Placeholder - full report to come.
12 shooters on the line, with myself, Respiratory Pop, Gooch, and BDG instructing.
We had excellent weather - the dire warnings that had persisted through the week turned out to be false alarms, and we had nothing more than a few rain drops in the middle of the day.
It was a good shoot. I'm fairly sure that we were the only Appleseed in the country that had a flyover by the Blue Angels. I tried to take credit, but since most of the shooters were local, they were well aware that there was an airshow scheduled at the base. :)
Today saw a total of 8 shooters on the line, with a mother and son team who arrived only for the afternoon shoot. We made no riflemen, but we made good friends.
Friends indeed Mr. metalbot, friends indeed. ;)
And, if our shooters brought their groups closer together, so, too, did our group of shooters get closer as a group. As you pointed out, I knew most of the shooters on the line prior to this shoot.
Gooch, BDG, and Keren & Jeff stopped by the house after you departed the range, and then we went out to Fuddruckers for dinner. All is quiet now.
Thank you so much for coming to the Corpus Christi inaugural shoot boss. I am glad you made it back to the Hill Country safely.
Respiratory PUP enjoyed having you down and hopes that you come back again soon.
I will post notes and pics Monday.
POP
Metalbot! You are a hard driver! You drove my old Neuropathized, diabetic, over the hill body to the point of breaking Saturday. But aha! That is not why I did NOT return Sunday for more torture. I had to take care of my 86 year old mother with a bad case of shingles. I only escaped Saturday because I found a benevolent soul to sit with her. But alas, I shall return, You Mr. Shoot boss were very very professional and I, who have been shooting rifles since I was 8 years old, learned things from you guys that will make me a better shooter and I will return to Appleseed at the first opportunity and I pray that YOU are the Shoot Master there too.
All joking aside, I really did, in spite of my body's condition, enjoy the day, and I will keep pushing Appleseed to anyone who'll listen, and I will keep coming back until one of two things happens, that I die or I make Rifleman!
Corpus Christi Inaugural Appleseed
ALL THIS AND AN AIRSHOW, TOO! That's right I personally invited the Navy's BLUE ANGELS flying FA-18s. Dang if they didn't show up. It was a beautiful catching glimpses of our Navy's finest between COFs. O0 OK, OK while they were here in Corpus Christi they also took part in the Naval Air Station Air Show. But, to see six Blue FA-18s stacked vertically wing tip to wing tip making a sharp G-Turn just over our Stars and Stripes and Come and Take It is quite moving, er quite Patriotic. It connects the dots between April 19 of 233 years ago and today.
Meanwhile, back on the range, the Appleseed Range.
On Saturday we had 11 shooters:
Two youth boys, 1 six, 1 eleven
Three ladies
Also:
Two adult supervision for the youth, one grandfather, one mom.
Six persons came by to watch and see what Appleseed is all about. O0 This is really cool because one couple I met at the Tea Party. They are really impressed and are going to come in May so, I am encouraged to keep promoting AS.
Sunday we had 9 Shooters:
Mom and son
Three ladies
And, the producer from KTOV TV here in Corpus Christi.
All shooters showed much improvement, including the 6 year old grandson of my friend Harold. As Saturday starts slow, little John's attention span was a little short. BUT, after we got to shooting his attitude changed. Harold and I coached him while shooting and helped him keep the muzzle in a safe direction, and helped him safe his rifle at the end of the COF. After several COFs little John started really getting into the program. He would be the first down range after metalbot gave the command for shooters to go downrange and check targets. I would give him a point for each bullet that his his 8 1/2 x 11 target. And, later after I would go downrange and coach other shooters first, he would come get me to make sure I saw his target.
Well, that's all for tonight.
Just realized what time it is. Respiratory CAT just jumped up on my keyboard and wants me to turn out the lights.
I will post pics tomorrow, or later today. And, I will provide more comments.
Also, I have read a number of AARs from other events. Truly an exciting time for Appleseed and for the united States of America.
POP
pic at a time. ;D
SB metalbot presenting the 3rd Strike O0, assisted by the lovely and talented orange hat BDG. ^-^
POP
well, POP has already covered it here, so there ain't much for me to add, other than the cameraman from KTOV was there for a good 3 hours or so! I expected him to show up and take maybe 5 minutes of footage. Nope! He was all over the line, shooting a heckuva lot of video and doing all sorts of camera tricks to get different angles of shooters as well and Instructors. Based on the end result of his commercial that he made, I'm sure that he will compile some fantastic footage for broadcast television. I'm actually pretty jealous.
Thanks to POP, Gooch and our Boss metalbot. See you guys next month.
A really great weekend and a great group of Appleseed Shooters as well.
We had a couple who brought tube magazine rifles and Mike [The He of the couple] was already planning on replacing his with an external magazine model before the next shoot.
We had several Mike's this weekend and another Mike brought his M1 Garand. [Blessings and Peace be upon it]
It had been a good long while since I had heard the "Ping". Ah .... memories.
Davilla [Eleven - Oh - Eight !]was the last time I had heard the "Ping". Before that it was .... hmmmm
lemme see here .... sheesh .... it was a long time ago. 1967 no less. Boot Camp San Diego. We used the venerable workhorses to qualify for the Navy version of the AQT. [All done at 100 and 200 yards If memory serves. We didn't use meters back then. We were still proud of being American and different than Europe. *sigh* ]
Everyone else has pretty much covered the particulars so I will just step back and fill in where needed.
Stay Safe,
gooch
metalbot, Pop, Gooch, and Kev (Sorry Kev, but I do not know your username....)
Gentlemen,
Thank you so much for introducing us to Appleseed! My son had a wonderful time in a constructive environment. Kudos to you all for helping us with our shooting skills (yeah, I know mine need A LOT of work...), instruction, history lessons, and with firearms, too. Now that I have attended one, I can be properly prepared for the next one.
My husband was jealous that he was not in town for the event, but he wants to come to the future events. So, it looks like y'all may have a new Appleseed family.
Pop:
We spoke of a mini-Appleseed sometime in the near future. Any chance that would be scheduled after mid-May? My teenager will be home from college after mid-May and I know he would enjoy participating in that, as well. After it's over, we can migrate to my house for a pool party (it'll sure feel good after being in the sun all day!).
Guys: seriously, you were all great. Thank you for investing of yourselves and your time to share this project with us.
May God richly bless you all~
earleygirl (& son)
Pop,
We got your rain at College Station. You'll get a kick out of hearing that Scout called Top "Pop" all weekend long.
Guy
Quote from: CaptG on April 23, 2009, 01:25:36 AM
You'll get a kick out of hearing that Scout called Top "Pop" all weekend long.
**)
Good job Corpus!
Well, Respiratory CAT just jumped up on my keyboard "Time to go to bed" say she. Say I "Hang on there RC, I have some important work to do. Bailing is a full time job." ;)
So, Earley Family, thank you so much for the post. What Earley MOM did not say was that Early Son (age 11) wants to become an Appleseed Instructor. <:) Yeah, that's COOL. He shot mostly with a Browning tube fed through the rifle stock and a scope. Sweet little rifle. Earley MOM helped out a lot Saturday and then did some pretty good shootin' herself on Sunday. :~ Earley DAD is jealous.
I thought we were a little short on instructors 3 for 11 shooters + metalbot ... that is until I read the College Station AAR. I ain't complainin' now ... those boys at Struve's place 'done good. O0
OK, some additional PICs.
OK Respiratory CAT. Here, hit the 'send' Key.
See you on the Appleseed Trail,
R CAT
Dang'it Respiratory CAT! &)
We posted some duplicate PICs.
Do I need to get Respiratory PUP in here to help? **)
I wanted to provide a few specifics on how the instructor corps handled the weekend.
On Friday, Gooch drove down from Beeville. Mrs. POP fixed Breakfast and then our work began. Under threat of torrential rain we got out to the range ASAP and began setting up. I used my 16' Trailer as a stage for the LB and we hoisted four flags on 21' poles tied back to the trailer. (see pics) Not quite the same as Davilla, but, still impressive. AND, NO RAIN.
metalbot arrived about 5:30 and surveyed the range. By 7:00 we went to eat and caught up with BDG afterwards at the range.
SATURDAY - good shootin', good weather, good friends, and good airshow.
Mike, my friend and Pastor, assisted with registration and watched for a couple of hours. The COF went with the usual concerns, slings being the major problem. But, we worked through most of those. Saturday afternoon six visitors came out to watch our program. One fellah had come out to shoot at Starry Range and asked what was going on down in Bay 4; he could hear the reports and see the flags. A couple I met at the TeaParty the previous Wednesday came to check it out and, pulled up their chairs to listen to the instruction; ended up staying 2 1/2 hours. And a father & 2 daughters came by to watch for a while. All were impressed. Again, NO RAIN. Just a few Blue Birds flying formation @)
And, of course, the big event of the day was the April 19 presentation, during which all of us got a lump in the ole throat.
SUNDAY - more good shootin', good weather, good friends, and good airshow.
9 of 11 shooters returned. My Pastor did a short ^-^ Really! message connecting the dots between our founding fathers and today with some encouragement to Bail. metalbot did the safety briefing down at the range and we were back to shooting.
Our KTOV TV Producer came out Sunday morning with his camera. BDG's comments summed it up pretty well. Expect some really good things to come of that. It was his first time ever to shoot anything more powerful than a BB gun. He shot well and I believe he will be back as an Appleseeder.
Everyone helped break down after the event Sunday. We @&)ed our brass and anyone elses we could find. All of us were tired little puppies by that time. metalbot had the longest drive (back to Central Texas) so, after we were just about finished he went ahead and took off.
Gooch, Keren & Jeff, and BDG came by the house and we talked for a while, then went out to eat and talked some more, and then all was quiet at Respiratory Family's home.
More PICs coming. For now,
So Long,
POP, Mrs. POP, PUP & CAT
The yellow streamer in the second set of photos is the Gadsden flag that broke the attachment point due to the wind speeds overnight.
Not enough hands present to drop it and repair it while staying "on mission" so .... :-[
[BTW .... This is the same reason the "other flags" were not hoisted for the Shoot.]
In the pic below the flag pic you see John and Mike. I was somewhere between them Saturday and looking at the pic makes me wish I would have been there Sunday also. Oh God this stuff is addicting!
Well, I have a bunch of 30 caliber bullets and 30-06 brass and I'm ordering more of each. Plus I think I'm going to order an 8 pound keg of powder and load me up about 1000 rounds of Ammo for my Garand and be somewhat more prepared for the next Appleseed. I'm also going to procure some of those 2 round Garand clips so I can do the mag changes a little more smoothly. I hope Gooch has all his flags flying then. We're going to be throwing some lead down range for sure. I'm lovin it. :~ :~ :~ O0
Couple of more PICs
yeah, snake, we'll see you on the 16th of May. Bring Mrs. Snake, too.
These two pics will likely be the last two that I post for this event. As we were short on instructors I just did not have time to take as many as usual.
Here you will see metalbot and BDG, and metalbot and Gooch.
For the event on May 16 we will post a few more flags. The trailer will be set up about a meter closer to the firing line. And, I may have some tarps for shade ... no guarantees.
That is all, see you on the appleseed trail. ;)
Until then, happy bailing. <:)
R POP
I guess I'm going to have to get a sign that says "on lunch break" to wear whenever Pop drags out his camera. ::)
metalbot sat in that "lounger" for almost 20 minutes the whole weekend and now it looks like he was Mr Laid-Back the whole time. It just goes to show you "never turn your back on the camera ..." or was that "the enemy" ? ;D
Who is that guy with Dun-Laps disease behind metalbot ?
[His belly dun-laps over his belt .... >:D ]
I'm surprised the camera survived. Most of them don't ... usually. **)
Well, it sounds like the weather there wasn't too bad for the shoot. It could have been even windier and more rain. heh. I paddled up to Davilla on Saturday. When I think about July in Texas at 105 degrees a little bit of rain sounds pretty dang good. At least it was cool. heh.