Outdoor Things I am Thankful For 2016

Pure Joy

Every year for Thanksgiving I do a post of things I am thankful for that have happened over the last
year. It is a fun way to look back at memories I have made. The list is always outdoor related. This year I did more hiking than I have done in a decade. Also, this was by far the best year I have had fishing in saltwater in years.
So without further ado...

1. I am thankful that blues and stripers stayed around in the Providence area all summer. It made work days that much better knowing I could catch stripers and blues almost every night.

2. I am thankful I got to go on a vacation this year. Laurie and I had so much fun. South Dakota (specifically the Badlands and Custer State Park) have so many large mammals. That area is special.

3. I am very thankful the buffalo that was walking towards us on the trail in Wind Cave NP did not charge. This is also true for the other half dozen big males that we had no choice but be too close to. This was probably the only time in 2016 I was in any actual danger.

4. I am thankful for the number of times I got to New Hampshire this year. I hiked nine 4000 footers along with many smaller hikes. I could go on and on about New Hampshire but the best way I can describe it is: I always know I love New Hampshire but until I am there I forget how much I miss it.

5. I am thankful to have Laurie and Dave as best friends.

6. I am thankful for days off from work in May. This year I fished after work, but birded on days off. Usually I'd be fishing in the evening anyway.

7. I am thankful Eric keeps inviting me on his boat even though I can almost never go. The reason for this is, I know my days off weeks in advance, I always have some crazy adventure planned. Eric can't plan boat trips until a day or two before the trip because they are weather (wind and wave) dependent. I still appreciate the invites

8. I am thankful for the one week of albies in September. I caught nine on my best day. Love them.

This pronghorn was running straight at me on a
South Dakota trail oblivious to my presence. When I realized it
was going to keep running I made a noise. It stopped instantly.
It stared at me for over a minute then bounded left off the trail.
That's a memory!!!

9.  I am thankful for small theaters with cheap ticket prices.

10.  I am thankful for Plum Island and Charlestown Mudflats, two of my favorite places to go birding.

11. I am thankful for the number of birds I've seen this year. I destroyed my old record and saw a bunch of lifers.

12. I am thankful for how good fall fishing was at the ocean this year. My best day was 78 fish! I only stopped because my thumbs were bleeding from catching so many, it was painful. But I had multiple twenty fish days. This was by far the best fall I have ever had.

13. On the same lines I am thankful for the Gorilla Bluefish that made Narragansett home for a month. I met many of them. I caught at least ten blues this year that were larger than my previous personal best. Fishing was that good.

14. I am thankful my kid has such a sense of adventure. Although my brain wishes he was finishing up college instead of tramping the American West, my heart says I wish I was him.

15. I am thankful for snowshoes.

16. Mounts Garfiled, Avalon, Isolation, Sugarloaf, Welch Dickey, South Kinsman views. Also Lonesome Lake and the big ledge on North Kinsman are special places

17. All the deer at Sachuest. If you want to take your kid to see guaranteed deer take them to Sachuest National Wildlife Refuge an hour before dark. A bad day is ten and they are not afraid of you.

18. I am thankful for non chain restaurants. This year on our few times we went out to eat Laurie and I went to greasy spoons like Iggys and KC's Burger Joint. Other places include The Lodge in Lincoln and Spumonis in South Attleboro. See future reviews.

19. I am thankful for the big beaches at Napatree and Race Point. One of my yearly highlights was
seeing whales off shore from the Race. Its one thing to see them paying sixty dollars to be with two hundred people on a boat, but it is much more wild to see them from a wind swept shore in March by yourself with the whales 150 yards out. Pure Magic

20. I say it every year but I am proud to live in the greatest country in the world. I'm glad the election is over. The politicians on both sides suck but I still believe the average American is a good person. I think our diverse landscape is the most amazing on Earth. Despite our terrible options for president  I am still proud to call this great country home