You ever have so much anticipation for a trip that when it happens and you get back that it seems unreal how good it was?

That’s where I am right now. We had been planning and preparing for this trip for a while. Getting the truck set up and ready for the road. Sorting flies. Prepping the rods. Food. Planning the routes, knowing full well that would change.

Setting up my now 18-year-old son Graeme to house sit and watch the animals. Waiting for the right time then finally deciding that no time is perfect, so we should just go. So we did.

A 27-hour drive one way with the intention to enjoy it all, even Oklahoma and Kansas. Once there time stopped. Our goal was stillness and awe. To be present with the landscape, the adventures, the food, the fish, each other and whoever we came across along the way.

Plans lined-up sometimes, fell apart others. We pivoted when it made sense to do so, and sometimes just pushed through.

We left feeding fish to find more feeding fish. We watched birds, did old people stuff. Even though we’re not old yet, and we’re getting there as slowly as possible.

On the way there, we made a stop at a KOA near Knoxville for a little rest. This particular campground, hosted by a kind man named Willis, was quite comfortable for the few hours we were there. The next night, after driving 18 hours, we landed in Amarillo.

We had a free camp/park spot picked out but when we got there it did not appear to be welcoming so we pivoted and went to a little motel on Route 66. It was early into Sunday morning. We walked in and talked with another kind man through bulletproof glass. He said it was something like $21/hr CASH.

We were so tired that I was like, ‘ok sure here’s my card’. He paused and explained that he can tell by the looks of us that we won’t like it there. It was a genuine ‘no-tell motel’.

He then explained that his uncle has a really nice ‘boutique’ motel up the street and he called to get us a room there.

Crisis averted. It wasn’t so boutique, but it was good enough and a solid Route 66 experience.

The next morning, as rested as possible and eager to get on the road we pointed toward Pagosa Springs. Before leaving and in anticipation of the dirtbag life that lay ahead of us, we filled the 5-gallon water jug with water from the bathtub tap and headed out.

Lunch in Santa Fe by the rail yard was amazing, as was the Christmas chili breakfast burrito I couldn’t finish.

We arrived in the Pagosa Springs area in the early afternoon. Got some groceries, looked around a little, then headed for our first stop. It was storming beautifully there. Monsoons.

We got to the trailhead, aired down then proceeded down the four wheel drive trail to a dispersed camping area along a small creek that I suspected had a good population of cutthroat trout.

We found a spot along the creek with some nice tree cover and no one around. It was just right. Feet on the ground with our sitting parts tired of sitting and an overall feeling of delight, we walked around taking in our home for the next few days.

I spotted a few fish in the creek and noted what they seemed to be eating.

I sautéed a bunch of cauliflower and added our lunch leftovers to that for a hearty and healthy dinner. Food tastes better outside. We climbed the ladder to the tent and fell asleep, hard.

We woke up to the sound of water flowing and a noisy pair of hummingbirds doing drive-by’s and checking us out through the mesh tent windows. This ended up being a theme everywhere we camped. Makes me smile, still. We’ve got small ruby-throated hummingbirds here in WInston but these are big fellas. Broadtailed hummingbirds have a deeper and seriouser sound but are still welcoming and playful when they’re not chasing each other around.

After coffee and a little sitting to take in as much as we could, we fished. My first fish was a healthy and strong 12” cutthroat that I caught on one of Dave’s foam ants and my 6’2” 3wt. That fish lived in a small, clear plunge pool under a tree nearly touching the water. It was a tough cast especially with it being the first cast.

I was using an old and unused reel I recently received in a trade that is part of a boxed set of Ross Original reels. This was the first fish that reel has seen. I think it was a San Juan cutthroat but I’m not certain. No matter, it was beautiful and fitting.

Breakfast taco lunch then slow hiking through aspens and burn scars in the afternoon til the water cooled in the evening. More fishing after dinner til dark.

I played my guitar to the mumbling stream, fish and hummingbirds under the fullish moon. Not a bad way to close the day.

Wednesday, after fishing a little more and catching the biggest fish so far, we headed to a spot near Gunnison that my good friend Aaron suggested. When we got almost all the way there, way down a gravel road into the national forest, we ran into a fire crew who said that area was closed because it was a staging area for the Gold Mountain fire that was not close, but a safe distance away.

Pivoting again, we headed toward Montrose and found a dispersed area near the Black Canyon of the Gunnison for the night. No water there but beautiful in its own way.

We fell asleep to the sounds of a common nighthawk and woke up to broad tailed hummingbirds again.

The next morning we drove around the area and enjoyed looking at and experiencing the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. That place is vast.

After that, we headed toward a creek Dave and I fished briefly a few years before. We drove down and around through Del Norte, grabbed some groceries there and made the long gravel road drive then a technical 4 wheel drive trail to our spot way down along a creek. We camped near the edge of a canyon and the wide open meadows along the stream. The full moon rising through the canyon and the high elevation mountain breeze felt like home. Raw, rugged beauty.

The few days we had here were amazing: still, quiet and wonderful.

This creek has some huge and tricky cutthroat trout. Low water that warmed up in the afternoon but cooled in the evening.

I didn’t catch anything over 14” and walked away from feeding fish, something you don’t do but a monsoon told us it was time to go. That’s alright, we’ll be back.

At the edge of the monsoon, we headed south toward New Mexico, not really knowing where we’d end up, but I had a general idea.

I knew about a little dispersed area in the Valle Vidal so we aimed there. While driving around looking at water and spots to camp before heading home the next morning, we pulled over at a turnout and I saw a man in a familiar-looking car.

It was my friend Aurelio, someone I’ve known for a while and fished with several years ago when I visited the area last.

He got out to run his dog and I yelled his name. He looked confused and when we got closer he said “Chris, is that you?!”

We talked for a few minutes, and he gently demanded that we stay with him, and he suggested where to fish before heading back to his house for dinner and a comfortable bed.

After fishing for a little bit, nearly ready to go, I rounded a bend that looked way too sexy to pass up. Kristin was nearby exploring and wondering at the trees, plants, flowers and animals. In the lowering light I made a few casts and raised a few more fish. I spotted an ideal place to cast and told myself it was the last cast. Placed the little sparse #16 stimulator right where I wanted it. A nice fish rose, with its large head fully out of the water porpoising so I could see it’s full self. That seemed intentional.

I hooked it and we tussled for a few seconds before it shook off. A beautiful mature cutthroat. I think it was about 16”, possibly less but not likely.

Relaxed shoulders, smiling and content, I reeled in and decided that was how I wanted to end the fishing part of the trip.

Imperfectly perfect with some tension to draw me back.

Green chili cheeseburgers, wine, roasted potatoes and broccoli with Aurelio and MJ in all their kindness and quirkiness.

Wonderful conversation and we cast some rods too. He wants me to make a 5 piece short 3wt and I think I might work on that.

We talked about doing a conclave there next year and decided on July 6-11. Put it on your calendar and plan to come if you can.

There are a few cabins to rent nearby. Lots of camping opportunities and a few spots in his lodge too. We’ll post more about that soon.

Breakfast quesadillas the next morning before hitting the long road back to North Carolina. It was such a good and fun surprise to see him and MJ and that was a perfect end to that part of our time there.

We started the long drive back from there, stayed in southern Missouri and got back late Sunday night. Driving through the MO ozarks brought back some memories of when I lived in St. Louis and started learning how to build rods. It’s a special place for sure.

This trip is one that I will always deeply cherish. It was a time of being, not filled with doing. We operated at our own pace and enjoyed quiet slowness. Plans executed, and pivoted. Lots and lots of dirt roads and water flowing by our feet. And very special thanks to my incredible wife Kristin. She took most of the photos, therefore there aren’t many of her.

As beautiful as what we experienced was, her support, friendship and entire being was the highlight and most beautiful part of this trip by far.

As I’m writing this, I am looking out my shop door at my still nameless truck, still caked in Colorado dirt and decisions.

I probably should wash it but maybe not quite yet. I need to figure out a name for the truck too. Any ideas? I’m thinking Ron, short for Cimarron.

Meaning wild or untamed, also the river that runs through New Mexico, and there's a tributary of the Gunnison in Colorado with the same name. Seems fitting? We’ll see if it fits.

Thanks for coming along. Writing out thoughts and remembering the details of the moments that make up a trip is a good way to mesh together the two realities of being away and being home.

It helps to acclimate back into this other part of life and really settle into it to be present here, which is equally important. I deeply appreciate y’all. Thank you.

Hugs,

Chris

Colorado Summer 2026

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