In My Own Backyard

Last Friday while blogging about “bucket lists” I wrote, “I’d love to fly fish for trout in Patagonia, ski with our son and his family at Vail and Telluride, climb the Grand Teton, and improve my guitar playing. And with practice one day I’ll consistently make a proper beurre blanc.”

That’s all well and good, but these things can become pie in the sky quicker than you can say, “Bob’s your uncle.” Patagonia is a long way off and fishing there is at least $3,000 per week per angler plus travel. Vail is notoriously expensive, Telluride a travel challenge, and the top of the Grand Teton requires ropes and other rock climbing gear.

On the other hand, I live a short drive from the Potomac River. Believe it or not, the Potomac through Washington, DC is an outstanding fishery. A DC fishing license costs $13 and I own most of the necessary gear. I’ve been fly fishing there once.

While Vail and Telluride are in Colorado, I live about 90 minutes from Liberty Mountain Resort in Pennsylvania. And while Liberty and the other local ski areas are hardly Vail and Telluride, they have chair lifts, snow, and elevation. What more do I need? I haven’t been in 13+ years of living here.

We do hike in the Blue Ridge, but we don’t do it nearly often enough. My guitars are sitting downstairs just waiting for me and I have friends who can help me perfect buerre blanc.

So what am I waiting for? And what are you waiting for? 

Bucket list or no bucket list, there are worlds to see in our own neighborhoods if we have the will to walk out our front doors ready to explore, eager to learn, and enthusiastic about life.