Fly Fish Chick

Three years ago we wandered across the street from Little Chick’s school into a children’s athletic store called 1379. Almost immediately I found everything I needed for our trip to Montana, namely some Patagonia pants that fit her perfectly and were ideal for the boat – not too cool, not too warm, deflect a little water, we both agreed on the color.

I had no idea the love affair that was born in the moment of that transaction. The monumental power of those pants was lost on me until later.

Little Chick loved these pants. She wore them all summer and even managed to squeeeeze into them the next year as well. Those pants have logged more days on the Missouri River than many guides’ pants – and we all know those have seen a few back-to-back trips without a dip in the laundry. She wouldn’t wear shorts, she wouldn’t wear other pants, nothing else would do. These were her lucky fishing pants. She was wearing them on the Blackfoot when she caught her first fish on a fly all on her own.

So of course we were already fans of 1379 for bringing the beloved Patagonia fishing pants into our lives. But now we have even more cause to be grateful:

1379 has just become a Team Paddlefish Sponsor!

[cue the streamers and the horns]

Banning and I are so excited to have them on board. Lindsey & Mike, the couple that own 1379, have a bustling family and started the kidswear athletic boutique because they know “kids like to be out and about more if they are wearing comfortable and durable clothing and shoes.” Not to mention, Mike and Lindsey are both lifelong athletes themselves. Lindsey was a volleyball star at Notre Dame (she was #13) where Mike started as offensive lineman (# 79) for four years before heading to the NFL for a nine-year professional football career.

Whoa. That is some serious athletic mojo backing Team Paddlefish. I feel feel stronger and faster already.

We are incredibly lucky to have their support and urge you to take a moment to check out their online store, blog, and slideshow. The more I learn about their mission to create a “store focused on active kids”, the more I am inspired. I know this FFC crowd agrees, kids need to spend more time active and outdoors. Remember this post from the FFC archives about children and their decline in outdoor activities?

So wave the flag for the good guys who have stepped up to the plate, not just for Team Paddlefish, but for kids and families and the community. Three cheers for 1379.

Last week Buster Wants To Fish and Way Upstream both wrote posts about a recent study that reveals Americans are spending less and less time participating in outdoor activities such as fishing, camping and hiking. Needless to say this news strikes a sad chord.

Now since I was an English major who managed to get through four years of college without reading any books cover-to-cover, I chose not to click-through and read about the actual study. I trust these bloggers so I’m just going to adopt their take on the findings. And both posts agree that we all have a vital role in exposing our children to the outdoors as well as the concept of conservation. Not just to improve our scores on the next study, but because (as we all know) it will make them better, happier people.

I’m lucky that my Little Chick loves to do anything al fresca — fishing, camping, horseback riding, rafting – so that makes it easy to get her out and about. But there’s always room for more. Given the results of the study I wondered what else I could be doing with her…for her. What else can I do to seal her natural love for the outdoors so it doesn’t start to seep away over time.

I started thinking about what my parents did with me when I was a kid, and almost immediately my mind was traveling down memory lane. Because our family vacations were always outdoor vacations.

We lived in Texas and used to roadtrip to Colorado every summer in my dad’s burnt orange Bronco. Usually we’d sleep in a matching orange tent, but sometimes we’d splurge on a campy cabin. My dad had a collapsible combination spinning-reel-flyrod that often delivered dinner. We’d fish and hike and pan for gold. And no one would confuse one of our picnics with one of those fancy spreads in Martha Stewart Living.

But this was living. These trips were fueled by good Texas outlaw songs — all of which live on my ipod and in my soul to this very day. One of the albums I associate with these Colorado vacations is Willie Nelson’s ‘The Troublemaker’ — ironically a collection of gospel songs. Listening to Willie Nelson sing gospel is like giving a dog his pill all wrapped-up in a slice of cheese. It tastes so good going down, that you don’t mind doing something that’s actually good for you.

With our windows rolled down and the Rocky Mountains as our unwavering audience, we’d barrel down life’s highway singing loudly (and badly) to Willie’s versions of Uncloudy Day, and Will The Circle Be Unbroken and Sweet Bye & Bye.

I don’t have scientific proof that these vacations directly influenced my love for the outdoors, but I do have wonderful memories and some hysterical family photos that prove we had a hell-of-a-good time. Mea culpa for this self-indulgent post, but I had a ball seeing these pictures again, so I had to share a few of them here.

A big THANK YOU to Buster Wants to Fish and Way Upstream for reading about that study so I didn’t have to. Many thanks for triggering some dusty memories that are over three-decades old.

And just like my parents did with me, I’m going to teach my daughter that in order to appreciate the true beauty of an uncloudy day, you have to be outside.

A picnic just isn’t a picnic without the tangy zip of Miracle Whip and Marlboro Reds.

I really don’t know what to say about the socks. But you have to appreciate my bold combination of stripes & tye-dye.

Trout. It’s What’s For Dinner.

(Don’t worry, we’re all catch-and-release these days.)

My parents don’t seem into this family portrait quite like I am.

I was just a Fly Fish Chicklette, ready for my rafting adventure…and apparently some construction work.

Colorado. Speaks for itself.

Did I mention we lived in Texas and listened to a lot of Willie?