JCAT is always a solid choice!

Love me some Molé.

Awesome place, been twice in the past few months. Bonus, it’s where the Godfather of the small town quality VT food renaissance began, RIP Michel Mahe.

Thanks for this, I don’t often go up to Jay, but now I might have a reason.

Tourterelle has been on my list for more than a decade, this reminds me that I need to make a reservation!

It was sad to see Kitchen Table go, but my first impression at VT Fine was solid! Which I’m stoked on since it’s less than 10 minutes from my home!

I’ll offer an off-the-wall suggestion, but you’d need to act quickly to secure the time. Rent the Cabin/Pavilion space at Mt. Philo State Park and hire a local caterer. JCAT, Bevo, Bluebird, and Mark BBQ, all are excellent for great home-style eats, and y’all can mosey to some great views or spread out. The cabin and pavilion make it pretty weather proof for both the meal and caterer as well. Easy access for older folks, too.

Another cool option is the pavilion at American Flatbread in Warren, but a more limited food selection, I’d imagine.

Michael’s and HotW are excellent, hands down, I don’t think you’d be disappointed.

As a wild card, if folks are more adventurous in their palette, Sushi Maeda has a huge space and the food is incredible. Lots of local ingredients are used there in non-traditional ways. Book them early and give Mike/Paddy/Nick time to plan.

Pro-Tip: They open most days @ 10AM for the general public, and @ 9AM for corporate card holders, if you are a non-corporate card person, they won't turn you out if you show up at 9:30-9:45. It's always busy, it's the only Costco in the state. Plan your trips wisely.

Sadly, I think the Man of Kent, aka the guy who opened it, is no longer there serving pints, he's gotta be pushing late 80's at this point. He was a hoot to talk to, truly a good publican. Regardless, it is a fine spot for a beer, some cheer, a bit of grub, and a lot of pub.

Here is another area that I don't think is paid much attention to, I'm not a medic/first responder, but I've been in a situation or two:

Dexterity/Ease of use - Things need to be easy to access or use, whether solo work on a victim or solo on yourself and it needs to be done with one hand. Possibly in gloves, whether latex/nitrile gloves or cold weather gear.

One handed, simple tourniquets like RATS are invaluable in this case (the windlass tourniquet you listed is good and effective, but I feel like it takes a lot more dexterity to work effectively with one hand), same with trying to open packaging for dressings/pills/anti-bacterials/liquids.

I'm sure there are lots of rules about how things like pills and liquids can be stored, but a little tear off packet sucks in a low mobility or challenging environment.

I put stuff like these in a plastic vial with a pop cap that I can flick off or force off with a squeeze or brush against something. Probably not realistic for a product, but something to think about.

MyMedic is VERY pricy and 7-8 years ago when I started using them, they were about the only game in town for kits of this caliber, so kudos to you and your team trying to put together well thought out kits at a better price. I'll be watching and supporting.

For sure, carrying 500 ml of saline or DI is a weight concern for someone carrying a kit in a daypack or backpacking.

I was thinking more like the Base Camp kit would include a sterile water source.

For a lighter weight kit, maybe some Iodine drops/tablets to clean up an unknown water source. Yes, cleaning a wound out with any water is better than none, but a little insurance that you aren't adding bacterial infections in a deep or dirty wound might go a long way in prevention.

Some packets of QuikClot are VERY handy. Especially a powder like Celox. Also, liquid wound sealer tubes. I use those all the time. Or just Krazy Glue :)

Along with some sterile water/larger quantity of saline or something to treat the water being used for irrigation.

Solid looking kits. I have some of the MyMedic products, which are similar, but I'd certainly go out of my way to support a local company making good FAKs.

Not in VT, but the Man of Kent Tavern over towards Hoosick was a must visit whenever I was in the area. Have an Auld Speckled Hen to wash it down!

Very cool! I like some of those oddball bikes, like those funky leading link forks!

Hope ya can get it sorted, looks like a fun bomb-around-the-city kinda project.

If you can trailer it here, the Daily Rider in Burlington might be willing to inspect it for you...they like all kinds of weird bikes, and I mean that in the best possible way.

So you took an old dirt bike, made it electric and street legal? Sounds pretty cool. What did you start with? I liked the video Ryan F9 did on electrifying a little 70's Suzuki dirt bike.

Beef Stew and biscuits.

I’m only 40, and I’ve met Leahy twice here in VT, if we’re going for anecdotes.

Expensive, to be sure, but running above ground has it's own risks and future costs, it's a gamble. And if you can afford to bury it correctly, then bury.

100%

I seem to recall I paid about 9-10K for 100 yards from utility pole to meter/house site with trenching and a comm conduit installed simultaneously (which was good, because Comcast came up my road a year later and I already had the conduit to the pole). This was in 2019.

So, at least 5X my cost is probably ballpark, especially if you have to use poles for some/all of the span.

Nicely made product, I just wish they fit me better. Hard to justify when a set of $25 Kincos fit better and hold up for a few seasons, or if you spend cash, a set of Hestras are superior all around.

The stuff they make is a laugh compared to a generation ago, and the owner is a shitbird, so…

Someone had to say it, their stuff looks like shite.