It was never planned. On Sunday, February 24, I was packed for six days of biking and camping around Tucson, Arizona. Bags were meticulously stuffed to handle dry daytime heat and cooler overnight temperatures. My bike was tuned up and dialed for a few hundred miles of hot pavement and gravel. Even my snacks were packs. My fucking snacks. I was ready to go. But … Continue reading The San Juan River and the Joys of Being Flexible
If you’re traveling from Denver to Durango, you’ve got a few options at your disposal. I-70 through Summit County and along the Colorado River is a solid choice. As is 285 southwest out of Denver. Or you could take 115 from Colorado Springs past Pikes Peak and into Salida. They’re all beautiful. Andrew and I were sitting in a coffee shop in Colorado Springs. It … Continue reading Great Sand Dunes National Park and The Joy of Detours
If you’re sitting in Minneapolis as I write this, the ground is bare. Grass is brown and covered in ice. The past few storms missed us to the south, dropping over a foot of snow on St. Louis and another foot on Des Moines. It was also -2F when I woke up this morning. Pair this with the icy grass, and you’ve got a good … Continue reading Chasing Minnesota Snow
Sometimes it takes a change of plans to get us to slow down. My recent trip to the Baptism River is as far back as I need to look for an example. The plan was to drive up on a Tuesday morning with my fishing gear, spend the day on the water, stay with some friends in Duluth, then spend Wednesday fishing, before driving back … Continue reading Baptism River in Late November
Alternate title: Soccer Tourism: London. (Since I’m an American, and all, and we call it soccer or whatever.) When you live 4,024 miles away from your beloved team, you’re forced to get creative if you want to see them play. Yes, Chelsea Football Club played a preseason match in Minneapolis two years ago, but I needed to see them play a league match in London. … Continue reading Football Tourism: London
It’s not the most storied river in Oregon. When it comes to fishing in this state, I’d be surprised if most folks even mentioned the Breitenbush. It begins on the slopes of Mt. Jefferson and ends in Lake Detroit, and it’s as cold in the summer as most northern rivers are during spring runoff. My Portland friends said the trout are many in number, but … Continue reading Breitenbush River, Oregon
My first time fly fishing for trout was on the Kinnickinnic River. It was a rainy day in late April of 2014. A buddy and I spent the morning watching Premier League soccer at my place in Uptown. We paid close attention to the radar to find a break in the weather. That break never came, but we embarked anyway. The Lower Kinni at the … Continue reading Back On The Kinni
My journey began in northeast Spain in the region of Catalonia. The flight from London took me over the teal waters of the Mediterranean before approaching the beaches of Barcelona and landing between the mountains and water in Spain’s second-largest city. This is where I was to meet with my guide from the Salmon 2000 Fly Shop in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona. My cab … Continue reading Barcelona Fly Fishing
I offered to pick up breakfast sandwiches for Mike and I before going to the river because I’m a nice guy. This fact can’t be overstated. A nice sausage patty with scrambled eggs and cheddar cheese between a biscuit bun. But I’ll get back to that later. It was close to 40 degrees at the height of the day. The handwarmers I tucked into the … Continue reading Calendar Says January, Weather Says March
Winter fly fishing is synonymous with empty rivers. All the spots you like at your favorite place are open. That hole that guarantees a few big rainbows just before the rock? It’s all yours. That run with the long, deep stretch that holds fish all day? Have at it, champ. That slow pool that looks tasty and you can see the hogs rolling on the … Continue reading Icy Rivers And Sluggish Fish
Birch & Flannel 