A few months back, my bosses asked me if I could chauffeur a Japanese visitor who wanted to see our three boat companies. So last week we saw two of the three...Along with my new friend from Japan came another guy that just moved here from Japan to get some exposure to our companies.
Last Sunday night, I met the gents (Neil and TK - American nicknames) at the ATL for our flight to Springfield. Our flight got pushed back an hour so we headed to Chili's for a little grub. When we got back to the gate, Delta decided the flight was pulled back up and we were hosed on the flight. Last flight to Springfield. Great first impression huh??? Fortunately, there was a flight going to NW Arkansas that we could make but would have to drive to Springfield. Had to do it...So we booked through the airport and made it...After getting the rental car situated, we headed to Springfield. We were supposed to go all the way to Lebanon, MO where our boat builder resides but of course I can't pack light and checked my bag which was now in Springfield...So here's drive No. 1...Late night, early morning to get back at airport...
From there, we went to our boat builder (G3) in Lebanon. I love going to our boat builders because I have great respect for people that can build things. Watching things being bent, shaped and welded into a finished product is freakin' awesome to me. Great couple days of hanging out with the guys at G3. My guests were stoked on the processes in place and gave thumbs up...Here's a shot of a guy that is laying down a perfect bead down on a pontoon log...I can't do this and probably never could, so this guy in my book is freakin' awesome...
On Tuesday, when we were done at the plant, we had a few hours to kill before our flight and decided it was necessary to go to Bass Pro in Springfield. For those of you that enjoy the outdoors have most likely at least heard of Bass Pro Shops. They are "The" place to get outdoor toys...Well, the Springfield location is the Mecca of all things outdoors as it is the original. It's huge, it's ridiculous, it's beautiful....
After a few hours in Bass Pro, I thought it may be a good idea to make sure our flight was on time since it had been raining all day and I heard there was going to be rain in Dallas as well. Good thing I did...Canceled flight...Re-booked for the next day...Boo bears...I really didn't feel like sitting around for the rest of the day in Springfield so I asked the boys if they were cool to drive down to Kilgore. They were all about it. More driving...
After switching up rental cars at the airport we made our quest down to Kilgore. Not a bad drive. Some conversation in broken English. Lots of rain...And one 200 yard puddle that caught me off guard that made everyone in the car scream like girls. It was funny after the fact but I thought the Ford Taurus was going to be scuba diving...Finally made it into Kilgore around 1:30am. Tired, but glad to be there...I always love coming to Skeeter. Once again, I have great respect for the people that build the product. I also enjoy talking with all my old friends from my Skeeter days. Great stuff. Productive two days with my Japanese guests. I introduced them to Tex Mex and had to explain that the "J" doesn't get pronounced in jalapeño or fajitas...That was an interesting conversation...
Thursday night, I headed over to Tyler to see my buddies Austin, Lee and Travers. Watch some B-Ball and was gowned early...
Woke up at 4am on Friday to fish the Good Friday Skeeter Employee Tournament. This is an annual tournament for Skeeter employees that they let us fish in. There was all sorts of smack talk leading up to the tourney. I showed them...I was paired up with Terry Pitman (TP) and Dorian...5 Fish 11.54 lbs. Winners!!!! Each taking home $130...Boo yah suckas....Great day, got sunburned...
Here's a photo at take off in the morning...Had about 20 boats in the tourney with 50 or so anglers...It was a blast...
The winning team and our catch...Ahhh yeah....
After the tourney, Neil, TK and I had to head to Dallas for a next morning flight. I took a little back road way to introduce my new friends to crawfish...I had seen this place the day before and was cravin' some craw-diddies. Just a little road side place that needed to be patronized...5 lbs. Crawfish
1 lb. Shrimp
6 Potatoes
4 Pieces of Corn
Burnt Lips
Here's TK and I showing off a couple of the diddies...They were good. I can't wait for more in a couple of weeks at the bachelor party...
After spending the night in Dallas, we were back into the ATL on Sat. afternoon. Good week. Long week. Although there was a language barrier, we managed. Both parties showed patience throughout the week. I realized how much slang I use. It was cool to teach some of it to my new friends...TK now knows what "This Sucks" means when you're sitting in traffic...Sorry for the long post...I need to do a better job of keeping ya'll posted throughout the week. I'll try harder...Off to bed. Early flight to Panama City tomorrow morning...
3 comments:
4 thoughts:
1) The language barrier, what my wife goes through every day at Toyo Tire
2) It was worth the trip to go to Bass Pro!
3) Congrats on winning the tourney
4) Crawfish, ah yes, but did you suck the heads???
Man, you are the drivingest guy. I just trekked from Sebastian, FL to Jax to Gulf Shores, Alabama, on my way to the National Houseboat Expo in Louisville, KY (three days - whew!). Then swung back to Beaufort, NC and doen to Charleston, SC before heading home in time for March Madness.
But I never had to chase my luggage...
Tell me about your boats and builders one day - we provide underwater LED lights to make stuff purty (and get the fish's atention) and could use some friends and dealers in the midwest.
Congrats on the 1st place. Great picss.
Funny you should mention the pontoon welds - I was talking to a pontoon welder at the Louisville show and was admiring the same exact thing in one of their boats. He told me some great stories about pressure-testing his welds.
I'll subscribe and stay tuned in. Kept writing - good stuff.
Art Blanchet
OceanLED
I wish I had known you were in Springfield, MO. I now an amazing restaurant there that I used to go to that was featured on the Food Network's "Top Ten Places to Gorge Yourself" called Lambert's Restaurant. Homestyle Southern cooking whose will give you all you can eat for whatever you order, give extra fixins on the side, and will toss rolls across the room to you fresh from the oven. Let me know if you head back that way and I will give more info! Hope all is well my friend!
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