Open carry vacation to Wyoming, day 4
Day four!
Stayed in Sundance last night (population: 1,161. elevation: 4,738 ft.)
I came up with a good one: You know you’re in Wyoming when the elevation is four times the population!
AMAZING LIGHT SHOW BY GOD (1):
From the hotel room, we witnessed the MOST INCREDIBLE ELECTRICAL STORM EITHER OF US HAVE EVER SEEN! It went on for an hour, knocked out the power in the hotel, and we just pulled two chairs up to the window, held hands and smiled.
Hotel window view where we stayed last night in Sundance, before the storm:
Didn’t take any photos of the lightning, but did record it with us oohing and ahhing, have about 15 minutes of that is on Radio Free Nestlandia, (episode 26) which is available here.
Today in Sundance. Had a mellow morning, and then went to rifle lessons in Newcastle at Appleseed. (Check out that site, they do wonderful, inexpensive lessons all over the country. Not just shootin’, but learning why you need to shoot, too.)
First, stopped for coffee at the Loaf ‘n’ Jug in Newcastle. We open carried, no problem. (Coffee is really good too!)
DJ shooting at Appleseed
My best target (at 25 meters). Scored a 127 on the AQT (Army Qualifying Test). Good enough to not be relegated to cooking, but far from rifleman. It’s a start. And pretty good for a guy who one year ago thought only police and soldiers should have guns!
We met some great folks in person again that we’ve only talked to on the Internet before.
Ate at Donna’s Main Street Diner in Newcastle. Outstanding food, friendly service, and we open carried with no problem.
AMAZING LIGHT SHOW BY GOD (2):
Driving to next hotel, we went from clear and sunny to a fog bank that looked like snow, with about 30 feet of visibility, in FIVE MINUTES.
(It got even worse than this, but I put down the camera to help look for the mile marker for our turn, while DJ drove about 20 MPH for the last few miles.)
Wyoming’s “June Gloom” beats Los Angeles’ June Gloom into submission. I’ve lived in San Francisco and DJ has lived in Texas and we’ve NEVER seen fog this thick come up so quickly. Wyoming’s “June Gloom” should be called “June Doom.”
Was a wonderful day, our arms and backs are sore from shooting prone for 7 hours. It’s a good sore. Gonna jump in the whirlpool now.
More tomorrow, or we may take a day off from blogging and rest up.
MEW!
MWD and DJD
June 6th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
How do you like the taste of freedom? So I do have a couple questions though. Why is it that you thought only police and soldiers should have gun’s? What made you change your mind?
I lived in California for a little over a year and hated almost every day of it, I headed up there the day I graduated High School from Shoshoni Wy. What a mistake. I now know what it feels like to have less freedom lol.
I got a concealed permit the day I turned 21 and even though I have that permit I will generally open carry, much more comfortable. Anyway welcome to Wyoming and enjoy the rest of your vacation.
June 6th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
>Why is it that you thought only police and soldiers should have gun’s? What made you change your mind?
I was raised by liberal siblings. Clouded my mind. Was always an anarchist though, even though I voted democrat until a few years ago.
It’s all in my book, long (good) story:
http://www.lifeamp.org
MWD
June 7th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Hi guys, I was wondering why I hadn’t heard from you lately. I had forgotten about your vacation, and then being on others computers while away from home visiting my dad in hospital, I didn’t get your blog until today.
Sounds like you are having a wonderful time. The pictures are great. Will catch you later… keep having fun.
marion
June 7th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Awesome pics once again. I need to get one of those targets. I’m kinda curious now what I’d score. I’m still pissed that I couldn’t make it down for the Appleseed. I’m not nearly as avid of a gun enthusiast as I used to be, but I still like to shoot when I get the chance, and learning a few new tricks never hurts.
Where you off to next? Back home? Or are you going to take in a little more of Big Beautiful Wyoming first?
I’m telling you man, if you can swing it, you gotta check out the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody. A person could spend three days there just checking out the guns . . . and I think they have other stuff there too.
June 7th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
>Awesome pics once again.
Thanks!
We ain’t going near Cody, but will check that one out once we live here.
We’re in Wyoming for four more glorious days. Yay!
It’s funny, we already have more friends here and a richer social life each day than we have in California after decades living there.
MWD
June 7th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
You can download and print the target here:
http://appleseedshoot.blogspot.com/2008/03/aqt-targets.html
June 8th, 2009 at 8:51 am
Targets downloaded and printed, although I’m not quite sure if they came out the right size. No problem, I’ll poke some holes in them anyway, and see how I do. I’ll send you some pics afterward.
Since you’re in the Northeast corner of the state, you’re close to the Black Hills. Ever seen Mt. Rushmore?
It’s awesome that you’re making friends, that’ll be a big help when it’s time to unload your stuff, LOL. There’s an old cowboy I run into from time to time down in Wyoming, the real deal not some city slicker playing dress up, that has a quote I like. He’s often heard saying, “As long as I’m in the state of Wyoming, I’m home”. He means it too, because I never know what part of the state I’m going to find him in, and finding him sleeping in his pickup is in no way unusual. His house is near Sheridan, but his flea bitten old carcass could be anywhere from Rock Springs to hell and gone, LOL. It’s a little disconcerting to his Mrs., but he don’t seem to mind.
June 8th, 2009 at 9:12 am
Just went and looked. There’s an Appleseed in Boulder, MT in September . . . Ifin the lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise . . .
June 10th, 2009 at 8:54 am
What a joy to finally meet you both! Welcome to Wyoming, and hurry back home.
June 10th, 2009 at 8:56 am
Well, that didn’t come out quite like I wanted it to! LOL
I mean, come back HOME to Wyoming as soon as you can!!
June 10th, 2009 at 9:13 am
I know! We love it here. And it was great to meet you. We’ll have more time next time.
And DJ has a job interview this morning. How cool is that?
Wyoming is wonderful.
MWD