FISH FRY

It's Tuesday, August 2nd & I am awakened by the Nance's, preparing for their guided fish tour out on the Blue Mesa, so I get up, visit the restroom & go back to bed..it's 5:15 am. I did sleep until 7:30 & it's cloudy & 53 out, but a few folks fishing in our river. Any bears? Yep, Fonda heard something on the porch very early & the "squatters" (ou fans, as the Haws call them) had apparently set a trap to get a picture of the animal, and did, but his cooler was trashed in the process. Terry & Bryan suit up to go tube fish at Spring Lake, a smaller lake above Taylor, about 20 miles up the canyon. Will we eat fish tonight? KK's feeling better today, but stays in while I suit up for a spin & I head up the canyon too about 14 miles & return. I did see a few Rocky Mountain Sheep as a small crowd had gathered to watch them graze. (31 miles & 1100' today.) I also saw some mule deer, the usual darting chipmunks, horseback riders, hikers, rapellers and rangers. Back to the cabin about 12:30 & let's have lunch! The Nance's have reported back and they had their limit of trout in 30 minutes & started on the salmon. Anyway, sandwiches, chips, a nice Fat Tire & sittin' by the river. Here come Lee & Sharon , back from Taylor Reservoir & they have 4 trout. And here come Deb & Bruce with a large catch: trout & lots of salmon, already cleaned and ready to cook. So into town for Fonda & Ashley to get the fixin's for the fry. Everybody off to shop! Three couples to Gunnison & we go to Crested Butte. It's a lovely ski resort at about 8800', with the slopes way above that and thousands of bicycles! It seems to be the major way to get around in the town-all kinds, shapes & sizes. And even Lance Armstrong was here on Sunday to win a mountain bike race! We buy a few things, have a really good ice cream cone before heading back down to Almont and I take the canyon road to see if the Sheep are still there, so KK can witness the critters. Sure enough, there they are, but a few more than this morning..about 15 in this herd, grazing in the meadows across the river..way cool. It's only about two miles from our cabin, but no-one else is interested as preparations have started for the BIG fry.It's raining a little of course, but stops long enough to get the charcoal started, and hopefully the fish cooked. The girls are prepping the fish & Sharon is cooking zucchini, making rice & cornbread. Potato salad, macaroni salad & coleslaw have been purchased, so this will be a feast! Ten of us to the tables & it could have fed 20! Plus Lee has picked up some good Colorado brews for us and THANKS neighbor! Just how lucky is that to meet some really great folks on a short week in Colorado! Of course we all exchange addresses, phone numbers & e-mails. There are tons of leftovers, so fish sandwiches tomorrow. What an evening! Everyone heads to bed by 10:00, with some star gazing and an early morning tomorrow.