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Another rip-roaring week flew by and it's already Sunday night. I guess I had time to get over the Louisiana trip being cancelled as I hardly had the time to miss it. Things in the shop are still staying busy, but that should end soon enough.
Honestly, I used to really hate working in the shop…shocker as I'm always in such a jovial mode answering questions about what's working on the Gallatin, which Deer B tag do I need to hunt near Amsterdam, and renting waders. Things are hanging though and I actually kind of like it once again. Don't get me wrong, the peeps do a much better job than I do at handling the mundane, But I kind of enjoy the strategery, spreadsheets, and the occasional conversation with one eccentric dude or another. I like it better than I do rowing boat at this stage in my life.
I like rowing boats and bs'ing with people just fine, but I can't say that I love it anymore, most days. Love the fly shop work? Not really love it, but kind of am starting to like it kind of how I hoped I would 15 years ago when I started off on this journey. The path has been a lot windier and steeper than I imagined, but pretty awesome at this stage. I think I have come to accept the fact that neither rowing boats nor slinging flies will ever lead to wealth. But, I do get to do and see some amazing shit that most people not only don't get the chance to see, but would most likely walk right by it anyway.
Fishing just makes you attempt to "get it" the more you do it. You can't really fish and ever not "get it." The nice thing about "getting it" is knowing that once you have it, you can always still get another "it."
I spent most of the day cleaning up my crap in the house and packing for my next adventure. The cleaning of my crap and sorting through pile of junk flies is not nearly as exciting as the packing.
I'm heading to Brazil the week after next to disappear into the rainforest and headwaters of the Amazon. I tried to find it on Google earth last night and never really succeeded. The river is called the Rio Marie which is a tributary to the Rio Negro. I'll be spending the week with my dad, a couple of guys I would cal friends, and some other people that I'm sure will be more douchy than not. The brochure says its about 500 miles out of Manaus, pretty close to the Columbian border. Looks like it has the potential to be something special or spectacular disaster…perfect for me.