Happy Holidays!

Freshwater dilemma.

I have booked a ticket to Bali for a two week trip with my Dad. We will be there for the last two weeks in April. One week will be in Ubud, in the mountains, and another in Seminyak near the beach. Of course I will be bring fly rods. But I can't find any research on what to bring. I had a great chat with Trapper from Fly Fish America who told me just to enjoy and not to over think things! Sounds like great advice. That being said, I can't help but scour the Google Maps looking at the water. In the mountains there is lots of water. But I can't tell what kind of rivers these are. Are they large? Small? Dammed? Are they only use to irrigate rice paddies? Here is the same pictures using the map view (showing the rivers) and again using the satellite view (showing the trees along the rivers.)

Lots of trees covering the water.

What do these rivers hold?

Lots of water!

So I will bring a 5 weight rod for the fresh water and hope that there are some fish (trout?) lurking around. I will also bring a 9 weight rod for the saltwater, but that is a story for another day. What flies shall i tie for the next four months?!

Last cyclocross race.

I just signed up to participate in the 2010 State Cyclocross Championships.

Post Thanksgiving celebration.

We went to Breckenridge for a few days. We had a great time.

Fruit and vegetable diet.

The past two days we ate nothing but fruits and vegetables. I was starving for the first few hours. The end of the day, I didn't want to do it anymore. I woke up the next day and wasn't too hungry. I was constantly snacking on grapes, salad, potatoes, cucumbers, peppers, anything that I could get my hands on. The second day I made vegan potato soup. It was better than I thought that it would be, but not as delicious as when it is made with cream and cheese. Today I appreciate every bite of everything. Tomorrow is the big Turkey Day. Now we are off to go food shopping!

Hockey.

I went to my first professional ice hockey game this week. It was Mojdeh's birthday week, so we went to the Adventure Film Festival, Avalanche game, and dinner a couple times, it was great.

Indoor soccer tonight.

I wore a heart rate monitor at my soccer game tonight. It is pretty apparent when I was playing and when I was sitting on the bench. We won.

Worth many words.

This week can be summed up in a few random pictures.

Did some fishing.

Walked a bit. (Hiking.)

Tried to convince Ben to get a dog.

Had friends over, drank Absinthe.

Went to trivia night where Ben tried to turn it into a gay bar. (Nearly successful.)

Nymphing begins.

Despite the forecast for some cold weather, we went fishing today. We hit the Big Thompson River a few miles below the dam and caught a few fish.

Pretty little rainbow trout.

I got this guy with a homemade green dubbing, copper wire, white winged nymph. Size 20. I never quite know what I am tying, I just like to make it up as I go along. I will be adding wings to a lot more nymphs. I got a couple more on a size 22-24 super pretty flashback shiny something. The tiny fly in the corner of a pretty fish's mouth made me want to take a picture, but I couldn't do it with my phone.

Then we went to just below the dam where Mall road crosses the river. That is always a hard spot to fish as there is a lot of pressure. With the temperatures dropping the pocket water is not providing any fish and the seams are where they are staying. I tied on a size 16 purple prince nymph and dropped it in the slow water a bit too far (I thought) from the fast water. As my dry sank, I set the hook and wondered if I would need the net. It turned out to be my best fish of the day and I nearly needed help netting him. He put up a good fight and I was happy to let him go.

Killer Brown.

Chet does the Double Deca.

I used to coach for Team Jet. This is the founder, Chet "the Jet" Blanton. He was planing on doing the Double Deca (yes 20X) Ironman in Mexico. Due to the recent violence, he decided to do it by himself in his hometown of Honolulu. Sorry for his constant caps lock.

This is nuts to me!

Today the 48 miles of swimming starts.

ALOHA EVERYONE

I WANT TO UPDATE YOU ON MY 20 X IRONMAN

STARTING TODAY MONDAY ON WWW.TEAMJETHAWAII.COM THERE WILL BE

A LINK TO MY DOUBLE DECA PAGE . YOU CAN GO THERE FOR DAILY UPDATES

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THIS IS A ROUGH PLAN SO IF YOU COME OUT YOU WILL KNOW WHATS UP !!!

CHARLES DIAS IS GOING TO BE THERE THE WHOLE TIME. ( THANKS CHARLES )

CHARLES IN CHARGE IS MY ONE MAN CREW !!!!!!

IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU COULD COME OUT TO HELP HIM DURING THE RACE.

WE HAVE TO WRITE DOWN EVERY LAP TIME. ALSO BEFORE COMING OUT , YOU COULD

GIVE CHARLES A CALL TO SEE IF WE NEED ANYTHING, THAT WOULD BE A BIG HELP.

CHARLES DIAS : CELL PHONE : 1-808-368-6872

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THE SWIM !!!!!!!!

SAT NOV 13TH AT 6AM AT THE OAHU CLUB I WILL START MY SWIM

760 UP AND BACKS = 48 MILES SWIM

HOPE TO BE DONE MONDAY AT 9AM, 12 NOON, OR LASTEST BY 5PM

51-59 HOURS

MY GAME PLAN IS ONE OF THESE PLANS :

6AM-10AM       60 LAPS    70 LAPS   80 LAPS

10:30-2:30    120 LAPS   140 LAPS   160 LAPS

3PM-7PM       180 LAPS   210 LAPS   235 LAPS

7:30-11:30    240 LAPS   280 LAPS   310 LAPS

12:30-4:30AM  300 LAPS   350 LAPS   380 LAPS

5:30-9:30AM   360 LAPS   420 LAPS   450 LAP

10AM-2PM      420 LAPS   480 LAPS   515 LAPS

2:30-6:30PM   480 LAPS   540 LAPS   580 LAPS

7PM-11PM      540 LAPS   600 LAPS   640 LAPS

12MID-4AM     600 LAPS   660 LAPS   700 LAPS

5AM-9AM       660 LAPS   720 LAPS   760 LAPS DONE  51 HRS   (MON 9AM)

                                ------------

9:30-1:30     720 LAPS   760 LAPS DONE BY 12 NOON 54 HRS    (MON 12PM)

                      -----------------------

2PM-5PM       760 LAPS DONE                      59 HRS     (MON 5PM)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

THE BIKE!!!!!!

THE BIKE WILL TAKE PLACE AT LAGOON DR AT THE END PARKING LOT.

STARTING AT THE END PARKING LOT I WILL RIDE A 2.8 MILE LAP

THIS IS I.4 MILES OUT AND 1.4 MILES BACK . I WILL DO THIS

800 TIMES = 2240 MILES

THE GAME PLAN FOR THE BIKE : DAY 1 UP TO THE SWIM

 1ST DAY OF BIKE 1 OF 3 PLANS UP TO THE SWIM

------------------------------------------------------

12PM TO 4PM  18 LAPS  = 50.4 MILES

6PM TO 10PM  18 LAPS  = 100.8 MILES

10PM TO 6AM  8 HR SLEEP

3PM TO 7PM   18 LAPS  = 50.4 MILES

9PM TO 11PM  9 LAPS   = 75.6

11PM TO 6AM  7 HR SLEEP

8PM TO 10PM  9 LAPS   = 25.2

10PM TO 6 AM  8 HR SLEEP

AFTER DAY 1 HERE IS MY PLAN

(179.2 MILES A DAY) STARTING DAY 2 OF THE BIKE

6AM TO 10AM  18 LAPS = 50.4

11AM TO 3PM  18 LAPS = 50.4

4PM TO 8PM   18 LAPS = 50.4

9PM TO 11:30PM 10 LAPS = 28

11:30PM  TO 6AM  6 1/2 HR SLEEP

12 DAYS  PLUS 100  SAT NOV 27TH 12 MID

12 DAYS  PLUS 75.6 SUN NOV 28TH  8 AM

12 DAYS  PLUS 25.2 SUN NOV 28TH  1PM

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THE RUN !!! 14 DAYS AT 36 MILES A DAY

THE RUN WILL BE AT KAP PARK LACATION TBA.

I WILL RUN AROUND THE PARK 1.8 MILES FOR 276 LAPS

THAT = 497.8 MILES THEN I WILL END IT BY RUNNING THE HONOLULU MARATHON

THAT WILL MAKE THE TOTAL OF 524 MILES.

THE GAME PLAN FOR THE RUN IS :

6AM TO 9AM  5 LAPS = 9

11AM TO 2PM 5 LAPS = 9

4PM TO 7PM  5 LAPS = 9

9PM TO 12MID 5 LAPS = 9

12MID TO 6AM  6 HR SLEEP

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

THIS IS A EASIER RUN PLAN BUT IT JUST SO I CAN FINISH AT THE HON MARATHON

MY 1ST PLAN WAS :

6AM TO 9AM  6 LAPS = 10.8

11AM TO 2PM 6 LAPS = 10.8

4PM TO 7PM  6 LAPS = 10.8

9PM TO 12MID 6 LAPS = 10.8

12MID TO 6AM  6 HR SLEEP

DID NOT WANT TO FINISH ON THUR OR FRI

12 DAYS        THUR NOV 9TH   12 MID

12 DAYS        FRI  NOV 10TH  9 AM

12 DAYS        FRI  NOV 10TH  2 PM

IT WILL BE MORE BETTER TO FINISH AT THE HONOLULU MARATHON WITH ALL MY

FRIENDS.

HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE AT SOMETIME DURING.

TAKE CARE

CHET THE JET    TOO LA JET TO QUIT

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Chet "the Jet" Blanton

Team Jet Hawaii

phone: 808-396-5381

fax: 808-396-5381

mobile: 808-753-5381

Schoolyard Cross.

Today's adventure.

We No Speak Americano.

So I found another blogger that I will be living vicariously through. Morgan is the editor of Bitch Creek in Blood Knot Magazine and she has a passion for fishing that is inspirational. Check out her blog, The Sandhill.
Since being in Mexico, I can't stop listening to this:

New Blood Knot Magazine issue!

As always I am proud to be a part of the Blood Knot team. We just released our 3rd issue. Check it our here. My gear review is inside. Page 36 and 37 for anyone shopping for a chest pack!

Colorado Cross Classic

Compostable?

We went to ModMarket for lunch yesterday. Their cups are compostable, but I don't know exactly how that works. So I took a cup home and put it in our worm bin. We moved the worm bin into the greenhouse. The greenhouse is being used mostly as a storage facility.

The bin in the greenhouse.

Lots of fruits and veggies, and a cup.

Let's see what happens!

I like ModMarket because it is affordable, delicious, and somewhat healthy. They also use FourSquare and Twitter for marketing. I got a free pizza for having 10 FourSquare checkins.
Now there is another fire that is closer to Boulder than the last one. For now it is smaller, but the winds are howling. Is it bad that I worry how it will affect the fish in Boulder Creek more than anything else?

Canucks, Aussies, and footie.

This is from last week. Life is still this good, just colder!

We have friends in town. They are Canadian emergency room doctors. I sat down with the winner of the Boulder Marathon, Andrew Letherby for coffee today. He is a really nice Aussie. He is getting into triathlons so as soon as he gets his swim in order, look out! I finished my physical therapy today. A couple more massages and I might be "made whole" soon. Winter is indoor soccer and cyclocross season. I am stoked for them to start.

PV part 2.

Rooster! 

Very cool to see in person. 

My National Geographic moment. 

The boys. 

The malecon.

Lots of casting practice.

So we didn't have any luck from the boat, but I did catch my first Roosterfish from shore. After watching a turtle lay eggs on the beach nearby. How awesome is that?

We also saw the Pan American Championship triathlon race. Collins did well and I was stoked to see him race!

Puerto Vallarta.

Hanapa'a!

So we arrived yesterday and immediately, we got in some fishing. There are baitfish close to shore we we could see larger fish were chasing the small ones. I caught this baby Ahi looking fish and was thrilled. Then I saw more fish on a sandbar at the mouth of a river. I sprinted across the river not worrying about the diseases that were surely swirling round my legs as I splashed my way to the sand bar. There were hundreds of fish showing me their shiny sides like quarters that had been squished and elongated on railroad tracks. I was amazed to be in the middle of the baitball as I felt the fish hitting my shins. I clumsily through my fly anywhere I could and when I would hook up a fish they would jump and shake out the fly like I would imagine a Tarpon would.

It was frustrating when the schools of fish would be just out of range of my casts. I would be waist to chest deep hucking flies very ungracefully at water that looked like it was boiling until a sleek football shaped fish would jump out and I wished I could get out further.

Pelicans having a feast just out of range!

So today we borrowed the kayaks (resorts have perks) and paddled around looking for the fish. The diving seabirds were sure signs, but as we approached, the birds would fly away and the fish would swim down and stop eating. I was trolling along, rod wedged between when I had my first hit. The reel let out a short yelp and before I could get a hold of it, the line broke and the fish disappeared. I was left staring at some foam and ripples. In my mind it was a monster!

Smaller than he felt!

A while later, I was casting into nothingness when some small baitfish began jumping away from my fly. The closest thing I got to catching a fish was seeing a fish follow my fly. Not quite what I was hoping for from the kayak.

(Jason I owe you a fly!)

SATURDAY

Today we went to a timeshare deal where they tried to sell us stuff. We walked away with no timeshare, but a big bottle of tequila! The taxi ride there and back was fun as we got to go through the non touristy part of the area. Our impatient taxi driver hated being stuck behind anybody, so he nearly had a coronary when we  got behind a tractor and a tow truck. Once we were on the freeway and we passed the tractor (why wouldn't the tractor drive down the freeway?) he loosened up a bit.

Then we attended the pro athlete briefing for Ben's race tomorrow. It was pretty funny because as of today, the athletes don't know the race course. There are two options because the road that that the race occurs on is currently being paved. If it is paved today, option A will occur, if it is not paved by 7 am tomorrow, option B will be put into place. There were a lot of astounded faces as some prima donna triathletes don't know their exact course now.

This evening I caught my first (and second) Roosterfish. A turtle was laying eggs on the beach near where I was fishing. It wa s good evening.

Mexican bus ride.

On the malecon.

Don't beat people up.

I suppose I should have taken a little more warning with the odd text message I received yesterday. It was from Ben's number, but his name didn't show up. I guess being in Mexico and not wanting to incur huge roaming charges made him send messages via the web. It said "I'll see you both tomorrow!! Email me if you got my messages! Don't beat anyone up tonight!!"

That sounds fairly normal, except why would we be beating anyone up? Perhaps he knew about what would happen early this morning. After 4 hours of sleep, we walked to the bus stop near our house. (Nothing like taking public transportation to get on a first class flight!) While waiting bleary eyed with the rest of the passengers a bus headed towards Denver dropped off a passenger that was hesitant to get off the bus. Now understandably, it was about 40 degrees and this person was seated on a nice comfy until the driver kicked them off.

The man (?) stumbled off the bus and looked like a person that just got off a boat after a rough time at sea. (S)He decided to stand in the road and challenge all of us bus stop attendees to a rock throwing contest. Surprisingly, nobody accepted. So the next logical thing to do is come back and ask us all of some money. Again, nobody decided to hand over their cash. He then asked for money because he was a woman. He did have long hair, but I thought that it took more than that to be a woman. Maybe this person was more intoxicated than I have ever been.

The vagrant angered a woman at the bus stop long enough that it was told to "Go fuck yourself". Enraged, the transient exclaimed to everyone within 4 blocks that s/he had NEVER done that! It got a few chuckles out of us which further enraged the long haired, drunk (wo)man. S/he pushed over a newspaper container which made some people jump. We were informed that she called himself Madonna, Rhianna, and/or Coco.

I was thoroughly amused until s/he stood too close to Mojdeh with a hand too close to her purse than I would have liked. As my mind raced with the possibility of punching this person if they made a move to rob us I realized that everyone at the bus stop was looking out for our well being also. I considered calling the police, but a cell would be warm and sobering. 

We boarded our bus and I slept well on the way to the airport knowing that we were "nearly" robbed half a block from our house, not in Mexico. It would be a bummer if I weren't writing this post from my comfortable first class seat.

Hasta luego. Remember, with drugs you will end up dead, in jail, or worse!

Boulder Marathon.

Putting on a marathon is no easy task. A lot of people really came together to make it all possible. I worked for what feels like 4 days straight. It was the night before the race that was the most brutal. Building the finish line at 2 am so that we could put out mile markers at 4 am. I had to make sure that all of the aid stations were fully stocked by the time that the runners got there. I hate being on the course when the race begins, but it was necessary this year. I have a lot of changes that I want to implement for the Spring Half Marathon that we will put on in March. Most of the changes will make my life easier, but the runners probably won't notice.
I drove a lot of different vehicles over the weekend. We had cargo vans, pickup trucks, 17' trucks, and 26' trucks. U-Haul execs must be bored. They put fun facts on the side of every big truck, but they also play the U-Haul version of "Where's Waldo?" All the big 26' trucks with the pictures have a hidden U-Haul guy somewhere in the picture. Here are a couple that I found.