Project Appleseed

Thank you everyone for coming out and shooting with us. Hopefully everyone had fun and learned something along the way. My Instructors, thanks for coming. We did have a photographer there for a little while. He sent me his pics, and as soon as I figure out how to access them, I will post them. Thank you to Bob and the Jackson Gun Club for hosting. This is an excellent range for Appleseed. Full distance, classroom, warm room, covered equipment line, target stands and backers. I didn't have to do anything!

We had an interesting mix of rifles on the line. More tube feds than I had seen in the last several shoots combined. One lever action tube fed, one pump tube fed, single shot, etc. Several of those I had never seen before at an Appleseed.

Let's see, I had a day to do whatever in Wyoming.  I was staying in Cody, after flying in from New York, Thursday night.  Checked the Appleseed schedule, and I saw one set up for Jackson the weekend when I would by in Cody.  OK, now let's look at how long it would take me to get from Cody to Jackson, and then talk to my wife to see when I would need to be back. 

Think about it for a week or two, or maybe more, then a day or two before flying to Cody, my wife encourages me to drive to Jackson and help out at the Appleseed.  Contact RL, the Shoot Boss, ask if he wouldn't mind if I came, simple direct response from RL:  "Come on down."  Some more debate in my mind, before I finally do what I wanted to do all along, and get ready to drive through Yellowstone to Jackson. 

If you have never driven through Yellowstone, do it.  I had a few times before, with a couple trips on snowmobiles in the winter.  If you have never driven through Yellowstone early in the morning, then do it.   Wow!  Waking up at 4:25 to make the drive, well, it was worth it.

Arrived at the range, made to feel very welcome by the other instructors.  Had a great time with  a good bunch of shooters, left a bit ealry to drive back through Yellowstone, get to Cody and go to dinner, where I tried to Seventh Step, being asked how my trip was by a bunch of people left me with a good opening.  It seemed as if at least one was interested in bringing her family.  We'll see, someone promised I would come out if this person brings their family to an Appleseed, although it may need to be near Denver. 

I finally drag my tired you know what back to my hotel room, pack to get ready to fly out early Sunday morning, go to bed and sleep feeling like I had very good day. 

As with pretty much every Appleseed experience I have, the best part was the people.  The best part is always the people.  It was great to feel welcomed by the instructors, and it was great to feel appreciated by the shooters. 

Hopefully, I'll make it back to another Wyoming event some day.  I know I will be back to Wyoming, as my wife will be back again and again.     

Links to pics, because I have yet to figure out posting photos. 

RL greeting the shooters at the start of the day:

http://s1233.photobucket.com/albums/ff399/CaptMac1/?action=view&current=RLWelcomingShooters.jpg

Shooters during the safety briefing:

http://s1233.photobucket.com/albums/ff399/CaptMac1/?action=view&current=Shootersduringsafetybriefing.jpg

RL giving the safety briefing: 

http://s1233.photobucket.com/albums/ff399/CaptMac1/?action=view&current=RLgivingthesafetybriefing2.jpg

http://s1233.photobucket.com/albums/ff399/CaptMac1/?action=view&current=RLgivingthesafetybriefing.jpg

The targets and target line:

http://s1233.photobucket.com/albums/ff399/CaptMac1/?action=view&current=Thetargetline.jpg

What a beautiful place for a range: 

http://s1233.photobucket.com/albums/ff399/CaptMac1/?action=view&current=Therangeandtargetline.jpg

The firing line:

http://s1233.photobucket.com/albums/ff399/CaptMac1/?action=view&current=FiringLinefromtheright.jpg

http://s1233.photobucket.com/albums/ff399/CaptMac1/?action=view&current=FiringLinefromtheleft.jpg

Shooters centered up for IMC:

http://s1233.photobucket.com/albums/ff399/CaptMac1/?action=view&current=CenteredupforIMC.jpg

Great photos! Thanks RL and others for putting on a fine show. Lets hope to have another one next year.

My first experience in the orange hat.  A beautiful range, and I got a 04:50 start also to drive over Teton Pass from Blackfoot. A beautiful driving experience both ways and I went home the southern route along Pallisades on Sunday. Quite a diverse assortment of guns and experience on the line on Saturday. It was a very educational first seventh step and the guidance and support of RL, Rocket and Capt Mac made it easy to persevere. We had showers early on Saturday, it rained seriously most of Sunday.  No riflemen, but quite a few first-timers and I feel that they made great progress and appeared to be "bitten" and I expect many to return to Appleseed and achieve.