I bought it because I needed a fishing truck. I needed something that could take me to the rivers and lakes and drag a tent trailer up the long hills of British Columbia.
It wasn't quite what I had in mind.
I'd been thinking of something quite stripped down. A Ford Explorer, four or five years old, but in good shape with low mileage.
Having a friend who works for Ford leasing gave me the inside edge and he put the word out for a good, reasonably priced vehicle - and after about three months or so, it turned up.
I call it Priscilla. It's rather more than I was expecting. It's got skirts, you know, those steps that run the length of the vehicle and reduce the ground clearance to three inches. It's an Eddie Bauer model, though what a dead hockey player knows about trucks is beyond me. It's got power everything, seats that inflate and they're leather, to boot. It's got buttons and if you push the right ones you're rewarded.
And as I acquired my new truck, my daughter got her driver's licence. She got her licence and the Old Bag, who has no licence, got a job, and I had a week off to fish the Skagit. It may be two against one, but I took the truck. I wasn't about to carry the tent-trailer on my back, especially after loading it down with food, beer and 60 pounds of propane.
And, I haven't heard the end of it since. Baguette's wisdom tooth decided to act up while I was away. Old Bag had to take the bus to work, or walk. They had to ask a friend to drive them to the dentist - all this in spite of the cab account I have set up.
And, now I was off to the Upper Pitt for a week, bringing a BBQ, all the food for a week for seven, my clothing, fishing gear and six dozen beer (for me). I either had to carry it on my back, about 50 miles to where we meet the boat that takes us to camp, or call a cab for a $200 fare each way.
The women had spoken and fellow fisher Peter McMullan picked me up, cramming the gear in the back of the Volvo wagon. BBQ ribs, filet mignon, prawns, chicken breast, bacon, eggs, hot salami, jalapeno havarti, plus all the basics, spices, sauces and $16.94 worth of pistachio nuts.
I'd like to say I wouldn't have missed it for the world, but you know me by now.
I stood in a cold shower for less than an hour before my Barbour wading jacket was soaked through. Chilled, wet and disillusioned I went back to the truck to stave off hypothermia. Checked my watch. It was 12:15 pm.
Here I was on one of the prime rivers in B.C. with five avid flyfishers and nothing to look forward to but another four to five hours sitting in the truck. Couldn't even find my knot book so I could practice.
Next day patches of blue and a wash of sunshine held great promise. Six casts and I nailed my 8-wt. with the fly in an exhibition of sloppy casting.
Untangled the mess and made another cast. On the retrieve I noticed my rod drooping like an old man's penis. I'd shot my wad, done for the day before I'd even started. I was slightly consoled an hour later when Didlick shattered his Sage 8-wt. on a Coho.
Returning to the river with my 5-wt. I cast to rising trout, astonished as a 30" Coho porpoised over my fly and 20 to 30 more cruised under it. I cast to rising trout and that's all there is to say.
This didn't look good, and on the last day, it was looking worse. Too lazy to walk up-river, I elected to stay near the truck. I hadn't realized that I would be alone, no bear spray, no .357 Magnum and rather large cougar tracks in the sand. On the walkie-talkies, the others made jokes about bears.
But, it was the best day. Two rainbow on the wet line, one my largest ever at 21 inches and another on a long accurate cast to a rising fish. That's satisfaction.
Of course, I now have a long list of things to buy - a new wading jacket, a Folstaff wading stick, bear spray, bear bangers and of course more beer.
And, I guess I could buy the Baguette a car so she could drive to school and pick her mother up from work. It'll probably be the most expensive fishing accessory I've acquired, but if I can avoid another family dinner like the one we had tonight, it will be worth it.
And I’ll get to drive my truck.
"There are no steelhead".
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