I'm back from the fishing trip to Ruidoso and already can't wait for next year to roll around! As promised, it was a testosterone-fueled celebration of fishing, drinking, smelling very bad, telling tales, and eating too much meat. These photos should tell the full story. Before too much time passes, I should jot down a few reflections:

1. Looking up at a clear sky full of stars reminds you of how small you are, but . . .
2. Being with your friends reminds you how lucky you are, somehow makes you feel bigger.
3. Life in the city isn't all that different from life in the woods, except in the city you have the illusion of control. In the woods, when you're on a trail alone, the silence can be oddly threatening. Your base instincts kick in - fear, survival. These are the same instincts we have in the city, but there we are surrounded by noise and modern constructs that are apart of our daily lives - cars, machines, the media, other people - which give us a false sense of security and control. But in nature, all those things fade away and you are suddenly aware that you actually have very little control over anything. And, strangely, that can be a comforting realization.
4. Dirt on the body has a way of cleansing the soul.
5. You can never bring enough socks when you're camping in 18-degree weather.
6. Camping seems to cure all the aches and pains I normally have in my back. Or maybe it was the scotch . . .
7. When you're cold, a campfire will warm you up, but if you get too close it will burn your eyes.
8. When you snap a trout's head, it makes a hollow, popping sound.
9. If you have enough guys, sometimes snoring can sound like a symphony.

Overall, it was a great weekend.

Now it's time to gear up for Costa Rica!

link to this | comments (2) | File:  Friends  Travel