River Miles

I looked forward to this morning for a while.  Not so much because I was going to fish  but more so because I was going to go fishing with Norland.  Now that may sound very gay to some and to others very bro-mantic but to me it's always time spent on the river with someone that I can relate to, communicate without conversation,  and share a common disturbed sense of humour with.  The conversations can be deep, insane, irrational, and down right ridiculous.  But always funny...to us...

The bead bite was on this past Wednesday so I was certain there would be a few fish to be had if we carried our sorry a$$es back into the far off lands.  The river was lonely today like it should be but the flow was down and clear.  The going was tough and we certainly put the river miles in.  For those of you that don't understand what a river mile is use this for a point of reference. 

Take a mile long walk down your suburban street.  Now throw in a million basket ball sized slippery boulders.  Add some Amazonian grass taller than the average person.  Throw in some fallen trees like every third driveway for good measure.  Don't forget frequent bends and turns. And finally,  the inevitable river crossings against the raging current.  The rewards for the efforts are worth it but the toll it plays on the body after you throw in the cold, the hike in and out, and the early rise...well its enough to ruin a man. 

And as I type this report I certainly feel ruined.  We used to do this stuff sometimes for three days in a row....sun up to sun down.  Not any more.  I had a day off in between and I still feel old and smashed.  Getting old is a cruel end to a wonderful ride.  What can ya do?  F*ck-it, we can still get back in there so the pains are a small price to pay for the serenity and beauty not to mention the silver bounties.