It's Supposed to be Fun!!!

There are those days I sit back and just shake my head… I hear these stories of pack trips and trail rides that just make you pour another cup of coffee, stare at the one telling you the play by play, and sit in disbelief. You can’t even bring yourself to ask “What in the hell were you thinking?” At Trailhead Supply, not only do we ride the trails, we are in constant communication with land managers, trying to keep up on trail conditions to give the most real-time updates as possible. This summer it has been tough due to fires and trail closures. Trails that should have been open months ago and cleared, have not even been looked at since the Forest Service has taken the trail crews and shuffled them over to fires.  Without fail every Monday morning I get the highlight real from the past weekend; this Monday was no exception.  These two guys have been planning their big summer adventure for months. As time grew near there was discussion of final travel routes and campsites. Then the Forest Service closed their trail of choice for safety reasons due to fire.  As these two shifted into panic mode in search for a plan B at the eleventh hour, they kept always coming back to that one lake.  I tried to tell them bad plan, the trail isn’t cut open. Multiple Trailhead Supply customers have tried, but fallen short and have fell prey to downed trees and deep river crossings, and had to turn back.  They just couldn’t let go of their vision of large hard fighting west slope cutthroat, screaming line from their reels at the speed of sound.  So, despite all the stories, facts, and reports, off they went. They loaded the pack animals and headed down the trail. They made it 6 miles when the trail gave way and the lead saddle horse rolled down a 200-foot side hill.  After hours of work they reunited the big banged up bay horse with the rest of the string…They would not let this minor setback take away anymore fishing time…They pushed on.  Trying to jump large wilderness blow downs they rolled a pack saddle, then another.  Too tired to go on, they remembered what I tell all those attending pack clinics I teach. Remember this is supposed to be fun!!! They looked at each other and decided a cold beer at the burger place down the road from the trail head would be great.  Seven hours into their week-long wilderness pack trip they were on their way home.  A little beat up, but alive. Time to start planning the next trip...Uneventful trips don’t have near the memories…

See you on the trail.

Andy