MalibuSheriff

Those damn rock squirrels were my nemesis in my garden in Westlake. Most destructive little bastards. I finally had to buy a box trap and trapped about a half a dozen. They destroyed garden and also were digging under our deck. Do not miss those little SOBs.

Wow! What a blast from the past. I also started out with a Gold Team Murray and then on to Mongoose back in the day. I lived in single parent home and mom worked all the time to make ends meet. I had saved up for over a year for my Team Murray and some deadbeat, shitbag stole the bike off a second floor apartment balcony in Muskogee, OK. If I sound bitter, I still am…. Those were some good times though and then progressed from Mongoose to YZ-80 a few years later. Bob Hannah was the shiznit back in the day.

Pouring down rain in Tulsa this morning and cool. My caveman brain said ‘Chicken & Dumplings’ time. The sun came out and the weather turned quite warm this afternoon but the craving and meal plan was set. Good. Damn good.

I’m a day late for Willie’s birthday but recently found this full concert recording from Soap Creek Saloon on April 11, 1975: Happy Birthday, Willie!

Celebratory dinner last night for surviving tornado apocalypse. Quick Al pastor tacos with grilled pineapples.

I miss Chili Parlor enchiladas. You guys in Austin need to hit them up and also get Pepe’s nachitos.

There are a lot more cats running around Texas than people think. We had several neighbors in West Lake Hills that had spotted a mountain lion over a period of about six weeks in 2020. A lady sitting in the parking lot of a church at dusk as the cat trotted right past her car, cat seen on people’s decks, and caught on security cameras. Around 2010, there were lots of sightings in Barton Creek Greenbelt. My buddy and I found this cache on their family ranch out in Llano County in January 2017: My cousin and I had a close encounter with a mountain lion back in late 1980s in Osage County, OK. We were predator calling a canyon for bobcats in some really wild country. There was a light snow cover on the ground, we walked to edge of the rim rock and there were no tracks in the snow as we made our way to the calling location. When we had finished and didn’t have any takers, we were walking out the same way we came in a some huge cat tracks were 20 yards uphill from our calling spot. Much larger tracks than a bobcat and the lion must have scented us and left in a hurry.

iPhone pics from the top of the Talimena Drive in southeastern Oklahoma today. First pic is immediately prior to totality: Second pic is at totality and shitty because it was so dark. Planets and stars were easily visible. 360 degree sunset. I’m really glad my son and I made the drive down today. Absolutely amazing day!

Out along the shores of the Salton Sea south of Thermal, CA a couple of years ago. Felt like I had entered an episode of the Twilight Zone that day.

Here’s the recipe my wife said we used: https://www.thekitchn.com/cheesy-skillet-domino-potatoes-recipe-23449284

My bride knocked it out of the park with these skillet Gruyère potatoes today.

It’s over. You’re in deep now.

Punxsutawney Phil wasn’t kidding this year. Slipped out today ahead of the front. Crappie were right on the bank and willing. Nice bluegill too. All caught on nymphs under a Dorsey-style indicator. I’ve never seen a Spring this early and even saw first redbud in bloom today.

After decades of hunting out between Albany and Abilene, I concur with RMac5 - Perini is legit! One of my favorite restaurants anywhere. Excellent Tex Mex can be found at Oscar’s Mexican Restaurant near I-20 / 351 intersection. My buddies who still have their ranch out there said new BBQ place on the way to Buffalo Gap is very good - The Shed Market.

You’ll love fly tying and it’s a great way to de-stress. You’re also lucky that this is literally the golden age of fly tying as there are so many high quality resources on YouTube. Since you’re in Austin, definitely hit up Living Waters tying night. For a fly pattern to start with, it is tough to beat a Clouser Minnow. Here’s Bob Clouser, the creator or the pattern: You’ll definitely want a whole assortment of nymphs. I lesser known pattern that I love is the Poundmeister by New Mexico fly tier Taylor Streit. I’ve caught all types of trout on this pattern, and it is a fantastic crappie fly when fished under an indicator: For dry flies - before you run out and spend a fortune on hackle, try tying some Sparkle Duns for mayfly imitations. You’ll need specific deer hair for this fly - Blue Ribbon Flies, Galloups SlideInn, Charlie’s Fly Box, and some other places have very high quality ‘short fine deer hair’ for this pattern. I fish this pattern almost exclusively during a mayfly hatch - tied by Craig Mathews who created the pattern: As others have mentioned, Kelly Galloup is great to follow. He’ll go deeply into the ‘why’ of techniques. Although most of his videos are long, you’ll end up learning more from his about technique and the history of patterns. Great source. Charlie’s Fly Box, Dette Flies, Umpqua Feather Merchants, tightlinevideo, and Fly Fish Food are excellent YouTube channels to follow.

Kids requested old school hamburger steaks tonight. Went crazy and added some leeks in addition to the usual onions (or Onyawn as Justin Wilson would say). My bride whipped up these bad ass oven baked potatoes she cooks with some sautéed asparagus.

I’ll echo what others have said pertaining to trimming the trip and definitely considering the time of year you’re planning on going. The canyon, country and red rock/slick rock country of Utah, and Arizona is not for the faint of heart in summer. In fact, it can be dangerous, if not deadly. I’ve always been one who enjoys a deeper experience in a place than to skim the surface and a whole bunch of places. Brisket’s New Mexico itinerary is excellent. Flying into Albuquerque, spending some time in Santa Fe, Ojo Caliente, Taos, and assorted trips to either archaeological sites or a day or so in White Sands, gives you a hell of a Southwest exposure. You’ve got hiking in the Sangres, a multitude of archaeological sites, spas and Hot Springs, incredible food, fly fishing, great arts scene, and immersion in different cultures. If you do it right, you and your wife will both be as relaxed as wet noodles after 10 days and have great memories a multitude of ideas for future trips. For the Canyon country, Fall through Spring is definitely the way to go. My good buddy and his wife spent a week in December in Zion NP and other southern Utah spots - they absolutely loved it. Snowfall contrasting with the red canyons and no crowds. Rocky Mountain National Park is incredible but the crowds can be unbelievably high in summer. You could fly into Denver, spend three or four days in Estes Park and do some serious hiking. After that, go over the top of Trail Ridge Road and just pick a random itinerary up-and-down the continental divide to various small towns and have a great trip in summer. You could hit touristy spots like Breckenridge and Vail or out-of-the-way towns like Buena Vista or even all the way down to Lake City. Tough to beat in the height of summer.

Robb Walsh…you brilliant SOB and chronicler of southwest wisdom - chili gravy for the win.

We’ve got more Coney Islander places than Braum’s up here and that’s saying a lot. I may have to go sample some this weekend. Aside from the Original Coney Islander locations, there are dozens of knock offs all over town. One on south Memorial Drive in Bixby is called Moondogs and is next door to a dispensary. Now if that’s not American capitalism at its finest, I don’t know what is. How convenient…

Only in West Virginia. Damn Apple spellcheck….

PSA for anyone who travels to Orlando for work or family trips. I was there last week and wanted to escape the Disney industrial complex for a great dinner with my wife. I wanted something outside of Orlando and searched for seafood restaurants in surrounding towns. One place popped up, Gary’s Oyster Bar, that is in a small town called Lake Alfred, FL. We made the 45 minute drive (less than 30 minutes without traffic but I-4 is a bitch almost 24/7) southwest of Orlando to Lake Alfred. Luck was on our side as this place was spectacular - true oyster bar with fresh shucked local oysters from Yankeetown, FL, great appetizers and sides, perfectly grilled fish, and $3.50 draft beers. Grilled Red Snapper over a bed of Cajun cheese grits and perfectly cooked fresh hushpuppies. Couch fritters and crab cakes were outstanding as well. Great folks at the bar with an older couple of Kentucky who’d been on a month long fishing trip to Lake Okeechobee and were returning home. They said they discovered this place twenty years ago and have been stopping on their return trip every year. Breath of fresh air from Orlando… To sum things up, this is the kind of place Mike Leach would have loved.

Dang. All those times passing between Austin and Houston and back and never knowing about this place. I have the sads.

Sorry. I must have had too many Frozen Orish Cuffii dus murnening…….

You guys had me intrigued with the Brin Rose Frozen Irish Coffee. Found this recipe and the interwebs and have made a couple of batches. Excellent. https://craftandcocktails.co/2020/03/17/frozen-irish-coffee/ Just need to order some black plastic cups from Brin Rose for a future party.