I want to take a moment to express my appreciation to the members of FAOL who have helped me get started and grow in my flyfishing endeavor and who so generously allow me to go with them to their favorite ponds and rivers. Thank you Joe Hyde and Rick Zeiger for the many trips that I have taken with you to the waters of Kansas, Iowa, and other places. Rick you have taken me several times to fish the dam at your favorite pond and even shared your favorite fly patterns with me. Joe, you have taken me wiper fishin in Kansas and we were recently baptized in a river crossing. You are the greatest. Warren, Jack Hise and Flygoddess, you helped me to learn how to furl leaders (which I now use exclusively) and that enabled me to share this part of flyfishing by teaching many others what you so selflessly taught me. RG/AR, you let me experience the Sowbug Roundup in Arkansas and Nightangler, you guided me to the giant browns of Tanneycomo. There are many more - too many for my old mind to recall. However, part of each of you goes with me every time I take to the water (which is almost daily). I fish your fly patterns on leaders which you taught me to furl. My casting is better because you taught me to slow down and keep my backcast up. I can better see the humor in my own shortcomings because many at FAOL see and share the humor that they see in theirs. Betty Heiner, In your postings I see humility and acceptance and this makes these attributes more a part of my life. And finally thank you JC and LF for giving me this forum that makes it all possible. Maybe this is what FAOL is all about - I know it is to me. I hope to meet many of you personally one day but for now the best I can do is say thank you - and take you all fishing with me.
