The weather report called for afternoon thunderstorms, so a full day, high-country trip was out of the question. Heading north was out of the question. There had been one too many mudslides and we didn’t want to be stuck somewhere for hours. We threw out different directions and rivers for a while until we settled on a spot. We’d gone last year, been skunked, I wasn’t expecting much. I figured ‘hey, at least I get to be outside.’
Up and around a dirt road, with a few stops to allow cattle to cross, we ended up in a backcountry camping spot. It wasn’t too busy, and the middle of the week, so we figured it’d be ok. I looked over at my DSLR sitting in the back seat. Thinking back to last year I didn’t even want to put that heavy thing in my back. Begrudgingly, I nestled it between my water bottle and fly box. Maybe there would at least be some cool flowers and bugs.
Sometimes in life, we write things off. People, places, rivers. You have one bad experience, with nothing good to compare it to and that’s all you’ve got. We lump things in good vs bad columns and don’t give it another thought.
Within minutes of getting our feet wet, we hit brook trout. Every pool, run, undercut had a perfectly colored up trout. There were hatches and wildflowers as far as the eye can see. Even a few cows to keep us company along the way.
I began to notice the character of the river. How she moved through the wilderness, the way she cut through the rock, the ways she protected the nature all around her. I’d missed all of this last year. So consumed with ‘needing’ to catch fish I ignored everything else, right in front of my face. My human selfishness had gotten in the way.
I’d like to think that I’m a better person this year, that’s why I noticed everything, but probably not. Too many fish leads to sitting on rocks.
Jacob and I have moved this little river from the bad column to the good one, where it should have been from the beginning. Really, where most things should be. Sometimes you just need to appreciate everything, notice all the good around you, while sitting on a rock.