A Fun Thing That I’m Going to Do Again

Mike Kruse

Professor Sowers

Non-Fiction Writing

30 June 2014

                                “A Fun Thing that I’m going to do Again”

        The sight of humidity hovering across the flat steamy lands of Jacksonville, Florida was all I knew and all I ever understood. My parents took my brother and I on our first family camping trip to Cherokee, North Carolina a.k.a The Great Smokey Mountains. I was a seven year old who just took the longest car ride of his life in order to reach these Smokey Mountains and was anxious to venture miles into the wilderness. As we arrived at the campground , which was located along a beautiful 3 foot deep stream that shimmered with a faint rainbow tint, I carefully made my way down to the water, tippy toeing because I had never walked on uneven ground before. Swaying back and forth, arms out as if I was walking a tight rope, I balanced myself close enough to the bank so I could run my Florida skin tanned hands through the 57 degree Fahrenheit mountain water. A simple thing such as that brought a smile to my face. I looked up at the mountain side that held the appearance of what a broccoli farm would look like, I’ve never seen one but you could just imagine. The air was clear, unlike Florida, humidity was undetectable. The temperature was a delightful 73 degrees in the middle of June, in other words 27 degrees cooler than what Florida was offering at this time of year. Rainbow trout fishing was the big thing to do in the flowing streams of the Smokey’s. At 3’7” tall, trying to reel a strong rainbow trout against current that’s fairly tough itself was exhausting and exhilarating. The only water I had ever seen move that fast was coming out of the faucet. Looking back on this trip I believe it’s a big part of why I have such a passion for fishing these days. I was at an age where first experiences can make or break your common interests, hobbies, likes, dislikes etc. The bond I had with the scenery, cool flowing water, and trout fishing was a memory that I’ll cherish for life. Since then I’ve gone back 12 times over an 18 year span and every time is just as good as the first time.