I am particularly excited about a new friend in Mobile Ala. that I have stalked come to know. I recently had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with Fox 10 Meteorologist Jason Smith and his adorable daughter Emma Krause.

Not only responsible for broadcasting the weather to the Bay area on a daily basis, Jason is an avid paddler, hunter, fisherman, and has his own television program “Jason Smith Outdoors”.

We talked paddling and in addition to sharing wonderful advice about canoeing local streams and rivers, he offered me the use of his canoe to train for the Texas Water Safari! Very, very kind.

Jason gave me a piece-by-piece tour of his boat, which happens to be the same 14’ v-jon boat that The Professor has, although they have tricked them out slightly differently. The boat builder, Mike Lasarge, is a local guy and Jason estimates there are only about a hundred or so of these microskiffs around. They are ideal for local outdoor activities including duck hunting in the delta, running the causeway, and stalking redfish in the marshes of Mississippi or Louisiana.

Of course we talked fishing – conventional and fly. He is incredibly familiar with the redfishing out of Hopedale, LA and I have to say, this in-the-know Weather Man predicted to me (in aching detail standing right in his own driveway) that our recent redfish trip would, in fact, be foiled by the forecast.

He was right.

THANK YOU Jason for a fun afternoon bantering about canoes and boats and push poles and fishing. I realize you report the weather and can’t actually control it, but I’m headed back your way soon and am hoping you will give us hope for a little redfish action in Hopedale?

Weather permitting of course…

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First and foremost I can’t wait to try these shirts. Tim Grizzell, founder of FITG, is a former Navy SEAL, athlete, husband, father of three, and inspirational entrepreneur. He designed these high-tech shirts “for the warrior athlete”. They are made from high-tech Cocona Fabrics which maximize a flash dry effect, regulating an athlete’s body temperature and…(attention all fishing guides and single moms on this next point)…and…means you don’t have to wash these shirts after you workout and sweat in them.

Oh, yeah. You heard me. Cha-ching! Finally, high-performance athletic clothing that caters to my innate sense of laziness.

GONE COCONUTS

I really haven’t thought so much about coconuts until I started training for this race, but now I feel like are everywhere in my life. My nutrition consigliore, Melissa, has me making hemp smoothies with spinach, berries and coconut water. Apparently the health benefits of coconuts are unparalleled.

And now Tim has me wearing coconut shirts.

This special Cocona Fabric is created from heating coconut shells to extreme temperatures, thus creating gobs of miniscule carbon particles that are imbedded permanently into the fabric. Apparently coconut carbon is also used to treat and filter air, as well as used as medicine in Europe and to remove toxins from overdose victims in emergency situations. When it comes to shirts, these coconut carbon particles manage the flash-dry process.

BUDS

I had a lovely conversation with Tim this week as we confirmed the details of our partnership. A former Navy SEAL and avid kayak paddler, he was intrigued with the intensity and sheer challenge of the Texas Water Safari. He shared incredible stories of his bootcamp experience in BUDS – Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL Training. Tim was BUDS Class 188.

Apparently in BUDS you are paired with a swim buddy and must stay with that swim buddy constantly, often tied together and/or paddling around in a boat, involved in long race exercises. Tim described extreme physical tests and recalled the feeling of being wet and sandy for days on end.

Hmm, sounds like the Water Safari all right! I just hope some of Tim’s badassery rubs off on Team Paddlefish.

FIRE IN THE GUT

The “Fire In The Gut” award is presented to the graduating Navy SEAL who displays the best attitude in 26-weeks of BUDS training. Tim has founded his company on the principles of motivation, strong will, and determination. He is focused on quality products that are eco-friendly and believes in giving back with his corporate endeavors.

Whether paddling in a race or loading a driftboat on a trailer on a steamy summer night in Montana, if you’re intrigued with these shirts, click here to learn more and purchase online.

Most importantly, I’d like to encourage you to become a fan of FIRE IN THE GUT on Facebook. Tim is creating a positive online community where he shares motivational messages for the warrior athlete in all of us.

I am already learning so much from Tim. Not to mention, I feel like just a little bit of a badass now that I am formally associated with a Navy SEAL – a big-hearted Navy SEAL, granted – but a badass Navy SEAL nonetheless.

HOO YAH!! CHARLIE MIKE!!

Via FITG Facebook: "Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a lion or a gazelle–when the sun comes up, you’d better be running." Sir Roger Bannister, 1st man to run a sub-4 minute mile

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I won’t ruin it by trying to…

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And my answer is, that depends on…

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So we were that much more excited for our second trip this past weekend, and we were booked with Louisiana redfish guide Travis Holeman. Spirits were high as the trip grew near. Once again I flew to Mobile and the Professor and I started monitoring the weekend weather. Unfortunately we had to pull the plug on Saturday – clouds and wind. But it seemed Sunday would be cold, calmer, clear and hopefully fishable.

Okay, one day of fishing. At least we’d get one day out of the four we’d been hoping for in January.

So wandering anglers that we are, we pointed the truck west and barreled down I-10 toward New Orleans. Only problem? I was on Day #3 of a multi-day migraine and I really thought my skull was going to implode and pulverize my brain into a dusty mass. My apologies to all the fine folks at that diner in Slidell where I almost got sick to my stomach. My head hurt so badly that I literally thought I was going to be ill from the mere presence of food and I spent most of the meal slumped over the table thinking I might faint.

My biggest concern was feeling better in time for my one day of fishing the next day.

The Professor forced me to eat a little – which helped. And strangely the familiar glow and pulse of New Orleans (one of my favorite home-away-from-home cities) relaxed me and served as a surefire panacea as we drove through town toward the hotel. Despite sleeping in the car I immediately took yet another nap and enjoyed the fact that the relentless pulsating tide of pain in my temples was finally starting to subside. Miraculously, I recovered just in time to step out for an early dinner at Galatoire’s.

I love Galatoire’s. Ages ago, I used to make a regular pilgrimage to Galatoire’s with one of my bestest friends and spend about four hours having a wine soaked lunch with every single course. Thrilled to be back, I poured over the menu options, debating between a filet and the specialty chicken but ultimately accepted our waiter’s passionate plea for the pompano, joking to the Professor, “with my luck, this could be the only fish I see all weekend!”

Grilled pompano with crabmeat, garlic french bread and escargot, bread pudding bananas foster. And a touch of red wine. Granted I veered way off my training diet, but before the migraine set in last week I had been a maniac on the rowing machine, elliptical and treadmill, so I felt I could indulge. Hey, it was only a few hours earlier that I thought I was heading toward the light and meeting my maker in a po-boy dive somewhere off I-10 in Slidell Louisiana, so I was going to celebrate my astonishing recovery at one of my oldest and most favorite restaurants.

After a lovely dinner we tucked ourselves away early despite the call of the quarter. We set three alarms and scheduled a wake up call and fell asleep with visions of big redfish.

We ventured out just before light, followed directions we’d been given and met Travis at Penny’s Cafe for breakfast. Unfortunately the clear skies we were counting on were tucked behind a thick blanket of clouds, and Travis calculated the wind chill was going to be about zero. Nevertheless, we ordered veal cutlet po-boys for our boat lunch and swapped fishing stories over eggs and coffee while we waited to see what the weather was going to do. After a full meal the night before I was trying to exercise a modicum of self discipline with my scrambled eggs but I am here to tell you the roasted biscuits that Travis ordered looked sublime. I can’t tell you how many times I almost stuck my fork over on his plate and shanghaied a bite for myself. Next time at Penny’s, I am getting the biscuits.

We grabbed our veal cutlet po-boys to go and agreed to journey on to the marina to assess the weather.

We kicked around the parking lot for a spell but Travis called Time of Death on the expedition about 9ish. It was brutally cold, the wind was whipping and the clouds were locked-in overhead. As disappointed as we were to lose out on yet another fishing day, we cannot say enough nice things about Travis. He was cool as all get out about it, totally honest and direct about the diminishing prospects and we all agreed to re-book as soon as possible. I was thrilled to get to know him a little and truly look forward to getting on the water with my new friend Travis soon.

Thank God for the pompano. A couple of fishless vagabonds, we hopped back in the truck and hit the trail back to Mobile where we ate our boat lunch on the couch watching Robert Redford in “The Great Waldo Pepper.” New Orleans was great fun, Travis was cool as hell, the po-boy was yummy and my migraine was gone. All good stuff. But when you really break things down, this isn’t exactly the red I though I would have in hand at two in the afternoon this past Sunday.

Winter fishing has driven me to day drinking.

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