“Man, summer is already wiped out.”

It’s a running joke between Zimo and me whenever we sit down and plan our summer stories. Looking at those scant four weekends per month fills me with a sense of urgency.

Summer really is short, and it always leaves me with a panicky feeling. There’s so much to do and never enough weekends to do it all.

Contrary to popular belief, we’re both weekend warriors like the rest of the world. We have work schedules and deadlines, so most of our activities are wedged into tight weekends, and there never seems to be enough of them.

I’m already battling with the calendar, and I appear to be losing.

Life’s pesky details steal weekends away like a camp chipmunk raiding a bag of potato chips.

For example, my wife and I are invited to three weddings in three states on three consecutive weekends in July.

Hmmm. That’s a tough one, but it’s safe to say we won’t make all three.

That’s just one example, and why I always try to plan some must-do trips that take priority over everything else, short of weddings and funerals.

Except weddings. If we miss this one, we’ll catch your next one. (Kidding, you lovely young couples.)

The problem is deciding which trips take priority.

Hiking and fishing in the Frank Church?

Gotta do it.

A mountain biking weekend in actual mountains?

Definitely.

Brownlee weekend autoloading bass and crappie?

You bet.

Float and camp the South Fork of the Snake River?

That’s a keeper.

Hanging out on a Salmon River beach near Riggins?

It’s like the Bahamas in Idaho.

Motorcycle camping trip?

That’s why I bought it.

Wait. That’s six weekends, and I’m only scratching the surface of cool things on my weekend wish list.

Then there are vacations, friends and relatives visiting from out of town, and the unavoidable obligations that keep me landlocked at home. I’m staring at some grim reality.

“Man, summer is already wiped out.”

It could be worse. No matter what happens, I will take advantage of some of the cool stuff we have right out our back doors.

When you think about what’s available within a few hours of the Treasure Valley, it makes me glow with pride, and also twitch.

I become like my Lab, Dusty, fixated on a tennis ball. She just stares at it and shudders with anticipation.

Kind of like what I am doing now staring out at sunny weather and thinking about all the things I could be doing.

Memorial Day is over and the summer recreation season is under way.

On your mark, get set....

Play.

Roger Phillips: 377-6215, Twitter: @rogeroutdoors

Statesman outdoor writers Pete Zimowsky and Roger Phillips alternate columns on Sunday. Look for Zimo next week.