What's Old Could Still Be New...

I went back to some older articles by J. Castwell and in reading one titled "Bust Your Rod Lately?" I realized James was right on in reminding all of us that older articles have a lot of information and probably answer most questions out there; we've just got to spend the time going through the archives.

What a treasure-trove of information. I had a great time reading a variety of articles about so many different things that are part of the sport I love so much.

As I read James' article on "Idaho Woods" and saw the gorgeous photos of mushrooms I was reminded of a time many years ago with my father as we were bow-hunting deer in the pine forests of Utah's Uintah mountains. The more we hunted the more he looked for edible mushrooms rather than deer. Eventually we walked in a big circle and thought we were lost. After finding the truck in the opposite direction than what we supposed, and then meeting another hunting partner we returned to camp where my father cooked up the 'shrooms he had found and we had them with our evening meal.

After dinner the other hunter asked my dad how he knew which mushrooms were safe to eat. My dad responded that if we didn't wake up the next morning we ate the wrong ones! We still laugh at the memory of this fellow's face as he digested that response.

The article titled "Why I Quit" brought home to me what James felt and experienced as my father, the mushroom "expert", now suffers with COPD and his quality of life has changed from a life in the field and on the stream to one of confinement in an assisted living center struggling daily to breath and to deal with his thoughts of days afield. After a lifetime of being outdoors I think the thing dad struggles with the most is not so much the lack of breath as the lack of breathing fresh air in the great outdoors, as well as not being able to take a single step along past-trod pathways.

Thank you James for the renewal of old memories into something new and vital. I so look forward to spending time during the quiet days of winter having volumes of great reading.

I hope others who have not discovered what I have will look at the wealth of information, knowledge and savvy contained right here within the walls of this great site! Have Fun.