Kaysville, UT 9/19-20

[crak]

What a fantastic weekend.

It's no secret that we had a last minute instructor crew fly in from both coasts for a sold out shoot.  So Job One was growing a local instructor crew to carry the torch.  I'm happy to report that some told me right at the signup table they wanted to instruct, and after a telling the rest how badly America needed them there was a line Saturday afternoon to give us info.  I think we'll have the makings of a good crew not only at Kaysville, but at a couple other ranges within an hour or so.  Seeds planted!

We had 8 people not show.  But 11 walkons!!!!

We had two bays, so we broke up the group self selected by pace.  Beginners/stage-by-stage shooters went with SavageShooter and Phoneprone (who is fantastic with kids) to a smaller bay with a roof for prepping.  Repeat customers, centerfires, and people who wanted to shoot a lot came over to the Sunshine bay with HollywoodMarine and me.  Like usual, I had to learn the hard way that Shade is a number one priority out west, and the shooters were great enough to bring some the next day to prep under.  We had to open late and close early both days due to range rules, so the time monkey was more like a gorilla.  HM and PP switched places for the second day.

Sadly, I didn't get to see SavageShootr work.  But judging from the smiles, and the two Riflemen on her line, I need to go back and see it again sometime.

A few things I won't soon forget:
California coming up with not one, not two, but three A+ instructors at the last minute.  Amazing.  Thank you. 
My buddy on the plane ride up.  Appleseed will turn you into an irresistable people magnet.   
If we looked tired Saturday morning, that's my fault. I drove the crew around the outskirts of SLC all night on Friday flipping between the 2-3 roads with the same name, and the one road with 2-3 names.  One could argue I was lost, but I would argue that I just needed to set the stage for the telling of the Midnight Ride of crak and The Guy. 
If you have a grill, one trip to the grocery store (as long as it's actually a grocery store) can feed the whole crew for the whole weekend for less than the usual Saturday night dinner. 
For all the whining I did about the fru fru ingredients Layla and Joe insisted on for PB&J... they were right.  It was really good. 
Getting a waiver from "Thomas Jefferson" and "Sam Hancock" and thinking it was a joke or worse. 
When rooming with artillery men, bring earplugs to watch TV. 
The sun is no joke out west.   
Muscling can cause horizontical groups.   
Turning down Gatorade from Kevin is a mistake, but turning down his peaches was probably a good idea.  (Thank you Laurel for the warning)   
Dave's absolutely PACKED pickup bringing the entire family in on Sunday.  This man was responsible for at least 13 of the shooters that weekend. 
Austin having to show his poor mom which finger he stapled.   
10/22 stock sights are so bad, they can make it hard to do step 4A even for a guy wearing step 4A right on his hat. 
Harry getting a 208 and saying... "I knew I shouldn't be out shooting on Sunday." 
Phoneprone working with Blake on his trigger finger.  Awesome. 
Helen's reaction to hearing how long Lydia Mulliken waited for Dr. Samuel Prescott to come home without knowing he wasn't going to.  I feel that way too.  Every time I hear, say, or write it. 

Andy needs to change his name from "OneInThree" to the "Heartbreak Kid"  Between a 206 with 9 rounds in the mag for Stage 4, and having a recount go south where some dubious math put him in the 220's, any one of several of his targets would have broken a lesser man.  I've seen it happen.  Instead, Andy comes up to me after the shoot and says "I got this problem.  I need to come back again.  To get it done.  To be a Rifleman."  Well, did I have a deal for him.  Such a deal!  Before I even finished telling him about the orange hat, he was on the phone with his wife telling her the great news of his promotion.

There was a van full of people right outside the range gate admiring the view of the city below.  They asked what we were doing there.  A year ago, I was still confused how dwarven1 could go right up to a bunch of strangers and give them the whole spiel.  Now, between SavageShootr and I, these fine people had no idea what they were in for.  As we went on, more and more people kept coming out of that van.  Grandma was totally sold that this country has completely forgotten where it came from.  Dad liked that he could bring the whole family out for practically nothing and I gave him some offhand tips for free.  Mom needed the stress relief of finding a good NPOA.  Daughter thought it was going to be COOOOOOOL.  And all the sons... well, they were busy climbing the rocks and one pooped his diaper.  Can't win 'em all.  But I think we won enough of them (Especially with SS's excellent touch giving away her Citizen's Handbook) so that some lucky instructors are going to meet the whole family someday.

The good people of Utah seemed to think that a Friday/Saturday event would get a lot more participation than a Saturday/Sunday event.  More power to them!  The Appleseed Program of Instruction doesn't care which two days it's on.  Considering the rash of unemployment in this country, neither do half the instructors.

[Two-of-Three]

Great weekend, Boss!  I really enjoyed my first Appleseed Project shoot.  I've lots to get into muscle memory, and need to make NPoA reflexive ... and make some adjustments to my rifle.  Too many stovepipes to count, and lots of double-stacks (type-1 and type-3 malfunctions) make it tough not to get frustrated at a low score, even if the groups are improving.  I KNOW I CAN DO BETTER ... and WILL.

Not being much of one for history ("meh"), I found the lessons and stories delivered during the breaks engaging and quite enjoyable.  Maybe it was the subject matter (lots of battles and shooting ); maybe it was the instructors.  In any case, I was impressed enough that I even mentioned them to my Sweetie, who enjoys history and a little shooting.  Don't be surprised if she's at a future shoot. 

The heat was indeed an issue the first day; no amount of water can completely negate a lack of shade.  We'll need to add that as a note for future UT shoots.  (The range we're trying to arrange for also has one covered and one non-covered range.)  Having your glasses slide down your nose (profuse sweating due to overheating) while trying to acquire and maintain a good #1, #2 and #4a is tricky.  Second day (with shade for prep) went much better.  I guess that means I can't blame sweat on my lack of Rifleman patch. 

Having attended two other professional courses (for defensive pistol and a tactical pistol), I think our Shoot Crew did a fine job of drilling the attendees and helping us improve -- and more importantly, gave us the encouragement to want to improve, and the skills to do so.

I added a small write-up for my friends and family, and put it on my blag:  http://n7gmt.org/2009/09/my-first-appleseed/

Thanks crak, SavageShootr, PhoneProne, and HollywoodMarine for a fantastic weekend.  Even if I didn't make Rifleman.  Yet.

-2of3

Oh and thanks, crak, for not mentioning my name in regards to the stock-sights-4a problem. 

[crak]

Awesome two o' three.  Thanks for the blog writeup too.

One thing I neglected to Mention in the above AAR...

We had Steve from Australia at the shoot.  Steve was there when they banned all semiautos.  He lived it.  Knows how it came up and went down.  And has a message for us.

If you ever luck into having someone from another country at your shoot, give them a chance to tell their story to the group.  I promise you, if they came halfway around the world to end up at an Appleseed shoot, it was no accident.  You might be amazed at what you're taking for granted right here in the good old USA, and why it's so important to keep.  I've heard from China (at Tienanmen!), Poland, Russia, Vietnam, and now Australia.  Powerful stuff.

[crak]

Oh and thanks, crak, for not mentioning my name in regards to the stock-sights-4a problem. 

That was some other Trent, right?

[One-of-Three]

at least a good NPOA doesn't require good math skills 

A couple rounds of squares so I can be happy with the sight adjustments and a calm no pressure day to shoot and I'll have my rifleman patch.... YOU JUST TRY TO STOP ME 

[lccmonkey]

    Sorry I missed the shoot. Were there any problems with the range?

I am so glad to hear that we have 2 ITT now that is great.
When they become instructors then we could have many more shoots at this range.

The range is veary impressed with the program and at the last shoot they asked if we could do it every month.

Thanks guys

  BOTG
mike

[rifleman2000]

To the Kaysville Appleseed instructors: a huge thank you for a well-run shoot. I was one of the two to achieve Rifleman on Sunday. You asked if I could help instruct a course in October. I've not heard from you since even though you have my email address. Do you still want a course?
Thanks,
Dave

[crak]

Yes definitely!  I'm sending out a message now.

Chris.

[Fred]

    Sorry I missed the shoot. Were there any problems with the range?

I am so glad to hear that we have 2 ITT now that is great.
When they become instructors then we could have many more shoots at this range.

The range is very impressed with the program and at the last shoot they asked if we could do it every month.

Thanks guys

  BOTG
mike

     Mike, we can sure do it every month, but I'd suggest, as prep for that, lining up 4-6 volunteers who want to instruct in the program, so we can start training instructors locally who can pick up the ball on this.

    Appleseed is not a "fly-by-night" program. The goal is to have permanent AS presence all across this country, run by BOTG instructors.

    So, let's get a "one a month" AS at this location set up, and let's start working on setting up some IBCs to train instructors.

     In less than six months, we could have some qualified local instructors to take the burden off the nationwide staff...

     Appleseed happens, because dedicated loyal Americans make it happen!

[One-of-Three]

Yes definitely!  I'm sending out a message now.

Chris.

Do you still have me on that list?

Andy

[lccmonkey]

   I would like to meet with our new IIT's and discuss our mission ahead.
Please contact me when you have a chance.

  Sounds like we may want to set up a boot camp in slc this spring and get this show on the road.

  Lccmonkey@msn.com

  thanks againe

  mike white

[lccmonkey]

   Bump And Check In.


  Shoots in the works.
Going for four appleseed shoots at the kaysville range this year.

  Need local IIT's!!

[Two-of-Three]

[snip]

Going for four appleseed shoots at the kaysville range this year.

  Need local IIT's!!

Count me in -- I'll even see about bringing some family along.
Count One-of-Three in too. I'll commit him.