Feature Story
A Father's Day Tribute
A
ll of us owe our immersion into the outdoors to one or two individuals. My grandpa turned me into an outdoor fanatic at an early age.
“Gramps?” Silence. “Gramps..are you awake?” A grumbled “yes” echoes from under the bedsheets in one of the rooms at Briarwood Resort. “Are ya ready to go?” I ask. “Yea, give me a few minutes and we can go,” Gramps answers. It’s 6:00 am, I’m 12 years old, and the trout are biting. This scene played out hundreds of times over the years, and each time, Gramps was ready to head out on Lake Taneycomo when I woke him. We’d catch tons of trout, share a few laughs, and even get
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CONSERVATION FEDERATION
into arguments. But, little did I know, those days on Lake Taneycomo impacted me more than anything else in my life. It led me into a life of outdoor writing, and overall immersion into the outdoor lifestyle. I owe everything I’ve become to my grandpa. He taught me how to fish, hunt, and introduced me to the life that has come to define me. Even when I would wake him up early, much to his chagrin, he’d be eager to go. Once I was old enough and got my boater’s license, I learned to let Gramps sleep in. After all, he dealt with my early morning awakenings for years.
