Adventures in the Palo Pinto Mountains: Our First Day Out

Setting Out for Adventure

Our adventure has officially begun! We set out right on time at 10 a.m., ready to embrace the excitement of the open road. Our first stop was to fuel up and grab some lunch, a necessity for our long drive ahead. We parked the truck and camper at the fuel island, the most accessible spot for a rig our size, but little did we know it would be our first hiccup of the day.

A Bumpy Start

With the pump started, I happily stuck the hose into the tank only to find that nothing happened. Can you believe it? The hose wasn’t even connected to the pump! After realizing this disaster, we decided to leave it parked since no one could use that pump anyway. Off we went in search of lunch, and oh boy, was that another adventure!

We thought we’d quick order some sandwiches via the Subway app. Naturally, that didn’t work either! The Subway inside the TA truck stop didn’t accept app orders, and when I found out that my $6 meal had morphed into a $14.49 one, I had to raise an eyebrow. Just a heads up to everyone - check prices first! Lesson learned.

Into the Wild

After a frustrating but memorable lunch experience, we hit the road again, sailing through the DFW traffic at 70 mph, which was surprisingly light for right after lunch. Finally, we arrived at the beautiful Palo Pinto Mountains State Park for the evening. It's one of Texas’ newest state parks, showcasing an idyllic setting!

This park offers a fantastic fishing pier, perfect for a peaceful day by the water. With idle speed only and no gas motors allowed, it’s an ideal spot for kayaking. We attempted to wet a hook and managed to catch a few small fish – not the trophies we hoped for, but hey, it’s all about the experience, right? Then we noticed something very eerie. There was a dedication plaque on one of the structures at the fishing pier. It said, "In memoriam of Steve Scott"! We look at each other, hoping that was not a prophetic symbol of things to come! Then we laughed it off as an uncanny coincidence.

While strolling towards the fishing pier, we met a friendly lady camping in her van. Intrigued by her unique setup, I stopped to ask her about the mini-split AC unit she had cleverly sticking out of her window. It was a fascinating conversation, and I could tell my friend Jeanine would be proud of such resourcefulness!

Reflecting on Day One

As the sun set behind the picturesque Texas hills, I couldn’t help but feel excited about continuing this journey tomorrow. Despite the hits and misses of our first day out, it’s moments like these that make the adventure unforgettable. With new lessons learned and stories to carry with us, I think we're off to a great start!

Well, it's off to bed for now. Until tomorrow, may our adventures continue to unfold as beautifully as they did today!

North Louisiana Fly Fishers

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It is the charge of the North Louisiana Fly Fishers to afford to the general public and our members in particular, a better understanding of Fly Fishing and Fly Tying. We wish to perpetuate the sport as a most pleasurable and exciting fishing method and provide education, instructions and the opportunities for relaxation to the membership.

The North Louisiana Fly Fishers (NLFF) serves the Ark-La-Tex area surrounding Shreveport. As the closest cold water fishery, we consider the Little Missouri (Little Mo') river near Murfreesboro, AR our home waters. We also fish the local rivers and lakes. We even have a growing group of kayak fishermen that, as well as the local rivers and lakes, will fish the gulf coast marshes for some saltwater action!