Monday, February 18, 2019

Fragments: Craig, MT - Aug 2014


It exists for only one purpose. Trout. It wouldn't be here without them.

An easy vibe, older gents in their Simms and Patagonia puffies and quick-dries; younger wearing the same but somehow making it look different. Hats, sunglasses hung around necks. Three fly shops, a restaurant, a bar, a takeout breakfast. And cabins. Talk at Headhunters and Isaac's is easy and jovial. Everyone’s been or is going fishing so what’s there to complain about?

Mornings are abuzz with the comings and goings of drift boats. Anticipation of a big day. Whether it’s realized or not it’s all good, or it should be.

Big portions for big appetites. Dogs come and go everywhere making it a good place by my reckoning.

The world is away. Cell phone and wifi signals are scarce so you quickly get used to being disconnected, adding a small melancholy based in shared loneliness. An isolation.

At the bunkhouse:
“Got room for three people?”
“What kind of people?”

Do any other kind come to Craig?


Note: Not much going on, either here on the blog or out on the water. To jumpstart these pages I've taken to leafing through my ragged pile of old travel journals and attempting to decipher the barely legible notes scribbled within them. Low hanging fruit for a writer on the rebound. This, then, starts a series of brief Fragments. Unedited passages originating from hither and yon that might have evolved into something but were ultimately left to languish in their moleskines. Raw material relegated to musings, word pictures, and random odd thoughts. Unconsidered, undeveloped, unread fragments.

Until now.

8 comments:

Michael Agneta said...

Dig it Mike. Kind of like a "Photo Bin," just with words. Funny how your undeveloped fragments still read better than anything I'd struggle to pen... Looking forward to more.

Mike Sepelak said...

Thanks, my friend. Your support and positive encouragement is always greatly appreciated. I need to get back to them Photo Bins too, don't I. Stay tuned.

Jess McGlothlin said...

Love this, Mike. You nicely captured the unique flavor of Craig in a few short words.

Mike Sepelak said...

Thanks, Jess. You would certainly know. ;-)

Al R. said...

Wish I'd taken a picture of the old bridge. Someone must have.

Mike Sepelak said...

Which bridge was removed, Al? I've been trying to wrap my head around that.

Al R. said...

The first time I was in Craig that concrete bridge across the Mo entering town from the east was an old truss, one lane job. A couple years ago I asked around town but only about 3 folks remembered it. Damn, I'm old!

Mike Sepelak said...

Ah. Way before my time.