# Colorado/New Mexico Road Trip



## Unbound (Jul 12, 2004)

â€œI went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms.â€ 

-Henry David Thoreau


So driving back down from my yearly summer trip to Wisconsin, I figured I'd detour out west for the first time since 1979. My F-150, Future Beach Kayak, St. Croix 4wt, and I got pretty close during those three weeks in God's Country.

I was able to wet wade high alpine meadow streams, canyon rivers, and mountain headwater creeks till my feet were too numb to continue. Costilla River, New Mexico. Cimarron River, New Mexico. Headwaters of S. Fork of Lake Creek, Colorado.


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## Unbound (Jul 12, 2004)

*Part II*

Hauling my yak around a few thousand miles kept me unbound and allowed me to explore high mountain lakes like Twin Lakes and Forbay Lake in Colorado, as well as a couple of gorgeous beaver ponds.

While most of the trip was diy, I learned at times it pays to pay. A guided float on the beautiful Arkansas River with guide Mike Garrett of Ark Anglers was money well spent in terms of quality fish, breathtaking scenery, learning experience, and just plain fun.


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## Unbound (Jul 12, 2004)

*Part III*

I didn't catch any bragging sized trout, but that's not what this trip was about. What my fish lacked in size, they made up for with numbers, diversity, beauty, and a symbolic aura of the wild places they swim. Brookies browns, bows, and cuts seemed to be waiting around every bend.

Most of my fishing time was spent solitaire, as is the way I like it, but the highlights of the trip was fishing with my Harlingen buddy, Richard- a Colorado native; my nephew Hank; and guide Mike Garrett, a former Texan.


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## Unbound (Jul 12, 2004)

This trip was far from perfect. As a novice fly fisherman, I went through a lot of growing pains. A lot of this was new to me, and there were plenty of times I felt like an idiot out there and was thankful there were no spectators or judges in this sport. I should have caught ten times the number of trout that I did, but I learned; while the fishing was phenomenal every day, the catching did get better each and every day. 

The trip was as good as any I've had. Great surroundings, great fishing, great beer and bourbon and food, great friends. I fished hard and I slept hard. I prepared hard and I chilled hard and I partied hard. Yes, I sucked the marrow out of those three weeks.

Yet, like the elk carcass across the Costilla River in the Valle Vidal, I left some things on the table up there, a reason to go back. 

I had to leave NE New Mexico before paddling my yak for yellow perch and big pike on Eagle Nest Lake. I spent one fruitless day with a full sink line and a couple "split shots" drifting a huge streamer down deep (not sure if that's fly fishing) for 50 pound lake trout that hug the bottom of Lake Forbay. I want to try again. I also heard of a couple pack-in lakes high up in the Wasatch range full of huge cutthroats. I think I have a few more years and miles left in this body to get up there. And, finally, a couple ex-cheesehead bartenders in a small town roadside biker bar on the South Platte River clued me in on a public access there that is supposed to be blue ribbon or gold medal or something that I couldn't remember. 

I really wish I would've remembered the directions when I left that bar.


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## Unbound (Jul 12, 2004)

Eagle Nest Lake and Hartsel Colorado.

Sorry. Just hold your computers upside down or tilt your head.


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## netboy (Dec 12, 2006)

Looks like a great trip.
I haven't been up there in 4 years. Makes me want to go back.


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## Mtomsula (Nov 5, 2012)

Don't know you, but I like you.


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