Glades, FL May31-Jun1 2008

[crak]

Yes, sir.  We had an Appleseed in Glades, Florida this weekend.  And boy, is it ever some tough country down there.

So tough, that they lit Lake Okeechobee on fire just to simulate battlefield conditions.
So tough, that it was nice out when the weather was only a little bit worse than Vietnam.
So tough, that the sign for the range was camouflaged so well I missed it both days.
So tough, that only the riflemen were qualified to cook on the grill.  (Don't let that make your brain explode!)
So tough, that even a Democrat politician came down to get his Rifleman badge (on the first AQT!)
So tough, that the Lady of the Range crawled through barbed wire to save the liability waivers from getting blown into the river.
So tough, that a guy calling himself "Sugarpie" got bored with standard prone and invented his own (working) position.
So tough, that they played dentist with the gators during lunchbreak.
So tough, that one of the shooters wasn't going home until he made Rifleman with both parents there to make sure (even after I left to catch a plane)
So tough, that 67% of the shooters made Rifleman. (Beat that, Nickle!)
So tough, that even those who couldn't shoot from injury still came down to help keep the rifles running and be a part of passing down the tradition.

Yes sir, don't mess with the natives in Glades.  Heck, it was all I could do to just keep these guys from mounting up and invading the Ft. Myers Appleseed guns blazing by airboat for laughs. 

Thanks to all of you for making me feel at home.  Congratulations to the 4 new riflemen (Dave, Russell, Jamie, and Matt), and 1 new IIT (Dave).  I was real impressed with Jim's improvement (Saturday morning: <100yrd shooter...  Saturday Afternoon: 3/3 on 100/200, with 4MOA groups on 300/400 and 1 for 2 on the head) and Roberto for wringing out his family's old .22.  David will be keeping the program going regularly at the Glades range, and hopefully getting Sugarpie and the other riflemen to bring their friends down and start instructing.  I know Sugarpie claims he can't teach, but he tipped his hand otherwise by the way he worked with Jamie in between AQTs.  Pictures to come (Thanks Alton!) but I'm not sure I can post one of "The Crab" before Sugarpie patents it.

[SavageShootr]

Wow, 67% of the shooters making the score? That's awesome!! Great job!! 

Congratulations to all the new Riflemen, (Dave, Russell, Jamie, and Matt)!!

[Commissioner Krab]

A special thanks to Chris for coming all the way from the Boston area to help a bunch of swamp boys from Glades Co. It was my first Appleseed shoot but it will not be my last. The rifle training was great but the story's of the men that won our freedoms really set the stage. Chris was wonderfull at both and is a major asset to the RWVA. And yes im an elected official and a Democrat, (a blue dog dem that is both conservetive and would die before I ever gave up a round of my ammo much less a gun). I did decide not to go by Sugarpie though, I did'nt want you boys getting frisky! Come back and see us Chris and will fix up some swamp cabbage and gator tail. And a big thanks to David for introducing me to RWVA and the Appleseed program.

[crak]

Thanks for the kind words!  Next time you go buy something from Alton (oh, probably 20 or so minutes from now) tell him to send me a link to those pictures!