Wow, this is getting old, this is my second attempt at writing this post, I had just spent the past 30 minutes writing about my adventure and the screen went blank, now this is my second attempt.
So how many of my fellow anglers have had this reoccurring nightmare; the one where you are excited about your next trip, and in your dream / nightmare, you arrive at your destination only to discover that you have failed to pack your rods or reels, , well I have had this night mare many times, I have even seen my friend Charlie get all the way to San Diego to get on a boat only to discover that he had left all his clothes, rods, and reels along with his tackle box in his garage - at home... Well my latest trip included some of this mess!
I awoke at 03:00 was on the 10 by 05:00 , on my way to Yuma, I took a different route this time, the 86 to the 8, ended up in Yuma at 11:00, find Squaw lake only to realize that I knew where I was, there was the Imperial Dam!

Well I launched my boat, got to messing with my new Bimini top, to boat is really cluttered, As I tried to take a seat, I stumbled and took a nasty fall, right into the steering wheel. The right side of my chest hits with a sickening crunch! I try to jump up and shake it off, but no doing, getting a breath of air is done with real difficulty, and PAIN! It is right about now that I discover that even though I had made myself a list to pack, I failed to get the boxes of terminal tackle! **** - 6 hours from home, with what I believe at the time to be broken ribs, and believe me, if you have ever had the displeasure of braking ribs, you don't ever forget just what it feels like, as for me this is my 3rd time for the old ribs snapping!

So I end up going down river to the "Hidden Shores" pick up the only 4 weights available, a pack of swivels, and a cheep pack of hooks, again all that they had. I then go over to Andrews Lake, which I had fished before, I ended up catching and releasing 7 red ear, and that was a real task, casting with my right arm, with the right side ribs broken, I was in a whole lot of pain, I had packed my bug out bag that included Beef Jerky (2 pounds) 3 complete sets of clothes including an extra belt, which I tightened around my chest to ease the pain, I thought about taking a couple of Vicodin, but thought better of it, I did not want to be guilty of boating under the influence of Narcotics. I tried to lay down on the boat to rest, but with the pain, I finally gave up and loaded the boat and left at 22:00. I get on the 95 doing a breathtaking 50 miles per hour, I keep up this break neck speed all the way to Quartsite, on my way to Blythe, I get within a mile of the border, and Lights in my rear view mirror...
I'm only going 45 at this moment, but to my horror, the speed limit has reduced from 65 - 35 miles an hour in less than 1 mile. I exclaimed to the Arizona Officer that I had just got a ticket in LA, well the officer lets me off with a warning... A WARNING! wow an I happy, he gives me a print out as the warning. I then drive for maybe another 100 miles, find that I can no longer take the pain and sleep deprivation, so I stop at a hotel and get a room, sleep from 02:00 till 05:00 when the alarm wakes me up. Then I sleep again until 11:00.
I have decided to add another "Bug out Bag" for each of my boats, I will have one set of clothes, a fire starter, Razor sharp Knife, whistle, 8 pound fishing line, hooks, weights, 2 Pounds of Beef Jerky, pliers, para cord and a smaller first aid / medical box, a spare pair of glasses as well.
Well I did cut my trip quite short, but all things considered, it was a good trip, not that I want to repeat it, but oh well life is what we make of it! The good, the bad and the down right ugly!