game changer

water is always an issue

drinking water that is

I've got an old katadyn filter bottle that has served me well

ben over at az wanderings did a review of his

which sparked a very interesting discussion 

on a local fishing board

extolling the virtues of the steripen 

since then, I've been fortunate enough to receive a steripen 

at no cost - my favorite way to get things - and it is a deal changer for sure

I never even minded pumping 

but this thing is so easy to use

push a button swish swish swish 

90 seconds later you've got purified water

notice that the steripen slides neatly into the bottle when it is not in use

when I call it a game changer - here's why...
we spent four nights upriver at the ferry and did not bring any water
none

I must mention a caveat
the wand won't fit in some water bottles
make sure you have at least one that works
I was lucky that way

that's awesome
and thanks buddy for the great gift
I owe you at least one mang

desert jewels

fishing the cathedral again

this will be my fourth trip to the ferry this year

and to be entirely honest about things

I've fished like shit

my head and heart haven't been in it

too lazy or stubborn

jrunk and stoo-pit

to adjust my tackle accordingly

distractions

fatigue?

a lack of interest?

I dunno

what I do know is that I don't like it

  that all changes tomorrow

last time up I was on the colorado river

for nineteen daze 

and picked up a rod maybe twice

nearly traveled the river from dam to dam 

and didn't even bother trying to fish

that's pathetic at worst

lame at best

my head hasn't been in the fishing place

it's been elsewhere...

on what again I dunno

it just hasn't been on fishing

I look at this as an opportunity to regain my fishing mojo

it doesn't matter how well you tie flies

or build rods

if you don't put them to proper use

anyways...let's get it on

thanks chad and van ness flyrods for the invite

I appreciate it

midges and shit

boxes like this mean one thing to me

tailwaters

new school scuds?

well lookee there

it would appear as though I've lost a magnet

still works holding the spare clips

take a closer look

one of the plastic clips failed
I replaced w/ steel
which saved the magnet

canyonized

a gear review of sorts...

what held up and what couldn't

during three weeks of exposure to very harsh conditions

I mean yeah nearly everything survived
including myself

I did not have to throw away any clothes
boardshorts were the uniform of the day
as was a short sleeved ventilated fishing shirt
buttoned once usually in the wrong buttonhole

I should have brought six of each instead of four

a good hat is a must
this one was excellent and also part of the daily uniform


I had an old pair of lowcut hikers blow out on me in flag
replaced them w/ some cheapies by columbia on sale
they held up

my keen sandals did not

my camera did not

I lost two pair of reading glasses
and a guidebook on the very last night

my shades came out a little scratched but they'll do just fine
they've been canyonized

*pics forthcoming*

my home for nine daze

looks like it, hunh?

rather comfortable actually...

weird scenes

inside the lower granite gorge...

I do believe that that's an example of diamond creek pluton
though I could well be wrong....

scouting crystal

ain't it grand?

ten daze in

I had been camped out on the river for ten daze

when I realized that I hadn't seen what I looked like 

in all that time

it occured to me that I could shoot a picture of myself

pretty scary stuff this/that

I shot a scant handful this one came out right nicely I think
some nice lines contours and backlighting
I'm looking old

here's a little scenery from camp in marble canyon

more below the lcr

we're back

looking good