Like you, I rush to get there and into the river, but once I'm on the water time slows down and I'm into the Zen of fishing. All the hassels of work and society in general are forgotten and I'm concentrating on reading the river,watching for a hatch and trying to think like a fish. And yes I do stop to look around and soak in the beauty of nature. I always see interesting birds and animals, flowers and trees,amazing rock formations and cloud paterns. I'm not into organized religion, but whenI'm on the river I feel religious - closer to God than any other time. When It's time to go,I feel fullfilled and warm inside like the afterglow from good sex. I head home and can't wait until I can return to fish another day.