September 11, 2001 was a horrible day that I’ll never forget.  I’ve written about it a few times (use the search function on the upper right to find all the posts), but the original one with my best account of my experience that day is here.  I don’t know really what more there is to say about it that I haven’t already said.  Instead, I’m going to focus on today for the most part.  The day started with a shoot out in the desert and due to the dirt road, I was in the car for a change.  I’ve done a bit of dirt road and gravel on the V-Star, but I don’t know that I’ll ever take it to this place.

11 September 2011 - Scattering our friend Christina's ashes the way she wanted

 Before anyone thinks differently, this was not my idea!  Christina was a member of Nevada Shooters, a gunsmith, had worked construction, and loved tinkering with mechanical things like cars.  We were sad to learn that she’d passed away earlier this year due to brain cancer.  I hadn’t been too close to Christina but I remember that she was extremely nice, always helpful, and a great person to have around at our shoots.

The way I understand it, she’d wanted to go out with a bang and to have her ashes scattered over a gun range.  After her sister said a few words, her wish was granted.  Her ashes were placed on a fairly substantial charge of tannerite which was then set off by a .50 caliber rifle bullet   That smoke you see by the mountain is the aftermath of the shot and I think she would have truly loved it

I made sure to stop and chat with Christina’s sister a little while later.  Christina had owned a gun store in El Cajon, CA near San Diego and we’d discussed San Diego quite a bit.  I may not have known her all that well, but I knew her well enough and will miss her.  I explained this and I hope I gave her sister a little more support during a very tough time.

Godspeed, Christina and may you rest in peace.

11 September 2011 - Stopped in Red Rock Canyon

 Some of the people from the shoot went to Dean’s Place (a local Italian restaurant which is very friendly with the gun community) to eat and chat over truly good food.  I considered going, but I was getting rather tired again and still wanted to get in a bit of a ride to settle my mind.  September 11 has always been a day for remembrance and introspection for me, but Christina’s memorial shoot added a bit more than usual.

I got home, checked the weather on the computer, swapped flip flops for boots, and headed out on the bike.  I didn’t have anything in mind except going for a ride through Red Rock and getting a pic of my bike with the September 11 memorial decal on the saddle bag.  I met back up with a guy named Nick I’d met before out there and we talked for quite a while about all sorts of stuff.  He’s just gotten into riding with his first motorcycle as well.  I don’t want to spoil the future fun and tell everything about it right now, but I will say that it’s a Harley

11 September 2011 - Panorama - Storm clouds and rain in Red Rock Canyon

11 September 2011 - Panorama - More storm clouds and rain in Red Rock Canyon

11 September 2011 - Panorama - Half of the clouds in sunset, the others still in sunlight

11 September 2011 - Panorama - Golden light filtering through the broken clouds

11 September 2011 - Panorama - Sunset glowing on a few of the clouds

11 September 2011 - Panorama - Clouds glowing from within as sunset illuminates their tops

11 September 2011 - Panorama - Sunset illuminating a cloud like a smouldering coal in a campfire

11 September 2011 - Panorama - Last light of day on the highest clouds

It’s getting late and not only do I have to work tomorrow, but we’re all working ten hour shifts instead of eight so I’m going to wrap this post up fairly quickly   Our weather her in Fabulous Las Vegas has been a bit mixed this past week.  We’ve had a few thunderstorms lately and the temperatures are coming back down into the reasonable (under 100°) range.  Tonight the atmosphere was rather more unsettled than usual.  We only got a few drops in Red Rock, but I got a decent light show a bit later from a thunderstorm over by Lake Mead on my way home   Oh yeah – We also got some broken clouds that indicated a very cool sunset might present itself

I think the pictures came out fairly well considering I went handheld for all the pics   One of these days I’ll remember that I have tripods in the one of my saddle bags   In any case, I hope you like ‘em

In closing, let’s remember those who’ve sacrificed for us and those who continue to do so today.  I’m going to remember them and my thanks will always go out to them.  Here’s hoping it all gets better from here   Have a great week, everyone

Never forget

 The image above isn’t mine, but it’s the best one I’ve seen yet in its simplicity and message.  I would give credit to its creator, but I found it in too many places on the web to know who that is.  Thank you, sir or ma’am for your efforts.  I will remember.

 There are many great posts out on the Internet today about the anniversary of the terrorist attacks ten years ago.  I will be back later today with a more in-depth post, but I have a few things to do.  I’m going to a shoot in the desert which is being held as a memorial to a friend of ours who was recently lost to brain cancer.

A little bit later, I’ll be out on the bike on a solo ride to let everything sink in, coalesce, and settle back down.  I was thinking about going on one of the organized rides, but decided not to for many reasons.  I’ll never forget where I was that day a decade ago, who I was with, or what I was doing.  I didn’t personally know anyone injured or killed that day, but it still affected me deeply and still does.

God bless those who have died, those who have lost loved ones, those who have been wounded, and those who still serve today.

I wrote about my experiences on that clear, cool day a couple of years ago.  After re-reading that post, I haven’t been able to improve on it, so I’ve decided to re-post it again this year.  The original post can be found here.

September 11, 2001

Everyone who was old enough to understand remembers where they were on that day. I certainly remember where I was and what I was doing. I just wish more people would remember the spirit of unity that followed it. I have never before seen American flags sold out for so long. Even around Independence Day every year there’s some left over. Not after that day.

9/11 for me started out on 9/10. I was a car salesman in San Diego at the time, selling Chevys at what was then C&M Chevrolet. Personal time in the car business is something to be closely guarded. The schedule went Sat/Sun off – Mon PM – Tues “bell” (all day or bell to bell) – Wed AM – Th off – Fri PM (but be there for the morning meeting) – Sat/Sun “bell” – Mon AM – Tues off – Wed PM – Th “bell” – Fri am – start over. You’re also expected to work when you’re scheduled off and to come in from anywhere if a customer shows up. To say that it can lead to burnout and raucous, drunken parties is putting it very mildly indeed.

I did what I usually did back then when I had time off – I drove on down to Coronado when I got out of work around 9:00 PM on Monday night to spend the night on her sailboat in the Coronado Cays Yacht Club on the silver strand and have some fun on my Tuesday off. We hopped into her 1975 Stingray and went for a drive. I don’t remember all that much from that night specifically except for getting pulled over by a Coronado cop for her license plate light hanging down (she was going to fix it soon anyway). We had a couple of drinks on the boat (no, we weren’t going anywhere – she lived aboard) and crashed out sometime around 0200 after planning to go to the movies the next day.

Sometime later that morning (no idea what time) we were woken up by the phone ringing. Adrienne answered it and said that some guy had said that there was a plane crash and the borders were closed before he realized he had dialed a wrong number and hung up. We were both still so tired and it didn’t make any sense – we (at least I) figured it was something local with the world’s busiest border crossing just a few miles away between San Ysidro in the U.S. and Tijuana in Mexico. We shrugged it off and went back to sleep.

Before I go any further, I should pause the story for a bit of background. Adrienne’s sailboat, Bruja, was a 27′ fiberglass sloop which I miss very much. She didn’t have an AM/FM radio on board at the time (she was planning on replacing the one it came with soon) and the TV didn’t have an antenna or cable – she didn’t like TV that much and just watched DVDs.

Back to the story. We woke up sometime around 0900 and lazed about for a while before I called Mom from the dock to say hi and see what was new and exciting in Poway.

Her words hit me like a freight train.

She told me that there had been a terrorist attack. Both towers of the World Trade Center were down – hit by hijacked airliners. Fifty thousand people were thought lost at the time. Another plane had hit the Pentagon. A fourth plane was down in Pennsylvania. All air traffic was grounded except for military.

I stood there on the dock, just numb, in shock, and trying to make sense of what I was hearing. I was sick to my stomach and thought I was going to vomit. The last time I felt anything like this was when my head met a curb at over thirty miles an hour without a helmet back in grade school. I think Mom said she had to go and I told her I’d call her back. The numbness started to wear off and was replaced by grief and rage. The tears started to come shortly thereafter and didn’t stop for quite a while.

I told Adrienne who immediately got on her cellphone to her dad. I remember her reaction was much the same.

Everyone was worried about more attacks. Would a plane hit something on the west coast? Would they go after shopping malls? Military bases? Bridges? Los Angeles seemed like a likely target for further attacks with its tall buildings and tourist attractions – the thought of a jumbo jet going into Disney Land crossed my mind. San Diego is full of military bases.

We talked some and decided to go to Radio Shack for an antenna for the TV. That’s where we saw the video for the first time. The numbness, grief, and rage started all over again.

We listened to the radio for a while, not wanting to go back to the boat. We talked about what to do – we had planned to go to the movies, but should we still go? We decided that the terrorists wanted nothing more than to cause fear and paralysis in the population so we would do our part to deny them that and go to the movies despite recent events. I don’t remember what movie we saw, but I think it gave both of us time for events to sink in without thinking about them for a while.

We listened to the radio for more news on the way back to the boat and turned on the TV when we got there. The casualties appeared much lighter than first feared, but somehow that gave little comfort. I got a phone call from the dealership asking if I could come in – something special I should probably be part of. I was the biggest Corvette fan on the lot and it turns out that they had a Corvette sale all lined up for me – a friend of the owner. I’ve never regretted declining their invitation.

We sat out on the deck of the boat late into the evening, and while I don’t remember much of what we talked about, I do remember the strange silence. The Coronado Cays Yacht Club is on the silver strand as I’ve said before. There’s usually a lot of air traffic in the area. Lindbergh Field and NAS North Island are a short distance to the north and there’s a military heliport a ways to the south. That night we only heard a couple of jets overhead, but saw no lights. I’d never before been directly protected by U.S. military aircraft flying combat air patrol.

I went home that night and barely slept. Adrienne couldn’t sleep at all. She decided that rather than lay awake and do nothing, she’d go into work at the Red Cross blood bank at 0300 on 9/12. She said she’d never seen such a traffic jam as she found herself in that night. You see, there’s lots of military just on Coronado and the strand. There’s the Naval Amphibious base, the SEAL base, and North Island Naval Air Station. Everyone was called into work.

After making it to the Coronado Bay bridge, she found that the traffic jam was just as bad in the opposite lanes – all heading into the bases. She looked over to the 32nd Street Naval Station and saw all the ships turned bow out to the bay and taking on supplies and munitions.

I went back to Coronado a couple of days later and saw at least three Aegis cruisers off the coast providing surface to air missile coverage for San Diego. It wasn’t much later that a wave of patriotism swept over the United States like I had never seen which was followed by a call for vengeance to be taken on those who had committed this act.

That’s how I remember September 11, 2001 as I sit in Las Vegas six years later.

I’ve got plenty on my mind about politicians and religious leaders with regards to this day, but I’m going to keep those thoughts out of this post.  Please remember those who lost their lives and loved ones and keep them in your prayers.  Stay strong and keep the Spirit of Freedom alive.

The words to describe how I felt on 9-11 come and go,  they escape me and that is good, because they are words of fear and hesitation.

Those are not words to live by,  they are not encouraging or strong.   And if 9-11 taught us anything, it is that we must be strong,  we must have courage and we must never give up.   Ever.

Before you look any further, you should know that everyone at Ranger Up is either current or former U.S. military.  They’ve all signed their name to a check with the amount filled in reading “up to and including my life” to protect and serve the United States of America.  That alone is reason enough for me to want to do business with them.

Here’s a little bit of what they have to say about themselves:

What Ranger Up Stands For:

1. AMERICA. Nothing like her anywhere, anytime, in the history of the world.

2. Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen, Coastguardsmen, Firemen, and Police Officers. Basically, the crazy SOBs that put their lives on the line every day for less pay than they deserve so that we Americans can sit in front of our plasma televisions and watch crappy reality TV shows, drive nice cars, eat great food, and generally not have to worry about anything of substance.

3. Veterans. From George Washington to the newest recruit and everyone in between – Thank You.

4. Patriots. We’re talking about the people that believe the Fourth of July is more than just an excuse to set off fireworks, that flying the American Flag all year long is a civic duty, that taking the time to send letters to our troops is an honor, and who realize that America wasn’t forged on the backs of journalists, politicians, or campus rallies, but rather through the suffering and discipline of steely-eyed men who refused to accept defeat.

5. Dogs. Never trust anyone that doesn’t like dogs. They’re loyal. They’d die for you, and all they want in return is some dried food, some petting, and the occasional piece of bacon.

6. Reversing the growing oppression of the proletariat in today’s society. We…uhhh…think this is a good idea.

7. Hot chicks. Honestly, aren’t they the reason we do anything?

Add to all of this the fact that they not only sponsor some awesome MMA fighters, but that they also support Soldiers’ Angels and I like this group even more.  Know what else I like?  Apparel that makes a statement.  And Ranger Up isn’t a company that worries about things like hurting someone’s feelings, apologizing, or being “politically correct” in any way shape or form

The good folks at Ranger Up were kind enough to give me pretty much blanket permission to post anything from their site on my blog.  Sure, I could’ve done it anyway without asking, but I believe in being polite when dealing with people who could not only put me in the hospital with their pinkie fingers, but who I also deeply respect and with whom I whole-heartedly agree   With that permission granted, let’s check out a few of my favorite Ranger Up shirts

Ranger Up - Unapologetically American - Pledge of Allegiance shirt

Ranger Up - Unapologetically American - Pledge of Allegiance shirt

Ranger Up - Unapologetically American - Pledge of Allegiance shirt

Monday through Thursday at work we all have to follow a fairly lax dress code that still restricts me from wearing any type of shirt with writing or imagery on it.  Friday’s another matter, but the problem I’ve had is that management doesn’t really like most of my shirts.  Something about having guns on them and proclaiming my affinity for peace through superior firepower just doesn’t fit in with their idea of what should be worn in the office.  Hey, they sign the checks, so I do what I can with what I’ve got to work with.

Thankfully, Ranger Up has a shirt that I really love and that has already been pre-approved by management as appropriate attire for Fridays in the office.  It’s the Unapologetically American Pledge of Allegiance shirt and I’ll likely have one on order shortly after my next paycheck arrives via direct deposit.  I have a sneaking suspicion that this is yet another shirt that will receive both adulation and derision from different people around town.  That works for me as it’s a great way to figure out who I really want to spend time with

Ranger Up - Patriot's Day shirt

Ranger Up - Patriot's Day shirt

I haven’t specifically asked about the permissibility of most of the rest of Ranger Up’s line of clothing, but I have a sneaking suspicion that this one wouldn’t really be welcomed in the office.  I don’t usually buy many shirts that I can’t wear to work, but I’ll likely make an exception in this case.  9/11 was a horrendous day and I might buy this shirt just to wear on that day.  I can’t think of a better way to put it than what Ranger Up has done.

Ranger Up - Soldier's Memorial shirt

Ranger Up - Soldier's Memorial shirt

This shirt would likely pass inspection at work, but I’d likely wear it only on Memorial Day to keep it nice.  There’s just something about the rifle, boots, and helmet displayed as a memorial like this that always causes a bit of a lump in my throat and a bit of moisture around my eyes.  It means that someone else has sacrificed all they ever had and all that they would ever have in the service of their country and that’s something that gets to me in ways I really have trouble putting into words.  I feel like I don’t deserve to have had them do that.  But they do it anyway.  All I can say is that I salute them and thank them from the bottom of my heart and that I will keep them in my thoughts and prayers.

Ranger Up - Unapologetically American Vietnam Wall shirt

Ranger Up - Unapologetically American Vietnam Wall shirt

The description for the Vietnam Wall shirt includes the following explanation:

This idea came from my dad, a Vietnam vet.

I’ll simply paraphrase his words:

Nick, we spent a year or more overseas, dreaming of being home, and whether we were grunts or base guys, we were all in combat. All we wanted much of the time was to be home, and when we got here, we were treated so poorly that it was often safer to hide our service from civilians. We were outcasts, expected by a lot of people in America to want to apologize for serving our country.

Even now, while veterans of all other wars are treated with respect, we’re still treated like the country’s dirty little secret. Our problems – chemical exposure, injuries, and PTSD were all but ignored. Hollywood showcases every Vietnam Vet as some angry, unadjusted, malcontent.

What binds us isn’t what job we had when we were there.

What binds us is that we were there.

I know a few Vietnam vets and were I to wear this shirt it would be to honor them.  They didn’t receive thanks from many in the nation they fought and bled for when the returned from war.  Instead, people insulted and assaulted them much too often.  The tide of public opinion has turned over the years, but their sacrifices remain.  They deserve respect and recognition and this is a very nice way of showing it in my opinion.

Ranger Up - Soldiers' Angels shirt

Soldiers’ Angels is a non-profit charity which was formed to help both our men and women in uniform as well as their families.  They are a truly great organization and have earned a spot on the sidebar of this blog.  Ranger Up donates a portion of the proceeds from these shirts to Soldiers’ Angels which is pretty awesome if you ask me.  Click here to learn more about Soldiers’ Angels.

Ranger Up - Second Amendment shirt

Ranger Up - Second Amendment shirt

If you know me at all, you know my views on firearms and the Second Amendment.  Anyone who has any question about why I’d wear this shirt need only read back on my gun related posts or hang out with me for a while.  Yeah, it’s pretty much one of my most firmly held convictions that the right to keep and bear arms is necessary to the security of a free state and it only follows that I should do what I can to enhance that security through my own actions, right ?  The shirt may not be work friendly, but I think it would be well received at just about any shooting range, gun store, or restaurant in Las Vegas

Ranger Up - Boston Tea Party shirt

Ranger Up - Boston Tea Party shirt

The Boston Tea Party was a pivotal link in the chain of events that led to the founding of the United States of America and I have to say that Ranger Up hit a home run by combining the imagery of that event with one of Thomas Jefferson’s more well known quotes.  I’m pretty sure this shirt would be work friendly which of course means it’s on the list ahead of some of the others around this site

Ranger Up - Tree of Liberty shirt

Ranger Up - Tree of Liberty shirt

I think it’s safe to say that the Tree of Liberty shirt would not be work friendly.  Guess what?  I don’t care!  It’s just about perfect for the times we live in and I don’t spend my entire life at work no matter what it seems like lately

It should be noted that I don’t think we’re anywhere near applying this idea here in the U.S.  That said, we seem to have applied it fairly effectively overseas for the past decade or so and it’s just as true now as it was when it was originally written.

Ranger Up - Saint Michael Archangel shirt - Limited Edition

The description for the Saint Michael Archangel shirt goes like this:

The Archangel Saint Michael is the protector saint of Warriors, Paratroopers, and Police Officers.

When the idea for this shirt came to us from one of our fans in Law Enforcement, I immediately thought of the Saint Michael pendant I carried with me every day of my military career. My grandmother gave it to me right before I went to Airborne School and I carried it with me until the day I hung up the uniform. Shortly therafter, I asked the rest of the guys on Team Ranger Up if I was alone in doing this, and found out that every single one of us carried Saint Michael with us.

We knew this had to be a shirt and we poured our hearts and souls into this one. Here’s hoping Saint Michael looks over you as well as he did us.

I’d be proud to wear this shirt.  You and I might not have to go into combat, but we could all use Saint Michael’s help these days.

Ranger Up - Iwo Jima & Marine Corps shirt

Ranger Up - Iwo Jima & Marine Corps shirt

The United States Marine Corps is not an organization to be trifled with.  They’re known for their tenacity, their toughness, and their fierce demeanor in combat.  The quote on this shirt is from Ronald Reagen and the imagery comes straight out of one of the USMC’s most storied battles – the fight against the Japanese for control of the island of Iwo Jima in World War II.  Semper Fi Marines!

Ranger Up - Oath of Enlistment shirt

Ranger Up - Oath of Enlistment shirt

There are a few shirts in the Ranger Up catalog that I think are freaking awesome but that I would never wear myself because I haven’t earned the right to do so.  The Oath of Enlistment shirt is one of those.  I would, however, buy one of these to give one of my military friends as a gift

Ranger Up - Freedom Isn't Free - front

Ranger Up - Freedom Isn't Free - back

This is another one of the shirts I would never wear, but would be proud to give to someone who’s earned the right to wear it with pride.  While often taken for granted, Freedom truly is not free.  It’s purchased on a daily basis by those who would stand up and say that they will personally not fail to keep the rest of us free.

Ranger Up - Navy SEALS Pirate Message shirt

Remember the Somali pirates who thought it was a good idea to capture the Maersk Alabama and hold her Captain hostage?  They learned a hard lesson with a little help from a few U.S. Navy SEALs.  Is this shirt politically correct?  I guess that depends on where you are, but I can think of some places where the inhabitants would likely look at you like you just farted in an elevator for wearing something like this.  Of course I’d wear it just to see those looks, but then again I’m a bit opinionated and something of a rabble rouser according to friends and relatives

Ranger Up - Bionic shirt

Another shirt that has a description too good to leave off this page is the one above.  The description says:

This shirt goes out to all the folks in Ward 57 at Walter Reed, and to the men and women that have weathered far more than we can imagine and kept driving on. Whether they managed to stay in the service or not, these men and women are our heroes, and we thank them with the full measure of our hearts.

I think that just about says it all.  Those men and women are the ones my heroes look up to and this is a great way to honor them.

Ranger Up - American Women Veterans shirt

Ranger Up - American Women Veterans shirt

No, I’m not about to wear this shirt myself   I just had to include this shirt because a wonderful example of the great gear Ranger Up has designed for the ladies out there   I can think of a few women I know who this would be perfect for…

Folks, I didn’t ask for anything in return for promoting Ranger Up, nor did they offer anything.  I’m doing this because they’re an organization I support for all the reasons I’ve already written in this post.  I’ll be sending some of my hard earned money their way and I hope I can get some other people to do the same.  Click here to head on over to the Ranger Up website, check out their gear, and send ‘em some business, OK ?

To all the great people at Ranger Up I have to say thank you once again for your service to this great nation and for your kind permission to use the photos from your website on my blog as well.  This civilian salutes you and wishes you all the best in life as well as in business