I was in such a zone it was almost a shock when we cleared the canyon and got into one of the prettiest high country meadows that I have ever fished. We split up and fished “Smokies” style building rock cairns where ever we stepped into the water so the other would know where to get out and skip up ahead building another cairn for the person behind. Except the scenery was so pretty and I was so relaxed and content that after a while I just laid down and took a quick nap lazed my way upstream not even bothering to skip up ahead of Bernard even when I saw the elaborate and creative cairns that he built for me. It was a perfect fishing afternoon, clear and sunny, with just a hint of crisp chill to the air to cool the warmth of the afternoon sun. The sky was so clear it dazzled the eyes and defied the imagination and the mind … … but it soothed the soul to say the least. I loved the sunlight beating down on the shallow meadow stream as the fish just seem to materialize as if conjured out of the stoney bottoms as they rise in darting furious slashing strikes, disappearing almost as magically when I miss the strike like I normally do. But today’s fishing was so relaxed I couldn’t even seriously make myself get to concerned or worked up about all of those missed strikes… … it was just to dang pretty.







By the time the afternoon sun began to start its downward slide I was at that marvelous point where I had caught enough fish and was as full of fish memories and scenic mental snap shots as a 300lb man after 2 thanksgiving dinners. I started my walk back to camp watching the world around me more than the trail my feet were walking, which was good for my mind and bad for my stumbling feet. I was amazed as I saw the moon in late afternoon sun appearing as if it was rising out of the top of a hill like a giant flying saucer levitating off the ground. I snapped a quick picture thinking it wouldn’t turn out but was amazed later on when it actually turned out almost as good as my memory.



Once again we rolled into camp at almost the exact time the dinner bell rang and once again a hot hearty meal spread more contentment through my stomach and my mood. I skipped dessert so I could see the sunset which was framed perfectly over the majesty of the Little Yosemite Valley. The hour or so of the sunset were one of the most beautiful and inspiring things I have ever witnessed, and yes I had a couple of sips of bourbon and a cigar while I sat in sheer silent awe watching the sublime spectacle that was slowly playing out before me. I am not a deeply religious man but I do believe strongly in God and the majesty that he brought to this world this night was one of the most awesome demonstrations of beauty that I could ever imagine let alone have the pleasure to witness. It would to me, be impossible to witness what was going on around me and not recognize God’s existence in some form or another, to say it was all cosmic chance that just happened to meld into beauty of this magnitude was simply not something my little mortal mind could believe… … and somewhere deep in my heart I knew I didn’t want to believe that either … … I wanted and needed to believe in the majesty of God and the grandeur of his world, and I needed this beauty to seep deep into my heart and settle my troubled spirit. But while I was conscious of those thoughts I really wasn’t thinking about any of that as much as I was just experiencing it as it unfolded before my eyes. These pictures trace that scenic transformation, and while I think they are beautiful they don’t even capture half of the magic of that sunset. But here they are as limited and one dimensional as they may be.

















And with that, darkness descended and we retired to a roaring campfire but those last few haunting moments of sunset will stay with me my entire life as will the memories of my trip to the Little Yosemite Valley. I can’t remember when a trip served to revive me body soul and mind as much as this one did … … sometime when you are feeling your lowest… … God and nature can provide you the relief and beauty you have been searching for, so yet once again… … thank you God for the beauty of your world and for letting me experience it to this magnitude and also for giving me friends to share it with.

Rbaileydav
DD
Dick Davis