I had been with Jean Marie for about 5 months when we decided to take a one week vacation to Aspen, Colorado in September, 1978. She had never been fly fishing. She had, however, taken trips with me to Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe. Most of those trips required my presence because of the clients I worked with. We were not living together at this point, both of us had different residences, Jean lived on Olympic near La Cienega and I lived just off La Cienega near Burton Way in Los Angeles
I had just changed PR firms at this point and wanted to spend some time with the fish before I burrowed myself back into the insanity of the Music Business. We left LA on a clear and hot Friday afternoon, driving straight through Bishop ( the freshly mowed alfalfa smelled wonderful ) to Ely, Nevada – arriving at 3 AM where we spent a few hours in the most less than rustic motel that I have ever been in (It didn’t matter). We continued on, early the next morning, towards Green River, Utah. Just outside that speed trap, I was pulled over by a cigar chomping constable and fined for the same. He had me follow him into that oil spot, leading me to the local Justice of The Peace where I could immediately pay my fine (in cash) of course.As we stepped into the JP’s office, his wife came in and stated that her hubby wasn’t in but that I COULD make payment directly to her. She opened a roll top desk and wads of greenbacks spilled out of the desk and dumped onto the floor (retirement funds, no doubt). I paid my fine and eased out of town. For many years afterwards, I made a point of depositing bodily fluids whenever I crossed the state line into or out of that desert domain. It felt GOOD!
We continued on through Grand Junction and Glenwood Springs arriving in Aspen early on Saturday evening. We stayed with Stefan and Stascha Kaelin. They owned Kaelin Swiss Sports in Aspen and were great hosts.
Jean in front of the Kaelin house, September, 1978
The next morning, I stopped by Chuck Fothergill’s to pick up some gear – where my friend George Odier commented on my recent acquisition. Then, it was on to the Roaring Fork. We parked, ate some lunch and rigged up at Woody Creek Bridge.
Jean caught her first Rainbow down there, September, 1978
We used Rat Faced McDougals and Adams dry fly patterns. I wanted Jean to experience the thrill of seeing a big fish grab a surface fly. She had some inital problems getting her casting stroke down. However, by the end of the day, she a hooked and released a number of excellent fish.
Jean, laying out a cast, Roaring Fork River, Sept., 1978
We fished together for the next several days on the Fork and on the Frying Pan. Her angling skills increased with each outing and she got into several nice fish at this spot on the ” Pan”.
That obstruction in the center of the flow holds good fish in front, both sides and in the slow water behind the rock. I hooked a really big fish on the near side in ’75 that broke me off when it dove under the rock.
Jean takes a break, Aspen, Sept., 1978 ( band aid from fly wound – see below)
Most of our evenings were spent clubbing in Aspen which was a great place to pursue that activity. Also,the restaurants were great and less expensive in those days.
The Frying Pan, Sept., 1978
” No, you don’t UNDERSTAND – I WANT those sunglasses”
Jean rigs up on the Roaring Fork
On the fourth day, Jean was fishing a stretch of the “Pan” below me when I heard her let out a scream. She had hooked herself in the finger with a # 14 Adams. As I made my way out of the water to the road side, I saw a Game Warden approaching Jean. He asked her for her license ( yeah) and she proffered that she couldn’t reach it in her back pocket with the fly stuck in her finger. He offered to help ( how convenient) but noticed me approaching and demurred. That effectively stopped the day’s fishing. She wouldn’t let me push it through, crush the barb and pull it back out. We finally did that and looped a section of tippet material in the bend when we got back to Stefan’s. I paid for that – later that night (no comment).
PT on the “Pan”, Sept., 1978
Jean coming off the Roaring Fork, Sept., 1978 and…
Getting prepped for a night out in one or two of Aspen’s many restaurants and clubs to be followed by ….
Nymphet on a rock, Roaring Fork River, Sept., 1978
I had a client who called me and was becoming OBNOXIOUS and all kinda’ clingy so it was necessary for us to head back to Los Angeles. We spent a last night in Aspen with the Kaelin’s and headed out for Grand Junction the next morning. We spent a final (great) night in a small motel outside of Salina, Utah and arrived back in SMOGVILLE the next afternoon…
Jean said, ” I wanna’ come back to Aspen….and, will hold this position until I do….
We came back…( and she held several other unique positions before that happened)….
Grainy B&W Retro…
But, that is – another story…..
NEXT: Sleuthing the Owens Valley and the East Walker River with Jean
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Another nice stretch of water among the islands in the channels section of the Madison River, Valley Gardens…Near Ennis, MT…
Michael working to the bank on the Stillwater River, MT…
Outdoor dining at Montana Hanna’s, between Fishtail and Nye, MT….yummy…
Ally, bankin’ it on the Madison River, channels section…
Ally, on a hot and humid day on The Madison River, MT…
There be some big TROUT, just around the bend!!!…
Michael with a nice Trout below Varney Bridge…
Looking down towards Ennis, MT…that is a FIRE starting in the Gallatins to the right hand side of the photo…Ally and I drove down fro Gardiner to Livingston two days later at night…the fire had become HUGE…
Up at $3.00 Bridge on the Madison…”The River is right over there!”…
Ally and Michael “pow-wow” on the Madison…planning the evening’s strategy…
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