AAR: Piru, CA March 24-25, 2012

[Camljr]

Well, I finally dried my shoot boss notes enough to peel them apart and still see what I wrote. Glad I used a ball point pen, and not one of those gel pens, or I would have to do this all from memory, which could be a problem...

I just got done cleaning the rust off of my loaners (it don't take long for moisture to do damage) and realized I needed to do this report.

First, I want to thank the crew for making this a memorable shoot for everyone. You make my job easy... Since Scott1600 was going for his red hat, and I had not worked with him before (we had met in passing at a couple other shoots) I let him do most of the instruction with me and Johnny. He was awesome! and proved he has the stuff to be a full red hat instructor.

SOOOOO.... CONGRATS TO SCOTT1600 ON HIS SHINY NEW RED HAT!!!!!

AND Sam made his rifleman score first AQT out!  WAY TO GO!!!! you legit now, son!

Saturday was beautiful, 70's, no wind, just nice weather. 19 shooters on the line...
End of the day saw Justin, a previous Rifleman (in the military) shot a 202, Sierra Shot a 178 and Sam (foppish Dandy) got 235!   

Andy got a 205 on the only AQT of the day, and was chomping to get his rifleman score. We told him he will get it tomorrow.

Sunday, we had a forecast of 100% chance of rain.... No problem, I have done rain before....


They forgot to say Thunderstorms in the mountains, where we were. I was hoping fpr snow so It wouldn't be so wet! But no..... only rain, and lots of it on Sunday. It got progrssively worse and we were having to push the water out of the canopies of the EZ ups every 10 minutes, which put the water right on the firing line..

By lunchtime, all the families bailed out not wanting the children to get sick, and then the exodus started...... everyone bailed EXCEPT Andy.... He wanted that rifleman score.

So, Scott put him on the line, timed his COF and when it was over, Johnny and I went down and scored the target on the backer in a downpour. There was no way of writing his score on the target it was so wet...

212!!!!  We walked back to the line all dejected looking and gave3 him the bad news..... Johnny told him "Bad news, dude.... you only beat it by 2 points!

One Happy man, there .... Andy, Congrats on a score from a rifleman with heart.. Arizona is glad to have you.

All in all a great shoot, two new riflemen, a new red hat, and a memorable experience at "PIRU MUD BOWL 2012!

I have a few pics of the presentations to post....

Cam out!

[Foppish Dandy]

Such a great weekend for a shoot... Sunny Saturday and torrential downpour Sunday!

Thanks to all the instructors for all the help and encouragement with my first official time working on the line as an IIT. It's seriously an honor to work with such awesome people and I'm chomping at the bit to get back up there again.

Also, a HUGE congratulations to our newest rifleman, Andy from Arizona, for persisting long past most others and shooting a hard earned 212 in some of the most heinous weather that Southern California has to offer (Piru Mud Bowl 2012).  An additional congratulations for him showing the most SPECTACULAR example of "Rifleman's Bubble" that I've ever seen... the man didn't so much as bat an eye when a good five gallons of ice-cold rainwater dumped straight on his back during the third stage of the AQT. 

I was very glad to have my friends Scott and Sierra came up from San Diego for a visit. We had a great time camping out for the weekend. Even though Scott was having all kinds of scope issues, we managed to get it sighted-in in time for some very solid AQT shooting on Sunday. Sierra showed some incredible improvement, coming 1/16" from clearing her second Redcoat and scoring in the 170s on an AQT.

We had some solid shooting by the father-son combo of Charles and Charles on Saturday and I'll be looking forward to their next appearance up at Piru.

I'd like to give a final BIG THANK YOU to Kurt, Maria, Max and Lily who were kind enough to dote on my pup, Dinah, the entire weekend. You've all made a friend for life in this little dog. Additionally, your positive attitudes, perseverance and willingness to learn were noticed by all of the instructors. It was great to have all of you out both days.

Photos are down below!

[Rocket Man]

Nice hat.     Looks like you finally made your score, too.  Congrats! 

Takes a special kind to stick it out in the mud.  Keep your powder dry, everyone.

[Foppish Dandy]

Nice hat.     Looks like you finally made your score, too.  Congrats! 

Takes a special kind to stick it out in the mud.  Keep your powder dry, everyone.

Thanks! Proud to have shot a 235. 
Was purt-near Azusa that second day... just with a bit less wind!

[Scott1600]

First of all... Wow, what an event!!!  Piru Mudbowl 2012!!!   
Andy, I ended up with your AQT sheet, with your score, I am going to try to dry it and preserve it for you.  If would like me to send it to you, send PM and we'll figure out how to get it to you.  Great job by the way!!!  48, 45, 47, and 72 = 212 Rifleman!!!  Be proud and know that you're perserverance and spirit were truly inpiring to this instructor.   
FopD:  You did great this weekend and congrats on that great score.  You clearly know what you're about!   
So many great folks at this shoot!  All regular everyday Americans out to exercise a couple of rights that we hold so dear... rights that been preserved by generations of regular everyday Americans, so many of whom have anonymously sacrificed so much for us, a posterity that they would never know.
Here are a few photos from Saturday:
-Scott

[Johnnyappleseed]

whoooo  hoooo Piru mud bowl 
this will be ledgendary in Appleseed history .

looking forward to pic's
Congratulation new Rifleman ---Andy

Thanx for the pic's Scott 

[Foppish Dandy]

Still sorting through the main bulk of the pics, but here are a few from story time on Saturday. Who says history isn't a BLAST?! 

[Foppish Dandy]

A few random ones... main photos still coming... PROMISE!

[ai6pg]

I had a fine time at the Piru Mudbowl.
I did retreat at lunch time. I went home and have since hosed the mud out of my sneakers.

I still have to hose down my coat. Too much mud.

I wonder, did anyone on the upper level get stuck getting out on Sunday ?  I hope they made it out okay, but I'd be interested in hearing the story.

I hope to make it back, but I have a YMCA Indian Guide campout next month.  I'll tell them about Appleseed at it. I hope I can get some of them to come to Piru.

73 de Peter AI6PG
(that's my Amateur Radio callsign)

[Foppish Dandy]

It may have almost given me Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, but here is the first set of photos from Day 1.

[Foppish Dandy]

Day 1 - Set 2

[Camljr]

I had a fine time at the Piru Mudbowl.
I did retreat at lunch time. I went home and have since hosed the mud out of my sneakers.

I still have to hose down my coat. Too much mud.

I wonder, did anyone on the upper level get stuck getting out on Sunday ?  I hope they made it out okay, but I'd be interested in hearing the story.

I hope to make it back, but I have a YMCA Indian Guide campout next month.  I'll tell them about Appleseed at it. I hope I can get some of them to come to Piru.

73 de Peter AI6PG
(that's my Amateur Radio callsign)

Peter,

Glad to see you made it home OK!

Most of us just got started down the hill and ....sliiiid down the road..... Luckily, there was a rut for the tires to follow or we may have had one go over the side of the road... We got lucky.

I did, however have a difficult time at the bottom, getting the truck to turn the way I wanted. Had to back up a few times to get it pointed in the right direction.

I will post the particulars of the shoot tonight when I get home from work.
In the meantime, we can all enjoy the photos taken by our new IIT /Japanese tourist.... Foppish Dandy.

Great pics, by the way, but I am not sure how much bandwidth the Appleseed server has, but you are hogging a bunch of it with all those pics!   

[Foppish Dandy]

Last but not least... IT'S THE PIRU MUD BOWL 2012! 
You won't see any fair-weather patriots in these photos!

[Scott1600]

Wow!  Thanks for the photos FopD! 

[gonejohnny]

Another fine weekend in the sunniest, most tranquil canyon in the state...

Pulled from FD's post above, I've just got to point something out... Seriously, folks...
THIS IS THE BUSINESS, RIGHT HERE:


I mean, yeah yeah... it was raining... we got wet... whatever... 
BUT THIS GUY WAS ON A MISSION:
• Literally the last-man-standing after every other shooter had packed it in.
• Soaking wet from head to toe in a jeans, a t-shirt and borrowed shooting jacket.
• Prep periods pretty much had to be timed too, due to the AQT's practically melting off of the backers down-range. In fact, we actually had to score his AQT down-range for fear it would turn into goo if we tried to peel it off.
• Didn't even flinch at the thought of 4 different instructors riding him throughout each COF.
• Further didn't flinch after it was pointed out (take another look at that picture) that he was positioned directly under about 60-gallons of accumulating rain water, with the threat it might collapse at any moment.
• When asked, "Why only a 72 on stage 4?" and some time spent analyzing his groups - the only reply he could come up with was that "he didn't feel wiping the water off of his glasses warranted braking his NPOA."

Well done, Andy. Very well done. A patch well earned. You definitely know very well what you're about and I thank you for showing it to us.  Now, somebody in AZ - get this guy an Orange Hat pronto... Seriously...

In other Southland news:

• Sam... Absolutely fantastic show this weekend. Straight from bailing with his orange bucket on the line all afternoon, he had about 1-COF worth of prep before finally revealing his score of Rifleman. Glad to have you aboard.

• I'm sure other will chime in as well, but a special mention to shooter Ross from North Dakota who came out with his son and grandson. A previous member of our US Olympic Shooting Team, Ross still came out to enjoy a Saturday with the folks from Appleseed before having to catch a flight home later that evening. It was a pleasure to see him take the last Red Coat of the day from standing with a lever action .22 and qualify at 300-yards.

• And lest we forget to mention, probably worthy of another entire post in and of itself:
SCOTT1600 TOOK HIS RED HAT
A hearty "thank you" is probably more suited than any kind of "congratulations", but way to go man. Way to go! 

Rock & Roll,
GoneJohnny

[Psych Doc]

Sam, Congrats on getting your score!

Scott, congrats on the Red Hat!

[Soggybubble]

I'm finally dry again! Shooting coat and mat still damp...  I learned some great shooting tips, met some great people, and enjoyed shooting in the context of honoring our liberty and the riflemen who helped win it.  Totally worth it to stick around and get 4-on-1 coaching and my rifleman qualification.

Scott: Thanks for holding on to my target.  I never actually saw how I shot.  I don't need the paper target, but could you maybe send me a picture of it please?

Thanks to all of the volunteers who ran such a great program! I'm looking forward to trying out an Arizona applessed when I return to my home-state. 

[Foppish Dandy]

I'm finally dry again! Shooting coat and mat still damp...  I learned some great shooting tips, met some great people, and enjoyed shooting in the context of honoring our liberty and the riflemen who helped win it.  Totally worth it to stick around and get 4-on-1 coaching and my rifleman qualification.

Scott: Thanks for holding on to my target.  I never actually saw how I shot.  I don't need the paper target, but could you maybe send me a picture of it please?

Thanks to all of the volunteers who ran such a great program! I'm looking forward to trying out an Arizona applessed when I return to my home-state.

"Soggybubble"  HAHAHAHA!

Andy... I was desperately hoping that this was you when I saw the name. HILARIOUS! ... and quite apt.
Once again, congratulations! If you're still in town, you should try and make it out to Piru for the Patriot's Day weekend event... It'll be great!

Sam

[kmkahuna]

I'd like to give a final BIG THANK YOU to Kurt, Maria, Max and Lily who were kind enough to dote on my pup, Dinah, the entire weekend. You've all made a friend for life in this little dog. Additionally, your positive attitudes, perseverance and willingness to learn were noticed by all of the instructors. It was great to have all of you out both days.

You're welcome! It truly was our pleasure, and we're gonna be back.
I loaded up your pictures all in one place....

http://s1142.photobucket.com/albums/n606/kmkahuna/Piru%20Mudbowl%202012/?start=0

Thank you so much for taking these!
We know we missed the best part: I know it for a fact when I was "in the zone" that morning, soaking wet, holding the trigger and calling the shot as Justin's 5.56 shells kept zinging me in the temple... Ducky: thanks for the hoodie advice!
What a great weekend.

[Scott1600]

Cam:  Thank you for throwing me in the deep end.  I'm honored and proud to have earned the red hat and to have had so many talented instructors contribute to my learning.  I can't thank you all enough!  And so, I hope that I can contribute in turn.

SoggyBubble... sent you a PM.

kmkahuna:  Thanks for putting all those photos in one place!  It was also great working with you guys.  Looking forward to seeing y'all in the future!

Same goes for everybody else at this event.  I can think of a lot of ways to spend a weekend, but not very many would be nearly as rewarding...
-Scott

[Goofcat]

Wow! what an epic weather day! This was my first AS shoot after scoring my patch last year. I wanted to shoot in the rain, but this was nuts! I was next to SoggyBubble when the water fell, that was amazing how he kept going. I pretty much called it a day after the cold water got down to the undies level. Thanks to all the instructors for showing up and working hard on a difficult day.

Congrats to Andy SoggyBubble for sticking it out and getting patched! 

[Johnnyappleseed]

Congratulations Scott 1600 
Looks like a really good shoot California ,
Welcome kmkahuna , nice to read your 1st post .
The founders were looking down with pride at the Piru mud bowl ! Only in America ^5

[kmkahuna]

I just got done cleaning the rust off of my loaners (it don't take long for moisture to do damage) and realized I needed to do this report.

Cameron, I realized I did not thank you for loaning us those rifles. I tell you, the experience we had thanks to your generosity is priceless: I only had two rifles that day, and one of them was completely inappropriate for the event, and you really turned it into a memorable family affair that had everyone smiling on the way home..
So from Kurt, Maria, Max and Lily... Thank you for your generosity and team spirit.

[Camljr]

I just got done cleaning the rust off of my loaners (it don't take long for moisture to do damage) and realized I needed to do this report.

Cameron, I realized I did not thank you for loaning us those rifles. I tell you, the experience we had thanks to your generosity is priceless: I only had two rifles that day, and one of them was completely inappropriate for the event, and you really turned it into a memorable family affair that had everyone smiling on the way home..
So from Kurt, Maria, Max and Lily... Thank you for your generosity and team spirit.

It was my pleasure to do it. The thought that those rifles helped the kids have fun, and maybe learn a bit about our country's heritage makes it all worth while.

See you at another Appleseed... And remember... bring a friend, or two!!