Disappointed

[cecyt1300]

I've been thinking quite a bit lately about bags and packs. I've put together a VSK and am working on the best way to contain it all.

This has reminded me of a time I went to buy an alice pack from the local surplus store. It was a good store, with a pretty good selection. At least I thought so at the time. I was a teenager then and the store is long gone. I was at a friend's house and we were going downtown for something to do. I had been wanting to go the the surplus store and pick up this alice pack I had looked at before. It must have been a small or medium because I recall it costing somewhere around 13 bucks.

We trudged the mile or so from my friend's house, through a good bit of snow and wind, and went into the surplus store. I went back and grabbed the pack. There were only maybe two on the shelf before I grabbed mine. On the way to the counter I took out my money and stopped dead in my tracks. It was gone. I had a twenty dollar bill on me when we left my friend's house. it was nowhere on my person in the store. I could only conclude somehow it fell out of my pocket on the walk to the store.

I was bitterly disappointed. For some reason lost to my memory I never went and got one. I think by the time I had enough cash again they were sold out, then the store closed, then I lost interest in surplus shopping.

Today my money goes to bills and maintaining my house, etc. There are no more surplus stores remotely close to me. The memory of that trip still makes me wish I'd beenable to get the pack, but it is also nice to remember a time when, as a kid, you could set your sights on something, save up for it, and spend 100% of your money on it. Instead of giving it to Uncle Sam and bill collectors and having to scrounge some to buy yourself something.

Nowadays it is more challenging to get things, but not impossible. It's just nice to sometimes remember the simpler times.

So how about you guys? Any stories like that? Of some "must have" piece of gear that got away? Or just a nice memory of those simpler times? Let's hear them.

 

[Rupestris]

One of my favorite "simpler times" memories seems to get better with age. Probably because the current laws make it more difficult for things like this to happen in todays "protect us from our own stupidity" society.

I was about 14 years old. A couple friends and I would mow lawns, rake leaves, shovel snow, whatever we could to raise a couple bucks. There was a small department store just outside downtown Detroit that had a small sporting goods section. In the glass was the Crossman .357, 6" CO2 BB/Pellet gun. It was about as alluring as Ralphies Red Ryder.

We saved our money, rode our BMX bikes to the store and the three of us rode out of there with the "weapons of mass destruction". Price at the time was about $25ea. IIRC.

To us it was no big deal. Find what you like, put down the cash, go plinking.

Today the current laws in Michigan require one to be 21-years-old, get a purchase permit from the local PD, then take the thing back for a safety inspection. Its essentially a firearm because of the rifled barrel.

I think part of the nostalgia in these stories is the fact that there was anticipation, planning, research, etc. Today, being an adult, you see something you want, you pull out the Visa card and buy it. Its a soulless experience anymore. Especially when dealing with the $20 items that used to seem unobtainable.

Chris

 

[Wildewinds]

The losing the money thing brought back this memory:

Just out of high school I was going to take a trip through Europe "on the cheap." My mom was in the car with me when we were going to the airport. On the way there, she surprised me by giving me $100 for the trip. A fortune for me at the time. Since I was driving, I stashed the twenties under my leg to put in my wallet when we got to the airport.

Needless to say, when we arrived, I had forgotten about the money under my leg and I parked the car at the curb and got out. It was windy as heck, of course, and the money went flying out of the car straight into the busy airport traffic. I leapt into traffic as well, running down the street with cars honking at me, and kept at it until I got all the money back. I'm sure I looked the fool, but damned if I was gonna let $100 go flying away.

 

[rebeltf]

If I may rant for a second. These days suck compared to how things used to be , I mean I enjoy all the technology but the cradle to grave BS , I can do without.

Maybe it's just commiefornia ?

When I was a youth I would go with my Dad to his best friends ranch out in the country , I loved going out there , he had grapes and fruit trees and guns like some people have garden gnomes.
It was a guarenteed shootin' time, no matter what time of year. We would make "pipe bombs" and blow up old stumps , shoot squirrels and rabbits and catch lizards and snakes.
The Mom's always stayed inside yakking and drinking coffee , out back was just for us guys , even a squirt like me.
It was a far , far purer time.
My Dad had his old Ford pickup , gun rack and NRA sticker complete.
I remember all of us going camping and we caught and killed a rattler , my Pop still has that sucker's skin stuck on a board in the garage. We brought home deer and rabbit and quail.

These days it's all about ipods and PC schools where a child cant draw a pic of his father who is a soldier , but the doctors will be more than willing to prescibe johnny or jane some prozac or ritalyn. I guess addictive anti-depressants are better than reality....

Ah, I'm done.

 

[Codger_64]

Nice rant rebeltf. Brief, scuccinct, with just the right boquet, and not too heavy on the whine. Good job.

I remember being eight years old and wrestling Granddad's wooden jonboat into the back of the '48 International pickup, yanking the choke, pumping the gas, stomping the clutch to the floor, and stepping on the floor starter-button, firing it up, and driving myself and my brother to the closest bayou to gig frogs and catch yellowbelly catfish. At that age, I got my first shotgun, and brought home all manner of game for Mom to cook, though the family usually was gracious in letting me eat all those rabbits, dove, and squirrels myself. It was simpler times for me indeed, but I am not so sure it was for my Dad.

Codger

 

[22-rimfire]

Times are pretty good these days. There are far more toys available for men and boys. We remember younger days because we were kids and it was simpler for us, but NOT necessarily for our parents. Hunting, fishing, shooting whenever we felt like it or afford 22 shells. Great times which forged a moral compass and foundation of basic skills.

It is pretty darn nice that you can walk into most any grocery store and buy fruit just about any time of the year and all sorts of frozen and canned goods.

We raised our own beef. It was not because it was fun; it was a way to cut a few corners and feed seven kids on one income. We canned and later froze lots of garden items. Our garden was a good acre in size. Grew a lot of potatoes and I always hated digging them as it was a requirement that they had to be dug before archery season started or we could not go hunting. Well, potatoes are pretty cheap these days and growing them as a family is a thing of the past unless you just want to.

 

[Buck Bennett]

In a slight variation to the thread, how about a piece of gear I had to have then lost forever? I had to have this cool fixed blade when I was about 12 or 13. I have no idea what brand it was, on my meager allowance I am sure it was a cheap one but it was cool for me. I carried it everywhere for the week or so I had it, day and night, out in the woods, all over the place. So one day I'm at the river down behind our house, standing on a tree that bent out over the river . I was just standing there looking at something and the knife just slipped from my hand into the river! I looked for it for a long time but couldn't find it. Man, did that hurt. My parents sold that house about 15 years later and I actually went down to the river just before they sold it and looked in to see if I could see it-ridiculous I know but I had to try one more time. It still hurts to think about it!

 

[x39]

Grew a lot of potatoes and I always hated digging them as it was a requirement that they had to be dug before archery season started or we could not go hunting.

Yeah, but the work before play requirement made the hunting , fishing, or just plain hacking around all the sweeter.

 

[runningboar]

It was simpler times for me indeed, but I am not so sure it was for my Dad.

Codger

Very good point, those days for me when me and my best friend were roaming the woods and fields hunting and fishing, my dad was working 2nd shift in a furniture plant and was barely making ends meet. I had a good 22 rifle and a single shot 20 gauge and enough money to have a few shells, my best friend's dad was our mail man so Frank could hitch a ride with him to our house, about a mile and half walk through the woods behind my house was a river with fish and the woods had squirrels and grouse. Very good childhood, my folks provided it for me be working the skin off their bones. Chris

 

[cecyt1300]

These are great stories guys!

There is a creek behind my mom's place (where I grew up) and I spent all my time in the woods back there. The creek was just wide enough that a boy couldn't jump across. Sometimes a fallen tree made a bridge, and sometimes em and some other neighborhood kids tried to make one. Getting to the other side was like going to another coutnry for me. So much woods to explore. There were stories of packs of wild dogs back there, crazy guys, etc.

In the woods behind the house I would try to set up forst, climb trees all day, hide from people in my camoflage, etc. I stripped some trees of the outer layer of bark when I found out how easy it was to get a screw driver under it and just go up and down. I used it for lashing stuff but in hind sight it was probably pretty destructive. I don't recall any trees dying from it, but it still couldn't have been good for them.

In the winter I used to love it when the creek froze. I could go exploring the length of the creek, just walking on it's frozen surface. It led around to an area the kids called "the jumps". I ended up with cold, wet feet (and frozen pant legs) way more often in the winter than in the summer.

The "jumps" was a big sandy area where kids took motor bikes and bmx bikes. there were remnants of ramps, all kinds of tire tracks, and used shot gun shells everywhere. I was in the part of the creek up there one time and was messing around wth the crayfish there. I have no idea what I brushed against, but I got some sort of worms under my skin or soemthing. My legs had all kinds of round marks on them. Sort of inflamed. I think they scabbed or something. I don't remember real clearly now. It sucked having them and I felt like leper or something.

My dad was killed in a car accident when I was young, so I didn't have Boy Scouts (we didn't have enough money and mom didn't have time), or anyone to show me outdoors stuff. Fortunately I got interested in it myself. I am not interested inhunting for trophies, but I am leaning more and more towards self reliance and would not mind some hunting to provide food.

Anyway, I am enjoying this thread. The stories are great. Keep them coming!!

 

[Rat Finkenstein]

I was in the part of the creek up there one time and was messing around wth the crayfish there. I have no idea what I brushed against, but I got some sort of worms under my skin or soemthing. My legs had all kinds of round marks on them. Sort of inflamed. I think they scabbed or something. I don't remember real clearly now. It sucked having them and I felt like leper or something.

Sounds like swimmer's itch. I had it bad all over both my legs at one time.

 

[cecyt1300]

Sounds like swimmer's itch. I had it bad all over both my legs at one time.

Thanks Rat!!

That does sound like what I had. That was a good article.