It was the first day of freshman orientation at Carroll College. Zack was cruising through Guad parking lot, his car proudly sporting a bumper-stickered fly rod rack, when he heard a voice call out, “Hey, fly-fisher boy!” He looked up to see a smiling, goofy blonde waving from across the lot — Mederise.

The rest, as they say, is history. From casting lines on the rivers of Prince of Wales, Alaska, and Thermopolis, Wyoming, to days spent exploring every bend of the Missouri, we’ve chased fish, sunsets, and laughter together. We’ve climbed rocks in Oregon and Hawaii, summited mountains, and tackled late-night biochem exams side by side — sometimes more puzzled by lab tables than by trail maps.

But through it all, our favorite place has always been outside, where life feels simple and peaceful. From Wyoming to Colorado, from the mountains to the sea, we’ve shared countless adventures — and now we’re ready to start our greatest one yet.

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