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Hunting >> Hunting in Australia, NZ & the South Pacific

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mikeh416Rigby
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Loc: The beautiful Oley Valley, PA....
Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Hunting [Re: NitroX]
      #278675 - 01/03/16 08:46 AM

Great story and photos......really enjoyed the posts.

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Rino
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Hunting [Re: mikeh416Rigby]
      #278701 - 02/03/16 12:05 PM

John, Thanks for spending time to write and sharing this with us. I really enjoyed reading this. As the matter of fact, I read it once and then had a cigar and read it once again!

JB and John, congrats with your trophies.

Im sure your trophies will remind you of what seems to be great hunting and some epic experiences!

Edited by Rino (02/03/16 12:08 PM)


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4seventy
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Hunting [Re: Rino]
      #278743 - 03/03/16 07:49 PM

Yes, thanks JB and John for this story of your hunt.
It's great to have a full account of all the details of the hunt and the travelling as well.
That celebratory dinner and wine looked awesome, and I'll bet you both enjoyed it after a big day.

Nice that you both got to shoot a bull as well!


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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Drive North [Re: NitroX]
      #278748 - 03/03/16 10:37 PM

"A Safari is not a destination, it is a journey through life ..." & "An exciting buffalo hunt"

Where the Devil Plays Marbles


Quote:


Day Three. (revisited) + PLUS THE RETURN STOP OVER

After Wauchope saw Devils Marbles and planned to stop there for a few minutes for photos on the way South.





Stopped off at the Devil's Marbles again, and here are the photographs. These places provide a welcome stop off to stretch one's legs, I usually do them very quickly, a brisk walk, lots of photos and then off again. The tourists sometimes spend hours at these stopovers. I have been to this place many times, since it was only a dirt track and complete open access to now when it is more regulated and controlled.
























I could not resist testing out the penetration power of my .450 .... (only joking of course)





A couple of Aboriginal workers, maybe trainee rangers? There was a busload of uniformed Aboriginals also visiting the site as tourists. Good to see.







European tourist couple getting sun tans.















The car park. Lots of tourists.



Parked away from people a little. The head did have a slight odour, but not too bad. Would have to see how acceptable it became as the trip went on. Did not want to have to dump it hidden in the bush somewhere whenever I stopped for the night near people.
















First night stopped was in at Three Ways again. Everything was full so was the only person camping in the camp ground, had the entire field to myself. Everyone nnowadays has carvans, camper trailers or stays in rooms or cottages. People camping usually stay in the free roadside stops which can end up having dozens of vehicles often grey wanderers. I tend not to like these stops as they are often surrounded by insufficiently buried toilet spots circling the whole camping spot with the usual hordes of flies ...

Parked my vehicle with the rear of it down wind from me, rolled out the swag, had a shower and meal, and then had a good nights sleep under the stars again. No one within several hundred metres of me.


--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


Edited by NitroX (03/03/16 11:20 PM)


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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Drive North [Re: NitroX]
      #278750 - 03/03/16 11:39 PM

"A Safari is not a destination, it is a journey through life ..." & "An exciting buffalo hunt"

The tradition of the Outback Wave.


And now to some of my lunacy posts ...

It was traditional and often still is, to give a wave to other road users. Once upon a time, it was pretty much 100% done. Now it is sometimes observed, often by everyone for a period of time, then a bunch of a-holes don't bother. A friendly outback tradition to be observed.

With hours of driving and nothing to do, I decided on some new 'waves' to add to the usual ones.



The usual one finger raised to indicate hello!



The happy wave.



Peace man!



The minimalist finger hello.



The pinky wave.



Thumbs up!



Roman thumbs down.



Fascist salute!



NAZI Hail!!!




The salute.



The British salute.



Giving the finger "wave".



Up yours wave!



The cigar wave, old chap.

The last one was too hard to photograph as it is the crazy wave, two hands at once.

One goes a little mad on a long drive.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Drive North [Re: NitroX]
      #278751 - 03/03/16 11:45 PM

"A Safari is not a destination, it is a journey through life ..." & "An exciting buffalo hunt"

Hand Surfing out of the window ...


Another method to occupy the bored mind is hand surfing. Wind down your window and let the breeze blow your hand as the will wishes ....

Really good when the airconditioning stops working too.






Mazing how this can entertain the bored and mad mind for an hour.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Drive North [Re: NitroX]
      #278752 - 03/03/16 11:51 PM

"A Safari is not a destination, it is a journey through life ..." & "An exciting buffalo hunt"

Stop and smell the flowers ...


One of the tourist attractions of the Outback for many is the fields of Wild Flowers. After rains in the desert, the desert blooms and is said to be a colourful field of flowers. Never seen it to myself to that extent, and it can last only for a very short time.

If they are blooming amass on the way up, they are often largely gone by the return.

These were in Northern SA.

Desert wild flowers for the flower lovers of NE.

However the best would be AFTER the rains just received.



















Somewhere I have good photos of the Sturt Desert Pea which is the floral symbol of South Australia. From a previous trip.


--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Drive North [Re: NitroX]
      #278753 - 04/03/16 12:07 AM

"A Safari is not a destination, it is a journey through life ..." & "An exciting buffalo hunt"

More of the drive South.

Amazingly this was the second time it rained in Central Australia on a return journey. The last time sometimes the land was flooded to the side of the road and it took over a thousand kilometres of driving to get out of the wet and muddy zone.

This time I drove from Three Ways South passing Alice Springs until I was tired out and stopped at Stuart Wells. A pleasant station turned fuel stop and pub and hotel/camping grounds off the Highway between Alice Springs and the Border.

I didn't want to camp in the bush as the red desert soils had turned into a nice red claylike mud. If necessary will do, but sloppy swags and or tents at this stage I wanted to avoid.

Managed to secure one of the few last rooms, a "Bachelors Quarters" room, for the princly sum of $10 for the night. (or $30 as I wrote below, I forget which? Might have been 10 as I remember thinking it was dirt cheap) Similar to a clean shearers quarters type room with a wire and metal bed frame, mattress, sheets and blankets. Not like the usual shearers quarters one might stay in on a hunting property, with a foot of dust and bird droppings. This one was cleaned each day I presume. Bathroom and showers some 300 metres away through the buildings, huts and caravan park. It would do fine and better than covered in mud the next morning. A shower then a pleasant dinner and a couple of beers in the pub. Lots and lots of people there, it was a thriving place, the rain probably helping. Lovely girl from Bavaria behind the bar.









Desert landscapes from the drive South. I enjoy the deserts, gibber plains and savannah scenes of Central Australis. Here rain clouds threaten North of Alice Springs, with thunder storms and rain. I "sheltered" South of Alice Springs at Stuart Wells Roadhouse in the "bachelors" quarters, the only accomodation remaining, for the princely sum of $30, and enjoyed a lovely steak for dinner at the roadhouse pub.

At the border.



An invasion of Chinese tourists.



The emblem of the Northern Territory, a ....





The Sturt Desert Pea, the floral emblem of South Australia.

Last trip we camped here at the border, putting our swags on the gravel, as coincidentally it also rained heavy on the return journey of that trip. Over a thousand kilometres of rain storms or wet and muddy countryside. The gravel was better for a swag that night.

The Northern Territory was once the "Northern Territory" of South Australia and was part of South Australia. For financial reasons of administering such a large area, it was ceded to the Commonwealth. With hindsight a BAD decision! IMO.

Wild brumbies by the roadside.













Wedgetail eagles feeding on roadside carrion in Northern South Australia. The wedgetail eagle is a larger eagle than the bald eagle of North America and the fish eagles of elsewhere but brown feathered.









Emus by the road North of Port Augusta.



Northern South Australia desert vista, another mesa in the distance.

I often imagine what it would be like being on foot in this sort of country and how ling these sorts of distances would take. Where water might be found, if one was lucky hear a mesa or mountain range. Nowadays a cattle or sheep borehole and trough would be more likely. On foot something one would not want to try out in a desert like this.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


Edited by NitroX (20/04/17 12:57 AM)


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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Drive North [Re: NitroX]
      #278754 - 04/03/16 12:16 AM

"A Safari is not a destination, it is a journey through life ..." & "An exciting buffalo hunt"

Return of the Jedi ... to Tantooine or at least to Cobber Pedy


I really wanted to enjoy a night in one of the underground hotels of Cobber Pedy. Many people live in caves in Cobber Pedy and there are a half dozen or so motels and hotels with underground rooms. Some better in design than others. Spent an hour driving in circles looking for the small place I had stayed in with my wife years ago, it was on a small back road ... ended back at the road house at the highway and a nice lad at the counter helped me with a list from the internet. Made some phone calls and the my old place was full as was all of them except one. It turned out OK, part of it was a bit artificial with roofed off areas, but where I stayed it was actually in the living rock and cave rooms.



Return journey - Coober Pedy and the Underground Motel





I wanted to stay in one of the underground hotels or motels again, so aimed for Coober Pedy on Day Three of the return trip. Previously had stayed at the Comfort Inn a couple of times, a pleasant completely underground motel delved into the rock of the hillside and cliff.

This time with no booking it came close, the Comfort Inn was full, as was the main hotel which has some underground rooms, another couple of motels as well BUT got the last room at the Underground Motel! Probably were some rooms at one of the normal motels but I wanted a cave to stay in.













The main entrance.









The Hallway.









My room with its kitchette.






A roof of living stone.




Even the ensuite bathroom is underground.






Guest kitchen.





Funny little talkative Thai or Khymer woman running the reception at the motel.

Was always worried about the buff head and any odour at these places. No one complained though. Out in the car park met a couple of guys in a big 4WD ute who looked like hunting sorts and were on the way to the North, starting somewhere in NSW or Vic, I forget.



--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Drive North [Re: NitroX]
      #278756 - 04/03/16 12:30 AM

"A Safari is not a destination, it is a journey through life ..." & "An exciting buffalo hunt"

Final leg, Cobber Pedy to home in the Barossa.


Stopped just for the sake of it in Port August, to view the Southern Ocean, having traversed again the continent from South to North and back again.

The Southern Ocean again, at Port Augusta.



I stayed here once! Before setting forth driving North that time, maybe in 2005.



Port Augusta at the top of Spencer Gulf on the Southern Coast of Australia.



The sun sets for the last time for this trip.

Dinner at a roadhouse and then drive the last few hours in the dark to home.

Enjoyed this trip very much.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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NitroXAdministrator
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Reged: 25/12/02
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Drive North [Re: NitroX]
      #278757 - 04/03/16 12:31 AM

Have a post or two still to do of stuff on gear etc. Just out of my personal interest. Have to put them together.

This is the trip and thread largely finished.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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DarylS
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Drive North [Re: NitroX]
      #278761 - 04/03/16 02:23 AM

Really great pictures, John - HOWEVER - all those different waving pictures.
If is painfully obvious you don't drive fast enough. LOL

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V


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stug
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Drive North [Re: DarylS]
      #278777 - 04/03/16 02:16 PM

Great photos, another wave is the fingers down but spread, back of the hand towards the windscreen, similar to your third photo of hand surfing.

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Al333
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Drive North [Re: stug]
      #278779 - 04/03/16 03:40 PM

Great pictures and stories John. Very much appreciated. Al

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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Drive North [Re: stug]
      #278782 - 04/03/16 04:42 PM

Quote:

Great photos, another wave is the fingers down but spread, back of the hand towards the windscreen, similar to your third photo of hand surfing.




A wave suitable for the Sydney Mardi Gras perhaps? Also known as "limp wrist"? Something that did not naturally come to my mind.

Suitable for this week though, when ABC and SBS "celebrate non stop perversity" ...

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Drive North [Re: DarylS]
      #278840 - 05/03/16 06:16 PM

Quote:

Really great pictures, John - HOWEVER - all those different waving pictures.
If is painfully obvious you don't drive fast enough. LOL




Actually have taken these photos at least two times before posting this trip's versions. First time I took the photos while driving. Amazing how much easier it is to pick a spot with adequate vision in both directions, park on the road and take the photos. Drive off the road if a vehicle appears.

My diesel Landcruiser only drives a certain speed but did drive up to 130 kmph at times when trying to make a distance. Usually around 115 kmph. At that the diesel engine still burns a lot of fuel. With the laiden roofrack the vehicle did act a little like a boat so some care was needed or it might rock a bit. At night speeds were well down, or at least I tried to keep the speed down. Hitting a cow, camel, horse or donkey with the Landcruiser at 120 kmph would have been a spectacular disaster ... still damaging at say 80 kmph but more reaction time. One looks for cattle on the road in the headlights, but always a bit shocking ti see a cow unseen appear to the front-side of the vehicle on the road verge and others as well.

Before the next trip I must install some good spotlights.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Drive North [Re: NitroX]
      #278841 - 05/03/16 06:22 PM



I do wonder how natural the roof of this 'cave' motel was? Could it be coloured textured concrete? Would have to be quite thick if it was though.

The other place, the "Outback Experience Comfort Inn" (or similar name) was the real true deal no doubt, with room tunnelled into the true rock and cliff. Took photos of that too, sometime in the past. Might be on an external HDD which failed but probably the disk is still intact.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Hunting [Re: Rino]
      #278842 - 05/03/16 06:28 PM

Quote:

John, Thanks for spending time to write and sharing this with us. I really enjoyed reading this. As the matter of fact, I read it once and then had a cigar and read it once again!

JB and John, congrats with your trophies.

Im sure your trophies will remind you of what seems to be great hunting and some epic experiences!




Ha ha Rino. I sent you a message months ago of my hunt story. I wrote this one from memory again, step by step in my mind as it happened. Hopefully similar stories!

Were you smoking one of those "crusader" brand cigars? I tried to get some here, import some, but I think the selling site didn't export. Cool ring labels and box labels on those cigars.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Hunting [Re: 4seventy]
      #278843 - 05/03/16 06:29 PM

Quote:

Yes, thanks JB and John for this story of your hunt.
It's great to have a full account of all the details of the hunt and the travelling as well.
That celebratory dinner and wine looked awesome, and I'll bet you both enjoyed it after a big day.

Nice that you both got to shoot a bull as well!





Alan, thanks, good to hear such comments from you, seeing your experience. Do you still make any films or videos of your hunts?

Hopefully still hunting as well!

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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4seventy
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Hunting [Re: NitroX]
      #278874 - 06/03/16 10:13 AM

John, yes still hunting, but not doing any filming of hunts.
I've been asked often to re-release my old boar hunting videos on DVD or digital format, but haven't done anything at this point. One of the big gunshops that used to sell my videos has asked this as well.
I still have the master tapes and also the original camera tapes, so could do it.

If there was enough interest I might get around to it one day. The early stuff was shot and produced more than 25 years ago now.

Getting back to this thread, the story and photos are excellent, and the way you both put it together makes it very easy to follow.
Breaking it up into several chapters worked extremely well too.
What a great trip, and the fact that you had to hunt hard to get your bulls, makes them worth so much more.

When is your next top end trip planned?


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Charles_Helm
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Hunting [Re: NitroX]
      #280423 - 06/04/16 01:56 PM

I recently finished reading my Safari Press Corbett collection. Your pictures and description of the fires put me in mind of his discussion of fires and overcoming his fears of them in "Jungle Lore."

Nicely done by both of you on the hunt.

--------------------
Some pictures from Namibia

Some pictures from Zimbabwe

An Elephant Story


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MFC
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Hunting [Re: Charles_Helm]
      #282062 - 08/05/16 10:50 AM

Great pictures, great story, great information. Thank you for taking the time to document, compile and post your trip. A Northern Territory buffalo hunt is on my "someday when I have money" bucket list.

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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Hunting [Re: MFC]
      #282299 - 13/05/16 02:52 AM




JB's/larcher's water buffalo horns hanging in his house in France.


Thanks to Claydog for cleaning these up for JB and arranging freight to France. Good bloke.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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pondoro62
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Hunting [Re: NitroX]
      #282460 - 16/05/16 06:57 AM

This post has been a most enjoyable read.....I bet you had a good time in the bush..

Makes me wanna hunt buffalo and scrubbers..


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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: A safari is a journey + an exciting buff hunt - Hunting [Re: NitroX]
      #282482 - 16/05/16 01:16 PM

Quote:




JB's/larcher's water buffalo horns hanging in his house in France.


Thanks to Claydog for cleaning these up for JB and arranging freight to France. Good bloke.




Hopefully we will see JB here in Oz again in the future and find for him a great big monster for the wall.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


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