Fred Solheim shares the latest Warriors on Cataract experiences

Greetings, 

On May 18 we launched the 4 day SEALs trip on Cataract Canyon with WorldWide River Expeditions. On board were 18 SEALs and one Pararescue troop. World Wide was the commercial outfitter. Below is the SEALs group at the Potash put-in.

On May 25 we launched the Open Manifest trip, all branches, all conflicts, both sexes. This was also a 4 day Cataract Canyon trip, run by Navtec River Expeditions. We had two disabled British Royal Marines on board, one who went through 10 hours of brain surgery from a traumatic brain injury - the Brits are always a great addition to the manifest. Raven's Rim ziplined the Brits. Below is the group at the top of the Cataract Rapids. Lew Kleinhans ran these first two trips for Warriors on Cataract as Fred was ordered by his doc to stay in port because of surgery.

The third trip was 5 day All Female (the first All Female trip this season), launched on August 4th on the Green River in Desolation Canyon. For both this trip and the 4th trip (the second All Female trip below) we flew the women in to a remote put-in. The big water in Cataract Canyon is for the adrenaline junkie combat vets, whereas Desolation is more suited to the women as they can run paddle boats and duckies. A number of the women ziplined at Raven's Rim, complements of Casey and Emily Bynum. There are 6 links, two about 1300 feet long!!

Lead therapist Karen House just concluded the last trip of this year with Sheri Griffith Expeditions, the 2nd All Female Trip. It may have been the best of All of our trips based on feedback, 48 trips to date!! This trip was a 5 day on Desolation Canyon of the Green River, a more docile and suitable river than Cataract Canyon. Each off these two All Female trips was 15 veterans and several service dogs. We have pared down the number of participants for a more cohesive and impactful experience. This is a large improvement. Getting ready to board for the flight to Sand Wash below. A number of the women vets ziplined at Raven's Rim thanks to Casey and Emily Bynum.

Karen came down with Covid on river day 2, even though she is vaxed and boosted. So she had to be sequestered for the remainder of the trip. But we had backup counselors in Rene McMinn and Michele Mummert and Linnea Delucchi, who did a splendid job filling in for Karen. It all worked out just fine.

That is it for this year's raft trips. Now on to producing the Photo Albums.....

Best of regards, thanks for all of your support.

Fred Solheim

Karen House

Lew Kleinhans

The holidays and the end of 2022 are right around the corner, and we all have something to look forward to at the start of 2023! It will soon be time for the much anticipated International Sportsmen's Expo, and Outdoor Buddies will be there! As the new year starts, we will be kicking off our annual raffle ticket sales and we would love to see you at our booth at the ISE.

Volunteers will be needed! 

We need members to assist selling raffle tickets and sharing the mission of Outdoor Buddies with our community of outdoorsmen.  If you would like to come help out at our ISE booth, please contact our board members below to get involved.

Terry Gleason

303-868-2579

[email protected]

Steve Medberry

720-255-9453

[email protected]

See you there!

Whether it is a bolognese, or a ragu, the combination of savory tomato sauce, and the richness of slow cooked meat is a match made in heaven. For my family this recipe is the best of all of that, bringing delicious wild game flavors, tons of fresh herbs, more than a fair helping of garlic, a bit of heat and a sharp finish of good, imported grated cheese. 

It is not a recipe you can rush, it takes time to develop the favors, and also for the meat to reach the point where it is super tender and falls apart when you hit it with the forks. Take it out too soon, and the meat can be tough as nails, so put it in the oven, pour yourself a glass out of that bottle of wine you need for the recipe (another good reason to ONLY cook with wine that is good enough to drink from the glass) and relax while it does it’s thing. 

All in all, it is a very easy recipe, but don’t tell you friends that, just invite them for dinner and let them think you slaved over it all day long! 

Ingredients

• 3 Lb Antelope Roast - cut into large cubes (any venison is great for this) • Salt and pepper
• olive oil
• 2 carrots, diced 
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 8 cloves of garlic, pasted or finely minced • 1 small can tomato paste 
• 2 cups hearty red wine (I prefer a Malbec or Barolo)
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 large can crushed tomatoes (28 ounce)
• 2 cups stock (I used game stock, but beef will work well)
• Fresh Rosemary (1 - 6 inch branch, leaves pulled and chopped) • Fresh Sage (6 to 8 leaves, chopped) 
• Fresh Thyme (1 - 6in branch - leaves pulled) • Fresh Basil (8 to 10 large leaves)
• 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (to taste)
• Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano to serve 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat a couple of turns of olive oil in a large oven-proof Dutch oven on medium-high heat.
3. Salt and pepper the meat liberally.
4. Brown the meat on all sides in the hot oil. Brown the meat in batches, so that the oil stays very hot, and you get a nice crust to the meat.
5. Remove the meat to a plate and set aside.
6. Reduce heat and add the carrots, celery and onion to the pot. Sauté until veggies just beginning to brown. Add garlic and stir until it softens.
7. Add the tomato paste, stirring constantly to cook the paste, this will bring out its sweetness.
8. Add the wine, scrapping up all of the browned bits.
9. Add the vinegar, return to a simmer.
10. As the liquid in the pan reduces a bit, to about half, add the meat back to the pot.
11. Add the tomatoes and stock. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium high heat.
12. Cover the dutch oven and place it in the hot oven.
13. Cook for 2 1/2 hours or until the meat is very tender.
14. Remove meat and shred with two forks. I find the more you shred it, the better the flavor. Venison has no fat, so the smaller shred allows for it to mix better with the sauce to stay nice and moist.
15. Add the meat back to the sauce and stir well to coat completely.
16. Salt & pepper to taste.
17. Cook the pasta, according to instructions on the package, but make sure it is al dente.
18. Drain the pasta, and toss with a light coating of olive oil.
19. Place pasta in a bowl, and top with a big helping of the ragu, being sure to scoop up plenty of sauce as well.
20. Top with grated Parmigiano Reggiano and EAT!

Non-board members are welcome. Please RSVP in advance.

Meetings are held from 6:30pm-8:30pm at the locations and dates below.

Nov 8 - Sportsman's Warehouse (Thornton)

Dec 13 - Sportsman's Warehouse (Thornton)