Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire What Are Your July 4th Plans?

It's been FIFTEEN years since a GREAT crew ranging in age from 11 years to 76 and I did a 21 gun event with one well run 1 3/4" gun, down in front of the church, in Palominas Az.
Sheriff Larry Dever had wryly sent down word that, "It's not a firework, it's a cannon",....so we were cleared right from the top.
HUNDREDS of flags flying, and well over 400 folk in attendance.
We hauled the gun into a prepped area, already roped off,...having followed the Parade Marshall's car at the front of the Parade, on the back of my old Welding rig.
Once it was established that all horse and riders were cool with a racket, either trailered, or unsaddled / hobbled / rode off home....we cut loose,....
FUNNY evolution followed,...We (quite naturally) had the gun laid on Naco,Sonora,...way off over the horizon,....beyond the Upper San Pedro River,...which lay maybe 3/4 mile below the gun's muzzle.
On shot number 3, the crew chief grabbed me and pointed down range.
Initial reaction ?,...."Oh Chit, I PROMISED not to start a grass fire, and thought we were far enough back from the dry grass". Well we WERE, and it wasn't a fire, our soaking wet wads were performing to spec, and the area we'd cleared off was actually twice that required.
Nope,...it wasn't a fire....Down below us, stampeding and raising the damnedest cloud of dust you've ever seen was a fairly large HERD of "Migrants",....I guess in that time we could actually still call them illegals.
I'll grant that there was a bit of a lengthy pause while this unscheduled part of the parade commenced, and a LOT of laughter erupted.
Hell,...we went back to work, only this time loading the "other Cartridges, from the Other Box",...blanks,....but of substantially heavier charge weight,...
Nobody really knows when those poor folks down there quit running, local legend has it that some were seen, still' haulin' azz a mile south of the line.

Our current Cochise County Sheriff and I did a little nostalgia cuise back to that event this PM.He was there and we both agreed that less than 2 months later, the world changed forever.
Since than rocking an entire valley with thunderous blasts has tended to put some on edge, and just wasn't very "P.C.".

I'm pleased to say that he's cleared a path for us to do a little bit of celebratory, and contemplative Ceremonial Artillery work here at my place on Monday, the Fourth.

Semper Coonass, and let freedom RING!

GTC

I used to get visits from the local LEO agencies, Now they just want to shoot up all my powder.

Don't light them off unless we have had rain. Only shoot steel wool with wd40 over snow, New Years don't ya know

Oh,....postscript to the above.

The ONLY complaint that was recorded at that 2001 shoot was raised by a very scruffy, bad smelling, bleeding hippy who was renting a shack off to the N.E.
He'd partied all night in Bisbee, and was asleep ( we're talkin' 11:00 in the AM here folks) with his dog,....
The American celebratory volume was way to high for the two of them,...and both awakened in fright. I guess the dog thought it wise to chew on him a bit to dispel his anst.
A complaint WAS taken,....but no citations ever seen forthcoming thereafter.

Both Border Patrol and the Cochise County Sheriff's Department agreed that that particular stretch of the line got "real quiet" for weeks after.

GTC

I will drive an 18 wheeler from Laredo Texas to South Carolina.

Amen, bro. There's currently NO way that we'll have dry grass by Monday,....we are (finally) getting a rather early, and most welcomed monsoonal trend.

I'll be candid about something,....Back in '01, I don't think ANYBODY would have cared if we'd burned out a pit of the cover down along the San Pedro. We DID have permission from all of the landowners in our fan,....

GTC

Most folks don't know about the fires from the cannons that burn't across the battlefields

Just cleaning up from a 4 night fly fishing trip to the Redfeathters Lakes area. I never go anywhere on a holiday. Too much traffic, turons, and PIA crowds. I let the M-F/9-5 crowd slug it out. Maybe grill some, drink cocktails and of course watch the local fireworks.

Happy Birthday America.

Work the 4th (volunteered).
Forced to work tomorrow.

Next weekend fix the kid's car and blast groundhogs.

Was the plan for this weekend..........but with factory being stupid, figured better work the OT while I can.

Lay on Waikiki beach then watch the fireworks at Ala Moana

Pot luck Barn party with some friends. Blew my knee out a month ago so won't be doing much. No weight on the leg for another 3 months. Will do some pulled pork sandwichs and watch someone else ride my horse.

Wife won't be down till the 18th so I'm just gonna chill and get some yard work done up on the mountain, drink a beer or two, shoot the 45 and try to get my hands on some tannerite .

Running a recaust plant and lime kiln 2300-0700. Unless I trade, will be off for the holiday Mon 0700 - Tues 2300. If'n things continue to run good - it'll be a fine weekend. For festivities, nothing's forsure, maybe grab a bag of fireworks to entertain myself and the 2-year old and might throw something in the smoker.

Cheers to the 24/7/365 workin' stiffs and drivers too!

Ours is not like this-

More like this-

Sorta mixed with this- and 40 years run down.

We're hoping to return the compressor & rock drill before the 4th, and take a day off. Gonna be marginal, though.
(1/4 mile to go)

I was told my 'presence was expected' at the family cookout today (Sat.). Nothing planned after this- probably do a little reloading, might do a little shooting.

Well, overseeing the Maintenance shutdown at work again this year, as usual. So will stay close to home in case something comes up as I'm on call. Plan to grill some sort of dinner on Monday and then the boy and I are off to a West Michigan Whitecaps baseball game in the evening, replete with Fireworks afterward!

Hope you get done with that.
Enjoy the time off as well!

To early to decide

Gotta ease into it... Go with the flow...

No plans, im gonna do whatever i feel like doing when i wake up. I do have a thought in the back of my mind that it would be nice to ride the Xr650r in the mountains early before anyone wakes up and take a rod to wade fish a creek before it gets so hot you could fry an egg on your sidewalk. I will grill something and i do know im gonna make tacos sometime this weekend because i have been craving them for days. Maybe drink a little dark beer.

I took a short spin on the bike this morning to the dollar store on a nice twisty road to get some marvels mystery oil, she has been sitting a while so i put a tad in the tank. She was running very well, power wheelies on lonely stretches did my heart good.