What a fantastic shoot! 13 hardy Americans showed up bright and early Saturday morning ready to learn how to shoot like a Rifleman and to learn about their heritage! I enjoyed meeting every single one of you. Despite a heat index of 108 on Saturday, everyone maintained a great attitude and held up amazingly well. OK, maybe all except one person who I was worried about. ;)
The pop-ups provided by the host club were life savers, as was water shared by MeanStreaker and Kevin S, and as was A/C Providentially recently installed in the clubhouse! Thanks Edleher for bringing a pop-up for the instructors too.
Special recognition goes to Curtis who was responsible for bringing no less than 4 people with him! In addition, I believe we had 3 father/son teams and 1 father/daughter team! We always like to see the parents and children come out together. O0
Sunday morning every single blessed American shooter returned for more...HUZZAH! -:) Sunday was quite a bit cooler but still warm. No Rifleman scores but I think it was Bill that had a high score of 201 and several others scored in the 170-190 range. Keep persisting and you will do it! Bill and Will, post up a picture of your US Rifle, Cal. .30, M1 after you pick it up at Camp Perry. :) Thanks everyone for coming out despite the dire forecast. And Canon, I still think you have the coolest name. Remember to focus on that front sight.
Finally, it was a pleasure meeting and working with MeanStreaker for the first time. It always amazes me how each Shoot Boss adds their own particular "flavor" to their shoot. I walked away having seen and learned a bunch of new things that will be put to use in the future. And thanks to Edheler for driving from PA to help out. You get better every time I see you. As always, it is a pleasure working with you. See you next month in Cannonsburg I hope.
UL
All star border raiding Instructors and incredible shooters made this for a very memorable Appleseed! With the heat, Persistence was the name of the game and everyone did incredible. I've been smiling often these days and seeing every single person show back up Sunday morning (early!) put a big one on my mug.
Thanks to everyone for a great weekend.
It was a great weekend despite the record heat. I was listening to the NWS on Saturday evening and the temperature at the Dayton International Airport was 102! I was amazed and very impressed that everyone showed up on Saturday and then returned for Sunday. I see rifleman patches in many of your futures. I have no doubts that you will persist.
I look forward to seeing all of you at an Appleseed in the future!
We should all be thanking you all. Thank you UL, MeanStreaker and Edheler for your dedication and for putting up with the trials and tribulations to teach us about those that had shed sweat, blood and tears to safe guard our freedoms and liberties. A couple of copies of Paul Revere's Ride have already been purchased and many chapters have been consumed. :) Again, we all thank you for all that you do and how you do it. I definitely have to thank Edheler for correcting me on several bad habits and pointing out to me things that I need to correct. Thank you man. I hope you made it home ok. :)
I initially had invited just my father to go with me but a few others chimed in saying that they would be interested in attending as well. It was great to be able to share an Appleseed with so many of my family and friends. Our family is not new to long rifles, having spent many years behind the hammer of a black powder rifle and the handles of tomahawks and knives, but I have to say that Appleseed has been a trial for us all. It is a trial that some of us understand and will be a part of and help support where it's possible.
I have seen much in my short time on this planet but my first Appleseed left me asking more than I had ever asked before. Since then I have learned much about life and have driven many miles back home. I will never continue to learn about myself and plan on continuing to learn as much as I can; about myself, about life, about community, about country, about world and about everything beyond. Many of those questions where answered this time around but many questions are still left unanswered with more having been formed. Only time, energy and dedication will help answer them all. :)
Thank you all again,
Curtis
I will never continue to stop learning about myself not " I will never continue to learn about myself". Yikes! ;D
Curtis,
It was a real privilege to be an instructor for you and your family. You will earn your rifleman patch soon if you persist! You just have to put together 4 clean stages on one AQT! I think if I added up all of your best stages from the weekend you might squeak by. :)
I hope you enjoy Paul Revere's Ride it is a great book! It is always best to come away from any experience with more questions than you had answered. It gives one a clear focus on what you need to learn next.
I am loathe to make suggestions which cause people to spend money, so I won't. I will instead suggest that you post in the Ohio forums before wherever you're going next and see if there are a couple of loaner Ruger 10/22's available. If you had asked this past weekend I wouldn't have had any reservation letting you use the loaner I had sitting in my Jeep. In fact it must have been the heat which kept me from thinking of offering it. Scoring rifleman on the AQT the first time with a bolt is a little more challenging since you have to keep breaking your position. It also helps you to learn NPOA far better than those shooting semi-autos. It's a tough trade-off.
Send me a PM for where you are going next, you never know I might be going there. :)
Edheler
Thanks Edheler,
I counted up all of my best stages and I was no where near qualifying. The second and third stages killed me. Matt on the other hand pulled a 207 when he tallied up his best stages.
I had a 10/22 in the vehicle but I didn't pull it out. My intention was to use it on Sunday but, for one reason or another, I felt that I should continue with the Marlin. Next time the Ruger will be used, for sure.
It sounds like at least Matt and I will be heading to the next Piqua, OH event on Aug 18/19 and it sounds like at least my dad and I will be heading to Gibsonburg Sept 22/23 with a visit to the CMP store some time before then. Should be a good time trying out what we've learned with "big boy rifles" out to 500 yrds. &)
xenos