Preparing for the USA

I guess my love affair with the USA started when I was 8 years old... Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon and he planted the Stars and Stripes... we were space age kids. Roll on a couple of years and my school friends all liked the new range of Japanese motorcycles coming into Britain... but I'd seen Evel Knievel on a V twin doing his daredevil riding... this was magic. I wrote to Harley Davidson in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the hopes of touching something Harley... the dream was realised for the 11 year old David when a package came through the post one morning with stamps from a far away country I opened the A4 sized envelope and there was a softbound book... The History of Harley Davidson and I still have the book! BUT the icing on the cake was the wad of motorcycle sales brochures from the Sportster to the Electra-Glide, they were all there... and each year until I was 18 they kept sending the brochures... I never did buy a Harley but my heart races when I hear that evocative engine note. Maybe maybe there is time!

So what has this got to do with fly tying? Almost nothing BUT I'm reminded of past events of this land of opportunity as I prepare for my trip to The Fly Tying Show in Somerset, New Jersey next week.

I'll leave you with a clutch of flies tied by my pal Pete Gray who lives on the Pharside of the Canal... look forward to seeing you guys next week!