Let the fun begin - Jim & Joyce

22 March 2015, 11:04

Since there are only three sleeps left until we find out if our coveted yellow sticky ITN Number will get our firearms through Customs and Border Protection and TSA, I figured I'd throw this thread up now before I forget.

Darin Nelson wishes for her and Bob to join us on this trip in spirit and has made us promise to give her an occasional Sat call as we did while hunting Royal Kafue with Andrew.

So be it!! She will pass on any update we give her. When we have wifi available we will also try and throw an occasional update or picture to tease you all until we get back and write this trip up.

It has been a bit complicated in the planning but I like that type of challenge and since I'm retired I actually had adequate time to even deal with the unsavory surprise of the new firearm travel regs. That said, none of us know how this is going to go in two and a half days.

Presuming I have time at SeaTac before boarding Emirates and after rechecking the bags I will fill you all in on how it went with the firearm checking.

A couple of days after that we will have an answer to the age old question.......will Joyce shoot the T-rex?

Cheers
Jim (and Joyce)

______________________
DRSS
______________________
Hunt Reports

2015 His & Her Leopards with Derek Littleton of Luwire Safaris - http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/2971090112
2015 Trophy Bull Elephant with CMS http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/1651069012
DIY Brooks Range Sheep Hunt 2013 - http://forums.accuratereloadin...901038191#9901038191
Zambia June/July 2012 with Andrew Baldry - Royal Kafue http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7971064771
Zambia Sept 2010- Muchinga Safaris http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4211096141
Namibia Sept 2010 - ARUB Safaris http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6781076141

22 March 2015, 14:32

John Chalmers

quote:
Originally posted by Frostbit:

Since there are only three sleeps left until we find out if our coveted yellow sticky ITN Number will get our firearms through Customs and Border Protection and TSA, I figured I'd throw this thread up now before I forget.

Darin Nelson wishes for her and Bob to join us on this trip in spirit and has made us promise to give her an occasional Sat call as we did while hunting Royal Kafue with Andrew.

So be it!! She will pass on any update we give her. When eve wifi is available we will also try and throw an occasional update or picture to tease you all until we get back and write this trip up.

It has been a bit complicated in the planning but I like that type of challenge and since I'm retired I actually had adequate time to even deal with the unsavory surprise of the new firearm travel regs. That said, none of us know how this is going to go in two and a half days.

Presuming I have time at SeaTac before boarding Emirates and after rechecking the bags I will fill you all in on how it went with the firearm checking.

A couple of days after that we will have an answer to the age old question.......will Joyce shoot the T-rex?

Cheers
Jim (and Joyce)

Good luck both, have a great trip. Looking forward to your report.
Kudos for tackling the the new regulations, however wrong they are.
Just took it in your stride. Lifes too short to let bureaucracy get you down. jc

22 March 2015, 15:31

dla69

Wishing you the best trip imaginable. May both Diana and the patron saint of bureaucrats smile on you.

22 March 2015, 16:33

Thunder Head

Good luck!
Im off to argentina in 12 hours. 2 weeks of fishing an hunting. A much needed vacation.

22 March 2015, 16:38

D. Nelson

I plan on being there in spirit every step of the way!!!

Hugs, Darin

22 March 2015, 18:19

bwana cecil

Best wishes my friends.
I am excited for both of you & wish I could be there to be part of this great adventure.

22 March 2015, 19:08

Marty

All my best to you both. Anxiously awaiting reports!

22 March 2015, 19:14

Biebs

Another chapter of Jim and Joyce's Excellent Adventures!

22 March 2015, 19:24

ledvm

Best wishes!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
J. Lane Easter, DVM

A born Texan has instilled in his system a mind-set of no retreat or no surrender. I wish everyone the world over had the dominating spirit that motivates Texans.– Billy Clayton, Speaker of the Texas House

No state commands such fierce pride and loyalty. Lesser mortals are pitied for their misfortune in not being born in Texas.— Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Texas in May, 1991.

22 March 2015, 19:35

Emory

With proper loads worked up for the Lawn & Alder I presume...

Safe travels and good hunting,

22 March 2015, 21:51

pagosawingnut

Have a great trip!

22 March 2015, 21:55

Frostbit

quote:
Originally posted by Emory:
With proper loads worked up for the Lawn & Alder I presume...

Safe travels and good hunting,

480 grain Woodleigh solids, 97.5 gr. IMR 4831, CCI 250 primers. The rifle is happy to do it's job if I do mine. Range time and reloading practice from the cull belt has gone well.

Cheers
Jim

22 March 2015, 22:34

jdollar

best of luck, you two! off the top of my head, with Joyce's history of back problems, you might want to rethink the T-Rex idea

22 March 2015, 22:43

Esskay

All the very best. Looking forward to your reports.
Warm regards

22 March 2015, 22:51

Frostbit

quote:
Originally posted by jdollar:
best of luck, you two! off the top of my head, with Joyce's history of back problems , you might want to rethink the T-Rex idea

What back problems? She's back to Crossfit one year post Chemo and just placed number one in the world in her age class (both genders) in the 8 week "Whole Life Challenge" that finished up two weeks ago. She totally crushed the workout.

22 March 2015, 22:58

Big Wonderful Wyoming

Great for both of you.

I wish you Waidmannsheil and the best safari possible.

22 March 2015, 22:58

jdollar

in that case- GO FOR IT! i thought i recalled that she had a lumbar spine surgery a while back. obviously my Alzheimers is more advanced than i thought

22 March 2015, 23:05

Frostbit

quote:
Originally posted by jdollar:
in that case- GO FOR IT! i thought i recalled that she had a lumbar spine surgery a while back. obviously my Alzheimers is more advanced than i thought

Your memory is fine Jerry. She did have a fusion with hardware placement at L-3 - L-5 because of the cancer destroying the vertebrae. The surgery removed all radicular symptoms and she is pain free with no foot drop. Once she went back to Crossfitting it took her about 6 months to get back to where she is now - Beastmode!

Cheers
Jim

22 March 2015, 23:09

Use Enough Gun

22 March 2015, 23:25

465H&H

Jim and Joyce,

Have a great trip. You two have certainly earned it!

465H&H

22 March 2015, 23:41

AK145

Have a great trip and good luck to the both of you. Hopefully all the snow will be gone up yonder when you get back. We are certainly ready for it up this way!

22 March 2015, 23:44

Frostbit

quote:
Originally posted by AK145:
Have a great trip and good luck to the both of you. Hopefully all the snow will be gone up yonder when you get back. We are certainly ready for it up this way!

We hardly have any on the ground. I'm very concerned about fire season. It's been quite warm the last couple of days. Weird winter for sure.

Cheers
Jim

23 March 2015, 00:22

medved

have a great and safe trip.

Phil

23 March 2015, 00:38

A.Dahlgren

Have a good one!

23 March 2015, 01:23

AR MAN

All the best and as a side note, the L7 block was and could still be home to the largest population of Livingstones eland in the Niassa! Get one for me

23 March 2015, 01:26

Frostbit

quote:
Originally posted by AR MAN:
All the best and as a side note, the L7 block was and could still be home to the largest population of Livingstones eland in the Niassa! Get one for me

Could be quite the challenge in the thick green of April. Certainly not off the menu though!

23 March 2015, 03:33

larryshores

Good luck!

23 March 2015, 05:44

Frostbit

quote:
Originally posted by larryshores:
Good luck!

Thanks Larry!

And thanks to everyone else for the well wishes. Two more sleeps!!

Cheers
Jim

23 March 2015, 09:11

TexKD

Have a great trip. Smile the whole time.

23 March 2015, 09:39

DCS Member

Best post on AR in 2015 so far. Hearing Stu was well could've been in the running, but it got shat on.

Safe travels and good hunting.

23 March 2015, 10:14

Frostbit

quote:
Originally posted by TexKD:
Have a great trip. Smile the whole time.

We'll do our best!! I'm smiling right now just thinking of all we have planned.

Fly out of Anchorage early Tuesday and have three hours in Seattle to recheck bags and run the "yellow sticky ITN" gauntlet. I'll try and pop up an all clear once we make it through that.

Then Business Class (mileage ticket) on Emirates from Seattle to Dubai. Three day stopover in Dubai to include meeting Saeed and thanking him for AR. Think about it, without AR and the alert concerning the travel reg change, it's doubtful our rifles would be going with us.

Some other sightseeing and then back on Emirates Business Class to Harare, Zimbabwe. Spend a day with Buzz and the girls and head on into the Zambezi Valley for a 14 day Trophy Bull Elephant. We are having that hunt filmed by Justin. That's a first for us.

Back to Harare and a free day then fly to Victoria Falls for a whirlwind three days including,

Accommodations at the Victoria Falls Hotel
Helicopter view of the Falls
Elephant Back ride
Hikes to the Falls
High Tea at the Livingstone Hotel in Zambia
Dinner at the Gorges
Sunset Dinner Cruise on the Mighty Zambezi

Then fly to Jo-Berg, over night at African Sky, and off to Pemba, Mozambique to hang on the Indian Ocean for a week.

Then drive into Block L-7 of the Niassa Reserve for a long awaited 14 day appointment with a pair of Leopards.

Damn right I'm smiling.

There were times 18 months ago that I secretly wondered what life might be like without Joyce. That hole was so dark and empty I couldn't even see into it.

Damn right I'm smiling.....

23 March 2015, 11:10

7MMNut

quote:
Originally posted by Frostbit:
quote:
Originally posted by TexKD:
Have a great trip. Smile the whole time.

We'll do our best!! I'm smiling right now just thinking of all we have planned.

Fly out of Anchorage early Tuesday and have three hours in Seattle to recheck bags and run the "yellow sticky ITN" gauntlet. I'll try and pop up an all clear once we make it through that.

Then Business Class (mileage ticket) on Emirates from Seattle to Dubai. Three day stopover in Dubai to include meeting Saeed and thanking him for AR. Think about it, without AR and the alert concerning the travel reg change, it's doubtful our rifles would be going with us.

Some other sightseeing and then back on Emirates Business Class to Harare, Zimbabwe. Spend a day with Buzz and the girls and head on into the Zambezi Valley for a 14 day Trophy Bull Elephant. We are having that hunt filmed by Justin. That's a first for us.

Back to Harare and a free day then fly to Victoria Falls for a whirlwind three days including,

Accommodations at the Victoria Falls Hotel
Helicopter view of the Falls
Elephant Back ride
Hikes to the Falls
High Tea at the Livingstone Hotel in Zambia
Dinner at the Gorges
Sunset Dinner Cruise on the Mighty Zambezi

Then fly to Jo-Berg, over night at African Sky, and off to Pemba, Mozambique to hang on the Indian Ocean for a week.

Then drive into Block L-7 of the Niassa Reserve for a long awaited 14 day appointment with a pair of Leopards.

Damn right I'm smiling.

There were times 18 months ago that I secretly wondered what life might be like without Joyce. That hole was so dark and empty I couldn't even see into it.

Damn right I'm smiling.....

This is going to make one hell of a hunt report, best wishes to the both of you!

23 March 2015, 15:39

ted thorn

Safe travels and have a great trip

23 March 2015, 15:47

jaegerfrank

Have a great trip! Will you take your 450 double for the elephant?

23 March 2015, 21:50

Frostbit

quote:
Originally posted by jaegerfrank:
Have a great trip! Will you take your 450 double for the elephant?

Yes, Only two rifles are going. My Army Navy 450 3 1/4 NE and Joyce's modified Ruger Tang Safety 7 x 57 with the Swarovski Z6i.

23 March 2015, 22:37

TerryR

Have a great trip.

24 March 2015, 01:52

twoseventy

Good luck, Jim. I am not usually envious but this post may be the one that does it.

Best, Tom

...I say that hunters go into Paradise when they die, and live in this world more joyfully than any other men.
-Edward, duke of York

". . . when a man has shot an elephant his life is full." ~John Alfred Jordan

"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance." Cicero - 55 BC

"The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities." - Ayn Rand

Cogito ergo venor- KPete

“It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own self-interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages.”
― Adam Smith - “Wealth of Nations”

24 March 2015, 02:56

Beretta682E

quote:
Originally posted by Frostbit:
quote:
Originally posted by TexKD:
Have a great trip. Smile the whole time.

We'll do our best!! I'm smiling right now just thinking of all we have planned.

Fly out of Anchorage early Tuesday and have three hours in Seattle to recheck bags and run the "yellow sticky ITN" gauntlet. I'll try and pop up an all clear once we make it through that.

Then Business Class (mileage ticket) on Emirates from Seattle to Dubai. Three day stopover in Dubai to include meeting Saeed and thanking him for AR. Think about it, without AR and the alert concerning the travel reg change, it's doubtful our rifles would be going with us.

Some other sightseeing and then back on Emirates Business Class to Harare, Zimbabwe. Spend a day with Buzz and the girls and head on into the Zambezi Valley for a 14 day Trophy Bull Elephant. We are having that hunt filmed by Justin. That's a first for us.

Back to Harare and a free day then fly to Victoria Falls for a whirlwind three days including,

Accommodations at the Victoria Falls Hotel
Helicopter view of the Falls
Elephant Back ride
Hikes to the Falls
High Tea at the Livingstone Hotel in Zambia
Dinner at the Gorges
Sunset Dinner Cruise on the Mighty Zambezi

Then fly to Jo-Berg, over night at African Sky, and off to Pemba, Mozambique to hang on the Indian Ocean for a week.

Then drive into Block L-7 of the Niassa Reserve for a long awaited 14 day appointment with a pair of Leopards.

Damn right I'm smiling.

There were times 18 months ago that I secretly wondered what life might be like without Joyce. That hole was so dark and empty I couldn't even see into it.

Damn right I'm smiling.....

+1

Mike