Monday, February 22, 2010

A return from the land of the Patagone....

Mount Picacho...southern Chile
Patagonia is derived from the Portuguese word "pata" meaning feet. Magellan (was actually of Portuguese descent, not Spanish...Spain funded his expedition) used the term "patagone" to describe the native people who he thought to be giants...the people with "big feet"(..."gone" is still of unknown origin & meaning). The Patagones were actually Tehielchees Indians who averaged 1.8 meters (5'11") in height compared to 1.55 meters (5'1"); the average Spaniard of the times.


So, last week I arrived back from southern Chile...and no luggage!! After a nervous 1-1/2 days both bags arrived. I was relieved; one bag had about $3500 worth of fly fishing gear. with that issue settled; I unpacked and then prepared for the Pleasanton Fly Fishing Show, February 26-28. I'll be in the Truckee Guide NetWork booth...come by.


In the interim I'm getting a bit pressed for time to prepare for the show...so I'll delay a thorough report/images.


Suffice it to say that it rained 90% of the time...and February is the prime "summer" month?! Fish were caught but not in the numbers I anticipated for the group I "hosted" at the Picacho Lodge (http://www.picacholodge.com/) during 2/6-13/10. Everyone had a great time; a couple may return. Rio Emperor Guillermo ...an unnamed "laguna" outflow