Pa. Fishermen in the Adirondaks (first page)

I just got back Monday from fishing near Lake Placid in the Adirondacks. the next few weeks i'll story tell my journey, in parts, from the incident on the way up, to our return visiting a couple finger lake wineries. . we fished the Ausable River, Saranac River, a small brook stream outside of Wilmington and below the Cranberry dam.
Hope you all enjoy!!

Pa. Fishermen in the Adirondacks

(part 1, Thursday 11th, 2009)

.2 Wild Turkeys, 2 Wild Deer and 2 Wild Tires

 From Watertown NY. Jeff took rte. 3, through the Adirondaks, towards Lake Placid. After a sandwich picnic lunch, over looking the Oswegatchie River in Harrisville, I took over driving. Jeff fell asleep shortly after we seen 1 wild turkey and a wild deer along the rte. I was cruising at about 60mph. Listening to Classic Vinyl on Sirius. I had just spotted another wild turkey and deer off the side of the road as I was boppen my head to the music. I was coming up to a left hand bend about 150 yards or so as a tanker truck was rounding the bend in the opposite direction. All of a sudden a semi-tire came rolling across my lane from behind the tanker. I stayed calm and slowed the 2009 Ford Escape, with only 3,000 miles, so the tire would pass before me and roll into the grass along the roadway. As I was timing the passing tire that’s when another semi-tire followed, wobbling across ’my road lane’ without rhyme or reason.

What might have been panic for some I took nervy decisive action. In an instant my brain raced for quick reasoning as the moment unfolded in front on me. Knowing Jeff was in his seat belt, the tanker was continuing the turn in his lane, and a tire wobbling in my lane with no apparent directional course, stopping or causing an uncontrollable skid wasn’t a brain option. The tire instantly decided not to cross the road but wobbled directly at me in the middle of ‘my lane!’ I swerved right towards the gravel berm area. This caused Jeff to wake somewhat. Wanting to keep my left tires on the hard pavement, for traction and stability, I passed the tire within inches as it continued to wobble pass my window. I veered back onto the roadway escaping danger in the Escape! In my rear view mirror I saw the tire come to rest in the middle of my lane as I continued on making the bend in the road.
Still dizzy-eyed from sleep, confused by seeing a big semi-tire coming at us upon waking up and a bit shaken, Jeff finally blurted out ’Jer, what happened?”
After explaining the wild tire experience Jeff decided a quick piss stop was in order. I totally agreed.

 After driving through Lake Placid the Ausable River came into view. Below the magnificent mountains and ski slopes the Ausable cascaded over boulders and rock formations. In places the water funneled through narrow passages than exploded out into an open expanse of strewn out rocks and more boulders. Settling some in the wider sections it would narrow again between its banks and churn and bubble to the next section of open water.

“How in the world do you fish this?” I thought.

 Outside of Wilmington we pulled into the front parking area of the Adirondack Sport Shop. Forgetting about our long drive from Pa., traveling incident and any unfish related thoughts, we entered the shop under sunny skies. Wearing shorts and ‘t’ shirts I’m sure we looked like two vacationing tourists that got some free time from the `ol ladies.

Fran Betters sat in a wheelchair, behind a fly tying desk. The desk was stationed out on the sales floor out from the cashier counter. The 78 year old legend, Ausable Wulff and Haystack developer among other things, was finishing tying a thread head on an Ausable Wulff pattern clamped into his vise. His long white feeble looking fingers moved in a circular motion as he peered above his glasses to see who entered his shop. I introduced myself and Fran said hello and said something to the other gentleman to his right, who was also tying an Ausable Wulff pattern. The second gentleman introduced himself as Pat, our guide, and than introduced us to Fran. We all shook hands and that's when i realized Fran's handshake grip wasn't so 'feeble' as i imagined at first. Pat checked us in and handed us our key to our room out back.

 We entered our room of 1 double bed, 1 single bed, a TV on a combination TV stand/chest of drawers, a night stand and a wicker chair completed our living area. The bathroom was a total of one sink, commode, a pull chain light above a round mirror and a metal ‘box’ shower. Oh, I almost forgot about the dual window fan without an outlet nearby to plug it into. We found that after Jeff removed the Queen size mattress, covering our outside window, we were able to get better air flow throughout our humble abode.

 After thinking about it, the room was clean and for the price better than a 4 walled tent. Besides we didn’t plan on spending too much time in the room anyway, we were here to fish!

______________doubletaper