After weeks of planning and hours of preparation, We set out for the Kemah Boat Parade.. Now keep in mind that no corners were cut and the whole boat was lit up like the surface of the sun. I had blinkers, twinkelers, flashers, electronically digital controled computerized chasers, and just some plain ole ornamentals.. They were duck taped to every contour, upright, powerhead, and console i could attach them to.
I hooked up to her while she was sitting in the yard waiting on her festive journey with my new 2010 GMC SIERRA and started to pull her out of the yard, wheels a spinning, mud a flying, I commenced to bury the GMC right at the sidewalk.. It had been raining for so long that it seems the ground was just to soft to get some grip.
PLAN B: I unhooked from the miracalously decorated vessel and had the neighbourhood hispanics help me push that big ole piece of s%&&^ GMC out of the way so I could get my ole standbye Toyota Tacoma SR5 4X4.. I parked the big dud truck in the street and droped the Toyota 4x low shift lever down with a kathunk... That little Toyota snatched the 21 foot light festival right out in the street. I flipped off the GMC and decided to just drag the rig all the way with my baby truck..
Mrs Quest was dressed in her best cold weather festive outfit and we were on our way.. With Christmas CD's in the player we were singing and having a great ole run down to the waterfront.. Our plan was to put in at the park by the Hilton and make the short run across to meet up with the parade.. Well it seems that the closer we got the foggier it got. I was double handing the little Toyota steering wheel and kinda leaning forward in the seat like an old lady on the freeway.. By the time we got to Nasa rd. 1. it was pea soup, and thoughts of our success were starting to enter my head..
Being the Mental Giant that I am, I said we can just get her in the water and wait on the daughter and grandkids ta show..
I launched her and started the generator for the lights, There were many folks at the park and all the people started whoopin and hollerin and singing christmas carols and such.. I was feeling the spirit.
Heather and Steven showed up with Cannon and Trey. The two little boys eyes were as big as silver dollars, Grandpa is that your boat, With a lump in my throat i gloated Yes.
While sitting in the boat with 2 gazillion candle watts of light emitting out into the dark foggy night it really didn't seem that bad.. ( I swear ya could have killed ants with a magnifying glass from the lumens being emited) Ok kids on board, life preservers on and Christmas music playing, off into the fog we went..
Now being an avid fisher person and having traveled this tract 1000 times before and as I said being the Mental Giant I am. I thought no problem making it out and finding my way to the fleet.. So at super idle speed ( about 1/2 mph) off we went..
Enter water in the gas from all this wet weather we have had.. Now I know if i was at High rpm's it would have just sputtered a second and kept on cruising.. but No, at idle speed it filled the engine and she died..
Now I'm sitting out here trying to crank the water thru and get to some good gas and we would be on our way...
Enter tow boat r us guys..
They must have seen the spectacular light show going on in the middle of Clearlake and was impressed with the super high tech system that was emiting a beautiful beacon thru the fog.. They pulled up beside us and offered assistance for a nominal fee of only 225.00 to tow us the great distance of 200 yards that we had made it before the water shut us down..
I said no, I have faith in the flatscat and she will start here in a second which she did.. I got her cranked and let her run a 2500 rpm in neutral for a few to rid us of the problem..
We returned to the dock and loaded the boat back on the trailer and let her sit in the park all lit up for the families to come over and glare in awe of her sheer beauty..
The grandkids sat on board and pretended they were really in a parade and all was not lost..
Back home now. and the Toyota cramed that big sucker right back in her old tracts without issue.. Stupid GMC...
MERRY CHRISTMAS
JQ.
