Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Sometimes It Just Doesn't Work

Today I took the bi-weekly trip to town to get the mail.On the way back I stopped in at the local sporting goods store to check on what might be on sale. I found a really nice ice fishing hut that was camo, and it would double as a nice hunting blind too.The price was right and it stirred up a deep desire to buy the thing. After all, I could use it in the winter and in the summer.I managed to contain myself long enough to get away from it before it reached over and grabbed me and begged to take it home.I'm still rideing high on the new set of tracks for my 4-wheeler. About $4,000 worth! The new machine was $10 grand.Some thing down inside caused me to have a bit of fear on what my Owner may have to say about me dragging more toys home.So, I decided to test the waters with only a small item. I found an electronic predator call that was on sale too.I also decided to buy it for her to justify the purchase.When I got home, I opened the door and said, " Hon I'm home , and I got the mail as well as bought you a new predator call that was on sale".Her response was, "What in the heck am I going to do with a predator call"?I immediately said, "Well, you can use it when we go out looking for wolves and coyotes."She responded with, " You old goat, you bought it for you, and tried to justify it by saying that it was for me."She also said, "Besides, you know I don't like getting cold out there waiting for some scroungy coyote to come strolling along."I said,"Well Hon, I can go back and buy the ground blind for you to sit in so you won't get cold. It's on sale too!"That's when I knew I may have pushed the subject a bit too far!I can't print exactly what she had to say, but I don't think the ground blind would fit where she said she would put it?It's been below zero for the last month. I don't cherrish the idea of sleeping out in my track rig until spring.Maybe I'll pass on the ground blind for a while. She has convinced me that she doesn't need any more gifts.So much for being Mr. Nice Guy.

Friday, January 12, 2007

Quiet Places of the Wilderness

We just went through a month of sub-zero temperatures along with a couple of feet of snow.However today it was 35 above. Can you believe that? 30 below to 35 above in 24 hours!It didn't take me long to get on the line looking for a fishing partner. My neighbor, Tom, is usually always ready to jump and run at a minutes notice. That's just what we done.I keep my truck hooked up to the trailer with my Arctic Cat track rig loaded. I keep my fishing gear in the box in back. The poles, auger, propane heater, chairs, are all in the box. All we do is make a thermos of coffee and throw a couple of sandwhiches together, and we are off. I have this procedure down to a couple of minutes.We also have our survival gear in case something goes bad. We never have had to use it, but this country doesn't give second chances. With our gear we could easily spend a night or two out on the ice. I have good cell phone coverage and several friends that could come and rescue us if things got nasty. I even carry a GPS. I could call in the location, and a copter can come straight to us if some one was really injured.Planning for the "what if's" is what saves our bacon much of the time. I would never even THINK of going out without the gear to keep us through an arctic night.Today, the wind wasn't blowing but we had mostly clouds covering the sun. The propane heater kept us toasty. I was able to wear a down vest over my wool shirt without having to put on my big coat.I brought my video camera and got some nice shots of turning loose a couple of big rainbows.Actually we released every thing we caught. Just being out there on the frozen lake was enough. No one was there but us and the cry of an eagle on a distant ridge. The snow on the lake showed the tracks of several wolves, coyotes, and fox. Late in the afternoon an old trapper stopped by for a visit. He was checking out a couple of wolf kills. The wolves had killed four moose in the last week. They had only returned to the moose kills one time to eat before killing again. That is only one of the reasons that I don't like those wanton predators.The trapper was soon off down the lake on his snow machine, leaving us in the quiet solitude of the wilderness.Some folks enjoy the crouds and the company of the hoards of city dwellers. Then there are a few of us who would much rather hear the cry of an eagle or the howl of a coyote on the prowl. I'll take the cold crisp wind of an alpine valley over the smell of car exhaust any day.I would much rather watch a cow and calf moose feeding in a willow thicket than a soap opera.Life is pretty much what you make of it. I suppose most folks are satisfied with the rut of the city-urban life-style.To each his own.The pioneer spirit is pretty much gone in the lower states. The old days and the old ways are just parts of some distant history. Then there is Alaska...and the pioneer spirit is a part of every day life.I came to "The Great Land" in 1969. I only wished I'd have done it sooner.
Bubba Hunt, "walking the wilderness trail".I would appreciate your comments

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

The Run Around

I'll bet that I'm not the only bone-head that has had a "run around" to end all run arounds.The only reason I'm going to share this mess is that it probably happens to a lot of folks.Recently I ordered a nice photo,fax,scanner,printer from good old Dell. It was a Christmas present for my wife who just had gotten a nice lap-top from Dell.All of my computors are Dell, and I like them much better than any of the others I have had.However this time I thought I would NEVER get the new stuff to work. I have a wireless system and a DSL for my computors.The new printer was a wireless unit so Lin could use it any where in the house.The only problem was I couldn't seem to get the wireless card programmed.After a full day of monkeying with it, I decided to call the Dell tech to help me.I had no idea that Dell's techs are in the south pacific. I am not prejudice by any means, but I have a very hard time understanding some of those folks.It took forever to get them to answer the phone, and when they did, I explained what my problem was.Once I spent an hour trying to communicate my needs, the tech said that I needed to talk to some one in tech-support.I told him that was who I thought he was. He said no, but he would give me another number to call,but first he would give me a "case number". I promply called the new number, went through all of the options, and was put on hold for another half an hour.I jumped through all of the new set of hoops, and was told that I still needed to talk to someone else, but first I needed a new "case number".You may think I'm exaggerating, but I jumped through all of the new hoops again and was given more new "case numbers". I wound up with six "case numbers" before I got someone who could communicate with me.He was a nice chap who was able to help me down-load the datta I needed to make the wireless work. The only problem was now the new printer would not power-up.The nice tech said he would send me a new replacement, which should take only a few days. He was nice enough to give me a "case number", and his name so I could call back.I now had seven case numbers!Today I got the new printer. I called the tech, who was not available, but the new tech informed me that I needed to talk to a different department. But first, of course he would give me a case number to expedite the process. I immediately thanked him for the new number and called the number he gave me . It was the first number I had been given??Back to square one!This process went on all day. I now am the proud owner of 14 case numbers, but I did finally get a tech to help program my system. It works great!You would think my troubles were over. Not so!! I still have a dead printer sitting here in front of me that needs to be shipped back.All I now really needed was a "shipping slip" to stick on the box. Simple, huh?Well, I just completed 3 more hours talking to everyone in Manilla, and I have 6 more case numbers.The last chap, that I waited 30 minutes to get to talk to, informed me that I was going to have to call back during regular working hours tomorrow. However he would give me a "case number" to expedite the process.Tomorrow I will get back after this mess. I don't know how many "case numbers" that I'll wind up with.I'll let you all know how it turns out, but first let me give you a "case number", so you won't forget