Hitchhiker
Changing with the times vacation. By Brock Ray n July, Anna and I pulled a travel trailer to a public campground in the mountains of western North Carolina. Our children in tow, we took along shing gear, bicycles, and archery gear. At the end of the week we returned to Alabama, concluding our rst such family camping trip. We will do it again, and soon, too, I anticipate. Ironically, this trip took the place of a more expensive vacation we had planned in Colorado. As the trip to the Rockies drew near, it became clear we were hard pressed to be away from our home businesses for the two weeks needed for this trip. We scaled back, looked closer to home, and discovered a wonderful vacation outing that we all rated as our best ever. It seems everyone works harder and longer these days, and time is just as scarce as extra money for family recre-ation. However, if you are determined to spend time outdoors with your family enjoying God's amazing won-derland, this big ole country is spangled with close-to-home, largely overlooked destinations. We had a great time and all of us are eager for our next budget vacation. I www.interstatesportsman.com Changing with the times vacation. By Brock Ray n July, Anna and I pulled a travel trailer to a public campground in the mountains of western North Carolina. Our children in tow, we took along shing gear, bicycles, and archery gear. At the end of the week we returned to Alabama, concluding our rst such family camping trip. We will do it again, and soon, too, I anticipate. Ironically, this trip took the place of a more expensive vacation we had planned in Colorado. As the trip to the Rockies drew near, it became clear we were hard pressed to be away from our home businesses for the two weeks needed for this trip. We scaled back, looked closer to home, and discovered a wonderful vacation outing that we all rated as our best ever. It seems everyone works harder and longer these days, and time is just as scarce as extra money for family recre-ation. However, if you are determined to spend time outdoors with your family enjoying God's amazing won-derland, this big ole country is spangled with close-to-home, largely overlooked destinations. We had a great time and all of us are eager for our next budget vacation. I www.interstatesportsman.com Duct Tape Needed By Brock Ray G rowing up in a fairly urban area, my contacts with farming were infrequent, but often enough that I knew corn from tobacco, and guineas from shoats. We had gardens. Picking pole beans was my least favorite chore, and raiding watermelon patches was my favorite. Until my recent acquisition of two calves to populate a pasture connected to the Ray Compound, I fancied myself as a good ole country boy. As it has turned out though, my self appraisal was a bit premature. The plan was for these calves to convert grass into rib eye steaks, rump roasts and hamburger for the Ray table. For a nominal investment and little effort on my part in a few months I would be rewarded with a freezer full of low cost beef. That was the plan, and it was a glowing plan flaunt with optimism and tasty anticipation. It seems though however, that calves are surprisingly independent thinkers, and that some of them are not only hardheaded but also mischievous. During my brief time in the cattle business I have already been on several round-ups, cattle drives and had at least one rodeo episode. One of my young bovines has a talent for escaping to roam the county, often grazing leisurely in the yards of my neighbors. Hunting season is about here. I am actually considering attaching a pair of deer antlers to the thick skull of this troublesome calf and just opening the gate to let him fend on this own. I may have a new application for duct tape. www.42outdoors.com