[MarshallDodge]

Memorial Day?

Just curious because I want to reserve a little more time off for the next one. :)

[Larry Ashcraft]

Sandy and I vote yes. It's probably time to get the ball rolling.

Anybody else want to get in on this fun (http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=279941)?

[gyp_c2]

...yes, is the chili comin' with you guys? I'll bring more chips and ginger ale...
...and ammo...http://emoticons4u.com/smoking/rauch06.gif

[Larry Ashcraft]

Bump.

What do you folks think? Yes or no?

[Arkie]

Well I don't know, That only gives me 7 months to start packing my truck!

I guess I could work a little harder. LOL!!!!!

Count me in!

[bratch]

You already know my answer.

[Dravur]

Ill plan on it this time.

[jhallrv4]

Sounds like fun. Last one I missed due to conflict with 20th anniversary. (Yeah, I know! What's with that?)

Jeff
Ft. Collins, Co.

[NVMM]

Where is the Whittington Center?

[Arkie]

Raton, New Mexico.

Here is the Website for the Whittington Center.

http://www.nrawc.org

[gyp_c2]

...just got a new older camper-type van...
I can try it out in New Mexico!
Let's see...ammo, ammo, ammo, ammo...oh yeah, c-h-i-l-i...ammo, ammo, ammo...http://emoticons4u.com/smoking/rauch06.gif

[NVMM]

Thanks Arkie.
Sounds like a good time.

[HuntAndFish]

I haven't ever been there but always planned to go. Sounds like as good of an excuse as any to visit. I'm penciling this in.

[Arkie]

You are very welcome NVMM.

It's a really fun time to just get out and meet people you have talked to on the fourm and to have a lot of trigger time and after that, there is always plenty to eat and lots of getting to know one another.

[Larry Ashcraft]

Just bumping this to the top.

Time to get the planning going. Art brought up a good point; if we schedule for the weekend before Memorial Day, our insurance is still in effect, saving everybody money.

At any rate, we need to start getting reservations for rooms, because they fill up fast on the first of February.

[PTK]

Quickly looking at the rules, it seems anything other than full-autos are allowed without a problem. If this is so, I'll most likely be going as well.

[Art Eatman]

Larry, Fran & I are for-sure.

Just like last year: I want to come in a day early, and stay on a day after.

Raton is a fun place to meddle around. A very friendly place, with a good gunshop toward the north end of town, and Bo Clerke's barrel factory on the south.

Art

[MarshallDodge]

I would like to see if we could do it the weekend of Memorial Day. My boys will be out of school on that Friday and we could be there by Saturday morning.

Larry, Is there a chance of contacting the insurance company and having the policy extended a couple weeks for a small fee?

[Art Eatman]

Marshall, I'll check, but my seat of the pants notion is that they likely wouldn't...

Art

[BozemanMT]

I'd be interested.
the weekend before would be better, but it truly doesn't matter much.
Now that I'm under-employed I can make time to do things like this.

[MarshallDodge]

Just to clarify...

Last year the get together was May 25-27, Memorial Day was on the 28th.

This year I was thinking that it would be the 23-25, Memorial Day is on the 26th. I assume, based on the dates, that the insurance would cover us until the 24th?

[Larry Ashcraft]

MarshallDodge, looks to me like you're right, but I don't know for sure.

I was reading through last year's planning and if I remember right, we had to form a club in order to reserve ranges and get insurance. What we ended up mostly doing was using available ranges anyway. IOW, there were plenty of places to shoot without reserving ranges.

What I'm getting at is, if we just meet up as individuals, and use what ranges are available, we shouldn't need insurance, especially as small as it looks like this year's event will be. We can still get groups together and shoot a round of sporting clays, or skeet, or trap, or whatever, as long as the ranges aren't reserved for an organized event.

So far NRAWC has the following events scheduled for that weekend: Albuquerque BPCR Regional, 50 Caliber Spring Match, Memorial Day Benchrest Match, Sportsman Team Challenge Spring Regional, NRAWC Trap Tournament. The main chance we take with that approach is a range we want to use may be closed (like the rifle silhouette was last year).

Anyway, last year's event was about 50% social, 50% shooting, and there was plenty of room for everybody to shoot. I spent one day on the hunter silhouette range with the boys, and the next day shot a round of sporting clays, but had more fun socializing with THR members than shooting.

Thoughts, Art?

[HuntAndFish]

Am looking forward to visiting the Center. I am an NRA member BTW, if that's important. :)

[MarshallDodge]

Larry- Dravur and I were talking about this last night and agree 100% with your idea. I have some other friends that are not highroaders but are NRA members that would like to come on Memorial Day so I have put it on the calender.

My wife, two sons, and myself are planning on arriving Saturday, the 25th, and staying till the ammo runs out. :D

[Arkie]

I'm planning on getting there on Friday, but I'm not staying until my ammo runs out. I wanna go home before July! LOL.

Come to think of it. I have to call and set up my room before I forget.

[1911NM]

This does sound like a bunch of fun. I will pencil it in, and as soon as dates are firmed, I will start working on my darling bride to let me go. Gonna double check the Whittington site to see if I should just pull my RV trailer over there.

[Jon Coppenbarger]

if you call and ask for the person who runs the events at the center it may be possible to run full autos. they have let us use them at other events. it has always been up the road in one of the 100 yard action bays toward the primitive camping past the highpower range.

[Spyvie]

Count me in please.

[george29]

Can I bring a gun?

[Arkie]

"Can I bring a gun?"


One? Just one? Just coming for the food huh? :neener:

Just Kidding!!!

[ZeSpectre]

This sounds amazingly cool...but I'm buying a house.

[george29]

Just coming for the food huh?

Heck yeah, Steaks, Beer, green chili stew.

[gyp_c2]

...did someone mention chili?
http://emoticons4u.com/smoking/rauch06.gif

[Brian Dale]

Mmmmm...guns, green chile and good company. I'll start scheming; I'd love to be able to get there.

[Art Eatman]

Probably the easiest way to do it would be to reserve one of the "dorms" for those who guarantee they'll be there, and everybody come as individuals. With the club insurance thing not a factor, the date would be more flexible, if that makes any particular difference.

I guess.

Art

[Gaiudo]

Count me in. Let me know about costs for "dorms".

Nick

Aurora, CO

[txgolfer45]

Where is it????

[Arkie]

Raton, New Mexico.

Here is the Website for the Whittington Center.

http://www.nrawc.org

[Dravur]

and still on Memorial Day weekend?

Have not heard anything for a while.

[MarshallDodge]

I'm still planning on being there Memorial Day. Marvin is too.....

[Larry Ashcraft]

I'm hoping we can make this thing work. We sure had fun last year.

Besides, I haven't sat on the porch and talked to Art for nearly a year...

And that's a shame.

C'mon folks, let's get this thing rolling.

[sm]

I will not be attending.

[hjrocket]

What are the firm dates?

[Arkie]

May 23rd, 24th and 25th.

[Art Eatman]

Moneywise, we're best off to reserve a dorm for the group, but pay individually for the range fees. Renewal of the insurance would be $810, and we don't have as large a definitely-gonna-go group, this year. WC's range fees include their own insurance costs.

Anything firm on the reservations? I'm sorta behind the curve, no excuse...

Art

[Larry Ashcraft]

So, any interest?

We need to get some room reservations made, if so.

I have a new grandson due about that time, but I'll do my best to make it.

[taliv]

i'm out this year as well, although i enjoyed the heck out of it last year (even my wife and daughter had a good time too)

May is just chock full of shooting stuff for me this year. The five weekends in May for me are:

Big Ed's registered tournament,
NRA Long Range regional,
NRA convention,
F-class regional
Steel City Tactical Rifle match


besides, gas is just too pricey to drive from middle Tennessee again.

[bratch]

I have 2 cousins getting married on the 24th now (not to each other) so that weekend is no good for me.

The wife owes me a vacation I took her to Dallas for her Bday so if Memorial fizzels out maybe we can do something at a little later date? I'd love to meet back up with everyone.

[Arkie]

I still want to go! I got my reservation in. I didn't want to wait until the last minute.

I had a lot of fun last year and I've been saving ammo again.

[conwict]

I have 2 cousins getting married on the 24th now

Sure!

De-de-de-de-di-di-daaa-da...(Deliverance music)

[MarshallDodge]

I am still planning on attending despite the price of fuel. :rolleyes:

We are bringing the camper so we do not have a need for a room this year.

[Art Eatman]

Figure that Fran and I will get there about mid-day on the 23rd.

Art

[Arkie]

I'll be there the 23rd also.

Did ya'll want me to bring anything? Just let me know.

[Larry Ashcraft]

Art and Fran are still planning on attending, so I'll be there unless my new grandson decides to arrive that weekend. I plan on mostly visiting, although I'd like to get a round of sporting clays in.

I guess everyone's on their own for reservations. Bud and Annetta won't be there, and Sandy most likely won't either, so we'll have to figure something out for food.

[Smoke Rizen]

Annetta can't be there. Bud may work out something if we can shoot some sporting clays on Saturday. It's not that far to return home in the evening. All I have to do is drive to the airport Sunday, Annetta dresses me, so I don't have to be there to pack!

[Arkie]

I got my room reserved and confirmed for the weekend.

I'm bringing the camera so I can take plenty of photos.

[Larry Ashcraft]

Sandy made a BIG pot of green chili today.

Things are looking up!

[Arkie]

Whoooo Hoooooooo!!!!

I've been wanting Green Chili for a loooong time. I can taste it already!!!

Tell Sandy Thank You!!!

[Art Eatman]

We have reservations at the Oasis Motel at the south end of S. 2nd. We're sorta slow to get moving in the morning, and having a cafe right across the parking lot is a Good Thing.

I'll have a shotgun, a couple of varmint .22s and maybe a pistol or so.

I'm gonna bring some surplus holsters, belts; stuff I'm not using or haven't used in the last ten years. :) Free to good homes, or to pass along to a buddy.

[Arkie]

I'll bring some stuff along also, gun and non gun related.

[Justin]

I'm not going to be able to make it this year. :(

Somebody think of me when you're enjoying a bowl of Sandy's green chili.

[M67]

What he said.

Had a great time last year, but 8 time zones is a bit far to make it every year. Even if the dollar is dirt cheap...

Shoot a target for me and enjoy the chili.

PS: Bud, are you the jealous type? Tell Annetta I thought about her the other day.
That may require an explanation: I was making coffee in the middle of the night and scalded myself. Annoying more than actually painful, but I was looking around for something to put on it. I'm a man, the only thing I could find in my bathroom was shaving foam and tooth paste. Eventually I looked in my travel things and found a bottle of hand lotion Annetta gave me after I got sunburned at Whittington last year. :)

[MarshallDodge]

We have our reservations for Saturday and Sunday night and will be staying in the competitor housing. We will be arriving on Saturday morning and leaving on Monday morning.

Mrs. Dodge is coming and will be bringing her chili and famous Oatmeal Butterscotch cookies.

Art, my boys may take you up on some of that gear! :cool:

[Arkie]

Chili and Cookies!!!!!

mmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!

I'm a packing as I type.

I could bring chili too but it would be in cans. LOL. Just not as good as homemade. heh.

[Larry Ashcraft]

Marshalldodge, how old are your boys?

We thought we might bring our twin grandsons (age eight) if there will be any other kids.

[Larry Ashcraft]

Small turnout and crappy weather (wind every day), but we managed to have fun! Marshalldodge's boys and our grandsons managed to go through about six bricks of 22lr. Thanks to Arkie for bringing that Ruger Charger with the red dot. The boys had a ball with it!

Art and I having a Shiner Bock on the tailgate. It don't get much better.

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=78930&d=1211764242

[MarshallDodge]

I am sitting here with Arkie enjoying leftovers including some excellent salsa and pickles that the Ashcrafts left behind. :)

We did not arrive until yesterday afternoon and the wind was pretty strong but managed to get in some silhouette shooting, a new favorite thing for the family. After that we retired to the kitchen and enjoyed some homeadade chili and cookies. This morning we got up and after a breakfast of cinnamon rolls, headed for the silhouette range.

On the way we found a local guy and a guy from London who were enjoying some plate shooting and let us join them. It's always fun to meet new shooters!

This afternoon we made it to the sight-in range and procedeed to empty several hundred rounds into paper and steel targets placed at intervals all the way out to 550 yards despite the winds.

Everything from 03-A3's, K-31's, and Mosin's to AR style rifles were used to fight off the itchy trigger fingers.

Tomorrow we are going to try and make it to the shotgun range if the winds stay low.

We're taking lots of pictures and will be posting soon so the rest of you guys can see what you are missing out on!!!

[Arkie]

I'm Baaack!!!!

Well actually I got back around 1 this morning after going in between two nasty looking storms in OK and lots of wind.

Now I'm getting all the pictures ready for everyone to see. I took a lot of photos. LOL.

The plate shooting was a blast and I even got to shoot a revolver that the guy from london had. It was fun but he was way better than I was. He earned the name Sherrif. LOL.

We had several kinds of Chili and Cookies to munch on all weekend.

I loved the Sweet relish that Sandy brought. mmmmmmm. I would love to have a couple pounds of that. LOL.

Lots of food and really good company.

Well enough for now,,, back to work on photos. lol.

[MarshallDodge]

Introducing the 2008 slide show:

2008 THR Get Together (http://home.comcast.net/~fun2shoot/thrvids/thr08.wmv)

Arkie did a great job taking the pics. :cool:

[Brian Dale]

Wow - kids and guns, kids and Moms and guns, Moms with guns, kids and Moms and Dads and guns, and Dawgs!

Great piece. Thanks for putting it together and posting it for us. :)

[Arkie]

That was Great MarshallDodge!!!

You have a knack for putting together a slideshow with music that seems perfect with the photos.

I was a snapping fool with the camera. LOL!!!!

[Larry Ashcraft]

Outstanding, MarshallDodge! Considering my grandsons are in most of those pictures. ;)

Now, what do we do to get more participation next year?

[Brian Dale]

Now, what do we do to get more participation next year?MarshallDodge's slide show is a great start. :)

If I'm fortunate next year, it'll take place when I won't be hosting a big family gathering all weekend here at the farm. This just wasn't my year to be at Whittington. :(

[Evocatii]

I wish I had known. I would have attended the function. Maybe next time?

[funfaler]

How about an Appleseed Shoot/Gathering at the Whittington Center in September?

Say September 13-14 as part of the Nation Wide Constitution Day Celebration with Appleseed?

We have it scheduled already and we are looking at about 12+ shoots nation wide that weekend.

Currently we have the following locations:

Whittington Center, NM
Piru, Ca
Davilla, TX
Ramseur, NC
Puryear, TN

Great fun and an Appleseed to boot ;)