I would like to explore some side roads in life while I am still in good health and good spirits.

I think all those people I did stories about measured their own success by the joy their work was giving them.

Often I have been exhausted on trout streams, uncomfortable, wet, cold, briar scarred, sunburned, mosquito bitten, but never, with a fly rod in my hand have I been less than in a place that was less than beautiful.

It was so much fun to have the freedom to wander America, with no assignments. For 25 or 30 years I never had an assignment. These were all stories I wanted to do myself.

I wasn't a very discriminating reader. I read just about everything that came along.

I much preferred the peaceful life on the road, where I didn't have to ask embarrassing questions and do all the things real reporters have to do.

There is melancholy in the wind and sorrow in the grass