We have landed back in Lovely Ouray, and on our heels comes another storm. March is our snowiest month, and thankfully, it is upon us. I guess it was pretty nice weather while we were gone; the driveway is melted of snow and ice and the surround of south facing red cliffs are showing their colorful "undies." It was a marvelous getaway, though, warm and sunny…a pleasant distraction to woes and cabin fever.
Basking in the afterglow of red rocks and warmth, I've decided not to challenge readers today. Call it a little "Spring Break" if you want…a holiday with no "assignments" beyond purdy photos and "Fun with Dick and Jane."
See Spot run. Funny, funny Spot.
We spotted these two Gun Packers on a trail in the Red Rocks Preserve…a "Pay to Play" area of National Forest around Sedona for hikers, mountain bikers and equestrian use. Shooting in such an area of high use is illegal, not to mention, stupid. I wanted to ask them if they were afraid of snakes, but didn't for obvious reasons. Why would you need or even want to carry firearms on a little hike? I realize that Arizona is a conservative state where the right to bear arms is right up there with the right to riddle roadsigns with live ammo, not to mention the Go Ahead "Make my day" mentality...such that, "If you trespass you will be shot first and questioned later." But on a hiking trail? with kids and families out to picnic and just have a good time? You really need to carry semi automatic pistols?
I carry a gun in Goldie. I believe when one boondocks in remote places in southern Arizona and a few other western states that it provides a bit of psychological safety. I say "psychological" because it is highly probable that whomever comes to rob or assault us will have my little 22 caliber single shot pistol "outgunned."
Sometimes when we are camping in a sketchy area, like where drug trafficking is active and weird looking people live in cars packed with hoarded treasures and hold loud argumentative conversations with themselves, I wonder what scenario…what grave "misunderstanding"... would play out that would actually give me the courage and cause to even fire a warning shot in the air—the one defensive "I've got a gun" act that most assuredly would bring a hailstorm of gunfire from fully automatic weapons mounted on tops of camouflaged Hummers. Where does one hide from bullets in an RV, anyway? Certainly not behind the propane tanks. The reality is that I don't think there is anything that can stop a bullet in an RV except the people in it.
So much for Spring Break…
mark
Wow, that was a short "Spring Break"!
ReplyDeleteGlad you had a good get-away.
Gayle
A change of scenery is good for the soul. Do you really camp in the type of "sketchy" areas that you described?
ReplyDelete...and a picture of my favourite Merc. Beatiful.
ReplyDeleteThat's not a "Spring Break," that is a Recess Period in between Art and Debate Class. ;-) You handled it better than I would have. I would have probably called them out on it, and found myself blogging from either the jail house or the ER.
ReplyDeleteThe Texas "Brown Season" sure has me longing for some of that beautiful color....though maybe not the Purple Party Wagon...
Suzanne
Who would rent a purple and lime green converted van with Jucy-The Penthouse lettering on top?
ReplyDeleteWhile hiking in Wyoming, I saw several horse riders on the trail with holsters packing Colts and Winchesters. I think it's a guy thing, like having a snorkel on your 4 wheel drive Jeep. Doubt you would you ever use it but it looks cool. Probably never get the gun toting guys to rent Jucy.
Great photo's of the contract of winter vs warmth. You are lucky to be able to jump in the car and in a short time be in warm weather. This has been a brutal winter but I have a 1200 mile drive to make it to the warmth of Florida.
Come on, Mark, you know why they feel need to display their "guns" to the whole world even when it's inappropriate, right? More about insecurity than security.
ReplyDelete