Pics to come, very soon.
Clare and I visited the Smokey Mountains last week and it was quite an adventure, and nearly a continuation of our previous visit to the region last year after Labor Day.
At any rate, we stopped at Smokey Mountain Knife Works on a lark, as we had to change Kieran and I needed to use the restroom. So what better place to do that then a large knife store?
The store was all kinds of awesome, with blades of every kind on all three levels. I could have spent half my day playing with stuff there, but in the 30-40 minutes I had, I came out with a short fixed blade from Bear & Sons that happened to be on sale. It was a good purchase to be sure, but the scabbard did not hold up to hard use. Withing 24 hours I had punctured a hole in it, rendering on-person carry unsafe and undesireable. I will likely purchase another sheath for it and see what happens, but to be honest, carrying a fixed blade on one's side is a bit bulky and uncomfortable. The Glock carried inside the waistband
is much better.
The quality of the knife is better than a China or Pakistan blade in the same range (~$30). I scoured the knife cases for an USA Made blade in this range, and the only thing I came up with was Bear and Sons. Other than the sheath, I am happy with the product.
Our drive through the Smokey Mountains and throughout the area was hella impressive. The Smokeys have something of the feel of legend to them. The main, twisty two-lane roads through the park were pretty much packed, but it was also good to see locals chilling out at the swimming holes and creeks in the park.
In the past I have asked myself when I go to a place if I could or should live there. I have tended to be on the hunt for the perfect spot, but on this trip not so much. My new opinion about things is that no matter where you live, there is a trade off. You can be here, but not there. Visiting places is fun, but starting from scratch somewhere else is not. One also loses any time invested in a previous location when they pick up and move somewhere else, even if it's across town, though that surely is not as radical as across country.
Some people have no choice but to move. Despite my frustrations with my house and the hillbilly code with which it was built, I am content where I am at. My neighbors are generally low-key rugged individualist mountain folk, heavily armed, and overall, good folk. Trying to find another community like that and starting from scratch now makes no sense to me. So unless God kicks me out of here, I guess I'll be in the Olde Dominion for a good long time.
Anyway, I've digressed. The topic of place is one that I like to ponder, so there you have it.
The other new purchase is a new-to-me shot-once-by-the-previous-owner Mossberg 500 8-Shot, set up
to kick ass and take names by the boatload. I ran this gun today and, with the recoil-reducing Knoxx stock, I pretty much made my decision this morning that if I have to walk to the end of the world, this is the gun I'm reaching for. Hands down.
Not that I'm leaving anytime soon, of course, but you get the drift. Smooth. Powerful. Boo-yah!
Pics to come for all you weapon loving fiends.
Over & Out,
--Nick-Dog