Fishing Stories: Kirsten Rivera
I almost didn’t go.
I had my car packed, my checklist checked and double-checked, my road snacks at the ready. Then I got a text from my friend saying they wouldn’t be able to make it to the Campout with me. I panicked.
See, I’m a deeply introverted person and I have ADHD, which can make meeting new people and trying new things difficult for me. Suddenly, I was going to an event where I knew no one, in a place I’d never been. Not exactly my comfort zone.
I ran into my house and shouted at my husband, “That’s it! I’m not going!” He looked up from his fly box with a furrowed brow and sighed, “Of course you’re going.” I tumbled into a spattering rant about how I couldn’t make friends and I was too much of a noob to attend an outing with a bunch of seasoned anglers and I couldn’t possibly spend multiple nights in the middle of the woods in a different state with total strangers. I was spiraling. Finally, once I tired myself out, my husband – who knows me better than I know myself – stood, put his hands on my shoulders and said, “If you don’t go, you’ll spend the rest of your life wondering what you missed.” Then he spun me on my heels and pushed me out the door.
a group photo of Outcast Campout attendees after a. festive skills workshop — photo credit: Julie Ellison
I spent the next several days laughing myself to tears and learning more than I ever thought I could fit into my brain. I was overwhelmed by the generosity, passion and humility of this group of people. Experts in their field who were delighted to share their knowledge, people from all backgrounds and skill levels ready to share their worldview, their joys and fears, and how that shaped their experiences in outdoor recreation. I cried on the drive home because I needed more time.
The Outcast Campout was so much more than just a fun outing. It was, for me, one of the greatest examples of how full an experience can be if you are willing to let yourself have it.
And to think, I almost didn’t go.
About the author: Kirsten Rivera attended the Montana Outcast Campout traveling from Utah, land of the eastern Shoshone. We’re so glad she joined us. Follow along with her fishing adventures on her Insta @utahtroutwoman