Before I have to go over to the bagger forums to ask... I thought there just might be someone in 'my' section who can answer ...
As some of you know, I am preparing to leave to the Grand Canyon - if every thing comes in - in time, I expect to be on the road in the next 10 days.
I have a route picked out - but one leg of it is a mystery to me, and would like some clarification from anyone who has traveled it. I posted in the Utah section - and only had one reply.. so here it goes.

I will be entering Utah from Colorado ... and the Utah section on my maps gives me pause. It looks like the gas stations may be far apart for a sporty carrying gear and not getting pristine mpgs. Yeah, I know - carry some gas with ya... I am trying to get my gear down to minimal. I am already carrying a tent, sleeping bag, my sister in an Urn, plus the clothes I need and anti bug/anti sunburn etc... stuff. So if I don't have to carry gas, that would be a good thing - and one less thing I have to worry about a spot to put it in.

So anyway - I can make to Blanding Utah - no problems I am pretty sure... and from there to Hanksville Utah looks fine too. From Hanksville to Cannonville is my concern. On the map it looks like the road may be pretty empty of everything but scenery. Any one travel it? Any ideas as to gas station availability?

Also ... I know this goes in the gun forum, but I also know we have some CC here .. so another part of my question is...
Hypothetically (of course) if you were to travel out side of your state, and you were a female by herself ... camping across the US on a motorcycle ... would you carry even though you didn't have a permit for the states you are going into? Would you worry about being stopped and having a loaded fire arm?

Okay... now don't make me go into the Bagger and gun sections .. I know you people are in here.

 

hi,

being a CCW permit holder i like to keep up on legislation concerning CCW

you need to check the individual states laws concerning reciporocity

http://www.saf.org/reciprocity.html

also each state is a little different as far as how one may carry

so,make sure you read each states laws that you will be traveling through..

and always inform the officer (if you are stopped) as to your CCW status
they DO NOT like to find them by surprise!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

i would definitely try to bring at least a 1-2 gallon gas can with ya..

 

As for gas, it shouldn't be a problem. According to my Garmin maps, there is a Sinclair gas station in both Boulder and Escalante on Hwy. 12.

Your CCW looks good in Utah but not Colorado.

 

That's certainly going to be an interesting trip. Two years ago, we went down I-15, cut east across on 14 at Cedar City to 89, then on down to Flagstaff. Serious ***** Country. And there was a whole lot of nothing there too. We didn't run out of gas, but I think there was at least a stretch of about 100 miles between stations and we had the old tank on the Sporty with only a tad over 2 gallons. Now we have a 3 gallon tank on it so our ranges are about the same. And what we took looks to be a bigger road than what you are looking at. Some of those "towns" on the map were merely single signs saying you were there and nothing else. Best thing to do way out there like that is to ask at each gas station where the next gas station is. If it's beyond your range, look for a different route or pick up a gas can then. I don't like to carry a gas can on a bike if I don't have to. Also ask how the road conditions are. Sometimes it's dirt or worse and you may not want to deal with that.

As fer carryin', like they say, know the laws of where you're at. I assume you have an OK permit. If you're some place that doesn't reciprocate, then usually the legal thing to do is to put it in your luggage or someplace "not accessable."

 

I'm assuming that you do not hold a CCW. I won't lecture you, but if you're that serious about traveling alone it would be money well invested from both a legal and safety standpoint. Utah and Florida permits are popular all over the country because you don't have to be a resident to get one and they are good in a large number of states. You can probably find a Utah certified instructor near you.

If you feel like you will only need the gun when you're camped for the night, travel with it unloaded and packed away with the ammo seperate from the gun. That way you're "transporting" it, not "carrying" it. You wouldn't have to mention it during a routine traffic stop and even if it were found, you could probably convince the cop that the unloaded gun is not a problem.

If you want to keep it loaded and concealed on your person at all times, though, you should know that if you don't have a valid state permit you're committing a felony. Walk into the gas station have it accidently peek out of your jacket pocket and your trip will end up much differently than you planned.

 

Another option for carriyng gas is those fuel bottles for camping. MSR and ither companies make them. They only hold about one quart each, but are spill proof and made of aluminum.

as for carrying a pistol, I am a guy with military training and was a prison guard in a past life. I would carry myself as long as it is legal. I don't recommend carrying illegaly since going to prison is not worth it, however that would be your choice.

 

To answer your question....Eventhough it's not legal in someof the states, traveling alone, camping, etc. Yes I would carry. I'd rather be tried by 12 as carried by 6.

 

I think I agree with SportyPig...better safe than sorry. Be safe.

 

+1

It's ALWAYS better to have and not need than to need and not have, IMO.

When I'm on the road the weapon stays packed away with a trigger lock andwith clip and ammo in another bag/compartment= transport regardless of firearm laws. If you need to use to your weapon it probably won't be while you're riding.

As soon as I'm in a hotel or camp site the weapon is loaded an within arm's reach. I spent a night in San Antonio with my wife a few years ago when someone kicked in the door to the room. When they got it open I was kneeling behind the bed with a .45 pointed straight at their chest andI yelled "One more step and you're dead!" The guy turned tail and ran like a bat out of hell. He was later arrested based on our description andis in jail (3rd strike on a violent offender).I look back on that night a lot and can't help but wonder what might have happened otherwise...

I don't drink and drive and I don't do anything that's against the law- so I doubt a cop would have any reason to care about my weapon if it's stored correctly. If you have a CW permit you should have ZERO issues. If you don't, I'd put the risk of being arrested for transporting a firearm at minimal to none. Just be smart.

 

Thanks cHarley ... I couldn't find that information - good to know I have stations! One less thing to occupy my mind.

Thanks everyone on the gun issue input. I knew Colorado does not - but I am ever so slightly going to pass thru there... so here is to no issues in the Rocky Mountain state!

Quite a few years back my mother, late father and one of my sisters were traveling thru New Mexico in an RV. They took what looked to be a really good road, that after two turns in the road ended up being a mostly one lane road with a sheer cliff drop off (no guard rail) on one side. No place to turn around & not a great idea to try and back down it ... only choice to go forward. When the road opened up again, there was a park. They stopped for a stress relief, and break. My sickly father and slight sister were out side the RV (looking like easy marks) mom was inside. When my mom noticed thru the window, a car full of 'possibly legal' persons driving by real slow. She got a bad feeling, ran to the back of the RV to where they had the guns ... by the time she hit the door, they were stopped with the doors opening. They saw mom and thought better of it .. closed the doors and drove away. She had not even flashed a weapon at that point. I guess they thought, 'we don't know how many more are in there' ... and decided to go on.
I don't even want to think about what would happen to a person traveling solo.
I have a good 'trouble radar' that has never failed me, and thanks to a seriously troubled, personal stalker several years ago, martial arts training too. But I don't like letting trouble get up-close-and-personal enough to have to use that. I don't expect to have any problems ... but like is said ... better to have and not need, than need and not have. I will be staying in KOA campgrounds .. and any that I have been in before have mostly families ... and they have a gate they close up at night.

and the "Serious ***** Country" ... yeah, I know all about that part. I am indian ... but a different tribe. I did a trip a couple of years back and stayed in a tiny little triangle of land in between 3 reservations... some of those tribes still have working medicine men who go out to sing the sun up in the morning. Hoo doo is alive and well... and can make the hair on the back of your neck stand up in you happen to go into the wrong place at the wrong time.

thanks again for all the input!!