Just to back fill this with this summer's vacation and Ham Jam details.
Well it has been a whirlwind over the last few of weeks. The trip up to Dad's for the Ham Jam worked out flawlessly. Everyone missed JoAnn's presence, but that is how it goes when you make advanced non-refundable plane ticket purchases. All the regulars were at Dad's as well as several new guest. The music and food were very good as usual. The weather cooperated pretty well, although once the sun dropped the breeze did too and that caused a little heat up. Hope and I stayed till Sunday evening and then made our way back to St. Louis. Took a ride across the new Alton Ill bridge and made our way to the Science Museum and planetarium. Caught a showing of the new Star Wars episode. So basically just hung out together. JoAnn got back Tuesday evening and then Hope was off Wednesday. Had a Thursday to recoup and then by 6:30AM Friday was on my way to hook up with my friend Kevin.
I rode with him to a convention in St. Joseph. Pulled out of St. Charles a little after seven and was playing golf north of KC at an upscale course called Tiffany Greens by noon. Got to St. Joe just about 5:30. Checked into the hotel and the convention, caught a Red Lobster dinner and then went to the Friday night speaker meeting. The convention was smaller than most I've attended in the past, but did help to recharge my spiritual batteries. Ran into several people I knew from the St. Louis and St. Charles areas. Likewise met new people that I'm sure I'll get to know better in the future. Saturday mid-morning was a run up north of St. Joe about 45 minutes to a place called Mozingo Lake for another round. Neither round was much to brag about as far as my score goes, but had a pretty good time. Have established that I need to purchase new golf shoes as the heels on my current pair are getting worn enough that they let my feet role towards the outside too much. Doesn't bother me when I first start but as I get near the end of a round I can feel it in my ankles. Attended the Saturday night banquet and speaker meeting. Then hung out for awhile. Was off to bed a little early as I was getting tuckered out. Sunday morning was a brunch and speaker meeting. Was checked out pretty quickly after that and headed home by a little after noon. Was back in my own home and headed out for something to eat by six. Was nice to sleep in my own bed after I had gotten my fishing gear ready to go to Montauk State park.
Was up a little after five Monday morning. Finished loading the car, gave JoAnn a kiss and hit the road. Made a trip through the ATM, Krispy Kreme's drive through for a couple hot dozen and was headed south. Got to Montauk about 8:30, hit the lodge and got my Missouri fishing license and a trout tag for the day. Had run into some rain on the way down and they had their share there. Everyone was in from fishing for the morning and breakfast was on. Threw on my Gore-Tex rain jacket and went in with the Krispy Kreme's so I was a welcome sight. Took a bit of a beating when they discovered one of the dozens was short three doughnuts. I pointed out that it was a long trip. The ribbing, defending, word play and laughing had begun and I felt like I was home.
Was out in the stream by ten or ten thirty trying out my new fishing rod and reel. The two piece, five and a half foot ultra light rod and reel performed great. Was working a olive wooly worm fly and spinner with a couple of bb shot sinkers through a hole just below the lodge. Quickly hooked a keeper sized rainbow through the upper lip and decided I'd let it go. Never had much else going on in that spot so started making my way down stream. There was a rack heap, logs and limbs rammed together by high water that was on a point where the stream was dividing. Some nice deep looking water by it seemed the likely place for a little action. Casted and drifted my rig through it several times, got hung up a few times. Was hung up pretty good once and was giving the rod some pretty good jerks to try and get loose. One final jerk and the line snapped. I could tell cause of the way it felt as I was reeling. Just then the rod didn't feel right. Looked and I had lost the tip section of the rod. Have no clue where it went but thought it might have gone in the water made a few quick steps down stream to see if I could notice it. Nothing. So then looked behind me on the bank. This is out in the woods pretty much, so bank was covered with a weed/grass that was just about a match for the rod section. The proverbial needle in a haystack. Was looking on the bank, when the rain started. Threw up my hands declared to God and the world that I got it. Was time for me to stop fishing. Of course I was the hit of the campsite and made good fodder for the banter canons most of the day. Dad loaned me an old rod of his, put my reel on it and got back out later that afternoon. Never did land anything that day. Doug, my cousin, and I set out Tuesday morning and went to the upper end of the stream. Montauk is the headwaters of the Current River. A little creek leads into it, but it is the springs in Montauk that get the stream up to a real fishing size. We drove up there and started working our way down. Was walking to the stream just after 6:30, finally ended up in a spot about a half mile below where we started that was enough fun that we didn't walkout until a little after eleven. He had kept three and I had gotten one. The hole was enough fun that we went back that evening, never had much for luck but had a good time. I choose not to fish Wednesday and around two headed home. Was glad to get home around 4:30.
Thursday and Friday were sort of catch back up to work days with watching the U.S Open on the side. Saturday JoAnn and I made a run down to Herman. Strolled around the town and ate some brat wurst and kraut. Had taken 94 down as the scenic route and so when we left took 19 to 70 to get back home quickly. Turned out there is a quarter mile dirt track right at 19 and 70. Racing was going to start around 7 and as it was just 5 made a quick run up the interstate to a junior wally world. Was in our seats by about 6:15 and started watching the hot laps, heats and features. Got a little dusty as it got along so we skipped the last two feature races. Was a good time and good to know it is there. Pulled out of the parking lot around 9:30. Sunday was a late morning, with some happy farther's day beginnings. Went down and took Dad out for dinner. When we got back to his house spent a couple of hours going through old old pictures getting together and identifying pictures of his parent and grand parents.
8:05:19 PM
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