Back from Vermont

After 12 hours of travel, we're back home from Vermont. Various difficulties and other priorities prevented posting from there -- one post got eaten by the ether (google sites really don't come through on satellite up there). And, now, my capabilities are limited because I LEFT MY LAPTOP in Vermont. For those who know me, this is completely uncharacteristic since not only am I anal about room sweeps but I also am completely wedded to my laptop. I mean -- it's me, my photos, apps, configurations, etc. Using the work Air right now which is...okay. How could this have happened? Well, clearly it's Alan's fault. I mean, I'm just saying, he is responsible for putting the bags in the car. :-)

Highlights from the trip include spending time with family for the holiday. Suzy, Johnny, Dawn, Jay, Crista, Crista's sister Stacy, and baby Jack came up for the 4th, which was rainy and cold. Seriously, this July trip felt like a autumn visit -- it was cold and wet -- highest temp was 62 degrees. The lake was at an all-time high -- no beach whatsoever, despite the dam being wide open. We didn't even get out the kayaks it was so wet.

We did, however, have some great fishing. Good session down at the ponds on Friday with brookies and a rainbow from the lower pond. On Sunday, we had a totally excellent adventure with Bill (that's the post that went into the ether). We borrowed some belly boats from Quimby's and hiked two miles into a remote New Hampshire pond, almost at the Canadian border. For this trip, the weather was good -- only cold and damp, not teeming with rain. The pond was eerily beautiful -- clouds wafting over the water and dead trees poking up through the water, ringed with conifers. The BB's were fun, bit of a trick to navigate (our first time), but the brookies were eager and snapping -- kinda clear this pond isn't fished much. But at some point, especially in 58 degree water, all good things must come to an end and our leg cramps demanded a return to the earth. The stiff breeze going back was not a plus. Once again on land, it was like getting off a boat -- legs took a minute to adjust. But awesome! Alan "perky boy" Cattier was the last off the water, fishing to the end, while Bill and I cataloged muscles we didn't know existed.

Developed some new methods of carrying the inflated BB's and headed down the trail (so much easier than up). Loaded back up and bagged the picnic lunch option for the warmth and warm food of Happy Corner Cafe. I will tell you that at this point, I nearly put my head down in my sandwich, I was so beat. However, it was only 4:30pm and we'd only been fishing since ummm....10am (at the lodge at 8), so the day was not done. Back to Lopstick for the boat and off to Back Lake for the Hex hatch. There we tried out Bill's Orlios 9.5' 5 wt and let me tell you it's nice to cast a big fat fly that you don't have to worry about watterlogging or losing sight of. Day turned clear for the first time in 32 days and a lovely sunset was had by all.

End of the hatch -- did fairly well with some smallmouth bass and trout. Called it at 9:15pm, back home 10:30ish, made some quick spaghetti supper. Wow, cool, utterly cool day.