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@HauseOfCards Backcountry Hunters and Anglers are having a pub night on Wed in midtown. That would be a good place to meet some people. I will be there with a few TU guys. Please join the New York Chapter of BHA to hoist a glass for public lands Wednesday, January 16 at 6 p.m. at American Whiskey in midtown Manhattan.

Keeping track of everything is a good idea and hitting benchmarks is a great motivator. Most people have no idea how many calories they eat daily and if asked, greatly underestimate the total. It's shocking what we eat. Of course, the real challenge comes after you've hit some goals and plateaued. That "long dark tea time of the soul" known as maintenance.

I kinda agree with this one.

^^ If that works. This is Martin Berkhan. At the time this pic was taken he was only eating at night. As I recall he ate a box of kids' cereal after his workout and ate a large dinner just before bed. So, like everything in life ... it depends.

Yeah, 7% is lean. It looks like this: There's some good information and some just information. The biggest challenge is finding the right diet and program that fits your lifestyle and psychological profile. In other words, what program can you stick with longest? The fat will come off from dietary choices. Exercise is great for the body, mind and soul, but this is mostly a calorie issue. Screwups/setbacks happen. The minute that last french fry goes down you're back on the program. Not tomorrow. Right then. Here's a little inspiration. Good luck.

Here's a quick shot from the top of small mountain after a three hour hike. This place is a paradise - hell to get here but once you do the wine is rich, the steak tender, and the fish slamming. I caught approx 45 fish yesterday including a brown that was the length of my fingertips to my armpit.

Spent the day with my wife and guide floating the Rio Chimehuin catching our share of Patagonian trout. At lunch, we discovered that my wife brought a banana on the boat. The fishing fell off and I took a hook in the face. Feliz Navidad.

Last week, I sent a nasty "old man yells at cloud" email to AMC for broadcasting the coloured version of Miracle on 34th St. Their name is American Movie Classics which suggests at least a passing interest in classic American movies. Anyway, I cry at the end of Love Actually. Every damn time.

Holy shit ... Patagonia. Just spent a day with an 88-year-old gaucho on a private day-long ride into a 5000 acre estacia, who shamed me with his energy, ease on a horse and joy of life. His skill with fire, meat and salt is unparalleled. The particular ranch was founded by a Texan named Jarred Jones and was the first in the region, originally 50,000 acres. Of historical note, in 1905 Jones entertained three Americans who heard about him and wanted to hear some english again. They were Butch Cassidy, The Sundance Kid and Etta Place. Damn.

I bet there's a story there.

There is: https://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/forum/index.php?forums/17/ It can be overwhelming so it helps to know what you're after. For a first rod, I would advise the OP to go to a local shop and buy from them.

And money. There were a few trips where the cost per fish caught made me shake my head. And then I tossed them back. Thankfully, I subscribe to the Thoreau misquote: Many men fish all their lives fishing without ever realizing that it is not the fish they are after.

It would be dull. I've only taken one pic of a fish in my life and that was per the request of an Icelandic guide as I was lucky enough to catch a fish under impossible conditions. (I made him hold the fish.) I mostly just shoot slow-motion video of every river I've stepped in. They're really boring.

What kind of fishing you intend to do will determine length and rod weight. I have rods from 2wt - 12wt, but as I fish trout mostly I fish a 4wt more often than not. But a 5/6 wt may be better for the finger lakes. And despite owning $900 rods, the one I usually fish cost $75 on sale from $150 - Redington Classic Trout. I'm heading to Patagonia next week and will bring the CT 4wt and a T&T 6 wt for lakes and wind. I would avoid a combo set and look for the best rod, line and reel you can afford in that order. Buy the rod from a known reputable company - Orvis, Sage, T&T, Winston, Loomis - as they come with 25 year or lifetime warranties. Then ask advice from the shop as to best line to pair with it. If you're lucky they will let you try a few lines or even better they will set up six or so rods to try. Other than a bonefish or salmon set up, I don't care that much about reels. I almost never put a trout on the reel and no trout or bass has ever taken me into the backing. (I'm including some pretty big fish here.) The best thing is to come with a few options and someone can walk you through them. Or trust your shop. Some reading: https://www.yellowstoneangler.com/gear-review/2017-5-weight-shootout-fly-rod-review-best-5-weight-rod-best-fishing-pole-best-fly-rod-g-loomis-nrx-lp-scott-radian-g-loomis-asquith-t-t-avantt-thomas-and-thomas-avant-edge-by-gary-loomis-orvis-h2-covert-winston-air-sage-x TL;DR mid-priced medium-fast Orvis 9' 5wt with a high-end WF floating line and whatever reel catches your eye.

Well, they also were the major contributor to juvenile delinquency, at least according to Dr. Frederick Wertham. I did the animation for the documentary, Comic Book Confidential, which explored the anti-comic movement and the creation of the industry censor board, the Comic Code Authority. Here is a clip of Wertham and Bill Gaines, the publisher of EC Comics, best known for Tales of the Crypt.

Even if you weren't into the comics, you had to love the guy.

Good ending.

Eight tons worth? It may take some time.

If the guy signed his name, I would go to the cops with the pics and your story. I'm sure they will stop by his place. If there was any paint damage from the mud spray (I'm assuming someone backed an ATV up and gunned it) then you may have a case. Sorry this happened and good luck.

Silver bullets would only work on weredeer. You need garlic bullets to stop vampire deer.

It's a run of about 60 feet with an approx elevation is 8 feet to the pump. This pic keeps coming up rotated, but you can see the black pump sitting on top of the pressure tank behind the filter.

I had that stove in my cabin. It was a tank and could take a 24" log. But the seams weren't great and I had to replace the seal around the door. I swapped it for a fancy Rais stove. Much prettier but barely fits a 16" piece of wood. I spend a lot of time recutting wood. For a few more dollars, the Englander is a better stove than the camp version. I wish I had the option of gravity-fed water but my springs are all below. The pump is inside my bathroom and is fairly quiet. Random pics:

A proper septic system is expensive. You can put a cesspool tank in but that would mean someone needs to pump it out every few years. A composting toilet may be the answer. I use a very simple 5-gallon bucket built into a box with a seat. A few handfuls of sawdust or peat are tossed in after every use and once full it's dumped into a bin under straw. A year later the compost is tossed into the woods. When I got the pace I was going to put in a real composting toilet but this worked so well I left it. (You have to get over your fear of feces.) Water is harder, so look for a place with a spring or natural water source. I have a spring close by that is captured in a 1000 gallon tank and pumped up to my cabin - a run of about 60 feet. That goes through a filter, into a pressure tank and water heater. While the water is good, I only use it for washing. I bring in bottled water to drink. Electric to me is the big one. I'm not a fan of the noise of generators so I would use a solar system. They are fairly cheap these days. All that said, you might be able to find a place with most of this in place. Or get Culver to build you a place. His looks pretty cool.

Halloween for the disabled. Or, I wish I thought of that. And a one-legged guy nails it every Halloween.

^ Calzone is your friend.