I just got back from working the Sportsman’s show in the Bay Area for Jim Hill’s Discount Flies. Jim’s son Brandon and I filled up the Suburban with flies and headed south to San Mateo, about twenty miles south of San Francisco. After setting up our booth we had some time to drive up and look the big city over. I actually went to college in the Bay Area so I was acting tour guide. If you’ve been to San Francisco I don’t have to tell you it is a spectacular sight to behold. Just the bridges are worth the trip. In this cosmopolitan splendor I began to reflect on the things I like about my hometown of Yakima.

            The sign by the freeway “Yakima-- the Palm Springs of Washington”, now that is a Yakima classic. I have no idea what it means, really, think about it. Years ago the Beach Boys came to the fair and I remember one of them mentioning the sign as in; what does it mean? It may mean we have a fine sense of self-deprecating humor. Whatever the sign means I would miss it if it were gone. By the way, it’s not true that Palm Springs has a sign: Palm Springs…. the Yakima of California.

            Next on the parade of quirky comedy is Millennium Plaza across the street from the beautiful old Capitol Theater. This is an example of public art taken to such a level of bad taste that it actually is kind of wonderful. Topping the whole mess off is an elevated lighted halo ring: I like to think of it as a Mood Ring of Love for Yakima. Once again that keen sense of Yakima humor rears its smiley face.

Finally, I like the mascot of Yakima Valley Community College; The Yaks. As I remember there was a stink about the old mascot not being PC so the students voted to replace the Indians with the Yaks!! It says it all as in Go Yaks Go. Brilliant in its simplicity.

At the Sportsman’s show we met and chatted with hundreds of anglers and like all anglers they like to talk about their favorite fishing water. What was interesting to me was their willingness to drive 4 to 7 hours to go trout fishing for a day. Would I do that? If the Yakima River was a four-hour drive, I don’t think so. A huge part of the Troutbum life is having that access to a first rate trout stream, it’s the main ingredient. So while our real estate is not appreciating like the Bay Area and we don’t have a really great Chinese restaurant on every corner, I know for myself I wouldn’t trade my Yakima address for one in the City by the bay.