22 July 2009 Canberra, Australia to Bozeman, Montana
I had been waiting for today for some time! Trip 2 to the USA was underway. Left Canberra at 9.50am then jumped onto QF 73 leaving Sydney at 2pm. Flew direct to San Francisco. Cost was $300 as I used 96000 frequent flier points! Well really it cost a lot more as I had to accumulate all those points. Arrived San Francisco at 10am, then caught a Delta flight to Bozeman (via Salt Lake City ). Had a $90 bottle of Scotch taken off me as I had put it in my carry on luggage In San Francisco (after buying it duty free in Sydney) and forgot to put it in my main bag when I checked in for my domestic flight. Hope the bastards had a good drink on me. Good news was that it would stop Ravetta from getting drunk. Had lunch in San Fran before getting on my flight – at Perry’s, got a hamburger for $13.95 and extra bacon.
Arrived in Bozeman at 6.30pm. Stayed the night in the Blue Sky Motel... for $55... what an absolute shit hole (yep my cultural assimilation classes weren't going too well!) Anyway got a few hours sleep when the cockroaches weren’t running over my head.
23 July Bozeman to Wise River
Picked up the car from a car hire place in town (half the price of the airport one). After that I went and got myself a mobile from Walmart. It was only $30 for the phone, a sim card and 300 minutes of calling and texts. That lasted me the whole trip. Then I went to the Simms factory and had a little tour (left the phone charging in a wall socket near the front door - thanks girls!) It was great - they have a fantastic hiring policy there too let me tell you!
The Simms Factory
Then I went and dropped $206 at the Rivers Edge Fly shop in Bozeman. What a great shop - had the complete range of Simms gear (which isn't so surprising as the Simms factory is like 500m away).
I then headed off and had a fish at the West Gallatin on the way. Caught a couple on a bead head nymph. Lunch was a potato salad and tomatoes from Albertsons (ate it by the river.) It was hot too.. 95 F. I left the West Gallatin about 4pm and headed over to Wise River.
Heading to Wise River
Stopped at a fly shop in the small town of Divide.
I arrived at Wise Rive at 7pm. Laurie was in the pub waiting for me. It was nice to see her. Ravetta rocked up at 8.30pm. Dinner was in the pub. Off to bed by 11pm.
Wise River
24 July Wise River
Stayed at the pub overnight ($55 – was $30 last year – see what new management does to the humble tourist). Met Ravetta for Breakfast at 8am.
We both had massive feeds - decaf for Ravetta.. he gets cranky on normal coffee and we wanted to avoid that. However I knew it was going to be a tough day after reading Chuck’s star sign...
I don't reckon there is any hope of Chucky Boy muzzling his anger.
Yep didn’t think so!
Once I read my star sign for the day I thought that things might heat up....
We fished the Big Hole below Wise River.
Gearing up
Started fishing at 9am and finished by 3pm. Caught 8 each all on dries. A Rice Royal sz 14 was the go to fly.
Rice Royal working well
Not a bad one for the Big Hole.
Even Ravetta managed a couple.
We then drove to Laurie and Lynette’s place and had lunch with them. After lunch I gave Laurie a double hauling lesson, she picked it up pretty good despite Ravetta’s interruptions!
From 6.20pm until 9.40pm Laurie Chuck and myself floated the Big Hole River from Silver Bridge to Big Meadow. Caught one and lost a few on a size 4 woolly bugger. Laurie caught 3 but mine was the biggest!
Chuck showing us his skills!
There were massive lightning strikes and a huge thunderstorm hit. It was dark when we pulled out (sunset was at 9.15pm). We then went back to Laurie’s for a late dinner. I got changed out of my wet clothes on the lawn outside and my feet nearly froze – from hail stones the size of golf balls! They were everywhere. In bed by 11pm.
25 July Wise River to Bitteroot
Up at 5.35 am . Fog everywhere, temp 6C. Was at Chucks place at 7.24am got told off for being early (by 6 minutes) – vintage Ravetta. Met a mate of Chuck’s there called Jim. We stopped at Wisdom for breakfast.
Hit the Bitteroot at 11am. Floated till 9pm! We covered some water. Must have caught at least 20 each.
Going to be another good day!
Getting ready to go!
Chuck and Jim faffing about
Nothing massive but all good fun.
I rowed for 3 hours later in the day. Was getting pretty good at it too I reckon.. Ravetta would disagree with that. But hey, who’s diaries are these anyway?! He kept whinging about not being close enough to the bank, and as he can't cast more than 5 feet I had to try and keep the boat as close as possible. It's tough when you get old isn’t it mate?
Chuck pretending to be friendly
In this photo I have just told Mr Ravetta how I out fished him. He's actually crying under those glasses....
We had dinner on the way home, back at Chuck’s place by 11.22pm and at Wise River by 11.45pm. To this day I don't know how I got home, in the sense that on the way to Chucks place you have to take a couple of turns to the right, well on the way home I swear I only took one left. Kept driving for a bit and was going to turn around and try and work out where the turn was that I missed when I drove right into Wise River.... don't know what happened there but was happy to get to bed.
26 July Wise River à Bozemanà Denver
F me dead, this is a day I will never forget!
Left Wise River at 5.15am ( I need to get more sleep next trip!) and was in Bozeman by 7.15am. I had coffee and breakfast at the Home Page Coffee Shop in the main street of Bozeman. Checked out the Bozeman Angler. Angela and Jessica from the FFF picked me up from the Car Rental place (as I dropped the car off) as they were going to Denver as well for the FFF Conclave. It was nice to see them both.
Ok, so now the fun starts. Started feeling ill on the way to the airport. Once I got there and got the bags out I left them with Jessica while I went to the toilet. Started vomiting and had diarrhea. Then I cleared security and was back in the toilet vomiting. Had diarrhea twice more before taking off. Managed to get on the plane and make it through takeoff without any mishaps, then back in the toilet vomiting. Managed to make it through landing with losing control of either end. Horrendous.
Got off the plane in Denver and went into a lounge (like a Qantas club) and they kindly called a paramedic for me. I have to put this in perspective so you don't think I am a big girl. In March I hit a guard rail on a bridge while riding my bike at speed, ie 50kmh, went over the guard rail and fell 15 feet into a rock creek. Ended up lying on my back covered in water covered in blood, both ankles bleeding bad with joint fluid pooling in one ankle joint (have a massive lump there now!) Didnt go to hospital - actually went fishing two days after that (which I wouldn't recommend as I had trouble walking). So you can imagine how bad I was feeling if I felt I needed to see a paramedic.
She came in a cart, like you would use on a golf course and took me to their area. She gave me a litre of fluids and some anti nausea medication. In the meantime as I was meeting Haysie (who had flown in from Australia with his son Lachlan) I had the airport page him and they told him I was getting medical attention and would be with him shortly. Eventually met him and Lachie. Went and got the car from the hire car place. Then drove up to Loveland. Had to stop at one stage and have another vomit. Then I took myself off to Emergency as I was still feeling so ill. Got 2 litres of fluid put into me – was in there for 5 hours! Only cost $US1400! Booked into the hotel and in bed by 10.30pm. What a day.
27 July Loveland
Quiet day today. Just trying to recover. Met up with all the other FFF Masters that were in Loveland and we went through the Masters Test requirements (so I would know what was expected when we test other people for their Masters.)
Running through the test.
Bruce Richards explaining parallel loops – Haysie helping out (Chuck Easterling watching on).
Bruce explain more loop shapes, Molly Semenik (who tested me from my masters last year helping out.)
28 July Loveland à Estes Park à Rocky Mountain National Parkà Loveland
Today Haysie, Lachie and I headed off for a drive. Which wasn’t a bad thing to do given that I was still feeling average.
On the way to Estes Park
I managed to eat some food at Estes Park ( a salad from Subway) while Haysie and Lachie checked out a few shops. We then drove up to the Rocky Mountain National Park and had a look. It cost $20 to get in but was well worth it.
Moraine Park
We stopped at had a look at a lake – we saw heaps of little fish but nothing to write home about. We then had a fish by the road. We all caught a few. Zarifeh did the Hayes boys though (3 vs 1 each). Don't worry I didn’t let them forget it either.
Lachie having a cast at the lake we went to.
Haysie gearing up Lachie’s rod
We got back to Loveland at 6.20pm, I went and had a look at the shops until about 8pm. Had a salad for dinner.
29 July Loveland
Rough night, must have been to the loo 15 times between 3am and 5am. Consequently very tired today even though I stayed in bed until 11.30am! Struggled down to the shops for a few hours. Bought a pair of Gap jeans for $9.99! Went to the FFF Presidents dinner briefly, and managed to congratulate the one person that passed his Master's test this year (1 out of 6) and was in bed by 9.20pm.
A view of the FFF Exhibition hall in the Embassy Suites Loveland, CO
30 July Loveland
Today Peter O’Reilly an MCCI from Ireland (who is very well known as he has written numerous books on fly fishing) and myself tested a gentleman by the name of Mark King for his CCI. He was a good pass! Well done Mark.
People waiting for their CCI tests! Plenty of nerves.
For dinner I took, Ang, Jessica and Leah out for dinner to a restaurant called Bonefish. I didn’t do the meal any justice as I was still not really in the mood for eating in fact I couldn't finish my main course. Only cost $114 or $140 inc tip for the 4 of us and the food was really good. Would love to go back there.
31 July Loveland
Bruce Williams had asked me via email to do a demonstration at the FFF conclave before coming over. I did it this morning.
Yours truly.
Someone was spitting on me as they were talking so I was trying to duck. Alternatively maybe I was showing something about stalking big fish in NZ, can't quite remember.
Still talking – which is unlike me...
Went to the auction that night. Haysie bought a really nice glass display case with some superbly tied flies in it (only $US525!!).
1 August Loveland
Sat in on Bruce Richards advance casting class from 10-12pm. Man he knows his stuff! Then I stayed at the oval casting with Floyd Dean and Lachie and Haysie for hours. Eventually left and went and helped set up the pavilion for the FFF BBQ dinner. It went from 6pm until 9pm. In bed by 11pm.
2 August Loveland CO à Livingston MT
Haysie and Lachie left the Embassy Suites at 4.30am. They were heading off on a bit of a road trip, and would catch up with Ravetta in their travels. Lucky them.... not. Ha ha ha.
I got up at 6.50am and got the Super Shuttle to the airport - $36. Prior to leaving the Suites Floyd opens up his door on the 3rd floor and yells down to everyone having breakfast (as the Embassy Suites have a donut configuration with the breakfast area on the ground floor in the ‘hollow’ part of the donut) “Simon I love you, I am going to leave my wife for you .. don't go.. I love you’!! Bloody oath it made me laugh. Will miss him and his wife Janet.
Rich Semenik, Molly’s husband picked me up from Bozeman airport and drove me to Livingston. as I was going to stay with Molly and Rich for a few days. That was very kind of him. Later in the afternoon Molly and I went for a little fish of the Yellowstone. Some photos below.
A stonefly shuck
View from Molly and Rich’s deck – awesome! In fact for information, the pack trip I went on into Hellroaring Creek was in the mountains directly over my head.
3 August Livingston
Fished today with Molly and Ang. We put in 4 miles south of Emigrant and took out at Grey Owl – this is on the Yellowstone Rv. We caught about 6 each. It was 10 mile float.
Molly and I (me trying out an American style hat!) We put in at 10 am.
Molly and Angela
Looking for their secret weapons
Angie with a nice fish
Close up – a fine example of a Yellowstone Cutthroat.
Slippery little sucker
Don't ask
Molly landing a nice one.. caught on a fly I tied for NZ !
We finished fishing at 5pm. We caught all the fish on dries. Pink Pookies, Red legged madam X’s, lime trudes.
4 August to 8 August – Hellroaring Creek
Pack trip into Hellroaring Creek. You can read that trip report here.
9 August Livingston
Relaxing day. Went to the demolition derby and hit some golf balls. Then had a BBQ with some of the FFF people. It was good fun.
My friend Ang and I
Molly’s House
Ang finding her self un able to resist Australian humour!
10 August Livingston à Story Lake
Molly took Ang and I up to a private lake, called Story Lake. Cost $60 per person to fish there. We had a great time fishing and caught a couple of good fish.
Ang getting ready
Me squeezing the guts out of one.... ooops
Molly with a nice one
Yours truly with a decent one
Molly netting one Ang caught
Another good one for Molly
Last one of the day
Getting out
11 August Livingston à Boulder River
Molly and I fished the Boulder river today. Molly did well and caught heaps. I think she may have had a secret pattern...! Only joking she just knew how to fish this river and the right flies to use! On way home we stopped at a secret spot of Molly’s on the Yellowstone and had some fun.
12 August Livingston à Billings
I have always wanted to go to a Cabelas store and today was the day. Ang picked me up at 9.30 and took me there – about 100 miles. I had a great time looking at all the stuff in there. Even managed to spend $289 without looking!
Me standing in the fly room of my house... or maybe this was the fly fishing section of Cabelas
How do you reckon this looks for a night out in Canberra in winter?
That’s not grocery shopping in those bags.
I ended the day with a nice spa back at Molly’s place. This is the view from her spa which is under her deck.
The view from Molly’s deck - a great way to end a great trip!