My unlicenced open carry Colorado trip.

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We arrived in Colorado about noon on Sunday. Came in through Kansas on I70. Got to the welcome center/rest area and I put on the paddle holster, loaded my Taurus 24/7 and put it on my hip.

We drove on into Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs. Here is the list of places I have open carried so far:

STARBUCKS!!!!
Liquor store in Manitou
Pike National Forrest campground past Woodland park.
Loaf & Jug Woodland park
Safeway Manitou
Walked the main strip in Manitou
Several stores in Manitou
Little rock shop in Cascade
Hotel (little mom and pop place)
Garden of the Gods
Through downtown Colorado Springs around 7pm
Into a Tibetan store in COS...FREE TIBET!!!
Liquor store in Old Colorado City

Well, that is our trip so far. NO negative reactions at all.

The places I did not carry:
Clerk and recorder office....Did I mention we got married? The recorder office had a sigh that said something to the effect of "the display of weapons is not allowed."

Goodwill store-Back home all the Goodwill stores have "no weapons" signs...This one turns out did not though.

Phantom Canyon Brewing (an AWESOME brew pub in COS.) Had Colorado Bison burgers and a couple great local brews. I asked my new bride where she wanted to go to dinner after we said the "I dos" at Garden of the Gods. She said..."Hey, how about that brew pub we passed yesterday."....I love my wife.


My new bride has always been a little skittish about guns but she is now getting really comfortable around then.

Note: I NEVER carry while consuming alcohol. The liquor store stops were for good local beer to enjoy at the end of the day when I am not armed.

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Congratulations to your new wife; she lucked out! Great place to tie the knot and enjoy the vista. Since you were at Garden of the Gods for the vows, were you suited up and not openly carrying? How funny would that be if you were OC for your vows? hehee

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About consuming alcohol while carrying.. That's funny because;

You feel safe getting intoxicated with your loaded rifle/shotgun standing up in the corner between the door and the wall...

But you are not okay with getting intoxicated with your loaded pistol in a holster on your hip?

Either way; you have easy access to a loaded firearm while under the influence of alcohol. To say; one way or another; that a pistol is any different than the shotgun or rifle is moot.

A) you are under the influence

B) you have access to your firearm

holstered pistol or rifle or shotgun; unless all your firearms are locked away from you- still the same amount of exposure to liability and risk.


Don't get me wrong; I have beers in the fridge and use them. Also have my firearms surrounding me at all times.

I'm just proving the point that being home or being out; all the same when consuming alcohol while having access to firearms. Driving drunk is something else all together and is not what I am discussing.

Edited to clarify the point: Intoxicated "At Home" carries the same "access to firearms" risk as intoxicated "out on the town" and so forth. The point is; you have access to your firearm either way. Either way. No difference in terms of what's "Safer" (being drunk at home or abroad) as long as no driving is taking place.

I don't advocate being under the influence while carrying; but being under the influence while at home and your loaded rifle is in the corner 3 feet away is the same as being under the influence while at a friends and your loaded pistol is a foot away.

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cscitney87 wrote:

Congratulations to your new wife; she lucked out! Great place to tie the knot and enjoy the vista. Since you were at Garden of the Gods for the vows, were you suited up and not openly carrying? How funny would that be if you were OC for your vows? hehee

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I have only disarmed 4 times during the trip.

The wedding was not one of them.

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Very very cool! What a lucky bride! Thanks a ton for the picture; it's nice to see.

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Glad you're enjoying your stay Kingfish; how long are you here 'til? Congrats on tying the knot, seems like a great woman that would allow you to carry while you're getting married. Just a quick word of advice, watch out for those stupid school zones, there are lots of them in the springs. Otherwise, have a great time and let us know how the rest of your stay goes.

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Congratulations on your nuptuals! Just to echo the point, carrying while "under the influence" is illegal in CO whether you're comfortable or not. The million dollar question is "what is under the influence"? Sipping a couple brews over dinner. Not IMO. However a LEO and judge's opinion is the one that matters.

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That's the Biatch about drinking...

Suppose you have two or three; whatever.. You go to sleep and an hour later someone breaks in to your home. Not hyperbole; obviously happens often enough. How is the situation handled when you defend yourself, in your home, while under the influence?

Not trying to derail the thread sorry bud. More or less thinking out loud. When are you heading home and any more big stops?

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ZackL wrote:

Glad you're enjoying your stay Kingfish; how long are you here 'til? Congrats on tying the knot, seems like a great woman that would allow you to carry while you're getting married.

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Leaving out Thursday morning. She is a great woman.

Just a quick word of advice, watch out for those stupid school zones, there are lots of them in the springs.

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Yeah, I am actively avoiding them.

Otherwise, have a great time and let us know how the rest of your stay goes.

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I will!!!!

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Adding to the list:

Mountain Mama Natural foods store-This one was a little questionable and I started to leave it in the car but I said what the hell and all was good.

Mexican restaurant-2 of them actually. The wife did not care for the menu at the first one.

Verizon Wireless

REI

Sonic Drive in-Does not really count since I stayed in the car.

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kingfish wrote:

Adding to the list:

Mexican restaurant-2 of them actually. The wife did not care for the menu at the first one.

REI

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I don't patronize REI period because they contribute heavily to Sierra Club - go to Mountain Chalet on Tejon or Sportsman's Warehouse on Platte instead or simply buy online.

We're pretty serious mex food fans and one of our favorite locals is Pueblo Viejo on N. Academy just S of Vickers. Great food and I OC there every time w/o incident including many conversations with the owner.

For breakfast The Omelette Parlour on Filmore is not to be missed while you're here.

So you're moving out this way permanent soon? We need more of us Southerners to compensate for the Kalifornians.

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cscitney87 wrote:

About consuming alcohol while carrying..  That's funny because;

You feel safe getting intoxicated with your loaded rifle/shotgun standing up in the corner between the door and the wall...

But you are not okay with getting intoxicated with your loaded pistol in a holster on your hip?

Either way; you have easy access to a loaded firearm while under the influence of alcohol.  To say; one way or another; that a pistol is any different than the shotgun or rifle is moot. 

A) you are under the influence

B) you have access to your firearm

holstered pistol or rifle or shotgun; unless all your firearms are locked away from you- still the same amount of exposure to liability and risk.


Don't get me wrong; I have beers in the fridge and use them.  Also have my firearms surrounding me at all times.

I'm just proving the point that being home or being out; all the same when consuming alcohol while having access to firearms.  Driving drunk is something else all together and is not what I am discussing.

Edited to clarify the point:  Intoxicated "At Home" carries the same "access to firearms" risk as intoxicated "out on the town" and so forth.  The point is; you have access to your firearm either way.  Either way.  No difference in terms of what's "Safer" (being drunk at home or abroad) as long as no driving is taking place.

I don't advocate being under the influence while carrying; but being under the influence while at home and your loaded rifle is in the corner 3 feet away is the same as being under the influence while at a friends and your loaded pistol is a foot away.

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i feel the same way, except....i would not OC while drinking in a public establishment. that is just asking for far too much attention and trouble than i care to deal with.
i would CC, but not OC

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kingfish wrote:

Goodwill store-Back home all the Goodwill stores have "no weapons" signs...This one turns out did not though.

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I personally have never seen any "no weapons" signs at a Goodwill store. My wife and I go to them all the time and I always OC in them.

Georgia may be different though.

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Goodwill right here a block away- no sign either.

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RockyMtnScotsman wrote

I don't patronize REI period because they contribute heavily to Sierra Club - go to Mountain Chalet on Tejon or Sportsman's Warehouse on Platte instead or simply buy online.

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In Atlanta there are not many choices for outfitters. I will check into the others once we get out here for good.

So you're moving out this way permanent soon? We need more of us Southerners to compensate for the Kalifornians.

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As soon as we can. We knew we were going to like it here but we have now officially fallen in love. My girl grew up in the "mountains" of North Georgia and I grew up in Washington with a view of Mt. Rainier and St. Helens and I have always known I wanted to get back to the mountains.
I will be looking for a job as soon as we get back home.

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A couple more today.

Pizza Hut
ARC thrift shop
King Sooper
7-Eleven

Still no issues at all.

Feels good to finally be in America.

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kingfish wrote:

Feels good to finally be in America.

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Where did you originate? I see you came in via KS. Where before that?

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mahkagari wrote:

kingfish wrote:

Feels good to finally be in America.

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Where did you originate? I see you came in via KS. Where before that?

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Georgia>Tennessee>Kentucky>Illinois>Missouri>Kansas>Colorado

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Well, back in GA and back at work.

With the Atlanta traffic and the unfriendly people at the bank and gas station this morning and with heat and humidity in the forecast I cannot wait to get back to CO.

Being in Colorado was, for the first time I really felt like being in the United States. So very free and so laid back. No thug culture...Just normal folks.

Everyone we came in contact with was either polite or professional or both. We felt very welcome everywhere we went.

Drivers were courteous and did not feel like everyone was in a hurry (with rare exceptions.)

Thank you Colorado. We WILL be back!!!

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Glad you arrived home safely and I'm glad that everything went well for you here. Everywhere has it's issues, I'd like to think that Colorado has fewer of those though. Anyway, the next time you're up this way let us know and maybe we can get together for some coffee or something.