I was fortunate to grow up in a family that camped frequently. Even though it was far from a remote camping experience; it was a great way to learn and grow, and for me it served as a base camp to explore from more than anything else. The freedom to roam the streams, mountains and valleys came once our campsite was setup. For a kid that you couldn’t keep out of the water, camp was a launch point for hikes and explorations into wild places and new waters. If I didn’t make it back to camp in time for lunch or dinner then that was the price to be paid. Today I’m just an older version of that same kid and I still struggle to stay out of the water and spend my time in the woods and water as far from awnings, patio lights and picnic tables as much as a busy life allows. I enjoy studying maps to try to locate a spot off the grid that can serve as a base camp to explore the headwater streams in a target area that catches my curiosity. A few weeks ago, I ventured to a place that was very remote where two small streams converged. The lines on the topo map showed a small flat area in this narrow valley that looked like a logical place to pitch my tent. In reality it turned out to be the perfect place to make camp, and years ago someone else must have had the same thought when they made this their base camp too. This week’s pic is the remains of an old ring from an earlier visitor to the same spot. Till next week …… www.ramsayflies.com
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