Patterns and practices

Most of my early memories derive from what I would call experience archetypes. Many of my experiences conform so closely to these archetypes that I cannot distinctly remember them. Consider the following:

Hiking Trip Archetype

1. Get up early

2. Start hiking when it's dark and cold

3. Come home when you're reached all of your objectives (it's never too dark and cold to turn around)

 

Ski Trip Archetype

1. Get up early

2. Start skiing when it's barely light and very cold

3. Come home when it's dark (it never gets too cold)

Fishing Trip Archetype

1. Get up early

2. Start fishing when it's barely light and very cold

3. Go home when it gets too dark (it never gets too cold)

Astute readers will notice that even these archetypes share common features. With this in mind, consider my fishing trip last weekend.

1. Leave my house shortly after 4AM to meet my dad and his workplace colleague in Concrete, WA.

2. Meet the guide while it's still dark

3. Learn exotic, double handed fly fishing technique (see Spey casting) while the sun is rising

4. See more bald eagles in 10 minutes than I've seen my entire life

5. Stand waste deep in frigid water the rest of the day

Strangely, it's much more fun than it sounds. We didn't catch many fish (my dad caught a single dolly varden, pictured above), but that's OK because catching fish isn't part of the "Fishing Trip Archetype" and thus not critical for enjoyment.