Eastern WA OC Report

[o2ryan]

This seems to be a popular and effective thread topic for western WA so I think it is high time us dry-siders chimed in. This thread should be used for anyone in Eastern Washington to share their OC experiences from day to day. It does seem to be effective in encouraging the inexperienced and timid lurkers to see others in their communities having positive OC experiences. No experience should be considered too uneventful or mundane. I will start...

8/1
OC'd on a short hike around the Iller creek loop this morning, passing two groups on the trail along the way. The first was a young trio (early 20's) that I believe glanced at my sidearm and were very brief with their greetings and quick to let me pass. I am not sure they continued on the trail after that as I never heard or saw them behind me the rest of the way. The second was a very friendly elderly couple, we chatted about the view and they asked if I had seen the rest of their party. If they noticed I was carrying it did not phase them in the least.

After the hike I went shopping with my wife at Sullivan Fred Meyer. It was pretty busy for a Sunday but as usual I never detected a sideways glance or any other indication that anyone noticed or cared, which is my typical experience in these parts.

8/2
Took my son for a motorcycle ride on the old Polouse highway, stopping at South Hill Roundtable (few glances, but nothing unusual) then on to Best Buy Surplus to pick up our Plum-Crazy AR lower receiver. Chatted with Shawn there for more then half an hour while customers came and went without so much as a glance.

8/4
OC picnic at Manito Park. Thanks to everyone who showed up. Brought my family and enjoyed perfect weather with great people. Just wish that more could have made it and that more would have brought their families along as well. The park was quite busy and we had zero confrontation and even some enthusiastic enquiries.

 

[Iron_Colonel]

Very nice! Good to hear you have had positive encounters with people while OCing. A bit of a travel to E. WA for me. One of these days I'll make an OC gathering.

 

[o2ryan]

8/5
Took the wife to dinner at Casa de Oro in the Valley this evening. As usual no reaction from staff or patron. Then for a short walk around the Iller Creek loop (5 mi. 1500' elevation gain. You know, a short after dinner stroll.) Passed two groups on the trail with little more than a friendly wave.

Not normally what I would consider post worthy, but it keeps the tread alive until it gets some tracktion. Seeing as how the concept was tarted by gogodawgs, I think I will end each post with....

Go Cougs!

 

[gogodawgs]

8/5
Took the wife to dinner at Casa de Oro in the Valley this evening. As usual no reaction from staff or patron. Then for a short walk around the Iller Creek loop (5 mi. 1500' elevation gain. You know, a short after dinner stroll.) Passed two groups on the trail with little more than a friendly wave.

Not normally what I would consider post worthy, but it keeps the tread alive until it gets some tracktion. Seeing as how the concept was tarted by gogodawgs, I think I will end each post with....

Go Dawgs!

I kept up posting for a while before others responded. Then I started to get lurkers that posted and thanked me on the board. Then I got lurkers that saw me at the WAC show and said the same thing. I know some others at one time gave me crap for posting mundane outings. But I looked at it two fold: 1) I stole the idea from the Virgina forum. They had done it for years with the same results. It grows lurkers to OC! 2) see #1

 

[bennie1986]

OCed durring my lunch break today downtown Spokane. I started Ocing on lunch a couple of weeks ago and havent had a problem yet, some surprised coworkers walking up from the bus plaza though they know I carry but have never seen it.

After work we took my son to the park by 57ave and the Palouse hwy. Oced there as usual but no reactions.

 

[o2ryan]

Originally Posted by SnarlyWino
8/5
Not normally what I would consider post worthy, but it keeps the tread alive until it gets some tracktion. Seeing as how the concept was tarted by gogodawgs, I think I will end each post with....

Go Dawgs!

Hey gogodawgs, as you are such a sticker for the forum rules I will sit here and wait for a full appology from you for editing my words without my permission as Rule #1 states that I own my words once they are posted.:lol:

But seriously, thanks for your input and leadership on this forum and for your encouragement on this topic. Look forward to getting together sometime.

Go Cougs!

 

[o2ryan]

8/6
OC.d to the C store for a 6 pack of Bush Light (it's cheep beer Friday as it is an off payday week). While there I had the following conversation:

Middle Eastern Clerk in her best broken english: "Is that your gun?"

Me (politely): "Uh, yes, it is."

Her: "Is your work for the Cops?"

Me: "No, just and armed citizen trying to protect myself."

Her: "Oh, good. You have to be careful now days."

We parted ways while I was wondering what she was hiding behind the counter.:question:

Just goes to show that at least around here not every C store clerk assumes that you are there to rob them because you are wearing a gun.

Go Cougs!
​

 

[gogodawgs]

Hey gogodawgs, as you are such a sticker for the forum rules I will sit here and wait for a full appology from you for editing my words without my permission as Rule #1 states that I own my words once they are posted.:lol:

But seriously, thanks for your input and leadership on this forum and for your encouragement on this topic. Look forward to getting together sometime.

Go Cougs!

Can't get anything by you

Keep it up... and look for a new thread coming soon. We met with some really cool OCers from a new state that flew out here just to see us....well sort of!

 

[bennie1986]

8/6
OC.d to the C store for a 6 pack of Bush Light (it's cheep beer Friday as it is an off payday week). While there I had the following conversation:

Middle Eastern Clerk in her best broken english: "Is that your gun?"

Me (politely): "Uh, yes, it is."

Her: "Is your work for the Cops?"

Me: "No, just and armed citizen trying to protect myself."

Her: "Oh, good. You have to be careful now days."

We parted ways while I was wondering what she was hiding behind the counter.:question:

Just goes to show that at least around here not every C store clerk assumes that you are there to rob them because you are wearing a gun.

Go Cougs!
​

Cheep beer Friday indeed!!! I OCed to get my six tall of keystone light! No comments or looks… its nice to go unnoticed sometimes feels like oc is the norm!!!

 

[1245A Defender]

mundane long gun OC

8/6
OC.d to the C store for a 6 pack of Bush Light (it's cheep beer Friday as it is an off payday week). While there I had the following conversation:

Middle Eastern Clerk in her best broken english: "Is that your gun?"

Me (politely): "Uh, yes, it is."

Her: "Is your work for the Cops?"

Me: "No, just and armed citizen trying to protect myself."

Her: "Oh, good. You have to be careful now days."

We parted ways while I was wondering what she was hiding behind the counter.:question:

Just goes to show that at least around here not every C store clerk assumes that you are there to rob them because you are wearing a gun.

Go Cougs!
​

on the way home from Olympia, from the 2A rally, on my Moto Guzzi!
bought gas in Shelton, With my 45 cal Kentucky Rifle slung across my back.
same middle eastern clerk, others coming and going getting their gas too,
inside to pay, just a friendly greet, and get my change, no questions, no funny looks.

Makes me proud to be an American!!:banana:

 

[1245A Defender]

check michigan!

I kept up posting for a while before others responded. Then I started to get lurkers that posted and thanked me on the board. Then I got lurkers that saw me at the WAC show and said the same thing. I know some others at one time gave me crap for posting mundane outings. But I looked at it two fold: 1) I stole the idea from the Virgina forum. They had done it for years with the same results. It grows lurkers to OC! 2) see #1

there OC experience thread there is up to 265 pages!!

 

[Squeak]

I finally had an unfavorable encounter yesterday on the ferry (large boat, to you Spokanites) . I was standing by the womens' head (a bathroom on the ferry, which is a large boat) dang, where was I ? Oh, waiting for my wife, when this grumpy guy walks by looking at my side arm. His eyes went from my side arm to my eyes. I scowled right back at him as he walked by. A guy behind me saw what happened and chuckled ! I turned to him and we both smiled.
We were in Anacortes at a big art show. 3 people came up to me asking where I got my holster. I made the mistake telling them that I made it. Now one of them wants one. I told him that this is one-of-a-kind and if I made him one, mine would no longer be one-of-a-kind. He looked at me kinda funny, then started laughing. The end.

 

[o2ryan]

I finally had an unfavorable encounter yesterday on the ferry (large boat, to you Spokanites) . I was standing by the womens' head (a bathroom on the ferry, which is a large boat) dang, where was I ? Oh, waiting for my wife, when this grumpy guy walks by looking at my side arm. His eyes went from my side arm to my eyes. I scowled right back at him as he walked by. A guy behind me saw what happened and chuckled ! I turned to him and we both smiled.
We were in Anacortes at a big art show. 3 people came up to me asking where I got my holster. I made the mistake telling them that I made it. Now one of them wants one. I told him that this is one-of-a-kind and if I made him one, mine would no longer be one-of-a-kind. He looked at me kinda funny, then started laughing. The end.

No Squeak, you are one of a kind. Thanks for using small words for us simple Spokane folk. lmao

 

[Trigger Dr]

Squeak,
The National Enquirer sent the negatives back. Said they were just a little too risque for their use..

 

[Jeff Hayes]

8/7 Oced at Big R Mead to purchase new hyd hoses for my bale wagon, then on to Home Depot for electrical fittings and to Fred Meyer Wandermere for a few grocery items we forgot yesterday. No problems, no comments from anyone that we interacted with.

 

[o2ryan]

Yatzee

8/7
Left the house today with my last two pamphlets and came home with Zero.:banana:

We went to a storage sale this morning, the kind where several people open their units and have a garage sale all at the same time. We are going from unit to unit, no one says a word. I am looking over some junk and my son comes to whisper in my ear "Dad, the lady at the last place saw that you were OC and she carries and wants to ask you some questions!"
"Cool", I'm thinking. So I make my way back there and meet Stacie(hope I spelled that right). She is a school teacher and tells me that she and her husband CC all the time, saw the story on the news about our picnic the other day and wanted to know all about it. So I gave her a pamphlet, explained the whole "manner that warrants alarm" thing and why we carry, education, bla bla bla. She was very excited and couldn't get enough. I hope to see her here on OCDO soon.

Next stop, Costco! I wimped out and covered because I was looking way too forward to a piece of pizza to take the chance.

On to another yard sale. Guy is retired Arizona LEO, has some.308 for a decent price so I bought 4 boxes. We talk guns for a little bit and he asks if I ever get hassled about OC. Bingo! Pull the last pamphlet out of my back pocket as I share my experiences and about the purpose of the OC community. He shares our sentiments about educating the public and our fear for the direction our country is headed. I think he will be on board soon.

This is undoubtedly the most eventful OC day to date. Let this be an encouragement to the lurkers and the timid out there. 98% of your OC experience will be positive and educational. What are you waiting for? We need to be examples to our communities that guns are not evil, the people that own and carry guns are not evil, and that they have a right and responsibility to own, carry and if necessary use them in the defense of life and limb.

Carry On!

p.s. I need more pamphlets. I even looked at a stack at the picnic and didn't grab any, stupid. Anyone in Spokane have a short stack of the new glossies they could share? I would be glad to help pay for the cost to get some more printed up nice.

 

[Jeff Hayes]

Snarly

I have a bunch of pamphlets, 100s actually, so we just need to meet up and I will be glad to give you some. No need for any transfer of wealth. You got my number.

Orphan

 

[bennie1986]

Snarly

I have a bunch of pamphlets, 100s actually, so we just need to meet up and I will be glad to give you some. No need for any transfer of wealth. You got my number.

Orphan

I could use some as well. Maybe we could do a coffee meet this next weekend!?! I would really like to meet up with folks as much as possible!

 

[bennie1986]

Me and my son went on a walk to the Verizon store today I got a few looks from people in cars and a older couple at the store glared at me but no big deal. Later I got gas while on the way to the skate park to ride my bike and didn’t get any looks or comments. To top off the day I took my son to the store to get food and beer and had no looks (that I noticed) or comments. Was carrying my Smith and Wesson MP40! Love that gun! Great Day!

 

[o2ryan]

I could use some as well. Maybe we could do a coffee meet this next weekend!?! I would really like to meet up with folks as much as possible!

Bennie, coffee is a great idea. I have family in town this weekend but my brother-in-law likes guns and donuts. Would you guys be up to meeting at Mike's Donuts in the valley, say 7:30 am? That is kind of a long way for Orphan. Another option would be lunch downtown one day this week. I am flexable for lunch so you can set the time, Mon and Tues are out for me.