Peter Rickards from New Zealand. We have fished together for over 20 years, raised our children together, my youngest daughter going to school in N.Z. this year with his children even. Mostly we fish in N.Z. together and he had been threatening to come for Steelhead for a few years, escape the busy workaday world and he came for two weeks which was perfect, not rushed. Peter is a vintner and vineyard owner and has been to Canada selling wine and visited over the years he and his wife Katie have camped together with us 20 years ago while both our wives were pregnant. We have stayed with them in N.Z. with Katie birthing and due to weather packing in unable to get to the hospital( river over the road in flood and choppers unable to fly). As You can tell we have a deep friendship. I picked Peter up at the Airport in Vancouver at 1 30 pm and straight to an Everything Wine Store. This is when having a Vintner for a friend comes in handy, we spent over 800 $ on some fantastic wines and then bolted for the Highway north and made it to Williams Lake meeting the rest of our Steelheading Friends at the Laughing Loon Pub for a later dinner. Good food and hospitality here
Peter knows how much his darling wife loves snow so he is sending her a little message
And Here is Chris Cameron and my my son Alec
Chris and I were best friends in High School. We had alot in common, but possibly the greatest was our love for the wilderness and all things in it. When we were not camping in it were were huddled over maps, planning and plotting on where we would next like to explore. We were both very ambitious and immediately getting out of grade 12 we rocketed off in totally different directions. Chris became an Orthopedic Surgeon and well myself a Fisherman. Two rather different walks of life. We had not talked or set eyes on each other until last year. Thirty nine years apart and the reunion has been indescribably wonderful. We both still have the same love for the wilderness. We both have very busy lives but we were able to get away on this trip together. 
Chris texted me this picture last year not long after we had reconnected. These are two rods I had built for Chris in probably 1972-3 that I had completely forgotten about. And another picture with His very fishy Son, Ben playing a Salmon on the Steelhead Rod. My God, did that warm the cockles of my heart that not only Chris still had these rods but he still fished them and with his children as well. Both Chris and Myself had been wanting to reconnect for years.
Peter and Chris, a campfire is a great way to get to know each other.
There were some beautiful bends in the river
We had some great dinners, Salmon and Sablefish
And Chris Acheson’s own home raised Beef 
And then the snow started to fly
And Wonderful to to have my Son Alec with me in this beautiful place fishing for these Mystical fish the Steelhead
He glombed onto my 11′ 6” Winston and in a day or two was flinging flies across the river and catching Steelhead Maximus
And of course my longtime, always ready to go friend and fish and fishing partner Chris Acheson.
Always ready with a smile and uncanny at finding fish
More commonly called the “Big Guy” and mostly know for always ready for a Good Time. Chris and his life Partner Lee are the most Hospitable People I know.
And to Sea more of this trip check out “The Big Guys” video that we put on youtube, go to “Steelhead reconnect with old friends 2014” . Here is the link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj3fpoO-yYM