Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire SW Campfire gathering August 25-27 in NM at Armijo Springs

This is the 12th annual summer camp and shoot started with Ken Howell, he wanted some way for campfire members to gather and share comradery. It's been successful. Over the years around 100 different people have showed up, most in one year was 56.

We've been doing it long enough to have a memorial list, and it's gotten fairly long.

Anyway this will likely be my last, I plan being a sunbird, opposite of snowbird... explore the cooler northern states in the summers including Alaska.

If there's enough interest I'll continue an early spring event in Az that we've done before.

Kent

That first event was memorable - the AZ guys and I had gotten to know one another a bit because they stepped up to help me with Ken in the hospital/nursing home in Mesa because I could not get down there very often. Kent, Dennis, Darby, Tom, Ron, Joe (hope no one left out) were so good in doing that. At the end of Ken's stay there I went down to bring him back to NM and the AZ guys arranged to meet us for burgers, etc. It was great to meet all of them - and that evening the camping idea was born.

That first one was not easy due to forest closure to fires/camping (too dry) so we set up a big camp in the parking area/boat ramp at Quemado Lake. It went great and we met some fine new Campfire folks who took the open invite. Ben, Jon (will never forget Tom ragging on Jon about his gay toed slippers) and some others. We all drove up some wide canyon and had a great time shooting all sorts of stuff. That started the tradition of shooting comptetition. Kent started the great food tradition. I'll let you guess who started the wholesale BS tradition - but their names both start with the same letter.

The following summer we started the long run at Armijo Springs - a great site - and will be good to be there again.

Thanks for the memory, Kent.

TTT

I bought a new Bronco last week, so the trip will make a good 1st expedition for it. I may find myself cussing the 2 door version, wishing I'd bought the 4 door, for more storage space.

Unless I wind up picking someone up and sharing a ride, in which case I'll dust off the 21 Super Duty crew cab. I may have to do that anyway, if I haul lumber for bowling pin tables

Joe... roadrunner... has pins, was asking if he should bring them.

Kent

I've got 10 pins, maybe a few more, that I can bring. I don't recall what was done in the past as far as the pin tables. At the Hog Hunt I build them from scratch, which does get somewhat pricey. I don't mind if we have a good number of shooters.

Ok, we can figure the details in the group PM, we are a month out so the PM will happen in 2 weeks, gives us 2 weeks to plan.

Kent

Put Kat and I on the list!

Ed

Patrick, those previous tables were built on site in camp one summer and I stored them at my place from year to year. Eventually they became shot up and weather beaten - I think we burned them at later campfire.

Yes - at today's ridiculous prices, tables would be spendy. If tables prove to be too costly, maybe some ground arrangement with scoring boundaries would work, or maybe a plank, or maybe set up the pins on the rear deck of Darby's new GMC.

Others here probably have some ideas on alternatives.

Thanks for your interest and intent on this.

Good news here. Looking forward to seeing you two again.
P

There is a hardware store in Quemado, IIRC? one that would have plywood and lumber?

The hardware store has changed hands a couple of times since we lived up there - am not certain about what they carry. Now named McCoy's Hardware and Feed. (575) 773-4222

BTT.

Lunchtime bump

Ed

8/1 TTT. Please - a sticky?

963.8 to Quemado, NM.. that would be a trip ..

Yes - for certain. And, some great compadres have been driving well more than 1,000 miles to these events, and will again this year. A few years ago a fellow and his wife drove from New England. One lazy guy drove as little as 1 mile.

I did a trip from the AZ-NM border to Washington NC to help a friend move. Left June 30th at 0830 pulled up to my house July 4th at 0930. 4292 miles round trip. Several places on I40 are absolutely horrible. I think the worst was west bound 40 from the Texas border to Tucumcari NM. I sent a bill to NM DOT.

You made very good time, and the trip to Armijo Springs in August would be a snap compared to that. You are welcome.

I do know what you mean about I40 and that rough area in E. New Mexico. Some places east of OKC used to be pretty bad but I have not driven that for quite a while. I40 around Kingman, AZ and 93 north of there were poor a few days ago.

I don't go anywhere in the interstates anymore if I can avoid it. Life's too short to spend even a single day being shoved around by 18-wheelers mile after mile after never-ending mile.