Hear ye, hear ye, one and all…herein below set forth be the official line up for Extravaganza 2012’s Wonderful Ones:
Returning for their eighth (count ‘em!) Extravaganzas are two seasoned veterans: John “SOS” Reimann (so named for his propensity to fall into the water (usually with waders on) for absolutely no reason whatsoever and for walking into the rear stabilizers of float planes while fishing with us in Alaska) who, in is daily life is a marvelous comptroller and cpa, along with another long in the tooth and now grizzled veteran Brian “Moraine” Shepard (so named for his Alaskaganza preference for [successfully] fishing glacial tail end rivers) co-owner of Walsh Vineyards Management (the largest vineyard management company in the Napa Valley).
As Moraine is wont to do, he brings a cadre with him, and this year is no exception. Joining him in residency at our jointly owned Blackfoot house are not only his two Extravaganza veteran sons Josef “Fear The Beard” Shepard and bro Nicholas “The Tsar” Shepard but also his multi-year returnee daughter “Beautiful Eliza Jane” Shepard. This flock will be joined this year by two new rookie attendees, Jamie Herold and Mark Handron, each of whom have yet to earn their extravagant nicknames…hmm, I wonder what the next several days have in store for each of them!!
Inasmuch as the Ones will spend Father’s Day with us, it is most appropriate to again welcome back the Downer father-son combination…last year saw father Mechanics Bank’s Eddie “Two License” Downer [yes, all these names have been hard-earned, Eddie’s by his propensity to leave his fishing license in the Moose Room and, thereby, have the privilege of buying a second one the next day!] solo with son Douglas “Sippy Cup” Downer [we just about have the {multiple!} red wine stains you left last year out of our white couch, Sippy Cup—your new chalice awaits you!]—they had so much fun together that the two other sons/brothers returnee Michael “Big Fish” Downer and newbie-to-us Robert “Newbie” Downer are joining he fray this year and we are housing them in the “Upper House” here at Headquarters—no downers be they!!
There are two other father-son returning trios in Da Ones as well: (i) contractor Jim “Emperor” Pacatte returns to the scene of it all with son Doug “I Needa Nickname” Pacatte as well as with son-in-law Jimmie “Da Lamb” Hagle in tow and (ii) “Gentleman John” Rosenbaum, Esq. returns for the third time with his two wonderful boys, “Big Ben” and “The Adamizer”—all three of whom came home with yellow hats last year (for the biggest fish of the day) as well as with multiple entries to our Twenty Inch Club board. Compare that with two years ago when, between the three of them they caught as many fish in as many days of fishing…showing that, indeed, practice makes perfect baum!
Group One veterans also include returning Ones attorney “Josh b’ Gosh” Genser (who is actually coming in a day early to enjoy the sights of downtown Missoula) and famous “Minnow Mel” McCormack, the former returning for his second Group One performance and the latter for his third as well as a transplant from last year’s Group Three, my brother Kers “The Bro” Clausen.
Last but certainly not least is one solo brave rookie, Point Richmond land baron and Mechanics Bank board member Martin “The Rookie” McNair—welcome aboard Sir Rookie, we look forward to ritualizing you in the arm bending traditions of the Wonderful Ones…a tradition that can now carry on in wonderful style with my taking delivery of sixteen (count ‘em!) additional cases of primo wine today, just to make sure that those bended arms are filled-glass-in-hand…all with the exception of Sippy Cup who, yes, will have a nice pink cupful to toast the others!
Let the fun begin folks—for, after over 1 ½ years in its planning stages, Extravaganza 2012 is gonna begin, starting Opening Day, this Saturday, June 16th.
Welcome Ones and Viva la Extravaganza!!
Best to all now on the cusp of it all,
Rock Creek Ron
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