An armed society... is a polite society!

---

---

We are on the last of four days getting set in Anchorage, Alaska, before setting off on the journey. Three things stand out:

1. Unexpectedly superb food and microbrewery beer in the downtown bars and restaurants.

2. Fantastic hospitality from our hosts, Larry and Allan, at the Wildflower Inn B&B.

3. Spending an afternoon in the company of the fine gentlemen of the Alaskan Machine Gun Association (AMA). Do I have your attention now?

Kevin, our tour leader, knows these guys through the BMW Riders Club in Alaska, so they invited us around to fire off a few thousand rounds at their range.

So, with no paperwork, ID, disclaimers, or questions asked, we were allowed to have a try with the following hardware:

M16 Assault Rifle
Uzi 9mm
"Mini Uzi" - 1100 rounds a minute!
44 Magnum
Kalashnikov AK-47
Gatling Gun

Amongst others. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

We're off north tomorrow and will report back from beyond the Arctic Circle, where the sun ain't gonna be setting very much.

X

---

Photos

SWAT chic
Christine sports a particularly fetching M16 US Military Assault rifle.

1918 Vickers
Die, Squarehead!

44 Magnum
A hapless punk (not pictured) makes Christine's day

Our group leader
This is Kevin. He's in charge. We are not at all concerned.

Boys will be boys
The AMA were quite happy for us to get up to this kind of stuff...

Comments

[Simon]

Guns
They'll look great on Coldharbour's old rifle range. Bring some back with you.

[Anna]

Greetings from London
Speechless! I had no idea this was the sort of thing you'd be getting up to! Girls and guns! I'm too scared to look at your next blog (but I will, so keep 'em coming). B

[Phil Pitt]

An armed society...is a police society
Now do you see what I mean about the Kalashnikov? Looks like you're having great fun.

[Denise]

Dunford Army camp
We had army games at Dunford this weekend. I thought we were being hard but I have to say 'you win hands down'

[Stephen]

Wait till the boys see those pics...
You two look worryingly at home. You have no idea how high your "cool rating" will go once I show these pics to Jack, Theo and Joe.

[Simon Trevor]

Armed and Dangerous!
Silly old me worrying about you driving across Columbia and being kidnapped by Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel! No chance now that you are with the brotherhood of the AMA! Keep safe Simon Trevor

[jo]

gun toting antics
stone the crows - got to say chris you look pretty comfortable there!!make sure you get some photos back to work. Max the gattling gun looks like your piece of kit - rear mounted on the bike - look forward to seeing you guys on the 9 o clock news. have fun folks love and hugs Jo

[anonymous]

Willem Defoe (Platoon) on a bike! Nice to know that you are in such capable hands!

[richard merrick]

Mental
Go on try and deny that you didn't love playing with the guns! Medium rare steaks are only a few small steps away!

[David Cardno]

What a blast!!
Hi Chrissie, What a great adventure. Jennifer was up there two summers ago with the now ex-boyfriend- caught lots of salmon. You look really at home with the M16! Have a great trip. David