When you think of LA, what do you think of? Let me offer some suggestions: Smog. Crowds. Cars. Fake breasts. Plasticity. Highways. Traffic. Congestion. Contagion. Homelessness. Overconsumption. Your basic urban nightmare sprawling for miles in every direction. Sounds gloomy.

But I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that on the east side of town an LA denizen has quick and easy access to theSan Gabriel Mountains. Evidently East LA is the place to be, if you don't want to have as much of the above mentioned descriptors of the "mega-tropolis" surrounding your every move.




In the same amount of the time that it used to take me to roll from Ocean Beach in San Francisco, to Mount Tamalpais State Park just across the Golden Gate Bridge, we were high above the city in a beautiful canyon full of trees.

After following a long and winding road, as always seems to be the case when heading into nature, we made it to a trailhead on the fork of a special river. With a climate that is desert-like, the Los Angeles basin area needs this tributary more than ever.

But what treasures lay inside the crystalline blue waters for those who seek for them! Having only caught one fish in my entire life, it was an enlightening experience to watch a master at his craft of fly fishing.




My guide had been up this route many times. I sometimes wondered if some of the little river trout that he caught and released had been snared by his homemade flies not once, but twice in their lifetimes.




At first I watched the veteran of the trade do his thing, standing by his shoulder and asking questions while trying to garner as much information as I could. There seemed to be a never ending flow of tips and techniques that were possible, and soon I realized that there were numerous subtleties to this Zen-like outdoor activity. In order to be successful, in other words catch and release fresh water trout with a fly fishing line, a person has to not only have natural ability, but a willingness to study the craft and perfect those subtleties.




There I was, in Los Angeles, loving the natural world surroundings. What a surprise to be in a riparian zone a few thousand few above sea level, smelling the freshest of fresh air, and listening to the rushing waters pass through the stones and and tree roots.




After a few attempts and lots of encouragement and instruction from the master trout ninja I was able to get a bite or two. But my instincts are not honed for the art of pulling fish out of their world and into ours. I suppose someday if I am hungry, it would serve an important purpose to know how to catch dinner, but at that time I was content sitting under a cluster of Willow trees and just sit and listen to . . . nothing. How content I was without the clutter of mind that comes with the urban atmosphere.

Retreating from paradise to the land of many humans, we took the back route home, and passed Mt. Baldy and other peaks that were cloaked in white coats of snow. I have to admit, living in LA might not be so bad if you can access the San Gabriel Mountains so easily. I'm still not singing Randy Neuman any time soon, don't worry.

ER Harris

Comments appreciated, dialogue encouraged.

Author's note: I am currently experiencing network connection problems and I am working on correcting them. I strongly suggest not to use Earthlink for your internet needs. From my recent experience they have total disregard for their customers. I apologize for any delay in publishing articles that may have ensued or could occur in the next week. Thanks for reading!