from 09/09/2025
my thoughts
Day one of my 12 day journey starts in Charlotte. It is the closest airport hub to me and it will get me to Salt Lake City on a nonstop flight. Perfect.
Background Thoughts
I didn’t travel much growing up, I certainly didn’t fly anywhere, and this had me thinking and walking through the airport. I am so thankful for meeting my fiance, Rachael. She has encouraged me to travel and, in the beginning of our relationship, I had to fly to get to her. For a while, we were in a long distance relationship so I would bring my tenkara gear and explore North Georgia.
When my job took me to Boston, moving away from the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos for the first time, I took my gear there as well and explored as much as New England as I could. This is where I started my “catch a brook trout in every state they are native with a tenkara rod” adventure and I really havn’t stopped traveling or fishing with a tenkara rod since.
As Rachael continued to have jobs in the Southeastern US, I was able to visit her all while continuing to fish throughout the Appalachia. This way I was able to explore the woods and grow our relationship and love. We really have grown so close by hiking and adventuring out into these mountains and it is truly where our love story began.
Now, after having lived in the Charlotte, NC area for a couple of years, we are moving to the Pacific Northwest for another adventure. This time it won’t be in these old mountains I have called home all my life and we will be driving to get there. Taking our 8lb black cat, Vega, we will pack our Subaru Outback and take over a week to meander our way out to Corvallis, Oregon. Now this will be an adventure and I could dream of it with anyone else.
Back On Track
So, day one has me flying out of Charlotte to Salt Lake city for, hopefully, a good night’s rest. I wasn’t able to sleep last night, whether it was the excitement of my work assignment being completed or the upcoming fishing extravaganza, but I am slightly sleepy.
I have rented a pretty large truck to trek across Utah, Idaho, and Montana this next week and a half. I have brought a sleep bag, hammock, dry food, and my jet boil to get me through until I meet up with friends in Montana. I will be meeting up with some tenkara friends along the way, but that is for another story.
This has turned into a small story about my love for Rachael and day one of my September fishing adventure. Tomorrow I will be fishing my 26th state with a tenkara rod and hopefully catch a fish in as well. Cheers to sleeping on planes and early mornings with wet wading in my future :).
My Tenkara Journey 