In the thread about Senator Tomes and the zoo incident I mentioned starting to OC to get in the public eye. I want to make this my contribution to public enlightenment since a lot of people have just learned that OC is legal thanks to Titanium Frost's zoo ordeal (hence the term "Operation Frosty".) I don't choose to OC but I will for a while to get the ball rolling here in Evansville. I invite those in this area who either don't OC or don't go out of their way to strut their stuff to start demonstrating that OC is okay.
Yesterday I OCd into a few gas stations and a grocery store. Today I went all out in two ways: I OCd EVERYWHERE, except the post office. This included the Thorton's at St. Joe and Maryland where at least 3 men were in line behind me and had to see my G23, then Hardees at Illinois and St. Joe, then into a business on the north side to pay a bill where it had to be noticed again, then into Wendys on 1st Ave by Ivy Tech for lunch. There were quite a few patrons and I purposely went to the rest room to be more exposed (The pistol!!). I then dropped my wife off at home and headed for the Greenway. I parked at the Museum and rode the river front toward the west. Only a few people were walking and nobody seemed to notice. I had to cross Riverside because construction has the path blocked at the casino. I continued north and with some more detours, because the trail isn't 100% yet, went the distance past Garvin Park to the end. I then returned on the trail after I made a few passes around the park. There were a lot more people along the riverfront on my return and I made sure to ride slowly bye as many people as I could. A lot of them made eye contact and nodded or said hello. I couldn't tell if any eyes went to my belt. (BTW, I deliberately chose light colored jeans and shirt today so my piece in its black Serpa holster stood out very clearly). I took one for the "cause" today because my a** is sore and my legs are very tired. I may be wrong but I think the round trip is about 12-14 miles and the terrain rises and falls to get back and forth over the levee and under the bridges.
Now some personal thoughts. The ride is very nice. There are lots of plaques along the riverfront with very interesting info and pictures of early Evansville, the river and some Civil War info. The ride along the creek brought a couple surprises. One was an old iron railroad bridge that was probably used to get freight trains across Pigeon Creek to all the wood and furniture industries lining the east side of it. Evansville was a huge furniture manufacturing center from the mid-19th to mid-20th centuries because of the abundant hardwood forests (oak, cherry, maple, walnut, poplar), large coal reserves and great rail and river transportation. I was also impressed with the size of some of the bridges that I drive over each day. You can't imagine the structures under some of them. The Maryland street bridge rests on some impressive 100+ year old giant sandstone blocks.
Now a tactical look at the ride. Several bridges offer great ambush spots. The one over the Lloyd has a lot of gentle slope up into the dark and would make a great place for someone to hide and swoop down on a victim. The Franklin Street bridge has a beautiful last century steel structure but a person can climb onto it about 20 feet toward the creek, walk up it and easily drop onto someone riding or walking below. The bottom is only about 9' above the path. It is a serious bad spot and I rate it the most dangerous spot on the trail. Heading north out of the above bridge the levee is very high above the trail and heavily wooded to the other side along the creek. An attacker can't be seen by anybody away from the trail. If you're grabbed within the first 200 yds after the bridge kiss your a** goodbye. The farther north you go the more remote it gets. There are a lot of curves and dips from west of Fulton all the way to the end of the trail. You might have someone 100 yds ahead of you and they could disappear around a curve and you wouldn't even know they had been snatched. The worst possible place for a woman is under the Diamond Ave bridge. The supports are long, solid pier walls running parallel with the trail and the creek. The closest to the trail is only 20 away with a gently 5' drop to it. If someone was grabbed and dragged behind it they could be assaulted for hours or longer without hikers or bikers every seeing or hearing them. My conclusion is that anyone who uses the trail any farther west and north than the Lloyd and isn't armed is a fool. I've passed solo young women and older men just walking along like the whole world is beautiful. I would NEVER let my wife, kids or grandkids alone on that part of it.
So, other Evansvillians, have at it. A few people saw a "normal" guy biking it today with a legally carried pistol. How about somebody else doing the same route in the near future? There will be a lot of publicity about the zoo incident and carry for the next few weeks. Now really is the time to be seen.
Yesterday I OCd into a few gas stations and a grocery store. Today I went all out in two ways: I OCd EVERYWHERE, except the post office. This included the Thorton's at St. Joe and Maryland where at least 3 men were in line behind me and had to see my G23, then Hardees at Illinois and St. Joe, then into a business on the north side to pay a bill where it had to be noticed again, then into Wendys on 1st Ave by Ivy Tech for lunch. There were quite a few patrons and I purposely went to the rest room to be more exposed (The pistol!!). I then dropped my wife off at home and headed for the Greenway. I parked at the Museum and rode the river front toward the west. Only a few people were walking and nobody seemed to notice. I had to cross Riverside because construction has the path blocked at the casino. I continued north and with some more detours, because the trail isn't 100% yet, went the distance past Garvin Park to the end. I then returned on the trail after I made a few passes around the park. There were a lot more people along the riverfront on my return and I made sure to ride slowly bye as many people as I could. A lot of them made eye contact and nodded or said hello. I couldn't tell if any eyes went to my belt. (BTW, I deliberately chose light colored jeans and shirt today so my piece in its black Serpa holster stood out very clearly). I took one for the "cause" today because my a** is sore and my legs are very tired. I may be wrong but I think the round trip is about 12-14 miles and the terrain rises and falls to get back and forth over the levee and under the bridges.
Now some personal thoughts. The ride is very nice. There are lots of plaques along the riverfront with very interesting info and pictures of early Evansville, the river and some Civil War info. The ride along the creek brought a couple surprises. One was an old iron railroad bridge that was probably used to get freight trains across Pigeon Creek to all the wood and furniture industries lining the east side of it. Evansville was a huge furniture manufacturing center from the mid-19th to mid-20th centuries because of the abundant hardwood forests (oak, cherry, maple, walnut, poplar), large coal reserves and great rail and river transportation. I was also impressed with the size of some of the bridges that I drive over each day. You can't imagine the structures under some of them. The Maryland street bridge rests on some impressive 100+ year old giant sandstone blocks.
Now a tactical look at the ride. Several bridges offer great ambush spots. The one over the Lloyd has a lot of gentle slope up into the dark and would make a great place for someone to hide and swoop down on a victim. The Franklin Street bridge has a beautiful last century steel structure but a person can climb onto it about 20 feet toward the creek, walk up it and easily drop onto someone riding or walking below. The bottom is only about 9' above the path. It is a serious bad spot and I rate it the most dangerous spot on the trail. Heading north out of the above bridge the levee is very high above the trail and heavily wooded to the other side along the creek. An attacker can't be seen by anybody away from the trail. If you're grabbed within the first 200 yds after the bridge kiss your a** goodbye. The farther north you go the more remote it gets. There are a lot of curves and dips from west of Fulton all the way to the end of the trail. You might have someone 100 yds ahead of you and they could disappear around a curve and you wouldn't even know they had been snatched. The worst possible place for a woman is under the Diamond Ave bridge. The supports are long, solid pier walls running parallel with the trail and the creek. The closest to the trail is only 20 away with a gently 5' drop to it. If someone was grabbed and dragged behind it they could be assaulted for hours or longer without hikers or bikers every seeing or hearing them. My conclusion is that anyone who uses the trail any farther west and north than the Lloyd and isn't armed is a fool. I've passed solo young women and older men just walking along like the whole world is beautiful. I would NEVER let my wife, kids or grandkids alone on that part of it.
So, other Evansvillians, have at it. A few people saw a "normal" guy biking it today with a legally carried pistol. How about somebody else doing the same route in the near future? There will be a lot of publicity about the zoo incident and carry for the next few weeks. Now really is the time to be seen.
I OC all the time because it is more comfortable and I can access and draw my weapon faster than CC...... I don't do it to "strut" around.....
sorry
not to this >> but I think the round trip is about 12-14 miles and the terrain rises and falls to get back and forth over the levee and under the bridges.
) I OCed into the business where I payed a bill today because I dealt with those people many times over the years that I was in the mechanical contracting business. Now they got to see a guy they've known for a long time doing something different. If anything it is a little disappointing that peoples eyes don't go to my gun!
