Hello Friends:

I am back in circulation after having had a killer semester trying to get ready for grad school. Have missed ya'll.

Now for a OT question.

I am planning on travelling to St. Louis from Vincennes, Indiana this summer, while on a driving vacation with my daughters and a spare niece. I always travel with a sidearm. I will go nowhere near Mayor Daley's little feudal kingdom.

After a map reconnaissance, it seems the obvious route is to take US 50 straight across southern Illinois, from Vincennes to St Louis. That's about 150 miles. The problem is, obviously, that the straight route means I am subject to Illinois bizarro gun laws. The " gun friendly" route would be to leave Vincennes head south to Evansville, then into Kentucky to Paducah to Wickliffe, then north through Missouri from Cape Girardeau to St Louis. That's 350 miles or so.

I understand that under the provisions of the FOPA of 1986, if I have the sidearm unloaded, securely encased and locked, I can travel with it legally in Illinois. However, having a firearm securely locked away sort of makes having it with you not very useful.

Ok...

So I have two solutions immedately evident, that do not cause potential problems.

1) Disarm and lock the gun up in accord with the rules of FOPA 1986, and take the short route. Belive me, I'll get out of Illinois just as fast as I can pedal.

2) Drive the gun friendly route and enjoy the drive.

Are there other possible solutions that won't get me thrown in the Crossbars hotel?

Regards

GKT

Texas Declaration of Independence 1836 -The Indictment against the dictatorship, Para.16:"It has demanded us to deliver up our arms, which are essential to our defence, the rightful property of freemen, and formidable only to tyrannical governments."