My weekend and camera troubles...

So I was getting ready to leave for Idaho and an Appleseed Shoot, and three of the library ladies had asked about Appleseed and what was that all about. Well, we try to teach everyone how to shoot to 4 MOA and tell the story about April 19, 1775. I gave a peek at my POI and Fred's Handouts (but wasn't carrying extras), gave away one one article to Randi and drove out of Federal Way to adventure. Hawkhaven (Ed) had sent a POI and I had it printed, and I had the Google directions, and the RWVA flyer on the shoot and the range and away I went.

I was a bit concerned, they were talking like we were going to have a beautiful weekend, with seven of the instructor corps to teach about seventy-four shooters, a ratio of ten to one? That didn't sound like a good idea, but maybe some folks would get a benefit out of it. Afternoon turned to darkness as I drove over the Cascades, the central desert (it has a river to drain for irrigation, but otherwise it is so dry) and on to the rumbles of the Rockies (Spokane and Coeur d'Alene). It was dark, the moon was bright but when I was driving down the dirt road five miles to the range I couldn't see to much to the side, save a couple of fishermen on the lake, I was the correct distance but there wasn't a range there, I drove off the road and parked and went into sleep mode waiting on the sunrise. I had picked a spot right above the range which I could see in the light when I woke up. Okay, nothing happening yet, drive to town and get some scrambled eggs (bacon and broccoli) a biscuit with gravy, and home fries. Nice friendly place and constantly refilled coffee cup, life is good.

Back up the road to the range and park and meet my co-workers, Ed (the Shootboss from Indiana), RL (RWVA instructor from Seattle), Reformed Redneck and Western Rose (ITTs from around Moscow), Pa Rah (ITT from Oregon), and tdow (ITT from Eastern Washington). Bob is also there, our hard working host of the range and the beautiful facilities - this is a real solid shooting range (Fernan Rod and Gun Club) and we are going to populate and run two lines.

Well, we did, for two days and it was great. I need to get back to bed for some more sleep, but that POI worked, the shooters cooperated and learned and put into practice what they needed. I have been photographed way too many times handing out Rifleman patches to those that made 210 or more on the AQT, and only Andy got watered because he made exactly 210, but he worked Sunday as an orange hatted ITT making that next step up in the program, the seventh step.

I really like the people of Idaho, seems like I have been welcomed there more than most places I have been, and this shoot had lots of families working the skills together; father and sons, father and daughter (way to go, Becky! {she brought two books to read between shots and I understand that kind of people}), husbands and wives. Lots of shooters, veterans of Appleseeds earlier, which means I have to thank those earlier instructors for building solid shooters before I could mess them up... not that I would on purpose. We even got to do long distance shooting with about eleven shooters on Sunday afternoon. And I was coached a bit about my 'Happy finger' when I was testing my new rifle on Saturday evening. Not being the kind of fellow that sticks around I got to shoot, hang around watching the children run around in the evening (remembering when I was that young and wild) and eat too much good pizza, with the crew as we talked about the world of Appleseed, that day's shoot and our progress.

I have to get back to bed, it has been a full weekend and four days of new stuff and experiences. My camera finally needs a good cleaning and maintenance, the shutter shield isn't moving closed and open well at all, shoving the poor thing in my pocket and rolling around in the prone position may not have been the best thing for it.