The Modern Mountain Man

Airborne!

2011-05-19T17:17:00.000-07:00

I'm graduating Airborne tomorrow. Yay! Three weeks of suck is finally over... only 208 more to go.

Anyway, I got my five jumps in with no injuries. We jumped from Air Force C-130s at an altitude of 1,250 feet moving at 130 knots. My first one was kind of rough, since it was in 20-knot winds and I was pretty much terrified, but I landed without injury. The next four went smoother, with softer landings and way lower wind speeds.

Jumping out of an aircraft in flight is a pretty interesting experience, and one that can't be described to someone who hasn't experienced it. It really is nothing but a neat-sounding idea until you hear "Hook Up! 1 Minute! 30 Seconds! Green light, go, go go!" The first time I got on the plane, I had one of those moments where I wonder "Why, exactly, did I think this was a good idea? I must be insane." Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. I look forward to doing some more jumps, though... I want to try one out of the back of a Blackhawk - 130mph wash is not that fun to jump into. A good exit is very, very important to prevent bouncing off the side of the aircraft.

Well, looks like I'm off to Bragg tomorrow. I was supposed to be taking leave and flying home, but looks like I got fucked over instead. Thanks Army! It's not like I had important plans or anything.

Army Livin' Got Me Down

2011-05-08T13:55:00.000-07:00

After 16 weeks on Fort Benning I'm incredibly sick of this place. It's hot, sandy, and boring as hell. I'm not sure I have the words to express how badly I want to get out of here. Two more weeks until freedom; they're going to be incredibly slow ones, too.

Still unsure on the leave situation. I haven't seen any of my good friends in 5 months, not to mention my glorious mountains. I really hope I don't get fucked over, but it's a definite possibility at this point.

Frustrating.

By the way

2011-04-30T21:55:00.000-07:00

My Springfield TRP kicks all sorts of monkey ass. It became my day-to-day carry pistol combined with an IWB holster and double mag carrier from Sigforum's talented countryboy - his website is www.rgrizzleleather.com. Review to follow... eventually.

A New World

2011-04-30T21:45:00.000-07:00

Well, holyfuckingshit it has been awhile.

I'm now a bonafide, Blue Cord-wearing infantryman in the United States Army. Hooah and all that.

Right now I'm getting ready to start jump school on Monday. Should be a kickass course if I can stay on Sergeant Airborne's good side!

I'm looking forward to getting to my (undisclosed here) future unit and learning everything I possibly can, because I sure don't know shit at the moment. Being the FNG will suck for awhile, but if there's one thing I've learned in OSUT it's that life goes on.

Missing my mountains,

Modernmountainman

Randomness

2010-10-13T17:28:00.000-07:00

Well, my time here in New York is coming to a rapid end - I'll be back home within two weeks, and finally get to play with my new Springfield TRP 1911 that is sitting at my dealer's right now. Hopefully I can also catch the "tail" end of the Brown spawning season and pull out some hogs!

I'm looking forward to killing the last few months before my ship date with camping trips, beer brewing, and other shenanigans.

New York

2010-10-02T23:55:00.000-07:00

So it's weird to be home. (Home being not really home, just where I went to high school - Rich Whitepeopleville, NY, just outside the city.)

$10 for a pack of cigarettes? Really? Fuck you and your vice tax, NY.

On the other hand, I'm sitting here drinking a glass of the Cragganmore 12 year single malt, so I can't actually complain. Except for the fact that my January ship date to basic can't come soon enough.

On another happy note, I got free sushi and beer today and it was wonderful.

In terms of firearms, I really am missing my AR, my AUG and my AAC suppressor. Such things are illegal in this damned nanny state. I also finally bought a decent 1911 - a used Springfield TRP (Armory Kote, not stainless) through a guy on Sigforum. I won't get to play with it until I get back to CO, but the anticipation makes it even better. I also ordered a handmade holster and mag holder from Ryan Grizzle (rgrizzleleather.com - can't get this fucking link button to work). Review will follow when I get it in 6-8 weeks or so. You gotta be patient with made-to-order things... it pays off in the end.

Well it is apparently 0300 right now, which means I should have been asleep hours ago. Stay classy.

Meh

2010-09-04T00:42:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd post a little love... having a taste of some Jack Daniel's Single Barrel. It rocks. My family's system of birthday presents is by far the best ever - 'nuff said.

Time for a cigarette and a 10 hour nap followed by a run. Thank god the weather is cooling off a bit, so I no longer have to wake up at 0700 if I want to run more than a mile.

Madness

2010-08-21T01:46:00.000-07:00

Well tonight was the first night of New West Fest here in Fort Collins, and it was complete nonsense. Apart from the bars and the music, the people were something else. One woman (who was visibly drunk) got excessively angry at me because her poorly raised 5 y.o. son walked into a veritable highway of foot traffic, and I kindly pointed out to her that maybe that wasn't a wise decision. Really, some people aren't fit to have goldfish - not to mention kids.

I don't even want to think about the rest of the drama that occurred this evening. Can't wait to ship out.

Big News

2010-08-19T17:00:00.000-07:00

Holy crap, I totally forgot about this site. My apologies. Honestly, I've been so busy over the past few months, I'm not surprised that I haven't posted lately. Here's a little sample of what's occurred since my last post:

-Finished my AR project
-Turned 21, parties, bars, women
-Submitted Form 4 for a suppressor
-Left my job as a ranch hand
-Joined the US Army
-Got my approved Form 4 back, and picked up my suppressor
-Moved back down to the front range

That's what I can think of off the top of my head.

For those interested, the can is an Advanced Armament Corp SPR/M4 suppressor, currently mounted on my custom built AR. It is retardedly quiet.

As for the whole Army thing, I signed my Delayed Enlistment contract last Thursday, August 12. I'm going in as an 11X (Infantry Recruit), and ship to OSUT (Basic and AIT job training combined into one) at Fort Benning, GA on January 10th.

Big steps.

Much, much later...

2010-05-02T08:55:00.000-07:00

Whoa. It's been awhile since I've updated this site. Sorry about that - between my work and my lack of internet access, I haven't had a whole lot of opportunity to post much.

Anyway.

Fast forward a month and a half since last post. I'm now working and living on a ranch on the south side of North Park. It's hard work, but usually pretty interesting. It's also getting my lazy ass into decent shape, which is nice.

In terms of weaponry, I finished my AR project on Friday - and it is truly epic. I'll post some details when I get around to it. I'm in the process of searching for a Benelli M4... just need to find one at the right price.

I'm also hunting for an early Ford Bronco at the moment ('66-'75 or so, not sure exactly what years), so if anyone has a lead on one hit me up! I need me a good off-roader.

Expect updates about once a week; I usually go up to Steamboat for the weekend, which is the only place I really have internet access.

Cheers!

Mountainous Madness

2010-03-13T19:36:00.000-08:00

Well I'm back in the mountains, and it is everything I thought it would be. I went up to Steamboat for the night and drank with my friends, then came back down to the house today. I went to the range and dropped the hammer on a live round for the first time in months - it was great. I got my .308 re-zeroed after having the scope serviced, epoxy-bedding the receiver rail, and reinstalling everything. It is still just as boringly accurate as ever, printing >0.25" groups at 100 yards with my handloads. Awesome.

Tomorrow I'm running back over to Steamboat to fish the Yampa river with my new boss. Apparently the Browns are just stupid right now. Ice off is sweet.

Fishing report to follow.

Home Free

2010-03-10T09:13:00.000-08:00

Hey all, sorry I haven't posted in over a week. Between traveling and getting my life in order after a 3 month absence, I've been quite busy. I'm going to make an effort to keep updating as I have time and an internet connection.

Anyway, I'm back in Colorado. It's great to be home! Since my return, I've just been hanging out, brewing some beer with my friends, and preparing for my imminent move up into the mountains. Apparently the water is finally starting to thaw, so the fishing is incredible when you can find it. It's going to be damned cold - but that's why they invented single malt and fur hats, right?

Well, that's all for now. Cheers!

Sly Like a (Swift) Fox

2010-03-02T10:09:00.001-08:00

Taken June 10, 2009, on a shooting trip to Pawnee National Grasslands. These adorable little guys are a threatened species and quite rare; also quite curious! They didn't seem to care much that we were shooting, I have lots of pictures of their 7-8 pups tackling each other while we were blasting away (in the other direction, obviously).

Today's Picture

2010-02-27T12:12:00.001-08:00

My 1989 production (JK date code) Sig Sauer P226 made in West Germany. 9mm, of course. This thing is beat to hell and got carried a lot for the 19 years before I bought it... and then it got carried some more. It's my Every Day Carry gun when I'm just out and about, and resides in my car when I'm driving around town. I've upgraded it with a Wolf stock weight spring and a solid stainless guide rod from Top Gun Supply. I keep it stocked with hot 124 grain Gold Dot loads, running 18 round Mec Gar magazines.

Blackouts Suck

2010-02-27T07:07:00.000-08:00

"There's only two things to do during a blackout: get drunk. Hmm, one thing." - Nathan Explosion, Metalocalypse.

So true. Well, that storm two nights ago knocked out our electricity for around 28 hours thanks to our town's antiquated above-ground power line network. Fortunately our kitchen runs on natural gas, so we could still cook without resorting to a grate over the fireplace. Speaking of fireplaces, we used ours for the first time in around three years - it's nice to have every now and then.

Some stats:

- 28 hours without electricity
- around 18" of snow
- 5 shoveling excursions
- 4 beers consumed
- 1/2 liter of single malt consumed
- 40 lbs of wood burnt
- 8 episodes of Dexter watched via my laptop
- 6 hours of runtime on my Surefire 6P LED
- 0 batteries consumed on same (current batteries still kickin' after almost 3 months)

Good news is, the power finally came back. I just got a call from a friend who isn't so lucky, so I offered up my house as a refuge. In exchange, he volunteered to buy a bottle of Jack and bring over his Xbox 360. Fair trade, I think.

This Here's What We Like to Call "Drinkin' Weather"

2010-02-25T13:42:00.000-08:00

Well, for once the meteorologists were right. Westchester County, NY is getting slammed with a constant dumping of the slushiest, heaviest snow I've seen in awhile - pretty nasty stuff, truth be told. The roads seem to be fine though, so I'm going to drive over to a friend's house to play Modern Warfare 2 and maybe have a few beers. Hopefully I don't get snowed in, but I'm prepared with emergency rations of beer and Redbull. I think I'll survive.

CSU Carry Ban

2010-02-24T05:35:00.000-08:00

Well, it happened: Colorado State University finally banned concealed carry on campus by permit holders. You have to wonder where the logic lies in this - virtually every mass shooting to ever happen, has occurred in areas where firearms weren't allowed; Columbine, Va. Tech, the list goes on. Simply put - those who would senselessly kill others aren't deterred by laws against murder, so why would they be deterred by laws against guns?

The fundamental basis of this law is the belief that the presence of guns will somehow cause violence - clearly a deeply flawed belief; firearms are simply tools and nothing more. Concealed carry weapon (CCW) permit holders were the only ones allowed to carry on campus other than law enforcement, and these people undergo background checks and proficiency training in order to obtain a permit. Statistically speaking, permit holders are significantly less likely to commit ANY violent crime than your average citizen, let alone a mass-shooting. In other words, we should WANT these people around - their very presence equates to a first-responder capability that can save lives and prevent a tragedy.

More here:

Coloradoan Article

Daily Picture

2010-02-23T17:06:00.001-08:00

My Remington 700 SPS Tactical .308. Bushnell Elite 4200 4-16x50 optics, some cheap rail, Leupold PRW rings.

Shooting 168 gr. A-Max handloads over IMR 4064 at around 2650 fps, groups about 0.3 MOA! Not bad for a $550 factory stick.

Projects, Purchases, and Poverty

2010-02-22T07:16:00.001-08:00

Well, let's just get this out of the way: I love guns. Especially evil black ones (EBRs for short, tongue planted firmly in cheek). When I was 18 I bought my first EBR - a Bushmaster Varmint Special, which is an insanely accurate rifle. In a bit of horsetrading, I sold it to my dad in order to pay for a new Steyr AUG A3. While the AUG is awesome, and I'll never sell it, it's no replacement for a good AR-15. Thus, my love of tinkering and my enthusiasm for the AR platform met, and I decided to build my very own EBR.

It's not finished yet, and probably won't be for the near future. It's just not the most important thing on my list right now - I already have a 5.56, need a compact handgun for CCW, and am setting up for a suppressor purchase in the future.

However, I do have most of the parts I'll need; I figure another $600 and it'll be finished. Here's a parts list:

- Tactical Innovations T15 Multi-Cal lower
- Vltor MUR upper w/ forward assist
- White Oak Armament 18" SPR Stainless barrel, rifle-length gas system
- DPMS small parts for lower
- Timney 3# single stage trigger
- KNS Mod 2 anti-rotational pins
- Magpul UBR stock
- Magpul MIAD grip
- Vltor gas block
- AAC MITER mount / BLACKOUT flash hider

Still needed:

- Larue 13.2" Quad Rail
- BCM Full Auto bolt carrier
- BCM Gunfighter mod 3 charging handle
- Someone to assemble the upper (lower is already built and functional)
- ADM mount, optics, BUIS, etc

It should be obvious that I'm going for the Special Purpose Rifle thing here - a 5.56 weapon capable of first-round hits up to around 600 meters. I eventually intend to swap the UBR for a PRS, but that's about all I think I'll change. In terms of optics, I'm looking at a Leupold Mark 4 M/R T 2.5-8x in an American Defense Mfg Recon mount.

This is a damned expensive hobby. I figure I'll have around $3k in it when I'm done... could have just bought a Noveske. But where's the fun in that?

What I'm Drinking This Week

2010-02-22T07:03:00.000-08:00

Well, after being in Europe for so long, I'm finally back in the land of the microbrew. Thank god.

Being back in NY, my selections are fairly limited due to a lack of large beer stores in the area. Thus, I'm stuck with what I can find at the Shoprite - not necessarily a bad thing, as they carry beers from Magic Hat and Stone Brewery. So I've been drinking a lot of the MH #9, a Pale Ale with a hint of apricot, and Stone IPA, a very bitter India Pale with 6.9% ABV. I've also been drinking a little of Stone's Arrogant Bastard, which is an even more intense IPA with something like 8.0% ABV. It only comes in bombers at around $5.50 each.

For my daily ration of scotch I picked up a liter of The Balvenie Doublewood 12 year at Heathrow Airport before I left. It was something like 29.95 pounds sterling, so not completely unreasonable considering it was duty free. The name Doublewood comes from being aged in two different kinds of barrels - the first, standard oak for ~10 years, then another ~2 in Sherry casks, which both finish up the aging process and take a bit of the edge off, creating a very smooth yet simple single malt.

In two weeks, I'll be back in my hometown of Fort Collins, home to New Belgium and Odell's microbreweries, among others. New Belgium's new Ranger IPA is supposed to be delicious and extremely hoppy at 70 IBUs (International Bitterness Units). I'm excited.

Now and Zen

2010-02-19T07:25:00.000-08:00

Taken 11/07/2009 from Sentinel Mountain, CO, facing east. Quite a nice way to start a day of elk hunting.

Click the image for desktop size.

Only About One More Month...

2010-02-19T07:16:00.000-08:00

... until the ice melts in the mountains. I can't wait until I'm tossing big, ugly streamers to big, hungry Browns, freezing my ass off, accompanied by a flask of single malt and a touch of frostbite. There's nothing quite like ice-off on Rocky Mountain streams.

In other news, I recently began the long and tiresome process of acquiring a certain item... more on that in the future.

Daily Picture

2010-02-18T08:46:00.000-08:00

I'm not very good at this whole photographin' thing, so yeah. 1943 production Remington Rand 1911A1, .45 ACP obviously. Complete with original Boyd's holster. Simple but very effective.

Click for "size enhancement"

Raison d'Etre

2010-02-18T08:34:00.000-08:00

I recently discovered that I enjoy writing, and some people seem to enjoy my writing for some reason, so I figured that a "blog" (I despise that term) would make sense. A little bit about me:

I live and work in the Colorado Rockies, or at least I will shortly. I just got back from a 2 month backpacking trip through Europe, so I'm still getting back into the groove of things.

My interests, in no particular order, are guns, cars, scotch, watches, hunting and fishing, and beer. Sort of an urbane mountain man, if you will. Photography also interests me, and so I will try to post interesting or cool pictures as I take them.

My goals for this page: I'd like to put up a good, long post at least once a week, if not more often. I want to share some of the good Rocky Mountain life with some of you who may not be so fortunate as to experience it. Most of all, I want to share my love of all things awesome with like-minded people.

More to come later.