Barry Sloe

The last few days have definitely seen some ups and downs. About a week and a half ago our dog, Tippy, was diagnosed with: 1) large mass in her chest, 2) small mass towards her tail, & 3) her lungs were in terrible shape. They couldn't tell without spending $$$ if it was cancer. We decided to ensure she was comfortable and happy, no more procedures that she hated. Yesterday was a road trip to Silver City, NM to pick up our new travel trailer. The trailer looks good, momma is happy with it, and we made it home safe. This morning Tippy took a bad turn and was gone by 7 am. Not a good start to the day. We had about 7 good days with her after her diagnosis, so we are happy about that. Went and filled my truck after the road trip. I have never, ever put $130 of fuel (diesel) in any vehicle before. It was a little below the 1/4 mark. On top of all this, I have a sinus infection that has a horse pill for a cure. Thanks for listening. I miss Tippy already. BS

If I had a couple of those to shoot at Bordertown I wouldn't have to aim (just lean a little). BS

Well, she signed him out to go to a mental health evaluation. But, there was no evaluation scheduled. Sooooo. BS

Happy Anniversary. BS

We shot this match a couple years ago and really enjoyed it. We have it on our list for next year. BS

I'll throw one more thing in the ring. A few years back I was MD at Bordertown. My better half (Trizzlee) and I were shooting the warm up (4 stages). There was a young lady (30ish) on our posse that was moaning from the beginning that the targets were too big and too close. It wasn't until she completed the 4th stage that she had shot one clean. So, my point is - just because the targets are big and close doesn't mean that you don't have to concentrate or use your front sights. Have a great day, BS

Of your two choices I would pick big and easy. When you get your targets really big and the sequences easy it tends to give the shooter faster times than they have had in the past (and puts a smile on their face). Big and easy is okay once or twice a year. After that I would want more of a challenge. I am also not saying that I'm in favor of the far and difficult. Something in between to challenge my accuracy and my memory. If I went to a match where I had as many misses as hits, I probably would not be going back. I could say that it was a waste of primers, but reality would be the lack of fun factor. And those are my thoughts, BS

Texas is renting the busses and paying for the trip. BS

APP is not corrosive like true black. Because of that you don't have to be in a rush to clean your guns. And, APP cleans up with soapy water followed by the lubricant of your choice (I use Breakfree). Luck, BS

Are you wanting something like the Super Blackhawk hammer? That's what alot of us have used. Good luck, BS

If you have a University near you, check to see if they have a surplus store. You can get things at pennies on the dollar. BS

My normal attire will vary a small bit. 1) jeans with belt, shirt from one of our vendors, cowboy boots (either walking heel or reg cowboy heel), and either a felt or straw hat depending on the temperature. 2) jeans with braces, and the rest of the attire is the same. Should I be "blinging" it up more?? I've got some shirts that are a little louder than others, but jeans are jeans. I don't see shooters in tee shirts, ball caps, etc. Where exactly do we need to step up our outfits? Asking out of curiosity, BS

My argument against painting after each shooter would be time. Calculating how much time each shooter has on the firing line and the time it takes to reset & paint targets, in the end you may have to drop the total number of shooters at the match to ensure that everyone finishes shooting prior to the next wave of shooters showing up. Painting targets, including edges, after each stage is complete may not be perfect, but it is better for the timeline. BS

If I can figure out how to post pics I will do that. Our closest Artic Fox dealer is in Mesa (big dealer). We chose a small dealer in Silver City, NM to deal with. Hopefully everything will go nice and smooth. As a foot note - we had a Northwood Nash 24M on order since last June. It was to be built June 2022 as a 2023 model. When the price list for the 2023 models came out and the our Nash was going to cost an additional $13,500 we decided that we could move up to a 2022 Arctic Fox for about the same money as the Nash. Same length, slightly different floorplan. Take care, BS

Anxiously awaiting our 1st trailer. It's highlights: - Northwood Mfg Arctic Fox 25R - 4 season trailer, plenty of insulation. - 27'3" long, ~ 6400 lb dry wt, ~ 4k cargo capacity. - dual pane windows. - walk around queen bed. - dinette and sofa (2 seating areas). - on-board generator. - Goodyear tires from factory. - solar: 45w factory and 190w dealer installed. Definitely not cheap. We were offered either a 15 or 20 year loan. If I'm not mistaken, the interest is a tax write off. If you are seriously looking at new trailers, try to find a 2022. Northwood Mfg prices are going up ~29% for the 2023 models. I'm thinking that most manufacturers will do the same/similar. Good luck with your search, BS