[This article was written by the author in November, 1998, and published for the first time posthumously April 8, 2004. For more information about the author, see "Leon Chandler 1922-2004." The Editor.]

The author poses with his 23-foot motor home and motor scooter at a riverside campground.

With a bit of imagination, it could be said that this story really began on December 12, 1941. That was the day I joined the Cortland Line Company in Cortland, New York. I was 19 years old. During the next 50 years, until I retired in late June 1992, at age 70, my life revolved around fishing and fishing tackle. Cortland was then, and still is, on the leading edge of fly fishing technology—developing and manufacturing fly lines and related products to supply the growing world market as interest in fly fishing continued to grow. It is not surprising, I suppose, that I became addicted to fishing with a fly rod—a type of fishing that I consider to be the most challenging and the most satisfying of all methods used in sport fishing.

My introduction to Recreational Vehicles (RVs) occurred during late 1987. My wife, Margaret, died in March that year following a lengthy battle with cancer. We had 40 good years together, and raised two fine sons. Kim the oldest, is a wildlife agent with the State of Washington, based in the Seattle area. Jeff, two years younger, works as a manufacturer's agent selling camping gear and lives near Denver, Colorado.

Leon Chandler (above) spent 50 years with the Cortland Line Company and introduced fly fishing to thousands of people.

When Margaret died, my life changed directions rather abruptly, and I decided I would not sit home and feel sorry for myself. I knew I had to continue to get out and do things. That's when I started thinking about buying a motor home. That summer I visited numerous RV dealers around central New York and Pennsylvania and carefully inspected 25 or 30 units. I learned that there are frequently good buys on motor homes and trailers. Often, as they reach retirement, older couples buy an RV as a means of fulfilling their desire to travel—then if one partner is lost through illness or death, the remaining spouse finds it necessary to sell the RV—often at a bargain price.

Finally at Joe's Marine in Sayre, Pennsylvania I found what I was looking for. It was a 23-foot Class C Puma motor home on a 1977 Dodge chassis with a 440 cubic inch engine. Although the unit was 10 years old at the time, it had been driven only 22,000 miles and was in perfect condition. For those unfamiliar with motor home terminology, a "Class C" is the one with the sleeping compartment located above the driver and passenger seat. "Class A" has a more box-like shape and the driving area is completely inside the interior of the unit. Class A motor homes are usually larger and more expensive. Other options to those considering a RV are hardsided or pop-up trailers (which require a substantial tow vehicle), or a "Fifth Wheel" trailer with an anchor post that fits into a receptacle in the bed of a pick-up truck.

For my needs, I only considered a Class C in my search. The Puma I bought is fully outfitted with a shower, tub, toilet, four-burner stove with oven, gas/electric refrigerator, hot water heater, thermostat controlled furnace, and comfortable upholstered chairs. And most important, there is ample cabinet storage space for rods, reels and all the fishing stuff I need when I travel.

The vehicle manual says it will sleep six but I think two or three of them would have to be small children. The breakfast nook breaks down into a comfortable bed. I carry a sleeping bag and generally place it on the cushions in the overhead compartment at bedtime. It makes for a comfortable sleeping arrangement. Soon after getting the Puma home, I arranged to have an extra set of fluorescent light fixtures installed to provide more light for reading, fly tying, and rigging gear. I have found that the most efficient method of storing fly-tying tools and materials is to use a soft sided bag, designed for that purpose by J.W. Outfitters. While I am not a skilled fly tier, I manage to tie those patterns and sizes needed to replace those left in fish and in bushes.

A motor home with a comfortable interior and good lighting is a good place to tie flies and rig equipment for the next days fishing.

I soon learned that driving a motor home, even a small 23-footer, requires different driving skills. Having had no experience driving a truck, I had to train myself to deal with the slower response time in acceleration—especially when passing, pulling into traffic or crossing intersections. When under way, my eyes constantly dart from the left to outside rearview mirror to the center mirror to the right outside mirror. It is important for me to know the proximity of vehicles approaching from behind. There is a blind spot at the right rear and I must be especially careful about pulling back into the driving lane after passing another vehicle. I strongly recommend that any one contemplating the purchase of a motor home should rent one to get the feel for driving—and also to help judge the features they might want in a unit of their own.

Since retiring during June 1992, I have used my motor home extensively for fishing. During spring and early summer I spend a lot of time in the Catskills area of New York State—the cradle of fly fishing for trout in America. I have favorite commercial campgrounds on the West Branch, East Branch, and Main Stem of the Delaware River (which many believe to be the best trout stream in the East), and the storied Beaverkill and the Willowemoc rivers. Sometimes, I go up into the southern reaches of the Adirondacks and spend a few days on the West Creek near Utica, New York. I seldom fish on weekends, as I prefer to give stream access to those who must work during the week. I use weekends to go home and take care of yard work and household chores.

In mid-July, I head west and spend about two and a half months fishing the magnificent trout streams of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Alberta. From my home in Cortland, New York, it takes about five days of steady driving to reach Montana. When traveling cross country I try to do about 400 miles per day. When driving on the Interstate Highways, I try to maintain a speed of about 60 mph. When I tire or get sleepy, I pull into a rest stop, lie down on the floor and sleep for half and hour then I am ready to go again. I have made the trip several times, and now know the location of campgrounds where I want to spend the nights. Driving cross country is no big chore. I have cruise control, a stereo tape deck, and a CB radio. Truckers on the CB help to keep me informed about traffic and weather conditions. I listen a lot, but do very little talking on the radio unless I need directions.

Once across the Montana border, my first stop is usually the Bighorn River, just south of Billings. The Bighorn is one of my favorite rivers. Although it is almost always crowded, I'm not bothered by other people because the Bighorn is so productive that all one needs is space to get into the water. My route then usually takes me over through Yellowstone Park, into Idaho where I enjoy spending some time on the Henry's Fork of the Snake and sometimes, I run over to Silver Creek near Sun Valley.

In Montana, I have favorite stops on the Madison River, the Beaverhead, the Big Hole, Clark Fork, Bitterroot, Rock Creek, and the upper Missouri River between Helena and Great Falls Montana. I love the upper Missouri, and for several years, I have managed to spend most of the month of September camped in a state-maintained campground at Craig, right on the banks of the Missouri.

On occasion, I find it convenient to stay overnight at BLM or Forest Service campsites, which are usually free, but I prefer to stay in organized campgrounds for security reasons, and where water and electric hook-ups are usually available. While I can get along for five or six days without water or electricity, I prefer the convenience of hook-ups. In state-maintained facilities the cost is usually around $5 per night with no hook-ups. The private commercial campground costs range from $12 to as much as $25, depending on the location. Commercial campgrounds always offer electricity, water, showers, coin laundry, pay telephones, and a dump station for disposing waste water. An increasing number of campgrounds have cable TV hook-ups at each site. This year I bought a satellite TV dish so I can keep up with the news broadcasts and watch baseball games during the evening after fishing.

Upon arrival at a campground, my first priority is to acquire a level space. It is important to get the rig leveled to protect the refrigerator mechanism and I carry chocks for placing beneath the wheels when it is necessary to get everything level. After plugging into the electricity, hook up the water hose, pull down the awning—I'm ready to settle in for a comfortable stay.

There is one negative aspect to a motor home. That is if, after getting everything leveled and hooked up, and you need to go out for an errand, you have to unhook everything. Some owners pull a small car behind the motor home to resolve that problem. I solved the problem with a small FZ50 Suzuki motor scooter which I carry on a rack on the back of the motor home. It's lightweight enough that I can lift it on and off by myself and it gives me the flexibility I need to move around after getting the rig set up.

I also use my scooter for fishing. Before starting out, I put on my waders, secure my disassembled 2-piece fly rod by tieing it to the struts on the back of the windshield, place my fishing vest in the basket on the front! Where road access is available, I can work several miles of the river from the scooter. The little red scooter and I have become legendary figures on some of the Montana rivers that we frequent.

The biggest expense in fly fishing from a motor home is motor fuel. I don't even check my miles-per-gallon performance any more—I don't want to know. I suspect that I get about 8 to 10 mpg. I think convenience outweighs the price of gasoline, and it's still cheaper than staying in hotels and motels for two and a half months while I do my fishing. I love having all my stuff with me at all times-things I couldn't possibly carry if I traveled by automobile. For example, in one of the closets, I carry a knocked down Pontoon Boat—-a PFC, made by Fisheries West in Boise, Idaho. Using a foot pump, I can inflate the 8-inch pontoons and assemble the rack in minutes. On the Missouri River, I arrange for friends to take me upstream about ten miles then I spend all day working back to the campsite, timing it so that I arrive at just about dark. After pulling the boat up on the bank, I settle in for the night and do the same thing the next day. After doing that for a month I am familiar with the most productive runs in that section of the river. It's a great way to go!

As I finish writing this, I have just returned from spending the summer wandering around Montana and Idaho where I saw a lot of old friends, made some new ones, and had great fishing. One of the benefits of my profession is that I have friends, or friends of friends, almost everywhere in the fly fishing world. They are always helpful in giving me guidance and assistance in finding productive places to fish. And I am most grateful.

Many of my friends are envious of my lifestyle. I tell them that after spending 50 years helping to run a company and make a profit, I am now entitled to what I am doing. The old motor home and I have a special arrangement. She takes me to places I choose, waits patiently while I do one of two things I enjoy most—fly fishing for trout—then provides many of the comforts of home while I contemplate our next adventure. We have a good time.

So if any readers of this piece are in trout territory during the fishing season, and if you come upon a 23" Class C motor home, with New York license plates, a Trout Unlimited sticker in the back window, and a Suzuki motor scooter on the back—pull me over, and we will compare trout fishing stories.