Steamboat Springs, Colorado U.S.A.
Yes that is a small fish you see in my hands!

Back in the early 90's I was still pretty new to the whole survival thing. I decided to take a two day hike up to Long Lake, near Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
The day started out great with a blue sky giving me warmth and a gentle cool breeze to keep me from getting too hot. Long Lake is a 12 mile hike. I had seen about 4 people on the trail carrying nothing more than a bottle of water and maybe a small day-pack. Well I was packing for two days and I guessed that if they could make it, so can I...
um, no. I didn't.
Well about 8 miles into it, I started getting concerned about the sun going down, I was tired, and my feet were killing me. I was also getting hungry. Ok, so I was hungry and my feet hurt! If you've done any hiking in Colorado you know that it all feels like it is up-hill! Anyway, so there I was, hungry, and I only brought the kind of food you eat WITH fish. Cooking a giant fish on an open fire, what could be better? I needed the fish, so I followed a nice stream for quite a way up the trail but I didn't see any fish. I tried and tried for what must have been hours, no fish.
I finally caught the fish you see in the photo, and then, as if that weren't bad enough, I over cooked it! Oh believe you me, I tried to eat it, overcooked little thing that it was.
Even if I was hungry, I had a great night under the stars and the next day I decided not to continue on to the lake. It was all I could do to just get back to the car. You see, I learned a very good lesson that trip. I'm not talking about the lack of food or fishing kills. I'm talking about something we all seem to fall subject to at some time or other. I am talking about taking a 24 mile hike in BRAND NEW BOOTS! With the last two miles to go it was all I could do to just stand, much less hike out with my 30 lb. pack on my back. After stopping every 100 yards or so to kick myself in the butt, I finally made it back to the car, only to find I had a flat tire.
You live and learn, but I still can't fish worth hell.
-Phoenix