Just For The Record -- It's Getting Exciting -- March 11, 2025

Locator: 48491MADISON.

Of interest, coming off confidential list: this is going to be a horizontal well targeting the Madison oil formation.

• Wednesday, March 12, 2025: 33 for the month, 149 for the quarter, 149 for the year, 
• 41104, conf, Medora Minerals, LLC, Davis Creek 2-28H, 

One mile away, twenty-four years ago this well was drilled and still pumping away:

• 15126, 230, Medora Minerals, LLC, Davis Creek 1-28H, Davis Creek, t10/2001; cum 277K 11/25; at $40-bbl oil = $11 million at the wellhead for a well that probable cost a couple million to drill.

Also, a mile away:

• 16450, 227, Medora Minerals, Davis Creek 1-27H, Norwegian Creek, t4/07; cum 136K 1/25; at $40-bbl oil = $5.5 million at the wellhead for a well that probable cost a couple million to drill.

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The Six Best Carry-On Travel Backpacks:
The New York Times/Wirecutter

I haven't read The NYT story, yet. My personal favorite: Matein for less than $30!

Now, let's see what The NYTimes says, link here: two sizes, 45 liter and 35 liter are standard -- small or large --

• best small carry-on for most situations: Cotopaxi Allpa 35L Travel Pack Del Dia; $215, REI Amazon (LOL) [Today, on Amazon: $225 -- holy mackerel! It's a suitcase on your back. The Cotopaxi 38L costs an incredible $350!]
  
• best large carry-on for most situations: Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L; $300, REI Amazon (LOL)
• best backpack for working out of: Patagonia Black Hole MLC 45L: $239, REI, Backcountry (LOL)
• best (tie) backpack for long journeys on foot: Osprey Farpoint 40: $136, Amazon; $140, Walmart; $185, REI;
• best (tie) backpack for long journeys on foot: Osprey Fairview 40: $160, Amazon; $140, REI; $185, Backcountry;
  
• best backpack for dedicated single-bag travelers: Tortuga Travel Backpack Pro 40L: 4350 from Torguga;

I'll stop by REI today and look at these incredibly expensive backpacks. 

For the record, I've had my $25-Matein for three or four years now. Love it. Best backpack I've ever had. Pushed to me by clever marketing. Another reason why I like AI and targeted ads.

For the record, back in my college days I hitchhiked across the continental US four times, and spent a full summer in Europe, hitchhiking from North Dakota to NYC and then flying to Luxembourg, with that same backpack for perhaps six years. I forget. Probably cost me $20. 

The trick with backpacks, like good wine, is this: it's easy to find a great backpack for $400; the challenge is finding a great backpack for under $30. 

I've found that the more compartments one has (don't take this out of context):

• the more expensive;
• the heavier:
• the less room for actual packing.

Along with my Matein backpack, I travel with a clear tote bag to carry personal items, so if any problem at the airport, I can check my backpack at the last minute and still have a laptop, iPad Pro, notebook, reading book, snacks, and a few other items that goes under the seat with no problem. The clear totebag gets into every stadium I've been where backpacks, etc., are severely restricted. 

I obviously wouldn't carry a totebag it hitchhiking; a tote bag is to meet specific requirements.

Most of the backpacks reviewed by The NYT writer were "suitcases." Designed like suitcases. Not designed for those with a laptop and a large tablet. My hunch: designed for "hippy" traveler with iPhone as only electronic gadget. Certainly not for the "adult" traveler these days, and certainly not for small frames, e.g., most women. Trans men will do well with these.

The Osprey was an exception.

Snarky comments: "cut and paste" from the article and my comments -- 

"I spent nine months roaming around Hawaii with not much more than that": "not much more than that" gives one a lot of wiggle room -- what else did he carry that didn't fit inside his backpack? As noted above, I spent a full summer in Europe with only the backpack and absolutely nothing else. My hands were always completely free. An absolute must, if nothing else, for personal protection.

"spaces to hold tickets": this guy's been testing backpacks for ten years, and he still talks about paper tickets; who in the world carries paper tickets any more when Apple's Wallet does it for you -- electronically.

This is the Matein I have. I believe it's a 30-liter capacity.

But then look at this, even larger, only $26, and meets TSA standards and almost half-price, and just before summer:

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Disclaimer
Brief Reminder 

 Briefly:

• I am inappropriately exuberant about the Bakken and I am often well out front of my headlights. I am often appropriately accused of hyperbole when it comes to the Bakken.
  
• I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.
• I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 
• See disclaimer. This is not an investment site. 
• Disclaimer: this is not an investment site. Do not make any investment, financial, job, career, travel, or relationship decisions based on what you read here or think you may have read here. All my posts are done quickly: there will be content and typographical errors. If something appears wrong, it probably is. Feel free to fact check everything.
  
• If anything on any of my posts is important to you, go to the source. If/when I find typographical / content errors, I will correct them. 
• Reminder: I am inappropriately exuberant about the Bakken, US economy, and the US market.
• I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 
• And now, Nvidia, also. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Nvidia. Nvidia is a metonym for AI and/or the sixth industrial revolution.
• I've now added Broadcom to the disclaimer. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Broadcom.
• Longer version here.