Fellow Extravaganzers:
With Kathy’s passing now almost a month in the rear view mirror, I thought I would reach out to each of you to thank you for your prayers, thoughts, and Kandles For Kathy all of which have immensely helped during this most difficult of times for me. I was asked the other day what the whole experience had been like and my reply was “it was a magnitude 10 earthquake on a scale of 10.” Indeed that was the case as everything has been shaken—way of life, value structures, priorities—but in the aftermath I am pleased to report that I am on recovery’s road and will be stronger in the end for having gone through the horror and drama of now nearly the first two months of 2015…this too, shall pass, but, wowie, it has been a tough and rugged ride.
One wonderful element of the recovery process was my spending last week fly fishing in Patagonia, Chile. I will write more about this special experience, but suffice it to say that I became so fondly attached to the beauty of that area (much like my early feelings towards Montana a dozen years ago) that, during my stay, I put fishing aside for two days and, in working with our land hosts, was pleased to locate and now will purchase with them (and others who might be interested) 20 acres upon which together we will build a second fishing lodge for his family, making them the largest outfitter in Patagonia, Chile, as well as the perfect excuse for my having to return there annually or more frequently. Nope, never a dull moment!!
All of the above notwithstanding, our plans for Extravaganza 2015 are roaring ahead like the Chilean gusty wind (it blew 30+ mph my entire stay there!). E-15 is now sold out and we sure have a(nother) wild ride in store for you all. All goods have been ordered, all boats are lined up, and I am garnering a wonderful batch of speakers for our evenings there together. In fact, my newest Chilean good friend Eduardo Barrueto will be in attendance for one of our groups to do a presentation on the waters of Patagonia and has donated a one week trip to his marvelous Magic Waters lodge (www.magicwaterspatagonia.com) as an auction item for this year’s November 7th Montana Matters Napa Concert (mark your calendars!). [Also, I will be hosting our first Extravagonia trip to his lodge the week of January 9th, 2016, to celebrate my 69th birthday—9 slots are open for this trip for those who might be interested…more on this later as well!]
Thank you again all for your kind thoughts and warm feelings which have been clearly and thankfully received on this end. The hardest part of life for me is death, and Kathy’s passing was my first experience in losing a loved one in that manner. If you are smart, what hurts you makes you stronger and, with that being the case, I sure am going to be an even greater force to be reckoned with in the very near future!!
If you have not done so already, be sure to make your E-15 air travel reservations to/fro Missoula and get a copy of your itinerary to our Extravaganza Coordinator Extraordinaire, Christian Heath; also, take confidence in knowing that snowfall and upper climes snow pack in western Montana is right at 100% of twenty year averages, so fishing opportunities for E-15 are looking splendid, thank you very much!!
Best to all in the recovery stage of it all,
Rock Creek Ron
---<’///:><
Friday, February 20, 2015
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Delta Flights for Group Three
Hey Threes:
Attached is your official E-15
recommended travel itinerary for those of you coming from and returning to the
greater Bay Area airports—please use these flights if at all possible as we
will be meeting you at and returning you to Missoula International (MSO)
airport. Your travel date to Missoula is Saturday, June 27th
and your return flight is on Wednesday, July 1st.
For the many of you who are
coming in from other destinations (including Texas, Florida, South Carolina and
Denver) please book yourselves on flights that arrive in and depart from
Missoula as close to noon as possible.
All: When you get your
reservations please email a copy of your itinerary to our Extravaganza
Coordinator Extraordinaire Christain Heath at cheath@clausenlawgroup.com so we
can get you posted to our master travel Bible.
Book ‘em, Danno!!
RCR---<’///:><
Delta Flights for Group Two
Wonderful Tattoers:
As promised, attached is you
official recommended flights for Group Two, E-15. Please use these
reservations if at all possible, as we will be meeting you at and taking you
back to Missoula International (MSO). Your arrival date is Saturday, June
20th and your departure date is Wednesday, June 24th.
Also, Twos, when you get your
reservations please email a copy of your itinerary to our Extravaganza
Coordinator Extraordinaire Christian Heath at cheath@clousenlawgroup.com and we
will get you logged into our master travel Bible.
Book ‘em Danno!!!
RCR---<’///:><
Delta Flights for Group One
Group Oners:
As promised, attached are your
recommended flights to/fro Missoula, Montana for E-15. Your arrival date
is Saturday, June 13th and your departure date is Wednesday, June 17th.
Please use these flights if at all possible as we will be meeting you at and,
on the back end, taking you to the airport. When you make your
reservations please email a copy of those to our Extravaganza Coordinator
Extraordinaire Christian Heath at cheath@clausenlawgroup.com
.
Book ‘em, Danno!!
RCR---<’///:><
Extravaganzers on the Move!
Fellow Extravaganzers:
Get ahold of this steelhead specimen caught (and released) by Group
Oner/MechBank Chairman of the Board Michael Downer, landed this past weekend
on the John Day River near Service Creek, Oregon!
As for me, I head out to fish Patagonia, Chile, for a week tomorrow and,
assuming that this trip is up to its high pre-billing, have booked the lodge
for the week of January 9th, 2016--"Extravagonia 2016" to be exact. Only 10
slots are available so give it some thought!
Also, later today I will be sending out our E-15 recommended travel
itinerary and the time to book your June flights for that quickly upcoming
blessed trip is NOW!
Best to all in the now-waning aftermath of it all (thanks for your
overwhelming outpouring of kind thoughts and prayers, btw),
Rock Creek Ron
---<///:><
FW: Welcome to Extravaganza 2015!!
Greetings, Fellow 2015 Extravaganzers:
Now that I am officially on the north side of 68 years old, this is the first of a gaggle of 2015 email messages that you will be receiving highlighting and updating you on events surrounding Extravaganza 2015, our thirteenth foray into the flora and fauna of Montana Ritz Carlton style! Preparations are already well under way for your arrivals in Missoula, now less than five months away for your WTF Ones (yes, all, there is a story to be told [later] as to how the Ones got their WTF moniker) early details with respect to which are as follows:
1. Dates. Attached is our traditional Month at a Glance providing you with an overlay of E-15 events. As in the past, each group will arrive on a June Saturday, starting with the Ones on June 13th, Da Tattoos on June 20th and Dem Threes on June 27th. Also as in the past, each group will fish three days and depart on the ensuing Wednesday.
2. Travel. Soon we will be providing you with recommended travel information to schedule your incoming and outgoing flights. With many of you coming from afar this year, we will provide that info as soon as good business dictates, but there are changes afoot with Delta Air Lines (our preferred carrier) with them moving around their flight schedules to accommodate bigger planes now flying to/fro MSO. For those of you who want to make earlier arrangements, however, your goal is to arrive in Missoula International (MSO) as close to noon as possible on your arrival date and to depart as close to noon as possible on your departure date, as I will be personally meeting you upon your arrival and taking you to your departure flight and, with Headquarters 45 minutes from MSO, our goal is to make as few pick up trips as possible out of respect to your fellow travelers. For the moment, however, wait to book your flights—I will give you recommended flight data once things have settled out with the airlines.
3. Weather. As you seasoned veterans know, predicting weather in Montana is only for those not faint of heart. As we get deeper into winter, we will begin regularly tracking and apprising you of western Montana’s snow pack, as it is the snow that accumulates in its upper climes that will dictate our water levels and fishing fortunes come post-runoff E-15. Caution being given, right now things are looking pretty good, gang, as snow pack is the Bitterroot River Basin (the Bitterroot being one of our targeted rivers, along with the Clark Fork of the Columbia River and the Big “A River Runs Through It” Blackfoot River) is currently boasting numbers at 115% of 20 year medians with precipitation-to-date logging in at 123% of 20 year averages. We are a long way off and shall see what we shall see, however, but a good start is just that!
4. Der Blog. As we have done for the past ten (count em’!) years, we will be setting up a blog for E-15 where we will post announcements and updates just as this one…once that is done I will give you the contact info so that you can log it into your favorites. As in the past, we will provide a weather link as well as links to our favorite providers, our land purveyor The Rock Creek Mercantile and our seasoned outfitter Double Up Outfitters, each of whom have their own reports and links to tickle your fishing fancies.
5. Participants. I have attached a copy of the roster of participants for E-15 and, as you can see, there are yet a few slots open in each of our groups. Our target is to have 20 fisherfolk in each and, as you can see, we are right at 19 in both Groups One and Two and 17 in Group Three (with a party of four looking to grab those yet open slots). Bueno, bueno, bueno as we have a wonderful blend of seasoned veterans a-mix with a handful of rookies/pledges, not the least of which is Brad Miller’s 12 year old son coming in from Seattle to fish with us for the first time in Group Two and husband/wife combo of Mark & Julie Zion flying in to from South Carolina to fish Group Three in celebration of their 35th wedding anniversary just reached over the recent holidays. If you know of anyone who might like to fish with us, just let me know and I will reach out to them directly and fill them in on the pleasures and bounties that extravagantly await all.
6. Gear. As in the past, all fishing gear is provided to you for E-15. That being said, if (like me for my quickly upcoming excursion to Patagonia) you may want or feel the need for retail therapy and a 8 ½’ 5 weight and/or a 9’ 6 weight rod would nicely travel with you. And, as in the past, you can bet that you will return from E-15 with a bunch more fishing gear that you arrived with, as I have already been shopping for you and we have custom-made products coming your way après your arrival on the scene of it all. Hmmm, I wonder what Rock Creek Ron has in mind for you E-15ers!
7. New Construction. In addition to the two log buildings that currently occupy our Headquarters, I have reached out to Bruce the Builder and, over a napkin in September, we have divined and walls are currently going up for a new 1,000 sq. ft. caretakers home that we are building on the upper meadow of our Rock Creek property. The idea is to have someone on site full time to look after, maintain and care for our Headquarters site as well as to oversee our shared Blackfoot house—never a dull moment in Extravaganzaland!!
8. Questions. During the ensuing months, do not hesitate to either email or call me directly if you have any questions regarding your upcoming fishing extravaganza with us. For you wily veterans, the only thing that will change is the scenery that you will enjoy and the fish that you will catch and release and, as regards the latter, they are only bigger this year than they were last!!
Best to all in the early stages of it all,
Rock Creek Ron
---<’///:><
Now that I am officially on the north side of 68 years old, this is the first of a gaggle of 2015 email messages that you will be receiving highlighting and updating you on events surrounding Extravaganza 2015, our thirteenth foray into the flora and fauna of Montana Ritz Carlton style! Preparations are already well under way for your arrivals in Missoula, now less than five months away for your WTF Ones (yes, all, there is a story to be told [later] as to how the Ones got their WTF moniker) early details with respect to which are as follows:
1. Dates. Attached is our traditional Month at a Glance providing you with an overlay of E-15 events. As in the past, each group will arrive on a June Saturday, starting with the Ones on June 13th, Da Tattoos on June 20th and Dem Threes on June 27th. Also as in the past, each group will fish three days and depart on the ensuing Wednesday.
2. Travel. Soon we will be providing you with recommended travel information to schedule your incoming and outgoing flights. With many of you coming from afar this year, we will provide that info as soon as good business dictates, but there are changes afoot with Delta Air Lines (our preferred carrier) with them moving around their flight schedules to accommodate bigger planes now flying to/fro MSO. For those of you who want to make earlier arrangements, however, your goal is to arrive in Missoula International (MSO) as close to noon as possible on your arrival date and to depart as close to noon as possible on your departure date, as I will be personally meeting you upon your arrival and taking you to your departure flight and, with Headquarters 45 minutes from MSO, our goal is to make as few pick up trips as possible out of respect to your fellow travelers. For the moment, however, wait to book your flights—I will give you recommended flight data once things have settled out with the airlines.
3. Weather. As you seasoned veterans know, predicting weather in Montana is only for those not faint of heart. As we get deeper into winter, we will begin regularly tracking and apprising you of western Montana’s snow pack, as it is the snow that accumulates in its upper climes that will dictate our water levels and fishing fortunes come post-runoff E-15. Caution being given, right now things are looking pretty good, gang, as snow pack is the Bitterroot River Basin (the Bitterroot being one of our targeted rivers, along with the Clark Fork of the Columbia River and the Big “A River Runs Through It” Blackfoot River) is currently boasting numbers at 115% of 20 year medians with precipitation-to-date logging in at 123% of 20 year averages. We are a long way off and shall see what we shall see, however, but a good start is just that!
4. Der Blog. As we have done for the past ten (count em’!) years, we will be setting up a blog for E-15 where we will post announcements and updates just as this one…once that is done I will give you the contact info so that you can log it into your favorites. As in the past, we will provide a weather link as well as links to our favorite providers, our land purveyor The Rock Creek Mercantile and our seasoned outfitter Double Up Outfitters, each of whom have their own reports and links to tickle your fishing fancies.
5. Participants. I have attached a copy of the roster of participants for E-15 and, as you can see, there are yet a few slots open in each of our groups. Our target is to have 20 fisherfolk in each and, as you can see, we are right at 19 in both Groups One and Two and 17 in Group Three (with a party of four looking to grab those yet open slots). Bueno, bueno, bueno as we have a wonderful blend of seasoned veterans a-mix with a handful of rookies/pledges, not the least of which is Brad Miller’s 12 year old son coming in from Seattle to fish with us for the first time in Group Two and husband/wife combo of Mark & Julie Zion flying in to from South Carolina to fish Group Three in celebration of their 35th wedding anniversary just reached over the recent holidays. If you know of anyone who might like to fish with us, just let me know and I will reach out to them directly and fill them in on the pleasures and bounties that extravagantly await all.
6. Gear. As in the past, all fishing gear is provided to you for E-15. That being said, if (like me for my quickly upcoming excursion to Patagonia) you may want or feel the need for retail therapy and a 8 ½’ 5 weight and/or a 9’ 6 weight rod would nicely travel with you. And, as in the past, you can bet that you will return from E-15 with a bunch more fishing gear that you arrived with, as I have already been shopping for you and we have custom-made products coming your way après your arrival on the scene of it all. Hmmm, I wonder what Rock Creek Ron has in mind for you E-15ers!
7. New Construction. In addition to the two log buildings that currently occupy our Headquarters, I have reached out to Bruce the Builder and, over a napkin in September, we have divined and walls are currently going up for a new 1,000 sq. ft. caretakers home that we are building on the upper meadow of our Rock Creek property. The idea is to have someone on site full time to look after, maintain and care for our Headquarters site as well as to oversee our shared Blackfoot house—never a dull moment in Extravaganzaland!!
8. Questions. During the ensuing months, do not hesitate to either email or call me directly if you have any questions regarding your upcoming fishing extravaganza with us. For you wily veterans, the only thing that will change is the scenery that you will enjoy and the fish that you will catch and release and, as regards the latter, they are only bigger this year than they were last!!
Best to all in the early stages of it all,
Rock Creek Ron
---<’///:><
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)