[Jeff Higgins]

Not to derail your thread, Charles, but the funniest case of a backpacker just about wetting their pants over my gun happened about ten years ago on one of our more popular trails. My buddy and I were in the parking lot, changing into our boots, and I had already strapped on the old Blackhawk. These folks went ballistic, insisting I "couldn't" wear "that thing" on a public trail. I politely insisted I could, and would, do just that. They got hysterical, and quite animated.

About that time, a Forest Ranger pulled in. Pretty cute young lady, actually. I thought she would be as clueless about this as these two yahoos, so I was ready to dig in for the long haul. These two flag her down and continue to yell hysterically, pointing at me with THAT GUN. Great. Just flippin' great.

So, cute young Ranger lady strolls on over and asks to see the gun. So I unload it and give it to her. She looks at it for a minute, kind of flipping it around, checking it out pretty good. ".45 Colt? That's an oddball these days. Most guys with Ruger Single Actions go for the .44 mags." "Yup," I said, "I just like the old Colt." "The Blackhawk is a great trail gun", she says as she hands it back. "Have a nice hike. How long you gonna be up there?"

The other two were just about falling through their ass holes with despair by now, and still snivelling hysterically. The Ranger gal turns to them and tells them to knock it off and leave me alone, or she would haul their sorry asses in. It was great. I just wonder if it would still play out like that today...