Lovely Graben River Farm in Elbert County, Georgia was the venue for an instructors Known Distance Clinic. This has been the location for the annual Georgia instructors (Appleseed instructors from outside the state are warmly welcome) for the last several years. In keeping with the custom established a while ago, we began the event with a non-shooting but related day of instruction on Friday June 24. Most of the participants in the event arrived on Friday and the semi-temporary target line was erected and the various firing lines were laid out. We ate a communal lunch Friday, and all our other meals together as well, thanks to Scarlett and Scar with help from everyone else, including Brianf31, who was one of the principle cooks for breakfast. Friday afternoon we were treated to a superb Field Communications class presented by xsquidgator, who drove up an ungodly distance from Florida to join his Georgia family.
After breakfast Saturday we got off to a flying start, intending to get much of the shooting done before the intense heat of the Georgia summer afternoon. We reserved the later part of the afternoon for the indoors classroom work, then had a memorable Low Country boil joined by our local host and his wife, Dr. and Mrs. M.
Because of the intense heat Saturday, it was suggested we have a very early breakfast Sunday and get all our shooting in before our final meal together, Sunday lunch. All those remaining took down the line and cleaned up in record time, and then we enjoyed each others' company for a while before those last remaining took their leave and headed back home.
Congratulations to Balz1968 for scoring Rifleman at Long Distance (48 out of 50), xsquidgator (49 out of 50) and Peachy (40 out of 50). And a very special thanks to Roswell for his putting together a special tribute to this instructor, which our gracious attendees watched with me Saturday afternoon, when I am positive they would rather have eaten sooner and gotten to bed a bit earlier. The heat and the exercise had taken its toll, and I am deeply grateful to all, and to the many who shared their experiences and pictures with Roswell, but who were unable to attend the event. I am both humbled and gratified at the honor bestowed me. Thank you all.
One matter of business should be mentioned. Someone left a very expensive Yeti mug behind when they left. It has been secured and will be returned to its owner if you will notify me or Goose. Thank you all for making this such a special, productive, and enjoyable event. God bless you all. And may Liberty increase forever!
Thank you to John for putting together a great event. And to the Fosters and everyone else that had a hand in getting us fed. Also, thank you to Tom for his instruction on comms.
I wish I could have stayed Sunday, but that heat took way too much out of me. I was falling asleep during lunch and followed it up with a nap for an hour and a half before dinner. The prospect of sleeping in a hot tent and waking before 6 and doing it all over again was too much. I got home at 1AM Sunday morning and slept for 8 1/2 hours, woke up and ate then slept for 2 1/2 hours. I'm still beat! I learned a lot though - including, I need to get in shape! Hope to see you all again soon!
I didn't get as many pictures as usual, but wanted to share what I did get.
After zeroing I took a picture of my turrets for record keeping (they were later loosened with an allen key and moved to the zero mark)
(http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt156/RoswellC/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1109%20Copy.jpg) (http://s607.photobucket.com/user/RoswellC/media/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1109%20Copy.jpg.html)
The view outside my tent Saturday morning...
(http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt156/RoswellC/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1112%20Copy.jpg) (http://s607.photobucket.com/user/RoswellC/media/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1112%20Copy.jpg.html)
(http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt156/RoswellC/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1113%20Copy.jpg) (http://s607.photobucket.com/user/RoswellC/media/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1113%20Copy.jpg.html)
The AMAZING Low Country Boil organized by Scar and Scarlette
(http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt156/RoswellC/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1115%20Copy.jpg) (http://s607.photobucket.com/user/RoswellC/media/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1115%20Copy.jpg.html)
(http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt156/RoswellC/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1117%20Copy.jpg) (http://s607.photobucket.com/user/RoswellC/media/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1117%20Copy.jpg.html)
(http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt156/RoswellC/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1119%20Copy.jpg) (http://s607.photobucket.com/user/RoswellC/media/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1119%20Copy.jpg.html)
(http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt156/RoswellC/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1121%20Copy.jpg) (http://s607.photobucket.com/user/RoswellC/media/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1121%20Copy.jpg.html)
(http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt156/RoswellC/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1124%20Copy.jpg) (http://s607.photobucket.com/user/RoswellC/media/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1124%20Copy.jpg.html)
(http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt156/RoswellC/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1126%20Copy.jpg) (http://s607.photobucket.com/user/RoswellC/media/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1126%20Copy.jpg.html)
(http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt156/RoswellC/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1127%20Copy.jpg) (http://s607.photobucket.com/user/RoswellC/media/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1127%20Copy.jpg.html)
(http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt156/RoswellC/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1128%20Copy.jpg) (http://s607.photobucket.com/user/RoswellC/media/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1128%20Copy.jpg.html)
BrianF31 taking advantage of the coolness in the fading light to get his zero
(http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt156/RoswellC/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1130%20Copy.jpg) (http://s607.photobucket.com/user/RoswellC/media/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1130%20Copy.jpg.html)
Congratulations Peachy! (Sorry Balz1968 and xsquidgator for not getting pics of you guys getting patches, but I was taking a nap in an attempt to get out of the heat. - I cheated and pulled Peachy's pic off Facebook ;) )
(http://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt156/RoswellC/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1132%20Copy.jpg) (http://s607.photobucket.com/user/RoswellC/media/Graben%20River%20Instructor%20Only%20KD%20June%202016/IMG_1132%20Copy.jpg.html)
It was great spending time with everyone and I hope to see you all again soon!
Roswell
I wish I could have been there for the fellowship but I don't regret missing the 104 degree heat. Y'all wouldn't have wanted to haul me around with this cast anyway. ;D
Next time.
Wreck
I look forward to this event every year. If I could only attend one shooting activity, this would be it - and it has nothing to do with shooting. As Roswell says, it's like a family reunion but with people you want to see.
Thanks for all who put in so much work to make it happen.
I didn't get to shoot much, the heat got to me, back went out on me, but I wouldn't miss an Elberton event unless I was unconscious. Good to see you all and I look forward to the next one. Thanks to all who were there!! And to those who weren't, you were missed.
Sounds like it was a great event. Perhaps I can make it down some year and join you.