Not everything is fully planned, which is fine by me, but we have already constructed quite an ambitious agenda. Leaving July 1st from our home of the past 5 years, we will be heading to Montana to fly fish around Gardiner, Ennis, and surrounding areas, including Yellowstone.
From there, we will turn our attention North through Glacier, Banff, Jasper, and Yoho before heading East toward Terrace, BC and eventually Prince Rupert to AK. It seems incomprehensible to make such a journey, and while it feels we have all the time in the world, I also feel strangely limited. Can we do it all, can we see it all? I have found myself applying pressure for adventure for the past several years. When I take a step back I realize it was because my time was so limited- cramming adventure into Thursdays or weekends before having to go back to work and be a regular person. Though we are getting closer to the day when I will be laid off and unemployed, that aspect still seems unreal. It will be like a constant weekend or a glimpse of retirement while still being young enough to enjoy the things we really love the way we really love them (not knocking retirement age here, just a fact I won't be able to hike and snowboard at 65 like I can now).
So far we have our plans sketched out until mid September with a lot of leeway from that point. I have wanted to photograph the Tetons in the Fall for so long now, and to know I will be realizing that dream soon enough is beyond exciting. Other than the foliage, I am looking forward to wildlife sightings/photography from the Tetons all the way up to Jasper.
I feel so fortunate to have this opportunity to spend a year away from the grind of healthcare and to be able to do so with my best friend and partner by my side. Here's to some great days on the water and among the mountains and streams we love and others we will come to love.
