After Mass on Sunday, we drove out to Orange, VA for brunch at The Light Well. Coincidently, this was the same place Colleen and I enjoyed lunch on Mother’s Day. The Light Well offers breakfast and lunch foods, along with a small but decent craft beer …

Just a suggestion for today’s activities.Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads out there. Cheers!
[ This content originated at Musings Over a Pint ]

Most sensible proposal I’ve seen all week.Have a fun weekend, no matter where, or how, your refreshment is provided.
[ This content originated at Musings Over a Pint ]

Earlier this week, I was faced with this comment in an online forum:

“If I had to defend myself, I would not be able to and that does not bother me in the least.”

I think it actually caused me physical pain to read that comment. How can a person have such little regard for their own life, or the lives of their loved ones, as to be comfortable with accepting their own rape or murder? I feel more sorry for any children who might be in this person’s care than I do for them. Not everyone can, or should, carry a weapon for self-defense. But everyone should care about their loved one’s safety, if not their own.

In the recent Orlando terrorist attack, the victims waited three hours to be rescued. We now know the jihadi took time to make phone calls to friends, he also stopped to wash his hands and even clean his gun!!!! Yet no one in the night club stepped up in their own defense, they simply waited. The killer was greatly outnumbered, he was often distracted. There’s a reason a group of street thugs will approach their victim from opposite directions at the same time. You can’t watch in two directions at once. This isn’t meant to blame the victims or play Monday morning quarterback. I’m pointing out a mindset that has become so predominant in this country.

Americans today are brainwashed to think that must obey direction from any authority figure, without question. (And the jihadi with the gun IS an authority figure.) Americans are taught that someone else will save them. Federal and local government agencies, school systems, all teach “cower in place” as a defensive technique. People are trained to mindlessly do what they are told by people who want to kill them. I’ve lost count of the number of security videos I’ve watched where a criminal holding someone at gunpoint will actually turn his back, or set the gun down and start grabbing money from a cash register, and the victim just stands there, even when next to an exit. It’s pathetic conditioning promoted by the leftist leadership; progressives savor mindless cooperation. And it creates victims.

A gun in the criminal’s hand is a dangerous weapon. That’s why a gun in the hand of a competent law-abiding citizen is the best defense. People need to plan, and train, before they face the need to defend themselves. Unless you have decided in advance that you will not go quietly, you will indeed go quietly.

I often think that Colonel Jeff Cooper’s “Principles of Personal Defense” should be required reading in schools. I re-read it frequently. The wake up call has already come. How will you answer?

Last weekend I headed north to Manassas to check out a monthly IDPA match put on at the Fairfax Rod & Gun Club. Driving I-95 on the weekend anytime holds the possibility of sitting in non-moving traffic but I decided to risk it for another chance t…

Like many folks this morning, I was in a online discussion regarding gun control when the “no semi automatic/automatic weapons” argument came up. So I asked if they thought people should only be able to defend themselves with revolvers, figuring the po…

This summer seasonal from Starr Hill Brewery is part of trend of the “session IPA.” Part of me thinks “hoppy Pale Ale” when I red the term, but I still enjoy the full-flavors that most of these lower ABV beers offer. I first tried The Hook Grapefr…

Another brewery I visited during my stay in Longmont, CO was Wibby Brewing. Wibby specializes in lagers, so I was going to be enjoying some different beers than my usual preferred Pale Ales and IPAs. The Wibby taproom features a large, open-air seating…

“Tough. And exhausting.” Those were my first words when I was asked how last weekend’s West Virginia State IDPA match went. It was a long afternoon of shooting eleven challenging but fun stages. The Tier Three match was held at the Peacemaker National Training Center. This was my first sanctioned IDPA match so I expected a challenge, and was not disappointed in that regard.

While all were fun, a few of the stages offered especially memorable challenges. “Hug the Wall” simulated a terrorist attack in a hotel. After pushing over a popper that activated a quick up and down target, you moved to a “hallway” to engage more targets. In two positions you had to put your body flat against the wall, either your front or backside depending on the hand used to shoot, with the support hand on the wall. It was an unusual position, shooting into a narrow target area. I shot strong-hand only so had my back against the wall at one position, and my front in the second. Here’s an instance where a “mature” belly was a benefit and gave me some space away from the wall.

“Save the Hostages” was unique in that the non-threat targets were moved around between each shooter. The stage had two arrays of three shootable targets and two non-threats. You didn’t know which targets were non-threats until you come upon the target groups.

Two stages made use of an actual crashed airplane. For “Down in the Desert” we started seated in the plane, gun loaded with six rounds on the glare shield. The first three targets were engaged in tactical sequence. After a reload, we yanked on a microphone cable which activated a pop up target and a very fast swinger. Part two of the scenario involved moving a bag from the cargo area of the plane to the tail, while engaging targets over the aircraft’s body, while on the move. The stage finished with more targets from the cover of the tail section.

While I was in Longmont, CO for work, a coworker recommended I check out Longs Peak Pub & Taphouse. Waking from a short after-work nap I headed over to the brewhouse. The pub offers both outdoor patio seating and spacious interior space. Naturally, I opted to sit at the bar.

The restaurant is part of the Mountain Sun Pubs & Breweries group, and serves the complete lineup of Mountain Sun Beers, as well as a few guest taps. Immediately after taking my seat I was greeted and given the lay of the land. The employees at Longs Peak share in all duties. That was made evident as the service was attentive and my glass (water or beer) was never left wanting. The staff is extremely friendly and welcoming.

There are around twenty Mountain Sun beers on tap, so my decision process was tough. I mentioned to one of the folks behind the bar that I liked hoppy ales, and immediately found sample of three IPAs in front of me. The pub serves half pints as well as full pints, which is a welcome option when looking to try several beers. I opted to start out with a half pint of Resinous Rye. Brewed with Simcoe hops and malted rye, the seasonal beer had pleasing resinous and citrus notes. Less sweet than some IPAs, with a nice bitter citrus flavor, the small serving was quickly consumed. Judging from comments from employees stopping by for conversation, Resinous Rye is quite popular among the staff too.

My food decision was no less difficult than the beer choice. I finally opted for Tim’s Blackened Chicken Quesadilla. The quesadilla is made with with jack and cheddar cheeses, spinach, tomato, diced jalapeños, blackened chicken and garnished with salsa, guacamole and sour cream. The blackened chicken has a very robust, spicy flavor. The plate is as colorful as it is generous in size.

After my initial half pint of Resinous Rye, I ordered a half pint of Newman’s Altbier. Pouring an attractive reddish-brown color with a thick white head, the beer has toasted and caramel malts with a pleasant earthiness to the flavor. Only slightly sweet with a smooth toffee finish, I was struck by the rich flavor of the beer. I’ve tried numerous altbiers over the years, but I don’t recall one I enjoyed as much.

About the time I finished the half pint of Newman’s Altbier, the skies outside opened up and the rain came hard. Being in an unfamiliar city, driving an unfamiliar rental car, the wisest course of action seemed to be to wait it out. So I ordered a pint of Resinous Rye and nursed it until the rain slowed.

It’s worth noting that Mountain Sun pubs are cash-only establishments. However, there are ATMs on site if you happen to be short of greenbacks. I really enjoyed the beer, the food, and the friendly staff at Longs Peak Pub. It’s definitely on my list of places to revisit when I next get back to Longmont.