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dozen times before the sun rises above the eastern ridge that shelters the cove.
By 8 a.m. you realize that you are not alone, several whitetail deer have joined you and are drinking at the water’s edge.
As you watch the sleek does with their spotted fawns, you know that there must be a buck on that ridge somewhere.
A buck could live out a lifetime here and never see a hunter. With the limited access to the stream that leads to this lake, you would' rarely see another person here.
But, you are here and in no rush to leave. Just lay back and enjoy the absense of anything human.
Late afternoon brings the bowman aft and now, it’s your turn to loft a fly. Success after success, cast after cast until your arms finally tire.
As evening approaches you realize that this has been one of the premiere days afloat, and you choose to return to camp and the big fish supper cooked over an open fire.
Relaxing in the warmth of the campfire, well-fed and content, while you snuggle down into your sweater. Soon this will be but a memory, but oh what a memory.
How many other fathers could share such an adventure with their sons. A weekend without momma, a weekend without the phone, without chores, responsibilities, hassle.
Just the two of you, alone with the world, separate from friendships or kinships, just you two and the fish.
Memories are built on days and nights like these, and last a lifetime. Without the urgency of work or school, the time is gauged by your belly and the need to fill it. How wonderful all foods taste when prepared over an open fire, and shared by the warm companionship of someone you love.
The special times that a man and a boy share are important times for both. The man needs to teach his son, and the boy wants to learn from his father.
Sometimes today, we forget that our sons grow up so quickly, and that we grow old so soon. Times like these must be shared, to be remembered.
Camelot may not exist in fact, but it surely does exist in fantasy. Boys of all ages, of all times, are and have been, and shall ever be, dreamers.
Let your mind drift back through the years to a time and a place far away. Remember when a barefoot boy asked his father to take him fishing, and aren’t you glad he wasn’t “too busy!”
Take the time, better yet, make the time to build some memories for your son. Plan a trip today!
Vacation trips to many parts of the country are in the plans and on the lips of many Virginians as I made my rounds this week.
I talked to folks going to Disney World, to Canada, to Bermuda, to the Rockies and just back home, wherever that might be. Do you know that not one person told me, “I’m taking my family camping or fishing or backpacking right here in Virginia?”
With the mountains in the west and the Chesapeake and Atlantic on the east, how could anyone consider a vacation anywhere, without first planning a family outing right here at home.
If I sound like the Virginia State Chamber of Commerce, I’m sorry, but this is one pretty special place we live in, particularly when you share it with your family.
Promise me that you’ll think about me while you are on vacation, and I’ll promise you that I won’t forget you either. You bring me back photos and tell me of your adventures and we’ll try
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