Two week countdown

Hard to believe we are so close to moving out of California and into steelhead country. A seriously long process that is almost over. A friend threw us a going away party and it sunk in that we won't be here much longer. This is really happening! Yikes.

Packing has been a major pain in the butt. Anyone that has ever moved knows what I'm talking about. I just want these two weeks to go by as fast as possible.

On the fishing front, I've made arrangements to have my waders repaired. In fact, they are going to send me a brand new pair of their latest model. How sweet is that? I may actually be dry over a whole day of fishing.

I'm already thinking about where I want to fish first after getting unpacked. Lots of rivers in the area are starting to pull into shape with summer runs moving in. The North Umpqua is really high right now, so that may not be the best choice. But, in the Portland area, you have the Sandy, Hood, Clackamas, and Deschuttes looking good. Frankly, I'm overwhelmed by the choices within an hour of our new home.

A good resource for fishing conditions is here. I'll be watching it closely.

Okay, enough typing. Back to packing.

One Step Closer

Well, it finally happened. Closing has come and gone and our house is no longer our house. We will be renting back until July 31st, so we have a bit of time before we are kicked out.

I would imagine if everything goes as planned, we will be moving up to the Portland area sometime in the middle of July. After the dust has settled, I will hopefully get out and find a day to fish. It has been so long, that I've honestly forgotten the last time I went. I'll have to refer to this blog to know for sure. (I knew this thing would come in handy for something!!)

Leaving California is tough. I've been here for more than 20 years and have spent almost my entire adult life either in San Francisco or Los Angeles. There are a lot of great memories here.

When I first moved to Los Angeles from St. Louis, I was in shock. It was a total 180 from what I was comfortable with. But I quickly fell in love with California. Being young and in Los Angeles was an incredible time. It gave me all sorts of stories to tell and experiences to remember. What a crazy time in my life.

When moving to San Francisco, I had even more adjustment problems than when I went to LA. In fact, I hated it up here. It took more than a year to accept it. Eventually it grew on me and became home. Fingers crossed that I'll love Oregon/Washington just as much. This time, I'll have my wife and son with me to make the transition with someone.

Sorry this blog has been such a snooze fest. I hope that things turn around soon and I can get out on the water and share my entirely new experiences with you soon!

Light at the end of the tunnel - Leaving California?

It is already March and I haven't done any fishing, nor have I gone skiing this year. How depressing. Between working non stop on my normal career stuff and fixing up the house to get it on the market, there hasn't been much time for fun stuff.

The good news is that I can see a light at the end of the tunnel. I've managed to do most of the repairs and only have a few rooms left to paint. I should be done sometime this month if nothing interrupts the process.

If all goes as planned, we will sell our house in the not so distant future and get outta here. After nearly 20 years in California, I'm sad to say that we are getting out of dodge. I love the place. At least I love most of it. The beauty is incredible and the people can be great. There is so much to see and do. Unfortunately, the state has gone to hell in a hand basket and I don't see things improving. The cost of living is ridiculous and now that we have a son and hope to have another child, it would be nice to spend less time working and more time doing family things. (The idea that you can get twice the house on twice the amount of land at half the cost is crazy. That equates to less working and more time with family and of course-- fishing.)

My wife and I are lucky enough to have careers that allow us to go elsewhere. We are both self employed and can set roots just about anywhere. It will be sad and very strange to not be living in California anymore.

Where are we going? Will there be any blog posts in the future? I somehow convinced my wife to move to the Portland, Oregon area. The heart of steelhead country! She actually has friends there, so it wasn't as hard as it would of been otherwise. Whatever the case, I'm so excited to have this opportunity. There are dozens of great and famous steelhead rivers within a short drive. Even the North Umpqua is not too far away. It will be incredible. And I plan to continue with this blog- reporting on those rivers.

Some of you may recall myself going to Oregon to fish the Umpqua and then going up to Portland. That was actually a top-secret reconnaissance mission to scope out the area and find potential neighborhoods to live in.

For my friends in California that I've met through this blog, it will be sad not fishing with you. However, I'd gladly show any of you around the Oregon/Washington rivers I become familiar with down the line. Just give me a bit to figure things out, unless of course you want to figure it out with me. Everyone is invited.


Seeya in Oregon! (Due to the current market, selling the house may take more time than I'd like. So, I'll be doing plenty of fishing here in the Sunshine state before we have moved. And of course the reports will start up again at that time.)