Edward Abbey on the Simpler Side of Life

I am in the process of wrapping up Desert Solitaire, a great book by Edward Abbey.  One particular passage caught my attention.  In it, Abbey is describing a float trip on which he and his friend Ralph Newcomb explore the Colorado River and its canyons during the final stages of construction of the Glen Canyon dam.  On their voyage, they were able to see all that was within Glen Canyon that has since been inundated by what is now Lake Powell. 

"Why, we ask ourselves, floating onward in effortless peace deeper into Eden, why not go on like this forever?  True, there are no women here (a blessing in disguise?), no concert halls, no books, bars, galleries, theaters or playing fields, no cathedrals of learning or high towers of finance, no wars, elections, traffic jams or other amusements, none of the multinefarious delights of what Ralph calls syphilization.  But on the other hand most anything else a man could desire is here in abundance: catfish in the mainstream and venison in the side canyons, cottonwoods for shade and shelter, juniper for fuel, mossy springs (not always accessible) for thirst, and the ever-changing splendor of sky, cliffs, mesas and river for the needs of the spirit."

Sounds quite Utopian doesn't it?  I've often wondered how it would be to live solely within the means of the land and the river.  It seems so appealing and at the same time nearly impossible to imagine a life without traffic, Starbucks, BlackBerrys, electric bills and everything else that accompanies our modern way of life.  It tends to put things into perspective and hopefully generates some sort of understanding of what is really important. 

The simple life isn't so bad after all.

Here Goes Nothing

Well, I've finally done it.  I've always been a bit resistant to "fall in line" and do as others do.  So, naturally, I have been skeptical of this blogging phenomenon.  But, as it turns out these things become popular for a reason and soon I found myself regularly reading various blogs and forums around the internet.  After sitting on the fence for a while, I decided to start my own blog.  I've been writing fishing reports and posting photos on GoFISHn for about a year now.  Why not branch out to a new venue to share some of my fishing stories, photos and videos? 

There isn't too much to say just yet.  Keep checking back to see what is new and exciting in the world of fishing and the great outdoors.  Tight Lines!