Quest

[tsubaki]

Returned from central Florida on Saturday with my father for a week of Bream fishing on the St. Johns River at the lower end of Lake George near Astor.
The trip to say the least was dotted with events that would make most people stay home. Except it seems that every trip I plan seems to turn into some event relative to my attention, regardless of my actual participation.
Left Sunday the 15th at 7:30am for the normal 260 mile, 3 ½ to 4 hr trip, intending to stop for breakfast, gas and rest stops.
Well just outside of Jacksonville, Daddy decides to stop at a rest area. While decelerating at the off ramp he pushes the brakes, …. then again, and looks at me (this gets my attention), a final push is evident “we don’t got no brakes”. Well he coasts and maneuvers to a parking spot so we can see what the problem is.
Now he’s got a Dodge R/T Dakota with a 5.9 magnum engine in it, come to find out, the joker that had the truck before him had crossover dual exhaust with headers put on it. When loaded, the drivers pipe was barely touching the rubber brake line. This would be (and has not been for 2 years) no problem except for the constant heat and touching going down the interstate fully loaded.
At the rest stop we finally arrive at simply clamping off the rear brakes with Vise Grips and go to the nearest exit for repairs.
My suggestion was to go back toward the direction we came and start looking for parts and stuff in the direction of the house. This was met with “WE’RE GOIN FISHIN, NOT BACK TO THE HOUSE, AND WILL FIND PARTS ON THE WAY”. I then realized this was going to be a quest.
Having just enough brake fluid to not create a problem, in constant thunderstorms for the next 95 miles, with only front brakes, pulling a boat and the truck fully loaded with a weeks worth of crap, we found an auto parts store about 50 miles from our destination.
“Part will be in tomorrow at 2pm” the cashier says. So on the way to the last leg of our journey.
We arrive at the fish camp near 3:00pm and start unloading our stuff.
We did fish till lunch on Monday to leave and get the hose (it did show up) and return to try to find someone willing to replace the hose that had a lift. However it wouldn’t be until Wednesday at 9:00am before he could get to it.
This truck is so low to the ground that you would have to remove the bed or jack the truck up, remove the drivers tire and lower the axle to replace the hose.
Looked around a little and fished Tuesday with a little success.
Wednesday was intended to fix the truck or else.
The mechanic that replaced the hose was great, only (only) took 2 hours and $42 to replace the hose and refer us to someone that could replace the exhaust system that was about 20 miles away.
After (only) 4 hours at the place to replace and reroute the exhaust (and $106) we are headed back to base camp.
Thursday around lunch we start figuring out what the fish are doing and then a storm front moves in, so we head back to the fish camp.
After it passes, we head back out near 4pm. While fishing, I have a major asthma attack with no medicine and have to get daddy to bring me back. By this time it’s not worth going back out, so we just clean fish.
Friday, we got their number and were dialing it proficiently. Figured go in for lunch, get some rest and return in the afternoon to complete the day.
Got back to the cabin, looked at the cell phone, 1 message.
The wife lets me know we had a tornado less than 2 miles from the house and we have been without power for going on for 2 days. She is emptying the freezers and not to worry, everybody is fine.
Got home Saturday near lunch with just under 200 nice black Bluegill. Only problem.
LEFT THE CAMERA AND WATCH.
Ya’ll can beat me later.
No known deaths with the tornado, at least 2 houses missing.

[Blue_Runner]

Wow, gotta give daddy credit for being "hell bent" to catch some fish. I admire his tenacity.

Also, I LOVE to eat bream. Never get to do it cause I don't have good access to any slabs. It seems on High Rock lake the big cats and bass won't let the bream get very big at all.

Nice detailed report. Glad ya'll got through it all.