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Flash Report: Bozeman 2007

Started by colonial shooter, September 30, 2007, 02:01:19 AM

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colonial shooter

Let me tell you, The morning started out with the rains coming down, the wind a blowin' and thirteen eager shooters ready for their dip in the pool. Participants cover most of the region and a few straglers in from OR. Two female shooters, started out the day setting the pace for the rest to catch up. Mostly 10/22s on the line, but the centerfire guys did make a showing. 1 garand, 1 M1A, 1 AR and 1 Bolt Gun. Now if I could get Fred to give me a chance to get the line commands out, I will be doing allright. Just need thirty seconds, Fred Thanks. More later, Freds at the store buying clown bats for those "line dancing metrosexuals from Montana". You guys know who we're speaking about. ;D.
"When the government fears the people there is liberty; when the people fear the government there is tyranny." --Thomas Jefferson

Only the dead have seen the end of war
Plato

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." - George Santayana

Fred


    I can confirm the weather report - and NO sunscreen, and NO sweating - how can THIS be an Appleseed? (Haven't been to one in a coon's age without those two things!)

    Friday was sweet weather - 75 degrees, sunny - allround nice.

    It was Saturday morning that dawned with low overcast, periods of blowing rain, and temp in the 40s. Brrrrr....

     Over the course of the day, the distant mountans turned white (the really distant ones were already white), even as the rain let up after lunch, and blue skies showed in mid-afternoon. (Getting out in it all day is the best way to report on the weather over a day. :))

     I was naturally complaining about the rain - I've never been to WY when it's been raining, for instance - when CS mentioned it had rained in WY just last week. So I asked him if he had a video or something as evidence - and when he allowed as he didn't, I naturally dismissed the idea with a dismissive snort. :D

     Turnout was a disappointment. Somehow we are going to have to find a way to bump up the numbers in this region of the country. While Idaho and WY usually have pretty good turnouts, so far OR, WA and MT have not.

     Even as at least some of the line this weekend was from OR, two states away.

    Saturday was the now-standard Appleseed drill, the drinking from the firehose, and shooting performance rose during the day, peaked, then crashed on the final AQT, even tho we had two rifleman scores (both from previous Appleseeders). The 'crash' was fatigue and weather-related IMHO.

     But then on the final Redcoat target, prob half the line qualified at 400 yards! And EVERYONE (save one young lady who shot "300" on it in the AM, and so had little room for improvement) dramatically improved - all the 'non-qualified-at-any-distance' and the '100-only' people were now at 200, 300, and 400 levels.

     It was a nice boost for everyone to leave on a high note.

     And with those everlasting words ringing in their ears: "You shoot good, and the credit goes to the instructor; shoot bad, and the credit is all yours..." ;D

    Needless to say, us instructors felt pretty good about it, too.

    As usual, most of the attendees were pretty serious about learning, an attitude much-appreciated by the instructors.

    Sure, we had to motivate a couple of them, threatening to add Montana to the dreaded "Texas list" (Texas is the only state on the list, currently) for future disparagement/ridicule in SGN. Hence, the bandying about of the magic phrase "line-dancing metrosexuals". (One of the guys it was directed to afterward shot 209 on the AQT, so it must work - something good for instructors to know - shame still works as a motivator - or maybe it was the threat to head into town Saturday night and get clown bats at the 'Mart. ;D)

     A bunch of good people, a good program, good instructors, a nice facility, beautiful scenery - just another typical Appleseed.

     As DW would say, "it is an honor to be there".
   
     Today, with the mnemonics of Saturday over, we focus on the now-traditional "polishing the six steps" - and polishing everything else we can find that needs to be polished!
"Ready to eat dirt and sweat bore solvent?" - Ask me how to become an RWVA volunteer!

      "...but he that stands it now, deserves the thanks of man and woman alike..."   Paine

     "If you can read this without a silly British accent, thank a Revolutionary War veteran" - Anon.

     "We have it in our power to begin the world over again" - Thomas Paine

     What about it, do-nothings? You heard the man, jump on in...

Fred


     I can also confirm that Elton John was in Bozeman for a concert this weekend, attended by 8000+ screaming citizens of Bozeman, Montana, and doubtless, other states.

     What a contrast our culture offers: 13 people at an Appleseed; thousands at a concert...
"Ready to eat dirt and sweat bore solvent?" - Ask me how to become an RWVA volunteer!

      "...but he that stands it now, deserves the thanks of man and woman alike..."   Paine

     "If you can read this without a silly British accent, thank a Revolutionary War veteran" - Anon.

     "We have it in our power to begin the world over again" - Thomas Paine

     What about it, do-nothings? You heard the man, jump on in...

The Guy

Glad to hear fun was still to be had in MT.

I had thought I had left it in better shape than 13 folks though, but it is heartening to hear a few had been to a previous Appleseed.

I hope that the weather wasn't the excuse.....!

I like it there, and am looking forward to the spring Bootcamp near the range.

Hope to see some familiar faces!

Guy

Fred


     Sunday dawned nice and clear, and the snow-covered peaks to the south (in Yellowstone?) were sparkling-white in the distance.

     Nearly everyone showed up from Saturday, and one new guy (not quite new - he was there all day Saturday, watching his son shoot, and listening to the instruction).

     The wind was fierce all day, so that even if the temp went from 40's in the morning to 60's (!) in the afternoon, it was still chilly under the shade of the firing line cover.

     At least, the wind was from six o'clock, but it was a pretty constant 20-25 mph all day, leading to speculation that, coming from Wyoming as it was, there must be some real wind blowing in that state. ;)

     Colonial Shooter called the line most of the day, while Fred made sure he was at the right end of the line, just outside the shelter, basking in the sun (RHIP, right? :D)

     Sunday, as everyone by now knows, is settling down to "polishing the basics" - not the grind of Saturday, maybe - but not far from it.

     Drills on the squares, pre-lim practice on the green Classification Target in prep for the AQT, and then multiple AQTs - again and again.

    We made one new rifleman, and had a lot of almost-riflemen...

    We also had an Appleseeder who is member of the local club step forward to be the Appleseed delegate to the club, to promote the program so that maybe we have 600 at the next Appleseed! (The club has 1600 members, so shouldn't be too hard to get a few hundred at the next Appleseed...right? ;D ;D ;D)

     Plus, one of the new shooters offered us a second place to hold a BC in Montana, only about 35 miles away from Bozeman.

     Looks like we could be flooded by everything except Appleseeders in Montana!

     So, the building process goes on, as we lay the foundation for future expansion in Montana and the Northwest...

     And, now, as the sun slowly sinks in the west, we must bid Montana adieu, and get to the Texas boot camp, and Scout! And looking forward to it!
"Ready to eat dirt and sweat bore solvent?" - Ask me how to become an RWVA volunteer!

      "...but he that stands it now, deserves the thanks of man and woman alike..."   Paine

     "If you can read this without a silly British accent, thank a Revolutionary War veteran" - Anon.

     "We have it in our power to begin the world over again" - Thomas Paine

     What about it, do-nothings? You heard the man, jump on in...