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19 April Allemans PA Welcome Aboard

Started by Truculent turtle, March 25, 2009, 06:56:45 AM

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Truculent turtle

Here  we are  within a  month so  I guess  it is  time  to offer  up an  official WELCOME ABOARD brief  for  Allemans.  My  name  is  Bill  and  it appears I  will  be  the  shoot  boss  for  this great  range and really  great opportunity  to plant  some  more  Riflemen.   IT  IS  AN  HONOR!!!  For  those  that  are  already  signed  up, thank  you.  I  am  proud  that  Project Appleseed  has  gotten  the  both  of us  up off  the  couch!    I  offer  one  challenge.  We  appear  to be  in  the  running  to  have  the  largest  Appleseed  in  the  country.  Wouldn't  it  be GREAT  if  we  could  pull  that  off!!!  Muster  the  family, bring  the neighbor, do  something  nice  for  the  boss and  bring  them .  In  today's world if  you  still  have a  job, be  thankful and  show it  to  your  boss, bring  him or  her.   Remember active  duty  military,  kids, women, and  elected  officials  shoot  for free.   Allemans  may  not be  one  of  the  big, everyone-knows-the-name Appleseed  locations  but  lets make  it  so  after  19 April 1775,  sorry,  I  really  did  mean 2009

Some  nuts&bolts  of  info  from  the  last  time  I  was  at  Allemans, in  no  particuliar  order:

First  of  all,  Reade Range  is a  GREAT location  but  it is  HARD  to  find.  Give  yourself  an  extra 30  minutes  at  least, and  do a  good  map  recon  before  you  leave  the freeway.

There  is NO cell phone  signal  there, and  no  phone  booths down  the road. (Do we  even  still  have  phone  booths?)

The  view  from the  range  is  AWESOME!!  What  that  really  means  is  that  there  is  nothing  in  the  way  of  the  North Pole and  Reade Range  so  if  there  is a wind, dress appropriately.

The  ground at  Reade  will  not  move  on  you--It  is all  rock!!  Bring a  GOOD shooting  pad and  if  you are  camping, have a plan  B  for tent  stakes. 

Speaking  of  camping.  Camping  is  available  there though  it  is  primative.  The  location  is  about half  way  down  the right  side  of  the range  to about  the  500  yd  line, then  turn  left  to  the tree line  on  the  left  side of  the range.  Bring  your  own  water, and  whatever  else  you  want because running  out  to  the store  for resupply is a 2  hour  trip.  Oh,  one note on  camping and Appleseeds in general, please no  spirits  to celebrate  the  days  event.  I  like  a  cold  one  as  much as anyone  but one incident,  just ONE, could  permanently  mar  our  reputation at  the range, and  Appleseed  in  general.  Lets  wait  till  we  get  back  home.  Camp fires are ok  so  I  hear,  just be  very careful, and  bring a stick or  two of  wood  from  home.

There  is  no  place  for lunch,  if  you  want  a  noon  meal,  best plan  ahead.

Personally, I am  camping at  the  Super 8 Motel in  Altoona 45  minutes away.  It  is  ok,  as  cheap  as anything else  and  has eating places  near for an  instructor  dinner I  have  to sponsor, though all are invited to attend.  The  phone  there  is 814 942 5350.

A  subject  that  some seem reluctant  to address, medical  support.  This  place  is  lost to  the local  EMS  units  it  appears.  I truly  had  to  call  5  different  EMS stations  before I found  the one  that  sort of  knew  where  it was.  So,  if  anyone in attendence  has  more specific training  than  basic  first  aid,  I  would appreciate  it  if  you  would  step  up.  I  have  a  plan  B but.....

It  is  my  plan  to arrive  on  the  range  by about  noon  on  Friday.  One  thing  I for  sure  want  to do,  if  the weather  is  not  an issue,  is  get  the target backers  put up  on  Friday afternoon and save  an hour  of  time on  Saturday  morning.  So  if  you are  available.....

My  instructor  staff  so  far  is 3  of  us,  not  overcrowded  for  the  largest  19 April  Appleseed  in  the  country. I  have a plan  B  also to deal  with  that  but  I  would  ask  that you arrive  no  later  than 0800 on  Saturday  morning to get  the paperwork out of  the way so  that  we  can  start SHARPLY at  0830.  Please  bring exact  change  if  you  have  not  prepaid.   Please  bring an attentive and cooporate attitude so  that we  can  move  forward  through  the weekend  without reviewing things TOO  much.  Expect  me  to  be  BRUTAL  with  the  clock!!    We  do  have a  bit of a  special  event  scheduled  for  Saturday afternoon and  while  I  am very much looking  forward to  it,  there  will be  a break  from  the normal  training  procedures.  Expect  the  day  to  run  until almost  dark on  Saturday and then  stop a  bit earlier  on  Sunday.

I  think  it  is  appropriate to  thank B964, Mooney and all  the others  that  did all  the  real work  to  make  this  happen.  It  may  not  seem  that  way  from  the outside  but  there is an  unbelievable  amount  of  work  that  goes into putting an  Appleseed on the  schedule.  My  part  of  just  showing  up  and  teaching is  easy and  the  fun  part.  Take a  moment  to tell  these  folks  thank  you.  All  of  you  think  about taking  the  Seventh Step (We'll  teach you  the first  six  on  Saturday) and  continuing on  with  Project Appleseed by  becoming  involved either as  support  staff, gosh  it takes a bunch, or as  Instructors In Training.

Some ask  what  they  can  do  to get  ready  for  an  Appleseed.  The  MOST IMPORTANT  thing  you  have  already  done, you are going to be  there.  Besides  that, review the  material  on  the forum--there  is a  huge amount of really  good  stuff  there.  It  should  answer  most  of  your questions  about equipment, and  eveything else.  If  you are  familiar  with  the  prone and  sitting  postions, get into  them as  you watch tv, it  will pay great  dividends.  If  you are  not familiar  with  them,  try to do  some simple stretching  for a few  days before.  Touch, and  hold  your  fingers to  your toes,  sit crosslegged  on  the floor as  you watch tv, hamstring stretches,  those  kinds  of  things.  Might bring  some  aspirin  for Saturday  night and  Sunday  morning.   For  equipment  do not  forget  sound  suppressors, required, and  eye glasses if  you  want  them.  We  will STRONGLY  encourage  you to  shoot  with a sling,  perferably a  military style.  So  if  you can  get one,  get  it,  if  not  I  will  have  a few  to sell at  cost, but  they do require 1 1/4 inch  swivals, vice  typical  1  inch. Plan  on about  400  rounds.
     
My cell  is  703  801  4741,  if  anyone  has  questions,  call  me  or  PM me on  the forum.  THIS  IS  GOING  TO BE  GREAT!!!

Sempre Fi   Bill


B9

Quote from: Truculent turtle on March 25, 2009, 06:56:45 AM
There  is NO cell phone  signal  there, and  no  phone  booths down  the road. (Do we  even  still  have  phone  booths?)

THIS  IS  GOING  TO BE  GREAT!!!

Sempre Fi   Bill

FYI. If you NEED to use a cell phone, head south on Rt 253 out of Allemans. About a couple miles near the crest of a hill there is a hardware store (usefull for many things) on the right. If you stand on the edge of the road in the parking lot you will get signal (watch for cars!). The woman at the store said it is about the only spot around that does.

THIS IS GOING TO BE GREAT!!!
"It's very hard to engineer another countries liberation...people have to liberate themselves. Unfortunately in history, many people get killed..."
Medea Benjamin

jagr31

Thanks,
Planning to get in to camp mid/late Fri .  Will helps as possible

Regards, Roy

B9

Allemans PA .............. SOLD OUT!

(I typed that in Scouts voice)
"It's very hard to engineer another countries liberation...people have to liberate themselves. Unfortunately in history, many people get killed..."
Medea Benjamin

jagr31

Quote from: B964 on April 02, 2009, 06:38:25 AM
Allemans PA .............. SOLD OUT!

(I typed that in Scouts voice)


its a shame 60 + on thier way to the shoot, only 10 have found/ use the sight to cordinate w/ eachother

regards, 

B9

I did notice many of the calls I received from PA people it seemed they did not have steady internet access and that may be the biggest part of it.
"It's very hard to engineer another countries liberation...people have to liberate themselves. Unfortunately in history, many people get killed..."
Medea Benjamin

Truculent turtle

Ok,  a  new (good)  development.  There  has  been  someone  step  up  to cater  lunch  both  Saturday and  Sunday.  Don't  know  specifically  what  but a  sandwich,  a drink and a bag  of  chips,  or  something  like  that.  This  is  a  good  thing, so  lets  please  try  to  support  the  effort.   thanks,   Bill

CooperGlocker

I for one will be making the 5 hour drive this afternoon.  I'm just curious, are there GPS coordinates of the range?  I've got google maps directions and I printed out the notes on the website, but I'd still like to have a GPS backing me up.

Looking forward to meeting you all.  I'm departing at around Noon, and my ETA is 6:00 PM.
- Coop

B9

"It's very hard to engineer another countries liberation...people have to liberate themselves. Unfortunately in history, many people get killed..."
Medea Benjamin

CooperGlocker

- Coop