Chucker makes a Friend

This picture was taken in the grassy camping area of the Columbia Gorge Amphitheater the morning after a triple bill of the Doobie Brothers, Allman Brothers and The Dead. The three principal members of the World Renown HOY7 Hunting Team, along with Chucker, left Saturday morning for the long drive to northeastern Washington. Although we had a slight 1 hour detour we made it to the venue in time to miss the Doobies entirely. I, for one, was hoping to yell "China Grove" as loud as possible several times while displaying dual peace signs.

The Allmans and The Dead played well and I think I can say a good time was had by all. Today's post however has to do with Koala Girl. Chucker found her at the bazaar that always seems to accompany a Dead Show. She impressed him with her obvious stellar fashion sense and good humor. Chucker rewarded her for her wit and acumen with a valuable commodity, "a good beer", not the crappy budweisers we were all drinking. If you notice Koala Girl has that beer in her hand in this very picture. The amazing part of this story is that this commodities exchange happened at roughly 2am. Even more amazing is that seconds before we left Koala Girl happened to walk by our campsite, out of the thousands, holding the very same beer. Needless to say Chucker gave her another one. She seemed thirsty.

May Heston Bless you Koala Girl and keep you safe in your travels.
GBCH

Fly Fishing with the HOY7 Hunting Team

Last week we headed out to the mighty Deschutes river in central Oregon to do a little fly fishing. Once again Cliffy was the team leader for the trip due to his extensive knowledge of all things fishing. Regular readers of the blog will remember that last year only Cliff caught fish and everyone else failed miserably, this year things were going to be different.

Leaving Portland early we arrived at the put in around 9 or so, loaded up the boat and headed off down the river. The weather, which had been rainy and cold all week long in the city, was perfect. We stopped and fishes some riffles on the way to our camping spot and the first fish was caught by none other than your author, Bob D. I have no picture of the mammoth beast I wrestled from the raging river, after all it is catch and release, but I can tell you that it was one mighty big fish, perhaps the biggest ever caught by a human. We fished some more and finally made camp well before nightfall.

Fred G provided the lunch of various gourmet sea creatures, bread, chirrizo and cheese. By now some beers had been consumed and the great BB gun challenge could not be far off. I wish I could tell you I went 10 for 10 this time around but the course this year was very challenging and after my epic battle with the great river fish I could not seem to steady my hand enough to hit all ten cans. My team members must have had similar problems because nobody made 10 for 10 this trip, however Fred did seem to want something other tahan the BB gun because he kept betting with 'shotguns' we didn't even have. 2 for 4

I can't rightly remember who made dinner but I do remember that it was another delicious feast of large proportions. shortly after I hit the sack. We may have been up later but due to my huge oversight in the actual number of BBs we were to fire off that day the game of 10 can ended early. I slept soundy in spite of the seemingly large number of heat lightning strikes centered around my and Cliffys tents, they were followed by a sound not unlike a camera shutter, puzzling?

The next morning We packed up and pushed off back down the mighty Deschutes for more fishing. Fred G caught his first and I'm sure Cliff caught many as well. I for one chose to protect the remaing fish in the river by napping on the grassy areas, waking only to assist Cliff from not being carried away by the river and to contemplate the value of jalapino bagles. We got off the river and after a perfectly uneventfull normal and safe ride home we put a close to the H7HT fishing trip of 09

GBCH

A note from Jiggitty Jeff......

Hoy 7 Hunting Team Until Now

Not affiliated with the HOY7 hunting team

The Provvista Family Feature Staff Member of the Month....and A Hoy 7 Hunting Team Member

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Andy Vershaw
Andy Vershaw came to Provvista 3 ½ years ago from long-time customer 3 Doors Down, where he was the sous-chef. Andy has many roles here; besides his warehouse and driving duties, Andy heads up Provvista’s safety committee and is especially passionate about ergonomics. He’s implemented many beneficial workplace improvements for which our collective backs are very grateful. For his first 3 years here he ran the highly acclaimed Provvista Lunch Program, cooking for the staff several days per week and coordinating the other contributing chefs. Andy is the consummate outdoorsman: he hunts, fly-fishes in his drift boat on Oregon rivers, climbs mountains, caters outdoor trips for outfitters, forages for mushrooms, and runs in the backcountry.

In His Own Words: Originally from Napa, Ca., I moved to Portland about 6 years ago and never looked back. I flew up here a month before hand to visit a friend, and when I went back to California I immediately gave my 30 day notice. Besides being a workaholic, I devote the majority of my time to killing hatchery fish (to pave the way for our native runs.) When I’m not in my drift boat battling with bait casters, you can find me in my kitchen playing with offal’s, running hills in the wilderness, sitting on a peak, skiing into a lookout or infusing vodka with chanterelles. GO BLAZERS!!!!!!!

Must-have Provvista Products in My Pantry: Oregon Jewel Wild Rice, Agrumato XV with lemon, Scalia anchovies, Pomodoracio, Sapori d’ Napoli pasta, Courtney’s ‘Yes You May’ box.
Little-Known Facts About Me: I have a short left index finger because I peeled the top of it off.I’m deathly afraid of snakes!I won the Native Fish Society fish-a-thon in 2008, and raised the most money for the organization in the process.I used to own a 40-ft school bus, which some buddies and I fixed up right after high school to tour with the Dead. Just before we were to head out on tour, we stopped for breakfast after a camping trip and saw that Jerry Garcia had died. We then scrapped the plan and scrambled to get into college. I love it when Donald Trump says, “You’re FIRED!”

A Ducky Story

Who Can't Drink Out Of this Bottle?

Tragedy in the mountains.

Ski-Base jumping skier Shane McConkey dies in freak mountainside accident while filming stunt

By Nathaniel Vinton
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Murray/AP

Extreme skier Shane McConkey in a rare moment of rest in Milford Sound, New Zealand.

Influential and daring skier Shane McConkey died Thursday after falling from a 2,000-foot cliff while performing for cameras in northern Italy. He was 39.

McConkey was unable to deploy his parachute during a 12-second freefall from the Saspardoi cliff in the Dolomite Mountains, according to a news release from Colorado-based ski-film company Matchstick Productions.

An innovator of ski-BASE jumping – in which athletes ski off massive cliffs with a parachute in their hand – McConkey starred in dozens of ski films, as well as the 2007 mainstream release "Steep," a documentary about the history of daredevil skiing.

The grisly accident occurred while McConkey was performing on a trip sponsored in part by Red Bull energy drinks, the company whose logo was often emblazoned on McConkey’s parachute.

A former ski racer who hailed from a prominent skiing family in California, McConkey’s exploits in exotic mountain ranges and his innovations in ski technology are credited with for skiing’s resurgence in the late 1990s, after snowboarding had made the sport look moribund.

"You could almost go so far to say he was the Michael Jordan of skiing," said Scott Gaffney, a filmmaker who worked with McConkey for the past 15 years. "He has left a lasting impression, and he was still going. He still put in an incredible year last year."

McConkey was also a risk-taker who clearly relished the sport’s rebellious roots and often cracked jokes about the dangerous situations he put himself in.

A witness to the fatal accident was J.T. Holmes, a ski-BASE jumper who often collaborated with McConkey – including in a 2007 jump off the Eiger, one of Switzerland’s iconic peaks.

Holmes, who had reportedly just jumped the same cliff, described the accident to the author of a news release distributed Friday by Matchstick Productions.

"McConkey performed a double backflip from the cliff and planned to release his skis and then fly in his wingsuit, a stunt he's executed a number of times," said the announcement.

"But when both skis failed to release upon tugging on straps leashed to his legs, McConkey went into an upside down position as he manually attempted to release his bindings."

According to the announcement, McConkey ultimately succeeded in detaching his skis but didn’t have time to adequately slow his descent with his parachute.

McConkey is one of the only big-mountain skiers (the term "extreme skiing" is outdated) to have an entire ski film dedicated to him alone. The 2001 film, directed by Gaffney, is called "There’s Something About McConkey."

In his films and in ski magazine he occasionally inhabited the role of "Saucerboy," a clownish persona that seemed to make fun of uncool skiers. He also recreated a famous James Bond skiing scene.

Breckenridge 2009

Don't these guys look just the same?

Free golf all summer long! *

*2006 Golf Digest 'America's best new courses' winner

R.I.P. Tamarack

Sometimes you feel lucky.......

Feted as hot new resort, ID's Tamarack goes bust

By JOHN MILLER
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

BOISE, Idaho -- Tamarack Resort in central Idaho billed itself as the first new destination ski resort in a quarter century when its first customers climbed aboard lifts in December 2004. Four years later, the resort operation, including lodging, is shutting down Wednesday, leaving owners of resort real estate once worth millions fearing the worst. Factors dooming Tamarack, at least for now, include a spending spree by French owner Jean-Pierre Boespflug that drained a $250 million construction loan, tight credit markets, collapsing resort real estate demand, foreclosure litigation and $20 million in unpaid construction bills.

Financiers at Credit Suisse Group are pulling the plug after a $2.8 million operating loss since Oct. 20 - "greater than the receiver (or anyone else) anticipated," according to court documents reviewed by The Associated Press. Mom-and-pop ski areas come and go, the victims of fickle weather and fickle finances. Where there were once more than 800 such U.S. resorts, there are now about 475. Still, to find a failed Western resort approaching Tamarack's size and aspirations, Michael Berry, president of the National Ski Areas Association, can recall only the 1974 demise of Stagecoach Ski Area, about 20 minutes from Colorado's Steamboat Springs.

Tamarack, on the shores of Lake Cascade reservoir, has seven lifts. Of 2,100 planned chalets, condos and town homes, only 250 are completed, near a Robert Trent Jones, Jr.-designed golf course.

Another 174 residences sit half done, a mountain lodge is similarly incomplete and the centerpiece Village Plaza required emergency measures late last year to protect it from winter's destructive forces. Tennis stars Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf bolted from a luxury hotel project, and Bank of America threatened to remove ski lifts after Tamarack missed payments. Credit Suisse and lenders it represents are now owed more than $275 million on the construction loan. They've committed to chipping in $1.7 million, on top of a previous bridge loan of $10 million in November, but the money is well shy of the cash needed to finish the ski season, let alone open up the golf course, Wilson said.

Meanwhile, George Bacon, Idaho Department of Lands director, said he has received Tamarack's $250,000 annual lease payment for the 2,100 acres of state land where the ski area is located. The next installment isn't due until January 2010. "The real telling point will be next year, to see if the lease is going to continue," Bacon said. "If the lease were to end, the state could look and see if there was someone else wanting to take over what remained."

A disturbing sign.

I recently saw this sign on my trip to Colorado. Many people might recognize this sign for what it is, a marker for caution in the upcoming terrain of the Arapaho Basin ski area. There is one person, however, that would see this a different way. That person of course is Jenny X. Jenny is thinking that it stands for him and his extreme way of life. I hate to be the one to break it to you Jennifer, it's not.

That Crazy Andy......

Kevin and I have crossed the border from Cambodia into Vietnam. The beach area of Cambodia was nice, but I did catch a stomach bug and that made traveling in a hot bus for hours a little miserable.
It was amazing crossing the border and seeing the difference....we went from a very free society to the communist goverment.....but we also went from dusty dirt roads and a lot of poverty to paved roads and a richer country with less poverty.

This area is the mekong delta area and sees a few tourists who usually do a package tour from Saigon about 9 hours from the border.......so we were treated to an unique experience staying in the local towns along the way....locals staring at us...and kids yelling helloooo!

We are a few hours from Saigon now....and have seen 3 floating markets, down a home stay on an island on the Mekong, and logged a bunch of hours on river trips.....usually not more then 5 to 10 dollars.....hotels about 5 -7 dollars.....and meals for about 1-3 dollars, so staying in budget has been very easy

I have about 4-5 days in Saigon before heading back to Bangkok for a couple of days....this trip is flying by!
Once again...I hope things are going well back home,
andy

Now That Hunting Season Is Over......

I got Me a Part Time Job

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so if any body needs anything done or knows of anyone

be sure to send them my way. Thanks.

Killing For the King

Major west winds

Bob and Cliffy

Two Greenies for Bob Hen each Cliffy and Fred G.

The History of Jenny X. Part XII

I recently received some photos from H7HT member and New Hampshire redneck Jenny X. As no text accompanied these photos I will create the only possible story that could go along with them.

"Dear Bob & Fred.
I have once again blazed a trail towards the future of duck hunting as it stands today. As you already know I have a boat, a Browning over-under & not 1 but 2 local gun clubs, along with many National and International awards. This, however, is my greatest contribution to the world of duck hunting ever and I wanted to share it with you at the H7HT Blog first. This season in response to your posting of the nearly impossible 'duck in the bag' shot I have created and perfected the newest in precision shooting techniques."

"Here is how we do it. My faithful retriever Ruger (also a world champion on many many levels) stands in the water among just a few blocks and one motorized attention grabbing decoy. Depending on wind speed and direction I carefully load the proper shell, one I have reloaded myself, into my gun. Waiting for the perfect altitude and trajectory I shoot down the duck with one perfectly placed shot and it falls from the sky. Now here's the tricky part. Ruger stands in the water and opens his mouth. The massive banded Greenie I just shot lands squarely between his teeth and he takes two steps and hands it to me. We then repeat this process 6 more times untill I limit out over the course of 20 minutes. Pretty sweet eh?"

"Just thought you would like to hear of this first before I take my newly created show on the road with the OLN channel. They are taking us on a multi Nation tour to show other less gifted hunters such as yourselfs, how to maximize their potential. Perhaps when we are in the Portland area I will stop in to chastize you on you minimal duck counts and let you pet my dog."

All my best,
Jenny X.

Goodbye Old Friend Billy Powell

Second from right

Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboardist Billy Powell dies aged 56.

One of the members of the band's original lineup to have survived the 1977 plane crash has died of a suspected heart attack . Billy Powell, keyboardist with rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd, and an unofficial member of the Hoy 7 Hunting Team, has died at age 56. He was one of the members of the band's original lineup to have survived the 1977 plane crash, which killed two of his band mates and their assistant manager.
A report by Press Association says the cause of death is a suspected heart attack. Powell had a history of heart problems and is said to have called Fred G. yesterday to say he was having trouble breathing. An ambulance was dispatched to the musician's home but he could not be resuscitated and was pronounced dead. Fred G. was later overheard saying to an official "B Serf? What B Serf? I did not give Billy any B Serf."
Powell grew up in Texas, where he began playing air piano at an early age with good friend Robert C. Da Folder. He became a roadie for Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1970, when the band had gone through a number of name changes including the Noble Five and One Percent. By the time Ronnie Van Zandt and co settled on their final incarnation, Powell had been promoted to keyboardist. The Southern rock group went on to enjoy considerable success throughout the mid 70s after scoring a smash hit with their 1974 song Sweet Home Alabama. However, a plane crash in McComb, Mississippi in 1977 killed singer Ronnie Van Zandt, guitarist Steve Gaines and manager Dean Kilpatrick, leaving Powell with severe facial injuries. The remaining members of the band reunited in 1987 with Johnny Van Zandt, brother of Ronnie, as singer, and Lynryd Skynyrd were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. Good friend and confidant Robert C. Da Folder was asked what he will miss most about the famed keyboardist and he said "Me and Billy go back a long way, but one thing that sticks out in my mind is, he always wanted to go hunting with the Hoy 7 Hunting Team and I thought this was the year. Shame, crying shame."
Powell's death yesterday comes after he missed a scheduled appointment with his heart specialist earlier in the week that was understood that Fred G. was suppose to take him to. Fred G. was spotted in Portland Oregon. Fred G. later said "No Comment!" Billy is survived by his wife and four children.

Day 22

Today was a sad day on many levels. The end of the season, no ducks to fold & anticipation of the next day's hunt is irrelevant. I am still amazed by the level of dedication this team possesses even on the last day of the season. We follow all the standard H7HT protocols and all the traditions right up to the last day. There were some bright spots to the day however, we were joined by Charter Member Cliffy V. and witnessed yet another new addition to the HOY 7 Hunting Team. Ladies and Gentlemen welcome Max G. to the team.

This week we were lucky enough to have two new members. Mr Jim G, and Fred's Chinese Brother Max. I'm sorry to say that we were unable to provide any worthwhile killing opportunities for Max but I believe a good time was had by all. I'd tell you about the day but it's the same old story you already know, so instead I'll just leave you with the knowledge that next years hunting season is only 9 months away. Goodbye 2008/09 season.
F.G. 9 kills
B.D. 6 kills
C.V. 2 kills
GBCH

(P.S. next year you die Greeine!)