Tuesday, May 19, 2009

"Shit, man. That's a lot of sky."

I flew home from Yellowstone last night and BOY are my arms tired.

Ha.

Yeah, I just don't really know how to start a post about a trip to Yellowstone National Park.

Do I get all whimsical and silly about OH we saw bears and wolves and elk and deer and geysers and bison with their babies and waterfalls and pronghorn and a moose (yes, a moose. Don't even try to say that there aren't moose in the park anymore because we saw one and THEY ARE THERE) and a marmot and some birds and OH DID I MENTION WE SAW A BLACK BEAR IN A TREE?!


Or, do I do the "Oh the traffic and ridiculous tourists with their Disneyland Drive-thru approach to nature" shtick where I complain ironically about how tourists in Yellowstone are so like this and so like that and totally wear those tshirts with wolves howling at the moon on them while they park their RV across two lanes of traffic so they can videotape bison wandering in the road?


Or do I confirm your suspicions that we're all just a bunch of classy ladies with photos of our high-flalutin evenings on the town and in our five star hotel suite?

Rusty G&T
According to the waitress, no one had ever posed for photos with the antlers on their walls.

I found that to be a shameless waste of antlers.
So now I feel better knowing that we, like the Native Americans, have used all the parts of this creature for good.
No horse's asses were harmed in the shooting of this photograph.
I think you will appreciate our fine hotel crystal. Only the best for Girl's Weekend '09.

Nah.

Let's talk flyfishing.

Yellowstone River - you are HOTNESS.

The whole time we girls spent in this protected corner of wilderness (and around it - we did leave the park at times) we were followed/led/watched by the Yellowstone River or, in brief moments, the Lamar River. And they are both big beautiful rushing rivers that, I'm told, hold the promise of trout so bountiful that all one needs to do is drop in a fly and out will come a trout.

I can see at least three spots in this photo I'd like to be standing in with my fly rod.

Like forever and ever until you get bored of fishing.

See, I haven't been fishing yet this year. And during this trip my rod arm was all itchy to cast into the quiet riffles around the bends of this endless stretch of tempting water. I wanted to pull on my waders and go wandering out into the never-never just so I could stand in the middle of, what appeared to be, Creation, and fish it. To see if I could, in fact, become bored of fishing.

Ok, so my cast isn't *this* good, but I think you see what I mean about temptation.

But until Charley the Pink Fuzzy, who we met while soaking in the pools at Chico Hot Springs, told me that he had during the last eight years of living in Montana actually gotten bored of fishing because it's, like, such a sure thing what is the point, I hadn't yet dreamed that I, Super Novice FlyFisherWoman, would even stand a chance of doing more than standing in the river with my prop fly rod casting meaninglessly into the current.

But the words, "sure thing", "endless trout", "so easy I'm bored of it" really hit home with me. Because I need ease and sure things when I fish so that I can stand a chance of catching something.

Also, the other words in our conversation with Pink Fuzzy Porno Wilderness Man weren't inspiring in any way unless you consider "fleeing for your life so you don't get snatched and buried in a basement" inspiring. Which I don't. I consider that more of a call for alarm.

Regardless, I will be back. With my fly rod. And Bubba. And it will be grand.

For the record, we did not encounter any historical romance, although we did enjoy the mineral pools very much.
Not Margaritas in the Hot Springs With My Favorite Gals kind of grand, but more Gin From My Vest Flask While I Stand With Bubba in the River kind of grand.

There's room for all these kinds of Grand, you know. Lord knows Montana and Wyoming are big enough for both, after all.

They're not kidding about that Big Sky thing.

15 comments:

  1. Wow! Girls' WEEKEND '09? I would have loved to have stayed there longer, although it looks as though it was a little chilly.
    Love the antler pictures.
    So when you dragging Bubba back up there?

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  2. I so wanna go on one of your girls weekends someday.

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  3. Yellowstone is fucking cool, man. Even with all the people and traffic and roads that totally do not belong in such a place.

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  4. Wow Finny -- this sabbatical thing is really working out! Lucky, lucky girls to spend some fun time in such a beautiful place. And look at all the snow still there! Great pics!

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  5. Damn, those are some BEAUTIFUL outdoors pics!

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  6. Lovely pics. Looks like it was a great time. Definitely a great choice for girls weekend 09.

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  7. How fun!! Yellowstone is gorgeous and yes BIG SKY COUNTRY really hits home when you're there.

    I'm glad you had a good time!

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  8. How great that all of you enjoyed this magnificient adventure. I love the antlers photos. We're thinking about Yellowstone as part of our big trip next year, so reading about your adventures is added travel info for me. And to discover that you and Kelli like fly fishing thrills me. Maybe I'll run into one of you on a river some time with my own fly rod. We could call ourselves the Damsel Flies.

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  9. I need a copy of those antlers pics. And thanks not all Charley the pink fuzzy had to say...
    Love the "no animals were hurt" line. You crack me up, Finn.

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  10. OMG yellowstone looks awesome!

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  11. Well holy hell I need to comment on this. Sorry it took me so long...I was on my own little mini sabbatical. In the same area of the world. So glad Montana treated you so well. Admittedly I haven't even read your post yet, just scrolled and admired and had to say something quick. Look forward to having you back. Perhaps our handy men could fish together? They might think that's weird but we'll think it's funny. Can we wait until I have this other kid so I can sip from a flask too?

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  12. Even better having read your words. So now I feel better knowing that we, like the Native Americans, have used all the parts of this creature for good. har!

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  13. Forgive my getting to this party late, but I have to say that those antlers *almost* made up for the fact that I had no makeup on and had just woken up. Oh for the love! Reading your post was also nearly as fun as living it but not really because there are no photos of Charlie and furthermore, let's not get into what is allegedly in that man's basement. What a personaggio! Wuv you Bombshell

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  14. Angling in Yellowstone is a great time...next time, scratch that itch in your casting arm and hook yourself some fish.

    BTW, anybody that can 'get bored of fishing' is in it for all the wrong reasons to begin with. : )

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[2013 update: You can't comment as an anonymous person anymore. Too many douchebags were leaving bullshit SPAM comments and my inbox was getting flooded, but if you're here to comment in a real way like a real person, go to it.]

Look at you commenting, that's fun.

So, here's the thing with commenting, unless you have an email address associated with your own profile, your comment will still post, but I won't have an email address with which to reply to you personally.

Sucks, right?

Anyway, to remedy this, I usually come back to my posts and post replies in the comment field with you.

But, if you ever want to email me directly to talk about pumpkins or shoes or what it's like to spend a good part of your day Swiffering - shoot me an email to finnyknitsATgmailDOTcom.

Cheers.