Bitter Sweet Short Season?s End

We enjoyed yet another very special family summer on board. The meter shows 55 hours between our seasonal goal posts of Memorial Day to Labor Day. This excludes countless hours anchored, drifting, swimming, fishing, beached, or boat camping which would easily double the runtime count above. Fresh trout grilled astern. Dad experienced the joy of teaching the kids to water ski and also strapping on a slalom ski myself for the first time in 30 years.

Home port is 8,300? elevation surrounded by the Rocky Mountain National Park, Continental Divide, and Never Summer Mountain Range (an elegant description of our boat season). September is the finest part of the year in Colorado, though this past Sunday was likely the last run in high country, as it snowed Monday morning. It was just me and my five-year old son, as the girls had to get ready for other school stuff.

We cast off at 5pm, watched the piercing blue sky turn to alpenglow, framed by peak Aspen gold leaves and majestic peaks. Other than another dozen or so craft spread out over our 7,200 acre lake, it was just us and a two bald eagles fishing for dinner. Last brief swim of the season in 55F water temps. It was pure, sweet, magical.

We had many other joyous days just like it this summer. Memories were recreated for our kids, quite similar to those that we still reminisce over from our own childhoods.

The difference this outing, was that it drew tears pulling her out for the long winter?s nap.

Someone give me a tissue.

Re: Bitter Sweet Short Season?s End

Definitely a little bittersweet, but how cool is it that you can look forward to more next season. Great post moose.

Re: Bitter Sweet Short Season?s End

great description. When you appreciate it, it doesn't matter that it's so short; it's still worth it.

Our summer season is now over (first cool weather came in this week) but that starts the fall season. Each season is a different style of boating and different range of activities. I look forward to each one, except the winter season after the striper season ends when it's too cold for cruising and nothing much to catch.

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Nice post Moose, I can picture it in my head. Wether we want it or not, hard water season is upon us. I find putering around with the boat in the garage helps to ease those long months.

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Further south and a lot lower elevation and you get to boat year 'round and no need for tissues or sniffles.

Our water temps are still in the 80's and we're still getting a suntan with just a t-shirt on.

Re: Bitter Sweet Short Season?s End

Oh man Moose, what a great post. We had a similar summer, just not at 8300 ft.

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^Thanks all. Glad I am not the only one who actually enjoys preparing the seductress for hibernation. Cheers to another great season.

In camp for the night:



Flyer:



First Time:



Water Bugs:



We don't exactly suffer in the Winter up here:

Re: Bitter Sweet Short Season?s End

Gonna be -6 here by the weekend. I would expect snow before to long.
Nearly time for moose hunting.

Re: Bitter Sweet Short Season?s End

Wow, its still 100+ here during the day, cooling off a little at night but the lake water temp will be in the low 80's and high 70's well into October. I wish my boat was running so i could be out on the water, but all next season hopefully.

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Good Post. Fall is coming here time to get the snowmobiles ready.

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wow .... talk of snow and it isn't even October .... I don't know of a single snowmobile in the state but I guess that it could be possible that there is one around somewhere

Jim

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JEBar,

Snowmobiles are really fun with so much power it is hard to hold onto...like driving a rocket bike motorcycle. They also go across water but the steering is not always the best. Still they are not as fun as boats.

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Just a warning, this is not a snowmobile. Yes I know you drove it up from the city on a snowy road, it cannot be used as a snowmobile.

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moosehead said:

We don't exactly suffer in the Winter up here:

Click to expand...

I'd rather be boating... much rather be boating!

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Great photos moosehead!

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Great post Moosehead. We can boat year round here, but I always feel that way after our last trip of the summer, just before the older kids go back to college.

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Last year, put her away during a sparkling 60F day. The Horror.

I'm holding out to the bitter end this year.

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I understand your pain although when I lived in Yankee Land we had through October at least. One day I woke up and said "no mo sno" and moved to SE NC where the boat is never winterized and used 12 months a year. Tough during winter when only redfish, specs, and little else is biting. The ocean is rough most days ...... today it was 86 on the Atlantic and will drop to the 60s tonight-- fall is almost here.

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Must say Snowmobiles are the most fun you can have with a engine.

Re: Bitter Sweet Short Season?s End

Moose that was a great post! Your setup is great for camping too. It's on my list of things to do with the kids next summer. We love doing both, but have never mixed the two! This will be fun!