Lifetime Dream Trip

[tx river rat]

Merry Christmas to all
I got my cold weather gear in. I bought a Remington 6 way parka, Outer shell is goretex inner jacket and vest is insulated and water proof also sleeves zip of inner jacket to make a vest also has a waterproof hood.
With gloves and a face mask under the hood should be warm as toast in any kind of weather Did I say I hate getting cold. Life jacket bought to fit larger jacket.
My survival gear fitts in one pocket 3 propane lighters , package of triple o steel wool two heavy garbage bags and small led flashlight. all this is in a double lock 1/2 gallon baggy and stays on my person in cold weather.
Paddling again soon
Ron

 

[Ozark]

What in the world are you using the triple O steel wool for TRR.

 

[Wannabe]

Normally when someone takes triple o or four o steel wool camping, they also carry a nine volt battery also.
Bob

 

[tx river rat]

Ozark
You can take steel wool put it in water shake it and it will still light easily to start a fire are hook it to a battery short across the poles and it will get red hot
Bob It is just easier to light it with a lighter.
Ron

 

[Ozark]

Well I'll be never heard of that before. I was afraid you was gonna say
"Us Texans are so tuff we use it for wipein paper"

 

[Wannabe]

TTR,
Would have a problem starting any kind of fire down here today. Wind is gusting to 33mph. Got .51 of rain this morning. Can't imagine what the wind is blowing up there. What is your zip code there? I can punch up Weather Bug in your zip and see.
Bob

 

[tx river rat]

Bob
Even in this wind it will light
76661
Ron

 

[Wannabe]

OZ,
Usta could. But the older I get the whimper I get.
Bob

 

[Tom @ Buzzard Bluff]

TX River Rat:
"Goodbye to a River" by John Graves was utterly seminal in popularizing canoeing in Texas in the '60s & '70s of the past century. John was one of the Texas authors who was honored with a J. Frank Dobie Fellowship (a subsidized year alone at the Dobie ranch and home to think, write or just mature as an author) and is considered the 'National Author' of the State of Texas. John is well into his 80s by now and the last report I had is still lecturing. I fondly hope that report is yet current.
For decades I made it a rite of the passage of the year to re-read "Goodbye to a River" each October. I've long since lost count of the number of copies of the book I've gifted to those I deemed in need. By the time I met and became acqainted with John I virtually could quote the book. John is (or was as you know from the book) a flyfisher and he and I shared a few fishing trips (to the Brazos --- where else?) before I fled the Metromess for the Ozarks of North Arkansas.
John was fully as interesting as a fishing companion as an author as well as being a very competent flyfisher. I consider the time I shared with him on the river and the drives there and back, the conversations and the shared introspection about the river, flyfishing, history and Texas as one of the highpoints of a largely misspent life. :wink:
If you aren't familiar with his other written contributions to 'Texana' I urge you to enlarge your perspective. One of my favorites is the short novella, "The Last Running". It is a thinly veiled, fictional (?) honorific to Charles Goodnights' successful efforts to save the Buffalo of the High Plains and the Plains Indians who made a way of life around them. If you can read it without a few tears creeping into your eyes to blur the pages then you're not a true Texan.
Bearridge, Chuck and others claiming Texas roots: If you haven't read Graves in all his perspectives you are yet shy a few points in 'Texasness'.
Cheers, Tom @ Buzzard Bluff

 

[oldsparkey]

I ain't claiming Texas Roots , I have Texas Roots , Pure and simple.

My parents and Mother Nature did that for me , when I was hatched out in Temple , Texas , Bell County , almost in the heart of the Lone Star State so I guess that makes me a Texan.

Something I am dang proud of.

Chuck.

 

[Tom @ Buzzard Bluff]

I ain't claiming Texas Roots , I have Texas Roots , Pure and simple.
My parents and Mother Nature did that for me , when I was hatched out in Temple , Texas , Bell County , almost in the heart of the Lone Star State so I guess that makes me a Texan.
Something I am dang proud of. Chuck.

Nevertheless, the point holds: <If you haven't read Graves in all his perspectives you are yet shy a few points in 'Texasness'.>

 

[tx river rat]

Dang Chuck I was born in Belton a whole seven miles from Temple
Tom I was a little suprised at the book it wasn't anything like I thought it would be.
It is great book just not what I expected
That would be an honor to fish with that gentleman.
Ron

 

[oldsparkey]

Dang Chuck I was born in Belton a whole seven miles from Temple
Tom I was a little suprised at the book it wasn't anything like I thought it would be.
It is great book just not what I expected
That would be an honor to fish with that gentleman.
Ron

Ya have to be an Army Brat , like me. Dad was the CO at Belton.

Chuck.

 

[tx river rat]

Chuck
I wasnt my dad was a welder and owned a shop there
Ron

 

[Wannabe]

Did either of you ever run into a guy named Frank Bruner?
Bob

 

[tx river rat]

Bob
That was a long time ago and we moved to freeport when I was about 8
But name sounds familiar
Ron

 

[Wannabe]

Chuck,
Bet your Dad knew him. Uncle Frank was stationed there and almost burnt to death while taking a shower. Someone had poured gasoline down the drain and it ignited somehow. Met a girl while in the hospital and married her. When he got out of the Army he just stayed in the area with his new wife.
Bob