My partner and I hike with our dogs in the Jefferson National Forest outside Blacksburg, VA each weekend. We hike in part on fire roads and along the Appalachian Trail (to the Audie Murphy Monument and return). We've done this pretty much every weekend for nearly ten years...that's probably 5,000 miles along the trails.

My partner and I are both professionals, PhDs, and, though both of us are over 50, we are both in excellent physical shape. However, I weigh 155 lbs, she weighs 110 lbs. We are probably no match for most (or any) of the larger folk who seem to predominate our countryside. It's rare that a weekend goes by that we don't see folks cruising the fire roads in vehicles that aren't there to hike but to drink (as evidenced by the trash along the road), just cuise, or do drugs (as evidenced by one occasion where we were stopped from hiking because the police were addressing a drug overdose at a lookout point). During hunting season the situation becomes even more alarming because everyone is carrying guns and we know that more than a few of those are less than stable (as evidenced by the way they drive, their loud behavior, etc). We try to hike on Sundays only them (thank you for the Sunday relief)!

The situation became even more distressing last August when two Vitginia tech students were killed near the base of the climb we do every weekend. We also were sad to learn of the murder of the unfortunate woman hiker in GA who was murdered (and decapitated). I note that the killer of the VT students is sill at large and no suspect has been found. As hikers who are familiar with the area we believe it is a local (one of those described above) who got bent out of sahpe and killed in a fit of rage. A pre-meditated or planned murder would be easy to solve..this has not and for that reason I think we are on track. That means the killer is still at large in our neighborhood.

In September I bought a 9 mm handgun and I carry that loaded and ready to go on all of our hikes. I carry it in the open because the law requires me to do so. My partner and I both have also completed the NRA safety course and plan to apply for concealed carry...we believe that this is a safer alternative because those that have ill will in mind will shoot first and ask questions later...particularly if they know one is armed...and the other folk who use the trails now wonder if we aren't the ones to watch out for. We've clearly caused some of the good guys distress by open carry.

I believe in the right to be armed and will fight to protect that right. I also believe in the right to be discrete about it and to practice my right to bear arms. Please vote to allow concealed carry in Virginia Stae Forests. Though we don't hike in many now we may do so and the same concerns addressed above will apply there. If you want to disarm me then pay to patrol and be present everyday. In 10 years of hiking in the National Forests we have yet to see one ranger..we've seen only one police car and ambulance responding to an overdose. I complained to the National Forest Service about their lack of prescence but they have yet to respond or step up patrols. Since our country is broke and in hoc to China I don't expect any change in that situation soon.

Shawn & Ina