Greetings from Extravaganzaland!

Fellow E-10ers:

 

This past Thursday and Friday, your Hostess With the Mostess, Kocktail Kathy, and her two four-legged soul mates, Sir the Spaniel and Ma'am Da Lab, and I did our annual drive from the Bay Area to Rock Creek, where the first three of these have now set up residency for the summer months (and beyond, no doubt).  And what a greeting we received:  as shown above, the flowers in our flower beds are fully awakening from their long winter nap, the larch pine are in full "budding mode" (with this glorious flora, the only deciduous member of the pine family, renewing its annual vow of replenishment and expansion, and the grounds of Extravaganza Headquarters are in full expansion mode, as best shown in the last photo of one of our backyard trees now in full resplendent bloom. 

 

Indeed, it is just a month and two days from today (yikes!!) that the ignoble Ones will descend upon the scene and raise the curtain for our eighth annual foray into the wonders and wilds of Montana, Extravaganza 2010.  And our family has grown in the past year.  Shown above is the official "Wall-Mart Greeter" for E-10, "Ma'am Da Lab", with tongue fully extended in anxious anticipation for your arrival(s).  You see, Ma'am, as a retriever, has one built-in genetic wonder (defect?), namely the insatiable desire to fetch and retrieve a ball of any size until, literally, she drops.  Right now she is asleep beneath my office desk, having so outdone/over-exerted herself over the weekend that she has developed a case of what I have come to call "driveway foot"--a recoverable injury incurred in the line of (retrieving) duty from having lived the soft life in the Bay Area in current transition to the more rugged Montanaesque environs....all together now, "aaaaaw"!

 

This week that I will spend here will be devoted, in part, to final preparation for Extravaganza 2010--something that, organizationally, is in apple pie order with all eyes currently focused on the non-runoff that we are experiencing.  As to the former, UPS called last evening to see if we would be here today to receive "28 boxes" [read cases of wine...perhaps, just perhaps, enough for Group One?!?]; as to the latter, I spent a few hours fishing Rock Creek yesterday, which, unlike any of the prior three years would be fully unfishable at this time [due to high, turbid waters] and actually got a few fish to salute me--an omen of good things to come.  I will know more on Thursday of this week, after spending a full day on the Bitterroot River with our {Double-Up] outfitter, John "The Great But Propaneless" Gould and will promptly report back to "y'all".  In the interim, keep your eyes on the Flow Chart (that Patty will update and send out to each of you today--thanks, Patty!] and watch for weather condition changes here.  Yesterday it started out in the low 40's and beautifully rose up into the mid-70's (weather here typically will find the daily low about one-half of the daily high)--we were sitting outside on the porch reading until well after 8:30 last evening...yes, it is that light that long in these here parts.

 

Keep checking Der Blog for further updates and remember the 500th visitor will receive a bottle of cherished Rock Creek Red upon arrival here (we are currently at #439)!!

 

Best to all from the scene of it all,

 

Rock Creek Ron

    ----<'///><

 

 

 

Two Special E-10 Announcements

 

Fellow E-10ers:

 

Well, it is nigh upon 45 days until the ignoble Ones arrive on the scene to officially open (trash?) Extravaganza 2010...to that end there are two special announcements for all E-10 rookies and reminders for all returning veterans:

 

    1. Hawaiian Shirt Day:   Keeping with tradition started this past Extravaganza by our Double Up Outfitter, John "The Great But Propaneless" Gould, the first day of fishing for each group will be "Hawaiian Shirt Day" --a day where all Extravaganzers can easily be spotted on the river(s) with their donned flowery apparel.  As in the past, the most so festively-dressed of each group will be appropriately noted and awarded with a special (and [somewhat] coveted) Double Up Outfitters fishing hat.  One idea that has had real traction for past judges is matching shirts for those fishing in the same boats--caveat:  in some cases, Extravagant guys wearing 3x muumuus have been known to actually scare fish into their boats!

 

    2.  Guide Gag Gifts:   In further keeping with long-standing Extravaganza tradition, as we have done for each of the past five (count 'em!) years, the first day of fishing for each group will start with an official announcement of each group's roster and guide pairings, marking, in many cases, the chance for each of you to make a bedazzling first impression on the fellow that will be the most important person in your life for the next three days:  your guide.  With the calling of the roll, each boat will be asked to present his/her guide with a gag gift that very clearly (and cleverly, I might add!) "sets the tone" for your ensuing time together.  Simply stated, nothing is out of bounds when it comes to guide gifts, memorable past gifts which have included the gamut from bottles of prized hooch (to be consumed off-river, btw) to Group Two Doug "Popeye" Hamilton legendary "port-a-potty" gift of a mobile toilet stand with a lure embedded throne.  Others have included "Fish-O-Matic" (fraudulent) fish measuring devices to the low point of Group One's John "SOS" [aka "spare all sents"] Reimann gift one year of a Channel Lumber ruler (not even a yard stick, I might add...just a ruler) that he pulled off the shelf on his way to the airport ("I forgot to shop ahead", he yet avers).  Take off the gloves, cast aside all semblance of propriety, put your wit to work and let's make E-10 forever-to-be-known as "The Year of the Gag Gift".  {Yes, they can be shipped ahead via UPS and/or FedEx in advance to Extravaganza Headquarters!.}  The guides know that this is coming, gang, so cast aside all sense of dignity and "lay it on", asking yourself as you gift up, "Is this really gross enough?!?"

 

Best to all in eager anticipation of it all,

 

Rock Creek Ron

    ---<'///><

 

 

FW: Where Did The Flow Go, Joe??

 Go to the head of the class, Group Two's Fred "The Guitar" Johnson!

 

Considering the low snow pack, this would seem to auger well for Extravaganza purposes.  Fred

 

Frederick A. Johnson, Principal
Total Planning Concepts, LLC
   

Where Did The Flow Go, Joe??

Extravagant Ones:

 

With unusually low temperatures (and new upper elevation snow added as recently as Monday of this week), as depicted in the Der Blog's updated E-10 Flow Chart  (see link on right-hand side), unlike any of the past three years, water flows in our key rivers (the Bitterroot, the Blackfoot, and the Clark Fork of the Columbia) are actually dropping, not rising!

 

Moments ago I just got off the phone with Doug Persico, our land-based outfitter with the Rock Creek Mercantile, who confirmed that, indeed, the 2010 runoff is getting off to a slow start, witnessed by the fact that this morning it was 22 degrees outside along Rock Creek with its water temperature currently a nice, brisk 38 degrees.

 

Looking ahead ,  the long range forecast calls for Missoula daytime high temperatures creeping up from the 40's and 50's of recent weeks to the 60's next week and, thereafter, into the low 70's--and the latter is what is needed to spark the snow runoff. 

 

Here's the math:  Missoula is located right at 3500 ft above sea level; the upper snow pack is in the 8,000+ elevation; and temperature drops 3 degrees per 1,000 feet of increased elevation.  Thus, a high of 50 in Missoula equates to a high of 35 in the mountain peaks with the desired 70 degrees in Missoula netting a brisk 55 degrees in the upper climes--just enough to spark the annual runoff.

 

Watch the redline on our graph to track the rise in daily high temperatures by roughly two days, such that as we begin to see 70 degree temperatures the graphed line will begin to climb (to around 2500 cfs, in my opinion) and then, as the upper snow fully melts off, the line will start to recede down (to around 1250 cfs, my bet) come the arrival of Group One and June 19th.

 

So, Joe, that's where the flow go!

 

RCR

<'///><

 

   

And the 400th visitor to Der Blog is...

...errantly, me, gang!!

As witnessed by this print out (THIS is the way to do this, btw, 8,000 E-07 blog visitor/winner Group One Rookie Cal Walters!), while checking out Der Blog today, a bit ago, I thought I would cruise down the right side of our E-10 blog to check out Montana weather along the way and, then, the latest discharge numbers, from whence I then scrolled down to see what our visitor count was and, voila, by pure chance, I became blog visitor/contest winner #400.

Being affiliated with E-10 and all, it only seems fair and proper that I demur from this marvelous honor and donate the prize, a classic (and very rare) bottle of '01 Rock Creek Red [a GREAT wine, so much so I just bought the very last 10 cases of its equally good '02 brother for delivery to E-10, and to be hidden from the guzzlers of Group One, I might add], to the 500th visitor to Der Blog--same rules, just print out proof of being visitor #500 and the vino is yours upon arrival at Extravaganza Headquarters!

So, gang, log in, blog on and check out all the action on Der Blog, the official information site for E-10 where your, all of your friends and your family can follow along, real time, as we prepare for, enter into and enjoy all of the festivities scheduled for Extravaganza 2010.

Wow, I think I am going to now go out and buy a slug of Lotto tickets...#400!!

RCR

Getting E-10 Excited Yet?!?

 

Extravagant Ones:

 

We are now nearing "the zone" when things are going to start moving quickly to shape up our fishing conditions for E-10.  To that end, I had the chance to chat with our outfitter, John "The Great But Propaneless" Gould yesterday who reports that, notwithstanding recent wacky weather conditions (temperatures 20 degrees below "normal" for this time of year, snow storms, ice storms, and legendary wind) fishing conditions for E-10 are shaping up in apple pie order, and that is great news for us all.

 

With lower snow levels in the mountains, lower than normal May temperatures delays the snow-melt and resulting runoff a bit closer to "our time--prime time", further assuring that we are going to be in great shape fishing-wise for E-10.  That is borne out by the current issue of Montana Outdoors (the absolutely stellar publication of the MT Dept. of Fish, Wildlife & Game--get your subscription for [get this] six issues for all of $9.00 at www.fwp.mt.gov/mtoutdoors ) which reads "snow pack on April 1 was well below average because of meager winter snowfall in the state's western half.  Stream flows across Montana are forecast to be 58% of average.  That said, fishing is expected to remain very good in most popular rivers and streams."

 

I am still optimistic and, more importantly, Propaneless is as well, that we are going to have plenty of water and fish to greet us during our late June and early July forays onto the (most) pristine waters of Western Montana. 

 

And, oh, do I love this time of the year! 

 

In and amidst over half a dozen of major transactions on which we are currently engaged, (a) a week from today I drive your Hostess With The Mostess, together with your Extravaganza mascots Sir (the spaniel) and Ma'am (the now one-year-old black lab) to Extravaganza Headquarters for their annual summer relocation; (b) two weeks from today Ma'am and I are set to fish with Propaneless and his legendary white lab, Buddy to do our guide assignments [on the water]--get any requests into me by then; (c) three weeks from today, four of us Extravaganzers are headed up to Redding for our annual rainbow trout fishing of the Lower Sacramento River; (d) the following day, Brian "Moraine" Shepard and I are set for three hours of spey (14') rod casting lessons in Sacramento on the American River, (e) the day after that will find me fly fishing for striped bass on the S.F. Bay with long-time Extravaganza veterans "Down River Dave" Studeman and Scott "Crack" McAdams; and, were that not enough, (f) shortly thereafter, on June 10th, I return to Montana for an entire month to blessedly be with thee. 

 

Yes, we work on succession planning here at the office and, with the root word of that phrase being "success", this example of nirvana is self-defined and wonderfully enjoyed. "Retire", you ask?  "To and for what", I reply!!

 

So print off that Camp List (as has done Group One's Larry "Papa" Gondola, who proudly showed it to me in his back pocket at fellow Group Oner John "Half Century" Kruger's birthday party this past Tuesday evening--Happy 50th, John!!), begin getting that gear out of storage and (r)amp up for what is shaping up to be one more wonderful of a fishing (ad)venture for us all!!

 

Best to all gearing up for it all,

 

Rock Creek Ron

   ----<'///><

 

 

FW: Leland Fly Fishing Ranch Rocks [and Rocked]!!

A nice note from Group Three rookie Eric "The Red" Read:

Hi Ron,

Deb and I wanted to wholeheartedly thank you and Kathy for the wonderful time we had your anniversary party.

Aidan and Elena had a blast, Aidan actually hooked a fish on the back pond and almost landed it! The food and staff was stellar!

Seems like you have already woven yourself into the Leland Ranch fabric, what a spectacular location.

I met several of my new bunk mates from group 3 and am extremely excited for the trip.

All the best,

Eric