The short and short of it... A Trip Summary!

I was sitting on a warm sandy bank of the Salmon River, wearing a heavy coat, but warm and content. A half empty bottle of cool beer sat next to me in a slightly carved out section of the bank. My fishing pole lay next to me, cold water still glistening on the line that I had just removed from the river. In front of me, the river flowed by downstream, right to left. I watched as my friend's (Russ) bobber drifted lazily by hoping to see that familiar tug that indicated a fat Steelhead had just bit on the hook. I smiled - content and happy and completely void of all thoughts of work, family, and the daily grind. Fat, happy flakes of snow floated by as yet another small flurry wafted gently around us, dropping white dandruff all over my heavy coat. I was completely unaffected by its cold or wetness and could only enjoy it for the beauty of its design. Across the river, about two hundred feet away, a herd of mountain Big Horn Sheep grazed on the free wild mountain grass of the lower slope of a mountain. They were visiting the lower elevations while their normal homes were being covered in fresh white powder. I watched the sheep butt heads over a few fine tufts of grass and thought of the wonder and miracle of Idaho.

On the way home on Friday, we passed a field of fallow land covered by a herd of Elk at least 300 strong. We had to stop our truck and wait as a small family unit of 20 or so Elk crossed the road in front of us.

My fishing pole remained empty for the entire seven days I was in Idaho, but I had the fishing trip of a lifetime. Planning your next trip? Might I suggest the Land of the Yankee Fork in central Idaho? Your cell phones won't work. Your radios won't work. The fishing might suck. But you will not find a better place to recharge your batteries.