I was supposed to be motorcycling across the country with Ligonier, Pennsylvania as my final destination for my 50th High School Class Reunion. But since the only one I have ever attended was the 40th, that may be the only one. Ligonier is a wonderful place to grow up, for History and amusement and security of the mountains encircling you. Thinking I could ride my three speed bicycle off to Florida to join Castro - just wasn't going to happen, although I did have a really great ride in the darkness going downhill Fast! when I had given up the struggle.
Since I wasn't on the Trusty Triumph and an Appleseed event was going to be held in Port Townsend, that was where I went to help out. Great group of folks, and I learned something about and from each of them. You know the instructor crew had lots to share with them... and gentle constant reminders of what they should be working on with every shot. So near the end of the second day I am watching one shooter have no respiratory pause, none. But he was hoping to catch the trigger as the front sight hit the target... hmm, that doesn't work.
Still everyone had a good time, shot safely, and got better at all they understood and were practicing. Hot weather baked us a bunch, but the breeze didn't die and there was lots of water. If I were a believer in the rifle making all the difference between shooters, I would say if it didn't have an ancestry from Czech Republic, the two new riflemen shooting their bolt action rifles would look convincing. Especially since these aren't the first Riflemen I have seen shoot that well with those rifles. Seriously, it has to do with the shooter, six steps of the shot, and relaxing into sling and position and trusting Natural Point of Aim. Throw in Riflemen's cadence to keep from fussing the shot and anyone can do it; if the rifle doesn't jam, the ammunition all goes off, and hot brass isn't bouncing behind your safety glasses or on your arm.
We did encourage all the shooters to practice dry fire with totally unloaded rifles in their safe zone, to join a local range and to come back to another Appleseed when their have it all in their muscle memory... I found a note on my Facebook, my niece is guiding some middle school young ladies during their difficult years, that will be great - she has a wealth of women's wisdom to share and she is approachable. For sure what is on the screen isn't how reality works and trying to model yourself on fool behavior just doesn't work. In the history presentation of April 19, 1775 in the powder raid from Boston when the colonials had had enough, they at least weren't distracted by entertainment and too much media misinformation.
Our two Riflemen, were also the two that cleared the final Redcoat, there is always hope for America's future, hope to see y'all on the range one day. I can tell you about Inches, Minutes and clicks... and get your sights on target.
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