Eventually, we made our way to the Sheep Mountain Lodge, where we set up in the bunkhouse (the lodge was packed with German tourists). That night, we made a short drive to small lake near the highway to catch rainbows.

By now Doogie, Tim, Keith, and Glenn were more comfortable with the act of flycasting, though the lighter gear took some getting used to (we were now using G. Loomis StreamDance #4 and #5 rods, with corresponding SA floating lines, and dry flies like Royal Wulffs, Elk Hair Caddis, and Humpies).

We found a dozen or so smallish fish, but the scenery, there in the shadow of Gunsight Mountain, was amazing. The guys enjoyed watching the trout take dries. It was a whole different world, fishing-wise.

I parked my quad near the lake and stood on the gear rack as if it were a casting platform on a flats boat. Throwing long, lacy loops over a glassy pond, I was in my element … until thoughts of the tough ride in the mountain trails crept into the back of my mind.