Montana 2020 (the year of Cov.)

Raynolds Pass 

The Year Of Cov. 

Hello travelers.  

Today is Oct. 24th 2020.  Our 39th Anniversary today.  

And here I am,  blogging on fishing.  That should explain a lot about love.

 

Well,  Montana was unique this year. Unique in many ways.  Trout don’t care much about Cov19. or China.   Whirling Disease yes, Cov.19 no. 

But the amount of Americans traveling through Montana and the National Parks this summer was amazing. A completely different group of people than normal years. And the lack of Asian and Europeans travelers filling these areas was noticeable.   

Paid camping spots were hard to find. Almost impossible. Camping on BLM  (Bureau of Land Management) was the ticket off road. 

TIP:  Now, if you don’t want to read my thoughts, you can click on any picture to enlarge it, and then just scroll thru all the photos and skip my explanations:)

My fishing partner from Nashville didn’t make it out this year for the first time in decades. So I decided to change my standard patterns around. 

You see the Snow levels and temps for melting along with rains are really the guide for where and how you fish the Big Sky. This year I left my Daughter and grandkids in the Wind River Reservation of WY and drove thru the South entrance. There was a front coming in and I made it thru the pass before they closed it for a few days.

 

I didn’t find this out till a few days later up in Ennis,  and was glad to not have been stranded up there. Thankfully with my R-Pod now, I don’t have to set a tent ever again, unless I want to.  So to pull over anywhere and have heat and shelter and a toilet, is a luxury I didn’t ever think I’d like. Well, I like it, and I now may have to relinquish my title as a “hard core camper” moving forward. :/

Passing through the Park I had to stop at my favorite Firehole River spot only to find it closed for the season to fishing. That was a first.  Usually it gets shut down to fishing for warm and low water in the summer but this was different. Access to even hiking was prohibited.  

This river is truly one of the wonders of the fishing world. With live geysers  and buffalo roaming around you, it’s quite surreal, and there are also long flat stretches of shallow moving water for throwing soft hackles and relaxing.d

 

  Leaving the West Entrance I passed a few old fishing spots from decades ago, remembering some of my first bear scare moments, and my 1st 19” Rainbow. Passing Lake Hebgen where it always feels like it’s gonna rain or snow, and then looking intently at Quake Lake at the Divide,  and the power of the  Upper Madison to see if I wanted to come back and fish it later. (oh yeah I did:)

Along the slow drive thru the Park this day, sitting at a dead stop, this old guy moved by me without missing a step. Understanding I was in my truck was way better than the dozens of times they have come upon me while fishing and scaring the shit of me for that moment of “now what”. 

Thankfully I’ve never been charged and always have been able to slide into the river off the banks, or climb into the woods around their path, or down a steep embankment; where it’s not worth their energy to follow.  What an animal..

Based upon weather, I chose Lake Ennis as my first place to set camp and use my float boat. I got one of two spots on a bluff  and sat there in the rain and hail for 3 full days. On day 4 it finally began to clear and I was able to go outside and begin unpacking and prepping gear for fishing:) The cactus in this video was cultivated from the hills and a large cacti. I named him Willie as in the red headed stranger. He lives on my deck now in MN, and I hope he lives long and prospers. 

My little rig feels pretty small, high along the banks of the Lake Ennis.

Not to often you get to see  the end of a rainbow from above

At the mouth of the Lake Ennis and the Madison River there was an epic pool of 19” Rainbows.

From my float boat is was a 30 row to and from but worth every second. It took me an hour to find the right fly and presentation to catch the first fish. The next 16 Rainbows this size were a day to remember.  Remember, it’s easy to fish a whole day for trout and never see or land a fish. These are days to remember. 

Dinner for 4 days here.

The contents of the first stomach that helped me find out what they were feeding on:)

This pool of Rainbows were feeding on #16 emergers in a pale yellow. Always small caddis and yes, I found a Salmon fly and large Golden as well.

After 3 days of solid rain, finally the clouds began to break. Down along the shore I found an old man living in the willows 50 yards from the boat launch.  My gut feeling is go say hello to everyone alone, but out here when someone camps off grid away from everyone, you don’t want to bother them or get an understandable gun to your face.  So from up on the ridge I watched him come out of the willows and pull his old rubber boat out to fish. One day I was watching him carry water and coke from his truck into the woods. He took a bad step and went straight backwards into the reeds. His boots were straight up for about 30 seconds before he began trying to roll over and right himself:0.  Yes, he was about 6’, 300 lbs. and in his 70’s. When I moved out a week later, he was still there and his truck hadn’t moved. Interestingly enough the Park Rangers would come by and must have known him because they never walked the trail to check on him or move him out.  I’ve run into many people like this over the years. Instead of living on street corners and pan handling, they learn to live off grid and just want to be alone. 200 years ago that wasn’t strange.

Smoked trout soft taco’s and a nice Chardonnay, was dinner, the first day I landed trout.

Grilled Romaine with Bluecheese and Aged Balsamic. Gotta get your greens.

Fire Roasted Pork Tenderloin on Garlic Mash and Port soaked Portabellos with Tenuta D’ Sovrano.

Although my rig has a full kitchen, I’m always happier setting up and cooking outside.

Keeps the camper  clean and smelling better:)

Morning Devotions at 6AM with Espresso in my fav. Cup

A self portrait by Hal Empie of Tubac AZ

Sunsets on Ennis (Is this the west or what!!)

The best western artists could always paint this sky in their landscapes.

It’s a unique tint of blue and orange, and always make me think I’m in a western movie.

This is when the sun sets,  the temps drop 30 degrees, and you’re glad you have a warm sleep system to climb into. Tent or hardsider.  Some of my favorite memories are 90 degree days and 30 degrees at the fire by 10PM. You’re forced to leave your fire and go stuff yourself into your bag with all your clothes on and a flask of bourbon. 

I left Ennis after a week and headed back south to the upper Madison and Quake lake. 

In all my years I’d never fished quake lake. Driven by it dozens of times. Know nothing about fishing it but thought I could row my little float boat around it for an afternoon and enjoy the view anyway.

Super deep, it felt like a bass lake in MN and I wanted to throw frogs onto the trees and wait for Ka-pow. I only had two hits on my flies all day.  -No fish-   But the rowing for the day was stunning, the changing winds in this canyon had you changing your rowing every few minutes and you’re always looking up to see if a squall is coming in fast over a ridge. I know there are large whitefish here (although I’m not sure how to catch them here). I may try a guide next time. I read an article by a guide who guided Hank Williams Jr. on this lake one day. All they caught were whitefish and Hank was thrilled, he thought trout were a waste of time and flavor compared to pan or deep fried whitefish.  “No comment”..

The  road you see across the lake is where I came down from the highway to launch my tube. That road is the original road from Hebgen to Ennis. in the 57’ earthquake this lake was created and the original road now goes straight into the lake and there are cabins and more still deep in the lake.

I didn’t wear waders this day and I’ll tell you that was not too smart. I rowed back at sunset to my truck. Freezing, I had to strip down and put on a rubber rain suit with my heater on hi to warm up for the 1hr ride back to my camp. I had my camp stove and made a hot cup O noodles for the drive back as well:) 

There is nothing good about trying to put on a rubber rain suit over a wet body in the dark.

And then there was Raynolds Pass

One Mile hike down the Madison from Raynolds.  

This area is catch and release only. The fish are large, smart and very beat up. The mouths on all 7 large Rainbows I released today were terribly damaged. In fact this fish’s right jaw was dislocated and couldn’t even close her mouth fully. When I put her back into the river it took her 5min. to move out of my hands. Barbless hooks should be mandatory in catch and release areas only. This was clear to me today.

Dinner in a warm camper. Yessss.

Fire is a mans best friend

The Madison currents here are pretty tough and very cold.

at 90º and high altitudes I wan’t not singing “smoke on the water” but “Feet in the water”. Oh yeah. and soak your “biff” in it and put it on your head to cool off.

And I never quit being amazed at how fish camouflage in each river differently.

 

Sleeping off grid means feeling secure at night.

After my last 9 fish afternoon I decided to break camp. That night I made up smoked trout and cheese plates with white and red wine and walked to my fellow boondockers along the Madison to supply Happy Hour Appetizers and wine:) To groups were full time businessmen in 100k plus 1ton converted Vans. Both met at my fire for wine and apps.  With Cov19 they both had purchased high end vans with full offices and satellite phones yada..  So one was 29 with a girlfriend live in and the other was 50 with his wife. What did both do that they could do full time from a van?  Pot:O. The 50yr old owned 2 dispensaries and managed them from the road. The 29 yr old was the largest underground high end grower from the east coast. A true pot scientist who grows the highest strains underground (large farms) and has never been busted or arrested.  Both were enjoying the fire and their similar life stories as we sat along the banks of the Madison River near the Continental Divide at sunset.  There are always things to talk about in nature., and politics is not one of them:)

Well, I packed up and began the trek on the backroads up past Wisdom MT and the upper Big Hole River. Weather again had turned and if felt like snow. I wanted to set camp before it hit. The next day I was to drive 4 hours towards Billings MT to meet my daughter and pick up Jane who had driven 4hrs from Riverton WY to meet me for my last week.

Picked up Jane and headed back to the Big Hole by sunset.

First early morning on the Big Hole at Sunrise. Low 30’s and steam on the water.  This upper section is beautiful Brook Trout and Grayling water.

Jane in the portable love seat with a MT. map.

Happy Place:)

1st Brook Trout of the season. They are the best tasting for me.

Now my last full day of floating, Jane dropped me off 4miles up stream so I could float and fish pockets back to our camp.  Well, another first. Over the ridge a massive storm blows in. This gives you 60sec. of warning to get your rain gear on and get to the banks. I do. I button everything down and I’m tucked in where the current can not pull me out and my feet are wedged down on big rocks on the bottom of the steep shore as it all hits.  My new Patagonia waders and Rain jacket were fantastic in this down pour. You couldn’t see 20 ft in front of you. Then large cracks of Lightning, and immediate  thunder. Now this is when you have to make decisions because if lightning hits the river? Hello Jesus, goodbye friends.

Within  5 min. it appears to lift so I lift my feet up and head down stream rowing hard cause I know by the sky this is not over and I’m miles from home with no way out.

I’m passing drift boats with guides and paid guests out of their boat and under willow brush and trees along the banks “soaked” as they had not prepared for weather. At this moment out of nowhere dime size hail begins to slam the river and banks. Like millions of rocks being thrown in the river at one time each one making a 3 inch splash as it hits.  I keep rowing hard. I have my biff on my head, the hood from my spf hoodie and rain parka on so only a handful of hail actually stung as they bounced off my head and float boat.  This whole sequence happened twice over the next 90 min. and I was having the time of my life fishing in these conditions for the first time in hail. Rain yes, many times but hail? Never. And then at the end light snow began to fall for a few minutes. Surreal. 

My biggest thought was the Jane was back at camp alone in all of this and I knew she’d have to break down all the chairs and tables get it all under the R-pod while thinking I’m dead somewhere on the river.  Ya, she was pretty happy to see me float into view around sunset. She then confided that she had asked a couple coming out the river if they had seen a guy alone in a float boat with a cowboy hat on. They said oh yea, he floated by us during the storm and we passed him later when he was fishing a pool along the banks. 

It’s out of your control so just trust, and let it go. 

In our tempo’d safe worlds, there is not a lot of uncertainty each day.

Not having telephones in the wilderness and trusting people will go into the wilderness and come back takes a bit of getting used to. Especially when people don’t come back out on a regular basis. 

I’m thankful my wife has let me venture into this space all these years and now looks forward to joining me each year. Well, after she had a bear above her head in our tent, she did demand I buy a camper and a truck if she’s ever to come again.  (ok, twist me arm).

Raining and cold, a pot of scratch soup is comfort food for sure.

For three weeks, I worked on charts and music many a rainy day,  preparing for the summer jazz season.

That, and I check out every nook and cranny in MT for possible country/folk gigs every year. 

Last morning before breaking camp and heading back to Mpls for the season.

And, (Hey Dr. Dyrud), thanks again for my 3 bypass and doing such a stellar job on my scar.

Till 2021, Thank you God for Big Sky Country. 

See you there soon.

Maple Coffee

Maple Coffee

I've been behind in my last Montana post from last summer. So, since it's Feb and below zero this morning I post some warm memories:)
Here this morning day 11 in the (2017 listen for God and catch trout trip),  I sit here alone with espresso and heavy cream (in my custom Hal Empie coffee mug) at Mountain Palace along the banks of the Mighty Missouri River.  

Going back and upstream 11 days ago I arrived into Ennis MT on a Sunday Morning at 6:30. Pulling into my friends joint "Maple Coffee", I drove to the drive through to hear Lori’s always upbeat and smile filled voice. “Good Morning, welcome to Maple Coffee what can i get cha this morning?”

{Now those who know me know I love a surprise.}

{In a low cowboy voice} "Good Morrrrrrnin. Yesssss, I’d like a large Latte…. an please put it in a small french yogurt  espresso cup……”

There was crackling silence on the drive thru speaker as if a ghost had arrived.

Suddenly she shouts in a high southern accent “ CRAIG T :) is that really you?”

Now these are the moments you treasure when you travel long distances.

Surprising people you care for,  making their day, and yours a bit more special.

You see a few years ago my lifelong fly fishing partner Bruce and I drove by this place one early morning on it’s opening day. In fact it was a test run day, it opened the next day. But anyway, we’re suckers for good espresso and this was a cool new building right on the road into Ennis, MT.

Lori a retired retailer from the NY scene and her Berkshire Hathaway husband had a 2nd home up here and built this Espresso Shop to keep Lori’s energy from blowing up the Madison valley.  Here we are on pre opening day.

So a few years later I come in to Maple early one morning with a small blue clay French Yogurt cup refilled with espresso.  Lori says oh my gosh I want that!  I tell her my wife Jane flies for Delta, ,  and these are Yogurt cups from Paris, found in a corner Deli that she brings home to me:)  We have A LOT of these cups now, so I promise Lori I’ll bring her a couple next time i’m driving 1,000 miles past her place. I’m sure she was thinking, “sure he will”..

So the next year I pack two cups up with my supplies, and drop them off on my first morning thru Ennis. Surprise and Joy was on her face again.  So you see the little blue yogurt cups were the special connection.  And now you know the rest of the story on why she wailed “Craig T is that really you?”.

Her cool retired husband Kevin (From Wisconsin), who worked for Berkshire Hath, got a tip on N.Dak land, bought it before the digging... and the rest is Maple Coffee and Ennis McMansion history :) 

Thank God Kevins WI roots and a retail wife kept him from blowing all those profits years ago. Now making a dollar tip at a coffee shop is actually fun for him. If only now I could convince him to spend more than 2 bucks on a cigar. 

Finding ways to connect with people over things you love makes life richer. Get out and make someones day this week. You'll feel better by it.

And as always I have to have a few fish pics:)

At one in the morning along the bank of the Missouri River near Craig, Montana.

There were 4" crayfish in the shallow rocks as I walked the banks. That afternoon I picked up 2 Crayfish patterns as big as I could get them. Went out at 11PM where I had measured an area in the river I could fish safely by moonlight (you can see the moon above the fish head).  You look for a rise on the moving water or the crash of a big trout and you measure and cast to the spot. It's a bit of a waiting game, but worth the wait.   My first cast of a crayfish to a rising trout was snapped off 1 sec. after it landed. It was a  4x tippet cut clean.   So I moved to a 3x and tied on my only other crayfish. In the same area another rises 10ft from the shore and I lay another crayfish 3ft over the rise and pull it in.  Wham, again, instant mega power line snap. You get so excited at these moments and when you're alone, it's funny, but you're talking to God mostly in whispered tones for no reason other than Silence while fly fishing is the proper thing to do..  In the end this picture above was one of many caught on big double hooked marabou streamer (the only big thing left on my vest in the dark:)

For trout hacks who love to eat trout as well,  Brookies are the sweetest tasting. I took this picture in a small complicated stream 20miles from nowhere.  A large log was over the stream from a beaver. The channel choke point was to dangerous to wade into. So I climbed up the bank and over the tree and back into the stream to find another smaller log crossing just ahead (as seen in the photo). There was no room to cast standing up with these big fallen trees and a narrow stream, so I ended up gettin on my knees, leaning forward and side casting from my left side into the hole that drifted under the tree. You had to get into a position so that when your fly went under that tree (where the trout hang), you could pull it straight back out without snapping off your hook on a branch every cast.  It took about a dozen casts to get my fly into a proper drift into that hole.  When you catch a trout in a technical stalk, it's the most rewarding regardless of size, and she was a great snack before dinner.

At the end of the day in Grizzly bear country, you are always aware of survival.  This means as a "tent dweller"  you don't cook real meals where you sleep.  This place is at least a mile away from where my tent is along the river. I'm camping somewhere at the bottom of that first peak over that tree line.  Of course I have a JetBoil and weeks of backpacker country freeze dried in a bag for emergency, but if I can, every night I plan a real meal. I carry a large Yetti with Dry Ice everywhere I go filled with all fresh produce, proteins and liquids needed. Heck, if you break down my truck it's 1/2 cooking gear, 1/4 fishing gear and 1/4 clothing I never wear:)

 This is my evening prayer.
Wineglass to the heavens and my everyday cheer,
"To The King".

The "New" Cracks In Society

In life, this complex journey of our souls, there are choices we make. As much as we'd like, we don't get to choose the end result, just the path each day.  And in that choice each day we walk, we run, we stumble and we fly.   There are many of us who don't really like the regular path. We see the masses as a confused and messed up place. We enjoy silence over the sound of a trading floor, rain on a tin roof or tarp over the sounds of airconditioning and cable. We don't really fit in much and we don't know why half the time. Is this you? Are you one of the misfits of metro.. There is nothing wrong with you. You are beautiful and complex and searching like the rest of God's creation. 

A percentage of the world has always been "you".

I used to hitch hike in the 60's and felt a freedom like none other. Other than the occasional gay predator who'd pick you up (as a guy) or the hippie, mostly good regular people from all walks of life would just help you move from place to place.  Those days are gone and now you just see pan handlers on metro street corners or groups living in community parks or under bridges and other "secret" places where they can try to sort out this life they struggle with to fit in and survive.

I love finding these people. It takes time. It takes effort, it takes a willingness to take time to go away and search. To take those off the road  the paths to somewhere.

Paradise campsite at Mill Creek is one of those places for me.  An off the map camp site along the Yellowstone river in Paradise Valley.  I've come to learn that free campsites are not only a hidden treasure out west, but they have become a place where the working homeless..... LIVE.....

And  so it was again this week. 

I drove from Bozeman to the North Entrance of Yellowstone Park in hopes of finding a paid camp spot in the smallest area of the Park.  NE Slew Creek. If you've read my blogs over the years this is my favorite quiet place. Only 13 camp spots and it's where the legendary wolf packs live and where the troubled bears of Yellowstone are placed when they don't fit in to the rest of the park life and people.. Lot's of Buffalo live there along with the rest of the park life. The cutthroat trout are the biggest there and you can only fly fish and catch and release with barbless hooks since those fish are protected. Well, i drove the couple hours to the park only to find the 1,000 total camp sites FULL. Now what, it's 4:30 and what are my options with the sun setting soon.  It's no fun setting up camp in the dark in the rain...
First Carballa came to mind. 10 or so free camp sites near mile marker 25 at a drift boat launch site North of Gardiner along the east bank of the Yellowstone and North of the JimDandy canyon rapids where the crazy people float.  Carballa is where I met old Mac Daddy Mackensie a few years ago. Mac's a millionaire on paper but poor in cash.  Like many multi generational Montanans who've inherited land now worth millions, they take odd jobs and live as often as possible in free camp spots in tents and trucks.  Ole Mac carries a drift boat, motor bike, giant skeeter tent and sleeps under a tarp. Drinks Merlot or Tequila till he's done howling at the moon, then beds down on the ground with a bible on his chest and passes out under a tarp... He is a treasure of a human being and I love seeing him every time I'm in Montana at a free camp site somewhere.  So as i passed Carballa in the distance from the highway I could hear old Mac Daddy singing Willie Nelson at the top of his lungs while yelling Rev.Craig T. I love sharing happiness to the world around me. It's all I wanna do. Here a pic of Mac Daddy, and another loner Pattiecakes who moved from Wisconsin years ago along the banks at Carballa a few years ago.

I drove North as the sun was setting and then there was Paradise.  I pulled off the highway up to that remote site and all three spots were taken. Slowly i passed a young man with a pickup truck and two dogs. Sittin in a chair reading a conspiracy novel i shout. (only three spots here eh?) Yup, but you're from MN huh? (yea Mpls). Well, he says if you got a tent, I'm sleepin in my truck with my dogs, I could use some company tonight so tent up on my spot. 
You see that's how it starts. You take the road, and say hello whenever you can.  This night and next few days would educate me to a whole new generation of travelers. Single young men with dogs as companions who work jobs but live out of their vehicles because there are not reasonable places to rent with dogs and so they live spring to fall trying to save enough to rent a warm room for the winter with their best friends.  

This is Daren. A young 20something, educated kid from Detroit Lakes MN. So this is how it goes.
Can i offer you a crappy BudLight?  No he says but I guess since it's hot out, yer Buds cold, and I've got no beer I'll take one.  I only drink local micros but i'm tapped out.

Daren goes on to tell me he's a carpenter but used to be a cook and he was whisking up some hollandaise for eggs Benedict from the back of his pickup with his two German Shepard's standing guard.  You like the blues? he asks me. Not my favorite I say but I like anything done well.  Well Craig, meet my dogs, Elwood and (?) her name escapes me. Shes 7 and Elwoods just over 1. They are my best friends and companions on this journey. 

This picture of Elwood was from the next morning as he stuck his nose under my rain fly to shake river water all over me and wake me up. I'm lying in my tent scratchin him from my back as I took this pic. These two kids played in the river from morning till night waiting for new drift boats to pass and other cars to come into camp looking for one of these 3 hidden spots.  

Elwood J. Blues was the calmest 1yr old shep I'd ever met and he laid at my chair more than at his masters most the time. (no i didn't feed him scraps). 
Well back to Daren. He's a rock hunter and collector who has his private spots in the valley he shares with no one. He knows rocks well and sells them for cash to collectors on the side. 5k alone this year he said with a smile.  Look Craig, this is a petrified pine cone. And out of his pocket he hands me a white and green rock. I'll be darned, it was exactly that. A fully petrified pine cone with all the ridges and leaves.  Amazing.  
Than I asked him where he's living and he begins a story that lasted through the night about his life, his cop dad, re-marriages, being run over on a big wheel at 3 and a less than good relationship with his dad.
Tears, well, i bottle it all ups, but I live out of my truck with my dogs and move from free camp site to free camp site while doing constructions jobs as they come.. I'll have enough hopefully by winter to be able to share a place with someone till spring.

Yup there is was. This is the new working homeless.  Not feeling sorry for himself, or asking for help. Daren is a hard core conservative who believes that you shouldn't take from others but work for it and leave me the hell alone.  
Why do you do this i ask.  Well, Craig, In MN it was all drinking beer and watching football in a garage somewhere. What the hell kind of life is that? , and off to Montana i went as the black sheep leaving the MN fold..  I'll take this over that any day. I wish I could see my family or have them visit me but it is what it is. I mean there's only room for me and two dogs in the back of the pickup.. :)

That night he pulled out his Drambuie at the fire and I shared a pinch of my 100proof Ennis Montana Rye fire water. Just a sip, that's all. I had just 3oz in a little flask that I like to have as a sip before i leave the fire and head to the tent to see a billion stars and my old friend the milky way. 

About midnight a jeep rolls in and a burly voiced kid in his early 30's pulls into the camper spot that had been there all day vacant with a (beware of dog) sign on the old beat up pull camper. Out comes a dog and Elwood and sister and this new friend begin the dance of getting to know each other for an hour or 30mph tag in the dark. 
Now I'll call this kid Jim.  An Iraq vet on a navel ship in electronics he served on the same ship one of my young brothers did US Carl Vincent, a two nuclear reactor war ship.  Jim working at a hotel in Livingston MT. and was a rock collector... yup, and.... lived out of his camper with his dog, moving from free camp site to free camp site.  Sitting at the fire (sry no picture of Jim), they talked of rocks and politics and freedom and their best friends and where the best places were to camp that no one knew about.  It was like a secret language between them.   They didn't want sympathy, they didn't want a hand out. They loved and served their country in different ways but just couldn't find places to live that were affordable as single white men with dogs. 
I asked them about women and it got kinda silent. Well,  dating is pretty tough.  Hi, I'm a 27 yr old sgl white male who lives out of a truck with a dog. I get a shower every now and then and I'm sure you'd like to go out with me.. So, here we are with are dogs along a river.
Jim says, Well, I spent alot of time in the brig, and beat up passed out on my face in my drinkin days. Once i start, 3 days passes quickly.  I asked him how he's surviving today.  He pulls out a pipe and loads a bowl an says; "a few tokes in the morning, and a few before bed". Keeps me from drinking.. .well not totally but only one beer and never in public or at a bar." I loved his honesty and told him so straight out.
  I only felt bad for their dogs that have to be tied up or in a camper 12hrs a day as they worked their jobs.  Their employers didn't know they were homeless, and prob. would not have hired them if they had been honest about it but here they were.... surviving.    Now of course they asked me what I did and after hearing I'm a reverend and a wine importer and entertainer and..... the conversation let to ... well whatever they wanted to ask me.  I'll just say, I got to be a honest teacher of Jesus truth and love about love, life, pain. Answering many charged points about how the church is full of lies and corruption and politics and they want no part of it I agreed and deflected and explained how this journey of exploring God in our lives is more than a building of men and women that they don't relate to anyway.  Do you believe in God?  Yes, they both chimed in their own way.  Well, our journeys tonight are all the same and yet different. I'm in no place to tell you what's right for me is right for you right now but keep asking questions and praying to the stars for answers because He created this for you to enjoy and He is listening, and in my humble opinion He loves us all equally. When you stop praying and asking questions. When you stop seeking you will cut off the very essence of hope. 
It was a great night of learning for all with new friends from "somewhere" on a night on a river with three dogs and river running through it.

So today as you read this, be thankful for what you have. Plan for and look for those open roads not traveled. You just might find what you're looking for that day in unexpected places.  And me, I'd just done a party 100 miles away at a billionaires ranch with an equally wonderful group of generous people with means, who had gathered to give back from their wealth to those with less than from the special op's military veterans community. 

With or without, people can be happy and fulfilled. One thing is for sure, we all have our gifts that we can bless each other with, where ever we find ourselves. 
My prayer today is that we as a nation find a way to build places for young men like this to bed down and sleep with power and water and a barn to put their animals in during the day as they try to sort out the GenX questions of life and future.  

The next day Daren convinced me in the rain to travel up a mountain with his dogs to some old gold mining camps high up old chico springs road.  In the rain we dropped his truck tires from 80 to 40 pounds pressure to make the climb a bit simpler....   that will be my next blog most likely.. stay tuned, we're taking more less traveled roads into God's beauty.. 

From the top of the mountain in the rain,  and until next time..   

breathe deep and smile.