The Five on My List

1.Venice w/ Tra.  2.Do The Snake w/ Brooke. 3.An African Hunt 4.Pursue Cut Throats via the fly on Missoula, Montana's Blackfoot River. 5.Thru-hike The Appalachian Trail solo.

I. Tracey has always wanted to go to Venice and If you know me, you know I'm a foodie.  With that being said,  why not dream of Italy. In the many thoroughfares of water, I want to be able to take a gondola venture to San Marco, eat real pizza, see all the architectural art.  The trip is not the goal as much as giving Tra her dream. Sorry Brooke, this one for mom and me.

II. If you know Brooke, you know she is a river nut.  Every day that she thinks we can get a trip in on the river she pushes me until I take her.  Our kayaks have logged a many  o' miles on the mighty Ararat. I don't know if it is the name or the location on the river that intrigues me the most, But The Snake is the river trip I dream off. Sorry Tracey, this one is for Brooke and me.

III. Not sure why on this on? Its not as much of a killing thing but a stalking thing.  It is a chance to hunt things that hunt us. In college, Josh and I would watch hunting videos form Africa (Black Death was our favorite.) That was the start I figure. Sorry family, I guess Josh will be with me on this.

IV.  This may go back to favorite movie of mine.  Fly fishing is a passion of mine, from tying my own flies to cooking my fish if catch. Taking Bill with me on this on. 

V.  Last on this list, but first on my bucket list. When I say Thur-hike, I mean only with the supplies I take in, non stop from Maine to Georgia. This should take seven months of my life, but not waisted.  I planning this when Brooke starts college. Sorry all, I'm only taking God with me on this one.


  

Thanks TT, Court and Ash for your post. They were the inspiration for this post. A little off from your format, but still Five.

New Year & New Me

First it was tobacco...Then in '10 Soda Pop !

'11 Processed Meat.

A few years ago I meet a guy by the name of Mac.

 He was from North-West Arkansas and traveled with a few of the most motley guys you could meet. These folks were the "Tile Guys" for a Walmart remodel I was on.  Lets just say, It was a really good thing they worked nights, due to the fact that they really didn't fit in around here in Mayberry. They worked really hard during the night and played really hard during the day!  Before they started work each day, their crew leader would bring their dinner/breakfast into their work area. These guys would always look a little rough and little gangster at this time, always wearing bandannas Tupac or maybe more thug biker style. And eat they would...tons of food,  One night I over heard one of the guys say...Mac, here is your veggie sub. The first thing that come to my mind was....Tree Hugging Hippie! The next few night I payed attention to their food selections, always no meat for Mac. OK...with me being an avid meat lover and a hunter, I had to ask. Are you some type of animal lover? Why don't you eat meat? Vegetarian? His reply was: NO,NO, and NO. I Love meat, but I have given up processed meat. The only meat I eat is from animals that I have killed myself or fish that I've caught myself. Not expecting that answer, I thought that was a really intriguing and got me to thinking. I had tons of questions....

This was in 2007.

I've researched this concept for a few years now. Eye Opening to say the least. I am not going into the details of my learnings, but now it is time for me to make this change... If you know me, you know that I am a pretty big guy that loves his food. This is good and bad for this venture... I have tried every-kind of meat possible, and liked most of them.

(Pig [Domestic and Wild], Beef, Chicken.

Mud Turtle and Squirrel, Family Favorites.

Gator, Rattle Snake, Frog, and Crayfish.

Any species of Fish, Crab, Shrimp, Squid, Oyster, Clam and Scallop.

White Tail, Bear, Raccoon, Rabbit, Moose, and Elk.

Even a few Bugs, Worms, and one Slug.)

I absolutely love venison and trout, and both are abundant around here.

 I once was told by a lady, you really will eat anything that doesn't eat you first.

 On the flip side of this, pork!!! until now, I have eaten pig nearly every day of my life. Breakfast will not be the same without it.

 Not to mention Mom's Souse meat...

To prepare myself, I been doing something called "Meat Free Sundays", And no I'm not doing this for religious reasons. Thou some of my concepts towards this I have taken from the bible. While I'm on this subject, one little funny note; When I was telling my Mom about this, the first reaction I got from her was this statement, "What type of religion are you into now?" 

With the help from Brooke, I butchered four White Tailed Deer this year. With eating venison only a couple times a week, this should last me till next hunting season or the next road kill...

My last Meat Meal was Mom's traditional New Year's day meal. Boy, and always, she really did it up right...Hog Jowls, Pork Ribs, Chicken Wings and Porter House Steaks.  Even the sides were seasoned with Fat Back.

I'm a week into it now and really miss some of the meat luxuries' from the past. Health wise, I feel ten times better and my systems work better. I've upped my non meat proteins and taking supplements / vitamins to offset the changes. 

By the way, I'm not depriving my wife and child from meat....no change for them.  Brooke does think I've lost my mind on this one, but she helps me stay in check.