I'm not home yet, that will happen Friday evening.
I celebrated THE best birthday there. More fun, food, camaraderie, friends, shooting, and tale-telling than oughta be allowed.
I wish we had had a video camera running the whole time. Moments like the physics lesson that Jon got with David's .500 Linebaugh, the four person coffee-making dance trying to keep up with thirty five coffee drinkers, the kids getting to shoot all types and calibers of firearms, Dave's (Paladin) prowess with big-bore handguns at long range and the many coins he shot out of the air with his Mod 41 S&W (souvenirs for the kids
), and the goodbyes as folks were starting their way home.
Great memories!
Watching Dave patiently work with a couple of young kids and some young (but older) ladies, introducing them to handguns was a complete pleasure.
There were a number of folks there who were not very familiar with firearms, they came along with family. There were so many willing, patient people, volunteering firearms, ammo, and instruction that no one was left out.
The cooking was a team effort headed up by Kent, Dennis, Jon (the Bacon Master), Ben, Miles, Joy (Mark Schubert's lovely bride), Mathilda(sp?) (Birdwatcher's guardian angel, Brenna(sp?)(NMLady's/ElkhunternNM's daughter & pastry chef par excellence), and two other ladies I cannot recall their names. Other folks jumped in to help with cooking tasks, but that is the core. Forgive me if I have forgotten anyone, the weekend went by in a blur.
There were just too many instances of generosity, kindness, courtesy, and selflessness to count. Just call it the entire weekend.
The young kids that showed up (I have to differentiate between the "young" kids and those who merely acted that way
)were a pleasure to be around. Frank (NMLady's/ElkhunterNM's son, Brenna(sp?), Paige, and Toby were icing on the cake for this gathering.
Competing in the matches, while they were informal, was still daunting. There are some VERY good shooters in this group! Mic McPherson won the rimfire PD shoot with a borrowed rifle that he had coached the owner on. I don't recall all of the first, second, and third place winners, but the matches were all close.
The informal shooting was even more fun. There were a couple of steel gongs at 200yds and a bunch of golf balls hanging from a line at 50yds, as well as an orange target ball that Blue brought, golf balls on the ground, and a surveyors flag at 100 yds that was hit five times in the plastic and twice (intentionally!) in the wire.
Add in all of the BS that was shot in and around the fire and campground, Patrick's .50-90 shooting BPCR, and Birdwatchers flintlock rifle and the air was positively blue.
I hope other folks choose to join in at the next one, they are worth the time and effort to go.
Thanks again to everyone!
Ed
