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Donnie3737 |
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| Our trip was great....we ended up with 9 for the week, 7 lost fish, and cold weather. The lake froze up on our last day....we broke ice to fish West. I am already saddened by the season ending...can't wait for next year!! Our biggest was a heavy 52" BEAST! You can see the pics in fishing reports! Then came the trek back home....boy did that suck. Woke up Thursday morning to a flat tire on the trailer....I ran to Dryden and got it fixed. We fished that day....Craig lost an upper 40" fish, and we caught a big troot. We got off the water at 4:35 p.m. - just about dark! We went to finish packing at the cabin, and head home. We left about 5:40 p.m., with Craig following me and my boat down 502. About 30 miles south of Ojibway Drive, all of the sudden I hear a big thump, and I look back to sparks flying off my axle on the passenger side trailer. I pulled over and stopped immediately....put my flashers on, but I'd already damaged the U-Bolts holding together the springs & axle. So, I had to find my tire and rim....Craig was parked behind me with his truck and boat, with his flashers going as well. It is on a LONG turn, and railing on BOTH sides. So, now I've got the tire, and Craig asks me what he should do. I said, "Get my son in your truck, and head down the road here to a turnaround, and head to Dryden....I'm gonna need a set of bearings, and two 3" U-Bolts." (I was very concerned for Weston's safety sitting in the truck!) Craig & Weston went up the road, and found a turnaround, about a mile down 502....they looped around, and heading north to Dryden. It took me 20 minutes to find my tire and rim....it was about 100 feet into the bush with the tigers, moose, and bears. All I had to look for was the tire track in the snow, and follow it. I got back to my truck....no bearings, half a U-Bolt holding together the spring to the axle, and it is 2 degrees Fahrenheit. I am cold, and WET, from sweating and trudging through the snow. So, now how do I get the trailer off the road? Well, there was 2" of snow on highway 502. A plan was coming together.....so, I took the lid off of my cooler, and lowered the axle down on it. It was enough to act as a ski, to get me a mile up the road, and get to the turn around. It was 12" of snow, and even colder at the turnaround. I used my oar as a shovel, to clear out the area underneath my trailer, in order to jack it back up again....my cooler lid was toast, but it served it's purpose!! So, it took me two hours to get the trailer high enough to put the new tire back on, with the bearings Craig was bringing back to me. He returned at 11:00 p.m. with my stuff. I had him hold the flashlight, while I packed the bearings, put them in the wheel-hub, and tried to re-attach it. I think hypothermia was setting in about then, because I couldn't stop shaking. I needed a break, and went to the truck, turned the heat on high, and warmed up for about 15 minutes. I went back out to the trailer, and finished. Craig headed south, I returned to Dryden....I didn't want to make the trek down 502 at midnight, with a trailer I couldn't trust! We checked into a hotel at 2:00 a.m. I was cold, tired, and looked like crap....the lady at the front desk flet sorry for me I think, and gave me a $40 room rate at the Best Western. She also gave us two free meal tickets....she was VERY nice, and I was very happy. I took a LONG, HOT shower, and was finally in bed at 3:00 a.m. I arose at 6:30 a.m., to get my trailer repaired, and see if we couldn't get on the road. We finally got out of town around 1:30 p.m. It took us 8.5 hours to get to Terrace Bay. I was pulled over by the OPP. I was drifting across the center lines I was so tired. We stayed in Terrace Bay. (Only 500 km....300 miles, and it took 8.5 hours...ouch!) We awoke the next morning to 33 degree temps, and it was raining, covering the 2" of snow we got there the night before. It took us another 10.25 hours to get to the Sault.(405 miles!) At the border, I realized I'd lost all of my trailer light, and the two rear ones had been either broken, cracked, or there was no bulbs working. I went to K-Mart, bought the light, trailering harness, and repaired ALL of it! About 1 1/2 hours south, I blew the OTHER tire on my trailer. We had to go to Gaylord, Michigan, at the Tractor Supply store. They were the only place open within 100 miles, and they only had 13" & 15" tires. I bought two 15" tires and rims. Weston and I went back to where we'd left my trailer, (I'd dragged it off the highway, because the rim was shot already from the tire coming off at 75 mph) We left it in a Mobil station parking lot. We finally arrived home, after all of these trials and tribulations, 980 miles, and 54 hours later! It was the worst trip home I'd ever had, but I found comfort in the fact that I didn't lose it, and kept my cool. I also learned ALOT! 1.) Always keep your cool 2.) Be a man of action 3.) Slow down...life's too short! 4.) After problem # 3, torch your boat, and leave!! Sincerely, Donnie  | |||
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| Donnie3737 |
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| Great responses to my trip post...I can honestly say, I wasn't feeling all warm and fuzzy about midnight the first night. You guys sure know how to make a guy feel good! Thanks again, Donnie  | |||
| sworrall |
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Posts: 32890 Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | |||
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