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  There were twenty shooters signed up to participate in the Appleseed event in Waitsburg (at the other end of no where land America from my end) - only 296 miles away, five hour drive, need to be there by seven thirty, GPS works if the heat doesn't pop it off the windshield, leave at one thirty get there by six thirty, except you know you need to stop, wash your sleepy eyes and move the legs to prevent blood clots.

   What do you take with you? A demonstration rifle with sling, although you have a Mossy Oak sling on it now, check the laser (works!) get a GI Web sling (promptly leave it on the day bed under some other guy gun junk). Your target rifle, business cards, Course of Fire, timer on clip board with cheat sheet for reference. A small tub of cherry tomatoes to snack upon, water bottles, a mug of coffee to drink towards Tiger Mountain... all your normal gun guy stuff - gun guy because your wife isn't. Her car has some of her hiking stuff, her comfort stuff (not for her, for her passengers).  You close the door, start the car, close the garage door and glance at the GPS and the clock and drive away.

   Getting to the range you take a couple of pictures and say hello to Dave, the Shoot Boss and Joni his lively lady.  Then get ready to 'Meet and Greet' as shooters pull into the parking area. By time to start the introductions, to make sure we start off as professional and organized it is still windy but sunny.  Seventeen shooters, some of which have an Appleseed already, or two. If they will listen we will talk, so we probably shared too much to absorb, but it was all good.

   I kept trying to emphasize the breath in, breath out, focus squeeze and follow through over and over again.  Keep it simple and they may stop fussing their shots trying to make them perfect. Each shooter has a thing or two they could fix, but they need to work on it until it is natural, relaxed and repeated.  Boy that wind will get blamed for large groups, but it is always the shooter, their position and trigger control. With the natural point of aim found and soon believed, the groups start to shrink as they get tired. Two AQTs and a Red Coat and I am back on the road on my return trip.

   The important thing is the safe return to the home and my wife, I did stop for a big Mac and big fries and milk shake on the way, but it seemed like I had been on the road driving for a couple of days, but it was all the same long day. What is best is remembered as one shooter coming up to show me that what I had gotten through to him had really worked, and as I looked at his target it showed the truth of his new skill level. Saw one AQT with a hundred and ninety plus score, so I think Sunday will really be good with a night's rest and a little refresher in the morning.

   My Sunday will be great, too.