Good Appleseed Weekend at Douglas Ridge Rifle Club, Oregon...

  Leave home too ear
ly Saturday Morn, 0125, only 162 miles to go in the dark. Would spend about an hour waiting beside the gate to go inside. Didn't know the code, sleep just fine in Pacifica. Janer shows up and opens the gate I follow her in and park to change clothes. Kenjo comes and sets up the Appleseed direction signs, too many decision points to make choices.  We move the target stands to the line, I notice how old and worn the backers are remembering long ago when they were new. I also have my first fall tripping over my backer and feet. I try our improve and not scare anyone more. Notice! that except for Flipper and Nat the entire crew is older than the shooters.

Mike on target on time

    The morning cold slows the shooting down a bit, but we are using a great PA system, and we get the first Red Coat done and start the roll. Cliff reintroduces himself, met in 2009, and he took an IIT hat and helped a lot of early Appleseeds, he is shooting a loud centerfire, tanker rifle I call it. Two strikes of the match during lunch and the three legged stool to get the shooters back on marksmanship. New positions and we roll along. The sunshine warmed us the remainder of the day and like always goes so fast, One AQT and one new Rifleman, Michael Ross.
 I gave the Third Strike of the Match, and rolled right on into Janer's tale of the telling. We get a Cease Fire, Cease Fire, Cease Fire for wildly wandering game, two fat does that think we won't bother them. Won't see them come hunting season. They will boldly return but not when they could have added to the known distance presentation with practical exercise in distance estimation. Final Redcoat target and Flipper gives Seventh Stepping points. Everyone is safe had a good time and is coming back in the morning, we clean up and pack out, leaving the target stands under the firing line roof for possible rain.

   We all went to dinner, I found a place to sleep in too much comfort, but warm and dry. And I do. At dinner we talked about the good the bad and the ugly... trying to be prepared for the next day and the after action reports. Meal was great, I got large glass of water, then many cups of coffee. Hot Shower and sleep. Motel breakfast and to the range.

   Not everyone came back, the weather is windy and still cold, we do reviews and the third Red Coat of the weekend is shot, three by two posted and sights are verified, with more review to prepare the day. The day marches on, I get to tell the Dangerous Old Man story of Samuel Whittlemore. the After noon period is AQT grind with some peppermint popping. River delivers on a drill, and then scores Rifleman.

   Cliff scores his AQT and requests another look at it and add it up. I do start and then recalculate about three times getting the same answer, five less points because I never find that other bullet hole. That seemed to be when I was falling out of reality. Should have taken a nap. but want to be valuable. The Shootboss reminds me that I can go early, they have plenty of local area instructors.



After River gets his Rifleman patch and I catch the picture I am departing.

  Cliff tells me that it was good to see me, beating on my chest in his joy - right on  top of my pacemaker - as he says he heard I have been having some health issues. I laugh and tell him it isn't that bad. I think I have presented a wasted away appearance, causing some strange concern. Tionico says goodbye and just before I get ready to jump in and pull out Flipper comes up and gives me a hug??? She always does a great job of instruction and I think will have nailed this her first ShootBoss Progress Check. I tell Janer that her clipboard and cheatsheet were left behind and I roll off the range and out of Eagle Creek, OR.

   As soon as the first Rest Stop shows up in Washington, I pull over and sleep for about forty minutes then back on the road, one more stop around Castlerock, then on home. Safe again, unload and prepare for other things that need attention. Life is good.