Herding Cats on The Monday Morning Sidewalk
A funny thing has happened on the way to the Monday Morning Sidewalk; more “Cool Cats” are joining the parade! It may look like a feline parade, but it is pretty cool to worry about folks stepping on each other’s heels as we shuffle our house slippers along the still standing solid WPA cement slabs. They don’t make sidewalks like they used to, and I don’t write them the same as I did in the 1930’s either – thank God.
COOL IT BUDDY
Night temperatures are dropping and that means those deeper bass are back up shallow and looking for the last good feed. It also means we are near the trigger on Texoma – for smallmouth bass to come back up along the rocks to eat as well. I also have it on good authority there is plenty of smallmouth action on Lake Murray in South Oklahoma. Now, as Lefty once said about carp, “I gotta get me some of that,” when it comes to those smallish smallmouth on Lake Murray, just a hop skip and jump away from Denton.
BUT FIRST A WORD
The lights are all turning green for a float down the Brazos later this week, a float that is a tiny part of a larger plan that I hope to bring into the light by the end of this year at the latest. I have spent plenty of time at altitude on backpacking trips, but this week’s two-nighter will be my first float pack trip … any tips out there would be appreciated! The logistics of kayaks add a layer of complication to the trip, as compared to jumping on a trail and hike-in-hike-out of the Colorado Rockies for six days.
SWITCHING SHIPS
I never anticipated needing a river kayak when I repurchased a 2008 Wilderness Systems Tarpon 140. So I need to sell this ship, and reload with the lighter weight Old Town 119 Sportsman Discovery Solo which reminds me of another boat I never should have sold – the old Native Ultimate 12. That was a huge mistake in hindsight, and we all recognize those mistakes don’t we? I think it’s safe to say, this Old Town will be the last self-propelled watercraft I will ever drop my bony butt into … unless someone wants to donate a carbon-kevlar to this expeditionary project! I am increasingly amazed by the drive of kayak makers to make bigger and heavier kayaks! It is totally, and completely counter intuitive to what a kayak’s intended purpose was meant to be! And the cost of a kayak? Let’s just say my Tarpon is holding much of its value …
WRONG AND WRONG
The talking weather-heads were wrong about their predicted 2-plus inches of rain for DFW last week, and they’re predicting no rain for eight more days this week. Get out your rain gear, and check those water levels and flows! But do GET OUT and go somewhere this week: We actually have a classic North Texas fall season upon us, and if being “cool” matters to you, this tiny window of weather approaches perfection.
THANKS FOR READING and be sure to check out that Tarpon 140 and the tons of accessories that GO with it!https://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/spo/d/denton-kayak-wilderness-systems-tarpon/7389138949.html
Category: Adventure, Body-Mind-Soul, Brazos River, kayaking
