Damor

Given CDC's creativity and cleverness, I'm thinking it will be some kind of hybrid co-branding, with the victorious sponsor getting the headlining spot. Howler Bros. when Texas wins, Carhartt if aggy does.

Thanks. The owner of the Airbnb we're renting from is an actual local, and based on his strong recommendation, we're going out with Mac Brown. Scares me to death. Will report back.

OK, I know I've been all over the damn place with questions, but I finally committed to taking the boys to the NC side of GSMNP the first week of August, staying near Bryson City. We've never been to the area. Anybody used a guide there that they love? Bryson City Fly Shop seems to be the big dog. I like the look of either their Backcountry Brookies or Hazel Creek wade trips, as I'd prefer to GTFO for some peace and quiet (inasmuch is possible with two teenage boys). They seem a bit unique in that they do only 2 anglers per guide max. That would substantially increase the cost, but when have I ever made financially sound decisions when it comes to fishing? And that would probably increase the boys' fun factor since they'd each have a guide to work with (I'm a lost cause). Any other tips on the area are quite welcome. I'm usually the type to plan out vacations a year in advance, so flying by the seat of my pants here is a bit new for me.

Thanks, y'all. Didn't pull the trigger this time, but will file away for future use.

Schloßenfreude, IMO

If you will it, it is no dream.

Bump, if I missed a more recent thread, then muledick. Considering a last minute trip down there this week with my teenage boys, look for a fly fishing guide for a day or two and let them goof around. It's been so long since I've been that I'm functionally a noob. Recs on a place to stay or look at an Airbnb somewhere in particular? My wife is sitting this one out so it doesn't have to be the elitest of the SPI elite, just room for me and two large teenage humans (I guess I'll get the sofa bed). Proximity to a good beach bar for my sanity is a plus and worth paying for.

Appreciate it. Sounds like that's a better trip for another time. This is why I'm much better overplanning a year out than scattershooting. I'll try to find something else for a spontaneous trip. Any guide recs out of Padre or Port Isabel? I could deal with that. Well, yeah, but it's my Dad job to make them hate all the things I love.

Yeah, that sounds like something I would rather do psycho-level planning on. I probably didn't express well this is more like a day of fishing and a couple days bumming around, and not particularly chasing a target. A quick getaway and decompress from working way too hard kind of thing.

This is way out of character for me as a psychotic vacation pre-planner, but I ended up with some time off and wanted to do something with my yahoo teenagers. I've never been saltwater fly fishing, and have never been to the Keys. Been perusing this thread and the site (BTW, fuck you KKL for making Key Largo search worthless), and looks like Islamorada might be our speed. I saw the rec for Bud N' Marys, is that the go-to? It looks like several of their skiff guides will take three fishermen, but I'm not sure how well that works with fly fishing. Any thoughts on particular trips? I guess it's probably too ambitious for n00bs (and impatient teenagers) to chase bonefish on the flats, although I'd be just as happy standing out there casting all day myself. Any thoughts on places to stay, getting there, etc.? Is this a reasonable last-minute idea (as in next week), or would it be better to push it to my time off in August (and then go psycho planning every detail)?

I'd say don't sweat it. We sent my son off to school in Colorado, and his registration expired last October. We just renewed it a couple weeks ago when he came home for the summer. He even got pulled over for it when he first came back and the cop just laughed when he explained it then shot his dog and murdered us all.

@BearSchlong I'm sure there will be things closer and more convenient to the Springs, but if he ever wants to fish the Arkansas, we've been out with ArkAnglers multiple times. They have offices in Salida and Buena Vista, either of which is probably a little over 2hrs away. My family and I went out for our first time with Stuart, who was a great teacher. If you want to jump in feet first, they offer instructional classes as well as a half-day instruction wade followed by a full-day float the next day. That would make for a great father/son weekend trip to Salida, stay at the Amigo Motor Lodge in one of their Airstreams. Just sayin'. Uggghh... I need to be standing in a cold mountain stream....

Posted in the New Music 2024 thread too, but thanks KUTX for introducing me to Holy Wire. Debut album out today and is great.

Debut album from Austin band Holy Wire is out today and blowing my mind at work this evening. I'm a musical ignoramus, so not sure what to call it. Very 80s throwback, new wave with some electronica? IDK. I get some Tears for Fears, Echo and the Bunnymen, Nation of Language vibes. The whole album is pretty damn fantastic start to finish.

@patrickdrinksbeer Damn, had tickets and a whole trip planned for that show that fell through. Hopefully this is becoming an annual thing and I can make it next year.

^^^ The ringer cannot look empty, Dude.

Just got back from taking my boys out to the Llano, now that the older one is home from college. We started out at the James confluence, but it was "crowded" and a little turbid, so we moved down to the next crossing. Good move. Although not anything big, we caught a ton of guads, and the older one kept pulling one after the other out of a hole just down from the bridge. They were absolutely blowing up Llanolopes and hoppers, which was even more fun. And the only other person we saw was the Game Warden.

Back when my boys were little, we had awesome season tickets just behind the on-deck circle. In between innings, the assistants would sneak them extras under a tiny loose corner of the netting next to the dugout. They were in heaven. Then one year Deloss put up a wall in LF and bolted that little corner down. It's a boy's last dream and a man's first loss.

@Jerry Callo pm sent.

I have 4 tickets for Waxahatchee at ACL Live on Saturday I may not be able to use. 🫤 If anyone's interested let me know.

Great stuff. Unfortunately, it does us no good here.

@Judge Roybeanbag Not my area of expertise, but it depends on the protocol used. Some call for a higher field strength magnet, some need special postprocessing software, and some may still use a... uh... ummm... special imaging coil. In case of which you'll be glad of having PM @NowThis for further questions.

I thought this was an outstanding film. I didn't go in knowing a lot about it, and had been unenthusiastic about seeing it in theaters because politics, but my assumptions were wrong and it absolutely needs to be experienced (especially heard) in a theater. I was relieved and impressed with the way that they used the journalistic angle to free them to tell the story perfectly without any need to go into the backstory or who was right/wrong. I suppose it was a blank enough canvas that anyone could project their own views on it, but the point to me was that it doesn't matter -- the situation devolves into chaos, destruction, and misery regardless. The flashbacks to third-world shitholes and references to all dictators going out like cowards did a great job of disabusing anyone of any noble or romantic notions that war is anything other than hell and suffering, whatever ideological veneers we think we can apply to it. It's definitely a film that has stayed with me and kept me thinking long after leaving the theater. The more I think about it, the more I like it and feel like this is an important thing that more people need to go see and experience. The "Breakers Roar" scene was one of the most absolutely stunning things I have seen in a long time.