Tag Archives: fishing

PRK 4 month update

OK so it’s not quite 4 months, but close enough (only 8 more days).

So here’s my update, and this will probably be my last PRK update unless something crazy happens.

Had a checkup recently and my results are pleasing. 20/20+ in my left eye and 20/20- in my right eye. That means that I can read a couple of characters on the 20/15 line with my left eye, and I missed a couple characters on the 20/20 line with my right eye. I’m satisfied with these results.

I was hoping hoping hoping that I’d get that bionic eagle eye solid 20/15 vision in both eyes but I suppose that’s a little unrealistic. Even with contacts or glasses my vision was never that good. Right now I’d say that my vision is slightly better than it ever was. My doctor says that this is a great result.

I still have the slightest, smallest astigmatism in my right eye that couldn’t be corrected with PRK or LASIK. And that’s what causes a bit of distortion, just enough to mis-read a couple of characters on the 20/20 line.

So I think another procedure is out of the question. Not unless my eyes take a turn for the worse. But, there is no indication that would happen. I’m not worried.

I turn 40 later this month. Every time I go to the eye doctor they tell me that I’ll need reading glasses soon. I feel like the PRK procedure hustled that along. Before my surgery my close-up vision was incredibly good. I could focus with absolute clarity on very small items–I’d have to hold them inches from eyes. Now when I try to do something like that it’s blurry, like tie a fly fishing knot or read very small text on a package.

Went deer hunting last month and I was able to see things clearly far away. I was very happy with that. I’m also a sport shooter, and I’m also able to focus clearly on targets downrange with clarity. I also did a lot of fly fishing last month, and let me tell you, it was soooo nice to be able to see without correction.

My night vision has markedly improved as well. The first month after surgery I had some halos and starbursts and fogginess while night driving. Now all of those things have gone away. No more halos, no more starburst, and I can see things very clearly. I feel very safe driving at night.

So I think that’s about it. My vision has stabilized lately. I’m very happy with the results. I would do it again. And I recommend it to anyone considering laser eye corrective surgery.

Thanks, PRK.

Meh, or, The Funk

I’ve been in a funk lately and I can’t seem to shake it. I have little motivation to write these days. Seems all I feel like doing is fishing–and I can’t do that as often as I like and so the funk ensues.

I think I need a vacation.

Bricka bracka firecracker sis boom bah! Bugs Bunny!Bugs Bunny! Bugs Bunny! RAH RAH RAH!

Lake Almanor and Deer Creek

Yum does this funny thing with her fingers, “air quotes”, every time the subject of “camping” comes up. She doesn’t think that I camp. Or rather, she doesn’t think that I’ll ever take her camping. So I decided to fix that.

Last Wednesday morning we loaded up the Yaris and left Vacaville along the road to fun.

We drove up 80 and 99 to highway 70. Then we drove all the way up the Feather River canyon on highway 70 to where it intersects with 89. Then we drove along 89, made a quick stop to hike down to Indian Falls, then drove through Indian Valley to the 147 junction, and then to Lake Almanor.

Ahhh, Lake Almanor. The best place in northern California to watch raptors swoop and hunt. Bald Eagles and Osprey can be seen snatching trout in their talons. Or so I’ve been told–didn’t see any this trip. Bald Eagles, that is.

We camped on the northern shore, just a few miles from the city of Chester. Our campsite was *right* on the shoreline. We angled the entrance of our tent to have a beautiful view of Mt Lassen in the morning. Thank you North Shore campground, your facilities are top-notch.

After setting up our tent and sleeping stuffs we drove into Chester for a snack. Chester is the land that time forgot. There are no corporate entities in this town, save for a Chevron and Union 76 gas station. No McDonalds, no WalMart. From all appearances this place hasn’t changed since the ’50s–and that’s a good thing. Chester is one of those quaint little mountain towns where little things like community and helping your neighbor are still important.

Yum and I had a burger and a shake at the Pine Shack Frosty on the main strip. Dee-lish. Then I took Yum to my favorite fishing spot near the intersection of highways 32 and 36.

Yum must have caught 20 fish–way more than I did. I fly fished the entire time. I knocked ’em dead with my dry flies. There was a nice hatch going on, and I was busy slapping my line down on the water and catching nice rainbows–whooping and hollering with every trout I caught. We kept a couple for dinner.

So, Yum decides that she’s just going to throw the fish on the coals to cook them. What? Are you crazy? You’re going to ruin the fish, Yum! I wanted to say that, anyway. I’ll just keep my mouth shut, and when she ruins the fish she’ll learn her lesson and I’ll get to smile and cook them in aluminum foil next time.

But a funny thing happened–the fish came out perfect. Yum lifted those trout off the coals and peeled the crispy skin/scales back off the meat and revealed perfectly cooked and seasoned trout. Crow, oops, I mean trout, never tasted so good.

And now I beg Yum to cook our fish her way. Good ol’ Yum =) But I digress…

After dinner we made S’mores. Yum has never had S’mores! Yum doesn’t know the goodness of S’mores! Poor Yum. All those wasted years…

In the morning we broke camp and headed into town. We had some coffee at a nice little place and checked our email on the free wifi. Then we headed over to the Kopper Kettle for some breakfast. Then we drove back to upper Deer Creek for some more fishing. Yum knocked ’em dead, catching a lot of fish. We kept 3 for dinner–3 big, beautiful rainbow trout.

We took 32 back to Chico. I felt a little homesick as we drove through my old stomping grounds. Ahhh, Chico… good times, good memories.

No trip through Chico is complete without a stop at Burger Hut. And then, sadly, we drove home.

And so here we are, the end of my post. And here are the pictures from our trip =)