Firearms Friday: Buying Local

Photo from our brief detour along Skyline Drive. 

Usually when preparing for a trip I pull up Google and search for a local gun shop where I can stop by and look around. Not the Bass Pro Shop, Gander Mountain, or Cabela’s nearby but the small family owned shop like my shop up in Jamison, Tanner’s Sports Center. Besides being a much more inviting place to stop and relax, the prices are usually better and we all have to do our part to support these small businesses.

This has become part of my travel routine. When I first drove out to Elizabethtown I found Trop Gun Shop. When I ventured to the other side of the Commonwealth, I stopped by the Keystone Armory. It is a fun and relaxing way for me to take a break from the road and the usual agenda of these trips. And each time I end up walking out with at least something small that I had been meaning to pick up.

However, the last couple of trips this summer, I didn’t plan on making such a stop. Our weekend getaway to Hershey wasn’t my weekend, which was a couple of days dedicated to my wife and making her happy… this is my hobby and I wasn’t going to let it interfere with her weekend. The drive to Pittsburgh was already a bit of a challenge and had so many unknowns that there wasn’t a moment to be spared. And, finally, the current trip to Virginia is all about family… it has been too long since we have taken this journey together and there are too many other things that we need to see that adding another stop just for me doesn’t make sense.

Instead, the detours that we took on our way down were for practical and bucket list purposes. We managed to pack the car (10 in 5) and get out of the house on time and hit little traffic on the first leg before stopping at a Waffle House along the highway. In addition to it having been a long time for each of us since dining at a Waffle House (with the exception of a quick stop in Arizona a couple of years ago) it was also the first time that our son had been to one and it was also his first experience in a high chair.

After lunch we continued on the highway which would take us directly to the Red Roof Inn in Troutville, Virginia. We had a dinner schedule for tonight so we did have a bit of a schedule but we also had plenty of leeway so we took a little detour (the first of many during this vacation I’m sure). It was a brief bucket list trek off the highway and over the mountains to Skyline Drive. The views were spectacular but the 30 mph speed limit wasn’t going to work for us so after a short while we turned around and back tracked to the highway.

In the end, while it is nice to stop by local shops and I encourage the practice, family has to come first. We can’t do everything that we want but we can chose the best experiences to have in life and by taking the time and enjoying new experiences with family rather than indulging in our own hobby, we will be much better for it. Of course, there could certainly be a few stops to local shops in the future.

Even with an overcast sky and hazy valley the views were still stunning.

Long Way To Go For A Waffle House

Today was a day when I couldn’t seem to get caught up. Once one thing was taken care of three other things popped up. It’s bad enough when you are going through a normal day but today was anything but normal. Today was running from one thing to another, from one place to another, and when I finally had hours to sit and work I wasn’t able.

Today is the day that I previously alluded to when I had something coming up that I promised I would write about and I will do just that but only a little bit for now. Come on, I don’t have many interesting things come up in my life so I am going to take my time and get at least a couple days out of it. Let’s just say that I am not writing this post in one of my usual spots at home where much of my writing gets done.

So things were a little hectic at the office earlier today all leading up to the mid afternoon when I kept running around and jumping from one project to the next trying to tie up loose ends before departing at 2:30. Thinking back I am pretty sure that I got everything done or handed over but I am sure I will wake up in the morning with an “oh crap” moment as I inevitably realize what I forgot to do. But, until then, I am going to keep thinking that everything is good to go and try and relax and rest up for tomorrow.

Needless to say, my 2:30 departure from the office didn’t happen until 3:00 which pretty much messed up my schedule and my wife’s schedule as she left work as early as possible. Fortunately, I made good time getting to the apartment and we managed to get everything in the car and got on the road by 4:00. Destination, Philadelphia International Airport.

Check in was easy as I simply scanned my confirmation and retrieved my boarding pass from the automated kiosk. Security was a little bit of a hassle but it also went smoothly as they didn’t hesitate with my bearded photo ID and I didn’t have to remove my camera from the carry on (that saved a good 5-10 minutes in itself). So, despite my tardy departure from the office, I arrive just in time to meet my boss at the gate at 5:00, one hour before takeoff. Time to get comfortable in the emergency exit row, spread out into the empty seat beside me, and have a quick conversation before going to sleep. That’s right, I got on a plane for the first time in over a year and the first time ever on a business trip.

It was a pretty good flight with the only exception being my dislike of landings and soon after arrival we were on our way to the rental car and on the road. First stop, Waffle House! Hey, it doesn’t have to be fancy to be good. It didn’t take long before we had our dinner in hand and we set off for a road picnic. So, where am I? You will just to read about it tomorrow.