When arriving at a boat trip destination, when do you know you're "there" ?
05-23-2012, 05:03 PM
#1
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When arriving at a boat trip destination, when do you know you're "there" ?
Thought of this while hitting the grocery for the Mrs on the way home today.
Reminded me of my Lake Erie days while living in Ohio.
I'd bust ass the week prior prepping the boat, the day prior packing and fueling so the tow pigg is locked and loaded so as soon as we get home from work we jump in and haul ass.
Then we'd drive like lunatics the 3 hrs to get to the lake.
But............., once I could see water I'd slow down about 2 or 3 gears. The real gig though was hitting this little grocery store a mile from the ramp where we'd stock up. Liked leaving our money local too (their local) and this particular store did a killer job of stocking fresh everything (like they knew what we wanted) including seagars.
Was weird but once there I was done hurrying.
In the Keys and Ft. Myers Beach it's the same thing even though they're the same Publix's that are at the end of my street at home.
They just feel different and it's like you just feel all your angst evaporate as you walk through the store at a new and improved lower speed and walk out w/a cart full of groceries and booze and a goofy ass ear to ear grin and see your boat sitting on the trailer waiting on you.
Good stuff.
Maybe it's just me.
Reminded me of my Lake Erie days while living in Ohio.
I'd bust ass the week prior prepping the boat, the day prior packing and fueling so the tow pigg is locked and loaded so as soon as we get home from work we jump in and haul ass.
Then we'd drive like lunatics the 3 hrs to get to the lake.
But............., once I could see water I'd slow down about 2 or 3 gears. The real gig though was hitting this little grocery store a mile from the ramp where we'd stock up. Liked leaving our money local too (their local) and this particular store did a killer job of stocking fresh everything (like they knew what we wanted) including seagars.
Was weird but once there I was done hurrying.
In the Keys and Ft. Myers Beach it's the same thing even though they're the same Publix's that are at the end of my street at home.
They just feel different and it's like you just feel all your angst evaporate as you walk through the store at a new and improved lower speed and walk out w/a cart full of groceries and booze and a goofy ass ear to ear grin and see your boat sitting on the trailer waiting on you.
Good stuff.
Maybe it's just me.
05-23-2012, 05:11 PM
#2
When driving I think I feel good when I make the Kimberling City or Shell Knob bridge (depending on where we are going, house or houseboat) I feel a bit of relief. When we fly, I feel best once we contact Rogers, AR approach & they give me vectors, a traffic advisory & tell us we can start our decent. Either way, I suppose once I'm opening my 1st beer on the water, I know I am really there.
05-23-2012, 06:35 PM
#4
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Thread Starter
True Dat!
Something to be said for that too.
I definitely cool way off at that point but for me, not the same as actually being there.
Angst of idiots cutting in front of you w/the boat behind you kind of thing. Clearly that was different when I was driving to a boat already at dock but still felt that "ahhhh" sensation once getting to that grocery store at the lake.
I definitely cool way off at that point but for me, not the same as actually being there.
Angst of idiots cutting in front of you w/the boat behind you kind of thing. Clearly that was different when I was driving to a boat already at dock but still felt that "ahhhh" sensation once getting to that grocery store at the lake.
Boat pic from last weekend
05-25-2012, 07:04 AM
#6
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I don't get "that feeling" until boat's in the water, running and we get up on plane. Once cruising across the water, any water at around 60 with the wind in my face and the twins singing in my ears. Gages look good and I smile at my wife. We're there... ahhh
05-25-2012, 08:11 AM
#8
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thats about it for me, i just want to get on the water, no stops just get to the ramp ! but for me the ramp is 5 min away
05-25-2012, 03:38 PM
#9
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The tow has never been the "it" moment for me. It's when I'm idling away from the docks. Boat is running good, coolers are stocked, and friend(s) on board. That's my moment.
This just made me think of a story... I was on a friend's family boat (290 Searay) 2yrs back and it reminded me of how much I loved the water. Talking to her parent's, I said I was going to get a boat and join them in Alexandria Bay the next year. They gave me the whole "yeah okay, sure you are. Good luck little kid" kind of response. It lit a fire under my azz and I got real serious. Sold every project I had to scrape together some cash. Bought a formula with an OMC outdrive and then through a series of trades got the 235xlc I ran last year. 350/alpha and thru-hulls. July 4 2011 I met them in A-Bay for the weekend. We were coming back from Lake of the Isles as a group and a race developed between my little 235 and their 290. They had a better hull, twin 350mags and everything had a third of the hours. But I trimmed mine just right and drove like my life depended on it. Outran them by about 3mph on an Gorgeous 80+ degree sunny Sunday afternoon. We came around the point to the town in view and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I did what I set out to do and that was the ultimate "it" moment.
eh sorry for rambling
This just made me think of a story... I was on a friend's family boat (290 Searay) 2yrs back and it reminded me of how much I loved the water. Talking to her parent's, I said I was going to get a boat and join them in Alexandria Bay the next year. They gave me the whole "yeah okay, sure you are. Good luck little kid" kind of response. It lit a fire under my azz and I got real serious. Sold every project I had to scrape together some cash. Bought a formula with an OMC outdrive and then through a series of trades got the 235xlc I ran last year. 350/alpha and thru-hulls. July 4 2011 I met them in A-Bay for the weekend. We were coming back from Lake of the Isles as a group and a race developed between my little 235 and their 290. They had a better hull, twin 350mags and everything had a third of the hours. But I trimmed mine just right and drove like my life depended on it. Outran them by about 3mph on an Gorgeous 80+ degree sunny Sunday afternoon. We came around the point to the town in view and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I did what I set out to do and that was the ultimate "it" moment.
eh sorry for rambling
05-25-2012, 03:45 PM
#10
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Thread Starter
Great story!
The tow has never been the "it" moment for me. It's when I'm idling away from the docks. Boat is running good, coolers are stocked, and friend(s) on board. That's my moment.
This just made me think of a story... I was on a friend's family boat (290 Searay) 2yrs back and it reminded me of how much I loved the water. Talking to her parent's, I said I was going to get a boat and join them in Alexandria Bay the next year. They gave me the whole "yeah okay, sure you are. Good luck little kid" kind of response. It lit a fire under my azz and I got real serious. Sold every project I had to scrape together some cash. Bought a formula with an OMC outdrive and then through a series of trades got the 235xlc I ran last year. 350/alpha and thru-hulls. July 4 2011 I met them in A-Bay for the weekend. We were coming back from Lake of the Isles as a group and a race developed between my little 235 and their 290. They had a better hull, twin 350mags and everything had a third of the hours. But I trimmed mine just right and drove like my life depended on it. Outran them by about 3mph on an Gorgeous 80+ degree sunny Sunday afternoon. We came around the point to the town in view and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I did what I set out to do and that was the ultimate "it" moment.
eh sorry for rambling
This just made me think of a story... I was on a friend's family boat (290 Searay) 2yrs back and it reminded me of how much I loved the water. Talking to her parent's, I said I was going to get a boat and join them in Alexandria Bay the next year. They gave me the whole "yeah okay, sure you are. Good luck little kid" kind of response. It lit a fire under my azz and I got real serious. Sold every project I had to scrape together some cash. Bought a formula with an OMC outdrive and then through a series of trades got the 235xlc I ran last year. 350/alpha and thru-hulls. July 4 2011 I met them in A-Bay for the weekend. We were coming back from Lake of the Isles as a group and a race developed between my little 235 and their 290. They had a better hull, twin 350mags and everything had a third of the hours. But I trimmed mine just right and drove like my life depended on it. Outran them by about 3mph on an Gorgeous 80+ degree sunny Sunday afternoon. We came around the point to the town in view and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I did what I set out to do and that was the ultimate "it" moment.
eh sorry for rambling
Also used to get it every time I got to the beach at Pelee Island.
Had many, many special times there. I remember one yr a bunch of us went there and watched the Indy 500 on a battery powered TV while on the beach
