 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion Groups General MotorcyclesHarleyYamahaSportbikesRacingOff-roadSnowmobilesTechnicalCountry Specific Australian GroupUK GroupClassic (UK Group)Related Topics CarsBoatsMore Topics ... |
Motorcycle Forum / General / Sportbikes / September 2005Mostly OT: An American Experience
I told part of this story at dinner with SaddleBags, Bannon, Andrew, et al. the other night. I thought it my might be of interest to others -- especially the group's Buell sycophant. Girl Wonder's cousins just finished up their first American Experience. Despite Phillip being 18, and Valerie being 21, neither had taken a plane before, nor had they ever left their own French borders. So they crawled aboard a KLM flight in Paris and headed West. To be sure that their American Experience was complete, we exposed them to pickup trucks, motorcycles, guns and crime - sometimes in odd combinations. All the pictures included are ones that they took during their 12-day experience. They were pretty enamored with the view from our roofdeck: http://128.95.90.209/images/Seattle001.jpg. European cities just don't look this awesome at night. And their perspective on scale and transportation was altered too: http://128.95.90.209/images/Seattle002.jpg Phillip and Valerie have very different tastes in motorcycles. I also found their choice of vehicles to be interesting, considering their European origins. Phillip had a preference for comfortable bikes such as this Harley V-Rod http://128.95.90.209/images/Seattle003.jpg (comfortable?). He was also quite fond of the Honda GoldWing (now that is comfortable). Valerie, on the other hand, was completely awestruck by this Buell: http://128.95.90.209/images/Seattle004.jpg. Huh? A Buell? We visited a couple motorcycle dealerships in the Seattle area, looking at different types of bikes and protective gear. I continually stress safety, which was a hard sell to these young Europeans. While at Lynnwood Cycle Barn, GW and I tried on a DR650. I will be renting one in a week or so when we head to the Mediterranean for some R&R (riding and relaxation). I was able to convince Valerie that a jacket with shoulder and elbow armor, plus a back protector is a wise choice. Phillip remained unconvinced. Neither of these young folks has ever piloted a motorcycle, so I arranged for a little training excursion on trials bikes. This also enabled me to further demonstrate the virtues of a pickup truck's cargo capacity: http://128.95.90.209/images/Seattle007.jpg Since I was giving the lessons, I made sure everyone was wearing their safety gear: http://128.95.90.209/images/Seattle008.jpg And this was when things got strange. I've never had any trouble in our local riding area, but this particular day would be different - different in a way that would validate all the perceptions that Europeans have about America and crime. I had driven out with three bikes to our usual spot -- a wooded area with soft, loamy ground and a small trail system. This particular spot is about 3 acres in size and connects to a much larger trail system. It is a good area to teach new riders -- and my job was to instruct these two newbies how to do the basics and get them riding. I succeeded, but not without enduring a remarkable American Experience. The day was going along rather perfectly until our cooler got stolen - a cooler with about $100 worth of steaks and French cheese that was supposed to make its way to a buddies house for a BBQ after the ride. Ultimately, GW is to blame for the loss of the cooler. She decided to leave it outside the truck so it wouldn't "get too hot." I had instructed her not to stray from the vicinity of the truck as I was working with Phillip. A few minutes later she showed up with Valerie who was struggling more. I wasn't pleased about this, given that Valerie has never ridden any motorized two-wheeler before. So I took over and asked Juliette to look after Phillip. When I returned to the truck, I noticed that the cooler was missing. Apparently GW interpreted "looking after Phillip" to mean that she should take him deeper into the woods. So I waited with Valerie for a good half-hour without keys to the truck, and hence, no access to water, food, or my handgun -- which was under the seat. Next to the spot where we parked, about 100 yards away, were some young "kids" -- maybe 17 to 22 years old. They had yelled at Phillip earlier for riding near them. They definitely weren't there to ride. They had set up an outside sh.tter that reeked, some tents and a trailer, and they were just hanging out around a fire pit, sans fire. They had the look of someone that might be having steak for dinner... After GW returned with Phillip and sustained a caustic lashing from yours truly, I rode into what turned out upon closer inspection, to be a meth encampment occupied by a half-dozen dentally challenged low-lifes. They were quiet as mice, which I found odd. One of the young men was sitting there with a baseball bat -- and there were no gloves or balls or bases. I asked if they knew anything about the disappearance of goods from my truck. "We didn't hear no breaking glass or nuttin'." Realizing that I wouldn't get anywhere with them other than to provide some good campfire stories, I bid them farewell only to find out that they had apparently booby-trapped their site with chicken wire buried just below the leaves and loamy soil (Later I could see that it had been weighted down with some car rims). So, as I rode across this snare, the knobbies picked up the wire and proceeded to wrap me up in this entanglement like a fly in a spider's web. SLAM when the bike! I could not free myself because my leg got wrapped up in the wire along with everything else. So now I am surrounded by potential bat-carrying meth-heads, with nothing more than my helmet and my two spyderco knives for protection. Fortunately, they seemed so fascinated by the situation that they actually helped me get untangled - all the while asking me "how much is that bike worth?" Hmmmmmm. Just about the time that I freed my leg, GWshowed up with my glock, concealed in its fanny pack-looking holster. So these fine young folks hung out with me for the next 20 minutes while I made several hundred cuts through the wire with snips to get that wire off the axle, brake line, rotor, sprocket, chain, etc. Other than some cuts into plastic bits, the damage was surprisingly light. "That stuff is all over the place here... you'd best not ride around here." The fact that they had yelled at other riders for being anywhere near their little encampment was not lost on me. I've ridden in this spot for the past two years and never seen chicken wire out there before. It doesn't blow around like tumble weed. After I got the bike freed from its meshed-bondage, I left GW with her cousins and the glock, and I took a short ride to make sure the bike was O.K. In my absence, some guy showed up with a baseball bat, allegedly looking for a "17 year old punk" who had stolen something from him, and he indicated that this punk had been hanging out with "those people over there." (IOW, the meth-heads.) GW thought his gig was a bit dubious and was prepared to gun the SOB down if necessary. He left without incident. When I returned, we rode for another ten minutes doing some exercises, but the meth-heads started getting loud -- screaming and carrying on like they were engaged in some tribal ritual about to go awry. They must have drank the Kool-Aid and it was clearly time for us to split. And that we did. The next logical outing for our French visitors was a trip to the gun range: http://128.95.90.209/images/Seattle010.jpg. Notice how that guy is ogling those weapons. They were surprised that this one shooter was all dressed up and apparently on a date: http://128.95.90.209/images/Seattle009.jpg We had spent some quality pre-range time discussing the universal firearm safety rules, and proper range etiquette. And once again, they were excellent students. Both of these kids, who have never seen a firearm anywhere except on TV, were excellent shots. We had a lot of fun and they left our fine country with some unique experiences. >-- Peckham >I told part of this story at dinner with SaddleBags, Bannon, Andrew, et al. >the other night. I thought it my might be of interest to others -- >especially the group's Buell sycophant. Sounds good Peck. But most guys here would be disppointed that you didn't spit on your European friends and call them cowards, right? > Sounds good Peck. But most guys here would be disppointed that you didn't > spit on your European friends and call them cowards, right? You mean sort of like the French are once more accusing Lance Armstrong of doping? (After only seven years of the same sorry, trumped-up charges, repeated over and over but *never* proven?) After all, every good Frenchman knows that it would be impossible for an American to win the Tour fair and square even once, much less do so seven times, so he *must* have been cheating *somehow*... So long as the French continue to regularly attack America and Americans like this, there will always be plenty of Americans who believe that the French are the scum of the Earth. Why would this surprise you? Pete >> Sounds good Peck. But most guys here would be disppointed that you >> didn't spit on your European friends and call them cowards, right? [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Why would this surprise you? Pete, just because a few bored journos attack Lance, don't think that we have all turned on him. In fact, it is quite the opposite. You need to be a more more mature about the way you read thungs my friend. Lance still has the keys to Paris, his statue is there and he is loved by all. What more can we say? Geez, I would have thought that as an American you would know all about crazy minorities....:) > Pete >> Sounds good Peck. But most guys here would be disppointed that you >> didn't spit on your European friends and call them cowards, right? > > You mean sort of like the French are once more accusing Lance Armstrong of > doping? It is my understanding that the French newspaper "L'Equipe" made those accusations and tour director Leblanc believed them based upon the evidence. L'Equipe and Leblanc are not *the French.* > After all, every good Frenchman knows that it would be impossible for an > American to win the Tour fair and square even once, much less do so seven > times, so he *must* have been cheating *somehow*... In my recent experience, GW's cousin was very interested in Armstrong memerobilia because he very much admired the cyclist, as do many other French. > So long as the French continue to regularly attack America and Americans Certainly not any more than Americans, including some very prominent politicians, attack France and the French. > like this, there will always be plenty of Americans who believe that the > French are the scum of the Earth. I'd say that those individuals need to take a good look in the mirror. I frequent France and I have yet to receive any anti-American flak over the past 14 years. >-- Peckham > I told part of this story at dinner with SaddleBags, Bannon, Andrew, et al. > the other night. I thought it my might be of interest to others -- > especially the group's Buell sycophant. Hey, what's wrong with Buells? :) <snip> > Phillip and Valerie have very different tastes in motorcycles. I also found > their choice of vehicles to be interesting, considering their European [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > on the other hand, was completely awestruck by this Buell: > http://128.95.90.209/images/Seattle004.jpg. Huh? A Buell? Again, what's wrong with Buells? :) They actually sell pretty well over in the UK and Europe. About 40% of Buell sales are overseas. The Vrod sells BETTER over in Europe. And I can attest that the standard Vrod is *NOT* comfortable. But the Vrod Street Rod is. I just can't stand those forward controls. *GREAT* story! >>I told part of this story at dinner with SaddleBags, Bannon, Andrew, et al. >>the other night. I thought it my might be of interest to others -- [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > > *GREAT* story! V-Rod Street Rod and Buells are the only H-Ds I would consider buying. An old XL1000CR might be interesting too. The French do have a few interesting bikes as well, like the Voxan (sp?).  SignaturePC Paul 89 PC800 77 R100RS Trip pics at: http://photos.yahoo.com/paul1cart "To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society" - Theodore Roosevelt >>>I told part of this story at dinner with SaddleBags, Bannon, Andrew, et al. >>>the other night. I thought it my might be of interest to others -- [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > V-Rod Street Rod and Buells are the only H-Ds I would consider buying. > An old XL1000CR might be interesting too. Have you ever ridden a Vrod Street Rod? Nice bike. But too expensive IMHO. Good handling for a cruiser. And that motor is SWEET! The Cafe Racer is nice, but personally, I'd rather have an XR1000. Almost bought one right out of high school. > The French do have a few interesting bikes as well, like the Voxan (sp?). . Find job Peckerhammer. You provided these kids from france with a stories they will tell for a long time. Sorry about the steaks but you did have the 9mm ...and probably a dentally challenged low life that would have been good barbqued. Phil Scott >I told part of this story at dinner with SaddleBags, Bannon, >Andrew, et al. the other night. I thought it my might be of [quoted text clipped - 170 lines] > > Peckham "Phil Scott" <philscott@philscott.net> wrote in news:delosg$lo9$1 @news.tdl.com: > Find job Peckerhammer. Peck, desipte the fact that Phil told you to get a job and called you names, I think he meant it as a compliment! ab > I told part of this story at dinner with SaddleBags, Bannon, Andrew, et al. > the other night. I thought it my might be of interest to others -- > especially the group's Buell sycophant. I have to admit I laughed again and again while reading this, even after knowing the story for a few days. The only thing else you could have done was take them to a monster truck rally and an ultimate fighting exhibition. SignatureAndrew 00 Speed Triple 00 Daytona RCOS #7 >I told part of this story at dinner with SaddleBags, Bannon, Andrew, et al. >the other night. I thought it my might be of interest to others -- [quoted text clipped - 133 lines] >anywhere except on TV, were excellent shots. We had a lot of fun and they >left our fine country with some unique experiences. Thanks, good story Peck. Let hope your young French relatives got an overall good impression of America. Bob Nixon, Chandler AZ 01 Sprint ST "RED" 50K miles > Thanks, good story Peck. Let hope your young French relatives got an > overall good impression of America. They did, Bob. They said something to the effect of, "if we had known America was this much fun, we would have come a lot sooner!" Kids just seem to take everything in stride and assume it's another adventure. I've asked them to come back next year so I can show them parts of the Southwest. Hopefully they'll take me up on that offer. >-- Peckham >I told part of this story at dinner with SaddleBags, Bannon, Andrew, et al. >the other night. I thought it my might be of interest to others -- [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >They were surprised that this one shooter was all dressed up and apparently >on a date: http://128.95.90.209/images/Seattle009.jpg Chicks like that seldom arrive to the range when I'm there. Maybe I should go in a tux sometime. Who knows: maybe a blonde smoking hottie who likes sportbikes and small arms will run off with me. You took them to Wade's, beautiful. Eastside rednecks, great slice of America. Valerie had a sense of humor when GW and I flogged her mercilessly up the Cutthroat Lakes trail the other Saturday. The girl hardly broke a sweat. I seem to remember being 21 and full of boundless energy, not so long ago. Glad they had a good time: pleasant young people, seems to me. Ged knows what they thought of the United States, but it's all good. They both look about 12. Makes me feel old, which ain't exactly the case, but still. '----------------------------------------------------- ' Daniel Bannon ' NW WA State, U.S.A. ' 2003 ZX636B Hercusaki, 1999 CBR1100XX '----------------------------------------------------- "Daniel Bannon" <daniel_r_bannon@hahtmail.dott.c0mm> wrote in > Valerie had a sense of humor when GW and I flogged her mercilessly up > the Cutthroat Lakes trail the other Saturday. The girl hardly broke a > sweat. I found that she is pretty easily frightened, but has an iron will that she uses to try and combat her fears. She applies that will to athletic endeavors as well. We went climbing at REI (http://128.95.90.209/images/Seattle011.jpg) and she was trembling enough to break into a sweat (fear of heights and the uncertainty of her ability). But she kept at it until she was too exhausted to continue. She was really disappointed that she had to give up before reaching the top. She mentioned to me that she was ready to leave Wade's when she first got there. Between some of the people and the percussion of some rather large hand cannons (keeping in mind she's never been around a gun before), she was ready to bolt. I asked her why she stayed and she said, "I prefer success." Interesting girl. > They both look about 12. Makes me feel old No sh.t! >-- Peckham Wow. Hunter Thompson would have loved to make your acquaintance Peck. I'd be very surprised if your European friends ever return to the States however. Given the flogging, Cutthroats, conspicuous exploitation of the Earth's natural resources, crystal meth labs behind every bush and a Glock in every SUV, a knowledgeable Frenchman or any foreigner (Mexicans excepted) would be repelled by the Paranoid States of America a very wide berth. My two cents. Rob ps I hear Disneyland is nice. Did you think to take these kids to see Mickey Mouse? Oh yeah, they have EuroDisney in France. So if these kids did decide on a return visit, how would you top the first trip? I know; you could drop by the local Army recruiting office, have them sign up. By the time they finish a tour in Iraq they might even qualify for a greencard or US citizenship. > "Daniel Bannon" <daniel_r_bannon@hahtmail.dott.c0mm> wrote in > Valerie > had a sense of humor when GW and I flogged her mercilessly up [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] >>-- > Peckham >Wow. Hunter Thompson would have loved to make your acquaintance Peck. > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >in every SUV, a knowledgeable Frenchman or any foreigner (Mexicans excepted) >would be repelled by the Paranoid States of America a very wide berth. The paranoia is just ridiculus... This is what I had to go through to fly back 2 weeks ago... 1. Go through the standard security checkpoint...no big deal, that's expected at an airport. No problems here. 2. Because the US doesn't believe those guys, they have a 2nd checkpoint just for their flights, around the corner. This is the point where I began starting to roll my eyes and shake my head. 3. Finally get on the plane, I wonder why they didn't chain us to the seats. All these rules about not talking to others in the halway, not grouping with other people, etc. yea, it's that ridiculus. Even more interesting, it was the same (not just identical, but very same) plane that I flew to germany with...and the very same crew on it. But, on the flight to germany, there was no such instructions. Only on the flight back to the US.... 4. Finally landed, once I recovered from the hot florida air and humidity that smacked me in my face like a sledgehammer...I proceeded inside. Check my passport, etc. ok fine. Wait for my bag...walk it 20 feet...confused look on my face. They want me to drop my bag that I just waited for and picked up off again? why? Oh...security? ahh...umm, ok. And I can get it where? Oh, I have to wait again at the next baggage thing? I really just wanted to smack the guy with my bag at this point in time but I gave it to him and went on to the shuttle that goes from the terminal to the main airport to pick my baggage up....again. 5. Wait...WRONG THOUGHT. Go around the corner, REALLY CONFUSED look now on my face. Metal detectors? Security? WTF? Oh...I have to go through a 3rd security checkpoint? Take my shoes off..AGAIN? Take my belt off..AGAIN? a 2nd time? (the european checkpoints don't make you take anything off, only the US is that paranoid). Why do they not just ask me to strip down naked, would be a lot simpler. sh.t, they even made the girls take out any and all jewlery, earrings, piercings, whatever. They were even more pickier at this checkpoint than at the one to get ON the plane. Which brings me to the next thought. WE LANDED! Plane is on the ground!!! How the f.ck am I supposed to take it over now and/or blow it up now? I'm already off the plane! Oh and, where precisely did I get the explosives from on the plane? Did I just magically grow them? Yea, I sure as hell am glad that I am out of paranoia central now...landed in Germany 2 days ago. =) -- Stephan 2001 Yamaha YZF-R6 <--- Stolen >Wow. Hunter Thompson would have loved to make your acquaintance Peck. > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > >My two cents. One needs to realize that this hysterical drivel is coming from an ungrateful, friggin' spineless, fellow energy hogging, cannuck! Let's face facts Robert! Without the good ole' US of A your country would not exist. You're just a currently disgruntled US state; much like Kalifornia. Canada is #53 after England and Australia. <wink> Bob Nixon, Chandler AZ 01 Sprint ST "RED" 50K miles >>Wow. Hunter Thompson would have loved to make your acquaintance Peck. >> [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > Bob Nixon, Chandler AZ > 01 Sprint ST "RED" 50K miles I'd rank Cannuckistan lower than the 53rd state of the union as skipping America's latest diplomatic venture in Iraq should prove. We're more like 153. Even less useful to America than states like Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, Cannuckistan is firmly in the coalition of the "Keep the US out of Sheite" states (possibly like Germany and France?). Such states will not jump on the latest US inspired bandwagon to hell. America's foreign policy of violent intervention does not work. A "train wreck" like Bush II's Iraq misadventure can only push the axis of evil regimes towards the nuclear option like North Korea/Iran. Who wants that? There were and are better options. I'll shut up now as I'm clearly OT to this forum. Thanks for you patience. Now back to sportbikes. By the way, you are a good group! Keep posting all. Rob Some prefer success, at any cost. Such folk make good copy, when they succeed, or equally lurid tales when they fail catastrophically. (Ref Martha Stewart, Micheal Milkin, and Donald Trump.) I think America simultaneously loves and excoriates such people, a schizophrenic philosophy that makes living here always interesting. E.g., No one remembers who finished 10th place at the last AMA Superbike race. I'll point out the top WMRRA guy used to place top-20, when he competed (he still might, for all I know), yet could bury every last one of us at the local track. "Death or glory," indeed. Someone ought to engrave that below "e pluribus unum" ("from many, one") on our Great Seal, in another equally obscure dead language ("Vinces Mortuorum" in my bastardized Latin). Personally, I prefer survival at expense of success, a dual-edged life-philosophy with both obvious benefits and not-so-obvious detractions. Can't say as I'll ever be CTO of Microsoft, e.g., but will probably retire comfortably on modest means. Or climb the highest mountain. Or turn the fastest lap. Or jump the highest whoop on your CR. Etc. -=DRB=- I'm late to read and reply to this, I know... but I found the story quite interesting all the same... > So now I am surrounded by potential bat-carrying meth-heads, with nothing more > than my helmet and my two spyderco knives for protection. John teaches a good class on how to use those, doesn't he? I bet you could have prevailed: their bats against your helmet vs your knives against their jeans and hoody sweatshirts. Wouldn't have been pretty, but my money would have been on you for several reasons. > After I got the bike freed from its meshed-bondage, I left GW with her > cousins and the glock, and I took a short ride to make sure the bike was [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > there." (IOW, the meth-heads.) GW thought his gig was a bit dubious and was > prepared to gun the SOB down if necessary. Sounds like she's handy with the pistol, but if it had been me, given the Deliverance-esque nature of the situation, I probably would have packed up and left pretty much right away rather than go test riding the bike and leaving GW and the cousins alone with the forest cretins. There's always time to check out the bike at home. Besides, what if it had been messed up somehow? Would you have asked the meth-heads for a copy of their insurance information? SignatureJamin Kortegard popular sportbike / popular car "Hokey 600s and trackday usability are no match for a good literbike at your side, kid." - Michael > John teaches a good class on how to use those, doesn't he? Yes he does, and both GW and I have taken it. If you haven't, I strongly recommend it. Actually, I'd take unarmed self defense first, then the defensive folding knife class. They are a natural progression of each ither, IMO, and many things from the first one are applied in the second class. > I bet you could > have prevailed: their bats against your helmet vs your knives against > their > jeans and hoody sweatshirts. Maybe. Glad I didn't have to find out. I can assure you of one thing: The first couple of them would have a hard time explaining why their limbs were hanging off. You can't believe how much damage you can do with a 3 inch knife in mere seconds. But after the cat would have been out of the bag, the rest of them may have had a better chance at defending themselves and/or kicking my a.s. That leads me to the following conclusion: Liberal application of PEPPER SPRAY! > Sounds like she's handy with the pistol, but if it had been me, given the > Deliverance-esque nature of the situation, I probably would have packed up > and left pretty much right away rather than go test riding the bike and > leaving GW and the cousins alone with the forest cretins. Couldn't agree more. I think the reality hadn't set in until after the second incident. Then it was all too clear that we should have cleared out sooner. I personally think the second incident was a halfwit's attempt at making it seem like someone else had been responsible for the missing goods. >-- Peckham > Yes he does, and both GW and I have taken it. If you haven't, I strongly > recommend it. Actually, I'd take unarmed self defense first, then the > defensive folding knife class. They are a natural progression of each > ither, IMO, and many things from the first one are applied in the second > class. Yep. I've been through Basic HG, USD, DFK, GDH and GDR. I didn't do them in the proper order, though, taking USD directly after DFK. I think USD was my favorite, and I could see myself taking it again down the line. All of them great, though. I'm thinking Intermediate DH could be on my schedule for this fall. > You can't believe how much damage you can do with a 3 inch knife in mere > seconds. Oh, I believe it. When I took John's class, we experimented with about 5-lbs of pork shoulder wrapped in denim and zip-tied to a broomstick. The Delicas were going all the way to the broomstick "bone", and quickly. I have two of them. > But after the cat would have been out of the bag, the rest of them may have > had a better chance at defending themselves and/or kicking my a.s. I dunno. After a couple of their buddies have flesh hanging in large chunks, are bleeding profusely and shrieking in pain, I bet the others wouldn't be so inclined to get involved, unless of course you were on your last legs and they thought they could take you down. If you were still wreaking havoc, I bet they'd bolt. Factor in GW and the Glock as backup, not to mention your most important tool (your mindset) and I'd say your chances were pretty good. > Couldn't agree more. I think the reality hadn't set in until after the > second incident. Then it was all too clear that we should have cleared out > sooner. Hindsight and all that. I'm glad nothing awful came of it. SignatureJamin Kortegard a popular motorcycle / a popular car "Hokey 600s and trackday usability are no match for a good literbike at your side, kid." - Michael "Jamin Kortegard" <notme@notmymail.com> wrote in message > Yep. I've been through Basic HG, USD, DFK, GDH and GDR. I didn't do them > in > the proper order, though, taking USD directly after DFK. Well, I was preaching to the choir, apparently. I also didn't mean to say there was an order set in stone. I do think DFK is a great next step after USD because much of the class builds on it. > I'm thinking Intermediate DH could be on my schedule for this > fall. I have thought about taking Basic HD again, and then Intermediate shortly thereafter. After WSI closed, I haven't been shooting as much because I really don't like Wade's. > The Delicas > were going all the way to the broomstick "bone", and quickly. I have two > of > them. Likewise, and I've also got a pink one for when I travel to California, or France. BTW, you weren't just leaving the Dexter and Hayes 5 minutes ago were you? Saw you twin if it wasn't you. >-- Peckham > Well, I was preaching to the choir, apparently. Yup. I gave USD to my mom and brother for their birthdays this year too, so I'm spreading the word. > I have thought about taking Basic HD again, and then Intermediate shortly > thereafter. You mean GDH or Basic? You need GDH to take more advanced courses. That's probably what you meant. Intermediate is this November. My brother and I are probably going to sign up together. > After WSI closed, I haven't been shooting as much because I really don't like > Wade's. I don't particularly like Wade's either. I go to Sam's just about exclusively, which is near 128th and Hwy 99 in Lynnwood/Everett. Not as upscale as Wade's, but not as much crazy BS either. I like the guys who work there, and it's generally serious folks (not punk kids) who visit there. Plus the memberships are about 40% of what they charge at Wade's. > Likewise, and I've also got a pink one for when I travel to California, or > France. What's your rationale on that? Just speculation on your part that the authorities would take a more favorable view? > BTW, you weren't just leaving the Dexter and Hayes 5 minutes ago were you? Saw > you twin if it wasn't you. I know the place, but no, it wasn't me. SignatureJamin Kortegard popular sportbike / popular car "Hokey 600s and trackday usability are no match for a good literbike at your side, kid." - Michael <SNIP> >>After WSI closed, I haven't been shooting as much because I really don't like >>Wade's. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > there, and it's generally serious folks (not punk kids) who visit there. > Plus the memberships are about 40% of what they charge at Wade's. <SNIP> I assume you are talking pistol shooting here.....what sort of targets are you using, and at what ranges do you shoot? Do you use your own guns or do 'Wades' & 'Sams' supply them? > I assume you are talking pistol shooting here.....what sort of targets > are you using, and at what ranges do you shoot? Do you use your own guns > or do 'Wades' & 'Sams' supply them? Pistol, yes, and rifle. Pistols can be rented at most ranges with proper ID and at the discretion of the range master. Targets are paper, sometimes silhouettes, frequently just 4" and 8" bull's-eyes. Most of the time I have targets at 7-10m, going for proper form, decent hits and speed, but not necessarily pinpoint accuracy. Sometimes I move that out to near 25m for more of a challenge, but mainly only with the rifle. Shooting the pistol that far is mostly a waste of ammo, though it can be amusing. I want to find a longer outdoor range (100-400m) for the rifle, just for fun. I've never tried to hit something that far out. Do you do stuff like this in NZ? SignatureJamin Kortegard a popular motorcycle / a popular car "Hokey 600s and trackday usability are no match for a good literbike at your side, kid." - Michael >>I assume you are talking pistol shooting here.....what sort of targets >>are you using, and at what ranges do you shoot? Do you use your own guns [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Do you do stuff like this in NZ? It's a hassle to get a pistol licence (more money, tighter security, club membership with a minimum number of 'shoots' per year) so I only get to use pistols when I'm with a licenced person......once, maybe twice a year if I'm lucky, and it's mainly 'plinking' at beer cans, balloons etc on a farm. I went off pistols for a while when a guy standing next to me shot himself in the foot with a .357. I damn near sh.t myself! It put a hole right through his boot, and luckily went between the bones of his big toe and the one next to it (Just a flesh wound)...He took it well. He stood there and said 'Iv'e shot myself' and passed out! As for rifles, 25m is point blank!....I use a .300 Win. Mag. with 125Gr. ballistic tips for open country varmit shooting...magpies, rabbits, hares....an overkill of course, but great fun. It's satisfying to 'reach out' and kill pests at 3-400m. In the bush Iv'e settled for a Win. lever action in .375 'Big Bore'(220 Gr.bullets). Iv'e only had it a couple of months and apart from the price of ammo (Iv'e got re-loading dies and I'm waiting on brass....) It's great. The goats get fist sized exit wounds.I haven't spotted a pig yet to try it on. 'Western shooting' is taking off, so I might have a go at that over summer. It's all six-shooters, lever actions and pump-action shotguns. After watching New Orleans on the news recently, I can see why you might want to carry a pistol! > It's a hassle to get a pistol licence (more money, tighter security, > club membership with a minimum number of 'shoots' per year) so I only [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > wound)...He took it well. He stood there and said 'Iv'e shot myself' and > passed out! Wherever you go, idiots are all about you. How'd he manage to do that? Standing around jawing at someone with his finger on the trigger and the muzzle pointing at his foot? However he did it, he managed to violate 3 of the 4 universal firearm safety rules. 1) Treat all guns as if they are loaded until YOU verify they're not 2) Never direct your muzzle at anything you're not willing to shoot 3) Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on target 4) Be sure of your target and backstop He halfway violated the 4th one too. The ground was a good backstop, though. > As for rifles, 25m is point blank!....I use a .300 Win. Mag. with 125Gr. > ballistic tips for open country varmit shooting...magpies, rabbits, > hares....an overkill of course, but great fun. It's satisfying to 'reach > out' and kill pests at 3-400m. That's true, 25m is point blank. Sam's is an indoor range. But I'm not talking about a hunting rifle here, and what I said about speed and good hits was for both rifle and pistol. I can put 3 or 4 shots of 5.56mm in less than 1" at 15m in about the same time it would take you to raise your scope to your eyeball and even start to get a sight picture. > In the bush Iv'e settled for a Win. lever action in .375 'Big Bore'(220 > Gr.bullets). Iv'e only had it a couple of months and apart from the > price of ammo (Iv'e got re-loading dies and I'm waiting on brass....) > It's great. The goats get fist sized exit wounds.I haven't spotted a pig > yet to try it on. I haven't tried reloading yet. I don't know that my calibers lend themselves to it (.40 S&W and 5.56mm), plus I know for sure I don't have the time, at least not right now. > 'Western shooting' is taking off, so I might have a go at that over > summer. It's all six-shooters, lever actions and pump-action shotguns. We have quite a bit of that over here too, though I haven't done it myself. My step-dad has a big ol' .44 Mag revolver with a 7" barrel. That's a big gun, and crazy accurate at long ranges. Ammo is awfully expensive, but I do like the big loud BOOM it makes. > After watching New Orleans on the news recently, I can see why you might > want to carry a pistol! Thankfully I'm nowhere near there. I feel badly for all the folks caught up in the chaos. Which island are you on? North or south? SignatureJamin Kortegard a popular motorcycle / a popular car "Hokey 600s and trackday usability are no match for a good literbike at your side, kid." - Michael >>It's a hassle to get a pistol licence (more money, tighter security, >>club membership with a minimum number of 'shoots' per year) so I only [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > He halfway violated the 4th one too. The ground was a good backstop, though. He had just finished demonstrating how fast he could empty two revolvers,one in each hand,cowboy style.He had only fired 11 rounds before assuming 12 had gone off. He pointed the guns at the ground and pulled the triggers to make sure they were empty....and one wasn't! It seems funny, while I'm writing this, but at the time it wasn't. I am taking my boys out shooting now and I don't want them to pick up a casual attitude towards firearms. There are too many 'shoot 'em up' games these days and it's good for kids to see what happens for real when you 'run out of health'. >>As for rifles, 25m is point blank!....I use a .300 Win. Mag. with 125Gr. >>ballistic tips for open country varmit shooting...magpies, rabbits, [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > than 1" at 15m in about the same time it would take you to raise your scope > to your eyeball and even start to get a sight picture. (moving back 20m...) What sort of rifle are you using? With it being 5.56 I'm guessing an AR15 or similar? There is a real art to fast shooting and being accurate at the same time, something I have not mastered. Any fool can blaze away with a 20 round mag, but if your not hitting your target, whats the point! A few years back a mate imported a 'hellfire' trigger from the states. It was great fun for a while but the novelty wore off once we realised how much ammo we were chewing through with no results. We used it on a Ruger Mini 14 and an ex-army SLR L1A1. <snip> >>'Western shooting' is taking off, so I might have a go at that over >>summer. It's all six-shooters, lever actions and pump-action shotguns. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > gun, and crazy accurate at long ranges. Ammo is awfully expensive, but I do > like the big loud BOOM it makes. LOL. Sometimes you just have to sacrafice price for fun....... >>After watching New Orleans on the news recently, I can see why you might >>want to carry a pistol! [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Which island are you on? North or south? Here's hoping Florida won't fall apart as quickly.I was really surprised at the speed things went wrong in New Orleans.....I thought it would have been one of those 'help your neighbour' situations, but it just fell apart. I'm on the West coast of the North Island near New Plymouth. Heaps of National park land nearby and lots of farms to play on with the DR 200. > He had just finished demonstrating how fast he could empty two > revolvers,one in each hand,cowboy style.He had only fired 11 rounds > before assuming 12 had gone off. He pointed the guns at the ground and > pulled the triggers to make sure they were empty....and one wasn't! > It seems funny, while I'm writing this, but at the time it wasn't. Squeeze the trigger to make sure it's empty: I know this is standard doctrine in many military and police organizations, but I just gotta wonder... what the hell?? That's like slicing a knife across your wrist to make sure it's dull. There ARE other ways to ensure a gun isn't loaded. Squeezing the trigger is the lazy, stupid way. > I am taking my boys out shooting now and I don't want them to pick up a > casual attitude towards firearms. There are too many 'shoot 'em up' > games these days and it's good for kids to see what happens for real > when you 'run out of health'. Good idea. The video games sure are fun, but there's certainly a time to be gravely serious. Have you had any formal training yourself, so you can be sure you're not passing on bad habits? Not that formal training doesn't sometimes teach bad habits. I met a guy at the range who was from the Czech Republic, had been in their military, and he was surprised that I didn't use the "squeeze the trigger to verify empty" technique. That's what the army had taught him. > (moving back 20m...) (pausing to steady aim, maybe take a knee if needed) ;) > What sort of rifle are you using? With it being 5.56 I'm guessing an > AR15 or similar? Yup, Bushmaster AR-15 in the M4 configuration. I have optics for it, but the iron sights are so much quicker at anything out to 50m I think. It's a lot of fun, and would be excellent for your magpies, rabbits, etc. Put some 45-gr JHP in there and you OWN the prairie. > There is a real art to fast shooting and being accurate at the same > time, something I have not mastered. Any fool can blaze away with a 20 > round mag, but if your not hitting your target, whats the point! The trick, I've found, is solid technique, which you can only seem to learn from real pros. I mean guys who have been there, done that and also instructed OTHER guys who have been there, done that. After taking the right classes, and having those techniques drilled into me by the instructors, my speed and accuracy are quantum leaps above where they'd been. And I'm getting much more out of practice, too, because now I know HOW to practice efficiently rather than just throwing rounds down range. > Here's hoping Florida won't fall apart as quickly.I was really surprised > at the speed things went wrong in New Orleans.....I thought it would > have been one of those 'help your neighbour' situations, but it just > fell apart. I'm not surprised they panicked in New Orleans. It was clear the gov't was going to be helpless to protect them, and fear-mongers have been at the helm for quite a few years now. I think mainstream America is probably pretty jumpy, much more so than yesteryear anyway. I know there was a lot of "help your neighbor" going on, but the tragedies make for better news usually. > I'm on the West coast of the North Island near New Plymouth. Heaps of > National park land nearby and lots of farms to play on with the DR 200. My girlfriend is in NZ right now for work, and they've been spending some time here: http://www.vintnersretreat.co.nz. She usually is up on the North Island though. Wellington, I think. I haven't been to visit yet, but it's on my "must do" list for sure. SignatureJamin Kortegard popular sportbike / popular car "Hokey 600s and trackday usability are no match for a good literbike at your side, kid." - Michael >>He had just finished demonstrating how fast he could empty two >>revolvers,one in each hand,cowboy style.He had only fired 11 rounds [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > make sure it's dull. There ARE other ways to ensure a gun isn't loaded. > Squeezing the trigger is the lazy, stupid way. Too true...real stupid. The locals put a shoe with a bullet hole through it, complete with rabbit ears, on the wall of the pub as a reminder...... >>I am taking my boys out shooting now and I don't want them to pick up a >>casual attitude towards firearms. There are too many 'shoot 'em up' [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > the "squeeze the trigger to verify empty" technique. That's what the army > had taught him. I haven't had any military training (that was baby bro's thing) but Iv'e done mountain and firearms safety courses. It's a good point about passing on bad habits, and I try hard not to. I leave the bolt open to make sure there are no 'accidents'. >>(moving back 20m...) > > (pausing to steady aim, maybe take a knee if needed) ;) ..starting to zig-zag and run in a crouch..... >>What sort of rifle are you using? With it being 5.56 I'm guessing an >>AR15 or similar? [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > of fun, and would be excellent for your magpies, rabbits, etc. Put some > 45-gr JHP in there and you OWN the prairie. Nice! The govt. made a new lot of rules to own a Semi-auto. No pistol grips (thumbhole stock fitted), no bayonet lug (flash supressor/lug removed)and a max. seven round magazine (cut down 20rd mag.). This changes you "Military Style Semi-Automatic" (MSSA) into a 'sporting rifle'! Apparently MSSA's look dangerous. >>There is a real art to fast shooting and being accurate at the same >>time, something I have not mastered. Any fool can blaze away with a 20 [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > getting much more out of practice, too, because now I know HOW to practice > efficiently rather than just throwing rounds down range. We have nothing like this outside the military/police for rifles. Some of the pistol clubs do speed shooting....maybe it's time to broaden my horizons. >>Here's hoping Florida won't fall apart as quickly.I was really surprised >>at the speed things went wrong in New Orleans.....I thought it would [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > jumpy, much more so than yesteryear anyway. I know there was a lot of "help > your neighbor" going on, but the tragedies make for better news usually. You got that right. Bad news makes the TV headlines. >>I'm on the West coast of the North Island near New Plymouth. Heaps of >>National park land nearby and lots of farms to play on with the DR 200. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Island though. Wellington, I think. I haven't been to visit yet, but it's on > my "must do" list for sure. It's a great country for a holiday. Don't hitch-hike at the moment though....The Police are still hunting a lowlife who killed a German tourist and dumped her body near here. Even in paradise there is scum! > Nice! The govt. made a new lot of rules to own a Semi-auto. No pistol > grips (thumbhole stock fitted), no bayonet lug (flash supressor/lug > removed)and a max. seven round magazine (cut down 20rd mag.). This > changes you "Military Style Semi-Automatic" (MSSA) into a 'sporting > rifle'! Apparently MSSA's look dangerous. The "no bayonet lug" rule is my favorite. That should cut down on all the bayonet slayings the criminals are so fond of! :) We had a similar set of rules for 10 years during the "Assault Weapons Ban". This ban expired about a year ago, with no increase in "assault weapon" crime since then. The ban itself was more or less a placebo for the masses, giving them a sense of security, when in actuality any serious criminal would have little problem obtaining the banned weapons. That's my impression of it, anyway. > We have nothing like this outside the military/police for rifles. Some > of the pistol clubs do speed shooting....maybe it's time to broaden my > horizons. I'm not sure what's available outside the US, but if you want more specific info on the training organization I've dealt with, email me at lowercase "j" lowercase "k" underscore "_" lowercase "g" numeral "4" at lowercase "m" lowercase "a" lowercase "c" dot com. > You got that right. Bad news makes the TV headlines. One reason I dislike "news". > It's a great country for a holiday. Don't hitch-hike at the moment > though....The Police are still hunting a lowlife who killed a German > tourist and dumped her body near here. Even in paradise there is scum! What happens to such scum when they're apprehended? SignatureJamin Kortegard a popular motorcycle / a popular car "Hokey 600s and trackday usability are no match for a good literbike at your side, kid." - Michael >>Nice! The govt. made a new lot of rules to own a Semi-auto. No pistol >>grips (thumbhole stock fitted), no bayonet lug (flash supressor/lug [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > The "no bayonet lug" rule is my favorite. That should cut down on all the > bayonet slayings the criminals are so fond of! :) It goes beyong that....you need a firearms licence to buy a bayonet these days! These rules only apply to semi-auto's, so the old .303 (which has killed and maimed millions over the years) can still have the bayonet lug AND the bayonet. > We had a similar set of rules for 10 years during the "Assault Weapons Ban". > This ban expired about a year ago, with no increase in "assault weapon" > crime since then. The ban itself was more or less a placebo for the masses, > giving them a sense of security, when in actuality any serious criminal > would have little problem obtaining the banned weapons. That's my impression > of it, anyway. Criminals will always have access to firearms. A couple of months ago a collector had a young boy knock on hid door. As soon as the door was opened two masked men forced their way in and robbed the guy of his collection at gun-point. These guys used a kid in an armed robbery! The local gangs ,Black Power & the Mongrel Mob have been getting at each other, and the police figure the stolen guns have gone to the gangs....as long as they are only killing each other it's OK. >>It's a great country for a holiday. Don't hitch-hike at the moment >>though....The Police are still hunting a lowlife who killed a German >>tourist and dumped her body near here. Even in paradise there is scum! > > What happens to such scum when they're apprehended? They get put away for 'life'....10 to 15 years! Recently we had two guys apply for parole after 10 years inside. They had murdered an elderly couple in their own home. The usaual excuses were trotted out, they had an abusive upbringing, they were on drugs at the time etc. etc....I get sick of hearing them. For obvious murders there should be a death penalty! It's all fine and good trying to 'rehabilitate' people, but some people will be trouble, no matter how much help they get offered. >>Nice! The govt. made a new lot of rules to own a Semi-auto. No pistol >>grips (thumbhole stock fitted), no bayonet lug (flash supressor/lug [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > > What happens to such scum when they're apprehended? The "Assault Weapon Ban" was egregiously stupid. It was indeed designed solely as a "feel good" measure to get those "dangerous looking" weapons off the street. Those weapons are functionally no different that any other leagal semi-automatic rifle. One pull of the trigger results in one round being fired. What is funny, is that shortly after the ban was enacted I went to a gun show and purchased Swedish Ljungmann AG-42 Semi-Automatic rifle in 6.5x55mm and carried it out the door, perfectly legally. It falls under the Federal "Curio and Relic" catagory of weapons because it was manufactured prior to 1946. I did the same with a Fabrique National FN-49 in 8mm Mauser. Goofy. Good thing that I like OLD guns. :-) SignaturePC Paul 89 PC800 77 R100RS Trip pics at: http://photos.yahoo.com/paul1cart "To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society" - Theodore Roosevelt >The "Assault Weapon Ban" was egregiously stupid. It was indeed designed >solely as a "feel good" measure to get those "dangerous looking" weapons >off the street. Those weapons are functionally no different that any >other leagal semi-automatic rifle. One pull of the trigger results in >one round being fired. >What is funny, is that shortly after the ban was enacted I went to a gun > show and purchased Swedish Ljungmann AG-42 Semi-Automatic rifle in >6.5x55mm and carried it out the door, perfectly legally. It falls under >the Federal "Curio and Relic" catagory of weapons because it was >manufactured prior to 1946. I did the same with a Fabrique National >FN-49 in 8mm Mauser. Goofy. Good thing that I like OLD guns. :-) The "Patriot Act" was egregiously stupid. It was indeed drafted solely as a "feel good" measure to get those "dangerous looking" rights and freedoms off our street. Removing those freedoms is functionally no different than living in any other totalitarian regime. One pull of the trigger to shoot off your mouth can result in one round being fired. What is funny is shortly after Sept. 11th I entered the country carrying a very large knife. The government claims to be looking out for the bad guys but I suspect, like with criminality they have an easier time bagging the law abiding citizen in their net than the "professionals". Plus the average chucklehead they got working for them prolly misses five for every one they find. Crazy. Good thing I'm white and well groomed! They'll never think to keep an eye on me. >>The "Assault Weapon Ban" was egregiously stupid. It was indeed designed >>solely as a "feel good" measure to get those "dangerous looking" weapons [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > Crazy. Good thing I'm white and well groomed! They'll never think to > keep an eye on me. Yeah, I wonder how many LOLs they catch posing as terrorists, while letting middle-eastern looking males between the ages of 18-45 go unscrutinized... SignaturePC Paul 89 PC800 77 R100RS Trip pics at: http://photos.yahoo.com/paul1cart "To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society" - Theodore Roosevelt > Crazy. Good thing I'm white and well groomed! They'll never think to > keep an eye on me. Yeah, well, open your mouth, that'll show'em..... > Plus the average chucklehead they got working for > them prolly misses five for every one they find. No sh.t. GW's purse was recently searched at the entry gates to a concert. The person opened her purse and looked inside. I could clearly see a Glock 26, but the chucklehead just said, "O.K., go ahead." What were they looking for? Nail clippers? > The "Assault Weapon Ban" was egregiously stupid. It was indeed designed > solely as a "feel good" measure to get those "dangerous looking" weapons > off the street. Those weapons are functionally no different that any > other leagal semi-automatic rifle. One pull of the trigger results in > one round being fired. I think it was ingenious on the part of those who hate firearms. It is the name - 10 years later, everyone heard the "Assault Weapons Ban" was being lifted, and assumed this meant fully automatic weapons were now going to be easily available to the general public. If you take a survey, asking if the "Assault Weapons Ban" should be reinstated, most people would probably say yes. If you asked them what the ban actually banned, I bet more than 90% of those who said yes would be wrong. Now, with such a name, and before it was to sunset, a new ban would need to be proposed. The idea is you can tack on all sorts of additional stupid restrictions on the new ban - just another assault weapons ban. Now, if the ban was called what it should be called, the "Scarry Looking Semi-automatic Rifle Ban", I'm sure it would not have received nearly as much support from the general population. It still gets me how, when the push to reinstate this ban was started, the news mentioned "The Assault Weapons Ban" is about to expire, and then showed a clip of some guy with a fully automatic weapon blasting some cinder blocks. Another funny thing was the take BBC seemed to have on the ban. The reporters seemed to think the ban from '94 meant that all "Assault Weapons" had been confiscated. Not that new ones were not allowed to be purchased. - Kurt > Now, if the ban was called what it should be called, the "Scarry Looking > Semi-automatic Rifle Ban", I'm sure it would not have received nearly as > much support from the general population. Yeah yeah yeah, the military weapons are all good fun until somebody loses an eye. > Yeah yeah yeah, the military weapons are all good fun until somebody > loses an eye. Well, if you know what you're doing, the only time someone loses an eye is if that's what you're trying to do. If you don't know what you're doing, stay the hell away from me and LEARN. SignatureJamin Kortegard popular sportbike / popular car "Hokey 600s and trackday usability are no match for a good literbike at your side, kid." - Michael >>Yeah yeah yeah, the military weapons are all good fun until somebody >>loses an eye. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > If you don't know what you're doing, stay the hell away from me and LEARN. It was a joke. Something they used to tell us in grade school about running around with scissors. Besides, aiming and pulling a trigger doesn't take a lot of know how. Sure practice makes perfect, but c'mon. > Besides, aiming and pulling a trigger doesn't take a lot of know how. > Sure practice makes perfect, but c'mon. Pulling a trigger doesn't take much know-how at all, that's true. Any idiot with functioning fingers can figure out how to throw lead down-range. But there's a huge difference between that level of knowledge and what I would call proficiency. PERFECT practice makes perfect. You can't practice poor technique and expect to improve. SignatureJamin Kortegard a popular motorcycle / a popular car "Hokey 600s and trackday usability are no match for a good literbike at your side, kid." - Michael >> Besides, aiming and pulling a trigger doesn't take a lot of know how. >> Sure practice makes perfect, but c'mon. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >there's a huge difference between that level of knowledge and what I would >call proficiency. Jamin, I never figured YOU as a gun nut. (spoiled subburban raised kid), just kidding, really-:) I have two firearms in my home. 1) 12 guage Mossberg riot gun with 00 buckshot. 5 shot + four on the handle. 2) Mac90 (AK47) in civilian trim, with two 30 round banana clips and 1100 rounds of nato (steel jacketed) ammo in a big sardine can. I practice at an outdoor range about every couple of years. >PERFECT practice makes perfect. You can't practice poor technique and expect >to improve. Now a question. Given my no-bullshit from cagers personality, would I best not be carrying a (legal in AZ) handgun in my tankbag? I currently don't and it would just seem to complicate matters. IOW, you can get away from a cage pretty easy if you wan't, on a MC. Bob Nixon, Chandler AZ 01 Sprint ST "RED" 50K miles http://bigrex.net/pictures > Given my no-bullshit from cagers personality, would I > best not be carrying a (legal in AZ) handgun in my tankbag? I > currently don't and it would just seem to complicate matters. IOW, you > can get away from a cage pretty easy if you wan't, on a MC. I know you didn't ask me, but I wouldn't carry a gun to fend off cagers. First, I never seem to have trouble with anybody. Secondly, it seems a lot more awkward and dangerous to fiddle a gun out of a tank bag and start throwing shots than it would be just to twist the throttle. ab >>Given my no-bullshit from cagers personality, would I >>best not be carrying a (legal in AZ) handgun in my tankbag? I [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > more awkward and dangerous to fiddle a gun out of a tank bag and start > throwing shots than it would be just to twist the throttle. ditto. > >>Given my no-bullshit from cagers personality, would I > >>best not be carrying a (legal in AZ) handgun in my tankbag? I [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > ditto. Yup. Handguns are not all that useful in such situations. I prefer to just slap a delay-fused limpet mine on the body of the offending cage and amscray before it goes off. Works for me. -- Michael >>>>Given my no-bullshit from cagers personality, would I >>>>best not be carrying a (legal in AZ) handgun in my tankbag? I [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > -- Michael Oooo! I LIKE your style! ;-) SignaturePC Paul 89 PC800 77 R100RS Trip pics at: http://photos.yahoo.com/paul1cart "To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society" - Theodore Roosevelt [snip] > > Yup. Handguns are not all that useful in such situations. > > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Oooo! I LIKE your style! > ;-) What can I say? I was exposed to Spike Bike at an impressionable age. <shrug> http://danenet.wicip.org/bcp/spike.html "I'm Spike Bike. I hate cars." -- Michael >> Given my no-bullshit from cagers personality, would I >> best not be carrying a (legal in AZ) handgun in my tankbag? I [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >more awkward and dangerous to fiddle a gun out of a tank bag and start >throwing shots than it would be just to twist the throttle. Thanks Andy and I have no interest in even buying a handgun. On a different note: I know at least one guy taking the Code level-2 course at Firebird next week. I plan on stopping in to say hello myself. I'd take the course but I really can't even do a track day anymore. Bob Nixon, Chandler AZ 01 Sprint ST "RED" 50K miles http://bigrex.net/pictures > Thanks Andy and I have no interest in even buying a handgun. > > On a different note: I know at least one guy taking the Code level-2 > course at Firebird next week. I plan on stopping in to say hello > myself. I'd take the course but I really can't even do a track day > anymore. That'd be great; I'll be there for certain. Time is usually tight during the school day, but if you happen to be there toward the end of the day, I'd have time to rap with you. ab > Jamin, I never figured YOU as a gun nut. (spoiled subburban raised > kid), just kidding, really-:) Some people would certainly call me a "gun nut", but it has a negative connotation, don't you think? Are guys who go deer hunting gun nuts? What about collectors? I am certainly not anti-gun, as you've seen, but I don't run around town in full camo, bristling with armaments. Funny story: I was at the local Oktoberfest fair last weekend with some friends, and we were sampling some good local microbrews, and one of the guys I didn't really know very well said, "So I hear you're a knife guy" and he held out a prototype sample of a new knife from Leatherman (he's a regional rep) and quickly opened the folding blade. I looked at his knife, said "Nice" and immediately opened up my two Spydercos, one in each hand. You should have seen how big his eyes got. I put 'em away and everyone had a good laugh. As far as me being a spoiled suburbanite, I was raised in a cow-town by a working class single mom. My brother and I grew up commercial fishing for sockeye salmon in Bristol Bay during summers with the family, pretty much every summer for 6-8 weeks from when I was 3 yrs old until I was through college. Not really spoiled suburbia. > I have two firearms in my home. > 1) 12 guage Mossberg riot gun with 00 buckshot. 5 shot + four on the > handle. Nice! I don't have a shotgun yet. I'm sure I will someday, though. For defense in the home there's really nothing better. > 2) Mac90 (AK47) in civilian trim, with two 30 round banana clips and > 1100 rounds of nato (steel jacketed) ammo in a big sardine can. See, we have a lot more in common than you think! > I practice at an outdoor range about every couple of years. I need to find a decent outdoor range around here. I know they exist, I've just been lazy about scouting them out. I go to the indoor range at least monthly, and often 2 or 3 times per month, usually with my brother. On 9/28/05 3:19 PM, "Andy Burnett" wrote: > _Bob_Nixon <bilbo@nospam.com> wrote in > news:632mj15kv4h5pibajn2s6h0er31os8tgch@4ax.com: [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > more awkward and dangerous to fiddle a gun out of a tank bag and start > throwing shots than it would be just to twist the throttle. I agree that using a handgun to scare of troublesome cagers is definitely not a good idea. That kind of behavior would land you in jail here in WA. Generally speaking the only time you're allowed by law to display a concealed firearm is when you're about to use it, and that would only be in a situation where use of deadly force was justified. Brandishing a firearm to intimidate someone else is a felony, as I think it's technically assault with a deadly weapon. When you carry a handgun, you have to be cool as a cucumber, and always remember the gun is the LAST resort, not the first. I sometimes have my handgun in my tank bag, but not so I can quick-draw on troublesome cagers. I'd never even consider trying to reach into a tank bag while riding to pull out a gun. When I do have it while riding, it's for situations like Peckham described at the start of this thread, where he and his companions unwittingly found themselves in the company of potentially dangerous people with no real quick method of escape. That situation could have potentially devolved into a very serious confrontation. Thankfully for everyone involved it didn't. SignatureJamin Kortegard a popular motorcycle / a popular car "Hokey 600s and trackday usability are no match for a good literbike at your side, kid." - Michael >>Jamin, I never figured YOU as a gun nut. (spoiled subburban raised >>kid), just kidding, really-:) > > Some people would certainly call me a "gun nut", but it has a negative > connotation, don't you think? Are guys who go deer hunting gun nuts? The one's I know fit the bill. > What > about collectors? I am certainly not anti-gun, as you've seen, but I don't [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > he held out a prototype sample of a new knife from Leatherman (he's a > regional rep) and quickly opened the folding blade. I got stuck behind a jeep full of yehoos once on the road in front of a gun/knife show. One of two said yehoos facing rearward flipped me off. I made of awkard face and waved back at him as if I was as retarded as he. He then proceeded to pull a monster knife out of a holster and hold it up in a threatening manner. I began laughing at the idiot at which point he started laughing too and put it back before he hurt himself. We had another encounter with a car load of idiots more recently. Mama was driving while I sat shotgun reading a freshly delivered bike rag. We get downtown behind some puny Jap car with the coffee can muffler. One of the passengers must have saw me look up and snicker at their dumbassmobile. As we sat at a light the passenger stuck out his hand with three fingers...then two fingers...then his middle finger just as the light turned and they stomped on the mighty four banger sending a puff a blue smoke behind them. 18 seconds later we pulled up behind them at the next stoplight where I went back to chuckling. I gotta give him points on originality though, I hadn't seen that before and I gotta admit it kinda took me by suprise. >> Jamin, I never figured YOU as a gun nut. (spoiled subburban raised >> kid), just kidding, really-:) You know I was really just kidding, right. You're a good guy and I know that, Honestly. [...] >As far as me being a spoiled suburbanite, I was raised in a cow-town by a >working class single mom. My brother and I grew up commercial fishing for >sockeye salmon in Bristol Bay during summers with the family, pretty much >every summer for 6-8 weeks from when I was 3 yrs old until I was through >college. Not really spoiled suburbia. I didn't know that! Thanks for sharing your personal experience. >> I have two firearms in my home. >> 1) 12 guage Mossberg riot gun with 00 buckshot. 5 shot + four on the [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >> >See, we have a lot more in common than you think! Yup! >> I practice at an outdoor range about every couple of years. >> >I need to find a decent outdoor range around here. I know they exist, I've >just been lazy about scouting them out. I go to the indoor range at least >monthly, and often 2 or 3 times per month, usually with my brother. [...] Bob Nixon, Chandler AZ 01 Sprint ST "RED" 50K miles http://bigrex.net/pictures > You know I was really just kidding, right. You're a good guy and I > know that, Honestly. I figured you probably were. Thanks. > I didn't know that! Thanks for sharing your personal experience. Yup. My mom's folks actually were settlers in the area back in the late '40s and '50s, so she grew up on a homestead out in the Alaskan bush. I spent many summers working up in Bristol Bay, and all fond memories, even though it was frequently bone-crunching work. It was really nice being out of touch from the rest of society for a while. It was a 2 month expedition every year. No running water, no electricity, propane cook stove (or Coleman camp stove), no phone, no refrigeration except what you dug into the permafrost layer of the tundra. We had a VHF radio for communication, and the nearest telephone was about 1.5 miles away at the cannery. When we weren't working ourselves ragged, I read a lot of books, and my brother and I explored relentlessly. Up there is where I learned to ride a dirt bike, on the beach. SignatureJamin Kortegard popular sportbike / popular car "Hokey 600s and trackday usability are no match for a good literbike at your side, kid." - Michael >>Besides, aiming and pulling a trigger doesn't take a lot of know how. >>Sure practice makes perfect, but c'mon. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > there's a huge difference between that level of knowledge and what I would > call proficiency. Yeah, but even idiots like me can be fairly accurate with a little practice. > PERFECT practice makes perfect. You can't practice poor technique and expect > to improve. Can you give a few "must knows" with regards to technique? > Yeah, but even idiots like me can be fairly accurate with a little practice. Accurate under what conditions? > Can you give a few "must knows" with regards to technique? Well, let's see. Gotta have a good stance. You don't want to sacrifice stability for mobility or vice versa. A good firing grip is important, which doesn't mean white-knuckle the thing. Your non-dominant hand should be providing a good percentage of the support. Proper sight picture is essential. Focus on your front sight, let your target be a little blurry. You want a smooth, steady trigger squeeze until the break, which you don't want to anticipate. Let it be a surprise. All that is just basic marksmanship. No real surprises. But there are plenty of people I see at the range who aren't following those guidelines, and it shows in their shooting. SignatureJamin Kortegard a popular motorcycle / a popular car "Hokey 600s and trackday usability are no match for a good literbike at your side, kid." - Michael > All that is just basic marksmanship. No real surprises. But there are > plenty > of people I see at the range who aren't following those guidelines, and it > shows in their shooting. I am appalled by 85% if the shooters I see at Wades. I doubt most of 'em could hit a mail box at 30 feet. Maybe they need bayonets. > I am appalled by 85% if the shooters I see at Wades. I doubt most of 'em > could hit a mail box at 30 feet. Maybe they need bayonets. At Wade's I consider myself lucky if everyone at least keeps their weapons pointed down-range. I've seem some stoopid things there, usually involving groups of teenage boys showing off for one another. Not that Sam's is always wonderful, but you should check it out sometime. SignatureJamin Kortegard popular sportbike / popular car "Hokey 600s and trackday usability are no match for a good literbike at your side, kid." - Michael >>All that is just basic marksmanship. No real surprises. But there are >>plenty [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > I am appalled by 85% if the shooters I see at Wades. I doubt most of 'em > could hit a mail box at 30 feet. Maybe they need bayonets. The old AG42 and I can keep them all in the 7 or 8 ring at 100m with open sights and military surplus ammo. It will do. SignaturePC Paul 89 PC800 77 R100RS Trip pics at: http://photos.yahoo.com/paul1cart "To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society" - Theodore Roosevelt > You mean GDH or Basic? GDH. I got "basic" from Jenner, who is a very good teacher. > I don't particularly like Wade's either. I go to Sam's just about > exclusively, which is near 128th and Hwy 99 in Lynnwood/Everett. Bannon has menitoned it. I'll have to check it out. Any chili/BBQ places nearby? GW always seems to want to eat like a cowgirl after shooting. >> Likewise, and I've also got a pink one for when I travel to California, >> or >> France. >> > What's your rationale on that? Just speculation on your part that the > authorities would take a more favorable view? Yes. Speculation in terms of legalities, not necessarily the authorities. Imagine the following court questioning: "And how did it make you feel, when he pulled the pink knife and allegedly threatened you, Mr. Scaredy Pants?" I also like the fact that it looks like a memory key or mobile device when clipped to my pants. I've walked around French police with it clearly visible and not been questioned. I don't know about you, but I always spot clip-stype folding knives if people are carrying them. I also have declared it at the airport twice (upon questioning) and no one cared. They weren't going to let me take it in the cabin of an aircraft, mind you, but the pink knife was a non-issue. Lastly, if it were confiscated, I would simply think, "who cares, it's a pink knife." ;-) >> BTW, you weren't just leaving the Dexter and Hayes 5 minutes ago were >> you? Saw >> you twin if it wasn't you. >> > I know the place, but no, it wasn't me. You have a twin. And he rides a bike, too. >-- Peckham |
Enable EMail Alerts
Start New Thread
Reply to this Message