In 2011, I considered the game of golf to be a legitimate threat to my sanity (see – https://www.huntfishgolfwork.com/?p=411). Lessons, equipment changes and countless practice sessions did not provide relief. My competitive intensity slowly diminished to the point where I actually questioned why I was even entering in club events. On course turrets-like episodes became a regular occurrence. I attempted to turn frustration into motivation, but the brain could not trick the body into execution.
Unfortunately, 2012 started where 2011 left off. Many moving body parts, poor posture, utter confusion and a bad attitude lead to a new search for help. To my great fortune, The Club at Pradera hired Matt Marino to be the assistant golf professional. Matt is an energetic, engaging, positive individual whose personality is infectious. His teaching methodology is simplistic by design, yet conveys the appropriate information that allows his student to be effective. Matt is not assumptive; he asked questions about my game, watched me swing, then challenged me to do what it would take to turn everything around. Our first lesson ended with two drills that I would employ during every subsequent practice session (basement, bedroom and range). Additional sessions reinforced critical fundamentals which allowed me to build on his prior teachings. Our objectives were clear;
1. Install the correct set up, ball position and swing plane.
2. Maintain internal tranquility that will allow me to institute a functioning tempo.
3. Build back the confidence that I would need to once again have fun playing the sport.
It has not been easy, but we have managed to lower my handicap to a 6.3 index. Matt and I will continue to work together in order to refine my ever evolving mechanics. Perhaps radical changes can be made that will allow me to exceed my potential? Either way, Matt Marino’s teachings have allowed me to once again smile on the golf course. Matt is a special person, instructor and friend.
I am a demanding, vociferous and loyal consumer. If I like a product or service, I let people know about my experience. That said, if I feel slighted or the product/service does not meet expectations, someone of merit will know what transpired. I invest in quality, appreciate value and expect performance.
I will use this BLOG to review my personal experiences with specific companies, products and services.
I have and continue to purchase TaylorMade golf equipment. Their products are engineered to work for all types of golfers. Their people are friendly, helpful and passionate about their products. If something should go wrong, they stand behind their brand in order to ensure complete customer satisfaction. Mark King is a masterful CEO that has secured my loyalty through constant innovation and premium service.
I was a Comcast Triple Play (phone, internet & cable) customer for years. While the offering was technically stable, and the content decent, the underlying customer service was consistently horrible. The people at Comcast just don’t get it. When I finally ended the relationship and migrated to DirecTV, Comcast made multiple financial offers to try to save me. Further proof that they did not understand my issues and never tried correct their mistakes when I was actually a subscriber.
Organizing skiing for a family of four (with 2 young children) is challenging. Having Kim Casey (Ski and Ride School Sales Manager) on your side makes the experience a painless one. Kim’s personality is infectious and she works hard to ensure your time on the mountain is enjoyable. Skiing is EXPENSIVE so when you make the investment, you need positive results. The Copper instructors are phenomenal and have done a great job teaching my boys how to ski.
After a disappointing first experience at Winter Park, Tom Carey and his team ensured that our next trip to the mountain was an incredible one. The terrain is varied, and the resort does not attract tourists so lines are moderate. My kids enjoyed their instructor and we all look forward to future trips to Winter Park.
I own Willy J packs, jackets, waders and tools. Their products represent quality, durability and great functionality. When I have technical questions, their service team responds quickly and accurately. Willy J represents value in a pricey marketplace.
My family eats at Texas Roadhouse in Parker, CO about twice a month. The food is good, reasonably priced and the service is great. We recommend the ribs and fried catfish. Get there early as the line forms quickly.
I purchased the Elite Set (around $600) about 10 years ago. The PowerBlock is my primary weight set. The unit is perfectly engineered, extremely durable and very useful. I have never had to contact customer service as the product is built to last.
I own 4 iPods, two iPhones and an iPad 2. I despise the fact that I am dependent on Apple for my music and much of my daily information. When my iPad and iPhone 4s went haywire weeks after I purchased the products, Apple stepped up and worked diligently to fix my equipment. My Apple technical contact (Eli Z.) was committed to find a solution. The Apple Store (Englewood, CO) “Geniuses” were understanding, persistent and talented. It took 3 trips and multiple calls but my products were eventually repaired. As an apology, Apple presented me with a gift card.
My first purchase when I started fly fishing 4 years ago, was a Fishpond vest. While the pack has tremendous functionality, the service I received from the company was poor. I called the company to find out how to acquire additional inserts for my pack. My first two calls/messages were ignored. When I did get someone live, they told me to visit three fishing websites as they could not help me directly. It took me over a month to purchase the insert. After investing in Willy J packs, I sold my Fishpond Open Range Tech Pack on EBay.
I own two Beretta shotguns; A400 Xplor Light 12 gauge as well as a AL391 Urika 2 12 gauge (both with kick off). In the field, these guns perform flawlessly. I have knocked down many game birds with these guns, and they have become my only choice in the field. *That said, when I did call Beretta with questions regarding choke tubes, their service representative was uninformed and impatient. I wanted to purchase more product and they would not or could not guide me to the appropriate offerings. This was a really disappointing experience given my significant investment in Beretta products.
I purchased a Canon SX20 IS from Best Buy in 2011. This was my initial attempt at moving away from a point and shoot camera. I experienced issues with the camera from day one, and outlined them for Canon. There only feedback was to reset the settings on the camera (did not work). I should have returned the unit to Best Buy instead of counting on Canon to honor the warranty. The camera has not been used in over a year.
There is not a Callaway product in my bag any longer. TaylorMade accounts for 13 clubs and a Scotty Cameron is my putter choice. That said, when I have to deal with Callaway customer service in the past, they have been friendly and extremely professional. I would not hesitate to purchase a Callaway product in the future.
I own five Escort radar detectors and they work great. That said, when I called the company to order another unit (Passport S3), the sales representative was beyond rude. Simple questions regarding the product resulted in a crass, sarcastic reply from the employee. This went on for 5 minutes until I finally ended the conversation because I was so angry. I have invested over $1,000 in Escort products over the years and was very disappointed in the way I was treated; considering I was calling to purchase another unit.
Definitions
Grade
Definition
A
Outstanding product and service. I would buy again.
B
Good product and/or service. I would probably again.
C
Mediocre product and/or service. Would consider buying again, but would evaluate alternatives in the market.
D
Poor product and/or service. I would not buy again.
Earlier this year I noticed that I was getting fat. Lifting weights and running 2 miles, three times a week proved to be ineffective at maintaining an aging body. My diet has always been reasonably healthy; I consume lean protein, keep sugar to a minimum and eat lots of fruits and vegetables. The problem I determined, was that the volume of food I was consuming prohibited me from maintaining the appropriate weight for my size. In addition, my exercise routine, while personally challenging, was not providing results.
Here are some facts:
I am 6 feet tall and turn 44 years old later in May.
On February 21, 2012 my weight was 197lbs, my body fat was around 24% and I was struggling to fit into size 35” pants.
At that time I was working out 7 days a week for between 25 and 40 minutes per day
15 minutes of static stretching (pre workout)
Monday: Chest (dumbbells both flat and incline)
Tuesday: Back (pull-ups, kettle bells)
Wednesday: Sprints (treadmill on 12 speed and 10 incline – 7 repetitions keeping my heart rate above 120 BPM)
Thursday: Legs (squats)
Friday: Abs (crunches, leg lifts)
Saturday: Sprints (treadmill on 12 speed and 10 incline – 7 repetitions keeping my heart rate above 120 BPM)
Sunday: Sprints (treadmill on 12 speed and 10 incline – 7 repetitions keeping my heart rate above 120 BPM)
Other considerations: I do not eat fast food or soda. My alcohol intake is usually less than 6 beers on the weekend with a few Johnny Walker Blacks mixed in.
Many of my friends who are facing similar weight challenges adopted the P90X routine. While the results are obviously compelling, a workout time of 60+ minutes did not fit my schedule. Too that point, I was not motivated to make the investment in P90X.
After a day on the slopes this past winter, my buddy turned me on to an app on his phone called myfitnesspal. The concept is simple; determine your goal weight and when you want to arrive to that number. The application calculates the calories per day that you must consume in order to attain your objective. After downloading the free application to my iPhone, I started to enter what I was eating throughout my day. Surprisingly, I soon realized that I was ingesting more carbohydrates per day than anticipated (46% carbohydrates, 22% fat and 32% protein). My diet started to shift in order to get my carbohydrate intake below 40%. At the same time, I consciously made a commitment to keep my net calorie intake under 1,950 per day. To my amazement, it was rather easy to manage my diet to the numbers outlined in myfitnesspal.
One evening I was watching TV and ended up landing on an infomercial for The Rack workout. A guy named Owen McKibbin was professing the virtues of “zone progression training” utilizing a single piece of equipment called “The Rack”. After some online research, I determined that the workouts were no more than 30 minutes long, and the reviews were generally positive. In March, I purchased The Rack at Dick’s Sporting Goods for $99, and enacted the workouts outlined in the accompanying DVD.
On May 9, 2012, I weigh in at 184 lbs, my body fat is at 17% and my waist size is 34”.
I workout 7 days a week for about 30 minutes per day. I perform ballistic stretching for 90 seconds before working out, and execute 10 minutes of static stretching after the workout.
Monday: The Rack “Into the Zone”
Tuesday: The Rack “Explosive Chest, Shoulders & Back” and “Ripped Abs”
Wednesday: Sprints (treadmill on 12 speed and 10 incline – 7 repetitions keeping my heart rate above 120 BPM)
Thursday: The Rack “Into the Zone – The Next Level”
Friday: The Rack “Explosive Chest, Shoulders & Back”
Saturday: Sprints (treadmill on 12 speed and 10 incline – 7 repetitions keeping my heart rate above 120 BPM)
Sunday: Sprints (treadmill on 12 speed and 10 incline – 7 repetitions keeping my heart rate above 120 BPM)
After shedding 13 pounds in 11 weeks, I am a believer in both myfitnesspal and The Rack workout system. Zone progression training works, and does not take an excessive amount of time. I have no ambition to be a muscle-head, or to prance around in my front yard with my shirt off. Instead, I want to maintain a body that aligns with an active lifestyle. In near future, I will weave other Rack workouts into my routine as I want to avoid plateauing. If you are in an exercise rut, and you want results, invest in both myfitnesspal and The Rack.
Some key descriptors of the perfect fishing vacation on the North Platte River would include:
Temperate weather
Manageable flows
A plethora of bug hatches
Plenty of big, hungry trout
And of course, great friends
Recently, we drove from Colorado to Wyoming with the intent of enjoying four days of intense fly fishing. What we experienced characterizes the essence of an ideal fishing trip. We enjoyed amazing conditions, accessible bodies of public water, millions of flying insects and an incredible number of large, actively feeding trout. Our mornings were defined by hot woolly bugger action, while the afternoons had rising fish vigorously taking presented emergers. Landed trout ranged in size (15” to 27”) and in species (giant rainbows and even a big few browns). Every fisherman on the journey enjoyed over seventy five hook ups a day while landing their share of pigs.
I brought with me a variety of newly purchased equipment that I acquired based on a impulse decision not a defined need. One of the new items procured was a William Joseph Confluence Chest Pack. I own a variety of packs/vests and did not need to add another to the collection. That said, I made the purchase because the product description met a variety of personal requirements. Here is my review of the William Joseph Confluence Chest Pack.
Getting it Done in Wyoming – 2012
Date Purchased
January 15, 2012
Price Paid
$129.99
Aesthetics
Attractive sage and blue; you won’t be embarrassed on the water.
Manufacturer Product Description
William Joseph Confluence Chest Pack will ensure that you get the most from your time on the water. The William Joseph Confluence Chest Pack has the new Willy J AIRTRACK™ suspension, and you will forget you are wearing anything – no matter how much gear you have managed to stuff into it. From its William Joseph tippet dispenser to its voluminous pockets, it is the most organized pack on the water.
Features as Described by the Manufacturer
Low profile, super strong grab handle and net loop
Rear pack; large enough to hold all your gear. Small enough to keep you quick and agile
Daisy chain lash straps for those weird loads
Two additional organization pockets
Hydration portion of the pack holds a 35 oz. bladder (not included)
Nearly perfect weight distribution and center of gravity
Perforated/breathable AIRTRACK Suspension for maximum airflow
Excess webbing slot. No more flapping straps.
Wide and comfortable side straps for great weight transfer
Dual Built in Spectra Retractors
Multiple accessory attachment points
Functionality
Comfort: I have donned vests and other packs in the past. The Confluence is the most comfortable pack I have ever worn. It is easy to maneuver which I value when layers have to be removed/added. The AIRTRACK Suspension allows me to totally relax during fishing.
Fit: The Confluence has many adjustments that allows the user to easily modify so they can enjoy a custom fit. The buckles are effortless to tune with the pack on or off.
Storage: The Confluence has a assortment of useful pockets. I easily store gloves, a hat, a multi-tool and all necessary terminal tackle. I can venture far from the car without the fear I forgot anything critical to execution.
Access: I love the magnets and the workstation! Getting at my flies, tippet, split shots and tools represent an easy process. I can work quickly and effortlessly when rigging and re-rigging. My nippers and forceps are maintained on the pack’s integrated retractors. My net is effortlessly acquired and reconnected via a magnet cord (not included).
Usability: The pack works for me in every way. It is light and completely stabilized across my shoulders. My neck and back are never stressed. When fighting a fish, the platform is unobtrusive, allowing me to shift my hands and rod easily. If I want to access the rear pockets, I just unbuckle one strap and turn the unit 180 degrees.
What Would Make the Product Perfect
Include the bladder as it has been tough for me to purchase at the local fishing store.
Would I Buy the Product Again
Absolutely: I own 5 packs/vests. The Willy J Confluence is now my primary pack.
My wife and I went to see The Grey Saturday night (1/28/12). Unfortunately, I had a bad case of the chills during the movie, and quickly realized I was getting sick. Sunday would be my final day in the field, and I began to worry that I would not be able to make it.
The alarm did not need to go off at 3:50 am because I was already awake. The nasty chest cold had set in, but the motivation of the final day of upland hunting had me energized. Pride and I picked up my friend Greg at 4:45 and we headed 200 miles East in my Ram 1500. This was Greg’s second time hunting wild roosters, and he was visibly hooked after our initial walk in the very first field two weeks before.
The weather was not promising for bird hunting. An online search illustrated a morning temperature in the upper twenties, with a high in the mid sixties. We could not control the weather, but we could set a strategy that made the best use of our time given the unseasonably warm conditions.
Upon arriving in bird country at about 7:30 am, we found a large CRP field where we would start our day. The wind was blowing at about 10 mph from the West as we moved North at a determined pace. The field was lush with great cover but it was huge. Two guns, one dog does not seem overly threatening to the wily cock bird that runs for long distances before taking flight. As we lumbered through the grass, the cold air hit my congested lungs causing me to start to cough. Due to a lack of sleep, my mind was a bit hazy and the eyes could not focus well. To that point, I mounted and remounted my Beretta A400 XPLOR Light three or four times in an attempt to get my head and body aligned.
As we approached a lone tree in the field we turned back toward the road. The wind was quartering from the West so we decided to walk East in order to move the dog back into the stiffing breeze. Pride was running well and he started to range to my right. As he circled behind me, I saw him make a quick cut away from my position; nose down and tail up. The rooster jumped at about 25 yards and started to fly low, fast and towards the North. I spun around quickly but did not set my feet properly. Three rounds later, I watched the unscathed bird disappear over the adjacent hill. When you hunt public land you may only get one shot a day so you have to be ready and precise. I reloaded with a bit of anger and disappointment. Pride did his job but I did not deliver on our intended results. As we continued the walk towards the road, Pride ran hard to my right again and started to zigzag. I readied myself and the pheasant jumped. Unfortunately, it was a hen. Eight trucks with a crew of hunters and dogs pulled up to the field. They surveyed the land for 15 minutes as we walked East. The hunters were going to deploy a blocking technique so they went to the North end of the field to drop 1/2 the party off. As Greg and I continued to move through the thick CRP, we heard shots intermediately from a distance, and we knew the other hunters were finding birds.
It was 9:30 am and the day was starting to warm. Greg, Pride and I loaded up and moved Northeast to a field that had produced all season for me. This walk would start Pride right into the wind and move through a long and deep draw. At the end of the field there was cut corn and a massive amount of tumble weeds. The 1,000 yard stroll produced no action, but the deep cover was still ahead. I told Greg to position himself above Pride as he worked the deeper cover. As Pride entered the end of the draw, he suddenly darted in my direction and a hen flushed inches from my feet. I was excited as we had not yet hit the seemingly great stretch of land in front of us. Pride ran ahead with purpose and I shouted to Greg to quicken his pace. One hen with a large rooster flew out of the straw at about 100 yards, then two hens and a rooster jumped about 25 yards to my right. I fired and missed then fired again but the bird kept flying. Greg fired but did not connect. So I fired my last round and hit the mark. Pride executed a perfect retrieve and we continued to push forward. There were additional hens found but no roosters.
Two weeks before, Greg and I had found a small stretch of land that produced a plethora of hens. We decided to get to that spot and see if that field would once again hold birds. Luckily the wind was blowing into our faces at about a 20 mph clip. There was no doubt that pheasants were present as Pride moved quickly toward the edge of the CRP where mounds of straw abutted cut corn. We jogged behind him as he would eventually locate the quarry. As Greg and I approached the mounds of straw, four hens jumped and flew left while almost simultaneously, four other hens flew right. Eight birds all within 15 feet and not one rooster to be had. After a half a dozen “no bird” cries, Pride started to dive into the deep, dry grass and more birds started to fly. The hens flew close but the roosters were moving just out of gun range. As we moved North paralleling the edge of the field, we finally got to raise our shotguns and fire at color. Unfortunately, the shots never connected. Despite seeing 30+ birds, we never delivered the proper shot. While we were disappointed in the lack of results, seeing all of those pheasants in a small vicinity was really exciting.
Greg and I drove on throughout the early afternoon, stopping at different types of fields along the way. We saw more birds, but once again the roosters stayed out of range. Realizing that time was of the essence we tried to locate smaller patches of land that could be hunted quickly. The windows were down in my truck, and we drove at a slow pace in order to not spook birds moving from feed to cover. We closed in on a small tract of land that distinguished itself by its bright color and height versus the surrounding area. Greg asked if we should pull over and I replied without real conviction. I stopped the truck in order to make a decision, and suddenly heard a cackle from within the grass. Greg, Pride and I slowly and quietly exited the vehicle. We surrounded the patch of cover and sent Pride in. The slow, short walk did not excite Pride, and I wondered if the rooster had run quickly away from us. Then the sound of a pheasant taking flight caused my head, body and shotgun to turn to the right. I knocked the bird down at 17 yards with one round of Prairie Storm FS Steel (#4).
As we made our way back to the truck my focus turned to Greg, and how we would produce one more opportunity for him to get his first wild bird. We did see more roosters but the right shot alluded us.
As the sun set over the Eastern Plains toward the Rocky Mountains, we made our way back to I-76. Pride and I took seven trips during the 2011-2012 upland game season. We walked many miles together on public land and shot 13 roosters. The amazing experiences of my first year in the field are forever etched in my mind. Next fall cannot come soon enough.
