I'm taking a couple of the NRA summer gunsmithing courses at Trinidad this summer. I've got a bunch of tools and guns to bring, so I was thinking of driving. Gas is expensive, and it's a long haul from Maryland.

Has anybody shipped guns, gun parts, and tools with good (or bad) results?

Taking the guns and tools on the plane might also be rough. And the drive from Denver's going to require a long car rental, anyway.

Any observations or good ideas?

Thanks,

Steve

Do the math there's no magic available. To drive would be approx $385 for gas and another $240 or so for motel assuming 28mpg and 2 overnites. The least expensive flight I found on Orbitz was $326 and you have a rental car from Denver for however long you will be there. Looks like a wash to me as far as expense is concerned. As to carrying the gear you probably would pay overweight charges. So take your choice.

Stay in the gunsmithing dorms. That's an experience all to itself.

Try and fly into Colorado Springs...saves you about 70 miles each way in driving distance.

What classes are you taking and what tools do you think you need to take with you? They have most everything you need there unless it is something very specialized.

The dorm is a fun experience. Trinidad seems to cool off at night enough to make the non airconditioning tolerable.

If cost wise it is a wash, you might consider the time savings in flying. You also may be able to catch a bus to Trinidad and save the car rental.

If you are there thru a weekend make sure you get down to the NRA Whittington Center in Raton NM.

If you have the time I would drive it. There is so much to see when you drive across the US why would you want to miss it?
I think you possibly would be money ahead by driving because once you fly then rent a car for nearly a week ($150) you'd be over the driving budget. Not to mention Denver and the Denver airport is an "F-ing" head ache. Colorado Springs is way better to fly into but $75 to $100 more than Denver.
Trinidad is a nice little town in a pretty setting, make sure you get a steak at the Black Jack saloon and check around for the latest best Mexican food, ( order a bowl of the Green Chile ). Other than a couple food and beer joints and the Walmart they pretty much roll up the streets at about 7:00 every night.
Good luck on your trip!

Plan the trip and take a tent, you'll be able to camp on the way for probably $10 each night, and that is at places with showers. Sometimes you even pitch tents next to interesting people.

Unless you have some time constraints, add a couple of days on both ends and make it an enjoyable and memorable trip. Lord knows there are a billion really cool things to see between Maryland and Colorado.

The trip itself is an opportunity to have an experience you'll remember the rest of your life, compared to sitting crammed in a plane.

Hell, I live around St Louis. Give me a call and you can spend the night sleeping in an authentic 17th century Scottish Black House replica.

I'll second Black Jacks. I usually eat there 2 times a year. I should be in Whittington shooting this weekend, but am home trying to catch up.
Butch

The dorms are just fine, you will meet a lot of nice people staying there too. It does cool off at night but they told us in the past not to open the windows due to black bears on the campus raiding the trash at night. It got hot enough that I opened them anyway.

The cafeteria food is pretty good beleive it or not, most of the students taking summer courses eat there.

I agree the restaurants are pretty good. Some nice mom and pop beer joints within walking distance of campus.

Be sure and visit Ed Shulin's stock making business. Usually some good buys there.

I would definately drive to have more control of my tools and guns. What class are you taking? Get you a school/car pool buddy. Year before last I drove from Texas to Kansas, a buddy met me there from Missouri and we drove to Oregon for a class. We had a good time even though we traveled a great distance.

Thanks for all the responses. I really appreciate all the suggestions on stuff to see and do, too.

I am staying at the dorms for the class. I'm going to the Basic and Advanced Machining courses. The class materials list calls for a bunch of tools. Mostly small stuff like calipers, screwdriver sets, files, lathe tool blanks, gauges, rolls of sandpaper, etc. Plus I've got the barrel blanks I plan to turn and the current guns I plan to screw them onto. .45 slide. I'm hesitant to put those in the mail or through baggage handling.

I imagine I'll sleep in the truck or a tent on the way out if I drive.

Hey Steve,
I lived in Arlington for 8 years.If I were you I'd drive. The country is beautiful coming here, even the Kansas wheat fields. Besides you will have your own truck to do some touring while here.
Danny

I've flown a couple times in the last few years and I don't care if I ever get on another commercial flight again, EVER. I'll pay more to drive I hate the hassle of airports and regulations so much. About half the time when going through the check-in at the security area I getted pulled from the line and get everything but a body cavity search and I don't want to push my luck as that is probably the next thing. No thanks

Fly to Colorado Springs, not Denver. It's not just the 70 miles that you'll save, but the traffic between Denver and the Springs is the among the worst you'll find in the entire state; then you'll hit the construction on I-25. - three separate places as you drive through Colorado Springs. The Springs airport is in the southeast part of the city, and you'll miss all of the construction on I-25 through the city.

And if you decide to drive instead, leave I-70 at Limon and take U.S.24 southwest to Colorado Springs. Again this road (which goes by the airport) will let you bypass Denver and all of the construction in Colorado Springs.