Orvis Storybook - Fall 2015 by The Orvis Company

FALL 2015

S INCE

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EDITOR’S NOTES: FIRST CAST “FOR T HE H UNTER, FAL L IS THE I S LAND AND THE RES T OF T H E YE A R IS T H E S W IM . ” – C HARLES F ERG US, A ROUGH SHOOTING DOG

hile this particular quote may be specific to those of us who love the hunt, simply remove the first three words and it would still resonate. Every season offers something unique if nothing more than a change from cold to warm, bare to green, but fall seems to offer more. The summer heat we welcomed just a short time ago inevitably overstays its welcome. That first cool breeze that sweeps across our neck takes our lethargy with it, old dogs rise from the shade, momentarily blessed with resurgent youth, and we look to the leaves. Deciduous forests become calendars marking the passing of days by color seeping into the valleys from the mountaintops. Were Goldilocks to indulge her meticulous nature in choosing a season it would undoubtedly be fall, and who are we to deny but there is a bit of her in all of us. I’ve been here for more than 20 years and I can safely say we do fall as well as anyone in the world. Perhaps it has to do with the fact we reside in Vermont, the high cathedral of autumn, but no one puts on a better autumn-inspired sartorial display than Orvis. There is no more perfect season to be outdoors and it offers us home field advantage, for that’s the core of who we are and where we live our lives.

This book is a testament to this for no matter what you do, on what adventures you embark, the right clothes are paramount. They not only protect you from the elements, but offer you comfort and confidence; two things demanded by anyone who spends time in and understands the outdoors. Through the course of this season we will journey down country roads and “take the one less traveled by” to quote a former Shaftsbury neighbor of ours, for that seems to be our nature. Our travels and adventures are for the inquisitive and curious, and far from mainstream. We will visit a game fair in the Hudson Valley—the land of Sleepy Hollow and Washington Irving, visit a culinary wonderland at Blackberry Farm in Tennessee, and journey with four adventurous women across Montana in a old Land Cruiser named Rudy. Fall is sweater weather and we’ll show you the best of the best, as well as a new collection of outerwear spawned from the upland life that inspires us. Whether you embark on these adventures or simply wish you could, there is something comforting in outfitting yourself with clothes that matter.

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Clothes of impeccable quality, some made in America, brought back to life in a resurgent demand for American craftsmanship. Others, like Barbour, bear the scars of their adventures with ever-increasing grace. It’s boots and sweaters and field-bred jackets, some bearing the heritage of the American hunting ethic of fair chase and others at the cutting edge of technical fabric superiority; it’s merino wool, cashmere, waxed cotton, selvage denim, Horween leather, quarter zips, twills, tunics, tanks, and tees. But there are other stories as well, stories of Chesapeake watermen fighting to save their Bay, average people saving the life of an abandoned dog, farmer’s markets and the resurgence of local agriculture. There are many stories, seemingly diverse, but in truth bearing the commonality of the natural world. It’s this one trait, this one common denominator, that binds every facet of Orvis life—a life defined by the outdoor experience. It’s fall. Get out there.

EDITOR’S BACKGROUND: PAUL FERSEN IS THE SENIOR WRITER FOR THE ORVIS COMPANY AND HAS WRITTEN FOR AND ABOUT ORVIS AND ITS LIFESTYLE FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.

4 ORVIS.COM photo ÂŠ beall + thomas photography

CONTENTS

FALL 2015 EDITION. THE OFFICIAL STORYBOOK OF THE ORVIS FALL SEASON.

FIELD COLLECTION Introducing a new collection defined by the wingshooting pursuit. Born from tradition. Built for adventure.

P. 40

ACCESSORIES

Make your look completely your own with our new collection of scarves, boots, and more for fall.

P. 20

SWEATER WEATHER

Perfectly conceived for crisp days and cold nights, every style you could possibly hope for is right here.

P. 6

photo © beall + thomas photography

CONNECT WITH US

Join us on a trip to Tennessee’s Blackberry Farms, an adventure for the senses.

P. 12

FALL STYLE GUIDE The looks and pieces we love best for the season.

P. 22

RAMBLING ON...

Four women head out West to explore Montana’s rivers and wide-open spaces.

P. 28

SWEATER WEATHER BLANKET-PATTERN CARDIGAN Inspired by the intricate patterns defining vintage blankets, this jacquard-knit sweater doubles as a casual jacket or a cozy cardigan. #2C0E

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T’S THE COLD-WEATHER STAPLE, AN ENDURING BADGE OF THE SEASON AS SURE AS FALL PUMPKINS AND BRIGHTLY COLORED LEAVES. IT’S BECOME A FORECAST UNTO ITSELF: SWEATER WEATHER. PERFECTLY CONCEIVED FOR CRISP DAYS AND DOWNRIGHT-COLD NIGHTS, EVERY STYLE YOU COULD POSSIBLY HOPE FOR IS RIGHT HERE. THERE, YOUR WISH FOR COOLER WEATHER HAS NOW BEEN GRANTED.

O OTHER PIECE OF CLOTHING ELICITS SUCH NOSTALGIA. SWEATERS ARE THE APPAREL EQUIVALENT OF A WARM HUG. SWEATERS ARE WHAT WE BORROW FROM HIM AND NEVER GET AROUND TO RETURNING. YOUR FAVORITE SWEATER NEVER LETS YOU DOWN—IT’S RIGHT THERE ON THE HOOK BY THE DOOR. AND JUST WHEN YOU THINK YOU’VE GOT ALL YOU NEED, A NEW COLLECTION COMES ALONG, TEMPTING YOU WITH JUST ONE MORE...

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FUR-TRIMMED LODGE SWEATER VEST

WOOL/CASHMERE DONEGAL WRAP

We love everything about this cozy layering piece— from the faux-fur-trimmed hood to the cool faux-horn buttons. #2CMY

A classic ruana wrap, revised in our lush wool/ cashmere blend with rich Donegal flecks. #2CA9

MIXED-KNIT BOUCLÉ SWEATER

MARLED CREWNECK SWEATER

An unexpected mix of menswear-inspired jacquard patterns adds charm to our soft bouclé pullover. #2CNA

A gorgeous melange of soft hues creates a marled effect on our soft crewneck, highlighted by meshstitch “stripes.” #2CCA

BLACK SHEEP IRISH FISHERMAN’S SWEATER We took the undyed, naturally brownish-grey color of black sheep wool and combined it with a bit of white wool to get this distinctive, heathered color. #3H1L

WOOL-BLEND SHAWL CARDIGAN It’s the sweater that conjures up images of crackling fires and snifters of fine cognac. #9H6Y

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GUY’S SWEATER STIPULATIONS: IT HAS TO BE GOOD-TO-GO, EASY TO TOSS IN THE BACKSEAT OR A BACKPACK. IT SHOULD BE EQUALLY AT EASE OVER A DRESS SHIRT OR A FLANNEL AND REFINED ENOUGH TO WEAR UNDER A BLAZER. IN A PINCH, IT ALSO HAS TO SERVE AS A COZY BLANKET TO WARM THE SHOULDERS OF A CHILLY DATE. OUR COLLECTION MEETS ALL YOUR DEMANDS—CHECK, CHECK, AND CHECK!

COME CONNECT WITH US

photo © beall + thomas photography

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Fall in Tennessee is a vibrant artist’s palette. A blaze of bright hues burnishes the hills…even the trees have colorful names—red maple, yellow buckeye, black cherry, blue beech. Flashes of brilliance flit by as the brightly feathered cardinals and tanagers, bluebirds, and goldfinches dart among the trees and shrubs. Everywhere you look, nature’s bounty is awash in color…pumpkins in every shade of orange, coppery persimmons, red apples, bronzygold scuppernogs, and wild purple muscadines. It’s a movable feast for the senses.

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DESTINATION:

BLACKBERRY FARM

: :

photo © beall + thomas photography

Tucked away in a misty hollow (called a cove thereabouts) in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, Blackberry Farm is a hidden treasure, a culinary mecca, and all that the label “agrotourism” would aspire to imply.

photo © beall + thomas photography

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MILES AND MILES OF WHITE FENCES Driving into Blackberry Farm following a midnight flight to Knoxville, the first thing I noticed was the gleam of seemingly mile after mile of pristine white fence through the pitch-black dark. The only thought my sleep-befuddled mind could form was, “That’s a LOT of fence… how many miles of fence is that?” I spent the next five days posing this (and many other queries) to the gracious staff of the farm. Almost to a person, the response was, “Now, that’s a great question!” But nobody seemed to actually know. It became a group teaser—each time we drove through the gates, someone on our team would ask about the progress of my quest and throw out their own guesses. “It’s got to be at least 9 miles!” “Nah, more like 15, look how many linear foot of board there is!” “I’m going with 12 miles...” I asked the Master Gardener, the Adventure Manager, the Activities Director, the guy carrying baskets of produce into the kitchen. Finally, at the close of our final day at the Farm, I got the answer from Mallorie, the Farm’s stalwart PR gal who went above and beyond any call of duty the whole week to make everything perfect for us. According to the Property Manager, there is just under 11,000 feet of fence. That’s about two miles, but somehow, it sure looked like whole lot more.

photo © beall + thomas photography

AN ADVENTURE FOR THE SENSES “And the running blackberry would adorn the parlors of heaven...” thus wrote Walt Whitman in his celebrated Leaves of Grass. A week spent at Blackberry Farm in Tennessee feels like time spent in a particularly American version of that heaven.

B photo © beall + thomas photography

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lackberry Farm is a series of sublime adventures passionately provided by experts, from the regionally-inspired food trademarked by the Farm as its own Foothill Cuisine® to the days spent touring the farm and the working gardens, taking to the mountain trails on an EarthFit Endurance Hike, casting with Orvis–endorsed guides in Hesse Creek or on a float trip down the Clinch River. It’s a team of liveried servers delivering a homey grits-and-farm-cured bacon breakfast with sterling-silver cutlery wrapped in a Frette napkin…a former elephant trainer who now trains a rare, 800-year-old breed of Italian water dogs to hunt prized Black Perigord truffles…an executive chef who wanted nothing more than a leaf blower (she was tired of raking!) and a mushroom-growing kit for her 10th birthday…a master gardener in dusty denim overalls who is a classically trained artist, as well as one of the world’s foremost experts on heirloom bean varieties. Blackberry Farm is a distinctly American experience firmly rooted in the rolling foothills of the Smoky Mountains. The land where Blackberry Farm stands has provided for its inhabitants from the Cherokee to the first Appalachians to the current residents and guests at the Farm. And many of the staff are local folk bringing generations of regional Appalachian history and food lore to their pursuit of creating a culinary retreat, a bastion of Southern hospitality traditions and graciousness. A visit to Blackberry Farm is as much an unforgettable vacation as it is a workshop in how to live, with lessons that will stay with you as long as the memories you make. As Jim Sanford, Elephant-Trainer-Turned-Truffle-Dog-Trainer told me, “Excellence is lowest bar we have.”

Master Gardener John Coykendall photo ÂŠ Lucinda Jamison

My experience at the Farm was one rich with storytelling. Every conversation was brimming with anecdotes about the Farm, about its unique culture, its time-honored traditions, and the history of the Appalachian foothills. These narratives drew a sketch of an Eden with a passionate dream-team of artisans who guide the spirit and sensibility of life in this American utopia. 17

xecutive chef of the renowned The Barn restaurant at Blackberry Farm, Cassidee Dabney revels in the rich colors and bright flavors that fall affords her culinary creations. She gets especially excited about the seasonal menu she designs around the 3 acres of gardens that are a veritable living museum of Appalachian foodstuffs. Dabney starts her day with a ramble through the gardens to see what will appear on dinner plates that evening. Her green eyes glow as she describes her childhood growing up with a wildlife-biologist dad who made a series of National Parks home to the family. When not playing in the woods, she spent her time in the family gardens and discovered first-hand the home arts of canning, preserving, and cooking. Learning to cook using only fresh and readily available produce and meats formed the backbone of her take on what a culinary experience should be. “I get really excited about how many menu ideas fall gives me. It’s such a colorful time of year, and if it’s in the garden, it’s going on the menu. I love the gardens here, everything we plant has a story.” Dabney teams with Farm preservationist and beekeeper Shannon Walker to incorporate his pickles, preserves, chutneys, and jams into her daily fare. Walker, whose family has lived in the region since the 1700s, takes great pride in his heritage. He considers his role as a preservationist to be two-fold. “The way I see it is, it’s my duty to preserve the food, yes, but also to bring all the old things I know to the table and to preserve the traditions.” The traditions he speaks of so reverently he learned

in the kitchen of his Granny Walker. She taught him the regional methods and flavors of preserving and cooking and was a dominant influence on his love of the food culture of the Smoky Mountains and eastern Tennessee. His grandfather instilled in him a love of gardening and of foraging in the woods for wild foods. Walker expresses genuine delight when he talks about seasonal harvesting, what he refers to as “capturing a distinctive place in time on the Farm.” “It’s what keeps me going,” he says with a grin. His years of art school and love of science combined in creating what he credits to be his calling, “an artistic pursuit of food and plant science.”

A master in his fields and a master raconteur, Coykendall holds court in the FarmStead, a dirt-floor outbuilding complete with a potbelly stove and a couple of wellworn rocking chairs. On a sunny afternoon, I wandered down to the gardens to meet up with Master Gardener John Coykendall. A master in his fields and a master raconteur, Coykendall holds court in the FarmStead, a dirt-floor outbuilding complete with a potbelly stove and a couple of well-worn rocking chairs. Vintage-looking

photo © beall + thomas photography

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handtools hang on the walls and strands of drying leather-britches beans are suspended from the rafters, along with sinuous dipper gourds. We settled back in the rockers as he described his love for the region and its agricultural heritage. “Don’t forget, I’m 73 years old,” he said. “So when I was a boy, I was talking to folks born in the 1800s who still had the old knowledge. Knowledge that is far more practical than modern agriculture. I wanted to be around the old people and learn from them. They knew how to take care of the soil, how to save seeds, and I wanted to learn that.” Wanting to preserve this rich history, Coykendall set out to save the seeds of the food that defined the region. To date, he has saved more than 500 varieties of seeds, making him a hero to the American heirloom seed community. He led me to a weathered wood-plank table and showed me a selection of beans separated into colorful piles. “See these? These are red calico beans from right here in Tennessee and they date back to around 1794.” He pushed some gorgeously hued pink beans with a splash of white around the “eye” toward me. “These are called Snow on the Mountain—see how they look like a snow-capped mountain with that white there? They’re a rare variety of the Lima family, go back to about 1840 or so.” He gestured to another rather lumpy, dull reddish-brown bean. “These are from the Thomas Jackson farm down in Georgia and they’re from around 1894 or so. They’re a butter bean, which is another name for a Lima bean, but mostly we call it a butter bean around here.” He went on to chronicle the start of his life’s work preserving heirloom vegetables. “In 1959, I was exploring the abandoned Ebenezer Train Station in

west Knoxville and I came across a dusty old stack of train timetables and schedules and in that stack was an old copy of a 1913 Wm. Henry Maule Seed Catalog. I was struck by the drawings and the descriptions of the seeds.” He went on to tell me about his favorite variety from that tattered catalog, the Tennessee Sweet Potato Pumpkin. “It doesn’t look much like a pumpkin at all! It’s kinda bell-shaped and has a big long neck on it, and it’s green-andwhite sort of striped.” He spent decades tracking down this particular variety, finally finding it in 1991 through a network of seed-savers and heirloom gardeners. “I couldn’t wait to get those seeds in the mail!” he says with a glint in his eye. “I had a feeling it would make a heckuva a pie, and I’ll tell you, it does!”

Executive Chef Cassidee Dabney photo © Blackberry Farm

So, like Eden, it all begins in the garden. Or, under it, as the case may be. Garden Manager Jeff Ross took me on a walk through the Farm’s European hazelnut orchard, where, in the rich, loamy ground beneath, a matrix of roots is quietly growing the soon-to-be-matured subterranean truffle crop. With a soil pH-acidity and climate perfect for nurturing the prized Black Perigord Truffle, Ross and the other gardeners have been carefully tending this orchard since 2006, waiting patiently the 8-10 years it takes the truffles to mature. (This plantation of truffle-inoculated trees gives purpose to the adorable Lagotto Romagnolo truffle-hunting pups.) A direct descendant of the revered Cherokee Chief John Ross, Jeff Ross has an instinct and a dedication for this land that shines through his words like a beacon. He told me about saving three American persimmon trees in the center of the orchard when it was thought to be an overgrown thicket worthy only of removal. He told me about the border of sunflowers that were being planted along the fence to lure the Japanese beetles away from the hazel trees (they like fuzzy leaves to cling to). We sat at a picnic table in the shade and the conversation flowed on from the sunflower border to talk of how sunflowers existed here for centuries before any other food was cultivated. He told me how the Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto came to Tennessee around 1540 and found the native peoples eating a form of edible sunflower tuber. How some of the Spaniards took these plants back to Europe where they became popular, and were misnamed Jerusalem artichokes. He talked about eating American history and described the Cherokees as the “original foodies.”

Farm Preservationist & Beekeeper Shannon Walker photo © Blackberry Farm

Garden Manager Jeff Ross photo © Blackberry Farm

From these four passionately focused individuals, and others I met at Blackberry Farm, I discovered the true meaning of the word idyll. I came home with a profound sense of wonder and relief that places like Blackberry Farm exist. Places that protect, cherish, and preserve the heritage of a region while adding something so truly exceptional to the celebration of that heritage. I came home with a fresh eye to our own regional recipes and rituals. I came home, pulled out my spring’s cache of heirloom seed catalogs, and started planning a whole new set of bean crops for my spring garden. —By Lucinda Jamison, Orvis Women’s Copywriter

ACCESSORIES HEAD-TO-TOE FINISHERS THAT MAKE YOUR LOOK COMPLETELY YOUR OWN

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Grand Teton Fedora, Open-Front Bright Blanket Sweater, Deep-Indigo Skinny Jeans, Rio Rancho Beaded Belt

Quilted Leather Moto Jacket, Raglan-Sleeved Fuji Silk Tunic, Italian Wool Bias-Plaid Maxi

Golden Paisley Scarf, Cupro LeatherTrimmed Tee, Stretch Suede Leggings

Grand Teton Fedora, Everyday Merino Long Cardigan, Mixed-Geo Wool/Silk Scarf, Pinstriped Tencel速 Denim Shirt, Modern Fit 5-Pocket Cords

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THE LOOKS Each autumn brings the same, a trace of nostalgia mixed with the heady anticipation of change. We took a look at the long winter on the horizon and the pieces we love best for the season, then gave our collection a fresh makeover. The results? Just what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d expect from usâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;new versions of well-loved favorites along with some new gotta-have surprises tossed in for good measure.

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Herringbone-Stitch Cashmere Turtleneck, Modern Fit 5-Pocket Cords, Rio Rancho Beaded Belt

Aberford Tweed Driving Cap, Countryside Cashmere Cardigan, WrinkleResistant ScatteredFloral-Print Shirt, Slim-Legged Weathered Indigo Jeans, Men’s Leather Bracelets

Barbour® Cavalry Polarquilt Jacket, Cable-Detail Turtleneck Sweater, Wrinkle-Free Cotton Pinpoint Shirt, DL1961® Florence Instasculpt Skinny Jeans

Tucson Suede Shirt, Deep-Indigo Skinny Jeans, Trask® Paige Perforated Ankle Boots

Canyonlands Natural Felt Fedora, Barbour® Merino/ Cashmere Tartan Scarf, Hemp/Cotton Striped Split-Neck Tee, Authentic-Wash Boyfriend Jeans

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Aberford Tweed Driving Cap, Barbour速 Merino/Cashmere Tartan Scarf, Mixed-Stitch Elbow-Patch Crewneck Sweater, Wrinkle-Resistant Autumn-Floral Shirt, Deep-Indigo Skinny Jeans

COME DISCOVER WITH US

erhaps the great Western writer Zane Grey said it best when he penned the words “I need this wild life, this freedom.” One can only imagine the literary giant was speaking of the unbroken Western lands he so loved to capture on paper. The West isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s big sweeping spaces, stark mountains rising to kiss the clouds, endless sage brush ranges dotted with herds of grazing bison and elk. It’s rushing rivers, so crystal clear you can see the rocks lying beneath, rocks that have been there for ages past and have seen the settlement of this rugged country. It’s weather that can change in the blink of an eye; smoky, hot summers and dark, cold winters. It’s a hard land, one that breeds people equally suited to the harshness of the landscape. The West is adventure, and this is where our travels took us.

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THE WEST IS DEFINED BY OPEN SPACES. THIS IS NOT A PLACE FOR THE FAINT OF HEART, BUT IT’S WELL SUITED TO ADVENTUROUS SOULS.

RAMBLING ON… FOUR GIRLS AND A LAND CRUISER NAMED RUDY HEAD WEST.

here’s something magic about wide open spaces.You know the ones—those places that make you feel impossibly small, that remind you there are bigger forces at work than the drama at home or the politics in the office. One can’t help but think if everyone was humbled by nature now and again, the world might be a very different place. Because when you strip away all the drama, all the unnecessary things we tend to accumulate, life tends to clear up. Detaching from the routine, upsetting that day-in-andday-out rhythm, tends to produce some pretty fantastic results. Weird things happen, awesome people pop up in unexpected places, and we go fishing. Adventure in of itself is simple. Break the routine. Go do something different. See something new. Do something you’ve never done before.Veer away from normal. It’s about learning and exploring and maybe scaring yourself a little bit now and again. How else do we grow?

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SOMETIMES TAKING THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED DOES MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.

WE GATHERED the ingredients for a good adventure: Phoebe, an Idaho sheep ranch girl; Jackie, a Northeastern angler who had never been West; Jenny, a Bozeman local and consummate outdoorswoman; myself, a Montana girl with a camera; and a beat-up Land Cruiser quickly christened Rudy, then stood back to watch what happened. The results were various antics, long hours on the road crossing some the most stunning country in the world, and endless laughter. From misbehaving trail horses who decided abruptly that moving rapidly backward was a better alternative to forward, to Rudyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s randomly bottoming-out oil gauge and check-engine light, to a bison roadblock in Yellowstone, there was no shortage of the new and exciting. We were nestled in the country of mountain men and trout; bracketed by great big mountain ranges such as the Gallatins and the Bridgers. Our path tracked along rivers of great renown. From the canyon section of the Gallatin, made famous in the movie A River Runs Through It, to the smooth, bubbly riffles of the Firehole inside Yellowstone Park, to the blown-out, raw, riveting power of the Yellowstone River, both water and mountains defined our travels.

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And in a place still as wild as Yellowstone country, there was bound to be a plethora of animals to keep us company. Rudy dutifully trucked us alongside great big herds of shaggy bison, pairs of elk basking in the afternoon sunshine, and bighorn sheep casually bopping along the mountainside. As Jackie rather aptly said with a sigh as we watched another bison rolling contentedly in the dirt, “It’s a bison’s life.” We ran into a cow moose and her baby while on horseback (interesting), laughed as pronghorn bounced along the sage, and watched vast herds of elk and mule deer dot the aptly-named Paradise Valley. Golden eagles cruised alongside Rudy before dropping down to capture a vole for dinner, and bald eagles and ospreys soared easily over the rivers, looking for their next meal.

near Cooke City. Spying a car stopped in the middle of the road, Jackie began chanting “Be a bear, be a bear, be a bear.” Phoebe and I, having spotted a bison resting in the same little meadow on the way to Cooke City, shrugged off her enthusiasm and casually peered over, prepared to see another resting brown shaggy. It was a bear. A little black bear, rustling around in the undergrowth for a snack. Whether Jackie somehow summoned it up by sheer willpower or if it was just dumb luck, she had her bear for the trip. Rudy was filled with laughter all the way to Mammoth. Maybe, in a place as big and grand as our first national park, it is possible to will some things into being.

Late afternoon on our day in Yellowstone, the shadows were growing long as we trekked back to the Lamar Valley, returning from the Northeast Entrance Station

SOMEHOW Rudy’s top speed of 55 MPH dictated the mood for the crossregion road trip. Forcibly slowed, we began to appreciate the little nuances of the land. Hills necessitated a rousing cheer of “Come on, Rudy,” while downslopes meant sighs of relief and an easy glide. Each day the sun trekked overhead like an inescapable clock; we laughed off the harsh midday light and rejoiced in the pink and golden tones brought by each sunrise and sunset. Large spaces made us feel incredibly small. I find it hard to spend time in the mountains without taking a moment to pause and think about how it all—animals, scenery, seasons—fits together. Travel has always held an inescapable allure for the simple way it pushes you from your comfort zone; for the way it requires you to think on your feet and let go of all pretenses. On the road, we can become someone new. No one knows us here. But there’s a different side to travel as well…it brings people together. From the shared, impromptu meals cobbled together in a small hotel room to tagteaming bear watch tactics while fishing the Upper Madison, travel breaks down barriers. There is no closer friendship than that created with someone you’ve experienced incredible things alongside; someone you can sit side-by-side with and simply enjoy the silence of the river and the mountains. Shared experiences bring us together. Maybe, at the end of the day, that is the true magic of travel. —By Jess McGlothlin, Orvis Outdoor Copywriter

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“ALL GOOD THINGS ARE WILD AND FREE.” —THOREAU 33

COMFORT & FUNCTION FUNCTION DOESN’T NEGATE FASHION. Play hard and look good— because those fish won’t wait forever.

quick-drying soft touch warmth dark chocolate environmentally friendly comfort cute fit caramel lattes fun colors looking feminine performance that won’t stop burly brown trout trips to awesome places

OPEN AIR CASTING SHIRT

TECH CHECK FLANNEL SHIRT

DRIRELEASE CASTING TEE

FIREHOLE GRID FLEECE PULLOVER

GUIDE PANTS

DRY CREEK RAIN JACKET

wrinkling pilling flight delays odor mosquito bites pit stains chemicals leaky jackets clothes that fit like the guys’

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THIS PAGE Orvis Vintage Trucker Cap, Targhee Lightweight Down Jacket

TARGHEE WITH WE’VE LONG LOVED DOWN FOR ITS SHEER WARMTH. In cold, dry conditions there has been no better insulation for naturally retaining heat. Down’s high loft traps warm air, and its light weight and packability make it a trusted choice for any cold-weather excursion. But when traditional down gets soggy that crucial loft is lost, taking hard-earned warmth with it. This used to limit the performance and comfort of down to dry conditions. ENTER DOWNTEK™, a nano-technology treatment that prevents moisture from adhering to and soaking the down cluster—protecting its natural ability to maintain loft and insulate. And if it does get an unexpected dousing, DownTek dries faster than untreated down—60% faster. The performance range and overall comfort of down are extended, making nature’s best insulation even better. • MAINTAINS WARMTH AND LOFT, EVEN WHEN WET • ABSORBS 30% LESS WATER AND DRIES 60% FASTER THAN UNTREATED DOWN • ULTRALIGHT AND HIGHLY COMPRESSIBLE • PFOA- AND PFOS-FREE • IDEAL FOR COLD TO VERY COLD CONDITIONS

NORMAL DOWN

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Our beloved Targhee Down Series has been recrafted with 700-fill DownTek and new downproof shell fabric with a durable water-repellent (DWR) finish, allowing for a full range of performance in nearly any conditions. Now the enduring warmth of down can take on wet fall snow, the deep chill of winter, surf spray, and the unexpected spring shower. Now, you have no excuse to stay inside.

COME S HUNT WITH US

tanding on the ridge I looked across a sea of grass with mountain islands here and there, the distance defined only by the last jagged range in sight. “How far are those?” “About 120 miles.” “Damn.”

I was hunting sharptails in Montana. Next-door neighbors are calculated in miles. The landscape rolls and dips and rises like ocean swells and not until you get out of the truck and immerse yourself in it, do you discover the detail, the variations of terrain and vegetation, the places where sharptails find cover. Sharptail hunting is about covering ground. What myriad miles the hunters cover, the dogs cover tenfold. A close working dog is a beautiful thing in a New England grouse covert, but for sharptail grouse, the dogs are often mere white specks in the distance, crisscrossing the grassland in pairs, until one freezes. Honoring may entail the other dog freezing a hundred yards away. It is a remarkable display of genetics and training. Walking up to honor the point may involve a brisk two hundred yards and if it is uphill, so be it. The result could be a chest-heaving hunter trying to settle himself for the impending flush. It occurred to me that oddly enough, hunting sharptails in Montana was like fishing for striped bass off Cape Cod. There is an endless sea, be it grass or water, but the quarry must be found. The dogs are no different than the gulls. Dogs find birds, birds find fish. In either case, I would be unsuccessful without them. Sharptails are big birds, almost the size of pheasants, but unlike the pheasant they are covey birds and the resulting explosion is shocking the first time. There is so much biomass in the air at once, the tendency is to simply shoot into the fray, or flock shoot as it were. The result is generally failure. The sharptail explodes and then instantly turns to catch the wind and hurtle above the grass for great distances, but there is time. The key is to see one bird and one bird only, and let instinct take over.

At day’s end when the trucks return to the cabin and dogs, guides, and hunters congregate, there is a tangible sense of why this appeals to us so. We are in a place where one can still see things as they once were, a place where the only sound is your own, devoid of the intrusiveness of civilization’s decibels. The guides and hunters are men and women of similar tastes and there is ease in the familiarity. And there are the dogs—twenty to thirty dogs at any one time milling across the gravel in something akin to an English hunt scene. Working dogs, dogs with purpose. In a time when microchips determine our daily destinies, there is something reassuring in the ancient partnership of dog and man, and for the moment we are as we once were. —By Paul Fersen, Orvis Senior Writer

38 ORVIS.COM

nd there are the dogsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;working dogs, dogs with purpose.

In a time when microchips determine our daily destinies, there is something reassuring in the ancient partnership of dog and man, and for the moment we are as we once were.

THE ORVIS HERITAGE FIELD COAT An Orvis legend in dry-waxed cotton. Built to turn away briars, repel rain, and be handed down for generations.

MOLESKIN FIELD SHIRT Its soft, brushed exterior belies its true toughness. Nothing beats the comfort and durability of genuine cotton moleskin.

40 ORVIS.COM

THE FIELD COLLECTION

This is apparel defined by the wingshooting pursuit. Destined for life in the field. And beyond. Wear it now. Hand it down. In truth, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only yours for the moment. Born from tradition. Built for adventure. This is The Orvis Field Collection. Essentials for the outdoor lifestyle, inspired by the upland hunt.

FOUL-WEATHER LINED SWEATER Windproof and water-repelling. Our fully lined sweater is effective insurance against nasty autumn weather.

42 ORVIS.COM

GOKEY® CLASSIC UPLAND BOOTS

CACHE CREEK TWILL SHIRT

So comfortable, you’ll lace them up for the hunt and leave them on long after the dogs are in dreamland.

A steep twill and a hefty hand make this ideal for wearing layered or open as a shirt jacket.

43 43

For more information, call Orvis Adventures at 800-547-4322 photo © Georgia Pellegrini

ADVE

WOMEN’S ADVENTURE WEEKEND GETAWAY WITH GEORGIA PELLEGRINI Join Orvis and outdoor adventure expert Georgia Pellegrini on an exclusive women’s Western Adventure Weekend, September 2015

OIN ORVIS and outdoor adventure expert Georgia Pellegrini on an exclusive women’s Western Adventure Weekend at Brush Creek Ranch and Spa, in Saratoga, Wyoming, recently voted #1 Resort and #1 Dude Ranch in the USA by Condé Nast Traveler. The weekend is open to women with all experience levels, from neophytes to seasoned veterans of the outdoors. It’s a great opportunity to come solo and meet new people, or for an unforgettable trip with a friend or relative. This event is for the woman who is looking

44 ORVIS.COM

for authentic active outdoor adventure and learning. Expand your limits and step outside your comfort zone. It’s the perfect opportunity to transform body, mind, and soul. GEORGIA PELLEGRINI, author of the books Girl Hunter and Modern Pioneering, teaches outdoor skills for women, such as bird hunting and fishing, with a fun and modern approach. “Self-sufficiency is the ultimate girl power,” writes Pellegrini, whose latest book serves as a cookbook, and a backyard and homesteading guide for women who want to grow food efficiently,

cook seasonal recipes, or even try foraging, camping, and living off the land. “There is a lot that I love about the Adventure Getaways that I’ve been doing over the last two years, but my hands-down favorite thing is watching women come together from across the country, meet each other for the first time, and leave at the end of the experience as lifelong friends,” Pellegrini said. “I have been amazed to see how many different types of women have had a desire to come on these adventure trips with me, from all age ranges, to experience life more viscerally and challenge themselves to experience new things.”

FROM THE FORESTS OF ARGENTINA TO THE WYOMING BACKCOUNTRY,

ENTURES

ORVIS IS YOUR TICKET TO TRAVEL.

RIO MANSO LODGE, ARGENTINA

Our 2015 International Destination of the year, this Patagonia lodge offers unparalleled scenery and fishing. BY JEREMY KEHREIN, ORVIS ADVENTURES

fter several fishing trips to Argentina, I wasn’t surprised to hear that Rio Manso was awarded our 2015 International Destination of the Year. Offering first-class service in an incredible natural setting, the mountain lodge is situated in the 2,620-square-mile Nahual Huapi National Park, perched above the lake with spectacular views of Lake Hess, Rio Manso, and the 11,660-foot Mount Tronador with its large hanging glacier. It feels very remote—you get to the lodge via a 45-minute drive down a gravel road—yet it is easily accessible, with daily flights to nearby Bariloche, known as the Gateway to Patagonia.

At Rio Manso, you’ll fish a wide variety of water with knowledgeable, friendly local guides, from small streams and large, gin-clear rivers to deep, productive lakes for browns, rainbows, and trophy brook trout. It’s common to catch fish in the 2-4 pound range daily and there is always a chance to catch a 5+ pound trout during a week of fishing. The most popular time of year to visit is in December, when the park’s lakes are host to a massive dragonfly hatch. It’s not uncommon

to see fish explode out of the water to eat these larger-than-normal insects! There’s a wide range of activities for nonangling travel companions to enjoy, including hiking through the forests of ñires and dramatic arrayanes trees, horseback riding, and really great birdwatching expeditions, led by Dr. Lorenzo Sympson, Argentina’s leading expert on the Andean Condor.

The park’s resident wildlife also keeps Rio Manso’s guests busy. Two seasons ago, one had a very special encounter with a pudú, the world’s smallest deer species, that had gotten into trouble swimming in the lake; he had to rescue it and put it back on shore. What an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime experience. These deer are very shy and hard to see.

People come here for the fishing, but owner Roberto Pandolfi, known as Lole to his friends, ensures that the service is the reason they keep coming back. The lodge features nine very comfortable guest rooms, a gear room for tackle and waders, a fly-tying area, a small, but wellequipped bar, and a spacious sitting area in front of a river stone fireplace. After the day’s fishing, everyone gathers around the fireplace for freshlymade empanadas, some delicious Argentinian red wines, or the beverage of your choice. Dinner is an event, with a wide variety of local and international dishes available. I’m partial to the local BBQ or asado—the grilled lamb is phenomenal. One of our Orvis Travel guests recently shared this comment with us: “This was a perfect lodge for us; I had high quality fishing while my wife enjoyed all of her treks and the horseback riding. We intend to return.” We hear that a lot about Rio Manso.

ORVIS COMMITS 5 % OF PRE-TAX PROFITS TO PROTECTING NATURE orvis.com/5percent

DOWN BY THE BAY

Restoring an ecosystem and culture, one oyster reef at a time.

CAPTAIN JESSIE MARSH HAS DONE SOMETHING VERY FEW MEN THAT LEAVE SMITH ISLAND EVER DO. HE’S FOUND HIS WAY BACK HOME. 1995. That was the year when all of the Tylerton children began taking a school boat to Ewell, MD for their education. It was also the year Jessie left his home to work for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Jessie had worked the water since he dropped out of school at 13. He crabbed and oystered with his father and brother. His mother and three sisters picked crabmeat at the Smith Island Crab Co-op. But things began to change. The oyster population continued declining; regulations grew. People began leaving the island.

ome to the tiny village of Tylerton on the remote 4.5-square-mile Smith Island (population 250). Home, where sea levels are rising and crab, fish, and oyster populations are threatened. Home, to the Chesapeake Bay islands, where it’s hard to say what is more at risk—the physical landscape, the economy, or the culture. They have a saying for folks like Jessie: “He’s got the mud between his toes.”

“I thought I’d try something else. We’d had three hard summers. Oysters were hangin’ on by a thread.” Jessie remembers. He didn’t sell his boat, crab pots, or equipment that first year. But he would. “It was a hard thing to do, to leave the water.” Jessie also worried about the health of the bay. In joining the CBF education team, he knew he could influence change. “These education programs build a life-long impression in these kids. These kids are an investment in our future.” We pass a young boy. He has glasses and red hair and carries a backpack. “He’s the last one,” Jessie tells me. One of the last children in Tylerton. What Jessie doesn’t have to tell me is that Smith Island culture has remained strong despite the population decline. The people are independent, and proud. The work is hard, but they love it. The people, like the bay, are resilient.

We visit the graveyard behind the church. Jessie is a big guy, with a white mustache and the rough hands and browned skin of a waterman. He drives a golf cart (there are no cars, or roads, on the isolated island). “I’ll show you my people,” he tells me. The church yard is perfectly manicured. I remember my last visit to “I can’t get this place out of my system. What we’ve got, nobody else got.” And Tylerton, for the Blessing of the Fleet, ten years ago. I remember the sound of the that’s why, after 19 years of working for CBF on the mainland, Jessie told CBF bell tolling while the priest read aloud the names of each waterman lost that year. it was time to return home. Today he is an educator and captain for CBF’s Smith I remember the voices of the choir and the taste of corn pudding, crab imperial, Island Education Center. He lives in his family’s home, a short walk from the and the famous Smith Island cakes. graveyard full of his people. “Are you worried?” I ask him. I follow his gaze across the idyllic landscape packed with picket fences and colorful homes, work boats Jessie points to the graves of his people—11 generations of watermen and their and splintering docks. families—all wrapped up in a white picket fence. Each stone is clean and freshly “We worry about the livelihood, the culture dying out. That’s gonna happen painted, maintained with the stubbornness and pride distinct to Smith Islanders. long before the sea comes up.” His speaks with pride and fondness, not fear. We drive to a small, empty house. A rusting, net-less basketball hoop makes He knows what’s at risk is worth fighting for. He knows change is possible. shadows across the large splintering deck. The schoolhouse closed in 1995. “It was a sign that things were changing.” Jessie remembers the village gathering to With that, it becomes all the more clear why Jessie had to find his way back home. After all, he does, and always will, have the mud between his toes. walk in silence to commemorate the loss. “Up until then, everything was gettin’ —By Jett Brooks, Orvis Copywriter

bigger, better.”

OYSTER HARVESTS ARE REBOUNDING 2003-2004

2013-2014

50,018

BUSHELS CBF staff aboard the Patricia Campbell deploy concrete reef balls into the Chesapeake Bay.

RESTORING THE REEFS: FIGHT FOR A LIVE-BOTTOM BAY It’s simple: 3-D oyster reefs are imperative to the health and diversity of the bay. They provide habitat and food for crabs and fish, and clean water by filtering sediment, excess algae, and harmful pollutants. Oyster reefs support a diversity of life in the water, and a robust economy out of the water. That’s why CBF and volunteers fight to restore a self-sustaining network of reefs by recycling shells, planting oyster gardens, and deploying spat-on-shell and oyster reef balls into the bay. Help CBF create a live-bottom bay. Learn more at orvis.com/cbf.

46 ORVIS.COM

926,425

BUSHELS

IN 10 YEARS, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A

1,752% INCREASE in annual harvests.

graphic courtesy of CBF

“I CAN’T GET THIS PLACE OUT OF MY SYSTEM. WHAT WE’VE GOT, NOBODY ELSE GOT.”

—CAPTAIN JESSIE MARSH, TYLERTON, SMITH ISLAND, MD

RESTORATION IN NUMBERS 200,000,000 4,000 1,200 BUSHELS

oysters planted.

THE CHESAPEAKE BAY HAS

19 TRILLION

GALLONS OF WATER.

ONE OYSTER FILTERS

50 GALLONS OF WATER PER DAY.

(That’s the same amount that would fill an average bathtub!)

UNTIL THE 1880s,

reef balls deployed.

of shells recycled per year.

native oysters filtered the entire bay in 3 DAYS.

...ALL THANKS TO CBF AND CBF VOLUNTEERS.

TODAY,

$ 25 PLANTS 2,500 OYSTERS $ 50 CONSTRUCTS ONE REEF BALL

it takes the native oysters ONE FULL YEAR to filter the bay.

JOIN THE FIGHT IN RESTORING MOTHER NATURE’S WATER FILTER. YOU DONATE, WE MATCH. orvis.com/cbf

THE ROMANS HAD CHEERING THRONGS TO WELCOME THEM HOME. THE VIKINGS, ENORMOUS FIRES. THE BROOKLYN DODGERS, TICKER TAPE PARADES.

WE HAVE DOGS.

48 ORVIS.COM

YOU DONATE, WE MATCH, AND TAILS START WAGGING. HE WAS LANKY AND FAR TOO THIN,

with a respectable fight wound across

his nose, and an unmistakable kindness in his eyes. He did not bark, or wag his tail, or even stand up in his crate when we entered the shelter. He rested his chin on his front paws, and watched us closely, but without hope or enthusiasm. “He’s the one,” my husband said. I looked closer at the white spot on his floppy right ear. He was the one. You never forget your first impression. Wendell joins Mocha, Brody, Reggie, Logan, and Ace in the large group of pets adopted by Orvis associates through the Petfinder Foundation. Some of us fell in love with photos on Petfinder.com, while others met our canine companions at Petfinder-supported adoption clinics or shelters. We’ve adopted allergy-friendly pups, purebreds and mutts, cats, and even a mini-horse (yes, a mini-horse!). We are all proud to support an organization that strives to ensure that no pet is euthanized for lack of a home. You should be, too. Sapphire, Lovely Rose, Marshall, Pedey, and the rest of the Orvis-adopted family will thank you for it. Find out more at orvis.com/petfinder.

1 IN 2 DOGS will develop cancer.

IS YOUR DOG THE NEXT COVER DOG?

OIN ORVIS AND THE MORRIS ANIMAL FOUNDATION in the fight against canine cancer by participating in our Orvis Cover Dog

Photo Contest. Submit a photo of your dog, or view current entries and vote on your favorites. Become a part of a contest that makes a difference.

1 IN 4 DOGS will die from cancer.

2009

In Orvis and Morris Animal Foundation joined forces to launch the Orvis Cover Dog Photo Contest.

SO FAR,

you have submitted over

100,000 photographs,

and raised over

$1,000,000

to fund canine cancer research.

Become part of the action. Visit orvis.com/coverdog.

YOU did this. Thank you. Let’s keep this good thing going.

SANDANONA Millbrook, NY

Orvis Sandanona in Millbrook, NY is a step back in time to a place where the traditions of the field and the hunt are held in the highest regard, and where wingshooting is a passion that links the past with the present. This venerable sporting institution is the oldest permitted shooting preserve in the country; so old in fact, that the main lodge was built during the presidency of Thomas Jefferson.

GAME FAIR & COUNTRY SPORTING WEEKEND

he Orvis Game Fair and Country Sporting Weekend—a fun and exciting weekend outing for the whole family—will be held at Sandanona on September 19 & 20, 2015.

All around the picturesque Sandanona property, you’ll

are encouraged to participate, and this is an excellent

find artists and craftspeople at work, more than 70 of

opportunity to fulfill that desire to try your hand at

the finest upscale exhibitors and vendors, and loads of events and exhibits for kids and adults. Everything will

shooting or fly fishing. Expert instructors will be on hand to offer free fly-casting lessons and will give novices the

Located just a short drive north of New York City,

be focused on the country sporting lifestyle—featuring

Sandanona in autumn is the perfect place to enjoy the

fly-fishing demonstrations, dog-training seminars,

beautiful and historic Hudson Valley region and all

birds of prey exhibitions, a variety of hands-on youth

a fun and safe environment. Plus, you can enter to win

it has to offer.

programs, and a Land Rover driving course. Visitors

Orvis clothing, dog beds, and more!

50 ORVIS.COM

opportunity to learn to shoot under their watchful eye in

SPORTING CLAYS Sporting clays is one of the fastest growing sports in the country. In fact, Orvis was responsible for introducing one of the first prototype sporting clays shooting courses at its shooting school in Manchester, Vermont. The Sandanona shotgun course is recognized worldwide as one of the best and also was a leader in the development of sporting clays in this country. It was listed in Esquire magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top 10 list of courses in the United States and has been the site of numerous prestigious championships.

SCHOOLS AT SANDANONA WINGSHOOTING

FLY FISHING

rvis Sandanona also features a comprehensive fly-fishing school program based on the highly successful lesson format developed and refined over thirty years at our Vermont headquarters.

Expert Orvis fishing instructors will teach you multiple fly casting techniques, the essential fishing knots, equipment basics, and enough about freshwater entomology to make fly selection an easy, intuitive process. At the conclusion of the program, you will be able to fly cast with authority and fish confidently. The fly-fishing school tuition includes instruction, lunches, textbook, and use of Orvis tackle.

he Orvis Shotgun Shooting Schools were the first of their kind offered in the United States, and for over twenty-five years have offered shooters the finest wingshooting and hunting instruction available anywhere in the world. The Orvis shotgun shooting instructors are consummate professionals who are beside you at every shot, quietly analyzing and improving your style. In addition to firing hundreds of rounds of ammunition, each student participates in classroom instruction on basic shotgun safety, shotshell selection, and shotgun patterning. Students are grouped together according to their level of skill and experience, and treated to a uniquely designed, fully automated instruction area that provides a full array of clay target angles. The tuition includes a complimentary gunfitting to establish and record individual stock dimensions, comprehensive shooting instruction, all targets and ammunition, lunches each school day, and a copy of the Orvis Wingshooting Handbook. The use of an Orvis shotgun is available at no additional charge, if desired.

SPORTING

SCHOOLS

orvis.com/schools

Based on the English Churchill method, our instinctive approach to shotgun shooting and wingshooting offers both novice and seasoned veterans a complete shooting system applicable to upland hunting, waterfowl hunting, or sporting clays. One of the keys to our teaching philosophy is to group students together according to their levels of ability and experience. By doing this, we can give all our shooting school students a sensible starting point and then help them progress through the various sporting clay target venues with very positive results. Although actual shooting comprises the bulk of the Orvis wingshooting schools, students also participate in essential instruction on shotgun safety. In addition, each student receives a complimentary shotgun fitting to establish and record individual stock dimensions.

WINGSHOOTING AND WATERFOWL SCHOOLS MANCHESTER, VT Just minutes from our flagship store—along the famed Battenkill—you’ll find the oneor two-day Manchester Wingshooting Schools, world-class custom shooting instruction courses staffed with professional shotgun shooting instructors ready to help turn novices into skilled shooters, and skilled shooters into experts. Our Manchester shotgun shooting instruction has been turning out excellent wingshooters for generations. NEW FOR 2015! Orvis has created a school where waterfowlers can experience a season’s worth of hunting and shooting scenarios in just two days. Manchester, Vermont is known for its breathtaking scenery, beautiful country roads, and rustic covered bridges.

QUAIL HUNTING AND WINGSHOOTING SCHOOLS PRAIRIE WILDLIFE, MS The Black Prairie of Mississippi is an incomparable place with picturesque views, quaint towns, and is home to Prairie Wildlife, the conservation-driven sporting estate in West Point, Mississippi. For years, initiatives to restore this unique area have been underway and Prairie Wildlife’s decade-long efforts have brought back the native grasses, the valuable pollinators, the habitat, and the irreplaceable wild bobwhite quail. The Orvis Shooting School at Prairie Wildlife is offering a unique, one-of-akind learning opportunity for the new quail hunter to hone his/her performance in the quail field.

WINGSHOOTING SCHOOL AT MCGRAW WILDLIFE DUNDEE, IL The Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation encompasses 1,231 acres of hardwoods, prairies, lakes, reclaimed gravel pits, and spring-fed streams near the Fox River in Dundee, Illinois, providing an outdoor experience near metro Chicago. In keeping with the founder’s mission, hunting, fishing, and being a part of the great outdoors are at the heart of McGraw Wildlife Foundation. Each day offers unscripted adventure, and proximity to the natural world: a ringneck pheasant may explode from prairie grass, or a four-poundplus bass may break the quiet surface of the water. Witness a majestic great blue heron lifting off its perch as each dawn breaks with its own offering; one only has to choose the adventure that suits his or her desire.

MAYS POND SCHOOL MAYS POND, FL Learn the art of wingshooting in a traditional Old South setting. Located just 30 minutes east of Tallahassee, these historic shotgun shooting grounds feature fully-automated traps, a high tower, and a quail walk. The expert instructors at Mays Pond place particular emphasis on pass shooting instruction for quail, dove, and waterfowl hunting. Wingshooting school and shotgun shooting classes are held in a beautifully restored one-room Georgia schoolhouse where catered lunches are served daily.

52 ORVIS.COM

LEARN THE

WINGSHOOTING BASICS WITH ORVIS EXPERIENCE AN INTRODUCTION TO WINGSHOOTING IN A SAFE, COMFORTABLE, AND FUN LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.

JOIN US

on any of the dates listed to learn wingshooting basics. CLASS SPACES ARE LIMITED Reserve your spot with any associate at participating Orvis stores. COURSE FEE $120 per person

WS101Shotgun safety,

shotgun parts, stance, gun ready postition, mount, acquiring the target

WS201Shotgun safety,

correct gun mount and acquiring the target with an assortment of targets, field etiquette, what to expect while in the field

Classes are offered 7/11â&#x20AC;&#x201C;10/24 Participating Orvis stores: Memphis, TN Avon, CT Birmingham, AL Darien, CT Jackson, MS Pittsburgh, PA Manchester, VT Asheville, NC Dallas, TX Charlotte, NC Plano, TX Atlanta, GA Houston, TX Alpharetta, GA New York, NY

See more about our full 2-day Orvis Wingshooting Schools at www.orvis.com/schools. 53

THE LAND

rive just a few miles in any direction from the downtown bustle of Burlington, Vermont, and you’ll be in the figurative middle of nowhere. The landscape opens up to rolling pasture, lazy two-lanes unfurl along cornfields, farms come into view, and silos sprout up like spring dandelions. One farm in particular appears, at first glance, to be no different from the rest. It sports the requisite rambling red barn, a comfortably settled farmhouse, crooked fencing, and crushed gravel roads crisscrossing the property. But zoom in a little closer and you’ll notice faces of a strange sort peering out from among the various weathered outbuildings and run-in sheds. Connoisseurs of a particular automotive marque will recognize the distinctive countenance of the classic Land Rover Series I and II. Distinguished by their close-set headlights, flat-front fenders, and straight aluminum bodies, these legends of off-road sit patiently as they wait their turn to be transformed by the seemingly magical hands of one man, Lanny Clark. Unassuming and soft-spoken, Clark—a visual cross between singer James Taylor and the character Doc Brown from Back to the Future—is a walking encyclopedia of mechanical knowledge. And it’s easy to see why. Growing up on a farm taught him how to fix things. Being a mechanic in the Army taught him how to fix things better. And working for North America’s sole Land Rover parts supplier for 15 years, in addition to co-creating the first Land Rover driving school in America, has taught him everything he ever needed (or wanted) to know about Land Rovers. But Lanny isn’t here to sell to you or to convince you that you need to own, or even drive, a vintage Rover. If you’ve found Lanny Clark, it’s because you went looking for him. For the last fifteen years, Clark has made it his life’s work to rescue, restore, and rebuild the British legends that have firmly set and consistently raised the bar for adventure with their uncanny ability to get into and out of places no normal vehicle should ever be.

54 ORVIS.COM

Despite the fact that Land Rovers have historically come equipped with high price tags, the early (pre-1980s models) are surprisingly simple vehicles. They had to be. Primarily relied upon as basic transportation in challenging regions by doctors, farmers, and the military, they have, over the decades, been altered into ambulances, transformed into tow vehicles and search-and-rescue trucks, and were even used in lieu of tractors; early models

included a PTO shaft to power farm implements. Entrusted with transporting everything from troops to tourists through countries where often the closest town was hundreds of miles away, these trusty trucks were developed and constructed so that they could easily be stripped down and repaired in the field using nothing more than basic hand tools and common sense.

The US has historically not been privy to the barebones Land Rovers in their myriad configurations still sold the world over. Available domestically in the 1950s through the early 1970s, the Land Rover Series II and III was replaced in the US by the more upscale Range Rover series in the 1980s, a marque which continues to be popular today. The current Land Rover Defender, a modern interpretation of the Series III, enjoyed just a brief stint of successful American sales in the mid 1990s before being discontinued here. As a result of the diminishing number of the “true” Land Rovers in North America, older models are being snapped up by collectors and are thus becoming increasingly difficult to find. A quick glance around Clark’s farm reveals no fewer than 40 vintage vehicles in various stages of repair and disrepair. Some are tucked into sheds; others are lined up in neat rows. A few sit up to their windshields in tall grass; another has slowly sunk into the ground, the earth reaching up to its rims. About half of them are Lanny’s, while the others belong to customers. Some are in for routine maintenance, some are in need of minor repairs, and still others are awaiting complete restorations. But most of them, as Lanny attests, are merely a fresh tank of fuel, a new battery, and an ignition-key-twist away from firing up.

Lanny Clark will tackle just about any project vehicle as long as it’s eligible to become a project. The Rovers that are too far-gone, too rusted, or just too worn out, are scavenged for parts. For Clark, the end goal isn’t simply to make his Land Rovers look pretty but rather to bring the vehicle back to factoryspec condition. Land Rovers for daily use; it’s long been Clark’s motto and it’s a tall order—and one that begins with a complete and total disassembly of the vehicle, right down to the frame. It’s called a frame-off restoration because everything comes off, leaving nothing but the frame. First, the interior is gutted and the body is unbolted and removed. Then, every last nut, bolt, screw, clip,

bracket, and housing is systematically removed, labeled, cataloged, and either discarded or set aside for cleaning and restoration. Starting with a perfectly clean (and straight) frame is the first step to returning any Land Rover to its former glory. But glory may be too strong a word for a truck that can easily spend its days buried in mud up to its wheel wells. Then again, glory may be exactly the term that’s required. After the vehicle’s been stripped down, parts that are no longer serviceable are recycled and new replacements are ordered, or in many cases, sourced from Lanny’s seemingly infinite collection of parts. Every other bit is stripped, cleaned, and repainted if necessary. The engine and running gear are removed

OF ROVERS and rebuilt if required. The wiring harness is replaced, the upholstery redone. While Lanny primarily works alone in his small yet well-appointed one-bay shop, he does employ some help and outsources certain jobs, such as complete engine rebuilds, to specialists. Lanny uses only genuine Land Rover parts in his restorations wherever he can. The reason? Safety and quality. The end game here is to create a vehicle that’s as capable as it was the day it rolled off the assembly line in Solihull, UK. Not surprisingly, almost every part can still be acquired new, including the frame. The Land Rover Series I, introduced in 1948, has trudged on relatively unchanged for more than half a century. While modern technology has upgraded the essentials, if you were to place a 1948 Series I next to a 2015

Defender, there’d be no doubt you were staring at siblings.

You might think that a restoration process as meticulous as Clark’s would provide the perfect opportunity for upgrades. You’d be mistaken. As Lanny sees it, these vehicles rolled out of the factory with everything they needed. And aside from installing the occasional winch, a set of jerry cans, or in a rare case, modern air conditioning, these vehicles simply don’t require technical suspensions or sophisticated engine upgrades. They weren’t designed or built for speed but rather for rugged utility, ease of use, and most importantly, longevity. Simply put, if it isn’t needed, it isn’t there. As testament, even today, vintage Land Rovers have been known to handily tackle terrain that has left modern, heavily modified vehicles struggling.

AFTER

BEFORE

1962 SERIES IIA

eatured in the Orvis Gifts for Men catalog, this vehicle was delivered to its first (and only) owners in 1962. After more than thirty years of faithful service in the dry California climate, it was taken off the road in the early 1990s with plans for a restoration that never came to be. That is, until Lanny Clark purchased it and proceeded with a nine-month frame-off restoration. All mechanical systems were either rebuilt or replaced; the body was stripped and repainted to original specifications, and the interior was reupholstered in reproduction “elephant-hide” gray. Capable of carrying up to 10 passengers, it’s powered by a 2.25-liter inline four-cylinder gasoline engine, sports a tropical, vented roof and windshield, curved side Alpine windows (for greater visibility), and a four-speed manual transmission with high- and low-range four-wheel drive.

Rebuilding an entire vehicle, even one as basic as a vintage Land Rover, is by no means a speedy process. An average restoration can take anywhere from 6 months to a year. Once completed, every vehicle is thoroughly shaken down right on the farm, as well as taken out on long drives, often being utilized as Lanny’s errand vehicle—there’s no better way to work out the bugs than employing real-life driving scenarios. While many customers will trailer their Land Rovers in to Lanny’s shop, when they arrive to pick them up, they simply turn the key and drive off. And that’s exactly the way Clark wants it. He doesn’t build his Rovers to be babied or trailered to car shows. In fact, he has had customers drive their completed vehicles from his shop in Vermont straight to western New York, Washington DC, and even Atlanta, Georgia. A recent job was headed to Africa. No doubt the owner would have driven it there if she could have. Driving a vintage Land Rover is not, to put it bluntly, for everyone. It isn’t luxurious. It’s by no means plush, and it’s the farthest thing from fast. But, as Lanny and his customers can undeniably attest, it’s an acquired taste, and one that gets increasingly better with every mile you put behind you. Clark recollected a cross-country journey in a Land Rover taken years ago, “You get out West and you start heading toward the Rockies and you see the mountains off in the distance—and the next day you see the same mountains and it looks like the same distance.” So if getting there is half the fun, getting there in a vintage Land Rover is all the fun, takes twice as long, and doesn’t necessarily require roads. If that isn’t true adventure, we don’t know what is.

—By Eric Weissleder, Orvis Men’s Copywriter

See more images and find out how to buy this vehicle at orvis.com/landrover

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