I rode my 2x2 motorcycle far into the nothings today to keep watch on some cattle and new borne calves that were being stalked my wolves and coyotes. The place I hunted was 40 miles from the nearest major road and another 15 miles up a ranch road to where I unloaded my bike. From there, I logged 50km on my GPS with my 204 Ruger CZ Varmint in the gun rack on the front forks. I have never gone down on the bike while carrying a rifle but have favored placing a childs balloon over the muzzle just in case. I buy the ones that state they are rated for helium as they tend to be tougher: they run about 10 cents each at the local store.
Well. Today it paid off. I had ridden up a soft soil hill to a rock outcropping to check out a cave that might possibly be a den. As I approached I turned my bike sideways to the hill and braked. The front wheel broke loose some soil and the bike went over with me glimpsing the muzzle of the CZ being buried a few inches in the silt as i began the first of a couple somersaults down the hill. Common wisdom says to carry a cleaning rod but I tend to travel light when I'm doing this kind of work. If I had, and left it at the Jeep, it would still have entailed an 8 mile trek across rugged terrain to get to it: roughly an hour each way. The balloon however, did it's job. When I pulled the bike upright the balloon was intact and all was well. Today it proved to be the best 10 cents I'd spent in quite a while.~Muir
Well. Today it paid off. I had ridden up a soft soil hill to a rock outcropping to check out a cave that might possibly be a den. As I approached I turned my bike sideways to the hill and braked. The front wheel broke loose some soil and the bike went over with me glimpsing the muzzle of the CZ being buried a few inches in the silt as i began the first of a couple somersaults down the hill. Common wisdom says to carry a cleaning rod but I tend to travel light when I'm doing this kind of work. If I had, and left it at the Jeep, it would still have entailed an 8 mile trek across rugged terrain to get to it: roughly an hour each way. The balloon however, did it's job. When I pulled the bike upright the balloon was intact and all was well. Today it proved to be the best 10 cents I'd spent in quite a while.~Muir