snow in Durango

Christmas has come and gone with lots of family and fun. We started out in Amarillo then on to Houston for more family. Now we're in Durango, just the two of us, enjoying the beauty, stoking the fire, and shoveling like crazy. We're snowed in so to speak. The first morning at the house we dug the jeep out from at least two feet of snow. The tires were completely covered and the embankment behind the jeep even taller thanks to the necessary snow plows that come along about 6 am each morning.

We managed a quick trip into town yesterday for an anniversary lunch at Jean Pierre's. And, yes, I left with a bag of my favorite little chocolate drop cookies. Justified of course because of all the shoveling. Thank goodness I got them before the snow really stated falling again dropping the visibility and sending us hightailing it back to the house (which always gets way more snow than in town).

Here's a picture of the Stater Hotel in Durango just before the heavy flakes started pounding town again.



The texture of the snow is perfect for primo powder skiing, if you can withstand the single digit temps and the 4X4 drive. We were hoping to flyfish the Animas today with my new Christmas rod (a sweet little Dorber 3wt), but with two feet of new snow and frigid temps, we'll wait. Tomorrow we'll go for some snow-hiking around a nearby lake cameras in hand.

At some point today we'll be shoveling off the loads of snow from the upper deck and will continue the daily maintenance behind the jeep and around the tires. Fun!




Cheers and Happy New Year Everyone!

taos, new mexico and the austing haus

My recent trip to Taos was great - just as expected. Everything was at a pre-holiday, low roar. The mountain didn't have much snow, but about seven runs were open and people were happily skiing.

We didn't ski this trip, but met up with Bobby Slade, one of the owners of the Austing Haus. He gave us the low down on the place and showed us some of his favorite haunts.

Austing Haus is a great budget stay for skiers. It's called a B&B, but it's more like a small hotel (20 rooms) that serves a belly-filling breakfast for a day on the slopes. The digs aren't fancy, but after a day of hitting the mountain I've never cared for much more than a comfortable bed and a warm room. And I was able to check both of those off my list.

The breakfast area is roomy and makes for a good evening place to play games, read a book, or rest those weary muscles. If the snow is falling take time to chill and watch the flakes out all of the giant windows.

Austing Haus is convenient for skiers. It's a mile from the slopes and is the first lodging on the left hand side as you get up the mountain.

Even though the place isn't fancy or plush, the staff is great, breakfasts hit the spot, and its location rocks!

Colorado Flyfishing: Where to Eat, Sleep, Fish

Mark's book is doing really well. Check it out - He and Chad had the summer of their lives traveling and writing this book. Glad I got to chip in a bit here and there.

Colorado Flyfishing: Where to Eat, Sleep, Fish

Hidden treasures: Traveling the Spanish coast | Amarillo Globe-News

Hidden treasures: Traveling the Spanish coast | Amarillo Globe-News


I know it's winter, but it's not too early to be planning a little summer sun. Costa Brava Spain is a place I dream of returning to, in fact plans are in the works now! Check it out.

jingle bell runs

Hooray for all the fun runs this time of year! They're good exercise, but also a good excuse to get out with your friends and have some fun. Amarillo's Jingle Bell Run is coming up Saturday, December 11 at 5:30. The four miler is set to be a leisure run so participants can enjoy the gorgeous lights of the Wolflin area. Illuminate yourself in some way....Christmas lights, reflective clothing, blinking hats, or bring a flashlight.

Meet at Austin Park, 5:30. See you there!

If you're in Dallas on the 22nd, sign up for their Jingle Bell Run as well. It's one of my favorites. Everyone really gets into dressing up and having a good time. The Dallas skyline is beautiful and it's fun to run over the bridge and venture into a part of downtown you may not normally experience, on foot anyway.

Get Fit, Have Fun: The new motto for my work Wellness program!

telluride and taos, snow in the mountains

Gal pals, families, or honeys....check out the Mountain Lodge at Telluride for your winter stay. It's midway up Telluride Mountain and is in Mountain Village. Rooms are comfy, especially the showers and the fireplaces (which are only in some rooms). The Gondola is close by so you can catch a ride into town for dinner or shopping. I love that ML@T allows pets; my dogs love to go on vacation with me! I'm not so crazy about the rooms by the elevators...You'll hear them clinking and clanging all night long.



For chilling in the evening, hit the resort's hot tub, or relax by the giant river-rock fireplace in the lodge with a glass of wine, or whatever warms your spirit on a cold night.

On another note...
Taos ski valley is getting snow as we speak. I'll be there in a few weeks to check it out and report on a snuggly little B&B in the valley.

rocky mountain game and fish

Want some good outdoor info? Check out Rocky Mountain Game and Fish magazine....I freelance for the fishing section, but look forward to what the other freelancers have to say about trout and the outdoors. It's about time for my 2010 New Mexico Trout Forecast article to come to a close, so I hope all the NM anglers have found it useful! Even though the year's almost over, which I can't believe, the article will still give an overview of NM's waters and where to go. Gather your girlfriends, buddies, and counterparts and head out on the water.

coming up

Calling all Panhandle and surrounding writers and those who wanna.....Mark, Chad McPhail, and I will be presenting with the Panhandle Professional Writers Association, November 13 at Amarillo College. We'll be hitting on subjects including creative writing, travel, outdoors, getting published, and a ton more. It will be a fun, informative day. Check out PPWA website.

Don't forget our book signing at Barnes and Noble in Amarillo at Barnes and Noble December 4!

Life is good and busy, but I'm ready for more fun and travel....coming up.

High Country Anglers, New Mexico

Wanna get away? Schedule a late fall guided flyfishing day with my buddy Doc Thompson in Northern New Mexico. Doc happens to be Orvis endorsed and has even been granted fly-tier of the year. Whether you're new to flyfishing, just want to hone your craft, or want to experience a new locale Doc is the guy for you.

Check out his website at www.flyfishnewmexico.com

early fall

I love this time of year - the look of the changing horizon, the leaves, the colors, and the cool, crisp air. My Labor Day trip to Durango gave me the perfect taste to the start of fall - there was just a spot or two of changing aspen leaves, but it was enough to savor. The rivers were still fishing great despite some of the strong winds we fought. I think I need to work on my casting precision against the gusts though! Luckily we still landed some beautiful trout.

Lots going on right now for some girlfriend getaways like winefests, fairs, and fall events....I'll be heading to Lubbock soon for some wine sampling and fun with friends.

My wellness group at work has kicked off and we'll be participating in the Race for the Cure in the morning! Can't wait. I'll be participating in honor of five ladies, five survivors. After this big event, we should be raring to go for our trip to the canyon to hike the lighthouse. With the cooler temperatures maybe we can avoid the rattlesnakes!

Just got news of our Amarillo book signing, scheduled at Barnes and Noble December 4. Mark and I will be signing our two Top 30 books, while he and fishing buddy Chad McPhail will be signing their book, Eat, Sleep, Fish (Colorado).

It's great to be busy - more to come.

more outdoor fun

East fork of the San Juan is an easy getaway from Durango, Colorado. It sits between Pagosa Springs and South Fork (just the Pagosa side of Wolf Creek Pass). The road up along the river washed out a few years ago, so it's exciting to have it back open for some fishing and fun.




Big Meadows' South Fork of the Rio Grande is another gorgeous spot, but on the other side of Wolf Creek Pass. While the fish in the pic isn't huge, some pretty big lunkers do hide along the banks and occasionally tempt their fate as they shoot out and dart for a fly.











For now, the fishing is still good in both places. I'll be back soon for some fall weather fishing and hiking around. Can't wait!

Over the next month or two I'll also be poking around from Durango to Santa Fe and Dallas plus lots of stops in between.

July winds down

My month was made with a quick trip to my home waters of Lake City, Colorado the other day. The town is still a tiny hamlet surrounded by 14,000 foot peaks, and hasn't changed much since I celebrated my first birthday in a tiny cabin on the Lake Fork Gunnison River. I've missed visiting Lake City only a handful of years and only one in the last twenty-one. It is one of the most beautiful places on earth to me, and one of the most sentimental as well. When I'm on the waters I can't help but think of my dad and my grandmother, who were both so influential when it comes to fishing, the mountains, the outdoors. I like to think they had something to do with the two giant trout I had on my line a couple of days ago....the two that got away. I've caught fish and lost fish before, but these were something special. For one, they were huge in terms of trout, but they were caught in the waters below Fred's Bluff (named by my family for my dad). This section of the river is usually crowded, but on this day - not a soul in sight. Perfect. Can't wait to return and land those two beautiful rainbow lunkers.

Tomorrow I head out for another camping excursion high above the Florida River, full of hungry trout!

Lately and July 4th Plans

I'm in love with Sedona, Arizona! The red of the towering rocks is mesmerizing, the sunsets glorious, and the amount of outdoor fun - endless. My trip was too short, but I'm already planning a return trip so I can fit in all I didn't get to do. What a perfect place for a girlfriend getaway.
















Zion National Park and the Grand Canyon were both impressive, to say the least. The rock hound and geologist fan in me couldn't get enough.













Las Vegas deserves mention as one of my recent trips as well. Friends, pack your bags for some fun along the strip (bring your walking shoes). I highly recommend the Wynn Encore for classy, and a little swanky, lodging and chilling. And, I'm still singing songs and snapping my fingers to the tunes of Jersey Boys.




Over the last several days I've been camping, hiking, and fishing around Durango. The dogs came along and were great sports through all the ups and downs of the mountains and the rocky bottoms of the streams. After the 4th I'm heading to some other parts of CO for more outdoor fun...Rocky Mountain National Park, Steamboat, Vail, etc...here I come!

But before my next outing, I'm heading into Durango on the 4th for a 5K along the Animas River.

Summer, I love your boundless fun.

update

So it's been awhile...I've been writing for Rocky Mountain Game and Fish, the Amarillo Globe News, and Examiner.com all while teaching and trying to travel and have fun as much as possible. Life is busy. Life is good. The last few months have seen me at the Alabama coast, Houston, Oklahoma City a few times, along with my regular stomping grounds of Santa Fe and Durango. Upcoming travels include Dallas, Houston, Durango, Sedona, Moab, Las Vegas and who knows where else in between.

Our Top 30 books have taken off and we're making plans to add to the series: Amarillo, Santa Fe, Oklahoma City, and Sedona. My Girlfriend Getaway book may be morphing into a specialized book on the Southwest. Stay tuned.

Happy travels.