2015

Or, Why I am Looking Forward to 2016.

I started writing this post in the passenger seat of my Subaru on January 1 while speeding back to Minnesota from Big Sky, Montana. Now it is two weeks later and I’ve had more time to think about 2015 and the year ahead.

We had a good year, 2015. A great 12 months. I fished in four states, biked a couple centuries, got a new job, took a ski trip, added two bikes to the stable, camped more than ever before, saw a new national park and another in a new way…I could keep going, but I won’t. The point is that I was more adventurous in 2015 than any previous year.

The year started off with oodles of free time. The only problem was the lack of snow on the ground. I was only able to ski a couple times and the fish weren’t biting. It could have been the shitty first three months of 2015 that drove me to get out more for the rest of the year, or it could have just been my desire to do as much as possible. Who knows. But as soon as it was warm enough outside to go without mitts and a hat, I was outside 24/7. The North Shore was host to three trips. I spent a week in the North Cascades, and I just returned from some Big Sky time.

Now two-weeks deep into 2016, I’ve pledged to be as active as possible. Weather be damned. I’ve got more trips planned–most of them west to mountains, ocean and rivers full of hungry trout and salmon.

When I bought my Niner RLT 9 Steel late last summer, some friends were giving me shit. “You seriously just spent $3,000 on a bike?” and “You’re either rich or stupid” were two common themes. Truth is, I’m neither rich nor stupid. I just have the belief that money stuck at the bank brings no happiness. I crave experiences and adventure. I’d rather spend a weekend out west than make up more ground on my car loans. Because if I wait until my loans are paid, house purchased and family is built, I’ll have wasted 10 of the best years of my life for mere financial gains.

So let’s have some fun, 2016. We’ve got trees to see, friends to meet, rivers to fish, dirt roads to travel and mountains to explore. Matter of fact, let’s start right now.