Ottawa 9/5-6 AAR

[EEL]

I met up with Pappy Friday afternoon at Buffalo Rock Range to set up some cover in the event of rain.  It IS Ottawa after all!!  We set up 2 - 10x20 covers over the firing line and 1 - 10x20 at the equipment line.  We were assisted by Robbvious (I do love border raiders  ) and Boba Fett.  We then retired to the Moose for a quick meal and a pre-shoot meeting.  There we were joined by our 2 newest IITs, Gopher Boy and SonsofLiberty.  Upon returning to Pappy's, we intently watched renowned meteorologist Tom Skilling from channel 9 news.  He emphatically stated there would be no rain this weekend.  Yes!    Finally a shoot at Ottawa that is dry!

Saturday started with 9 eager shooters.  They drank up the instruction and worked diligently to apply the instruction.  We ran a quick pace and were able to sneak in a couple AQTs before the day was over.  No Riflemen on day 1, but had a few knocking on the door.  The normal advise of "take your Advil, clean your rifle, read over the handouts, and get some rest was issued.  Looking at the sky 1 last time, I saw nothing but blue skies with a few wispy clouds.  I smiled. 

Sunday morning I looked outside.  I called up Skilling and asked him what was with the rain?  I almost fell out of my chair when he bluntly responded "Well, you ARE Appleseeding in Ottawa, what do you expect?"     He went on to try to convince me that it was only "late morning heavy dew"  Yeah, right!  Glad the covers were put up to shade our shooters from "all the sun".  We had a couple new shooters (their 2nd Appleseed) so the review of the safety rules went without a hitch.  In no time we had lead moving downrange.  Well aimed lead I might add.  We progressed into the AQTs and found 2 Riflemen!  Kyle (Gumball Head) and Karl.  We tried out the couch and TV target.  It was a hit with our shooters as we had previously told them of the three domestic enemies we know all too well.  Apathy, Ignorance, and Lazyness.

The rain was on and off most of the morning but cleared up by afternoon.  Thank goodness for those covers because when the rain quit and the sun came out, the humidity and sunshine began to bake our shooters.  They all persisted and persevered.  No quitters here    In that vein, we had a older (no, not THAT old!) shooter, Perry, persist all weekend.  He would not quit either.  While he didn't "get the patch" he definitly falls into the category of "dangerous old men".  Patch or no patch, he has the heart of a Rifleman and he can be my "overwatch" any day!  Nice job Perry.

The weekend ended on a very high note.  Besides 2 new Riflemen, we also had Gumball Head pick up an Orange Hat.  This was his 2nd Appleseed.  He was oh so close the 1st go-round.  This time he was able to put it all together and hit Rifleman.  He has taken the step of "Learn to shoot today, Teach someone to shoot tomorrow".  If we, collectively, don't do this, our skills, knowledge, and experience are wasted when we pass from this earth.  Our posterity is depending on us.

It was a pleasure to be in Ottawa again, rain or no rain.  Spending the weekend with a great bunch of Americans is always an honor.

Respectfully,
EEL

[Strong]

My 11 year old son Charles and I did our first Appleseed this weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it. I found aches and pains in parts of my body I did not even know I had.

The instructors were awesome and there was so much useful information for me to soak up. I was impressed with the structure of the event with the history lessons breaking up the shooting (giving our bodies and minds a little rest.)

Charles particularly enjoyed the history lessons and shared some of the stories with his little sister and his mom. On our way to dinner Monday night I asked him to tell his mom how one makes a rifle safe and without a beat he said, "Mags out, bolts back, safeties on, flags in!" It made me smile. 

Congratulations to our two new riflemen. It was inspiring to watch you shoot.

I've been working on dry firing and am figuring out a lot about what I need to do to get ready for my next Appleseed.

[Karl]

My wife and I attended our first Appleseed Labor Day weekend. We were not sure what to expect, but we were pleasantly surprised when we arrived.

First off; all of the instructors are first class. They were very thoughtful and helpful especially helping my wife Cherie work through the six steps in firing a shot. I truly believe in a short period of time she will be a more accurate shooter than me.

The other participants are also of high character. Congratulations "Gumball Head" on achieving Rifleman.

My wife and I enjoyed the time spent recalling the "Three strikes of the match" and the events leading to the Revolutionary War. It makes you take pause and reflect and visualize what it must have been like during that time.

Nevertheless, I do plan on purchasing Paul Revere's Ride and read more.

I was thankful to achieving Rifleman on my first Appleseed. I would not have been able to accomplish without the help of all instructors. (I'll have to work on the seated position more. My knees are still aching)

My wife Cherie was not able to make the second day of the event, but she is looking forward to the next Appleseed. I'm looking forward as well & perhaps RBC.

Great organization!!

Thanks,

Karl

[Gumballhead]

Hi Everyone,

This was a great shoot.  Thank you to our crack team of instructors - EEL, Pappy, Robbvious, Boba Fett, & Gopher.  You guys were great, and it was good to meet more of the team.  Although our group was unusually small, it did allow for some very effective one on one instruction, and I think it helped.  I know one Dangerous Old Man (I think I'm going to like calling him that...) who made some marked improvement, and shooting 190's.  Making good use of IMC, we corrected his groups, and aligned his sights.  A few more tries, and maybe some cooler weather, and he'll earn his rifleman patch!

As EEL said, is IS Ottawa, and somehow, beyond all belief, it did manage to rain.  I too watched our weather forecast intently, and had expected nothin but blue skies...  I'm under the firm belief that the combination of Project Appleseed + Ottawa = WET.  Thankfully we did have the cover on the line, and speaking from experience, it made the experience significantly better.  It's much easier to concentrate on the shot at hand when you are dry .  Next time, I must remember to put a camera in my range bag.  I always seem to forget to take pictures to help remember the good times.  Speaking of which, GO RIGHT TEAM!  We completely destroyed that television!! 

Thank you to all for the congratulatory wishes.  The knowledge and encouragement passed on through the instructor corps finally sank in, and I proved to myself I can do it.  As stated, I wasn't alone - great job to Karl as well!  And to Gopher's son (I think his name was Andrew) keep up the work, I know you were so close.  Speaking from experience, and several of my own 200-207 scores, you CAN do it!  This being my second Appleseed, I am still glad to see there are more curious Americans who want to know what they are about.  This program seems to bring out the best in folks, and with some dedication, and willingness to learn, can accomplish so much.

I'm looking forward to my new role, joining this new tradition of sharing our great heritage with others, and waking up some more of those sleeping Americans out there.  I've already got a group of interested interested parties who want to take part in this worthwhile organization.

Again, many thinks to all involved, and I hope to see you on the trail!

[Boba Fett]

Boy do I wish I could have been there on Sunday. Congrats to Karl and to Gumballhead on making Rifleman AND to Gumballhead on taking the Orange Hat!! Welcome aboard the Instructor Corps. Thank you sir for picking up a bucket and making the decision to help us bail. You'll certainty learn more about that expression as time goes on. Once you get setup on the boards as an IIT, be sure to download the Instructors Manual and read, read, read! You've just entered a really big world with a tremendous amount of knowledge and opportunity to be had. Take advantage of every resource and every opportunity to sharpen your skills and broaden your experience. Every Instructor I have met either in person or on the forum has something they are wiling to share that will make you a better Man, American, Rifleman, Instructor... you name it!

I'm also really glad to hear Charles had a good time. I worked with Charles almost the entire day Saturday and as an IIT it brings me great joy and personal satisfaction to hear that something I passed on to someone else "stuck" and they were able to take it with them when they left. Charles and I had our share of frustrations on Saturday, but he had a great attitude and "persevered" in light of his circumstances and by the end of the day could recite the fours steps to making a rifle safe and was able to do it without me reminding him. I'm proud of you Charles  and I'm sure that if you're willing to stick with it, that someday, you too will earn that Rifleman's patch. I can tell you've already got what it takes on the inside. All you have to do is practice like you were taught, come to another Appleseed, or two and get what it takes on the outside to "seal the deal" as Pappy would say.

Thanks Gopher Boy for coming down and filling in for me on Sunday. Looking forward to seeing you again at Bonfield.

Robbvious... It was really great to meet you this weekend. If there was a patch for putting up that last tent, we'd have both earned a gold one (in olive drab of course  ) with stars on it!  I truly hope our paths cross again out on the trail.

PS. I told you guys I brought that sunshine with me from Champaign and it would rain if I left so go ahead and blame the rain on me. I can take it.

EEL and Pappy.... All I can say is "I love you Guys!" and I mean that in the manliest sort of Rifleman to Rifleman sort of guy kind of way. You both inspire me and drive me to want to improve. What more could I say but thanks for sharing with me this weekend and for allowing me to be a part of your Ottawa crew. I'm a richer man for it, even if only for a night and a day.

BF

[colycat]

Gumball lives in Wisconsin, Right?  Hope so as We are running out of IIT,s

Coly

[Gumballhead]

ha ha - not quite Wisconsin, but almost close enough to count!

[AFTERMATH]

Gumball lives in Wisconsin, Right?  Hope so as We are running out of IIT,s

Coly

We may have one or two, on the way,for you.


Sounds like you all had a great time!
Silly me, though; I was thinking this was a three day shoot...  I almost made a left turn outta Winona, to check up on you guys down there.
See what goes on Monday.  Must have just been Chillicothe though.

Congratulations Riflemen, and Gumballhead; feel free to bring that Orange Hat up to Minnesota sometime.

I'll see you on the Trail,


Alex

[Pappy]

Hello Group; Yes there is another IIT in Illinois and a hand full of newly minted Riflemen / Women, Congrats  Gumball head on your Riflemans score and The Orange hat. Congrats to Karl who shot Riflemans scores 3 plus times sunday afternoon that is persistance. To those who were in Chilly and made the Riflemans score well done, I hope I will see you all on the range someday. To all the rest clean your rifle and DRY FIRE THREE TIMES A WEEK 30 min or 100 DRY shots, by the numbers. it helps See you at ISRA!!!
Charles it was a pleasure to have met you I hope that we were able to give you a taste of what we all hold so dear. Good luck with your Scouting and Marksmanship you did well. Stay Safe, and keep them in the black, AS always  Pappy

[Robbvious]

Karl and Strong,
Please feel free to come up to Wisconsin and Appleseed with us Cheeseheads, too.  We'd love to have da bote a' you's and Cherie and Charles visit us up here.  In the meantime, Pappy's advice is the best.  DRY FIRE!  As EEL says, DRY being the optimum word.  I hope that Strong will give a little tutorial of how he built those really neat 10/22 M1 Carbine replicas in the Rifle Knowledge Bank.  Hopefully, Andy checks in on this board, too.  He showed constant improvement all weekend, and his sunny dispostion was a real treat.

See you all on the Trail!

Robbvious

[Gopher Boy]

WOW what a great shoot.

First I would like to thank Pappy for his hospitality!  It was greatly appreciated by AJ and myself.  I would also like to thank EEL, Pappy and Robvious for working with me and putting up with my mistakes, I truly learned a lot!

Now for the good stuff.  Congrats to Gumballhead for Shooting Rifleman, and taking the next step.  Congrats also to Karl for Rifleman and hope to see you in an orange hat soon.

Here are the photos that I took on Sunday (sorry for the delay in posting)

[Dominicus]

Well, I'm finally logged in on the board here - a little late but better than never.
I can't add too much to all the action reports but I'll start by echoing the thanks and appreciation from my fellow shooters for all the hard work by our instructors and IITs. 

Biggest thanks in my case have to go to Pappy for his repeated offer of his 10/22, that I might learn more using that than using my .30-06.  If I had listened the first time he offered, maybe my arm would have gone back to its natural color after only a day or 2, instead of almost a week (I'm a white guy, not a purple guy, normally ).  I shudder to think what kind of shape I'd have been in if I'd toughed it out all day, or both days!

Everyone made this city boy feel real welcome, it was truly inspirational to meet so many fine Americans: no doubt we're all in this together.

Thanks to the patience and knowledge our instructors were able to pass on, I was able to double my scores from the initial 78 (not a typo, sadly  ) and I have my before-and-after redcoats up on my fridge now to remind me where I want to be. 

I'll be back as soon as I can prepare some kind of Liberty training rifle of my own, because I am determined to persist and persevere.  When it comes to becoming a rifleman, I definitely realize it's not just my job and birthright as an American, it's also a heck of lotta fun.

I loved the history lessons too: someone mentioned how this stuff isn't taught anymore, and that is the truth. I grew up 2 towns away from Lexington (Watertown) and even though I can picture the green and Old North Bridge in my mind, they never taught us about the actions, the tactics, and the grit required of those people who knew what they were about. (wonder why that is?)

Congratulations to Karl and Gumball Head!
Thanks so much to you all, my friends - I'm looking forward to many next times!

Andy

[Garand69]

Sounds like yet another Excellent shoot EEL, Thanks for being consistant 

2 Rifleman and an IIT, most excellent!!

Judging by the replies here and PM's and e-Mails that I am receiving, we must be getting the point across, folks want to step up and save their Nation!!

Dominicus said;

I'll be back as soon as I can prepare some kind of Liberty training rifle of my own, because I am determined to persist and persevere.  When it comes to becoming a rifleman, I definitely realize it's not just my job and birthright as an American, it's also a heck of lotta fun.

I appreciate your enthusiasim Dominicus, but don't set your self up with a limitation that doesn't exist. There is a lot of "Appleseed" things you can do without an LTR, and I hope we see you before you get one set up. We have a sinking ship to bail.....All Hands On Deck!!!