Memorial Day Fishing Trip - not catching trip.

     On Memorial Day one must pay the respect to those whose ultimate sacrifice made this day possible; The American Revolutionary War estimated 33000 killed and wounded, The Barbary Wars (against pirates on the Barbary Coast) 377 killed and wounded, The War of 1812 with 6,765 killed or wounded, The Mexican - American War 5885 killed and wounded, The Spanish American War 2047 killed or wounded, The Philippine - American War 3950 killed or wounded, WWI .about 257,404 killed or wounded, Korean Conflict 128,650 killed or wounded, Vietnam 58,209. Not included in the above numbers are those killed or wounded in conflicts with the Native Born Americans, the so-called Indian Wars nor are the number inclusive of Somalia, Grenada, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, Afghanistan and any number of other conflicts where people have lost their lives, either physically or mentally. Nor should the numbers be considered to be the most accurate count, but simply numbers one can find by searching various sites.
      After paying the proper respect one can go fishing, in this case on Lake Raven near Huntsville Texas.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/raven/
http://www.texassportfishing.com/Region_3/raven_lake.htm
http://www.fishingworks.com/lakes/texas/walker/moore-grove/lake-raven/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huntsville,_Texas
http://www.huntsvilletexas.com/
http://www.city-data.com/city/Huntsville-Texas.html

     Huntsville is also home to some of the largest penitentiaries in Texas.
http://tdcj.state.tx.us/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huntsville_Unit
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/jjt01

       One was particularly impressed by a fishing report / suggestions stated on one site "Lake Raven Details - Bass anglers are most successful fishing either just after sunup or just before sundown with top-water lures and soft plastics fished at the edge of the hydrilla. During early spring bass can be taken from shore by flipping soft plastics into nests. Redear sunfish can be taken on live night crawlers or crickets in the same areas."

     As a result the car was loaded, the canoe was loaded, the outboard was loaded, sandwiches made, drinks put in the cooler, say let us not forget fishing rods and tackle. We are ready to go.

All loaded and ready to go.

     The total drive is only about 85 miles / 137 km so it is accomplished in about 1 1/2 hours depending on traffic. There was little to no traffic on the Freeway, but lots of traffic on the road into the park itself. It seemed as if all of Houston decided to visit this one park on this particular day. Eventually we make it to the boat ramp and get ready to get on the water.

Ready to be pushed into the water and fishing lines put over the side.

Headed for that most famous spot which is guaranteed to bring fish.
To the edge of the hydrilla where the fish are rumored to be.

     We saw many people fishing, some in kayaks, some in bass boats, all just as enthused as we were.

A father son team fishing from kayaks.

There is something on the line,

in this case a small branch snagged on the bottom.

According to the GPS we are near the middle of the lake.

There is lots of hydrilla so we must have arrived.

There is also a blue heron peeking out from behind the big leaves in the back.

The blue heron in flight.

 

      We spent quite a bit of time fishing, using soft plastic and top water lures, along the edge of the hydrilla. One can only assume the fish read the same statement and decided to go elsewhere. It would appear the blue heron was interested in our progress.



It appears to be saying "look at them, casting this way and that way,

using this lure or that lure, and for what, not a single fish yet".

"May I suggest you try over in that direction!"

So we asked "Where?"

"Come on, follow me and I will show you".

 

      So we went over there, and also in that direction, and several other places, again following the directions to fish along the edge of the hydrilla. Nothing.

      We did, however, observe many people having a great time on the water, some on paddle boats, others swimming, some in canoes. It looks like most of Houston decided to go to Huntsville State Park.

A family having fun on a paddle boat

Kids and adults jumping off of the swimming pier.

Note the boy on the left about to jump. 

Here he is in the air just before hitting the water.

A family enjoying a paddle in a rental canoe.

 

       So we caught some nice pictures, lots of sun, the wind in our faces, the smell of water and slightly rotten vegetation, the laughter of children knowing that summer is right around the corner.

But, alas, we didn't catch any fish but had a great time.

 

      Next time we will catch fish. As a matter of philosophy, I have come to the conclusion, after much intellectual deliberation that it is actually not a matter of catching fish, but a matter of catching the fisherman / woman and have him or her depart with the dollars in the quest of this or that gadget which is sure to bring in fish.

 

 

May 26, 2013 - A trip to the kitchen

     Since today is the day before the official Memorial Day celebration and considering the fact that tomorrow we are going to be counter cultural, i.e., we are not going to BBQ, rather we are going fishing, we decided that today would be a good idea to drag out the small BBQ grill and work up a delicious restaurant quality dinner.


The all essential BBQ grill with a good fire going.

     For those of you not in the US or if you are unfamiliar with the Memorial Day "holiday" and the origin of the celebration, here are few links to sites about Memorial Day.
http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html
http://memorialdayorigin.info/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_Day

     Contrary to common practice, and since we live in Texas this may almost  be considered treason, but we decided to forgo the usual brisket http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brisket , sausage, chicken or other common meat  for BBQ-ing, instead we chose steaks, but not your everyday Texas steak, but rather salmon steaks from the Pacific Northwest.

The Salmon steaks salted, peppered and drizzled with a good virgin olive oil ready for the grill.

     Now any good dinner must of course start with a great salad. In this case a salad with fresh from my garden lettuce and salad greens, Greek kalamata olives, not from Greece, but from Napa Valley, California http://napavalley.com/
http://napavalleyolivegrowers.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olive
but also with fresh radishes from my garden, thin sliced cucumber (still waiting for my plants to mature and set fruit), slices of mango, slices of Roma tomato, very thin sliced red onion, fresh sliced mushroom (the store bought kind), all of this with a light drizzle of lemon juice and apple cider vinegar.

The fresh salad ready to be put away in the refrigerator

while everything else is being prepared.



       Some pasta, in this case spaghetti is put to boil, and in the meantime a mango curry sauce is being prepared, consisting of mangoes, olive oil, curry powder, a bit of chicken stock, lemon juice, ginger, a bit of salt and pepper. But it all starts with the mangoes.

Mango in the blender.

 

    The grill has reached the proper temperature and the smoker chips are ready, put the salmon steaks on the grill.

It doesn't look like it but the steaks will cook in the smoke

and not in the heat from the coals.

We have good smoke, about 10 minutes total,

turning the steaks after about 5 minutes.

 

      Back to the sauce, because the oil and curry has to be heated before being mixed in the blender with the mango and other ingredients.

 

Olive oil and curry powder being heated.

 

     The pasta is done, the sauce is done, the salmon steaks are done. Eat the salad, serve the pasta and fish with the mango sauce.

 

BON APETIT - BUEN PROVECHO - GOD APPETIT -

iyi iştah - καλή όρεξη - ETC.

 

 

        Please note that tomorrows weather forecast is excellent with sun and heat. With some "luck" and skill one should get a fish or two. This time we are going freshwater fishing and I am not particularly well experienced in freshwater fishing, having only fished on occasion in freshwater. Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Saint Joseph River, Saint Johns River, Gatun Lake Panama, Black Creek and Doctors Inlet in Florida.

 

Wish us luck.

 

 

 

 







Go West Young Man .. (19) - actually GO HOME

    The time has come to set course for home, if not directly, at least in the general direction. We have been on the road (remember this is the summer of 2006) for quite a while and it is time to consider the fact that we do have jobs and obligations, plus a certain amount of bills to pay, the cost of this trip.
    Thus we bid Farmington NM farewell and take off in the general direction of Pueblo, Colorado, because we want to cross the Rocky Mountains at some altitude, as we again cross the continental divide, this time from West to East. The distance between the two cities, as the crow flies, is only about 224 miles (360 km), However, in mountainous terrain, there are not straight roads, they curve, they go up and they go down, thus the actual distance is quite a bit more.
    There are valleys and peaks and places to stop and just enjoy the view. We decided that in order to arrive in Pueblo in daylight we would do all paved road, thus crossing the Rockies at Wolf Creek Pass. Wolf Creek Pass is a very high pass in the San Juan Mountains section of the Rockies, with an elevation of 10,857' (2.06 miles above sea level) / 3,309 meters.
     As we come through some nice valleys we took a picture here and there, not many, but a few. I wish we had geo-tagged them, but didn't.

A barn somewhere along the road.

 Wolf Pass is up ahead in those mountains.

The view along the road.

 A ranch in the middle of a valley.

Cows grazing at the very nice green grass.

 We found this nice looking waterfall on the Western side of the Continental Divide.

 

 

      Eventually we arrive at Wolf Creek Pass, 10,857' above sea level, and there is more mountain above us. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Creek_Pass, http://sangres.com/features/wolfcreekpass.htm#.UZPgUN4o6M8

 

AWolf Creek Pass is also the source of a Country and Western song, here are the lyrics:

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/c/cw+mccall/wolf+creek+pass_20026634.html

 

Here is youtube link to the tune by the author of the lyrics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6LzWZYWpOU

 

Here are a few other links to information about the pass.

http://www.motorcyclecolorado.com/wolf_creek_pass.html

 

A live view of the pass with current weather information.

http://coloradolivecams.com/colocam-wolfcrkpass1.htm

 

Our trusted little 2004 Subaru Forester on top of the pass,

after having huffed up the

"37 miles of hell called Wolf Creek Pass", lyrics from the song.

 

          One encounters the Continental Divide trail on top of the pass, a hiking trail that begins at the New Mexico border with Mexico and continues to the border with Canada.

Norma is pointing to our exact location on the Continental Divide / Trail.

    

      This is a trail that some people hike in sections, taking a number of years to do so. Others hike it in one direction in one setting and as far as I know, only two individuals have actually through  hiked the trail in both directions in the same year / season. In the June 2008 issue of Backpacker magazine is an excellent article about The Onion (Mr. Garret Christensen) and Mr. Magoo (Francis Tapon). They, though not together, more in a sort of competition with each other, covered the more than 5,600 miles / 9,016 km through hike with a double back to the starting point. http://www.backpacker.com/june_2008_feature_onion_mr_magoo_cdt/articles/12430

 

 

Here are links to information about the Continental Divide trail, just get a good backpack, some good shoes, a poncho, a tent and other VERY LIGHT WEIGHT essentials, and off you go; see you in a few months.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Divide_Trail

http://www.continentaldividetrail.org/



http://www.cdtsociety.org/

http://www.ehow.com/how_2189089_hike-continental-divide-trail.html

http://www.trailsource.com/continental-divide-trail/index.asp

http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/recreation/continental_divide_nst.html

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=the+continental+divide+trail&qpvt=the+continental+divide+trail&FORM=IGRE

 

 

      Straddling The Great Divide, West is on the right and East on the Left.

If one was to drop some water on the right side of the line it would flow east to the plain states

and then south into the Gulf of Mexico.

Norma is deciding, which way. Do we go left and home or do we go right and continue the adventure. But wait, we just came from the right.

      Still on top of Wolf Creek Pass, but now one can see the ever so slight tilt of the road going down to the East. After a few miles of driving on the "downhill side" we came upon this fantastic little lake and found a family there from Texas fishing for Brown Trout. It appears that we didn't take any pictures of them and the stringer of fish, but they had a nice stringer with about 6 good sized trout on it.

 A nice relaxing stop by the lake.



The water is fine, a bit on the cold side, but fine.

 



      As we journey along we come across the "mighty" Rio Grande River, this time not so Grande. It has its beginning way up here and flows South to eventually become the border between a section of the US and Mexico. In Mexico the river is known as Rio Bravo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Grande
http://www.nps.gov/rigr/index.htm
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/greatrivers/riogrande/
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=rio+grande+river+map&qpvt=rio+grande+river+map&FORM=IGRE
http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/recreation/taos/rio_grande_wsr.html

The Rio Grande River as it appears in Southern Colorado.

 

     Before arriving in Pueblo there are many other points of interest which we didn't stop to look at because of time constraints. There are the Great Sand Dunes National Monument, which is visible in the distance from Highway 160.

http://www.great.sand.dunes.national-park.com/map.htm

Do a Google search on this area. Nearby is Blanca Peak, also visible from the road to the North as is Lindsay Peak and California Peak.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blanca_Peak

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=blanca+peak+colorado&qpvt=blanca+peak+colorado&FORM=IGRE

 

      Before arriving in Pueblo we came to one other place of interest. If one doesn't expect to see it, or if one blinks while driving, it is easily missed. The Huerfano Butte. You may well say What????

http://www.spanishpeakscolorado.com/Huerfano_Butte/Huerfano.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huerfano_Butte

 Norma by the roadside marker.

Norma pointing out our location on the map on the board.

 

     There are some oral traditions, which I cannot verify, that this butte was used as a way point and meeting place between the plains Indians and the Desert Southwest Indian. Some also suggest that this very place is where the Spanish Missionaries (generally Franciscans or Jesuits) coming North from Mexico encountered, much to their surprise French Missionaries (generally Franciscans or Jesuits) coming South out of Canada and what is now the Northern States. But again, I have not been able to verify those stories.

 

      Eventually we arrive in Pueblo and get checked into our old stand-by lodgings, La Quinta. Since we saw the family from Texas with trout we went to the nearest Cracker Barrel restaurant, which was really close, and ordered trout for dinner. After dinner we went to the Arkansas River (yes, it flows out of Colorado on its way East to join the Mississippi.

      I don't remember what day of the week this was, but there was a concert going on under the pavilion in the background.

      A very nice quiet and peaceful river walk.

      A time to sit and relax after a long day on the road and after a good dinner of trout.

The sun is about to set and one had to turn the flash on.

A little color in the flowers.





 I was almost tempted to get in the water, but in case of a strong current it

would be a long swim all the way to Little Rock Arkansas.

A quiet waterfall in the background.

 

     Thus ended the journey from Farmington NM to Pueblo Colorado. Two more days and we will be home. We had a good nights rest and set out again in the morning for Wichita Falls Texas. Along the way we took a few more pictures (see below) but we also came across something of interest but didn't have the time to explore. In Northeastern New Mexico is a rather interesting land formation, known as the Raton-Clayton Volcano Field. Part of that field is the Capulin Volcano National Monument.
http://www.americansouthwest.net/new_mexico/capulin-volcano/national-monument.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capulin_Volcano_National_Monument
http://www.nps.gov/cavo/index.htm

Horses somewhere on a ranch in SE Colorado.

Same ranch, more horses, this one with a foal.

 A windmill somewhere in NE New Mexico.

 The last "adobe" style church on this trip.

This one in Amarillo, Texas if memory serves me correctly.

Acres and acres of golden fields of cut "whatever it was".

The camera actually didn't do a good job of rendering the color correctly.

 

      We spend the night in Wichita Falls, Texas, and then completed the journey home the next day.

A fantastic trip over all. I just realized that I began posting segments of this journey in August of 2011. Thus it has taken us 21 months to complete what was completed in not quite three weeks on the road. It is my hope that you have enjoyed these installments with their bits of history about the US Southwest and our anecdotes along the way.

 

      I am going to take a short break from posting while planning the next great excursion, this one a circumnavigation of Lake Superior, by road but I wish by water.

 

     See all of you later and by the way, click on the links to the advertisers. They appreciate it and so do I.