My Monthly Friend Has Come

“I dunno, the picture of the guy with the 5 lb. block of cheese and slicing up red bell peppers struck me as funny.”

“I posted a thread "over there" about this. Even most of them are not happy. >8-O”

“They needed better content and writing and they gave it a facelift (it can be debated if it is indeed a "lift") instead.”

“My wife bought me a subscription to Backpacker magazine to help out a friend's kid. I explained gently to her that the magazine doesn't have much bearing on the backpacking I do, and that if she decides to get me another subscription in the future, "Outside" would be better.

The upshot is that I now get my "monthly friend" as well!”

“I miss nigal's reviews.”

“We should take up a collection to get Nigal a subscription so we can continue to get his reviews.”

“NG Adventure is good, too.

Nigal, don't stop please.”

“I could mail him mine, but I'm not sure I want to be party to that kind of torture.”

“I do have some morals, after all.”

“I could right reviews of some magazines here. if y'all think you might be interested?”

“you do have morals bitpusher, unfortunately you also have a very low sense of humor”

“lol yes...”

“I could right reviews of some magazines here. if y'all think you might be interested?

Bearmagnet
2:32:51 PM
11/19/04

uhhmmmm...No thanks. ;-)”

“LMFAO!

It seems the more I uze a compewter the more stupider I gets.”

“They have a way of doing that...”

“Computers are the Devil! ;-)”

“lol, you would be surprised (or perhaps not) at the number of people I've heard say that and mean it.”

“Am If gunna end Prowler or if more bacpac?”

“deedebil!”

“My subscription ran out. :(”

“backpacker mag is okay. portable fans are not”

“I'd be willing to pay for a subscription to Backpacker for Nigal if he would promptly review for us here. I've given up my subscription, but I find his reviews hilarious.
last edited: 11/19/04 4:26:12 PM”

“If Nigal will send me his snailmail, I'll gladly send him mine when I'm done with it...lol...”

“I guess I don't have any morals after all...lol...”

“LOL! Next month I will be doing Best of Backpacker Magazine 2004, or as I like to call it Please Give me a Million Paper Cutts and Dip Me in Lemon Juice.”

“Actually I thought the latest issue was less offensive than usual.

Think about it - just from the variety of knowledge and experience on this message board - how can a single magazine please a significant portion of us? Maybe we ought to start a 'Suggestions to Backpacker Magazine' thread.

BTW, although I haven't read it all, 'Outside' seems pretty dismal this month. On the other hand, they did print my remarks on the 'Sin' issue [You can do better.]. The letter before mine from Patagonia's Rick Ridgeway was quite something.”

“I never liked Outside that much. It always gave me a complex like I wasn't extreme or pretty enough to read it.

NG Adventure is a great read.”

“That was something!

I think Backpacker reads TT. Alot of the stuff we talk about ends up in the magazine a short time after. Although, it could be coincidence since we talk about everything.”

“Now, Sass, could be true... or it could be coincidence. As a person who sometimes does freelance writing, the "experts" will tell you if you're thinking of a story idea, chances are someone else is also thinking of that same story idea.

Case in point: In the 90s a friend and I visited the California ghost town of Ballarat. It's on the western side of the Panamint Mts., which are the on the western boundary of Death Valley. We found by talking to "Mayor Jim" -- a general store proprietor and "mayor" -- that the Charles Manson ranch/compound is up in these desert mountains.

When we left, I quickly wrote down notes thinking it would be a great freelance piece.

I got home to find BIKE magazine in my mailbox. Front cover/lead story??? Mountain bikers exploring the Charles Manson ranch compound!! And they even did a sidebar on Mayor Jim!!!!!

I hadn't even had a chance to pitch my story idea -- and there it was, already in print, mind you, with a mountain bike angle.

Great minds DO THINK ALIKE. LOL!! :-)”

“The new adventure has a great article on Mt. St. Helens.

I don't like Outside, cancelled my subscription, too commercial.”

“Hey lizs, you should come out here and visit the Unabomber's place! It would make a great day hike!”

“I would subscribe to bp or outside if they had a swimsuit issue.”

“Cool aero!!!

It was really pretty funny at "Mayor Jim's." Some woman from Santa Barbara wanted to run day hikes up to the Barker Ranch (or whatever it was, there's some other "ranch" with a familiar name in the vicinity, too)

She wanted to have a massuese (sp?) to massage the poor hikers muscles at the top... and then a gourmet meal.

LMFAO!!”

“A stay at the Helter Skelter Shelter?”

“I was informed last night that there is a cabal of TTers who have taken up a colection and will be getting me a subscription to The Evil Publication That Shall Not Be Named. LOL! Thanks guys! Now that it seems that I have sponsorship I feel it it only right to mention the sponsors. So now My Monthly Friend Has Come will be sponsored by

Trailtalkers
Against
Mamby
Pamby
And
eXpensivepublications.

Or as I like to call it TAMPAX.

So thanks to all the TAMPAXers out there!”

“lol
... and "cabal?" Whoa, Nige, what the heck is that? Do they feast on each other when the going gets tough? (send them to the "Happy Thanksgiving, pass the finger" thread for one of g-force's roasted fingers!)”

“cabal

n 1: a clique (often secret) that seeks power usually through intrigue [syn: faction, junto, camarilla] 2: a plot to carry out some harmful or illegal act (especially a political plot) [syn: conspiracy] v : engage in plotting or enter into a conspiracy, swear together; "They conspired to overthrow the government" [syn: conspire, complot, conjure, machinate]”

“Nigal-- did you see Dodgeball?
"Are you been reading the dictionary?" ROFLMAO”

“Oops... that should have said,

"Are you reading the dictionary"....”

“He speaks the truth. A collection has been started. If you wish to contribute, email me and I'll let you know the details.”

“I didn't realize cabal was so obscure a word. LOL! So do I get to nknow who the kind people of TAMPAX are?”

“If I say "Ruby, you have mail", will that tell Nigal that I'm in on it? Dang, okay, um, Ruby, you might or might not have mail from me. :)”

“LOL! Maybe I need to start writing funny reviews of REI gear?”

“NOOOOO! I love my REI gear.”

“The deed has been done. You will get an email tomorrow. I think it will start after the 1st of the year.

I'm laughing already.

You know what sucks? I went ahead and subscribed again myself. I'm going to have to follow along with this thread, you know.”

“Look what Nigal got int he mail this morning!

"To: Craig Turner

You have been given a gift subscription to BACKPACKER magazine for the holidays.

Happy Holidays from TAMPAX! You do us proud.

From: Victoria (Ruby)"”

“LMAO!!!
Tampax? Is that Ruby's new trail name?”

“"Trailtalkers
Against
Mamby
Pamby
And
eXpensivepublications.

Or as I like to call it TAMPAX."

I do hate to look a gift horse in the mouth but I was really hoping there'd be a bonus gift like their little book, "Crappy Recipes Made From Stuff You'd Never Carry in the Backcountry and Would Never Make". LOL!”

“LMAO! I think I have that book.”