Wisconsin Tacomas and bad financial advice

Sounds like Magruder Corridor is calling...

 

"Can you get me a beer from the house?"

 

Indeed!!

 

I was doing some looking.

There's a rubber nipple on the bottom of the starter motor and solenoid that serve as vents and prevent debris from entering.

No water came out but mine were encrusted in this foreign brown substance.
On the sides, at the bottom, are a couple tiny openings.

Not sure if it has anything to do with the starting issues. I reached up in with a brush and cleaned them off, too.

 

Probably a pigment of your imagination.

 

I lost you at rubber nipple, didn't I?
Let's focus.

 

So, I have this plan... blast out to Miles City MT from Ashland and spend the night, then wander via hwy12 across the north end of the Crazy Mnts to drop in and cross the Bridger Mountains on Flathead Pass into Bozeman. Spend a day (or two) with friends and then wander southwest across the Tobacco Roots and Highland Mnts as we get up to Anaconda MT. From there we continue wandering west through the Saphire mountains to the start of the Magruder. Couple days crossing that corridor and then up into the Idaho panhandle and Bitterroot mountains via the Idaho Backcountry Discovery Route (IDBDR) to Wallace where we will pickup I90 and wander off to my family obligations. Figuring 8-10 days to get from Ashland to Wallace... This is a once in a life timer epic run me thinks. Here is the Gaia planning I have done so far: https://www.gaiagps.com/map/?loc=6....folderId=13331eb2-b1a8-4c99-a268-477a3ac63c48

 

That looks really interesting.

 

That looks epic Pat. I took a quick peek at some of those routes (which I have no knowledge of) and looks like mostly gravel or dirt? How much of your route is more like a typical Pat-level-offroad-difficulty trail? Most YouTube videos or trip logs I skimmed don't mention much about brown bears but in that backcountry I'm assuming it may be wise to have a shotgun available just in case?

 

And Brenke slugs. Not the Remington, Federal or Winnie flavors. I don't know the science, but I have seen a few articles praising the performance of Brenkes on big bears.

I also have a book about bear attacks out west. It will make you think twice about having "your way" with the wife.

 

Whatever type of shell you choose, bring more than one. And have a second strap. Always.

 

Well I'll be darned, never heard of those before but looks like I need to go shopping. Learn something new every day. Looks like those can be fired out of a smooth barrel with a choke which is pretty versatile. I've got an old Remington 870 police magnum that has a fixed choke and those Brenneke slugs will make a good match for backcountry defense. TacomaWorld never fails to educate and help promote spending.

Belt and suspenders. Two is one, one is none.

 

Finally changed my cabin air filter today. I think I had half of the leaves of Bayfield County in there! Damn, what a mess.

 

Plenty of info out there about bear safety for those interested. Most problems seem to come from a couple things - improper storage of food / trash or getting between a mother and her cubs.

Also in bear country you typically want something on your person at all times like bear spray. A shotgun / firearm is great but if it’s in the truck, it doesn’t do you any good. Also be sure to check the local regulations.

bears don’t come looking for trouble, they get curious from new smells or feel threatened and then they are a problem.

https://www.fws.gov/species/grizzly-bear-ursus-arctos-horribilis

https://www.fws.gov/node/382566

https://igbconline.org/be-bear-aware/

https://igbconline.org/be-bear-aware/bear-spray/

also keep in mind firearm regs if you are on federal lands or buildings.
https://www.nps.gov/articles/firearms-in-national-parks.htm

 

There is some high stress offroading in there. I think all of this is doable by the builds we all have. I am looking for trouble on a couple of side trips, but otherwise mostly dirt-some of it rough. Bigger issue may be lingering snow as we are going the first week in July. Talked with a Ranger out there Monday and she stated that the snow pack was below normal for this year, but there are so many variables that it might still be a problem. All the past routes I have done in Montana were way further north-well, and top of the world area. Fun to explore through the middle!

Bear spray is the best I can do. In 60 years of being actively outdoors I have only had a couple of bear encounters and never with a big brown. Lucky I guess...

 

In 45yrs I've had 1 encounter and I venture into places people don't belong.
They are plentiful in Lincoln and Oneida counties.

 

Most problems come from city folk that want to play country for the weekend.

You're right though. They don't care about you or want anything to do with you.
Food and cubs.

 

What's wild to me Are all the videos of people approaching wildlife like it's a Disney movie. And then sure enough that moose yeets poor Doris all the way across the entire Road

 

It's another one of those things about growing up in the Northwoods.
Bear are just something else in the woods that ya really don't think about.

I had to look at their areas. They aren't around as many places as I thought.