Ahhhhhhh-ctober

October has always been one of my favorite months of the year. 

 

From 1997 through ~2009, a group of my friends and co-workers - and eventually our sons - got together on a 3-day paddling/fishing trip on the north branch of the Susquehanna. The number of folks attending varied over the years, as did the location and sleeping accommodations. From tents and spider-filled MASH units in the woods @ Quick's Bend,  to the luxurious Seldom Inn II @ Falls, to EMO's rustic cabins @ Sugar Run, we varied our venues over the years to paddle & fish new sections of the river and check out new eateries.

From Sammy's to the Wyalusing Hotel to Victory Pig to my (in)famous road kill chili, we have stories to tell that, hopefully, we'll be able to share again at late night campfires in the years ahead.

 

Did I ever tell the one about the noisy brawl that took place in the middle of the night when we were tent-camping @ Quick's Bend between two squirrels raccoons black bears cougars? Okay, there was a fight between two unidentified critters that destroyed my Coleman camping lantern...and I'm sticking to that version of the story.

 

Unfortunately...I slept through it, but others didn't.

 

Anyway, here are a few pics taken over the years from our October trips.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then there was "The Paddle", the award given to the person who caught ( and released ) the biggest fish on that year's trip. The fish below, an ~18" smallmouth bass, was the one of the many winners I had over the years.  

 

 

 

Above/Below: Transfer of "The Paddle" for another year.

 

As well, October is usually when the first heavy frost hits in our area, and my garden has kicked pepper production into high gear. And although I don't have any huge pumpkins underway, the ever-expanding pumpkin plant may soon qualify for its own zip code.

 

 

Have a great early fall weekend, folks.