Tis this life.

I’ve lived the trout bum life for a bit. It’s not easy and I’ve touched on it in other blog posts. As I get older. Almost 38 now. Things are definitely different, perspectives change, we grow, we learn more about ourselves and who we are and what we want. I’ve discovered most of these things on the water.

My guide career is set. It’s been in motion for enough time now that it flows the way it should. It’s a smooth ride these days. I’m changing things up but it takes care of itself.

Trips book, money is made, bills get paid, life happens, fish get caught and released, and the stuff keeps on going, juice keeps flowing.

I haven’t thought much on the Yakima since I hit Utah. I’ve thought about clients and people, and good times, but not the river or fishing it. The farthest away from the yak I could drive really. Which in itself is pretty cool for me. I’ll have touched the tip of Washington and the tip of Florida before I am in Michigan. I’ve gotten to do one of things I’ve always wanted. Travel. And I don’t like airplanes so driving suits me.

As an adult I fell in love with discovering new to me places. I developed this want to go nomad from time to time. Walk about. I used to chase mountains and trails, then switched to river and waters, and now I travel for water.

I’ve been in Florida for a few days. Haven’t fished yet. The back end of business has taken precedent. My partner and I also have just offseason stuff we settle into this time of year. Coming out of guide season is a process. We shared it in the car over 12 days. But the trip and travel in general comes with stress, anxiety, and exhaustion. Travel isn’t easy. It’s part of the adventure. Weather it’s driving for days, or hiking miles and miles, or rowing river bend after rapid. The journey to destinations is where the vibe, the people you share things with, and relationships and connections become more solid.

My partner and I travel well together. Social media and all the shit out there now doesn’t show you the real parts. Just the destination and stuff for the gram.

Sharing travel is by far better than solo, which has been most of my experience. This trip down was an adventure to say the least. From broke cars, to laughing and crying. Watching brown trout spawn in Idaho. Hearing my children laugh while sharing an evening. Listening to nothing as the Grand Canyon fell into darkness. Or watching the sunset over the Red Canyon in Utah just in wonder and awe. To the feel of a good hot shower. The fuck all of Texas, the absolute vibe of Louisiana. The sounds of frogs and humid cool air and the sweetest people I’ve encountered. To a sandy backroad off the freeway in Florida in the dark just to sleep before landing at our first destination. This trip had been wonderfully adventurous. Take the bad and the good.

Arriving here things hit hard and real again. But got through. Exhausted but got through. Essentially miscommunication and unprofessionalism on the part of a particular marina made for a craptastically cock up of a day. A wasted day. A defeating day.

I am still exhausted from it today. Checked out today. Whatever is pressing can wait. I have little care to solve, do, or talk. Yesterday was rough, today will be easier, tomorrow shit will get done.

I met some amazing people when I picked up my boat. The kind of people I set out to encounter on trips like this. The passionate, local, knowledgeable, unassuming people. Good-hearted, welcoming, and downright wonderful people. They are the sauce of travel. The good stuff. The ones that go put out their way and call in on others like them to move things and people forward positively and with that good energy.

Thankful for those kinds of people, and I always strive to be one. I was reminded yesterday to be myself, be the chill fishy dude, and put the energy out there, and things will get done. I am too old to put my head down though. 22 year old me would have let a lot of yesterday get to me but would have not done much about it. Now me has the patience of a saint… but knows when it’s abused or taken advantage of and how to pivot. I get shit done and I make things happen. I’ve been good at making something out of nothing as I’ve gotten older. Yesterday, with the help of aforementioned people…shit got done.

I’m here to fish. To learn, to experience, explore, and discover. I’m a damn good angler and that’s why I’m here. Boat has been handled. So that I can fucken get to it.

Previous shop that was supposed to do my boat dropped the ball, treated me like I didn’t matter as a customer, miscommunication and misled, and apparently overcharged me when asking and calling around. So. I don’t give my patience to people like that, and I definitely don’t give them my money. Really don’t want them anywhere in my orbit. Money is being returned, and boat goes to the locals that went out of their way, made calls, put in work and passion and foster the people side of this experience. Which was the point.

I don’t have time to waste on anything that doesn’t have the kind of energy, vibe, passion, atmosphere, that I want. Nor do I have to give my time. Getting to old for that.

Florida by the way is a fucken mess. And it ain’t humid. It’s just fucking hot. I like Louisiana way better. Now I may change my mind as I experience the water but anything down here that has concrete, or doesn’t have water touching it…sucks. You all think driving in Seattle sucks…fuck. this place is worse than LA. Florida is definitely weird. But there are fish…so I’m gonna go chase a few and see what happens.

Tis this life… sometimes. Plans never go accordingly. Embracing the chaos is the main operating procedure. The universe does as it will, and I just ramble through it. Chasin a fish or 3 before the next bend in the river breaks and I see what’s next.

Tamarack