Dream Vacation & Ammo Run Road Trip

With the implementation of the Draconian NY SAFE Act this coming Wednesday, and the ridiculous requirement for commercial ammo sales to be only face to face and the additional requirement of a background check for each purchase of ammo within NY State, I was thinking I might have to do quarterly (or annual) ammo runs to other states. Heck, I was also thinking I need a good get away from it all kind of a vacation.

The trip would start from home in NY. My first stop would be Harrisburg, PA about 193 miles from home. It is nearby to Gettysburg and Hershey Park and home of a Bass Pro Shops. Maybe spend a few hours or even a day there to enjoy the sights.

Then onto Middletown, OH. It is the home of AIM Surplus, the company that just happens to have the very minor distinction of the last place from which I received an online ammo order. It's about 459 miles from Harrisburg - definitely an overnight stay somewhere around there and most assuredly a stop at AIM Surplus.

The next day I would plan on being off to Columbia, MO which is about 484 miles from Middletown. While in Columbia I would  have to visit MidwayUSA. Besides visiting the store, I would visit their museum too. I might spend a couple of or three days in or around Columbia to enjoy wetting a worm (or hunk of beef liver) while trying to catch a huge catfish in the Missouri River.

Once I decided to move on from Columbia, I guess I would be headed to Stillwater, OK to visit the folks at SG Ammo. They were one of the nicest groups of folks with whom I had online ammo dealings before Tyrant Cuomo and his leftist henchmen screwed all 2nd Amendment loving New Yorkers. That would add another 417 miles or so to the trip. The trip up until that point was basically westward ho; however after Stillwater the route would take a nosedive almost directly south.

The next stop would be Brenham, TX. It is located about midway between Austin and Houston and from what I have heard that is hog heaven. So, I might figure to get some hog hunting done with an outfitter in that area. That would certainly be a blast for me. To assure I had the right ammo for pig shooting, I imagine I would need to stop off at Ammo To Go in Brenham. I guess I would spend at least a couple of nights in that area. By the way, Brenham is 464 miles from the previous stopover in Stillwater.

Upon leaving Brenham, my trip would turn east going through eastern TX and into Louisiana. How could I not at least try to make a stopover at Red Jacket Firearms in Baton Rouge, which is a mere 352 miles or so from Brenham. That would be a short stop requiring me to drive a bit further that day, say maybe to New Orleans which would add another 82 miles before an overnighter there. I might even have to spend at least two nights there.

Once out of New Orleans, the trip would turn northeast with my next planned destination being Columbia, SC. Since that would add about another 677 miles to the trip, I would probably stop along the way for an overnight stay, maybe near Atlanta. Of course, I might be feeling my Wheaties that day and do the whole drive from New Orleans to Columbia. It would require some strong black coffee but a drive of 10 or 11 hours is possible for this old man still. Once in Columbia, I would be obliged to stop by at Palmetto State Armory at the warehouse location. These folks were also very nice in all of my online dealings with them.

I'd keep heading NE after Columbia with the hope of making it to Front Royal, VA as my next overnight stop. Several miles before getting to Front Royal, I think I would be obliged to take some side roads through the area over to the Skyline Drive and take it the rest of the way to Front Royal. That stretch from Columbia to Front Royal amounts to 460 miles or so. A couple or a few days of canoeing, fishing and hiking might be in order. It sure is nice in that neck of the woods and that is amazing considering how close it is to that cesspool - Washington, DC.

Upon leaving Front Royal, I would be on the last leg of my journey. On the way back home, I would again pass through PA and this time I would probably make a stop at Cabela's in Hamburg, PA just to see if I had forgotten anything ammowise along the way. The final part of the journey would be about 337 miles from Front Royal, and then I would be home.

I did not add up how many days this trip might take even though I mentioned staying a day or two at some places and maybe even a few at others. Time would, in all likelihood, be of little concern since when retired - every day is another Saturday in Paradise. The total mileage (I hope I wrote down the mileage between all stopping points above) would come out to 3922.7. That is 
according to Mapquest. That might not add up to the miles I gave for each stopover because I rounded off. Here is the route map, with the zip code of my actual starting point changed to one in Queens, NY where I used to live (don't want to give away exactly where I live now). Click on "View Larger Map" at the bottom of the map to see the whole route.



It is a lot of miles to drive but as I say, being retired and if I do it, I will have the time. I say if I do it because right now this is just what it says in the title of this blog post - a dream trip. I just started planning dreaming about it tonight. I am not sure if I am going to do it or not, but I know I am overdue for a road trip, so why not a long one. I am going to look into booking a hog hunting trip down near Brenham, TX. If I find a place that seems good, at a reasonable cost, who knows, it might be all it takes to put my wheels in motion.

All the best,
Glenn B