Excellent weekend, normally we are dealing with snowbanks and BAD weather in Feb at Colebrook. We had ice near the Target Line and MUD around the Firing Line. Both days were in the 40's and we had sun for most of Sunday.
I applaud the students as they did not complain (to me ::)) about lying in the mud for 2 days O0.
It was a pleasure to see the progress made by our students.
Sun saw 3 new Riflemen:
Bill M was a repeat customer and he made it with a loaned rifle.
Dave B was a first timer and he squeaked in at 210 during the 3rd last RFAQT of the day. Even though he followed up with a 220 we awarded the patch with a splash of the good stuff from under the North Bridge.
Peter B was a first timer that only attended on Sun. He was very gracious and adapted to our way of running a firing line (he is a Master HiPower Shooter). As expected he patched early (with a 242 O0).
The History and Rifle Instruction were well received and we were rewarded with a lot of smiles.
The Instructor crew worked very well together and they made my life as a first time SBIT very easy.
Mud and Ice...a lovely combination.
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb375/lynjayhan/Appleseed/Colebrook%2018_19Feb12/DSC00674.jpg)
Rifleman Dave... patched with a splash of the good stuff from under the North Bridge
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb375/lynjayhan/Appleseed/Colebrook%2018_19Feb12/DSC00682.jpg)
The full picture (See The Logs post below)..part 1
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb375/lynjayhan/Appleseed/Colebrook%2018_19Feb12/DSC00685.jpg)
The full picture (See The Logs post below)..part 2
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb375/lynjayhan/Appleseed/Colebrook%2018_19Feb12/DSC00684.jpg)
The full picture (See The Logs post below)..part 3
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb375/lynjayhan/Appleseed/Colebrook%2018_19Feb12/DSC00683.jpg)
Be Safe
JH
Ah, Colebrook... so fickle. So feisty. So many good memories. And so many Riflemen!
You never know what kind of weather you're going to get at NWCSA, but you know it will always be nearly the opposite of anywhere else in the state, but with wind. I spent most of this shirt in just my RWVA hoodie, the sun actually keeping things quite comfortable on Sunday. I almost would have preferred the typical sub-OMG-it's-cold-up-here temps we normally enjoy until July or so, if only to keep the mud frozen. But as Jay Haich pointed out, there was nary a peep of complaint from the shooters - they were having too much fun, I think. The only complaints were from that whiny dSB. Go figure.
And what a great crop of shooters these folks turned out to be! Engaged, awake, persistent - yet another boost to my confidence in this country's ability to turn out the kind of people we need. Hats off to Riflemen Peter, Billy, and David. To those knocking at the door, or, as in Logan's case, picking the lock with his heartbreaking 209, let's see you out there again soon - you'll get there!
Thanks to NWCSA for hosting us again, and for being such a consistent partner with CT Appleseed. Now about the brass that froze into the mud before we could pick it up on Sunday night... can we clean that up in, say, July?
Enough babbling - time for the pictures:
Shooters and instructors form the ritual Ring of Instruction, wherein all marksmanship knowledge is imparted
(http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx16/dpsm64/2012-02-18%20Colebrook/IMG_1692.jpg)
SBIT Jay Haich holds forth during the Saturday safety briefing
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A Rifleman and a gentleman, freedomwon inspects the results of his morning shave before applying a cheek weld to our demo rifle, Brown Beauty.
(http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx16/dpsm64/2012-02-18%20Colebrook/IMG_1697.jpg)
Even ninjas need to learn rifle marksmanship skills.
(http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx16/dpsm64/2012-02-18%20Colebrook/IMG_1714.jpg)
What's wrong with this picture?
(http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx16/dpsm64/2012-02-18%20Colebrook/IMG_1710.jpg)
OK, that's better!
(http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx16/dpsm64/2012-02-18%20Colebrook/IMG_1712.jpg)
Proof that engineers should not do history. Just kidding - Jay hit it out of the park, as always.
(http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx16/dpsm64/2012-02-18%20Colebrook/IMG_1704.jpg)
Ringer! Rifleman Peter scorched a 243!
(http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx16/dpsm64/2012-02-18%20Colebrook/IMG_1730.jpg)
"There's gotta be one more point in here somewhere!"
(http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx16/dpsm64/2012-02-18%20Colebrook/IMG_1731.jpg)
Rifleman Billy accepts his patch. Although that hat is all wrong, Bill - you'd look much better in orange...
(http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx16/dpsm64/2012-02-18%20Colebrook/IMG_1739.jpg)
The picture of Rifleman David's patching is on Jay Haich's camera. He'll post that a little later. For now, feel free to check the video of his anointing over on our Facebook page.
</log>
Congrats to the 3 new Riflemen - Jay, looks like you can make 'em, great job!!!!!
Great job everyone! Looks like it wasn't a winterseed but a day at the range is......
Wish I could have been there, hopefully the next one.
Two days of excellent shooters who were a joy to work with, but what I really love to see is all the families getting out on the line together - fathers, mothers, sons, uncles, nephews. We had 5 families on the line this weekend - just awesome! O0