Returned to L.A. Sunday afternoon after spending two weeks near Mt. Shasta, fly-fishing and pushing my car to the limits. I drove nearly 2500 miles total during the trip, 1200 miles round trip just getting there and back, the balance was spent driving to different parts of the Upper Sacramento River and also the McCloud and Pit Rivers.

The day I drove to the Pit River, I was on gravel road for close to 20 miles - and I'm not talking about groomed gravel - these roads are traveled by logging trucks and heavy equipment. In fact, most of my daily sojourns were driven on dirt or gravel, steep grades with plenty of brush and brambles to scrape along the sides of the wagon. I've had that car further off-road than 98% of SUVs in L.A. will ever go. I only got into one spot where I was unable to back the car up a steep grade, I turned around, punched the accelerator and cruised right up.

The second week of my trip, I was joined by my wife and her girl-friend, both avid fly-fisherwomen, who took the train to meet me, with plans of riding back in the car. We had four rods between the three of us, three nine footers and one eight foot, assembled and carried inside the car along with waders, boots, vests and a large cooler for the after fishing tail-gate party; micro-brews and good wine. And Oh, the beauty of a station wagon - you don't need to break down your rod each time you get into the car.

The 600 mile trip home was without incident. After loading the entire back of the car with clothing and fishing equipment for three adults we drove through the central valley's triple-digit heat back to L.A.

I laugh at SUVs! Oh yeah, I'm heading back up north next month for the October Caddis hatch.

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Dave
1995 C280
1999 Triumph Daytona 955I - my speed fix.
1982 300TD - Gone, but not forgotten.