Who Put Up The #@$@'n Cell Tower?

[Outside Bend]

I like technology, but I like to get away. Mine stayed in the truck, my buddy carried his on the river and answered a few calls that amounted to nothing that could not have waited. The new service really sucks in my opinion, who's idea was it to put one there in the first place?

It's capitalism, mate. The Invisible Hand decided it was time for the Current River valley to get with the program. Free enterprise, and all that goodness. what you think of as an intrusion into an outdoors experience I call progress .

Fishing-especially fly-fishing, is an extraordinarily inefficient and unproductive use of time. It adds little if anything to the GDP. This tower allows folks to use all that unproductive time they USED to spend fishing checking email, trading stocks, talking to clients, checking business forecasts...all sorts of opportunities are out there if you just embrace them. I've seen more folks talking on the phone on golf courses than actually playing golf, it's about time anglers took up their slack! (pun was not intended, but it made me smile).

All in jest, of course. Last year I was at a New Year's party and someone said it was snowing- no less than a half-dozen folks whipped out their iPhones to check the instant weather forecast- I just opened the front door and looked out. Last summer a bunch of friends went to Yellowstone, one of whom found out he could get cell reception on Slough Creek. He spent an inordinate amount of time yacking to his girlfriend instead of fishing, and after a few days was trying to get us all to go back so he could call out, check in, all that business. It took a lot of restraint for me not to drop-kick the thing into the sagebrush. For better or for worse folks are enslaved by their PDAs, iPhones, smartphones, cell phones, Droids, Blackberries, iPads, etc- and as much as they complain about it, they don't actually DO anything to remedy the issue. Every one I've seen comes equipped with an OFF button, use it. If people ask questions, tell them you were out fishing. If people still ask questions, make them aware you're not required to stay in contact with the rest of the world 24/7.

[Outside Bend]

And as far as drinks...We always buy a handle of tequila, split it up in our Nalgene bottles or an empty water bottle, and pack in a few limes. Light, potent, and nice to have after a long day of hard work.

We do the same thing with bourbon, sans limes of course. There's not much that feels better after a long walk in the cold than sitting around a campfire with Basil Hayden's or something similar.

[jdmidwest]

That's a good point, but I'm looking forward to the day that there is total coverage...that way solo floats wouldn't be so dangerous. I'd be much more inclined to be adventurous by myself if I knew I could make a call in the case of emergency. I'd keep the phone off and at the bottom of the dry bag unless needed.

What are you afraid of? We all have to die some day.

[jdmidwest]

Because it gets DARK at 4! No, I hate fires. I can't stand the smell of smoke saturating my sinuses, I like to smell the world, not smoke. I have expensive gear, and do not want it to smell like smoke. You can't carry drinks 15-20 miles when you are lightweight backpacking. I have health problems too, so drinking is not on my agenda anymore. I have spent many a night watching fires in the past, and frankly it gets a little boring. Just razzing you a bit.

You can't carry drinks on a backpacking trip??? I saw a guy in Alaska carry in all of his stuff and a 24 pack of Budwiser thru a few miles of heavy brush and muck to the Kenai. That was the one that sold me on Goretex waders, what he came thru was so soggy that he wore his waders on the hike and they were still watertight. Tent, bag, food, stove, flyrod and vest, and that silly red and white case of beer strapped on his back appeared across from camp on a path that we had just watched a grizzly drop out of a few hours before. I would have just packed a pint of good whisky and mixed it with water.

I really don't think I could have a camp without a good roaring fire, it warms you, dries you, and prepares you for a cold night in the tent, then it warms you up in the morning. I don't like the smoke either and put the tent out of the smoke. I camp alone alot, but seldom hit the sack before 10 or 11.

I sure would not pack a cell phone on a backpack hike, too much weight.....

[Coldspring]

You can't carry drinks on a backpacking trip???

I sure would not pack a cell phone on a backpack hike, too much weight.....

Oh, I've been known to carry something potent once in a while. Problem is is that I usually sip it all before reaching a campsite.

As far as phones, I lived without one for a long time, but had to breakdown finally. Now, I'm ruined.

[jjtroutbum]

The tower is not the problem IMHO. The phone can easily be ignored, left in the truck, or turned off but one thing that people that fish around others need to remember is. I and others might not want to hear your back to reality devise ring, play songs, or whatever.

Many get out there to get away. So if ya just have to stay connected try and do it quietly.

[jdmidwest]

I have a feeling that soon we will see cell phones littering the stream bottom like powerbait jars. People dropping them to get them out of the vest, tossin them in the water after the wife finds out where you are, knocked in the stream by a well placed cast from another angler that does not want to listen to your crap on the phone....

Mine stays in the car. I miss the old bag phones that were tethered to the car. People get irritated today if you don't answer on the first ring. They are getting too lazy to leave a voicemail, and assume that you have caller id and will call them back if they don't leave a message. Just another distraction.

[snagged in outlet 3]

I'm glad they put in the tower. IT's about time.

On my last trip to Mountain Home about a month ago I sold a big job while fishing at the dam.

Last year on a side trip to The Spring from Quarry Park I also sold a job. It's great in my opinion.

SIO3

[eric1978]

What are you afraid of? We all have to die some day.

I have a kid now, so it's preferable that I continue to live. But feel free to take your own advice and live as recklessly as possible.

[ozark trout fisher]

Cell phones have their advantages, but I have to say mine stays in the car as well. The insurance it would give me in case of an emergency just isn't worth having the darn thing around. It just gets in the way of what I'm trying to do out there-getting away from all the crap.