Harvard, MA April 20-21 2013

[aim]

The Harvard, MA Patriots' Day weekend Appleseed started as the wind blew the clouds away to the East and the sun was attempting to dry out the sandy soil of the 65 yard range at the Harvard Sportsmens Club.

Thanks to the efforts of the (apparently always on time and well prepared) lupis42 and Imker, as well as the rest of the crew (hbennett, mzweatherby, Round Trip, Ulysses, and voidoid), the lines in the sand were fresh and crisp, the target stands were up, the shooters were registered, the Revolutionary War flags were snapping in the freshening breeze and the event started precisely at 0900.

Shortly after that, however, the fickle Fates waved their hands in our general directions. As the safety briefing was being given and before any rifles made it to the line, a shooter experienced a medical problem. Thanks to the quick and professional intervention by an instructor and one of the attendees, the shooter was made as comfortable as possible. A local police officer, an ambulance, and a pair of EMTs responded to the 911 call, and the shooter was soon being transported to a nearby hospital. A family member later stopped by to secure the rifle and to report that the shooter was doing well and complaining about missing the Appleseed. An instructor immediately volunteer to deliver the Three Strikes at the bedside!

The schedule was thrown into disarray, but lupis42 delivered a very early First Strike, finished the safety briefing and we were back on the line by 10:10, much to the dismay of seventeen Redcoats. Squares, an eloquent Second Strike delivered by mzweatherby, AQTs (now on two ranges), a detailed and informative Third Strike by hbenett, an almost synchronized Volley for Liberty, and *two* Rifleman patches rounded out Day One.

On Day Two, a pile of AQTs bore testimony to the hard work by the returning shooters, with one range turning into AR Alley under the capable direction of lupis42, while the other range, lead by mzweatherby and Imker, sticking to rimfire. No more Riflemen were made that day, but a continuos flow of historical tidbits delivered by the Instructors placed April 19th 1775 into proper historical perspective. A riveting performance of Paul Revere's Ride by Imker commanded complete silence and was followed by well-deserved applause.

Good weather, determined shooters and energetic instructors all contributed to an ultimately successful weekend. It appears, however, that everyone was so busy that there wasn't much time for photos. Below is all that I managed to get my hands on.

That's not what the line is supposed to look like at 9:30 AM.



Mud and EMTs. I hope the shooter will be OK...



mzweatherby preparing to explain IMC (thankfully this didn't mean Instrument Meteorological Conditions. This time, the New England weather spared us):



One half of a centerfire ball-and-dummy drill on Day Two:



Another centerfire ball-and-dummy team:



What a great idea:



AR Alley, the Western Half. voidoid and lupis42, instructing:



Imker, supervising the Eastern Range, with mzweatherby and RoundTrip assisting: