Bighanded

looks like a zombie bug-out ATV pack (grin)..don't get me wrong.. I'm all for it...and lord knows...that little plastic basket on the nose rack of my honda tends to just keep filling up with a lot of the same. i don't have reason to go on multi-day camp trips via my quad..but if I did, yeah it would basically be my old tent camp days with all the supplies I'd have used (before I got soft and moved up to a travel trailer...LOL) my 'daily' means I'm likely out there doing some trail cleaning, trail cam maintenance, general ride pleasure. there's a folder saw, wrap of good rope, plus a tow rope, spare can of gas and usually a small can premix for the chain saw/brush cutter. water bottle, gloves, eye protection, tire repair/hand pump, etc. on my person is where you'll find my knife, sidearm (long gun in the boot on occassion), hearing protection. cell phone or on occassion a GMRS radio.. I have some 5 watters in those bands rather than grabbing one of my HAMs. come a day I need to actually bug out fast and if the honda makes sense..then there's a prepacked BOB..but that's a different thread..likely a different forum.

ouch...yep...had just a couple trips north of the border for work in years past when it was that cold (Bracebridge CA)...and one night up there, all the plug-ins were taken...so we had to park the rental (I think it was a Ford SUV of some kind... I remember the car rental place made us go with something that was tall enough so we wouldn't get blinded in the whiteout from all the dry snow blow) on the drive from Toronto airport to our destination)..anyway came out the next morning..and the engine did turn over, but no way the transmission was budging..I told my work companion who was behind the wheel..just to shut it down cause there was no way that thing was going run...and we reminded ourselves to never purchase a used rental car fleet rig from up that way (grin) ya'll do get the Weather channel up that way right?...you do know that there are places on this planet that are a tad warmer this time of year (LOL) seriously.. I know..job, family..it's home...my relativs in Ohio won't budge off that mountain...I just send them pics of the warm temps on my car dashboard from time to time and they send me pics of snow in their backyard...

ouch...and yeah...long as you're not hurt bad..just a little soggy..then it's still a good day. We have a large creek way back on the property..so with all this rain it does tend to climb out of it's banks and it can flood into about 7 acres...most of that receeds but we've had trail cams that were a good 3ft up trees that wound up underwater before..so it tends to clean out the woods, drops some limbs etc on my trails..was out yesterday and there's one that'll need a chain saw again...but wasn't wanting to take time with that yesterday...had gone out just to survey the flood damage and shoot the christmas present a bit more..anyway..we do have 2 particularly low lying areas that the water lays in..so muddy and axle deep..nothing the ol 300 can't handle...I just take it easy through those areas..not trying to be a mudder nor wanting to push a big wake of water...62 at lunch again today...and 71 coming this saturday...going to take my mom back to her home on the coast..she's been with us for the holidays..will grab my salt water fishing poles cause it'll be low 70s down there as well...nice break...March is coming..so I know the cold is still ahead.

I shot an arrow into the air...it fell to earth....on my neighbors Nissan (LOL)

wow...that is early..but we've had so many good rain days, water levels are finally back to full from the long drought this summer and with days like today back in the 60s..yeah..wouldn't be surprised to see ours start to pop. the wife and I were able to enjoy a nice ride out back on the trails on the golf cart yesterday and she really really likes my christmas present, so when I told her I was going out back to the range, she wanted to come.. I think she burnt more of my ammo than I did (grin)...

(grin)...you as well sir(s).. there will be the sound of a Honda on new years day...out back on my trails...but as for the roadways tonight?...we'll be tucked in our recliners and jammies long before midnight....watch a movie..pause it at 11:55...switch over and watch the ball drop..then back to the movie...done.

yep...as part of the dive industry, the wife also got into travel agent stuff for a few years...she'd get all sorts of FAMs...I seldom could join her as my day job didn't allow it...so she and gal friends would head out..cruisies, carib, etc.. my day job did get her with me to Australia though...great barrier, coral sea, etc...as an exec at the time, my company allowed me to trade in my Biz Class seating for a pair of coach seats..so she could fly for free with me and of course hotel etc paid for..so once over there for biz, I'd take some vacation time and leverage that travel. these days...we are grateful just to load up our old travel trailer, toss a honda on the back bumper, and go enjoy anything from digging for crystals in Arkansas to easy scuba trips in Florida...heck we even pariticipated in the golf cart parade at the halloween campground deal last year...so we know we're gettin old (grin)

the wife and I have been "adjusting" our vacation activities as we have gotten older...she was for many many years, a PADI scuba instructor and we both love to dive...so, many of our vacations centered around dive trips..whether overseas, caribean, great barrier, etc...and many trips with our own boat to our Florida keys. before that, we were parents of 4 kids...so vacations were always about the family...ORlando Disney and Universal, beach, etc. The wife also enjoys "rock hounding"...digging for gem stones and fossils... I could care less about it, but about a decade back when she was hot to do it with a couple area clubs, it gave me the excuse to purchase a used travel trailer (26ft)..she was all for it...and I hang my ol Honda CT90 on the bumper and get some nice ride time in at various places..her digging trips have taken us across 11 different states and the lil honda has made runs in all of them.....me supporting her hobby has made her happy to support mine. We had no real vacation this year as she had knee surgery...year before...week of diving in Bonaire. I am having a new engine installed in my old 22ft boat..upgrading the 305 to a 350..new upholstry, etc...so 2020 will be looking to enjoy the money spent on that as much as possible...but we have plenty of water here..so weekends....vacation is still an unknown... I don't see that she'll be back up and ready for kicking it from our own boat in the keys this summer..but that's what she'd love to do again... but even if time off involves little more than a road trip, camp grounds, short rides or boating fun... at age 63...it's good. we're a bit spoiled I guess..cause our backyard offers us a nice pond for fishing, woods and trails for walking, riding hondas, a decent inground pool, etcand it's 7 miles to the boat landing of a nearby lake and 30 miles of river..I'm happy frankly to just be home and enjoy all this...she likes the adventure, so I'm just laid back about it ... she tells me where she wants to head, I hitch up the camper to the 3500 diesel and drive.

oh my...that 12 bore Harris...!!! very cool.. and I appreciate you sharing the gun laws status in your beautiful country. I won't get into that, lest I get in trouble here for rabbitting down a political thread...but it is both a pleasure to see the older treasure guns and realize they are still in use, albeit out of necessity.

flooded!! the 2 acrew pond out back is chocolate milk from all the runnoff...I can only imagine what the low lying woods are like..probably axle deep and fast running if the creek spilled over the banks. it'll be day after Christmas before we get back into the 60s and start to dry out...but you can bet I'll be out back on Thursday cause Santa is bringing me something new in my pew-pew wishlist..so, fortunately the wife and I can get out back to the range in the lifted golf cart no problem, and I'll go out likely Christmas midday before all the kids start showing up and spin around on the fourtrax in areas that I would be concerned the golf cart might not make it man if this had been a snow event..we'd be looking at 8-10" of rare snow levels for our area...woulda been really fun...as it is...eh...just enjoy some downtime in the cozy of the house..and that's ok too....I can't remember my password and I won't be on this computer once I leave the office today...so ya'll have a blessed Christmas...Big - hand - Ed

I was afraid when I started mentioning specific politicians by name...that I had derailed our friendly walmart ammo sale..and I really don't mean to do that to our friendly family here. The Clinton era ban...has nothing to do with Hillary or Obama etc....it was a simple fact that Congress had set that into motion...so, apologies if we have any current Democratic folks here...didn't mean to go down that slope, was instead just talking supply and my level of "hunger" or lack thereof for rushing out to the walmart sale.

nice build Wheeler...lotta guys down here like the 7, others are all about 270..and 308 is still the king I think my old deer rifle..my dad's actually..is an old winchester 30/30 lever... I still on rare occassion will grab it and toss it into the front fork scabbard of my old honda Trail90 bike..it rides well as it's nice n short and slender and I am solid with it out the 100yrds that the particular round is realistically gonna work..yes I have the hornaday red tip stuff...probably give me another 30-50yds..but really..round here...we just don't need to take long shots. fond of that old rifle...it's not a pre-64..so no real value on the market, but it works and it was my Dad's...so it'll stay in the family . honestly much of his hunting back in PA and OH..he just used his old model12 16ga with what we used to call punkin balls...(slugs)...he never lost a deer or came home empty handed for lack of enough gun to take the game...and as ya'll know...up north they make em bigger than the lil puppy dogs here in the Carolinas.

here's one of our fellas....cam is next to my camper...the doe on the right is one of 4 generations now that nursery right outside our kitchen table window...we can be eating dinner, playing cards etc at the table and there will be a dozen of em outside not 15ft away...

all joking aside (and it is) I have a couple of soninlaws, etc that are avid...they pay good money to be part of a hunt property group, etc...they would love to be able to come on our place and hunt...all our trail cams show great pics of some really healthy bucks..drives the boys crazy...but the wife says...not on her 'sanctuary"...heck you could hit em with a rock out in the side yard...that's how comfy the deer are here...beavers in the pond yesterday, fox, bobcat, etc... I just get frustrated with guys who live in nearby subdivisions...small 1/5th acre neighborhood lots...and they get all suited up in their camo jammies and without a second thought they just head straight into my woods, walking right past my signs and I even have pics of them in front of my trail cams and you can see my signs in the background!!! my grandkids play on a large playground on my property...they like to go down to the creek and play, I like to hop on my ATV or golf cart and ride on my property.. I don't need to worry about hunters..no..that's wrong.they aren't "hunters" they are "armed tresspassers". I do have a responsible gun range, bermed etc and plenty of woods out behind that..closest neighbor and I share phone calls when either of us are planning to go out back and shoot...in fact sometimes we'll just come over and shoot together...but if a stranger is in my woods.. I don't know it.. I don't know to call them and warn...and if I come up on a man in cam with a rifle in hand while I'm out riding or working on my property..brother...it's not a comfy conversation..ok..I've completely derailed this thread...sorry.....I do have a great pic of my 12yr old grandson who took his first deer this season...he was really cranked about it... used the new 270 and took a good shot...one n done.

i've only shot 2 so far this season, but I forgot to take pics of them before I tied cinder blocks around their ankles and dumped em in my pond..the turtles usually take care of the evidence...I do after all have signs posted all around "no tresspassing, no hunting" and yet..they still come... (LOL) actually.. i have nothing against hunting..used to do it with my Dad...and lord knows we have no shortage of deer on the property... I just get frustrated with people I don't know that think their hunting license meanse they can come on property they know darn well is not theirs and start tossing 30cal rounds....oh well.. Christmas holiday break is at hand, and I've been itching to hit my backyard range ...hope nobody is back in the woods where they ain't supposed to be...(grin)

dang it!!! as a guy that used to live for weekends....band jobs, etc...now ya got me looking at my already short runway in terms of weekends!!! (grin)

as a kid...what was "normal" was for dad to have the old Ruger mark1 pistol with a loaded mag and barely enough in the box to do one reload...shotgun ammo showed up for pheasant/rabbit/deer season...and after he passed away..there was nothing more than a partial box of that 16ga, a few leftover 22 rds in the gun from a pervious plinkin session and , I swear to you, a sandwich baggy with a half dozen 30/30 rds for the lever gun....back then , he never had a doubt that he could stop at Western Auto on the way home and pick up a box of whatever he needed for the weekend..so he took supply for granted. As I was training in my later years, what was common for me was more like 1k rds on hand per caliber..and I'd always buy what I planned to shoot for an upcoming class, so I seldom dipped into that 1k minimum...but when the Sandy Hook panic hit.. 1k supply seemed like the last inventory on the planet and we'd never see more again (eek!!) I stayed calm, ramped down on my practice and just basically hybernated the sport...once prices/supply returned I began building..not all at once...and I honestly was happy with my levels..right up until a few months before the election, when it seemed so obvious that Hillary and Congressional majority was going that way...and I was fully expected, at the very least, a return to the Clinton era gun ban...so hi-cap, etc..and prices rising...it was an easy decision to basically double my normal inventory of my main calibers, and to add more magazines....but with that done and behind me...I just don't get that anxious feeling in my gut to run down to the store every time there's a sale, or when the news spikes another mass shooting...sure glad they don't seem to include the normal Chicago weekends in their "mass shooting" reports...cause we'd really be scared...but what gets news elsewhere with gun panic and protests...in Chico..they just call it Saturday night...

wow..yeah... I've been paying closer to .30/rd for Federal boxed..not bulk... Lake city all the way for me. my long time instructor friend passed away a couple years back...he had a great school/business and as an LEO himself, he would pull some favors and for a select few of us, he'd get our area SWAT Sgt, etc to host more advanced classes...and we'd really go through some rounds over a weekend....with his passing and his biz closing, I just stopped doing that much ...still have a couple retired LEOs I range with and they keep me honest..and have a small range on my own property...so I probably get more trigger time in than the average CWP holder out there...but I've been around enough serious shooters that i have no ego of my own...cause i'm nothing compared to those folks.. i just wanted to train enough to feel like i'm being responsible for the force i choose to carry in daily life....that goes for classroom as much or more as range time.... at this point, if bad days actually came, I know my ammo supply would long outlast me...as it is...my kids will one day inherit some nice tools and have enough ammo to be able to experience and enjoy the sport, the training, and god forbid, have supplies to fend off a bad day....jeez..now I sound like I'm posting on a zombie prepper forum...sorry...

yep... I had run Wally world winchester white box in my old S&W 4006...old copy duty gun...that thing would try to cycle rocks if you asked it to...it always ran it just fine...full size slide guns...you don't really notice it at the range, other than maybe a bit more dirty at the muzzle..but tight tolerance shorty 1911s...that's where it showed up..and badly...so, yes, there are some boxes buried deep on the zombie stash of 40 and even 380...but the bit of 45 I had..used it literally for jam drills...I could count on that stuff giving me a FTF at least once out of a 7rd mag...each and every time. anyway.. i use Palmetto State Armory to get price matching at my local Cabellas..so I'm getting good price on my preferred ammo brands..be it Blazer brass, or federal xm19x..or even my AR10's diet. anyway. point is.. I didn't even bother to rush down to wally in hopes of snagging some deals...and I won't be rushing out the door after the next gun scare bad shooting news item...this ol man is set just fine.

I hear ya Jeff....I'm hoping to get a couple more years into the job here with big corporate...but they have just announced some major re-org..so I have no idea what 2020 holds...I've got some time in ...benefits, fully vested, etc...and it's a cozy gig and not a bad commute..so I'd like to ride the train a few more miles....if not, I'll likely grab a consulting gig....contract work is easier to find...full time stuff at exec level..no..the unspoken bias is age..they can't say it...but they aren't looking to hire a guy that they think only has 2 years left...in reality.. I'd love to keep working for another 5-7 years...but that's not what they see.... but the 80-90 hr weeks are done for me... used to own a music industry concert biz...so every weekend had stages in play...and even if I wasn't working a stage, I'd be stressed waiting for the trucks to pull in a 1-2am...and then going out to the warehouse (on my property next o my home) and helping the guys unload, often reload for the next day work...money was good..and made sure to have all trucks, cars, credit cards etc..paid off before I sold the biz..and that cash has gone for home repairs, upgrades etc...and there's some in the bank to get us through a year or so if need be...but I'm a workaholic.. I admit it..and the wife knows that if I don't have some hobbies to be passionate about, I'm likey to go out and start another biz...so she's quick to say..."hey.did you finish that carb rebuild on the 79 honda trail bike?....go out to the garage and enjoy yourself... " grin...if I've wanted another machine, or gun, etc this year..she's been all about it..anything to keep me from standing up another side biz. I am slowing down.. I confess...I have a home gymn..hit it hard 3 days a week..but results just aren't what they were when I was 40...and muscle mass is fading...it is fact of life...but even last evening...we had gone 4 hours down the road over the weekend to get my 88yr old mom to bring her up for the holiday...got in with an hour of daylight left...grabbed the ladder and hung a couple more strings of lights on the house and then the wife wanted to check some of the trail cams out back...but with the flooding rain, she wasn't sure if there would be any problems for her lifted golf cart...so I told her, with a smile, that I'd be happy to jump on the old fourtrax and do a quick recon of the property..so there's my old 63yr old self out there picking up my feet as I plowed though axle deep standing water and spinning some mud on a back trail... I'm always hoping to still be a big kid...no matter my age.

good idea River....I'm not a wrench monkey by any stretch.. I get into the work usually cause the local shops are 6-8 weeks backlogged and I just don't want to wait..but at 63..the arthritis in my hands...really takes the fun out of it..so I do what I do just so I can get back to riding. I did sell my small biz a year back now...and I don't regret it...hard on the body..late hours, long weekends, lifting heavy gear..heat, cold, etc...and stress...the ATV/dirtbike/golfcart hobby has helped me detox from working all the time, but I still would rather ride than wrench...and I still have my day-office job for a few more years...can't afford to fully retire..and I am missing that extra income...I 'need' to work for another 5 years and even then, might be making a serious lifestyle change in order to make ends meet..we'll see...don't even know that I've got 5 years left on my engine warranty...nobody is promised tomorrow right?...ride, enjoy...

haven't bought ammo from Walmart in a long..well..since Sandy Hook time..when you couldn't find a box of anything anywhere...we had a new walmart grand opening back then.. and I knew that they would do their best to have initial inventory...so that day...I was ready to charge in along with all the other folks...as I'm walking across the parking lot, I see a crowd and ceremony at the main entrance, but there' s one lone employee standing at the garden entrance.. I stopped to chat with him..he said..yeah...you can go in this door as soon as they open...it was like some comedy movie.. I got in and was speedwalking to the gun counter.. I'm looking out the corner of my eye and another guy is doing the same... we get there..he's first..he wanted all 6 boxes of the 9mm they had.. I was there for 45 and 380...there were only 4 boxes of 380.. I felt like I should leave at least one box for someone else..and I looked over my shoudler and there's about 30 people lined up..all with that look in their eyes.... I asked for 3 boxes of 380 and 3 of 45..leaving a couple boxes in the case ...paid..and skeedaddled out the same side door... but with good supply out there today.. the last stuff I ever wanna buy is Wally World winchester white box...the stuff is junk at any price...turns my kimber ultra and springfield ultra 1911 carry guns into jammomatics..they run perfect with blazer, independance, federal etc...and I won't run steel cases...so.. i just pass the wally mart on by...beside, my guess is the girl working there now, likely called her brotherinlaw the day of and says "hey bubba...I'm about to do the sale...get over here quick and get it all...." and seriously...while you can never have 'enough"....I gotta be honest with myself and realize that the odds of me ever going through my current inventory..even if there are zombies (grin)...even when I used to train and was taking some advanced courses that could easily eat up 500rds on a saturday...I kept my inventory levels healthy..and then when they had us all convinced that Hillary was going to be crowned queen of the universe.. I put some pain to the wallet and tripled my inventory...so yeah...not turning this into a gun forum or a political thread...so let me back out now after I've likely said too much...point is... don't need to spend the hundreds of $ right now at christmas, even on sale, for something that I already am in solid shape on....but thanks for the headsup post.

ya know.. I just gotta ask...what's on the other side of the wall? (ROFL!!!)

we have video of gray and red foxes up on this stump, rolling around on it like it's catnip..trying to get that scent all over them...funny..and yeah, the deer come right up to it and smell it...you'd think they would be worried about it instead of curious.

sorry..still learning how to use the new forum...try this