Sorry, I got side tracked by WORLD events...

 Yesterday was a complete wonderful fine glorious day shooting known distance, full distance, and finding out what works for me, and where I need to work on more better.

  First, I calmly waited for the jammed traffic on the 205 Bridge over the Columbia to open up and allow me to pass through. No choice, and I took pictures, but you have all seen it before, haven't you? So I arrived at about 8:30 and found I was right there for the first shot, cold bore on the steel gong, two hundred and fifty yards away. Which I missed because I can... No, I have no idea where my bullet went. The reason I like paper better than instant ringing gratification.

  My M1 was set on battle sight zero, and I found that will always work for 100, 200, and 300 distances in standing, sitting and prone in a hurry. What doesn't work is sloppy shots - I don't teach sloppy shots, I just know how to do them, more of my shots aren't than are - so I am going to get all of them to the best shot side.

  I found trusting the NPOA very important for shooting in the Rifleman's Cadence, and shooting in the Rifleman's cadence is the only way to put ten round on target within fifty-five or sixty-five seconds on stage two and three of the AQT. I only dropped one round for time, and six rounds for failure to feed (shooter had trouble loading clip - once).

  I found the sling cannot be snug enough, make it snugger.  Practice all positions more, and lock into the best for you and your rifle early in life. Still, be prepared to change to something else and lock it down. Stuff happens.

  Enjoy the shot, enjoy the shoot and speak well of the departed.

The Victory of Chicken Little...

In the good old days, of yesteryear... isn't that a wonderful phrase? I heard lots of poetry, nursery rhymes. and fairy tales - it was part of a most excellent education. A solid grounding in common sense and stories with a moral, and a point, one of those sharp things for you to use in your future. Even cartoon characters used them as a short hand for telling their story - part of the common thread of our American - often British culture. This was a foundation for more education and communication as we grew up. All of the liberal arts in college has always been to reinforce the common accepted truths from the Greeks, Romans, the Bible, European History and moral values and philosophy.. or so I truly believe. Once you have the common grounding, you go where you want and fit how you may and you won't embarrass your family too much. Could even make them proud.

Somewhere a few days, months and years ago - the culture in America, the 'yes, I can' culture was hijacked into the 'No, way, Jose' cult. I firmly believe everyone that comes to live in America, or countries of similar purpose - comes to make their life and times better. They don't come to become slaves, they don't come to be serfs - peasants - peons, they come to make a good life and have a fine life with those they love.

If there are any people here in America, or countries that model themselves as freedom loving peoples, that want to fail, to be downtrodden, or just lay down and die under the whips of the overmaster --- well, just holler and let me know.  Hear anything? crickets? anything at all? Do you think they are all dead? Or has Chicken Little succeeded? They are too afraid to comment, complain, to make noise as they fix the problems, or build the nation and their families and fortunes? Political Correctness is an ugly whip to beat the others into shape, it is a soul stealing whip - no thought needs to be made once the whip is applied, no spirit can live free where Political Correctness is the law of the multitude.

But back to Chicken Little, the poor bird had a bit of trauma, and when recovering decided he must warn everyone of the dangers of Gravity and the Sky Falling! Since Gravity was a law, which everyone knows, then when he says the Sky is Falling - it must also be true. This was before the Blues made the idea famous. Media and government goodness guys (politicians) use your fears, based on their loud announcements of whatever they want you to fear now, to motivate you to their position - Chicken Little really believed "The Sky is Falling". So does the media and your loving politicians. Climate Change? Nuclear Winter? The danger in population growth, the religious Right, the Yellow Peril, racial impurity, social justice, unbound Liberty, individual rights, --- all those and many thousand more must be used to frighten you into compliance, for the children or your own good.  Chicken Little never wanted to harm anyone, and after everyone was safe from Falling Sky - what happened?

You and I can't stop the Sky from Falling, but until it hits us - we should keep working on that wonderful life, living in Love and Liberty. There are probably more people trying to make gain from me than I want to know - but to a certain point they can try, I am not interested in what hits my head, just that it doesn't really hurt nor cause permanent damage. I don't dwell on the unlikely - no matter how loudly media and politicians or Chicken Little trumpet loudly. I don't blame Chicken Little, he was only a public servant and a fool fowl, but politicians and media - they are using fears unfounded to gain some silly value for themselves. I don't have any silly value for them they had best go elsewhere to find it.

Early morning memories...

I departed about an hour too late on Saturday for Stevenson, Washington. Learned of my mistake as I set my GPS and tore on down the road, about three hours of travel, luckily it was early in the morning, I had light, and light traffic.

I was only a bit player in a very small Appleseed event, only three or four shooters, one first time Shoot Boss (whom I have worked with before) and one missing due to illness IIT Janer (do hope she recovers well, since I was just getting off my constant cough).

I had my M1 Garand with me for zeroing before I went to bed, Thursday I will be attending the Known Distance Shoot at Douglas Ridge and only verification of zeroes and three full distance AQTs will be shot, about a hundred and fifty rounds. Need some more dry practice, and to borrow some young paratrooper's body - this one doesn't stretch as well any more.

Met the Shoot Boss KenJo and his four shooters, two father daughter pairs. The young ladies would have to stretch to catch up with their father's marksmanship - but mechanical and ancient bones and unfamiliar positions would take their toll on the men, and then we made everyone fear the time monkey - only fifty-five seconds? All the idle assurances of their future ability to meet the standards were always slowed by how tense they became as they pushed to slide the magazine in quickly. Relax! make it happen, breath in breath out, focus, squeeze and the follow thru, now again... rhythm, Rifleman's cadence. It will work, believe.

Check your natural point of aim, RELAX! I shout like a Drill Instructor (that will make them remember, as they lie there quivering). We taught it all, and shot through a teaching AQT, I told a whole hour of how Americans decided they could go it alone, then finished with the First Strike. I should cut a lot more words away. Just stimulate their interest, allow them to research and study, it won't stick unless they do. We did one AQT for score and then the other strikes of the match, and a final Red Coat target for the day. It had gotten very hot in the afternoon, we had pushed watering the body and they stayed on pace on that. The shoot boss gave them the benediction and seventh stepping and we sent them home to rest and recover. Hoping they would return by eight thirty in the morning. Then I sat sipping water and discussing the after action of the day, what we would try to accomplish in the next. Great idea for KD to 100 meters.

I put a target up to zero upon and fired two rounds, measured and adjusted my sights - Inches, Minute of Angle and Clicks work! Fired four more then eight on stage four of an AQT. Hmm, best get to practicing what I preach - more dry practice, more mental repetitions of an excellent shot... more positions.

Clean up, pack up, make my bed and I lay upon it, under a poncho liner, listening to the hum of the mosquitoes, the even ones don't hurt and can't keep me awake I will have lost a lot of blood by morning by the Pacemaker will keep what is left moving at more than fifty bpm.

Day two, roll up the bedroll. shake the scorpions out of the boots (nah, just teasing you) and take a walk after making breakfast out to see the damage from the shotgunning hooligans of the last evening. Saw some interesting animal tracks, but nothing I was going to be concerned over. There was an eight inch slug trying to make it to shade before the Sun dried him... looks like a long time survivor.

The Shoot Boss shows and we finish setting up, talking and wait upon our shooters. Only two takers today. But we roll right on after finding lapses of memory on four Safety Rules, Six steps of making a rifle safe, and six steps of the shot. Review, rinse, repeat... they will one day own all those words. The young lady adds compliance to the safety rule four... ugh. I can't spell compliance. Review, rinse, repeat...

Great attitude from the shooters, we all stay happy, and they have changed rifles and sights, okay - all things new, we can make this work. I do check out the scout mounted sight on Pat's rifle. Her incentive to earning her Rifleman patch is that her father will give her that fine rifle. Motivation! It is hotter than yesterday, the reviews are done with shooters demonstrating under the Shoot Boss, and we check zeroes, IMC, and sight are on again. An AQT before lunch, Known Distance after Hezikiah Wyman, and then two more AQTs, before going on to a Known Distance one hundred yard training exercise with a modified AQT.

A lot would be learned about the rifles and the ammunition and the change in groups for fifty, seventy-five and one hundred yards. New Target then shoot Stage Four, mark, score and move to 75. shoot Stage Three. time monkey distraction, mark, score, move to fifty, Shoot Stage Two, time monkey beats them again, mark, score, move to 25, shoot Stage one of the AQT, no time monkey, distance is very normal, target size perfect ten rounds but only some on target, sigh. Good exercise bring the targets in talk targets, challenges and results. Lots of good stuff learned. Move safely back to other range for one last AQT and Rec Coat and wrap of Appleseed for this weekend.

Jesse Ventura was wrong... but haven't we all been bad before?

I never knew Chris Kyle, and I certainly don't know Jesse Ventura. But I do think Chris knocked a loud mouth down and left the scene. Now I never heard it was Jesse Ventura from Chris's mouth... media wanted that answer and made it up well. Jesse Ventura said it never happened. So I have no reason to doubt Jesse Ventura's word - he just wouldn't be the type to get loud mouthed and act a fool, he was a governor of Minnesota wasn't he?

Where Jesse Ventura got it wrong, was thinking that Chris Kyle was trying to hurt him and his career - which ever one he is engaged in now. So, on the advice of his lawyer, he sued Kris Kyle's estate for damages. Now I know the lawyer was going for the win and the money, Jesse Ventura was going for his honor, or something else. What has happened that Jesse won the Stupid Unloved Award of the Year. He is an old man, that kicks dirt on the graves of the dead and steals bread from the store of their widows... for his honor, or something else.

I served in Vietnam, I am a Baby Boomer but better than Bill Clinton and George Bush, the Younger. And certainly better than Jesse Ventura, although I am probably too close to his weight - I would never have worried about what someone said about me - except to be called a liar. I wouldn't have sued, I am probably more direct and confrontational. I would have met on neutral ground and over a cup of tea. But then I haven't been knocking down loud mouthed old me, nor written about it. So I will just say, Jesse, you and Kyle should have met and talked it out - or you could have put some moves on each other - then had a beer.

Just because the world has no sense, doesn't mean you have to be mean. Living in love -- nothing else works better.

Little old me, has shrunk two inches... but not in the waist... what a waste...

  I have likely  suffered a shrinkage of mental capacity that caused my head to be too heavy for the spine and, and Gravity is winning.  So, if the doctor's office is correct, and I am paying him, I am a little old five ten now. I did go in for a cough, very persistent one, and have been treated, now one more day of lolling around and I should be able to re-engage life as I knew it.

   I did some playing with old photos, and posted most to Face Book, and my brother says if they won't give him a way to opt out of interruptions for commercial value to Mark and Company, he will be leaving FB. A real guy. He hardly has time for FB, none of us do. I like to think I am there for the family and friend contact and pictures.

Warren, Ohio, baptism day. Picture taken by my grandfather, Rev. Earl Martin Smith, who would also baptize us. He was up from his church in Uruguay.

This picture is of the Loyalhanna Creek, Ligonier, PA, it ran right behind our home, and often ran into it when Spring floods came. I spent lots of time on the rocks, swimming in the pool below the falls at the top of the picture, and a little trying to fish. My father, built me a tree platform to hide and read in, since the one I started wasn't going to hold. He also built a canoe to ride the water with. Fishing was possible, but it never took with me.








The last picture is of my brother and I on the porch of the farm house we lived in.
West Mifflin, PA. It was like many old farmhouses, surrounded by the development built up when the farmers sold out and highways, shopping centers and sprawl made a modern world we still don't understand. We are wearing matching Robin Hood shirts from Richard Greene's program.

This time I got to fish... and I don't as a rule...

Went to Twin Harbors State Park and found our Fish Camp group. Slept in the Caravan, amazing how much room there is without the back seats. Started to take pictures and found that I had not re-charged the battery the night before, nor that day either. So I paid more attention and saw and talked than just took pictures. Thursday, some of our party fished from the pier, and we all checked into the charter service. The rain clouds were rolling in so fishing was cut a bit short, but by the time we returned to the camp the weather was fine and steak dinners for everyone were prepared on the grill above the glowing embers. I was going to weigh twenty pounds more by the end of the camp on Saturday. Saturday woke early, dressed for wet weather, cold seas and ate breakfast. Then we took our coolers and lunches and went to meet the Charterboat Slammer.

We got a polished inbriefing and rules of the boat speech by the Captain, then we cast off and went to sea.

First stop, fishing for flounder to use as bait for the bigger game which was LingCod, an an uglier fish is difficult to imagine. Being my first time, I was happy to learn how to use the reel and by chance catch two flounder. It was a start.

After enough bait gathered, off we raced (?) to find the LingCod and another class in how to hook the bait fish and the tactics and techniques to catch the LingCod.  Too Many Words but as soon as he was on the fishing site, we dropped hooks and let the sinkers pull the bait and line deep. And if we weren't too crowded, salmon didn't strip the bait, or the LingCod decide it didn't want caught and sheared the line - well, if they knew what was going on the Lingcod started coming up and cluttering the deck as the hands pinned them and tossed into the catch hold.  When there were enough LingCod for two per fishermen - they stopped fishing and got ready to work on Rock Fish.  New rods and reels (just when I had the old set working), lighter line for bottom fishing, still using sinkers.

Rock Fish and Salmon jumped on the bait and we reeled them in, over a hundred in the Skippers report. I only caught two bait fish, one LingCod, and one Rock fish. Not that I wasn't trying, I was. I had tangled line, I had caught gulls and others - the gulls stayed in my mind when they cried upon being caught, so human...

We tried a couple of Rock Fish areas and then finally went back in happy in the day, the weather and the opportunity. I tipped the boat boy, he had cleaned all the fish for required customers. Smooth operation all around, departed at seven am, came back at 6:12 pm. I had spent most of it rolling with the waves and helping a bit all around.

Back to the camp ground where we were warmly welcomed, some of our wives couldn't help but thinking that something had to have been wrong with our trip.

I took a hot shower, changed and went to sleep - such is a great day on the water on wearing this one out. The pictures posted were all lifted from the Facebook pages, and only the second one is of some of our fishermen that did very well. I know now more about filleting a fish, sharp knife and practice with get it all cleaned and bagged on the way back from the fishing holes in the sea.

Cleaned up the camp today, still telling tales of what we did and how great it was, and packed and drove back home into normal every day, not much happening. When I got here checked the email and found three alarming emails about my brother being admitted to the hospital in Spokane on Wednesday but he was released by Friday to continue his adventures. My sister had finally made it to Sherry's home (our niece) in South Dakota - and she is already talking about the long drive back to Winston-Salem, NC. The price of fuel hasn't stopped my family from moving on. May they all have safe return trips.

Riding off into the mist.. misty memory of a great visit...

He paid his bet off, convinced me to ride around the Olympic Peninsula on our bikes, and we had a great time.