McLean, IL AAR August 8 & 9, 2015

[TheEditor]

Just got back from McLean!  What a good time it is each time we're there.  This is the fifth year we've had at least one Appleseed at this location - we did more than one a couple of years. 

21 non-ignorant, non-lazy, and non-apathetic Americans showed up on Saturday, with only 9 pre-regs! 

Luckily for us, another whole family of Appleseed instructors showed up as well! 

Please post pictures or comments. 

Thank You, Holland Family, for making us welcome on your land and feeding us two delicious meals at nominal cost. 

Thank You, Guns Save Life.com, for promoting this and other Appleseed shoots.  Our Young Patriot of the weekend attended directly as a result of outreach at the Pontiac GSL meeting earlier in the week. 

Thank You, GSL Defense Training, for providing the drinks and loan of all your equipment.  Without all the shade / rain shelters, this would have been vastly less comfortable and productive. 

Thank You, instructors, for (as usual) going above and beyond.  Safety:  check.  Down in the dirt:  check.  Need a loaner, a sling, a magazine?  Check. 

Thank you, students, for your teachable attitudes and for soldiering on through heat, rain, heavier rain, really heavy rain, wind, and heat. 

Thank you, Appleseed, for giving us the tools to wake up sleeping Americans. 

TheEditor, Shoot Boss

[TheEditor]

A Sunday well spent.

[TheEditor]

Previous to our arrival, the landowner Mr. Holland had put down bug spray on the range.  Saturday morning first thing, Bob Holland (driving) and one of his adult sons fogged the entire area to keep bugs and mosquitoes down.  First class service!

[AK]

I would like to second all the "Thank yous" from TheEditor above. It was a fantastic shoot made better by such a nice location hosted by a wonderful family with shelters, equipment and drinks provided by GSL. We had a dedicated bunch of shooters. For many, it was their first Appleseed.  Even though instruction moves rapidly from one point to the next, we saw much improvement in their shooting abilities and confidence levels. Great job, shooters!  I look forward to seeing many of you at future Appleseeds.   We had one new Rifleman. Congratulations to Hollianne on shooting Rifleman and accepting an orange hat!  That makes 4 orange hats in her family!  As always, I enjoyed working along side a great bunch of knowledgeable instructors. Couldn't have asked for a better weekend. I am posting a few of my pictures below. I have more to post soon.

[AK]

More pictures.

[Slappy]

Thanks again everyone for the lessons and great training.  If it hadn't been for the free pass I picked up at the GSL meeting, I probably wouldn't have come.  Now I am looking at the calendar, and trying to figure out when Conrad and I can go to another one (he was the one that insisted we shoot on through the thunderstorm).  Thanks to the instructors for the tips, and loaning of sling, rifle, and elbow pads.  (Who would've thought shooting on a soft carpet could cause the rug burn and blistering, that I'm still trying to heal from; obviously everyone else, as we were the only ones that unprepared).  And a final thanks to Mr. Holland for the great range, range prep, and food.

I checked with the library, and will be picking up a copy of Paul Revere's Ride on Monday.  I know at least one other book was mentioned, but can't remember what it was.  If anyone can share recommended reads, I would appreciate it.

-Jason

[Flyr521]

Hi Jason,

I'm glad to hear you and your son enjoyed the weekend.

I mentioned the book entitled American Spring by Walter Borneman that I just finished reading.  About 50% of the book covers the events that occurred on April 19.  The rest of the book is about events leading up to the 19th and after.  It talks about the siege on Boston after the 19th and Bunker Hill.

I highly recommend it and I am now reading Paul Revere's Ride.

Alan

[Slappy]

Thanks.  I'll look for that one next.