Fishin report for Lake Iwanttobethere..

[Ihateriversnags]

Well it was certainly a great day today up here at Lake Iwanttobethere. Temp was just about right, sitting at 82. Went over to the cabin to see if Hank had gotten started on anything yet and he was going to work on the porch. Said there was a few code type things that needed to be updated but I would have to get that info from Bobby.

I did decide to repair my dock and put the boat lift in today so I spent a majority of my time in the water. Funny how when you stand real still, the sunnies will come up and nibble on your toes. I got a little nervous when a larger pike came strolling through after some of those sunfish though. He took one look at me and decided I wasn't much of a threat so he just sat there right between my knees and looked at what was to be his lunch. A great swish of his tail and I was soaked and he was no longer hungry. After this experience I decided it was miller time so off to the pub for a quick one. While there I ran into Elmer and Harold who reminded me that I needed to switch my name for the power company. Really nice though he just took my information and said he'd take care of it for me tomorrow.

I got some coupons for the "you bet em casino". They give us 10 dollars free for blackjack and half off entry into the buffet. Never been there yet so will report how it was upon our return.

Reed said that all the paperwork for the cabin is done so we have started moving some things and should finish later this week. I'm going to enjoy staying up here and have met a LOT of really nice people. Funny how the world keeps turning and society keeps advancing but up here at the lake, life just goes on and that's how we like it.

From Lake Iwanttobethere.....

[Dan Thiem]

Just cutting in to say how nice it is to be able to come to Iwannttobethere after reading about verticle holds and who owns what on Upper Red. Ahhhh, breath of fresh air. Thanks for keeping this thread a long time running story.

[Bobby Bass]

Busy busy week here for me on Lake Iwantobethere, Moving around a tad slow this morning as BBQ week has started and I was down last night doing some judging on Chicken night. Even though I took small portions there was some mighty fine eats last night. This will be going all week so there will be no cooking by me at all. Have to get out to inspect the new feller's cabin this morning also. That should be quick, I already sent Bud over and he did not come back with anything so I don't think we have any wild life liven in it. Have a storm door that Hammering Hank put in that needs adjusting and a trip to the Masterbaiters to pick up some 3/0 hooks. Been doing pretty good skipping big plastic crayfish under the docks in the evening.

Got my computer apart here on the desk been having some problems but I got my manual open and the 4# hammer is handy if I need to do any fine work. Like Elmer always says you only need two tools to fix anything, one is a hammer the other is a bigger hammer!

Say Dan glad to see you dropped by town, a lot going on out there with the forest fire up north, Red Lake problems out west and the discussion about the proper way to hold a fish that you caught. Pretty soon it's going to be fishing with a camera only. You can't catch and eat them, you can't catch them and hold them, all that will be left is camera boats and guys at the Dew Drop showing video's in the booths.

Well got to put my inspection hat on and head out you all have a good day here from Lake Iwantobethere

[Bobby Bass]

Well rib tonight's at the week long BBQ event in the park. Skipped Breakfast and had a little snack of a short rack for lunch that Elmer had cooked up. There is so much smoke coming off the cookers down there that from across the lake it looks like a forest fire on the shores of Lake Iwanttobethere. I would enter some of my ribs but seeing as I am one of the judges that just would not be fair. Besides I'd rather eat then cook. I am at the Lodge in the back room using the Lodges computer, Still having some problems with mine but nothing I can't fix when I get around to it, Besides this one here hardly gets used. Lodge has returned to normal after last weeks little siren incident. We have made a note in the men's washroom about testing dates so no one will forget this next time. Elmer was chewed out for smoking in the women's bathroom but several of us from that night have been buying him drinks for taking the heat off us.

Jason are you sure you saw Bud at the rib joint? Bud can walk in any store in town and gets his own table, no need to dig in garbage cans. The only one that gets better service is Barney and that's because they are trying to find out where the fish are biting. I know Barney went out early this morning with Chuck trout fishing. On Saturday there is a general BBQ and that is when most of the fish are cooked and Chuck will be looking for a nice lake trout or two to PLANK cook. Very tasty..

I see on the general bulletin board there is a notice about signing up for fire fighting. Last I heard that fire up north was now well over 16,000 acres, beginning to really put some smoke up in the sky. Won't be to long now and we will be getting some interesting sunsets with the smoke. Have a few friends up that way and there is some concern. A far Northern bay of Lake Iwanttobethere stretches up into that area. I also noticed on the Bulletin board that Dan Thiem is having a birthday. Dan is a regular visitor to Lake Iwanttobethere there and Reed likes to know when he is town so he can continue to work on him about buying a cabin and having a place to store his rods when he is not cat fishing. I think he will have to stand in line as there are a few other there who want to shake his hand and just wish him happy birthday. Of course people like Elmer just like cake and will try and get some from him. Hammering Hank has them birthday coupons so you better keep an eye out for him. Amy has a nice birthday picnic basket if Dan is looking to take the little women and the young ones out for dinner. But Like I said before it's Rib night and you can't go wrong being down at the park today. Well from Lake Iwanttobethere

[Ihateriversnags]

Bobby,

I guess I didn't get all that great of look at the collar but I thought it might be bud. Knowing that Bud is a VIP however I can be fairly certain that it wasn't. Perhaps it was one of the stragglers from Lake Ionlywishiknewitsname. I hear that sometimes they wander over this direction.

Being new to this area I have not yet been a part of the Rib cookoff. Hoping to experience that this year. I'm under the impression that this is quite the "ta do" around here. I was able to partake in a rib fest down by Baton Rouge and boy do those guys know how to make ribs. Some of them racks have spent 18 hours on the spit to get the smoke filled flavor just running out of them. I can't wait to try them later on today.

I'd like to get some more information on the firefighter positions they are looking to fill. Are they just volunteer or are they compensated positions? Either way I'm still game just would be nice to have a little something on the side. I spent one summer over in California as a smoke jumper although i'm sure I forgot to mention that. Turns out they didn't like having a man jump from a plane that required a cargo chute to land safely with so they let me go after the first season. Very important lesson learned that year. BIG MAN + LITTLE PARACHUTE = BROKEN LEGS

from lake Iwanttobethere

[Dan Thiem]

WOW, four thousand six hundred views! Now that's a lot of lookers.

[Bobby Bass]

Well today looks like a much needed rain day here at Lake Iwantobethere. Got the local radio station on and they are talking of scattered showers and a few thunderstorms mixed in. I hope we get an all day dripper as we are dry for sure. I am pulling a shift at the Lodge today, good place to be if it is going to rain. Will be able to catch up on what is going on as the locals will sooner or later make there way in. Also a good time to work on the bar top after last night's mis adventures.

It has been so hot the last week or so and last night it actually cooled down some after 10 so we thought it would be a good idea to toss a few logs in the Lodges small fireplace and add a little heat and the smell of wood smoke for our late night card game. We were all under the impression that Hammering Hank had cleaned out the small fire place the same time as when he cleaned out the main Lodge fireplace. Well we found out he didn't. No sooner had we put the match to the kindling then bats started to come out the bottom of the fire place. Well that cleaned out the Lodge quicker then old Billy cutting lose one in the outhouse. So we are all standing out on the porch watching bats zipping and darting around the inside of the Lodge. I was of course outside to as that is where my customers were. So as we pondered our next move Hammering Hank shows up. Of course he was questioned as to why he had not cleaned the smaller fireplace and was elected to go in and remove the bats from the lodge. He was shoved threw the screen door in to the lodge and came flyng back out the far door in about 3 seconds. With two bats tangled in his ponytail. I think the bats were more scared then Hank as he was swinging wildly away at them and yelling like a 10 yer old kid, Gee now that I think of it he sounded a lot like the yelling in the woods the night of the siren test...

Well now is when we saw another side of Hammering Hank that we didn't want to see. After getting the bats out of his hair he disappeared around the side of the Lodge and we could hear him at his truck, A moment later he reappeared dressed up in some kind of fancy white outfit, At first I thought it was a bee handler outfit but when I looked closer it was one of then fencing outfits. You could just make out his face under the screen. All he said is that the Widow Hess was teaching him fencing. We let it go at that. He marched into the Lodge with a landing net and made quick work of the bats, with an interesting approach I might add. He would stand with his hand on his hip and then lurch with the landing net as bats went by.

Well we got the bats all out and returned inside the Lodge to our card game, The fire was going good in the fireplace and Hank had gone back out side to change. When he returned he just pointed his finger and said " not one word" We looked around at each other and nothing was said out loud.

So the bar top, well we had been playing cards for awhile and it was quiet and peaceful. Bud and Barney both came strolling in to check up on me and to get their ears scratched. Barney went over and laid down by the fireplace, a perfect picture of a dog asleep at the hearth. Bud disappeared back behind the bar. A few minutes later you could just make out a low rumble, I thought it was the beginning of the fore casted rain. I looked up over my cards to see Bud standing on the far end of the Lodge's 30' cherry bar. At the other end there sat a bat. Before I could stand up Bud started to run down the bar, except the start looked like the burn out at a grand nationals drag race. Slipping and sliding and the awful sound of claws on 100 year old wood Bud started to gain speed as he headed toward the now flying bat. The others at the card game now saw what was happening and we all stood as one as Bud made it to the end of the bar and leaped at the now flying bat. Bud sailed just like he did in his dock jumping days off the bar and threw the newly replace screen of the screen door to land out on the porch, the bat flying freely above him out into the summers night.

So here I am working at sanding the scratches off the bar, Later I will put down a few coats of varnish and it will be as good as it gets. Hank will be in later to replace the screen on the door, I told hm I would not mention the fencing outfit to anyone, so keep that part of the story to yourself. So from Lake Iwantobethere

[Bobby Bass]

I am sitting here at Amy's just finishing my breakfast and I thought that I should take advantage of Amy's latest addition to her bakery. She got a good deal on a couple of laptop computers and had attached them with a heavy chain to the washroom keys so they do double duty. So since I am waiting on a cooling fan for the cabin computer I thought I would go ahead and issue the inspection for Jason's cabin. I will have to be brief as most of the information is on the other computer but I know Jason would like to start working on the cabin and this would make the inspection public record.

Jason after inspection of your cabin we found a few items which need to be taken care of before you can move in. Either you or someone you hire can complete these repairs. Please contact me with your progress.

1) We would like you to remove the down trees in your driveway.

2) A proper mailbox, Milk crates with a flap of canvas are not acceptable at this time.

3) You have listed as the cabin being a MOS GREEN color. The Moss needs to be removed.

4) Running water is preferred coming from an indoor pipe or a outside water pump is acceptable a hose stuck in a claw foot bathtub on the roof is not.

5) The bird feeder/squirrel feeder in the bathroom needs to go outside.

6) The rope swing to the beach from the front porch needs to be replaced or at the very least

covered in duct tape.

7) I could not inspect the electrical as the power was not on, kerosene lamps appear to be in

order.

As you can see for having the cabin closed up for such a long time the list is not to long. A few suggestions, a door might be nice and screens on the widow will go over big with the rest of the family. Even a second window might be nice.

Bobby Bass, inspector town of Lake Iwanttobethere county of Just over the Hill

[Bobby Bass]

Last night was Veggie night at the week long BBQ cook off here at Lake Iwanttobethere. Not as many people there as the night before which was Hot Dog/Brats and Polish night. A little excitement there as the Brandy dogs went over big with a lot of people till the one exploded on the grill setting the grill on fire. With some quick thinking the grill was rolled down into the lake and in a cloud of steam the fire was put out but the remaining Brandy dogs were seen floating off out into the lake. There was a report later in the night about some erratic behavior on the part of some Northerns who were seen surface feeding in the area. Several large northerns were seen in the shallows this morning with a some what hung over look.

Middle of July summer is almost have over. Will be time to start working on the second half of the Honey Do List. I don't even want to get into that as not only do I have a home list but we have the Lodges do list also. On top of the list right now is getting ready for Loggers Days which the Lodge is the main sponsor. I have to make some appearances at the town radio station KCUM and make some spots for the event. Hammer Hank will be very busy getting the park cleanup up after BBQ week and setting it up for the follow weekends and Loggers Days. Hank will also continue his training as he is entered in the all around and some of the water events. Mindy and Mandy have been drawing even more attention then usual as they have been working on their log rolling and the weather has been pretty hot so they have been getting pretty wet. We will let it go at that. The highlight of Loggers Days at least for me and several of the locals and a big hit with the tourists is Lager day at Loggers Days. Saturday is set aside for that and there will be no ax contest that day as we have learned our lesson from the past. The week runs Wednesday through Sunday with a lot of the action taking place on Friday night and Saturday. Sunday is kind of clean up day and Hammering Hank shows how to make mulch. He then sells it in small bags to the tourist complete with a Loggers Days logo on the bag. Of course Sunday as always is silent Sunday for myself so I will be at home sitting on the deck listening to the sound of chainsaws and the chipper and later the sound of tourists leaving via the one road that we have here.

As I am sitting here at Amy's have been chatting with a lot of locals that have been coming in and out picking up bread and pies from Amy. Seems to be a few opening at some of the resorts so if any of you are thinking about getting away here this weekend I think we can find a place for you to stay here at Lake Iwanttobethere. Always time to take a vacation.. So I am off to get some work done, busy day ahead and am going to try and get some fishing in the evening. Barney has been taking me by the hand to the boat so I think he has a place to show me. From Lake Iwantobethere

[Bobby Bass]

Have been asked to create a short director of people and places here at Lake Iwanttobethere this is a start. Should help with some of the stories.

Lodge Pole Resort

Reed the Realtor, local Realtor, Town Hall member

Porky's Houseboat-drink establishment.

Pink Flamingoes- a donation puts the flock in your yard of choice.

Johnson boys, local brothers who do odd jobs when home from college.

Hammering Hank, town handy man, jack of all trades. Town Hall member.

Tom Miller-FOOT, a resident of Lake Iwanttobethere who passed on.

Dew Drop Inn-drinking and eating establishment.

You Bet'Em Casino ran by Ma and Pa Willow pull tab business

Mark the Mailman

Ms. Molley Bodensteiner, Reeds secretary, part owner of the Watering Hole

Frank the county plow driver

Marv's Dinner- eating establishment.

Marc's towing and Lawn Service

Dr.Burriem, towns retired Doctor

Sundown Cafe- eating establishment

Gas and Go where Willie Wrenchhead works

Wolfgang Puck, noted local trapper

Jess the Paperboy

Old Lady Snaggletooth- mother of Bucky Snaggletooth owner of the mini-dounuts

Blaze-resident of Lake Iwantobethere

Dan Thiem-resident of Lake Iwantobethere

Widow Hess-just think of Ann Margret in Grumpy Old Men

Dusty McMurtry's chimney sweep

Dale Frozen Toe Mitchel- former ice depth tester and resident.

Mabel's Sauna and Hot House

John Lufer- power co. Employee- resident

Jimmy- resident-fishermen

Swen and Leona's boy Lars- local hockey player.

Sunshine Ray-local radio weatherman for KCUM

KCUM local radio station

Old Man Walter-resident

Old Man McFarlane- former resident-rocker- big donor to town

Surplus is Us- local discount store

Floyd owner of Floyd's hardware store.

Nytelyter-fishermen here at Lake Iwanttobethere

Ben and Jeannie- former TV hosts- residents

McPettes- resident-still owner ?

Peters- deceased resident

Mrs. Peters-accused of making Mr. Peters deceased.

Jones Twins- owners of the Do Me Inn- resort

[Dan Thiem]

Bobby, Bobby, Bobby, I can't believe to forgot to metion M & M!

And aren't Bud and Barney residents too? And who's the pizza launcher again?

[Bobby Bass]

That's just people places and things from the first 45 pages of Lake Iwanttobethere still another 80+ pages to go

[Bobby Bass]

Here is more places and people for Lake Iwantobethere

Loon [PoorWordUsage] Lake-nearby lake

Peatmoss-resident of Loon [PoorWordUsage] Lake

Mindy and Mandy-Lake Iwanttobethere's Hooter girls

Brandy - cousin to Mindy and Mandy

Uncle Gus- resident

Mister Big- Bobby Bass's mystery and dream bass

Stump Bay- home of Mister Big

Puddle Humper- Bobby Bass's boat.

Candy- sister of Mindy and Mandy who lives in the big city

The Inn- dinner featuring Jet Ski delivery

Town Hall- a long trailer that serves as the Town Hall and also a fishing house

T's Bait shop- located 20 miles from the lake

Big Jim- logger

Skinny- retired logger

Chuck-neighbor to Bobby Bass, childhood friend and a reason Bobby gets into half of his trouble

Earl- local fishing guide

Dug- Bobby Bass's son and owner of Dug's

Masterbaiters Bait shop- Vicki is the owner of the dream bait shop

Amy's Bakery and Deli- featuring the loose meat sandwich

Mystery Creek- home of the smelt run

The Lodge- Local Lake Iwantobethere social club, members only, unless you are buying.

Del's Pizza and Sub shop- son of Bobby Bass and features the pizza cannon.

Sadie and Lady- two old dogs of Bobby Bass that live with his daughter in the city

Barney- Bobby's daughter's fishing dog, well know for his fishing

Bud- Bobby's daughter's hunting dog, well know for his hunting

General Store- everything and anything

Big Earl- owner of the general store

Junior- Big Earl's son

Elmer- neighbor to Bobby Bass and an old coot- if Bobby has a mentor it's Elmer

Mike- owner of the junk Yard

Mr.Thompson-resident

Weird Willie- owner of the school of grass carp

Walter- resident and fishing lure carver

Old Man Peabody's- a motel-laundromat-auto shop

Old Goose- a big old goose that returns to the shores of the lake and Bud's foe

Root Beer Island- home to Mindy and Mandy

Old Man Iverson-resident and inventor

Jerry- Bobby Bass friend and visitor to Lake Iwanttobethere

Jason- new resident to the Lake

And

Bobby Bass, caretaker for Lake Iwantobethere and part time building inspector.

There are of course more places and things but this should help you with some of the stories. I am sure there are many more interesting places and people to be written about here at Lake Iwanttobethere

[Bobby Bass]

Preparing to do battle here. Have been spending the morning gathering gear to do battle this evening. Yesterday my daughter and I were out doing an inspection on one of the cabins here at Lake Iwanttobethere when we ran into a little trouble. My daughter was out near the front of the cabin when I heard her yelling and then heard a loud splash. Coming around the front of the cabin I see my daughter off the end of the dock treading water and hearing her yell " behind you, behind you" I turn just in time to see a cloud of yellow jackets heading my way. I didn't need any time to think I was down the hill off the dock and into the water before the 2nd sting. The first one nailed me right on the forearm and I was already thinking revenge before I got wet.

So today I have been searching hi and low for my bee hive gear which I seem to have misplaced. The thought of asking Hammering Hank for his fencing outfit has crossed my mind but I said I would not say anything to anyone about that. I have already gotten a can of industrial size spray to go after the nest with. After the buzzing by the hornets we worked our way down and around the cabin and came out of the water. Me being like most 53 year olds going on 10 made my way back to the front of the cabin to get a closer look. Making my daughter watch my back so none could sneak up on me ( of course no one was there to watch her back but she can run faster) I spotted the nest hanging under the deck. A big one, this is as large as a cantaloupe. I eased my way back out and decide to fight another day.

Talking to Chuck last night while holding a cold beer to my arm he said he would help me out, I told him that would be OK going to have the daughter share this experience with me. Last time Chuck helped he had this great idea of using a bic lighter and a can of hairspray as a blow torch. Worked great till the tree caught on fire and then he dropped the can of hairspray. Water was pretty cold that day to as I remember. Guess I'll have to go into town and get a bug net, just way to many to spray and run. Will let you know what happens...... Replace the fan on my computer at the cabin also. So quiet in here now. I always thought it was the wind in the trees making all that noise.. From Lake Iwanttobethere

[nytelyter]

thank you bobby for includeing me in the list. althoughh it does take me a bit of time to get up a good post for the lake. i am honered to be on the list. i have been thinking about how i was introduced into boating on the lake. it to started out on sylvia/twin bay. having spent all my summers there, from as long as i can remember. some of my first expierences were from behind the pontoon. on a homemade surf board. that was pulled behind. i also remember that after coctail hour some of the adults showing off on this surf board with ladders &chairs. and how they had mastered the use of it. hehehe very funny on how brave the guys got after some liquor encoragement. funny also on how no-one ever got hurt. i do remember the first time i got to drive the pontoon. went across the lake with dad behind me sayin i was driving about as straight as a cows tail in the summer. funny how you think about stuff like that. then one day dad brought home an old wooden duck boat he traded for some work he had done for a customer. it was a ten or twelve footer all wood and he had won an evenrude folding four horse. motor from a sales promotion. from the paul bunyan company. and we used it on our own pontoon that we owned as a familly and used often on minnetonka. but anyways we spent many hours on this old duck boat sealing up the corners and getting it water worthy. we painted it fire engine red, and put many road runner stickers and bandaid stickers on it and i even took the bell off of my old peddle fire engine i had gotten for christmas. and screwed it onto the front of the boat with a string that ran down the side so the operator of the watercraft could ring it. we called it the "the zoomer". i probably had as many hours behind the oars on this fine and dandy water craft as i spent in front of that folding four. asd i am tellin ya. i was the king of this boat and king of the water when ever i in it. i remember the maiden voyage of it after all the work was done. we loaded it into the back of the pick-up truck. hauled it down to six-miile creek that led into lake minnetonka. put the four horse onit and eased it into the water. i think i was about ten years old. dad gave the four a few tuggs. turned it around backwards. backed us up at low throttle. pointed us down the creek. spun the motor back frontwards, and pulled the throttle lever to full on and off we went,top speed i am sure was about 50 mph. remember i was ten. and i am sure now that we were cruising about 6 or 7 mph down the creek. heheheh funny how you think about things now. welll like i said when were in that boat. we were the kings of the sea. it was an earned privelage to have that boat put in the water. as i think about the countless hours spent during the hot summer months pullin weeds in the family garden. or doing the trimming around the many flower gardens my mother had had. and remember then that we used hand clippers that didnt have two cycles on them and a string that whipped them off. it seemed we worked way harder for our meeger allowances then, than kids have to today. funny how ya remember things. i never grew out of my love for water. and for fishing. my dad built a fishhouse one summer. it was a small very heavy 4x8 we would go out on the local lakes drill holes with that darned dull spoon auger. took forever. but i guess it made you more apprieciate the time you spent out icefishing. then one day dad brought this old contraption. it was a home made 12volt power auger. had a six or seven inch blade in it and was made from an old maytag transmission and a starter motor from an old chevy. i think it weighed about 30 pounds. and thru fresh ice was the bomb but for reopening i remember the cussin and skun up limbs from it bucking all the way thru the ice. i also remember dad seemed to always have a small bottle of mogan david wine. and he would give me a pull off of it every now and then not enuff to hurt me or anything but it was one of those earned privelages. funny how you remember things. welll like i said i having grown up around water. still think that is why i get my call to it. i dont recall where "the zoomer" ever ended up. but i am sure that by now it has been long ago burned up in someones bon fire. welll as i grew older and got my drivers liscense. i started to tow dads boat to the lake with my buddies and would spend many summer days fishing and sneeking a few beers along as well. never got into much trouble. didnt dare risk it being from a small town back then you could not get away with anything,as every knew who you were. and word would soon get back to your folks. yup i guess that is why i grew up the way i did. my family had always ran the business thatmy grandpa started. cept he got his start grinding feed for farmers and sellin them the things they needed to run the farm later on sellin them tires,batteries, and even later, tvs and appliances. i have been told that grandpa would say"if i dont have it you dont need it" hehehe likei nave said before he passed before i knew him but i was raised with lots of his reasonings. welll i supose i have rambled enuff. i feel the call to water and think i am gonna take my own boat to water today. it however aint much set up for fishing. and my dad tells me if it doesnt have a motor it aint really a boat. but he is kind of proud at the work i have done to it, as it was a pretty shabby looking water craft when i got it just over a year ago. she is an eighteen foot catamaran appropriatly called "knot a clew" has a huge sail onit. the number is 5445 and has lots of color. so if ya see me out there on lake iwanttobethere, give me a wave. heck maybe i can convince mindy and mandy to come out with me for a sail or two. as there is plenty of sunning room on the trampoline. and the more color the better. bobby i wish you the best. and keep us up to date on jasons progress. i do hope that there other sailboats out on the lake but if not no biggie. i dont mind being the first and maybe,who knows, we can get a yacht club goin. nothing fancy. no dress codes. but sailing is boating and boating has to be done on a lake and maybe just maybe lake iwanttobethere. is ready for some more quiet watercraft. see you on the water. ... paul

[Bobby Bass]

Paul gets me thinking of my youth here on Lake Iwanttobethere and of course boat building. Can't live on a lake or spend any time near water with out building a boat or two or three. Some float some sink but all of them just make you better. I had more of my share of boat adventures. I guess looking back you would have to call them rafts more then boats cuz I guess it needs sides to be called a boat. When I was in high school I really got into building boats, My junior year we made a cedar strip canoe, After the jig was built it was no big deal to figure out how to make the 2nd one. That first one took the whole school year to build. When I was a senior we turned the wood shop into a boat building shop. We could now turn out a canoe in about two weeks and we built dozens of them. Instead of one person working on one canoe we had 20 working on one canoe. That got kind of old for me after a while that is when my attention turn to making speed boats.. We could make a little pumpkin seed out of a sheet of 4x8 plywood. Hang a 10 hp on the transom and she would fly. Of course our project boat was for Mickey. Mickey was all of 5 foot tall and maybe 125# he was a Red Buttons look a like. We built his boat and tried it out in Lake Iwanttobethere. Worked slick and it was quick..

A friend of Mine named Kevin decide that he didn't want a canoe but wanted a pumpkin seed to. We had to make some adjustments as Kevin was 6 foot 4 and weighed in at around 285 We told him that no way was this going to work. Kevin being a motor head decide that all that was needed was more power. He had a 40 hp and we made the transom to accept the bigger motor. Launch day came and she looked like a dream all shinny and jet black. The whole class was there as we took the boat off the trailer and lowered it into the calm waters. Next we added the motor to the transom and watched the transom slip to with in inch of the surface. Kevin sat in the boat and she sank to the sandy bottom. Kevin just sitting there holding the steering wheel just above the water. Back to the drawing board, actual back to a couple of saw horses, We set the boat on top of the sawhorses in the water and when Kevin sat in it the second time the boat, barely above water stayed dry.

We tried to convince Kevin that Mickey should give it a try but Kevin was firm in that he had built it so he should drive it. Well we pulled the rope and the motor roared into life. Kevin slammed the throttle forward and with a rooster tail of water Kevin and the jet black boat flew off the sawhorses and out onto the water of the bay. You could not see Kevin as better then half the boat seemed to be below the water. You could see the bow and the rooster tail of water. Mickey gave chase in his boat and the rest of us climbed into the pontoon and tried to keep Kevin in sight. Around and around the bay he went, we could hear him yelling and just the top off his head and his hand waving at us. As he came flying by we heard the 40 hp spit and then a big wave as the engine died and the little black boat began to settle in the water, Next a steam cloud and then we saw Kevin start to appear from the water. Then just Kevin treading water as the boat just sank under him into the depths of Lake Iwanttobethere..

We got to Kevin as he floated on the surface holding the steering wheel and nothing else. He just looked up at us in the pontoon and said "She's gone boy's she's gone, but what a ride eh!" We arrived back at shore and we all helped put Mickey's boat back into the back of his pick up. Kevin came over and patted it on the side and walked away. I caught up to him and asked now what? Kevin replied " I'm going to take up auto shop, they don't sink".. I'll be looking for Paul and his sail out here on Lake Iwantobethere.

[Bobby Bass]

Well I suppose you are waiting to hear about the hornets nest..Well nothing happening yet, Still waiting for the owner to get back to me on what she wants done.. So Last day of the BBQ week and what a week it was, Don't think I have eaten this well for the whole week for free since last years county fair. Today was judging day and I'll tell ya they went all out. The park was a fair ground and just a feast for the nose and of course the belly. A fair day with a few clouds and that kept the smell of BBQ close to the ground. Had a hard time choosing between Elmers Ribs and Chucks plank trout. But in the end I had to go with the trout as our first prize winner even though it is not truly a BBQ it was cooked with an open fire. I don't know if you have ever had planked trout but here is how Chuck makes it. He starts of with a nice Maple fire and gets it down to a large bed of coals. Then he takes lake trout that he has split into two halves. He has old darken planks that he has driven maybe a hundred 16 penny nails into. He then slaps the trout side on to the plank and the nails hold it on. He then places the planks on edge at the edge of the fire and brushed them with seasoning and butter. He lets them blacken and when the time is right he removes the planks and peels the trout of the nails. Very Tasty.. Along with corn on the cob that is tossed and cooked right on the coals. If you add some of Elmers Spuds that are slit open and stuffed with butter and sweet onions and roasted on the BBQ you have a meal you won't soon forget.

A great day, to be outside, Balloons and flags flapping in the light breeze, the smell of BBQ baked goods from Amy's and of course the local church has their booth with brownies and pies and cakes o my! Not one but two beer tents, one on each end of the park. Mindy and Mandy were the servers at the south tent and were dressed as October fest bar maids. That tent seem to be a might busier then the other one. I also think I saw Nytelyter there but I am not sure, a big guy wearing one them sailing / yachting get ups complete with the hat, I thought I heard someone refer to him as "Captain" Of course Elmer and Chuck were there, as a matter of fact their BBQ's and fire pit were right next to each other. Elmer decked out in his bright red apron and Chuck with his fire department pants and suspenders with his hat on backwards. Dug had an interesting BBQ as he had a long, I think it was two hot water tanks welded together. He sent hot wings through it and they came out the other side in just a few minutes. Nothing real tasty but it sure was quick.

Well a little after 7 here now and the park is pretty much empty. Hammering Hank is down there running his ridding tractor with the leaf catcher on it picking up litter. Bunch of gulls are moving across the park like British soldiers picking at anything that looks like it can be eaten. By dark it should look pretty well clean. I see some darks clouds rolling in across the lake, with luck maybe will get some rain tonight. Getting pretty brown. Air is kind of heavy to as I can hear the racing sounds of the county speedway and that is a good fifteen miles away. Well I'm going to take a nap here at the Lodge, I am so full there is no way that I am going to be able to walk back to the cabin for awhile. Besides Elmer might be waiting for me with them tongs of his, he did finish in 2nd place. From Lake Iwanttobethere

[nytelyter]

me? at a bbq? welll could be i was sizeing up the competition. i do a mean slo cooked brisket. some say better than that famous guy with the name of dave. hehehehe

[Ihateriversnags]

It's certainly another scorcher again today at Lake Iwanttobethere. Checked the temp and it was reading 95 degrees IN THE SHADE. Made a few phone calls over the weekend and have most of the items taken care of on the inspection list.

Big Jim and Skinny came over to take care of the tree in the driveway. Jim said that he'd do it for nothing but Skinny charged a hundred bucks for his "supervising fee". I felt that was certainly worth it knowing how a supervisor has to make ends meet. I mean Skinny can't afford anything from Masterbaiters if he don't collect his fees now does he?

Mark the mailman stopped by as well today and delivered the first mail to our new place. He did comment on the milk crate and said that it was certainly an interesting contraption, he recommended picking up a new "metal" mailbox down at Big Earls to which I certainly complied. Mark even helped install it for me which is great since I am not very handy.

I did have a question though about the color of the cabin. I can certainly see why you would think that it was moss growing on the cabin but after speaking to Elmer, he said Grandpa used to open the skylight and shoot ducks right from bed. So with that in mind I would have to change the color of the house from Moss Green to "Duckblind".

I am wondering if anyone knows how to Witch for water. I got the roof fixed and the tub is down and for the time being I have a pump attached to the house from an artesian well down by the lake. I am hoping this is up to code because this is the purist and coldest water I have ever had the pleasure of tasting. If not I will need someone to dig a well for me and I don't know how high the water table is up on the bluff.

Harold came over and made the necessary adjustments to my place for electricity. The wife went up and hugged him and gave him a smooch on the cheek because now she gets air conditioning. Well ol' Harold turned about 3 shades of red and then rapidly left. I never did get a bill from him but I assume it will be tacked on the first months electric bill. Also guessing since I saw Harold down at the pub, there may be a few rumors floating around about the "kissing wife on the bluff". Guess this will be the true test of what kind of rumor mill we have up here will be.

From Lookout Bluff at Lake Iwanttobethere.....

[Bobby Bass]

Had the town meeting at Elmers last night, he had a pan of his ribs left over from BBQ Sunday and I brought over a case of Hamm's that I had stashed away and we are ok now with his 2nd place finish. As long as he had pretty much everyone over that sits in the town council we just talked away as we wiped sauce from our face and sipped on frosty Hamms. I summited the inspection sheet from Jason and it was approved, Also the work that has already been completed was also approved so Jason if you are reading this you should be getting your letter here in the mail soon and also new sticker for your fire sign. Welcome to the neighborhood. Of course I will have to write the letter so it may take awhile, it is merely a formality.

The temporary permit was issued to the Lodge for the digging of holes in the park for the Loggers Days tree climbing poles, That was approved and should be in by Friday. Also beer permits and a bunch of paper work was done with. Of course most of that is just changing the dates on last years permits and running them through the copy machine. No sense in spending all that time writing new permits and wasting paper. Here at Lake Iwanttobethere we pride ourselves with our streamline government.

Well it never did rain, We sat on the deck at the Lodge and watched thunderstorms just pound the waters of Lake Iwanttobethere but not a drop fell on land. Things are looking pretty dry. Have to go out and water the apple trees every couple of days because no way can I survive a Vikings football season with out my apple pie on a Sunday afternoon. Twins are still winning and we replace the coat hanger on the Lodge's TV so we can have the games on. With Jason moving into town the membership committee is going to see if someone wants to sponsor him into the Lodge. With the new membership fee we might be able to afford a outside TV antenna. We had talked about raising the price of beer but that was quickly voted down as it was noted the Twins winning might be nothing more then a flash in the pan but the price of beer is forever.

Waiting on a delivery here from my granddaughter. She has been catching frogs out of her dads garden. I am paying a dime apiece. Going to bring me a doz. this afternoon and I will take them out fishing this evening. Of course she just thinks I am going to take them out to release them and I will be doing that. Hopefully Mr. Big will do a prisoner exchange and I will have him to show off...

Skinny was in the Lodge last night and paid his bar tab off, that was something I thought I would never see. Now we can actually add Brandy to his Brandy waters. Well I had better get some work done around here have some painting to do and that is always a good way to make sure it rains. If that does not work then I can always seal coat the driveway or just go fishing. From Lake Iwanttobethere (4840)

[Dan Thiem]

4840?

[Ihateriversnags]

I was taking some time this morning admiring the sunrise off the bluff looking out over the lake and I couldn't help but smile. Taking in a deep breath I was able to detect a hint of campfire smoke from someones yard. There is a big oak tree right on the end of the bluff that is in full swing and a huge bald eagle has decided to make a nest up there. I watched ever so silently as this momma eagle swooped down to the lake just off the end of my new dock and grabbed a smaller fish. I'm assuming that the young back in the nest were going to be eating well here in just a few seconds. Should be interesting to see how many of them come out of that nest. I don't know much about eagles but I do know that their majestic flight almost puts me in a trance.

Glad to hear that there is talk about sponsoring me into the lodge! I'm sure that we could work something out for a new antenna and hopefully we can get it installed before the world series this year. If that happens, we could count on some serious partying during the games. Perhaps with the money made on hot wings, we could get a new big screen TV.

The wife is settling in pretty well to our new cabin on the lake. She was trying to get the kithen in order and found some more surprises in one of the cupboards. With a dishrag in hand, she was trying to wipe down the shelving and came upon some more chipmunks. These were just babies so she scooped them up and brought them outside and placed them next to the oak tree out of sight from the eagle. Mamma chipmunk was pleasantly surprised as her den with a summer's storage of nuts was only about 3 feet from there.

Must head down to the country club for our meeting. On the agenda today is the selection of the new beer cart girl, new members and possible renovations to our screened in porch area for the cigar smokers.

From Lookout Bluff at Lake Iwanttobethere....

[McGurk]

Quote:

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4840?

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maybe 2 cases of beer in 4 hours with 0 trips to the bathroom?

Number of unsuccessful casts for Mr. Big?

New method of measurements for the beer cart girl auditions?

Number of nails fallen of the roof from Hanks last shingling job?

Acres of Lake Iwanttobethere?

Pull tabs pulled last weekend at the You Bet'em Casino?

[Bobby Bass]

(4840) if you are wondering that is a reference point for this entry here at Lake Iwanttobethere. It is the number of visits at the time of the post. Was voted in at the town meeting last night as some town keep minutes at their meetings.

Just a few more jottings here, I see Jason you got mail. By the way when Mark was helping you install your mailbox did he mention that all summer mail is delivered to the mail box on your dock? Might be awhile before you see anything in that new roadside mailbox.

World Series? Vikings already start their pre season August 11th hope to have something up on the roof before then. And what kind of big screen TV are you talking about? We have the big screen in the lodge already. It is 6 25" TV's stacked three wide and two high. Dug has it wired so we can watch six games at once. From Lake Iwantobethere (4853)

[Ihateriversnags]

Bobby,

As far as the big screen is concerned, I was thinking of a 101 inch projection tv for the main game on the opposite end of the lodge. This way the majority can watch the main game and we can always swivel around and check the scores from the other games at the same time.

Mark didn't mention anything about the mailbox on the end of the dock but then again I have not installed one as of yet so I guess that will be on the 2do list. Man that list is almost as big as the Hunny do list but so far it seems that I am able to at least keep the list from expanding too much.