Open Carry Log, Cambria/Indiana County

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Light shirt, tucked into my jeans, Hi-Point C-9 in a FOBUS holster on my hip.

First stop, Box Seat Video in Northern Cambria to drop off some DVDs. Comments? Stares? None.

Next stop, Nick's Tobacco Shop to pick up some cigarette tubes. Comments? Stares? None.

Next stop, Strollo's Tru-Value hardware store to get some 2-cycle oil for the rototiller. Comments? Stares? None.

Next stop, Sheetz to fill up the Geo Tracker and two gas containers (one for the yard tractor, one for the rototiller). Comments? Stares? None.

Next stop, barbershop (an overdue haircut). Comments? Stares? None.

Last stop, Giant Eagle to get a bag of dogfood. Comments? Stares? None.

Did a bunch of yard work, still carrying. The borough's Mayor stopped by the house, and we both went to the Borough Building so I could give him some material he was looking for (I'm the Borough Council President). Still carrying. We chatted, he passed on some info, I reminded him that because of what he passed on was one of the reasons I carry at Borough Council meetings.

All in all, an uneventful open-carry afternoon.

Oh, on the way home from all the errands I took a detour, found an isolated spot near an abandoned coal mine, set up a target with a hill as a backstop, and did some target practice. Actually had one shot hit the target dead center. I guess I'm getting better.

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Haven't done too much OCing in Indiana, though I cut my lawn and did yard work last week while OCing... nobody seemed to notice except two old men taking a walk, who just stared at me. The local borough police drove around my house a few times (quite slowly), but nobody ever talked to me.

Just "baby" steps for me.

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The three of us (Plus anyone else in the area) need to do something sometime.

Range trip or whatever, I'm not picky. I'm almost always free. Hooray for not having a life.

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Hmm, what about a group OC Walmart trip?

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You say it in jest, but I don't think it's that bad an idea. We already did a concealed carry WalMart trip after all

I've been just as uncaring about concealing as ever the last few times I've been in there without a word said to me, or more than the occasional odd look. Maybe they got the message after my complaint to corporate.

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Seriosity though, I would maybe be up for an OC dinner somewhere in a month... As long as we have more than two people.

I think two college age-looking people eating dinner, while OC'ing, in Indiana would elicit a call resulting in the ever friendly PSP showing up--not that I should fear that, but I'd rather avoid it. On a positive note though, I went to the PSP a few months back for finger printing for my Florida "CCW" and they were quite friendly and profesional--they use an electric scanner too, so the prints are fast and accurate and don't mess up your hands.

I would also suspect more problems from the borogh police of Indiana than from the PSP. The borogh police have demanded identification from me when just walking around town, down Oakland ave, at 12am (not while OCing). I've also been stopped a few times, while just taking a walk, and asked if, "have you had anything to drink tonight?", and "do you have identfication on you?" I'm guessing they're on the lookout for underage drinkers? Anyways, I don't want to speak ill of the borough police, but I'm just saying if any law enforcement agency would give problems in Indiana, I'd suspect the borough police over PSP. In my spare time, which I have none of right now, I think I'll send one of PA Patroit's "training memos" to them.

Walmart really isn't a social activity and I'd rather avoid going there; it's kind of ackward and is an environment conducive to headaches.

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I would also suspect more problems from the borogh police of Indiana than from the PSP.

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Well, for the most part, it is the borough police that has to deal with the best of what IUP has to offer, so you can understand their point of view (which legally doesn't make it right) wneh they encounter someone of college age.

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The boroh police have demanded identification from me when just walking around town, down Oakland ave, at 12am (not while OCing).

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Well, they ask you to identify yourself, maybe, but they can't insist on identity papers.

I've also been stopped a few times, while just taking a walk, and asked if, "have you had anything to drink tonight?", and "do you have identfication on you?" I'm guessing they're on the lookout for underage drinkers?

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Gee, you think? In a college town? Suggest you read the Police Blotter published in The Penn, IUP's newspaper.

College-age looking people openly carrying in a college town will attract attention, unwanted or not. That's a fact of life, and nothing is really going to change such. On the other hand, a 60-year-old man with white hair (me) openly carrying will attract far, far less attention.

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Well, for the most part, it is the borough police that has to deal with the best of what IUP has to offer, so you can understand their point of view (which legally doesn't make it right) wneh they encounter someone of college age.

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Totally agree, and I would honestly suspect that being a borough officer would not always be an easy job. There's a lot of drug activity around town due to the college, as I've been told. I also would imagine that the borough police deal with a lot of "jacked up" punk college students.

Well, they ask you to identify yourself, maybe, but they can't insist on identity papers.

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Right-o, and I haven't been arrested for only verbally ID'ing.

College-age looking people openly carrying in a college town will attract attention, unwanted or not. That's a fact of life, and nothing is really going to change such. On the other hand, a 60-year-old man with white hair (me) openly carrying will attract far, far less attention.

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Totally agree--but in short, it's plain annoying being treated like a second class citizen around town.

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Totally agree--but in short, it's plain annoying being treated like a second class citizen around town.

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Such is the price one pays for looking like a college-agekidin a college town. Twenty years from now it'll be different.

The last time I was in Indiana, open carrying, I stopped by my workplace to pick up my paycheck, and then picked up a cup of coffee at Sheetz (4th & Philadelphia). Nope, no stares, pointed fingers, or puddles on the floor. Then again, my age and demeanor probably had something to do with it.