Alcova, Wyoming. April 26, 2013.
The topography of Wyoming appears adversarial because it is so harsh and rugged, but I found it inspiring as I thought about its infinite knowledge and ability to link man to the past. There is a wealth of fossils in the limestone and mudstone formations left from three ancient lakes that existed over 50 million years ago.
This is a land where the wind blows incessantly and the relatively few trees live in a constant state of sideways. The spectral light can be spooky as you look out over miles of undeveloped landscapes. Tumbleweed races across the highway scaring you to slow down from 80 mph to 70. There are some beautiful rivers but not many people and roads between them.
I arrived in Alcova with a topped off cooler and plenty of wind-resistant clothes prepared for the worst. I discovered a vividly blue sky and a calming zephyr. I signed up to fish with a group of anglers from the High Plains Drifters, a chapter of the Federation of Fly Fishers. I joined this group about 16 months ago and oftentimes found that the ratio was 2:70 (female/male) at their meetings. I am used to imbalance being a librarian and having the profession be heavily dominated by women.
We started off our weekend with a gathering of shared appetizers and discussed the game plan for fishing the river. We chose Fremont Canyon to start off our exploration the next day and went to sleep with visions of fish plums dancing in our heads.
