Hey families,
Since our last update, we have had two absolutely incredible days on the water. We floated a total of 28 miles over two days on some of the most famous fly fishing water in the world, and the fishing did not disappoint. There was a little bit of everything out there, long stretches of quiet drifting punctuated by shouts of "fish on," impromptu swimming breaks when the afternoon sun got too good to resist, and a whole lot of laughter echoing off the canyon walls. Between the swimming, the laughing, and the fish coming to hand, it is safe to say everyone had the time of their lives out there. We capped it off camping and making pizza right on the banks of the Madison, which might be one of the best ways we know to end a day on the river.
Yesterday, after wrapping up our float, we rolled into basecamp tired and happy and were treated to an amazing hot dinner, finishing our meal just minutes before what could only be described as the storm of the summer came rolling through. The rain came down with a persistence none of us had seen yet this trip, sheets of it drumming on every surface around camp, and it showed no signs of letting up any time soon. Rather than fight it, we all piled into the barn for an impromptu group sleepover, sleeping bags and laughter spread out across the floor while the storm raged outside. It turned into exactly one of those unplanned memories that ends up being a highlight of the whole trip, the kind of night the boys will still be talking about long after they are home.
Today has been all about wrapping things up the right way. We spent the morning putting in real work, cleaning out the trailer and the van and going through all our gear piece by piece, making sure everything gets packed up properly and nothing gets left behind. It is not the most glamorous part of a trip like this, but the boys tackled it with the same energy they have brought to everything else these last ten days. Once that was squared away, we headed out to play some ultimate frisbee, cool off with a swim in Ennis Lake, and finish up our service project sampling the Madison River for the Salmonfly Project, giving something back to the river that gave us so much this trip and closing the loop on a summer spent learning to care for the waters we fish.
It has been an amazing 10 days with your boys. We have watched them grow, push through challenges, get a little more comfortable in their own skin, and become a genuine team out here in the Montana backcountry. They showed up for each other on the water, in camp, and through every bit of weather and work this trip threw at them. Thank you for sending us such great kids. It has been an honor to guide them, and we hope they come home with a few good stories and a little more grit than when they left.
As we wrap up this trip, we already find ourselves hoping this is not goodbye for good. This group of boys has been a joy to guide, and we would love nothing more than to see their faces back in camp next summer, ready for another round of rivers, fish tales, and new adventures in the making.
The Guides and the Guys
