With the previously counted days quickly melting into to-be-counted hours before the commencement of the Seventh Annual Extravaganza [2009 vintage], keeping with Extravaganza tradition, I am pleased to announce the Official Line Up for Group A, Extravaganza 2009.
This group of 21 (count 'em!) hearty warriors will descend upon the scene of it all on Opening Day this Saturday, June 20th, and will constitute the largest of any group ever to participate in an Extravaganza. Boasting 14 rookies, Group A (a) spans geographically from California to Kansas City, Missouri; (b) features our largest father-son/daughter/son-in-law grouping ever [7 parings in all including yours truly with son Tyler] (Sunday, June 21st is Father's Day, after all!); and finds participants from all walks of life, including, but not limited to, entrepreneurs and owners of seasoned businesses; cap's, marketeers, grape growers; marketing reps, national and state Wildlife Federation representatives and, horrors of horrors, even [three] lawyers.
Lead-off Group A fisherman is long-time Extravaganza veteran and Yellow Hat winner John "SOS" Reimann who earned his moniker by his non-fishing exploits during our companion 2007 Alaskaganza trip (disaster was truly his Alaskan middle companion but, in spite of it all, as sung to the worlds of ABBA on our Alaskaganza dvd, "SOS" weathered through it all for him now to return to the scene for his sixth (count 'em) Extravaganza. On SOS's heels is the dynamic duo of multi-Extravaganza veterans Brad "Pinko" Colton [a '64 SRHS classmate of mine whose name derives form his proclivity to fish in shocking pink head gear] and his now-former fishing partner [but still SRHS classmate] Rich "Pink Panther" Kotoff whose new fishing partner will be his fiancée, the beautiful Jeannie "Blushing Bride" Cahill.
Other Group A veterans include (i) Steve "Clennon" Glennon [Group Aers--be sure to ask Steve how he got his Extravaganza name when you see him!] and by his side will be his two beautiful rookie daughters, Nicole and Danielle, who have yet to earn their fishing names; (ii) Demetry "Stealth" Kondrasheff (you never seem to know that Stealth is in the area, but he always is, as witnessed by his being the first to stealthily guess that it is 792 pre-Group A bottles of wine that we have on the wall...that won't last long with this crowd!); and (iii) boat partners Montana Wildlife Federation issues coordinator "Big Ben" Lamb [his fiancée Jasmine, will be present for the first two Group A days as they are to be wed here at Headquarters post-Extravaganza on July 11th (there never being a dull moment here!)] and last year's Extravaganza Keynote Speaker National Wildlife Federation regional rep "Two If By Land" Tawney (yes, folks, his given name IS "Land"--and his this year scrubbed 4 hour Power Point presentation last year drove then Group to drink, even more if that is possible).
And then eleven (yes, 11) rookies to the Extravaganza (each of whom are in for the time of their lifetime!) line up: the Kansas City, MO based father-son team of Marty "Epic" Siler and offspring Luke "Skywalker" Siler; the brazen couple of Ann "In Like" Flynn and Ron "Spell This One" Bjarnason; University of Missoula graduate Terry "Surfer Boy" Wilson (and, boy, does he have some great old fraternity stories to tell--remind him to tell the one about the funeral held for his defunct auto...an absolute classic!) and his son-in-law Brian "Francis Ford" Wilson (yes, he IS counsel to FFCopola); doctors of veterinary medicine Jim Clark and Chris Rodi (yet awaiting to earn their Extravaganza buznames); and CLG contract lawyer par excellence John "A Rose By Any Other Name" Rosenbaum and his two younguns, Ben and Adam.
So, gang, there you have it--The Official Line Up for Group A, Extravaganza 2009! All signs are that this year's event will be one for the record books, and, befittingly, we start it all off in now less that 48 hours with this record-setting group of great human beings. Caveat pesca!
Best to all from the gorgeous scene of it all,
Rock Creek Ron
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