My first legal carry in a National Park.

So, I switched from day shift to swing shift today. (Well, actually yesterday now. 23 Feb.) Having awoken early due to still working out a new sleep pattern, and the weather being crisp and clear, I decided that I should go for a bicycle ride, and that I should do my common route from my house to Saguaro Park East, the loop of the Park, and back home. To celebrate/test the change of the laws regulating firearms in National Parks, I decided to arm myself for my ride. (Outside of Parks, I do this normally anyway, as mentioned in this forum in the past.)

As it was a brisk 45 deg. F at 1030 hrs., I wore my road riding attire of cycling shorts, insulated, wind-resistant tights (basic black), long-sleeved optic-yellow cycling jersey and light-weight optic-yellow cycling jacket. I donned my Blackhawk instructor-style belt to support my Taurus 1911 in a Serpa holster on my right side, and a double magazine-holster on my left side. The jacket was tucked neatly behind the pistol butt-holster and the magazine holder.

I rode to the park entrance, with a short stop just prior to tuck my voice recorder into my jersey collar zipper under the jacket, and to pull my park pass and ID out of my jersey pocket. As I rode up to the entry control hut, I looked down and realized that instead of my military ID and Park pass, I had my military ID and driver licence. D'oh!! And I had no cash on my person.

Taking a chance, I rode up to the kiosk (had to wait for the two vehicles in front of me). I asked the Ranger working if they could look up passes by name, but apparently they don't have that capability. Oops. However, after scrutinizing my ID's, and noting the local address on my D.L., he said he'd let me through if I would bring my card or entry fee the next day (today, now). I readily agreed, and thanked him profusely. He thanked me for my military service (I still find that somewhat embarassing after 19+ years...), I thanked him for his service to keep our Parks accesible, and a pedaled merrily into the 8 mile Park loop. Not a word was said about firearms or anything other than road safety, he mentioned the heavy traffic that day and that the previous days rains had left some sand and gravel in the several washes that cross the road and they hadn't been able to finish cleaning it up yet. After entering the loop, I paused, turned the recorder off and returned it to my pocket.

I rode the loop, passing numerous cars and pedestrians and cyclists. Said "Good Morning" to everyone I met. No panics, no shouting, no hysteria anywhere. Midway through the ride it warmed up enough to take my outer jacket off, roll it up and tie it around my waist, tucked behind the firearm and magazines. Passed out of the Park, waved at the Ranger and reiterated my promise to return with my pass. Got home with no incidents. 20 hilly miles, 1 hr. 20 min.

For the record, the S.P.E. manager (Top Ranger) is my immediate next door neighbor. I have never discussed firearm carry (in or out of Parks) with him, but he and his British wife have seen me come and go from the house (and we've had conversation while doing so) while armed O.C., and he's been armed in uniform while going/returning from his duty day. I consider us to be casual friends who will keep an eye on each others houses when we go on vacation, and loan each other tools and share the occasional social drink. Some day I'll have to work the subject into conversation and find out how they feel about it, but I'm fairly sanguine about the possible outcomes.

All in all a very good day. :)


P.S. No promotion of brand names is intended or implied. I receive no compensation for mention of any brand or company.

You carried in a national park.

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...it did not fall.

Despite the vigorous wailing and gnashing of teeth by those claiming the usual "blood in the streets (streams-thanks spin!)" and "wild, wild west" hyperbole.

Just a Citizen, peacefully exercising my Civil Rights in a non-threatening manner. Whodathunkit.

:shrug:

It follows that the topics of discussion here will involve firearms. If you're not interested, don't read.

It's just an interest I don't understand. Some people like to watch curling, and I don't understand that either. No big deal.

Not trying to stop anyone from anything here, just don't understand. Please ignore my posts.

The DU "Forum: Guns" is about second amendment issues, and laws which flow from 2A.

Many of us here have been deeply involved with civil rights (my first demonstration was in 1967 -- in North Florida, not Boston), and have grown up with guns. Had the gun-control issue not "gone national" 20-25 years ago, it might have withered away and would not justify a separate forum here or become such a potent issue, writ large. But it did go national, and became a hideous culture war which the "controllers" have lost.

Some of the reasons people have "interest" in guns: self-defense, hunting, collecting, target-shooting, custom-refitting, etc. The firearm is one of the LAST products in a dying industrial tradition in the U.S. Something well-built, durable, reliable, long-lasting and affordable. Gone is the watch industry, gone is the home entertainment industry, gone is a universe of manufacturing. When I clean my "Ought-three" .22 (Winchester's first foray into semi-automatic arms), I have to admire the "let-in" of blued metal to walnut, and the fine rounded finish on the receiver -- this on a "factory" rifle made over a century ago. You won't find that kind of thing now, except on a "custom shop" rifle where hand work is enclaved. The rifle itself is obsolete, and ammunition is next to impossible to find.

You may wish to read: AMERICAN RIFLE, Alexander Rose, Delacorte Press, 2008. Thanks for posting.

My interest in firearms started at a young age. My father was a big hunter and every year would go hunting for big game and fowl. When I was 12 I got my first .22 rifle. My father would never allow me to have a BB gun (only good for getting into trouble he said) but I got my first firearm when I was 12. Guess he figured kids won't try and shoot out street lamps with real guns (attract too much attention).

Anyways.

I have hunted over the years, and am grateful that I know how to hunt and can provide for myself if I needed to, but frankly I've never been much into hunting. It's a lot of work, usually cold and dark, and frankly for the effort and expense I'd rather go pick out some fillets from the case at the grocery store.

But I have always enjoyed target shooting. I like shooting my grandfather's pistols, knowing that I'm sharing a common bond with past generations of my family. What I like about target shooting most is the self-discipline and self-control that it requires to be good at it. Anyone can pull a trigger. Anyone can place gun sites on a target. But the self-control required to maintain a steady aim when your brain knows a big BOOM is coming is significant. Making yourself not flinch is hard. Getting good groups on a target gives a tremendous satisfaction in the sense of self-mastery and mastery of the firearm.

Unfortunately I don't get to shoot very often anymore since ammo is scarce and expensive. But I miss it.

...pick up a .22LR conversion kit. If you shoot 200-300 rounds per range session or more, it pays for itself in as few as 2 or three trips.

I use the Advantage Arms kit on my PT1911. Functions absolutely identically, down to stoppage drills and last-round-slide-lock-open. A tack driver, fun as anything with clothes on, and great for teaching newcomers and kids.

I used to have a Springfield Armory GI .45, but was totally dissatisfied with its accuracy. I thought it was just me (I always assume the gun shoots better than me) until the day I shot a friend's Colt Series 80. I could drive tacks with it. I knew right then that the Springfield GI .45 was not an accurate pistol, so I sold it.

I don't have any other convertible firearms. I wish they would make a conversion (an "upper", so to speak) for the Beretta CX4.

I have two .22 rifles and a .22 colt woodsman (but it will only shoot standard velocity) and a Browning Medalist that I can shoot in .22, but I prefer the challenge of big-bore shooting.

My favorite is my .44 mag S&W model 629.

Where, I understand, OC is fairly well accepted anyway (the open carry movement considers it a "gold star" state), which figures given the climate. If Arizonans don't flip out outside the park, why should they flip out inside?

Glad you had a good ride. Frankly, given the way some motorists still react to bicyclists around here (and this is western Washington, for Pete's sake; bicycle lanes are commonplace), OCing a large caliber handgun doesn't seem like an affectation. It sure does encourage drivers to share the road.

So, is that the blued, stainless or bi-tone PT1911? I have the blued myself, though if it weren't for the fact that I don't use it much as a carry weapon, I'd say I should have sprung for the stainless.

Although to my eyes it's really black.

I've actually been the victim of "assault by vehicle" while riding a few times, but it was mostly in Vermont/New Hampshire, and Florida. Hasn't happened here yet. I suspect the chance of using a firearm for defense against a car would be small due to a variety of factors, but there are many times when I am not on the bike or in traffic, and thus endless scenarios one can hypothesize. I'll start another topic to discuss that later.

persons using the park, at least not that you have reported. Glad you enjoyed your ride. I feel pretty comfortable with a 1911 as well, carry one frequently.

Have yet to shoot up my first post office or rob the local Turkey Hill, though and I have been carrying for over 15 years.

Enjoy.

mark

...and brought your American Express Card instead... LOL

...in regard to the fact that he had no money & the park wasn't free. ("American Express... don't leave home without it.")

Having said that, I don't know why he would need a gun there anyway.

quite dangerous when compared to the rest of the country. Murder rates for park rangers are the highest of all law enforcement in the country. There are also many different types of animals who can easily kill a human for dinner.

...and thought it was quite amusing. Thank you!

And yeah, should have at least brought another card... Do'h!

Lesson XXXXXXX on how not to leave the house in a hurry.

I too do not understand the point of this post...

Yet here we have a normal citizen who was able to spend his morning there without letting his guns shoot a single thing.

Amazing, I tell you.....

Good God...

I really wish we could get past the hyperbolic tone of discussions with respect to guns and policy....

this means I can now legally carry on my boat when I'm at Lake Mead

I hear they testy about that...

Beautiful scenery though.

they do get a little testy if you get to close to the Dam. We usually try to go to Cottonwood Cove to launch our boat. I don't really like the Lake because there arn't many coves to pull into but the river has lots and lots of nice coves. One time my wife and I pulled into this cove and saw a pack of big horned sheep, absolutly beautiful.

When I'm on my way up to Salt Lake to see family, I usually like to camp at Fire Point, on the North Rim of the G.C. (VERY isolated), and at Cedar Breaks National Monument. (If its during the open seasons.)

to Cottonwood Cove you have to go through the little town of Searchlight which is the home of Harry Reid, nice little town but if you blink your eyes you will miss it. We also like to go to Laughlin and launch from there and then take the river to Lake Havasu City, It's a pretty nice ride with lots of beautiful scenery and once you get there you can see the London Bridge

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How ever do you manage to stave off the premature exclaimation?

Plonk.

Got Freudian?

Just FYI.

Katamoon I trust?

...but they recommended I substitute Viagra for my firearm.

It is to laugh.

Why are the grabbers always bringing up sex?

Too quiet on the home front? ;-)

... there would be no market for handguns with 2-5" barrels.

(Though, if you own a longslide 1911 or a 7.5" Ruger Super Redhawk, you're on your own.)

(ETA: the deleted poster was Lorien.)

Given the propensity around here to believe that firearms somehow commit acts of violence all by themselves.
I just can’t for the life of me understand how NO one ended up dead!
:sarcasm:

I couldn't get anyone to give me an excuse. I probably should have just started blazing away randomly anyway, I hate to not meet peoples expectations...

And again, :sarcasm: , for the impaired.

And, failing that, how many buffalo did you poach?

Now, can you help me close the lid on my freezer, it's a bit over-full at the moment...

I enjoy reading your writing. Thanks for sharing such a postive experience, even if it was rather mundane. : )

Mundane is how I like it.

Edit: And how it should be.

And you manage not to take a potshot at Bambi or Thumper! Good for you! ;-)

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Anybody need a rabbits foot charm? I got a couple extras here....

Because as I understand it that's an unavoidable result of your action...

:)

It was hard though, they kept moving out in front of me. Maybe it would have been easier if I'd drunk the other half of that case of beer I had before my ride...