Outdoors in RI: Sunset’s call, fishing friends, uptacamp Maine, bears, beaches, 2A – Jeff Gross

by Jeff Gross, contributing writer

With all the BS going on in Rhode Island – bridge problems, Route 3 construction, traffic jams, crime, crime and more crime – take some time with your partner and grab a picnic basket, find a remote place and chill by enjoying the sunset.  There are various locations one can enjoy a great sunset such as Waterman Lake in Greenville, Rhode Island, or a multitude of various locations around Narragansett Bay and the ocean front. Remember, one cannot be denied access to any saltwater location, nor access to the ocean front.  Private property ends at the very least at the high tide mark, maybe even 10 feet higher than the high tide mark. 

Pull that plug on the TV and enjoy some peaceful outdoor time – and forgo the violence laden, commercial swamped nonsense on TV. Catching the sunset is a great escape from social media as well. Apparently, people from around the East Coast and beyond are using the social media platforms even more these days to belittle people. A sign of sad, pathetic lives. On the other hand, your family and your dog will be grateful for taking them on a sunset adventure!

The Bay is alive!

The Bay is alive with Stripers.  Some locations in the Bay have so many Stripers one could practically walk on them. They are hitting all types of top water and swimming lures as well as the typical eels and squid bait. If your buddy offers to take you out on the Bay, chip in on the gasoline.  While we are paying $3.56 at the pump (no thanks to Joe Biden) Marine gasoline is averaging $4.89.  Your buddy will appreciate the donation and so will his wallet.

From uptacamp (Maine)

Tony’s Bait Shop in Oakland, Maine has an excellent variety of bait. For you Rhode Islanders heading to Maine, Oakland is within striking distance of most Maine Waterways in central Maine.  Especially the Belgrade Lakes area. We need to encourage support of small businesses.  Yes, you might pay a dollar more for an item, but these businesses are struggling under Build Back Broke and Bidenomics.  Another way to look at it is at a small business you are checked out in less than 2 minutes.  At a chain store like I was forced to enter in Cranston, Rhode Island 3 days ago, there were only 3 registers open and 15 people in line at each register. I was forced to stand in line for 20 minutes. People were getting agitated by the wait.  My time is worth $150 per hour!  I’ll pay the extra $1 and be out of the shop in 2 minutes and, in turn, support a family business.  Consider the same for all small businesses.  Will at Big Bear Hunting and Fishing was in at the crack of dawn this past Sunday. You can be in and out in 5 minutes, and enjoy good conversation as well.  You can pick up the fishing items you need at Big Bear to bring the youngsters to the annual RIFGPA Children’s Fishing Derby on Sunday June 9th.  See flyer for details!

Beaches!

18 beaches are closed in Massachusetts, with another 2 more added at 3 pm Wednesday due to alleged bacteria contamination.  I find this alarming in not so much of the contamination which I question the validity and concentrations of the analysis.  This writer has encountered a few PhDs who do not know their job and lacked all common sense.  This is another topic Mark W. Smith and I agree upon. I am also concerned about the nanny state closure of such locations.  Keep in mind the RI DEM closed all State Parks, Campgrounds, and Management areas September and October of 2023 as 6 mosquitoes tested positive for EEE. 6 Mosquitoes dictate the behavior of thousands of citizens? 

2 weeks ago people in Massachusetts towns were ordered to stay in their homes and not leave as there was a bear roaming around the towns. My friends in Pennsylvania and Maine think that was an asinine move by the Massachusetts government. Pennsylvania and Maine residents have bear in their yards all the time. In fact, my dear friends Roe and John have bear visiting them all the time in PA. 

Keep in mind that right after the Boston Marathon bombing folks in the western suburbs were ordered to stay in their homes for 3 days.  RI and MA have now crossed the line with the “”Nanny State Doctrines”. Remember how we were forced to comply with being ordered to stay in our homes by Gov. Raimondo to “flatten the curve” in 2 weeks?  That 2 weeks turned into months.  This writer did not comply with that order at all and went fishing, and also vacationed in Maine. He will not comply with any other order to “shelter in place”. He has a pair and plans on using them.

To give you another example: while people stood in 100-yard-long lines for upwards of 2.5 hours waiting to shop, this writer would go at 7:45 pm – 15 minutes before closing and purchase half a shopping cart of groceries and be checked out and walking out of the store in 10 minutes. The MA and RI governments get away with this dictatorship behavior as citizens in both states allow it to happen and do not question the politicians, nor hold them accountable.

Touch-a-Truck Success

The Touch-a-Truck event was a major success, and the farm was swamped with joyful youngsters.  Abby was a greeter and by the end of the day crashed on blankets due to exhaustion.  The weather was postcard perfect and people had a great time.  Consider bringing the little ones next year as they will have a great time. Dogs were allowed as well, and Abby made many new friends.  At 81 degrees it was just a tad warm, but Abby had access to an umbrella.  She was treated to a swim at the end of the day. Being a water dog she is a fish with a fur body.  See header photo and video below.  Dog owners can keep their dog”s body temperature normal by allowing them to swim on hot days.  The pups will be very grateful for your kindness.

2nd Amendment update

The 3rd non-denial of Illinois AWB & Mag Ban SCOTUS Case occurred Monday. The next conference is scheduled for June 6th. Conveniently on D-Day.  We will continue to monitor the court as people are starting to get excited that SCOTUS may just take the Illinois case.

Congressman Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo voted to strip US Military veterans of their constitutional rights, as an amendment was placed in the House Veterans funding bill to protect veterans 2A rights.  The VA had been reporting the Veterans to the NICS system as mentally incompetent based on the fact that the veterans were taking advantage of a fiduciary person to aid them with their checkbook. Magaziner’s and Amo’s votes were to keep the VA reporting and continue stripping Veterans of their 2A rights.

Mainers please contact your Congressman Jared Golden and thank him for voting to save the 2A Rights of Veterans. Even though Rep. Golden is a Democrat he supported the 2A rights of Veterans and all Americans.  Thank you Rep Golden for doing what is right.

While the next 3 weeks will be decisive in the Second Amendment world, a thought to ponder:

In my opinion, if Democrats are allowed to continue to be in charge in Washington and RI, soon our grandchildren may ask “Grandpa, Grandma, what happened to our constitutional rights?  Why did the Democrats take them away?

Hope to have some great news next week, stay tuned.

Jeff

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Jeffrey “Jeff” Gross spent 21 years as an Analytical Chemist at the USCG R&D Center in Groton, Connecticut, Woods Hole Laboratories, and Helix Technologies. Changing careers is a “great learning experience for everyone”, Jeff says, and I’m an avid outdoorsman and conservationist, a student of the sciences, and the world. The US holds too many wonders not to take a chance and explore them”.

Jeff is the Model Train and Railroad entrepreneur. Proud Golden Retriever owner. Ultra strong Second Amendment Advocate and Constitutionalist. “Determined seeker of the truth”.  Jeff is a RIFGPA Legislative and Legal Officer, Freshwater Chairman, NRA Liaison.

His subjects include Outdoors, Second Amendment, Model Railroading, Commentary, and Whimsical. He can be reached at: [email protected].