doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Places I Should have Visited

As the saying goes 'Youth is wasted on the Young!"

Idly poking away at the keys of my computer I have just figured out that on two different trips to Europe, I drove just past or actually right through Eibar, St Etienne and Ferlach.

Did I stop? Look around? Investigate the incredible history of double gun making in these storied towns?

Nope, just drove on by on my way to somewhere much less interesting. I'm an idiot!

Yeah, same with me, when I was stationed over there. (At least fairly near) I can add Suhl and the Val Trompia in as well. I lived only two hours from Suhl. Never made it anywhere near Birmingham. What a missed opportunity.

I did make it to Verdun. I wanted to see it before we shipped to the First Gulf War.

Regards
Ken

I didn't think of myself as an idiot, James. Driving by without even looking made me feel good. I haven't seen anything in the great places that I felt were better or needed more than the ones I own. Leaving one of the good auctions behind the padded leather door on New Bond Street a fews years ago, my wife asked, "You didn't see anything you wanted?" Nope. The spirit burns brightly as ever because I selected carefully for quality and tradition that couldn't be improved with more money or more guns. Almost like "The peace of God that surpasses all understanding."

Please King, nothing you wanted?

I could never say that, always something out there I want, nothing I actually need. Realistically after having one good gun I shoot well and the stuff to load one or two good loads everything is want. That is why I maintain a want list, not a needs list.

I was visiting Lark Hill Training Area near Salisbury England once to inspect some training my soldiers were conducting with an United Kingdom Royal Artillery Territorial Army Unit from New Castle on the Tyne (hope I spelled it right). It was the last day in the field and I was trying to get to my last section before they came out of the field. I was with the UKTA Unit 2IC when we literally rolled by Stonehenge. He asked me if I wanted to stop. I said "No, we had one in Kansas and I needed to see the troops." I think he choked. Later we discovered a common love for Glenmorangie Single Malt and I still hear from him now and again. I don't regret not stopping as I had my priorities, but I never change the channel on a Stonehenge Documentary.

All said I have raked my brain and cannot think of a place I really want to see that I could have seen and did not.

I could provide and endless list of places I want to go and see, but time, money, and opportunity did not or have not yet provided the chance.

King, I understand your point but I think you may have missed mine.

It wouldn't have been to try and find a gun. It would have been to look at the place(s) where they have been making these guns for 100's of years. The buildings, close to water for power, usually in mountainous ares for defense. The streets. The people. Sure, I'd go into a few shops and see if I could wrangle a factory shop visit. but really, it would have been to soak up and luxuriate in the ambiance and history of each of those place.

That way, when I hold a gun from St Etienne or Ferlach, I would be able to see it's birthpace in my mind's eye.

I understand, James. I could have bought an in-service Spitfire in the UK in the late 60s for $25,000 and a flying Mustang for $8,000 with additional RR pickled engine and a DH Dragon Rapide for $4,000 in Sept Isles. None was practical for my mission at the time. But an aviation museum here, US or overseas I'd crawl to over a mile of broken glass.

old colonel, yes, honest, nothing I wanted. Keeping the aviation analogy, flying is my religion; three generation of the family. There isn't another aircraft I'd want more than my current homebuilt experimental bush plane on floats, some of my design, some technology going back 80 years, performance like being launched on a Titan rocket. Nothing better as far as I'm concerned.

Same with guns. I'm at heart more of a rifleman bound up in handloading and accuracy, have shot competitively rifle and clays but most attractive for me, for tradition, line and form, the double comes first.

AMEN to canvasback's sentiment.
I had driven past Exit 1 Maryland on Interstate 81 South many times since the mid 1980s, but in April 2008 on my way down to "The Southern SxS" I finally decided to satisfy my curiosity about Antietam/Sharpsburg and Harpers Ferry, and took Exit 1, driving south to Sharpsburg, Maryland (Antietam). Right move Ian!!!
Antietam and the US National Parks Service really opened this "foreigner's" eyes.
The focus of my "retired life" study and visiting immediately changed with that visit. Antietam/Sharpsburg opened a book that has not yet closed...and subsequent chapters led me to Gettysburg, Chickamauga and Lookout Mountain, Shiloh, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, The Wilderness, Bull Run/Manassas, Tredegar Iron Works, Stones River/Murfeesboro, Franklin, Nashville, Corinth, Iuka, Mill Springs, Camp Nelson, and Perryville. Driving down to "The Southern SxS" in April 2016 on I-95 South I chanced to see a "new-to-me" sign for the battle at Bentonville North Carolina and side-tracked there for two hours. Mill Springs, Perryville, and Bentonville are state parks,and have not received the funding or attention levels of the federal National Military Parks.
Being retired and driving solo gives me the opportunity to "detour" on a whim - and I do.
Three visits to Gettysburg, and two visits to Chickamauga have REALLY made me appreciate the professionalism of the Park Rangers at those National Military Parks. Which has also led me to appreciate the insight and interpretation of Matt Atkinson's (Park Ranger) Gettysburg guided tours on youtube - after having actually walked and climbed those Gettysburg sites.
Tempus fugit - no matter the interest or subject, just DO IT....... while you can.

Guilty as charged. I drove by Liege - twice - this summer, without even considering to stop. In my defence, I can claim time shortage and fatigue - it's a four days drive from my home to Normandy, our destination on that trip. Then, a visit to any European city by car is today a problem - you've got to find out whether there are any green zones where you can't get without paying, places to park, etc. And, finally, I said to myself, OK, I drive in, get out, look around - "Cool. I'm in Liege" - and drive on. What will it give me? Gunmaking centers require a dedicated trip, w/o unenthusiastic family members by the side. Perhaps some day...

Ken posted I'll bet lifted your spirits! Grim old place for anyone, but a soldier off to the wars .... gee.

Eug

I visited specifically to remove any unrealistically romantic notions regarding the glories of combat.

Fortunately the war turned out to be anything but a war of attrition. I realized that the night that the Air War began, when it seemed that the entire initial strike force went into Iraq while flying directly over my tent.

Leige was only a little more than two hours from Verdun.

Regards
Ken