I’ve been busy lately. I’m working on this from Chicago while I’m headed home. My new boat’s waiting for me at my brother’s place. I’ll pick it up on my way home from the airport. Then I need to get it packed for the Classic and the first couple of Elite Series tournaments.
That’s a big job. I’ve got to find room in my boat and truck for my tackle and clothes plus a lot of other stuff that belongs to my family. My wife, the boys and my parents will be at the Classic this year so I’ll have to carry a lot of stuff. Thank goodness I’ve got a big Toyota Tundra truck.
You know, they make one heck of a good vehicle. I’ve driven mine over 100,000 miles without a breakdown — not one. And, thanks to its breaking and control system, I was able to avoid a serious accident, one that could have killed me.
I was towing my boat through a major city when I found myself in the middle of a multi-car accident with at least one semi and one dump truck involved. I had to hit the breaks hard and maneuver sharply to avoid everything. My truck performed perfectly.
A lot of tow vehicles can handle a heavy load and are able to pull you through bad weather. But not so many of them have heavy duty breaks that’ll stop you quickly in an emergency and, at the same time, keep you in control so you can maneuver and avoid danger.
I want to mention something else today, too. There’s a really neat program called WoodshopRocks ( www.woodshoprocks.com). It’s dedicated to promoting the woodshop program at Buljan Middle School in Roseville, Calif. They made Skeet Reese a guitar when he won the 2007 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year title and they made me one this year when I won it for 2008.
It’s really cool. It looks like a Strike King Series 5 Crankbait in Sexy Shad. I took it to a local music shop recently to get a stand for it. They couldn’t believe their eyes. And, when one of them played it everyone was amazed at the quality of its sound. It’s for show and go!
It’ll be in my booth at the Classic. I hope to get somebody to play it — I don’t play myself — and maybe get some pictures and an article written about the program. They’re doing a fine job of helping kids develop useful skills and an equally fine job promoting our sport. They deserve some recognition.
I’ll update you once next week and every night — Tuesday through Saturday — during the Classic. I’ll do my best to get you the inside scoop on what’s going on.