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Mentoring a New OC'er!

M-Taliesin

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
1,504
Location
Aurora, Colorado
Howdy Folks!
I did today what I've done for others who were nervous about OC'ing for the first time, despite what everybody might say about being okay in Colorado. Sometimes it helps a newbie to spend an afternoon in the company of another OC'er who's done it awhile to feel more comfortable about their own move to take up OC.

Today was another opportunity for me to help a newcomer to OC by having him tag along with me while I ran some errands I wanted to do today. porterhouse83 is a really decent young man who makes a significant contribution to our community. I won't go into details because his charitable work is his thing if he should wish to discuss it openly, but I was personally impressed with him. He was nervous and I could understand that from my own experience when I started OC. Now, of course, I don't even think on it because it is now normalized behavior for me, but it wasn't so long ago that I've forgotten the butterflies I felt when I walked out my front door OC'ing for the first few times. Especially the first few times that I walked into banks!

So I met up with him and his very lovely lady at Denny's out west of here. We chatted merrily over coffee, and at one point, an older couple from the next booth over came by and asked some questions about service of process. They'd overheard me talking about it and wanted to know some specifics. Be that as it may, they were not at all alarmed about our sidearms. Nor was anybody else at Dennys either.

porterhouse83's lady left us after Dennys because she had some sort of school work to complete and the two of us gentlemen went off to run some errands.

First stop was at King Soopers, and this particular one was pretty darn large. We moved through the store as I shopped for a few items I wanted and had a fun time with the cashier trying to check out my goodies while I spoke to her in sign language for the deaf. I detected from her speaking voice that she was either hard of hearing or outright deaf, and quickly learned that she is deaf. I carried on a brief conversation with her in sign language (my first language) and as we exited the store, my companion wanted to know where I learned ASL. I explained that my mother was deaf, so I grew up with sign language as a primary language.

Anyhow, next stop was at Bellco Federal Credit Union. I needed to make a deposit, ask about arranging for autopayment of my car loan, and to verify account balances in various accounts I have there. Porterhouse83 was a bit skeptical about walking into a bank OC, but I told him it was just fine and not to worry. I did my business with the teller and left everybody in the bank laughing as we continued our outing to Target.

At Target, I looked at cameras, video gear I am lusting over, and DVDs. Seems porterhouse83 and I have similar tastes in movies. Anyhow, we spent quite a while in Target before heading out to take a ride up to Central City and Blackhawk.

My aim was to show my new friend some of the places up there that are special to Colorado history in general and to myself in particular. We toured the old ghost town of Nevadaville, and followed a few roads higher up just to see where they went. Since I have me a newly purchased Jeep, I figured I could handle any roads up there, or lack thereof, with relative ease.

From there, we travelled back down to Idaho Springs via the "Oh My God Road". I think they've modified the road over the past few years to make it less intimidating for pilgrims, but got the impression once or twice that my passenger was not completely comfortable with how close I came to the edge. Gravel road, no guard rails, and several thousand feet worth of vertical drop if we should go over the edge. It probably didn't help for me to keep crowding the edge and pointing out how far to the bottom of the canyon it was, but he survived the trip none the worse for wear. After we got down to Idaho Springs, having seen the old Clear Creek gold mining district, I decided on an impromptu visit to an actual gold mine so my friend could see what those old timers dealt with to pull riches from the rocks! We took a tour of the Phoenix Mine, and enjoyed learning more about gold mining from a gentleman who truly knows his stuff.

After that, it was time to drop back down to the city and drop him off while I headed back toward Aurora. Returning home, I could have kicked myself for leaving my camera behind!!!!! It was a beautiful day, and a terrific outing!

As he was getting out, he thanked me for taking time to help him ease into OC, and said he felt much more comfortable and confident. I believe he'll be OC'ing on his own from here on in, and glad that I could help him over that first hurdle. We'd OC'd everywhere we went for the entire afternoon, and I was also happy to answer questions he had about specific issues he found confusing.

Point being, it doesn't hurt to help others along. It helps our movement grow. The more folks we bring along to enjoy their rights, the fewer there will be to attempt denying those rights. The tyranny of the many can best be defeated by our no longer being content to be few any longer.

Blessings,
M-Taliesin
 

porterhouse83

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2012
Messages
145
Location
Wheat Ridge Colorado
Thank you for the kind words M-T. It was a day I won't soon forget! I believe if more folks were as generous with their time as you are and were as willing to pass on knowledge as you are things would be much better for this nation as a whole. Your a true gentleman. That mine was very cool!
 

M-Taliesin

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
1,504
Location
Aurora, Colorado
Thank you for the kind words M-T. It was a day I won't soon forget! I believe if more folks were as generous with their time as you are and were as willing to pass on knowledge as you are things would be much better for this nation as a whole. Your a true gentleman. That mine was very cool!

Howdy Porterhouse!
Thank you for your kind words, and I surely do appreciate the sentiment. However, I don't believe I am alone in trying to help others work through those apprehensions that folks deal with when considering open carry. Let's be honest here; to suddenly take up OC'ing is to challenge a whole lifetime of programming. Some are likely to call it 'education', but in reality, kids are indoctrinated by the views of their elders. They aren't given an opportunity to discover things on their own, but are carefully fed the information their parents, their school, their religion and their government wants them indoctrinated with. They end up programmed, like a computer, to simply play back the tapes of their youth. Among them are almost always a negative attitude about guns in general and owning or carrying them in particular.

Breaking free from that lifetime of programming isn't easy. For those that make the attempt, I'm willing to help them along. I can remember the early days and weeks of my own experience with OC, and it took some adjustments on my part to become comfortable with the whole idea.

It is well that we embrace open carry because this world is a dangerous place where you may be confronted when you least expect by someone wielding an accordian; and playing the Beer Barrel Polka in the bargain! (Shudder) Or worse, walking down the street, minding your own business, when suddenly you're face to face with a mime! Who can anticipate when they may be set-upon by a used car salesman or somebody peddling insurance? Then there are all those guys who run around trying to convert everybody in sight to their particular notion of spiritual illumination. Oh... and panhandlers! Don't even get me started with panhandlers or this will run on for paragraph upon paragraph! One thing I have noticed, such perils as I describe have diminished considerably since I started open carrying. That's especially true of mimes, because I won't hesitate to use a silencer!

We should get together for another outing one of these fine spring days coming along and take on the Phantom Canyon Road. Or better still, the Shelf Road to Canyon City! There's a bit of fun for ya!

Carry on!

Blessings,
M-Taliesin
 

Keens

Regular Member
Joined
May 9, 2011
Messages
298
Location
Colorado
Outstanding job, M! I'm looking forward to helping newbies ease into OC just as you did for me. Let me know when you take a newbie out next time, I'd love to join!

Porterhouse, congrats and welcome to the club! I too was nervous when I first started OC'ing last August and M-T helped ease me into it You will become more comfortable as you OC more and gain some experience.
 

M-Taliesin

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
1,504
Location
Aurora, Colorado
M-T shelf road sounds like it would be fun. Mondays and Tuesdays are free so getting together again shouldn't be a problem.

Howdy Porterhouse!
Yeah, Mondays and Tuesdays work for me just fine!
And as for shelf road, well... it is something you just gotta do before ya die.
Then again, there is a particle of risk that you may die doing it! LOL!!!

You think we went through tall canyons yesterday...
Just wait until you see the Shelf Road!

Still, I recommend it highly (pun). It is definately top shelf material! (pun)
All we need to fret about is 'shelf life'! (Stop me before I pun again!!!!)

Blessings,
M-Taliesin
 

porterhouse83

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2012
Messages
145
Location
Wheat Ridge Colorado
Howdy Porterhouse!
Yeah, Mondays and Tuesdays work for me just fine!
And as for shelf road, well... it is something you just gotta do before ya die.
Then again, there is a particle of risk that you may die doing it! LOL!!!

You think we went through tall canyons yesterday...
Just wait until you see the Shelf Road!

Still, I recommend it highly (pun). It is definately top shelf material! (pun)
All we need to fret about is 'shelf life'! (Stop me before I pun again!!!!)

Blessings,
M-Taliesin
lol you were on a roll.
 

M-Taliesin

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
1,504
Location
Aurora, Colorado
This shelf road you speak of, is that Hwy 50? The same one that Cristo intends to destroy?

Howdy JamesB!
Highway 50 is just that. A highway. You certainly wouldn't refer to the shelf road as a highway. LOL!
Nope. It is a narrow little wagon road that clings to the upper reaches of cliffs thousands of verticle feet above the canyon floor.
It has been described as thrilling, scary, dangerous, exciting, and more by those who have travelled from Canyon City to Cripple Creek.

It has a secondary road that is also thrilling, known as the Phantom Canyon road. Both can be simulating! LOL!

For more on the Shelf Road, check out these links:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...eviews-Shelf_Road-Cripple_Creek_Colorado.html

http://www.takemytrip.com/10utco/08n_30a.htm

http://www.goldbeltbyway.com/shelf-road

For information about the Phantom Canyon road, check out these links:
http://www.goldbeltbyway.com/phantom-canyon-road

http://www.takemytrip.com/colo/76a.htm

http://www.rockymountainprofiles.com/Phantom canyon road.htm

It is a good idea to use a restroom before commencing either of these drives.
Otherwise, it could prove rough on upholstry.

Haven't heard about anything planned for highway 50, but would think it unlikely anybody gonna destroy a U.S. highway, and major east/west trough through Colorado. There just ain't that many to choose from!

Blessings,
M-Taliesin
 

M-Taliesin

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
1,504
Location
Aurora, Colorado
Last summer my g/f and I took Shelf Rd from the Springs to Canon City and returned on Phantom Canyon Rd....fun times.

Howdy PPMM!
So, how was the ride for ya? Develop any apprehension at all?
I remember, way back in the mists of time, when I first took Phantom Canyon!
Took weeks to remove some of the upholstry from my backside!
And I was driving no less.

Something I find depressing is how they like to change those old trails and make them 'safer'.

The Oh My God Road between Central City and Idaho Springs got more gentrified when they made it wider and put in guard rails.
Took half the fun out of the experience. Still, you can have a most delightful time with pilgrims up there when you drive close to the edge and all they can see is downward. Considerably downward.

Blessings,
M-Taliesin
 

F350

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2012
Messages
941
Location
The High Plains of Wyoming
Apprehensive, never! LOL I grew up here, always searching out fun drives...though I have not yet crossed Oh My God road off my list

There is a "road" that goes down into the Black Canyon of the Gunnison I will be taking to get to the river for some trout fishing in a week or so, while not "Thousands" of feet to the bottom. it does provide a "vista view" of the river, I'll have to post a pic or two.
 
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M-Taliesin

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
1,504
Location
Aurora, Colorado
There is a "road" that goes down into the Black Canyon of the Gunnison I will be taking to get to the river for some trout fishing in a week or so, while not "Thousands" of feet to the bottom. it does provide a "vista view" of the river, I'll have to post a pic or two.

Howdy Pardner!
That's another thing the wife and I need to do.... Black Canyon!
Sounds like a thrill.
Maybe next time around. Certainly before summer drifts by!

Blessings,
M-Taliesin
 
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