OCT-A-9
THE INCREASING HASSLES OF
TRANSPORTING AN EVEN ENCASED
FIREARM THROUGH TOWN AND
AIRPORTS HAS MADE
AN OUT-OF-TOWN ELK HUNT A
PROBLEM
From: Glenn Geelhoed
To: "EMoore@DHHA.ORG".IA4GW.Harper; "henrys@lvcm.com".IA4GW.Harper
Date: 10/14/02 9:33AM
Subject: Re: Thursday
Nope‑‑I am very much here, and already packed to come on out‑‑‑but with a former incorrect email address for Bo,and for Tommy, which is why I seemed incommunicado, and why Gene has got all the messages. But, I have left a dozen email and phone messages for Reg, so he must be truly incommunicado!
I am packing the MRI that Bo suggested I get‑‑so I will show it to you on Thursday.
I had a call in for Gene regarding the grocery run we may be able to do together on Thursday afternoon.
My sister and her husband just moved to Denver for the next three months, so she is going to pick me up so we can visit for a bit. It may be a good idea for us to rendezvous later when we get the usual grocery and propane run started, and if we are leaving at 3:00 AM as we always say we will, it may be a better idea for all of us to start from Gene's
Here is a dilemma on which I need advice. I got a new rilfe for this occasion and for future bigger game‑‑a .340 Weatherby with a pair of scopes on quick release mounts. I had planned to drive to my parking structure at GWU to leave the Bronco, and then go by Metro and Washington Flyer to Dulles for the scheduled flight out. I am in the MD/DC/VA vortex of a panic incited by media and politicians running for the November elections with a sniper on the loose. They are even advocating confiscating every high power rifle on the assumption that the loco has a .223. There is NO WAY I can get to Dulles in public transportation carryng a rifle case.
So, I arranged a special drop off at Dulles in a private car with a law enforcement official doing the driving. Having a locked gun case might get me into Dulles and out of DIA. Now, the further problem.
If I can get the rifle to Denver, I probably cannot get it out. The reason is that I cannot get the same pickup service at Dulles as the drop off, and I would have to come back by public transport‑‑besides being in a scramble since I am returning to get to the next 10/26 early morning's rendezvous with the 27th running of the Marine Corps Marathon.
Now what? I could leave the Weatherby in Reg's gun safe, or at Gene's, assuming I would not need it until next year for the same hunt, but there may be other hunts for which I have been trying to make arrangements. These would be in very hunter‑friendly and weapons‑understanding countries like Russia, for instance.
What do you think? Should I borrow a weapon there to hunt elk with, and leave the troublesome "weapon of mass destruction" behind here in MD in my own gun safe, or get it as far as Denver and leave it there‑‑special purchased for this kind of occasion and run the risk of irretrievability by air?
The citizens of my fair city are not at all as rifle tolerant as those of even Denver, and the past week would make the risk of transport without getting deplaned about as easy as carrying it into Columbine in Littleton.
The hassle value imposed on hunters is a further reflection of an "on‑air" statement that "nobody has to hunt, so it is no loss to confiscate all rifles."
I await your advice, and will plan on calling Bo at Gene's house on Thursday afternoon to begin our shopping foray.
Cheers!
GWG
>>> "R. Henry" <henrys@lvcm.com> 10/13/02 02:42PM >>>
Guys,
Sorry Fred cannot attend. I will meet Glen at arrival. I would arrange for as early a horse delivery as possible on Friday (7 AM?) ‑ yeah, I know.
Glen and I could shop for food Thursday afternoon and get propane, etc. We could then leave Denver ~3 AM, leaving two horsemen @ monastery while the others get gear to the trailhead and prepare panniers, while 2 ride the beasts up.
Other than splitting the drive in 2, I don't see much advantage to driving to Vail Thursday.
Let me know what you think. Is Glen currently incommunicado abroad?
Bo
CC: "hjt3ors@aol.com".IA4GW.Harper; "Reg.Franciose@DHHA.ORG".IA4GW.Harper; Reg Franciose