Just like that, spring now in full swing

The first of two gun shows this month starts tomorrow at Raven Hall on the state fairgrounds in Palmer. The Alaska Gun Collectors Association is sponsoring its annual spring show. The doors open at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday so stop by if you’re out and looking for something to do.

Next weekend, April 23 and 24, are the dates of the second gun show. This event will be held at the Big Lake Lions skating rink facility and the proceeds will benefit Houston High School’s athletics program. I always try to make this show since it is only about a mile from my house. The Palmer shows requires a 25-mile one-way trip, although I still usually make the run.

I’m still not absolutely convinced spring is here, weather-wise, but time wise, it definitely is! Every weekend seems to have at least double bookings for events I’d like to attend. Some of the conflict is of my own making, but most is simply due to the frantic pace our short fair-weather season engenders.

Tomorrow, for example, is the regularly scheduled monthly blackpowder rifle shoot at the Matanuska Valley shooting range. The gun show is just down the road, but I haven’t figured out how to be in two places at the same time yet!

On the first Saturday of May, I’ll be assisting teaching a muzzleloading hunter education course out at the Elk’s Camp north of Palmer. The men’s breakfast at my church will be held that same morning and the guys were talking about having an ATV ride planned after the meal.

The next weekend, I’m again scheduled to assist with a hunter education course and my wife and I have tickets for the Alaska Peace Officer’s Association sponsored concert that evening in Anchorage.

In addition, I was hoping to find a spot to set up a bear baiting station this spring and I’ve been asked to help a friend who lives north of Willow eliminate some beavers which are damaging their property by cutting trees faster than you’d think.

I’m getting my trapping gear organized, but I can’t get too involved until the ice goes out and I can access the site. Another “hurry up and wait” situation!

I was THIS CLOSE to having my six-wheeler essentially finished and ready for use, specifically for the bear baiting stuff, when I went and broke something. Now you know why I have somebody who knows what they’re doing work on my equipment.

I had installed brackets in the cab of the 6x6 to hold my GPS and the SPOT receiver. I installed a gun rack a couple of weeks ago. The rack on the dump bed was in place. The only big piece left was the heavy-duty skid plate installation underneath and that appointment was already made for the end of next week.

I have battery chargers installed on all my vehicles to keep the electrical stuff functioning properly by keeping the battery in good shape. I had a unit I was planning to install in the 6x6 and, as I was loosening the nut on the positive cable connection side of the battery to install the charger wire – even though I was trying to be careful – the wrench slipped and just touched the metal-cased “brain box” for the unit.

You guessed it! I essentially “fried” the main electrical controller. The engine would turn over but wouldn’t even consider starting. In comparison, every time I had tried starting the engine up to this point, all I had to do was barely turn the key and the engine was running. Luckily for me, the 6x6 was still on its trailer – I hadn’t unloaded it yet from picking it up after the custom fabrication and installation of the dump bed rack.

I called the Polaris folks and they immediately knew what I did as soon as I described the situation. The part was ordered and I was told to bring the unit in for repair. If I’m really lucky, the guys might have the unit up and running within a day or so of when this sees print!

The really nice thing, though, is that the mechanic didn’t “make fun” of my clumsy wrench handling. In fact, he told me I was not the first person to make this error and probably wouldn’t be the last. With just a small plastic cover over the “brain box,” none of this would’ve happened. Live and learn!

Howard Delo is a retired fisheries biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. This column is the opinion of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman or its parent company, Wick Communications. You can leave Delo a message by emailing sports@frontiersman.com.