What’s a matter with you, it’s too soon for John Denver.
Years ago my buddy Rob and I used to take extended fishing trips into the eastern sierras. We tent-camped along a specific river, fished a number of lakes. It was glorious. I look back and I think it was among the last of my carefree days. Anyway, we’d make the long drive up the 14 & 395 through Mojave and then through Bishop. About ½ way up Sherwin grade the desert melts away and you find yourself in God’s country. I don’t know when or why it started, but reaching a very specific landmark during the climb required that we start listening to John Denver’s “Sweet Surrender” followed by “Rocky Mountain High”, singing along in a tone and volume that would cause dogs far and wide to howl with vigor. And this little ritual could only take place when we had reached a certain landmark. If one of us were to pop in the cassette say, just outside of Bishop, the other would immediately assert, “What’s a matter with you, it’s too soon for John Denver.” To this day when I hear those songs I’m transported back in time to the cab of that truck and I feel like I’m almost there.
Rob is married with a family now and has moved out of the area so we don’t fish or hunt together like we used to. But I still take a trip or two up there every year. The highlight trip is with a few buddies when we all leave our wives & kids at home and have the “annual guys only fishing trip”. It usually takes place in August. I’m already getting a little bit antsy about it because there’s a possibility that I’ll have a couple of new players involved. My buddy Jason is hoping to make the trek out here from South Dakota. Plans are still in the works but I’m hopeful. I’ll believe it when I see it, but I’m hopeful.
Tax season is here and in full swing. In a normal year the real insanity doesn’t get underway until April 1st or so. Today is the 15th of March and I’m already getting hammered. I’m tired. I’m cranky. I want people to leave me alone. I want to be dry fly fishing the upper Owens River. I want to be sitting around a campfire with my buddy from South Dakota and some other friends.
As I type this I’ve got “Rocky Mountain High” playing on my iPod. I know, “it’s too soon for John Denver” but I can’t help myself.
posted by willhuntforfood at 6:07 PM
3 Comments:
Hang in there Paul....I know how much you love the mountians and your buds...it will be summer before you know it and you will soon have two more little buddues wishing to fishing with you......
Hey I thought those Moutain tops in the pick looked familiar. I've spent a few times in Bishop and surrounding peaks myself. One fishing trip was at South lake.Another hiking trip took me to.....ah, I think a place called rock creek. then yet another trip seaking the elusive mule deer a spot I believe was called "the devils postpile" good times.
Hey, if you like fly fishing you should make your way up here to MT.
Later Brother!
Rob
Yeah, that pic is from an area a bit north of Bishop. Good eye! Rock Creek & Rock Creek Lake are among my favorites. Easy access to that high country lake and good fishing. I finally have enough preference points that I could pull an X9A tag to hunt around Mammoth (and devil's postpile) but now I'm holding out for the coveted Goodale tag. Probably get struck by lightning before I get one though.
Fishing Montana and hunting antelope in Wyoming is on my list of to do's. I'd eventually like to fish and/or hunt all the western states. So far I've knocked California, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, and Colorado off the list. Lots more to go!
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