Went into Fairbanks today to watch the finish of the Iron Dog, snowmachine race. Wasilla to Nome, then Nome to Fairbanks. Race finish was on the Chena river downtown. Watched the first five teams finish. Todd Palin came in with the third team. Bunch of folks out on the ice. It's so funny seeing little toddlers sleeping on sleds being pulled around by Mom and Dad. Kids racing those little 125CC snowmachines. Then the old Tired Iron races. Machines from the 60s and 70s racing out on the river. One guy in his 90s racing an old Polaris machine. There was one old machine from the mid 50s. One guy was driving around in a Model T with skis on front and Tandum rear axels, with metal tracks around the tires. Ski-Doo dealer had a booth set up where kids could get into a big inner tube. Then get pulled back on a big rubber band, then let go. A big sling shot, that propelled the kid down the ice to a set up of what looked like big Moose Nuggets set up like bowling pins. The kids loved it.
At the gun show, I only saw a few items that were interesting. I bought a Rossi Combo. Stainless Steel, .22/.410 with a synthetic stock. My hunting partner had called last night asking what he should get to teach his Grandkids to shoot with. I suggested a Rossi Combo, but he said that was not what he wanted. He said they were not what he wanted. Poor blueing, poor fit and finish, bad wood. So when I saw this little gun I thought of him. I decided to buy it anyway, if he did not like it I would send it to my oldest son, for his kids.
After I got home I took the little gun over to Norms house. We sat down in the garage and he opened the little pack the gun was in. Norm opened the pack and assembled the gun with the .410 barrel. His wife Linda came up, she reached out taking it from Norms hands. She threw it to her shoulder, saying this is just right for me. It fit her perfectly. She turned to me saying "Thank you Rog, I don't care if Norman wants it or not, it's mine". "I'll let the kids borrow it, but I am keeping this for me". Linda put it back in the pack and took it into the house, saying Norm pay him. I actually traded for a small one person Cataraft.
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