A Thankful Thanksgiving

Could Be The Last Float Of the 2010 Season

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Dan and I headed to the Rappahannock put-in at Mott's Run after a manly breakfast at the 2400 Diner. Figured we better try and get one more Smallmouth trip in before the Wx really turns bad. We paddle for 30 minutes up stream, in the upper pool and floated back.

Ok so I owe Dan his guiding fee back after boating the only smallie of the day, a healthy 14"er on my Rebel Diving Crawfish.

 I tried all different color of Case Stix baits for Dan and even tied on another color Crawfish, to no avail. Skunk city. But still, the day started out cool and foggy and God rewarded us with a beautiful finish including a Redtailed hawk.

 We will look forward to the 2011 season.

Dan Beat Me Like A Drum!!

Today was our first time on the water all year. No fair.
I had the first one in the boat today, a healthy, 12" Rappahannock smallie, caught on the Rebel CrawFish.

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That didn't stop Dan from hauling in an amazing 17"er on a Case, White and Pepper Stix bait..

Dan's smallie was the biggest we have caught together. His previous record was a 16"er last year out of the same pool, below the Mott's Run access ramp.

30 minutes later, his guide put him on this 14.5" small with the same Case White Stix bait. The fish today were the healthiest we have seen them in 3 or 4 years.
I also have to say I am getting way to many photos in my collection of Dan's fish eating grin.

 To end this great day on the water we heard a tremendous splash, and turned to see this Bald Eagle (look for the golf ball in the tree) with a fish in his talons.

Jamaica - My Favorite Photos

After a week at Couples Swept Away, Negril, Jamaica with Valerie, I collected these my favorite photos.

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Segway Training

A week ago Molly and I had the opportunity to try out the Segway at Kevin Breen's birthday party.

Maggi and Travis were here for the weekend and we saw free training.

John, one of the trainers did a great job getting Valerie past her initial fears. He turned her into a pro in no times.

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NWS Snow Totals

Saturday, February 6, 2010 (http://capitalclimate.blogspot.com/)
New All-Time Snowfall Records At Washington Dulles, Baltimore, Wilmington
Midnight Update: This Is Also The 4th Highest 2-Day Storm Total In Washington History And The 2nd Highest At Washington National:
The 17.8 Inch Two-Day Storm Total Snowfall Recorded Today At Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Is The Second Highest Two-Day Storm Total Record...Second Only To The 18.7 Inches For National Airport From 18-19 February 1979. This Would Also Be The 4th Highest Two-Day Storm Total All-Time Snowfall For Washington Records Which Date Back To 1871...Behind Only The 27-28 January 1922 Knickerbocker Storm With 26.0 Inches...The 12-13 February 1899 Storm Which Produced 19.0 Inches...And The 18.7 Inches Which Fell 18-19 February 1979.
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Stafford Co., VA
Roseville 23.5" 530 PM 2/06
Stafford 17.0" 1200 PM 2/06

Fairfax Co., VA
Burke 25.0" 625 PM 2/06
Chantilly 28.0" 600 PM 2/06

Clarke Co., VA
Berryville 32.0" 230 PM 2/06

Fauquier Co.,
Marshall 32.0" 829 PM 2/06
Warrenton 27.0" 500 PM 2/06

Loudoun Co., VA
Dulles Int'l 32.4" 550 PM 2/06
Purcellville 30.0" 400 PM 2/06
Leesburg 28.0" 207 PM 2/06

Allegany Co, MD
Frostburg 36.0" 112 PM 2/06

Washington Co, MD
Hancock 30.5" 315 PM 2/06

Alaska, Virginia Style

It's been snowing since about 11:00 on Friday.

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Very hard to determine just how much snow has fallin. We had a few hours last night of a sleet rain mix so the totals could have been 6-8 inches more.

While we were shoveling this morning I guessed the rate was at least 2" per hour.

Washington Post Weather Gang 1:30pm 2/6/2010
Incredible snow totals continue to increase throughout the metro area. Widely divergent accumulations (interactive map) range from as little as 15" (mainly to the south and southeast) to over 30" (north and west). While radar indicates snow is starting to decrease in intensity, another 2-4" is possible (highest additional snow south and east). Light to occasionally moderate snow should taper off from west to east between 5 and 6 p.m. Some very light, non-accumulationg snow or flurries may linger until between 8 and 10 p.m. Blowing snow will continue to be an issue with winds from the north at around 20 mph, with higher gusts.

As of 1 p.m., (these numbers are preliminary) Reagan National (DCA) has accumulated 16", putting it #8 on the all-time list, just behind December's Snowpocalypse (16.4"). It should pass that number in the next hour or two. The seasonal total is about 43", putting it in third place all time (behind 1995-1996, 46"; and 1898-99, 54.4"--though the station was at 24th and M St then). BWI (Baltimore-Washington International) has accumulated 26.5" (as of 12:30 p.m.), just 0.3" shy of its all-time record (it may have surpassed that number by now.

Quantico Crows

LZ Falcon was about 120 x 350 yard in size. We set our blind on the northwest side because we wanted the wind and rain/snow/sleet to our back. To start, we really didn't know what direction the black bandits might come in from.
Me, JFC, 1940 Browning A5 12 gauge.
RPC is ready, Stevens, pump 12 gauge. Photo is looking Southwest down the length of the LZ. We had our back to the woods.

We used burlap camo from Gander held in place by 60" tall, green garden stakes and wire ties from Lowe's.

We started with 5 decoys set out about 30-35 yards. The other side of the LZ was all 6-10' pines. We met at 1 pm in heavy rain/sleet/snow mix but decided to go for it anyway. Just as we got the decoys set and the blind in place, about 1:45, it stopped raining. Before we could get in place and shotguns loaded we heard and then saw two separate flocks of crows heading out from their roosts across the LZ from us. I managed a high passing shot on one with no luck. About 2:30 - 3:00 we heard one from our back. I started calling with the H.S. Strut Hammerin' Crow Call and he was heading our way. Bob and then I ended up with a shot as he came in right to left heading for the decoys. Crows 2 - RPC/JFC 0.

After our second encounter it got pretty slow. I retrieved one decoy and put it up about 15 feet high in a tree, off to our right. About 4:00 we heard one calling from across the LZ. I started calling back and in he came. RPC caught sight of him first and said, "you take him this time". "Where?". I said. "Straight ahead, just above the decoys" Crows 3 JFC 0. Keep you head down fool, I thought to myself. And that was it for the action. We bagged everything up at sunset 5:15 and headed back to the cars. We both decided that it had been WAY TOO LONG since either of us had been out in the woods and plans are afoot to go after the black bandits again.

Crosman 1377 ~ Before and After

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Above is the 1377 with the original plastic breech and brass bolt handle and rather cheap 459MT scope mounts designed to "clamp" on the barrel.

The scope was the $10, Leaper red dot and I found that the barrel would rotate with very little effort.

Here is the 1377 with the new Crosman all steel breech installed. VERY solid mount with the 3/8" dovetail scope mount built into the top of the breech. Plus there is an allen head set screw that hold the barrel from moving.

I have tweaked the trigger spring a little but wasn't to sure how far I wanted to compress it until I shot the gun enough to learn the trigger.

The great thing was that the breech extended forward enough that the red dot didn't interfere with the loading port.

Just had to throw in one photo of my Yuengling pellet trap. There are 3, dollar store rag throw rugs folded inside with a couple layers of cardboard. Oh yeah, it was fun emptying the case too.