Back from a pretty wild month in CO & MT. Special thanks to Paul Weamer Flyfishing, Riversmith, Fisknat, Crested Butte Angler, Frying Pan Anglers, Fishermans Mercantile and Rock Creek Trout Bums for all their hospitality. I logged over 7,000 miles of windshield time on this trip. Heidi and I started the trip off with a week in Colorado (RMNP, CO Springs, Crested Butte, South Platte, Frying Pan, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, just to name a few). It was nice to see some areas I had not seen in about 20 years. Then it was on to Paradise Valley for a few days with our friends the Weamers, that included some exploring of the north entrance of Yellowstone. I had seen plenty of photos of the devastation the flooding had caused, but to see it in person was mind blowing. The north entrance road looked like something out of an apocalyptic movie.
From the Paradise Valley, we headed over to Rock Creek (Rock Creek Trout Bums) for a few days before Heidi flew home and Brad arrived. Smoke from the wildfires was pretty bad some days, and the Solomon Fire actually crept over the ridge a bit. It got a little interesting for a day or two until the forest service dropped some water on it to keep it contained on the other side of the ridge.
Mid-week, I made the run back to Bozeman for the airport switch and, of course, ran over something on interstate 90 just outside of Butte. I ended up having to change a tire like a pit crew so Heidi could make her flight. A special thank you to Tire Rama in Belgrade, MT for getting me back on the road super quick, especially when other places were less than helpful! Once the tire was repaired, swung back to the airport to pick up Brad. He had torn his calf a couple weeks prior to flying out, and we were going to test the limits of what an air cast can endure. It held up surprisingly well, but I'm sure the physical therapist had questions when he got home. Brad and I spent the next 8 days fishing the Missoula area, a few with Paul, before having to make the long drive back to PA. Good fishing, good times, a few bears, and lots of smoke. Hope you enjoy the photos, there are a lot. I captioned some, but no way I could do them all haha.
Colorado
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| Camp RMNP |
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| Plenty of PBR, it was my kind of place |
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| RMNP |
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| Paint Mines Interpretive Park |
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| Garden of the Gods |
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| Black Canyon of the Gunnison |
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| Black Canyon of the Gunnison |
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| Black Canyon of the Gunnison |
Montana
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| Tire Repair, THANK YOU Tire Rama in Belgrade, MT!!! |
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| The Damage was just unreal. |
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| Heidi and Ruthann Weamer with a nice cut. |
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| Paul and Ruthann Weamer |
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| Ruthann with a nice cut |
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| Rock Creek Trout Bums |
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| Was getting a little close |
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| Saviors |
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| Ash the next morning. |
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| Smokey |
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| October Caddis |
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| Spawning Bull Trout |
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| Ever feel like you are being watched. |
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| Truck definitely needed a bath by the time I got home. |
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| The aftermath |
