Chairmen of the Politically Incorrect

[gamekeeper]

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[OldWin]

Truth!

And bikes are the safer of the two. Women are responsible for way more deaths.

[Walt]

One of the best things about motorcycles is when you're done with them you just park them in the garage.

I make fun of my friends who have horses; vet bills, corrals, barns, constant feeding, tack, trailers, horse insurance, (yep, that's a thing), certifications when crossing state lines and I've probably left out more.

But even horses are less expensive than women.

[OldWin]

Haha yup. That's how I always figured it too, Walt!

[gamekeeper]

Another plus comparison motorcycles might only leak oil....

[Old Savage]

Well, I don’t have either. Instead I guess I have golf clubs, enough for all of you if you came here.

[gamekeeper]

It seems the Squirrels have returned I think the Acorns have something to do with it, my son shot 7 on Sunday and 2 yesterday but he cheats with a thermal gizmo and my old eyes just ain't sharp enough anymore unless the buggers are on the move.

OS, if I ever make it to California the nineteenth hole is where you will find me...

[OldWin]

Glad to hear the squirrels came back buddy.
As far as golf......yeah, I'll meet GK at the 19th hole.

Well I guess I may as well put a stand out here on the lawn. I was out with the dogs before work this weekend, and Gracie was sniffing quite intently under the crabapple tree. I went over and there was a big pile of deer poop! I live right in the middle of town, but I've lost count of how many deer and moose I've had here in the dooryard.
I changed the oil, air filter, and rotated the tires on Kristy's old Cherokee yesterday. It was quite warm here yesterday I took a little bike ride yesterday afternoon. Headed to camp this morning.

[Walt]

Have a good time at camp, Jay. Do you have any particular projects in mind for the day?

Do you miss your Harley?

[OldWin]

I actually haven't missed my Harley. I'm really surprised, and I've actually put more miles on my DRZ and TW than I did on my Harley last year. It's been a lot less uptight an ownership experience too. Don't have to worry about dirt, bug guts, or scratches.

We went up and posted our north line today. I have a surplus Molle 2 large ruck with a PVC frame. I loaded it with signs that dad put on wood (heavy!). We drove the truck up the main road to our northwest corner. We left the truck and started down the line with a screw gun and a 50ft length of paracord. We would measure 100ft and put one up. We had enough to get us about to where one of our woods roads from camp comes close to the line. Then we walked back to camp on the woods road, got the 4 wheeler, and went back to get the truck. I reloaded the pack with signs, then I gave dad a ride back to where we left off, and i left the pack and stuff with him. I rode the 4 wheeler down dad's trail to his blind and parked by the bridge where it's close to the line. I walked back up the line till I got to where I left dad, put the pack back on, and we started again. When we finally made it down to the stream, we only had to walk back as far as the 4 wheeler. Then we could ride back to camp. Man, we went through some nasty areas. Down by the stream, I took a step and hidden in some ferns was a petrified alder stub that a beaver had chewed off to a point about a foot high (basically a punji stake). I stepped down and ran it up the front of my shin. Yeah.....it was as bad as it sounds. Hours later it still hurts like all getout.
Luckily, this was all offset by a beautiful day in the woods.

[gamekeeper]

I always appreciate seeing photos of the camp, I can imagine looking for Squirrels amongst the trees and drinking a couple of cold ones by the fire but I'll leave all the hard work to you..

[OldWin]

Thanks GK. I was up there Wednesday and yesterday also. Put through a new logging road down to a hemlock grove further east on the north line. Did some tractor work moving rocks, stumps, and downed trees on this road. I also took it up on the hill on the road we put through this summer to make a water bar.
I put the finishing touches on my hang on stand and put out a couple of blinds for dad. I put one up the hill on the road we made this summer. The road goes by a spot where there is always pawing at the intersection of an old twitch trail. I found a good spot beside the road that hides the blind perfectly. We have had several deer on the camera I put at the intersection. The blind gives a perfect 50 yard shot to this spot. The picture is taken from target area looking back towards the blind. It's on the left of the road across from the 4 wheeler.
Kristy is on vacation after tomorrow and we plan to stay up to camp with the dogs for a couple days. It will seem weird not working. The only thing I may do is move a woodpile that is in the dooryard. Maybe I'll put Kristy to work. I better bring a shotgun along in case a partridge wanders by. I'd like to see her pop one.

[Walt]

I don't believe you can do it, Jay. Spend a couple of days at camp and not work? Highly unlikely, I'd say.

I hope Kristy's vacation time is memorable for you both.

Have a wonderful time!

[OldWin]

Haha yeah i deserve that Walt! I been working up there all summer. I've got a lot done but it seems like I have a ton more to do. Makes life worth living, and makes me stare in wonder at people who say they have nothing to do in retirement.
The only work I'm going to allow myself when Kristy and I are up there is that woodpile. Promise. I also promise to post a picture of me sitting around the fire pit with a glass of Wild Turkey!
I'm working tonight, but I still managed to rotate the tires on my Jeep and get my dead leaf blower up and running strong.
Now I have to go downstairs and see how much 30-30 I have loaded. Hunting season is fast approaching and I haven't fired a shot all summer. I have to dust off my old 94 carbine this week and start getting my poop together.

[Walt]

My motorcycle riding buddy and I drove (my truck) up to Tierra Amarilla, then turned on US Hwy 64 across the high country to Tres Piedras, stopped for lunch and drove back home through Taos and Espanola. It was a beautiful day.

The road tops out at 10,500' elevation and is the only highway in northern NM that is closed during the winter due to heavy snowfall. After decades of plowing and wearing out snow blowers, the highway department has given up and they simply shut the gates at either end.

The ranchers bring in their cattle and sheep at this time of year as the hills begin to ring with the bugling of elk.

[gamekeeper]

Beautiful country Walt thanks for the photos hard to imagine deep snow and warm temperatures all in a days ride but when I was in Monument Valley a guy who was there the year before said it snowed in August and people worry about global warming
The weather here is getting cooler and the log pile is visited daily now.

[OldWin]

Awesome pictures Walt! Looks like a great time. We took the Jeep over through the mountains to Rangeley the other day. Beautiful day. I even shot a partridge. Day before that we took a ride to the coast. We hadn't made it there all summer. I got a short ride in back the first of the week too.

[Walt]

Wonderful pictures, Jay....thanks!

It sounds like you and Kristy had a fabulous few days at camp and wandering around the region. Nuthin better in my opinion. Good for you!

[OldWin]

Thanks buddy! The time just goes too fast. It's back to work for us tomorrow. Only 2 for me, but it's still too many.
Then I gotta get back up to camp and start getting things ready for hunting season.

[gamekeeper]

Nice pictures Jay the one with your bike reminds me of one of the tracks I take my son's Spaniel, rather take your bike through

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[OldWin]

Haha yeah it was a nice trail. It was right in Cornville, and the odd thing was I'd never been on it before. It's always great finding new places.

[gamekeeper]

Good old Cornville we don't talk about it much these days...

[OldWin]

Haha yeah. I was thinking about that just the other day on the way to camp.
It's still there..... in all its glory.

[Walt]

Dang, I always thought that Cornville was a fictitious place that you and Six joked about but I looked it up on Google Earth and it actually exists! Hey, I learn somethin' new every day.

[Walt]

Our son who lives in the Ft Worth area and his hunting partner who lives in Virginia got together again for an elk hunt in eastern Idaho. Before the hunt they spent a couple of days fishing in western Wyoming. One of those days was spent fishing a lake a bit above 10,000' in elevation. They caught some beautiful brook trout and cutthroats.

[gamekeeper]

Great photos Walt looks like they had a ball good luck with the Elk.
My son shot 3 Roe Deer yesterday that were causing damage to a new tree plantation, one of the perks of his woodmans job getting paid for stalking

[OldWin]

Dang, I always thought that Cornville was a fictitious place that you and Six joked about but I looked it up on Google Earth and it actually exists! Hey, I learn somethin' new every day.

Haha oh no! Cornville is very real Walt. Mostly. There isn't anything there but woods and a few farms and houses. No store. Not even a gas station. There is a small elementary school. Lots of old woods roads we ran with dirt bikes, trucks, and Jeeps all my life. My dad and his buddies ran the same country back in the day.
Those are awesome pictures Walt! Good for your son. Wish I was with him.
Glad your son stacked some meat GK! I ran to camp yesterday to pick up my kids 4 wheeler. When I pulled in and got out to get the cable, a big doe ran across our road and into the upper end of of our lot. When I drove past the new road we made this summer she was standing in it about 50 yards away watching us, bold as all get out. I should have taken a picture. She was a beauty, and quite large. Our season starts in a couple weeks, and I've been wicked busy getting everything ready. Both home and at camp.

[gamekeeper]

Good old Cornville
I took the 16 gauge for a walk around the lake and again I didn't even see a Squirrel, I put up a couple of Pheasants but wasn't even tempted just in case I scared away the Squirrels that weren't there
I did try out the .410 adapter and it does throw a better pattern than the one for the 20 gauge.

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[Walt]

GK, that sounds like a relaxing way to spend a few hours.....nice picture, thanks!

[gamekeeper]

Thanks Walt, my son and I went for a walk around a different wood this afternoon and only found 1 Squirrel and my son shot that one, nobody around here has known a time when Squirrels were so scarce usually the woods are full off the little critters this time of year...

[Walt]

We have ground squirrels here that do a lot of damage. A couple of weeks ago squirrels camped out under the hood of my wife's car chewed through wires costing me $300 to locate and repair wires to the mass air flow sensor. This car is a hybrid so there was certainly potential for a lot greater damage. I use peppermint oil spray, I use coyote urine, I use an electronic "rodent repellant" box and I prop the hood open about 6" when it's parked and the little hoodlums still create havoc.

I invite you and your son to come over and ventilate a few.

[OldWin]

We have more than our share too! Come on over and shoot all you want buddy!
Glad your .410 adapter worked well. I'm not good enough of a shotgunner to make use of .410. The 20 is about as far down as I can manage. And that's questionable.

[OldWin]

Guess they are back. While at work my buddy across the street texted me this picture of my dooryard while he was sitting at his fire pit.

[gamekeeper]

Well I'm glad that someone has their quarry species still in existence and on the doorstep
My son and his wife invited me to dinner last night, roast Roe deer with all the trimmings, I'm beginning to get a liking for venison after years of mainly eating beef.

[OldWin]

Whooo hoo! Now THERE'S some good eatin! I love deer meat. I will choose it over beef every time. Sounds like a nice time with family buddy.
It was pouring today, so I ran up to camp to see how our water bars were doing. All looked good with them. I got my sons four wheeler all ready to go. Finished it up tonight. I will probably haul it back to camp tomorrow. I will run it some this season to make sure it's all good.

[gamekeeper]

Jay have you ever seen this old landy in your neck of the woods ?

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[OldWin]

No I haven't. It's cool though.
The last one I saw on the road was (believe it or not) on the interstate when I was going home from work one morning about a year ago. Needless to say, he wasn't passing anyone. It was a pale green and probably the most beautiful series one I've ever seen. It looked brand new.

[gamekeeper]

It's hard to keep a conversation going with the forum being kaput half the time...

[OldWin]

Sure is! I gotta say.....I find it super frustrating, and usually just say screw it.

[Walt]

This morning, my wife and I hiked up a trail on our beautiful backyard mountain. We hit the trail a bit before sunrise and turned around about 2 1/2 miles later at an elevation of 9500' at a point overlooking Albuquerque. We saw only 3 other hikers and a couple of dogs on a chilly 36° hike. What a wonderful recreation spot only a few miles from home!

[OldWin]

Great pictures Walt! Mighty pretty country out there. That's some pretty steep elevation change!

[Walt]

Up until about 10 years ago, I didn't have much use for .357 magnums. Since that time, however, I have bought a few of them. Among others I have a Smith 586 and a 686. I don't think the 686 shoots as well as the 586 because the rifling is the EDM style which I don't believe holds cast bullets as well as the standard rifling on the 586. Although I like the 586 and I think it shoots well, the front sight is too low and with the rear sight screwed down to the frame it still shoots 155gr cast bullets at 1250fps about 10 or 12" high at about 35 yards. I seldom shoot jacketed bullets but I found a box of 125gr JHPs and loaded those up hoping it'll bring the poi down closer to the point of aim.

I have found that Rugers and Smiths both install front sights that are too short for the shooting I do. At least, Smiths made since 1980 have pinned front sights and I have replaced a few on other guns. I'll take that model 586 out in the next few days to see if those lighter bullets shot at a higher velocity bring down the point of impact.

[gamekeeper]

Walt you sure have spectacular scenery in your neck of the woods do those hikes pose much of a risk from wildlife? I'm thinking anything from Rattlesnakes to Bears.

[OldWin]

Funny you mention the .357 Walt. I have a checkered past with it too. Until I started high school, the only handgun my dad had was a Colt Frontier Scout .22. My dad bought a Ruger NM Blackhawk convertible. 357/9mm. He didn't have it very long when a guy in Bingham trapped a bear and shot it with a .357. It promptly broke free and mauled the h3ll out of the guy. Dad soon swapped the Blackhawk for another in .41 magnum.
I had a bunch of handguns by the time I graduated (including a nice model 629 Smith), but no .357. Several years later I bought a GP100 but didn't care for it and gave it to my dad, who still uses it to this day. I swore off .357, and never owned another for a couple decades.
I gave in when I happened on to an ANIB 4" P&R model 66. It's been a great revolver, and got me back into .357 in a big way. A second gen Colt SAA, an 80s model 19 2.5" round butt, an early 4 5/8 flat top Blackhawk, a 4" Python, and a Rossi 92 20" SRC.
I always wanted a 4" model 686, but the stars never aligned. They are one of Smiths best IMO. I have a hard time justifying another. 357, but want one of the new 3" Colt Vipers bad. I think it would be a great EDC revolver. I've told myself something has to go but can't give anything up.

[gamekeeper]

The only .357 mag I have owned was a Rossi SS carbine but the police wouldn't allow me to use it for hunting only target shooting which I only di for the sake of hunting, so I sadly let it go. I have used a Ruger Blackhawk .357 and I fancied having one myself but sadly the government put a stop to all that..

[Walt]

GK, in answer to your question about danger on hikes in the mountains, I think it's pretty minimal. There is a good bear population in the Sandia Mountains where we hike but I've only seen a couple of them at long distance. They become more visible during really dry periods and come down to lower elevations in search of food. In fact, some wildlife-friendly group bought a parcel of land containing an old apple orchard that is closed to the public during the winter so the bears can feed on the apples. There are occasional stories about bear encounters; about ten years ago a couple of hikers lost their dog to a bear. I have also heard stories about bears visiting picnic areas in search of food scraps. I do carry a pipsqueak 9mm just for fun or sometimes a Charter Arms .44 spl.

As far as rattlesnakes are concerned, I've never seen one on a hike. I think they generally frequent lower elevations. We live at about 6800' and I've seen them in our community a few times. My son once told me that as he was leaving the house, one attempted to come in the front door. He said he fetched a pellet rifle and dispatched the snake but usually I just leave them alone unless they pose a direct threat.

[Walt]

Jay, I don't know what the timeline was for Smith going from EDM rifling to cut rifling on model 686s. My shooting partner has one with conventional rifling that shoots better than mine. My 686 is a 4" model and I really enjoy the handling qualities but am aggravated by the relatively poor accuracy. Brian Pearce wrote that he sent one back to Smith and had them install a new barrel. I wrote Smith about doing the same and they responded that it would be a custom shop project and that they wouldn't have a cost estimate for 10 to 12 weeks after receiving it.

I have a 4" Ruger Speed Six that was my car gun for years, I also have both barrel lengths in Blackhawks, a round butt 2 1/2" model 66, the 586 and 686 and a Ruger/Marlin with an 18 1/2" barrel which I really like.

And GK, I'm truly sorry about the limitations your government imposes on firearm ownership. That flat sucks.

[Walt]

BTW, today is my wife's last day of work. She'll be officially retired this afternoon. She's so excited she could poop a ring around herself.

[gamekeeper]

Congratulations to your wife Walt free at last...

The Charter Arms Bulldog in .44 spl was another gun I never got to own...

[OldWin]

Thats awesome Walt! Congratulations to her!