Lang/Green Float

Yesterday was the annual Lang/Green float on the Teton.  We floated from South Bates to Bates with a drift boat, canoe, and two paddle boards.  Everybody took turns on floating on everything.  Nancy and Maggie got a little creative with their paddle board stances.  And we saw a moose in the water.

The Spud Turns 60

July 3rd the Spud celebrated their 60th birthday with a party.  The gates opened early for $0.60 burgers,  raffles, contests, and cake.  We got front row seats and set up a picnic table for a dinner of Gladys burgers, spicy fries, and spud buds (tater tots).  The Greens joined us, along with their friends from Concord who were in town visiting.  Dillon won the hula hoop contest.  Connor really wanted to win a Spud Season Pass in the raffle.  After loading up on the chocolate carmel birthday cake with whipped cream, all the kids played on the grass before it got dark enough for the movie.  Despicable Me II played to a packed house.

South Fork Again

Fished the South Fork again the other day with Chad.  We played the same game of beating the banks until finding a riffle the switching to PMD's.  The method seems to work.  We pulled more fish of the banks this time, probably because I used the rubber leg semi-stimulators Dad tied and gave me for Christmas.  On the flats and in the riffles, parachute Adams worked well.  Seems they liked the grey bodies today.  The pictures below are taken on Jobba Flats.  We camped out there for a few hours again.

Balloons and Badwater 4 Good Water

Nancy took Connor and Maggie to see the hot air balloons launch at the Fair Grounds on Saturday.  It was a crystal clear and calm morning; perfect for balloonist.

Saturday was a 5k run sponsored by Dreamchasers to support Lisa's Badwater 4 Good Water.  It was a nice loop on the streets of Teton Reserve.  The whole family came out to the event.  Both Nancy and Maggie ran the race while I stayed with the boys to cheer them on.  Connor got to watch Rudy while Tammy ran.

Nancy had a good day. She finished 5th overall and was the second woman.  After every 5k she always says to me, "I could have done that faster."  Maggie ran/walked with Gabby Batchen, her friend.  They had a great time.  At one point I went to check on them to ask if they wanted a ride in, but the were in good spirits, well hydrated, and said they wanted to finish on their own.  Not long afterward, they ran across the finish line.

4th of July

The Teton Valley is the second best place to spend the 4th of July (Lander is the best).  We started the morning with the parade in Victor.  The usual cast of characters...the American Legion carrying the flags, Old Murphy from the Spud, cheerleaders, cowboys and cowgirls on horses, the Emporium's huckleberry shake float, and Uncle Sam on stilts.  We sat with Heather in front of their office.  The kids all collected the candy that was thrown.

After the parade we came home to grill lunch.

In the evening we went to the Harper Street block party for more food and fireworks.

Biking in to Targhee

As we spend more time at Targhee, it's more practical to ride up there.  So, I've decided to take it to the next level.

Pine Creek and the South Fork

Chad and I left early the other day to see if we could find fish in both Pine Creek and the South Fork.

Pine Creek opens on July 1 because it is spawning water for the fine spotted yellowstone cutthroat that live in the South Fork.  This year the water was down and it has been warm so the big fish seemed to have left.  We did turn a few smaller brooke trout and it is always a blast to break out the 7' 3wt and throw adams while wading through ankle deep water.

We got onto the South Fork at Palisades Creek by 2:30pm.  We beat the bank for awhile with no luck.  A few times we'd pull over and rustle the weeds to find Salmon flies, so we thought this was a good way to fish. When we got to the first major flat, Jobba Flats, we found rising fish.  We stayed with this rising pod on the riffle for a couple of hours, each taking turns catching fish on parachute PMD's.  Mostly rainbows and cut-bows.  It was a good way to spend the afternoon.

The row to the take out after the sun went behind the hills was productive.  Chad caught several fish beating the bank using the same fly that didn't work earlier in the day.  These fish were beautiful green spotted cutthroat.