Finally, Come Hell or High Water!

Long spring, following a long winter.  My home river was "blown out" on March 1st with wide-open flows making room in the reservoir for over 200 percent of average snowpack.  Then I started working, every day through mid-May.  Then I needed to buy a new truck, as the old '03 began to show its age.  I love the new ride, but that took up one of two long weekends that I usually fish and kick off the "summer" season.  When Memorial Day weekend arrived a week later, the water was raging to flooding in nearly every river in the west, and I had shit to do anyway, so I took a much-need break at home and got shit done.  Kind of.

So now its time.  The truck is loaded, even though I have 3 more days of work before departure.  The trailer is cleaned and loaded.  The coolers are ready to be loaded, ice and contents already acquired.  The final prep, which is really just a routine re-load from last fall.  But it seems like forever ago.  I didn't fish enough this spring.  My first summer-swing will be a few days shorter than planned because I need to work this week to accommodate some of my favorite customers and make up for a couple of days lost to weather. (see also--new truck payment).  I'll make up for the lost fishing time later in the season.

First stop, The Fork, of course.  A possible evening-bite stop at the creek on the way.  High water or not, I need this.  New Eco-boost turbo engine with a 10-speed automatic should let me clear any pass, with trailer in tow, at whatever pace I desire.  I think I can keep it reasonable and prudent, while in more comfort than ever before.  I hope it's a towing machine, because Ford prices its aluminum and plastic motorized box more like its gold.  I guess there's some steel in there, somewhere, but I haven't found any.  So far, I'm lovin' it though!  Hope I don't collide with a Kia or Hundai and total the thing.