On a recent trip in foul weather, we were reminded how useful it is to have several whitewater rafting “dry bags.” These heavy-duty rubberized nylon bags have a virtually watertight seal, and have become ubiquitous with the paddling crowd. Ours were purchased back in the early 1990s, and were made by Northwest River Supply (NRS). This is back in the days when nearly all of the NRS products were made by hand in Moscow, Idaho. And this was when their “Bill’s Bag” was available in green. (Now, the only choice is “shoot me ” red!) There are now umpteen dry bag makers, and umpteen styles and colors available. We find these very handy both for canoeing and for road trips–for stowing extra gear on our rig’s roof rack. In addition to the lightweight version with a carry handle and lightweight shoulder straps, you can pay more and get a full-up “portage pack” with internal stainless steel stays and more-heavily padded shoulder straps and a proper backpack-style padded hip belt.
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Bret F. told us about a swell deal in Mountain Home, Idaho. An auto dealership there is running a “Buy a Truck, Get a Gun” promotion.
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Our family has recently been reading the newly updated Making the Best of Basics by James Talmage Stevens. We’ve been impressed at the extent to which the book has been expanded and updated. If you have one of the older editions I highly recommend that you upgrade to the new edition, and pass along your older copy to a friend.