Well, I’m officially done blegging. That doesn’t mean you can’t donate if you want to, it just means I’m done mentioning it. About two dozen folks were kind enough to fling some greenbacks at me for operating expenses, including one fella who went old-school and simply stuffed cash into an envelope and sent it in. All told, it’s enough to things humming for about the next three years…assuming prices on hosting don’t suddenly skyrocket. My most sincere thanks to those that donated and I hope to make you glad you did.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Picked up a couple ALICE packs w/ frames the other day. The ALICE packs are pretty dinosaur-y, but they’re usually cheap and make a good secondary or tertiary level of backup. What I really like most about them is their ability to be used with a cargo shelf for hauling things like fuel cans and ammo boxes…anything large and fairly bulky can get strapped to the frame and carried. Someday when a person needs to manhandle five-gallons of water down a trail to a remote rally point, these babies will be just the ticket. Old Grouch has a decent deal on a frame/straps/shelf combo as well as a frame/straps/large bag combo. And if you’re a surplus junkie like me, you’ll really love the ‘used-n-musty’ ten-dollar medium packs…looks like they come with straps, so thats worth ten bucks on its own.

The ALICE packs arent my first choice for running out the door (first choice is my Kifaru bags), but for stashing a loaded pack somewhere ‘just in case’, having packs to hand out to unequipped guests, or hauling jerry cans ….a good choice.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Gun show at the UM Field House tomorrow. I will be there all three days looking for bargains, catching up with acquaintances, doing a lot of ‘damn I wish I had the money for that’, and possibly..if Crom smiles upon me…buying some small odds-n-ends. Militia of Montana honcho Johnny Trochmann will be there and he always has useful stuff. Since it’s the largest show (and one of the oldest) in Montana it draws in vendors that normally don’t do other Montana shows. I need to keep an eye open for more Uzi mags and parts. Should be interesting to see how the markets are since the Colorado shootings…even without that event in the background, the fact that its an election year is enough to put the buying/selling markets into a state of heightened activity. Nonetheless, it shall be fun and I am greatly looking forward to attending. If youre in the region it’s Friday-Sunday at the University of Montana in Missoula.