Out for a Drive: A Special Saturday

Though the peak of fall leaf season has come and gone in the Virginia Shenandoahs, I still wanted to get out for a day with the wife. We finally had a Saturday with no agenda, so we took the opportunity to visit our favorite BBQ shop and see the last of the fall leaves in western Virginia.

While some people might not look forward to a day of 7+ hours driving, I do. Especially when it is with the best company in the world. With a loose agenda for the day, we were given the luxury of an easy pace. 

Our first stop after the drive from Norfolk, Va through Richmond was the BBQ Exchange in Gordonsville, Va. We have a soft spot in our hearts and bellies for this place. For me, it is the Colonel Bacon BBQ sauce. For Sara, it has to be the cupcakes. Regardless, this has become a staple for us, and it filled us up for our hike in the afternoon. 

From Gordonsville we made our way to the Crabtree Falls (see http://www.hikingupward.com/GWNF/CrabtreeFalls/) trail in George Washington National Forest. This is said to be the tallest waterfall east of the Mississippi, and is a relatively easy hike ~1300ft elevation gain and is about 1.7 miles to the top. As such, it is just about the busiest hike in the park. If it is solitude you see, look elsewhere. Still, it is a fun hike and the falls are pretty. Even though most of the leaves had fallen, there were still some beautiful things to be found. Fun bonus: the parking fee is usually $3 but it was waved for Veteran's Day. Score!

The trail was hidden from the sun most of the hike until you reach the top, so it was a bit chilly as we hiked up and down. We spotted a few patches of ice here and there. 

Additionally, by throwing the tenkara rod in the backpack and a gotubb with my line and flies, I was easily able to bring along the gear up to the top to find some pocket water to pick off one last brookie before I let them spawn for November. 

After the hike, we were ready to eat again. Being in the area of the Brew Ridge Trail, we had no other option than to get some grub at one of the awesome microbreweries. The Blue Mountain Brewery was our destination. I sampled some phenomenal beers (some twice) and the food was excellent. Get a pizza and the bread pudding and you will not be disappointed. 

After that, it was time for a nice drive home with my buddy. Sara and I got to share a great day together. As she is almost 25 weeks pregnant, quiet, one-on-one car rides will soon be a thing of the past. Of course, it will be fun in its own way. 

My Leaky Waders might just become My Leaky Baby And Waders. 

Rumor Has it there is a New MLW Video: Does It Get Any Better?

I know. I know. I can't wait until YGF and SchnitzerPHOTO release their next installment for The Fly Collective. (The first installment rocked.) Rumor has it... (Thank you Adele for ruining that saying for me... rumor has it.. dah dah dah... rumor has it....) anyway, rumor has it Erin Block will be involved. By the transitive property, since they all are amazing, it will be amazing.

But until then, to kill some time (about 3 minutes and 6 seconds to be exact) here is the new My Leaky Waders Video.

 

Does it Get Any Better? from My Leaky Waders on Vimeo.
My last minute trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains turned into a phenomenally successful outing. The weather was wonderful, and the fish were rising. If "Dry or Die" was my mantra, I've never lived more fully.

Please enjoy the bounty of Blue Ridge Brookies taken on Tenkara.

Music: Mike Doughty "Take Me Home, Country Roads"
Food: BBQ Exchange, Gordonsville, Va

Filmed on iphone and goproHD


There you go. By the way, rumor has it Adele is taking up fly fishing.

Look at her. She is either A) stunned and the awesomeness of the video, B) ready to toss off that pashmina for a pair of Patagonia Waders (she seems like a patagonia girl) or C) Thinking, "Man, I wish I had some Owl Jones Art for this blank wall."



What do you think?

__________________________________

Photo of Adele was graciously provided by a google image search. The rumor that Adele is taking up fly fishing was started by me. I do not know Adele personally, and therefore have no idea what type of waders she would buy. I do "know" YGF, SchnitzerPHOTO, Erin Block, and Owl Jones so I am trying to pimp them.


.... And by "know" them, I mean I've commented on their blogs and I'm trying to make myself look cooler by that extremely loose association :)

Video: I can't, won't and don't stop.

I lost some of the video from my phone, so this already slim picture got all-the-more shorter. For a nice write up of the outing, see Kevin's blog. And no, I can't tell you what stream this is.

I can't, won't and don't stop. from My Leaky Waders on Vimeo.

Another day trip to the mountains finds a great stream with eager brookies with some TU pals. Fishing a special stream in Washington National Forest, we re-aquainted ourselves with these little fish for the first time in 2013. There's no doubt about it, when it comes to trout fishing, I can't won't and don't stop. 

Filmed with a GoPro HD

Music: Beastie Boys "Sure Shot"

MyLeakyWaders.Blogspot.com

Video: Fishing The Valleys

Fishing the Valleys from My Leaky Waders on Vimeo.

In efforts to resurrect a local Trout Unlimited Chapter, we undertook a coordinated effort to gather old and new members and journey to western Virginia. There were trout. There were chubs. There was food. There was beer. There were pretty leaves. There was tenkara and non-tenkara.

Filmed with my GoproHD and iphone 4

Trip Summary: Go to Kevin's Page....

Well, the way this week is going and knowing what is coming this weekend, I won't be able to get much done with the video and photos I've stored up from last weekend's trip.

Right when I was beginning to feel quite guilty about it, Kevin posted a perfect summary of the weekend and some outstanding photos. I hope you get a chance to swing through and see how gorgeous George Washington National Forest is.

http://kevinduboisphoto.blogspot.com/2012/10/trout-fishing-in-western-va.html

In the Meantime

The trip to George Washington National Forest was awesome. As I feared, I'm left now with much on my plate as far as work is concerned, but, alas, work will always be there. Hopefully, the streams will too.

I'll be slowly sifting through video clips and sharing some photos from the trip.

In the meantime, enjoy some of the awesomeness of Simms new fall line. If I had endless resources and wanted more clothes, I don't need, I'd go for the River Tek Top and follows by a Fall Run Jacket. But that's just me.... mom.....

Go forth and salivate...  http://www.simmsfishing.com/  or be reminded of how much you like your current clothes :)