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Thread: A Rejuvenation ...

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    Default A Rejuvenation ...

    Not exactly a Survival or Wilderness camping trip, but camping none-the-less!

    The stars aligned and I got my three sons to the ranch for two nights and three days for Camping, Hunting and Old Times. The deer weren't moving very much but that's okay. #3 son shot a big Boar Hog so that kinda satisfied everyone's desire for cleaning dead animals. We fried fish for supper the first night and had grilled pork steaks last night of course with the obligatory potatoes, onions and other culinary accoutrements.

    Forecast for Friday night was for a low of 41..... the thermometer read 28 when we got up. It's been at least 5 years since I've been camping and I fell back into the groove pretty quick. I guess it's like riding a bike. The boys told me they want to do it once a month.... I think they must be after my guns.... Camping is one of those double edged swords. I eat less, and less junk, I exercise more, and stay up later. But I don't get up as much in the night simply because I'm paralyzed after laying down for two hours, even on an air mattress. The cold really bothers me more now too. But, I think I could get back into it and it might make me live longer, or kill me faster. All I know is that tonight I will sleep in a nice soft bed and I won't have to crap in a 5 gallon bucket in the morning. There's a lot to be said for those two things.

    I was sitting under a tree yesterday evening and facing into the wind. Nothing moving... I thought, hmmmmm, the only place I haven't watched is behind me and I hadn't bothered because whatever was there would have gotten my wind, and even after only two days, there was quite a bit to that! I turned and there was a little doe standing about 20 yards back just looking at me. I put the sights of that Henry 45-70 on her, and even though I had absolutely no intention of shooting her I realized that I couldn't see the sights on the deer, even with my glasses. Bummer. The Henry is tapped on the top of the receiver. I guess it's time to give up on the iron sight fantasy. I'm going to look for some kind of low profile 2X scope and rings. Oh well.

    When the boys were boys, it seemed like all I did was work the whole time. I cooked and cleaned mostly. I made camp, broke camp and nearly everything in between and cleaned dead animals. This time I still worked some but I was mostly working at playing. They cooked, cleaned up, I only touched that hog once, and I just helped out mostly while they did all the real work. It was kinda nice. I'm still tired.

    We stayed up talking both nights about everything from the stock market to politics, and the cosmos to God and the meaning of life. We covered a lot of ground. Of course there were the stories and remembrances of times past.

    We did some shooting yesterday. Some serious and some just for fun. We have a 24" plate hung at 800 yards and #3 son was ringing it every time with his M700 308. It's some kind of tacted out sort of flavor. I never have thought too much of bi pods, but it didn't seem to hurt his shooting any. I know I don't want him shooting at me. Odd thing, He had factory Remington and Winchester, and reloads from a very good load we worked up, but the best shooting ammo of the day was Monach FMJ steel cased. Boom-Clang, Boom-Clang, Boom-Clang, Boom-Clang, as many times as he shot. At 800 yards with no wind. #2 son shoots a M700 270. He was shooting sub MOA groups at 100 yards. He shoots a load we worked up years ago with 150 gr Hornady Interlocks. #1 son has been hunting with a crossbow. He told me what kind it was, but I forgot. I was floored at how accurate it is. I had no idea. He can shoot that thing better than I can shoot a rifle. He shoots one bolt then goes and gets it from the target because if he takes the same point of aim one bolt will hit the other. He buys a number of bolts and then shoots them all and separates them into how the shoot. He keeps the four most uniform bolts in his quiver for use. He says max range is about 50 yards, or a little less.

    All in all it was a great weekend. It used to be every weekend. I'll admit I didn't fully appreciate those times back then, but, I REALLY appreciate those times and this time Now.

    Alan


  2. #2
    Senior Member Phaedrus's Avatar
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    Sounds like an awesome trip!

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    Sounds like a great trip.

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    Senior Member WolfVanZandt's Avatar
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    Nice family. I wouldn't have minded getting in on that boar.
    True enough, my final home is still out there, but this is most certainly my home range and I love it. I love every rock I fall off and tree I trip over. Even when I am close to dying from exhaustion, a beautiful sunset doesn't lose it's power to refresh and inspire me and that, in itself, is enough to save me sometimes.

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    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Sounds like a fun time. Glad you were all able to get together and enjoy.
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    It was a good trip. I gotta get out more. I didn't feel tired until I got home. I was useless all day.

    Alan

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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Time with the boys is always time well spent. Seems like those times get less and less frequent the older I get. Glad you had a good time. Wife #1 might have something to say about you being useless for just one day. Just saying.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    Time with the boys is always time well spent. Seems like those times get less and less frequent the older I get. Glad you had a good time. Wife #1 might have something to say about you being useless for just one day. Just saying.
    According to SOME people ..... I pretty useless every day. But, she went to visit her dad, sister and brother until Friday. Soooooooo, I'm likely to be useless today, and a few more days too. In that length of time, I may be able to perfect the art of uselessness!

    Alan

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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    That's the larger state of my being. Being alone a great deal of the time I can be as useless as I wanna be and still make up all sorts of stories regaling my accomplishments. Accomplishments are a great deal like fish stories. Size of the accomplishment tends to be exaggerated with time and depending on who the listener is. Come to think of it, there are a number of things that fall into that category. Yes, sir, size could fall into a whole lot of categories. Bucks. I was thinking of bucks...with antlers.

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    During the time that I was mis-spending my youth, I worked as a roughneck on a drilling rig. One day after I started, they began logging the well and we really had nothing to do. One of the older hands told me to get a 24" pipe wrench and follow him. I asked if I needed a 36? He said, "No, it's too heavy". We walked around the location fitting that 24 on various sundry pipes and fittings. I asked what we were doing. He said, "We're doing Nothing, but if anybody asks, we're tightening up $hit!"

    That's when I leaned to look busy and nobody gives you anything REAL to do.

    Alan

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    Senior Member WolfVanZandt's Avatar
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    LOL.....I remember that! Did they ever ask you to get a left handed welder clamp or a wooden welding rod? Pipeliners will be boys.
    True enough, my final home is still out there, but this is most certainly my home range and I love it. I love every rock I fall off and tree I trip over. Even when I am close to dying from exhaustion, a beautiful sunset doesn't lose it's power to refresh and inspire me and that, in itself, is enough to save me sometimes.

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    Quote Originally Posted by WolfVanZandt View Post
    LOL.....I remember that! Did they ever ask you to get a left handed welder clamp or a wooden welding rod? Pipeliners will be boys.
    No, but I had to check the water table once.

    Alan

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