, We dropped out of there back down the trail and followed the trickle in the creek. It came to a deep narrow almost covered by grass section. Pat dropped her hopper over the side and caught back to back brookies, Did I mention I cleaned two tigers? These are stocked Hybrids for catch and release or take. I imagine they were air dropped up there. They are wild now and have orange flesh from eating what they get up there. So we had a fish meal that afternoon and it was very good, The lake we were back on camping had whitecaps from the afternoon wind. As it laid we grabbed our rods and walked around it. The tigers were hunting the shoreline. Skinny gaunt fish. Poor looking examples. I am sure they were starving from the lake drawdown. Hunting for what could be caught. We pitched hoppers to them and some would hit and some refused. A few would chase minnows out of the water along the banks. Finally pat caught one that looked decent, In the sand we tracked animals. Found this, I am not sure what they call this creature in Utah? . As the sun set it began to cool and back to the camper we went. No fire tonight just cleaned up and went to bed. Tomorrow a longer hike and more tigers, BilletHead

First liar doesn't have a chance. Some of my neighbors chisel the tires out of sandstone. Use their bare feet to get things moving. Fred and Barney come to mind. Sabretooths are kept in check as are Giant sloths, BilletHead

When we are talking raw green bell pepper, not the sweet red, yellow and orange bells I am with you. The cubanelles taste nothing like the green bell, not even close. I have no love for green bells and will sub something else when it calls for them. Yes started without her. She just got home and is eating hers now. Happy wife, happy life . This sauce was some of the best I have ever made. Very sweet, thick and just the right mix of herbs. Enough that we will get some crusty bread , toast it add sauce and cheese and heat well. BilletHead