Time to prep for upcoming months of adventure

Hardly a couple of weeks have passed since we experienced a bout of winter weather. I’ll be the first to agree that the conditions could have been far worse, as we were at the edge of an imaginary line where there was a transition from rain to freezing precipitation.

Granted, there were a couple of mornings when our mountainsides glistened with that much dreaded frozen stuff. But we were extremely fortunate in the sense that our roads remained relatively clear of ice.

Although winter is far from over, and we’re still experiencing occasional overnight lows in the 20s, I’m hopeful that the blunt of winter is behind us. In fact, it seems that daytime highs hovering in the 60s are growing more consistent.

And it recently became even more evident that spring is just around the corner during a recent hike alongside a branch meandering through the forest. In fact, I was somewhat surprised to hear frogs croaking this early in the year. It was surely a telltale that it was time to start preparing for the change of seasons.

I suppose I should address a faulty trolling motor battery, as my first item of business, as the boat must be mechanically sound when the white bass begin their annual spawn during late March or early April.

And the black bass will begin moving into the shallows and nesting just about the time the white bass end their annual quest to repopulate the waters with their species.

Breaking action will begin a few weeks after the black bass’ annual spawn. I must pin down a specific date for a two-day float along a peaceful and secluded river. And I’m hopeful to boat a few walleyes at locations where they have congregated during previous years.

But I must also be mindful that all isn’t related just to fishing. The galactic core of the Milky Way will once again become visible in the night skies during the new moon of March. And the gobblers will be beckoning their harlem of hens during early April, when the annual season is deemed underway.

Speaking of April, this is the most productive time of the year to break out the macro lens and capture images of native wildflowers. And it’s a month when I often capture images of lightning dancing across the night sky.

Thunderstorms will likely continue to roll across the state on a consistent basis throughout the next couple of months, and I am hopeful to embark upon a couple of backpacking excursions during May.

I certainly can’t ignore a one week excursion into the Boundary Waters during mid June and I am most anxious to photograph the milky way from the canyons of Utah early in August. And if all goes as planned, I will embark upon my most challenging bicycle ride when I tackle the steep and winding route from Mena to the state park atop Rich Mountain.

As all of my fellow deer hunters are aware, deer season will be just a few months away upon my arrival back home from Utah. But my plate is far too full to address that much anticipated annual event at present.

That all being said, it appears that 2023 is going to be an eventful and exciting year. Especially when one considers the many other opportunities that will rear their heads throughout the months to come.

There is obviously much preparation to be done, if I plan to meet my goals. In fact, add them to my everyday responsibilities and I’m not sure there are going to be enough hours in the day. But I can’t think of a better reason to keep my nose to the grindstone than the opportunity to embark upon so many memorable experiences in the midst of the wonderful outdoors.