The dogs are moving around a bit slower and the days are stretching longer. Which also means the temps are starting to bubble and the lake is looking really good right now. I wasn't always a big proponent of packing up and leaving town for weekend lake trips. There's golf to be played damn it. But the pandemic made me realize what a blessing it is to have a place to retreat from the hustle and bustle.
The lake offers something for everyone. Like to rise before the sun? Grab your pole and aim to be the hero who brings back lunch. Need to recharge? Lounge on a water pad as big as your living room and let the waves wash away your weekday worries. Planning on shaving a year off your life in a single night via Miller Lite and tequila? No judgement here. Just don't fall off the boat deck or shoot fireworks off the top deck (it'll leave marks). Anyways, it's the beginning of lake season and I'm fired up. Here is a list of gear that's enhanced my #lakelife experience.
Lily Pad Float: It's a game changer. You can take it on the boat or tie it to the dock. It's really easy to lose a couple hours on it when paired with a cooler and speaker. It keeps you cool by letting just enough water on the float. Size varies so you can find one big enough for your crew.
Pool hammock: Lone wolf or did y'all just run out of space on the lily pad? That's okay if you keep a small fleet of these laying around. I prefer straddling the float like a saddle. Keeps neck above dry while the rest of the body cools off. Easy to maneuver around with Miller Lite.
Chacos Strap Sandals: I don't care if my feet get wet, I can go for walks, grill, chase dogs off of hot paved roads, etc. I have a pair from Academy. But I recommend spending more for Chacos because of the grip. It's made "optimized for wet traction". Not like mine where I'm practically on all fours when walking over wet rocks.
Sunglasses goodr Mach G's: At the lake it's not a matter of if but when you're going to lose your sunglasses. Avoid the pain and regret of losing your *insert expensive sunglasses here*. Get a pair of lake sunglasses.
Leather sunglasses Lanyard: Not going to heed my warning from? Fine. At least give yourself a chance with a strap.
H2O XPRESSâ„¢ SPCRM Crankbait: I love these for White Bass fishing at night off the boat deck.
Turtlebox Gen 2 Speaker: Speaker is a must have. 100% waterproof is a bonus. Definitely on my "someday" list.
Yeti Tundra 45 Cooler: I've had mine for almost a decade now. Love it. Holds up to 28 cans with ice.
Plastic Wine Glasses: Beer is forever the number one lake drink. But a nice glass of Tempranillo with a charcuterie board on the back of the boat while watching the sunset sounds good too.
Duck Camp Scout Shorts 7": Shorts you want to wear all weekend but probably shouldn't unless you have a washer/dryer available.
L.L.Bean Hunter's Tote Bag Zip-Top Size Medium Olive Drab Green: Any canvas style tote bag will do. You probably already have one in your house from that time you signed up for the New Yorker.
Yashica Micro Elite AF 32mm Film Camera: I grabbed one of these last summer and love it. Point and shoot film camera that can take a punch. You'll love the photos once they come back from being developed and relive the memories.
WM Brown Magazine: Matt Hranek gets the "a bit of this | a bit of that" thing we're going for here. His magazine is a fun read that has a bit for everyone. And it's great reading through a second, third and fourth time.
I picked up my Baudoin Lange Grand loafers from the Austin Shoe Hospital last week. They were sitting on the shelf ready for almost a month. But I had no idea how much I owed and the shoes were in rough shape when I dropped them off, like PETA commercial rough. Where you don't want to look at it and when it catches your eye you automatically feel bad. I knew the shoes needed a lot more than a $50 clean up and I wasn't ready to pay the piper. It's not my proudest moment. But a moment nonetheless.
For some quick background, I originally got the loafers right before my honeymoon in 2019. There was zero break in time required and I hit the ground hard once we got to Europe. After two weeks and dozens of kilometers the front toe on the left loafer was scratched from dragging my feet across Paris, Nice, Beaune and London. I admit some dragging was induced by days fueled by bottles of Pinot Noir and nights capped with Negronis and martinis.
When I got home I didn't let up on the loafers either. I wore them to the lake, to the office, around town, etc. They were my go to slip ons. During this heavy use however I neglected to put a trace of polish on the poor leather. By the time I mustered the courage to drop them off at Austin Shoe Hospital I didn't know what was salvageable. The rubber sole had ripped. The insole was completely gone. So was the heel support. The exterior leather looked like a pair of guys coming back from a three day Myrtle Beach golf trip. I confessed all of this to the Cobbler with a bit of guilt and a shrug. Without hesitating he assured me he could save them.
I'm very happy with the work Austin Shoe Hospital did reviving my loafers from the grave. In total it cost a little over $150 to replace the soles, the insoles, and touch up the exterior leather. Paying a third of the original price of the loafers for maintenance was disappointing but deserved. It really was an overhaul that could have been prevented by letting the shoes rest every once in a while and polishing them. I will call it a lesson learned. When buying more expensive things with the intention of keeping them for the long haul we take on the maintenance those things require. If we ignore or neglect those items we should expect to pay a premium for someone to come in and rescue us from ourselves.
Before photos:
After photos:
It's unusual for us to share our less than stellar experiences with each other. This is almost the golden rule for social media, as you know. But sometimes it's just fun to take a step back and laugh at yourself, while you search for the silver lining.
It's with this attitude that I'll shortly summarize the quail hunting trip I took with one of my brothers this year before Thanksgiving. A trip that resulted in zero shells being fired, and zero quail being found.
We drove seven hours from Austin to Alpine, Texas. It's not a scenic drive. But you can cut some serious time off by pushing the 80 miles per hour speed limit– God bless Texas and it's speed limits.
Our phone signals were gone when we got to the track of public land that evening, a public land preserve with 13,000 acres in total. We took out our guns and walked around while Bella, my German Shorthaired Pointer, stretched her legs through the endless West Texas brush. As the sun set over the lone mountain, we settled down and set up camp.
After a cold night with whipping wind, we left the tent for an early start and high hopes for coveys. We drove slow on the properties dirt trails scouring for quail. Which after a few hours, and a few miles of walking, turned into me trying to find one quail to prove to my brother that they existed. During our futile search for the evasive Texas Blue Scaled Quail, aptly named "Blues," we watched hundreds of dove fly around us. They grouped together in crowds of thirty, forty, maybe even fifty at once. Most within twenty five yards, close enough for a limit in half hours time for mediocre shots like us. But they were out of season. And it seemed they knew it.
As the morning spilled into afternoon, our quail hunt was not turning out as promising as I had made it sound when I first pitched it to my brother months before. Our only salvageable moment was a short encounter we had with a mule. We named her, tried to feed her, and debated the logistics of bringing her home. But in the end, we decided to leave empty handed. No quail, no mule. We tore down camp that evening and drove back to Austin. But for a while we had it all: The hope of a successful hunt, beautiful scenery, family bonding, and zero cell service.
