There have been a few posts over on AA's site, But I figured this site was due one as well. Everyone here had more fun than should be allowable. Those who were unable to make really missed out. We all met up at a local watering hole Saturday night and it went downhill from there. One would think that four strangers meeting would take some time to get to know one another. That didn't happen at all. It was as if our happening onto one another at the bar was a weekly occurance. We all knew as much about each other as anyone possibly could.
Just like I expected, it was a laugh a minute with nothing or nobody safe from ridicule and friendly barbs. The fishing trip was all that everybody had hoped with several fish landed and laughs all day long. We saw some beautiful country and had some very good and knowledgeable guides. I can't thank AD enough for insisting that we do that trip. It was my first time flyfishing and was an absolute blast.
The next day we went on a tour of the ranch with several stops to needlessly blast away at some unsuspecting fencepost or weed. We put Unseenone's yuppy status symbol through its paces just to insure it would be a sufficient bugout vehicle during an apocolypse. Now, I too, want a Range Rover. During the tour I showed them several places I have where a person can set up some long range targets. We even figured out that I can set up targets out to almost 800yds and shoot right off of the back porch.
We were able to dial in AA's new 308 and everybody had a chance to get comfortable with it. I really enjoyed it and got inspired, because these three yahoos surprised me with my very own Remington 700 Tactical in 308. It is identical to the rifle AA has. After shooting his I am impatient to get started on mine. We also dialed in my AR the same day and worked on Unseenone's AR too. I learned that AD is definitely one you don't want firing in your direction. At 113m he was hitting a six inch target with his Glock shooting offhand. That was an amazing example of marksmanship.
Yesterday we went over to a neighbors ranch to shoot prariedogs. That in itself takes some skill. Almost all of our shots were beyond 300yds. Unseenone donned his camo and really did become the unseen one. I have got to get some of that multi-cam. We had to pass on some shots because we weren't sure where he was exactly. While we were shooting, AD, was on themobile ham unit in the vehicle. He made contact with Croatia and also a ship coming from the UK to the US. As a ham wannabe, I thought that was pretty cool.
Over the last several days four guys from different backgrounds and parts of the country all came together to simply have fun. It all came together because of AA's book, but since the beginning it has went way beyond the books. The friendships that have developed have dwarfed anything the book will ever do. These last few days have just been a real life extension of what we have all built online over the last few years. We all came away with more than we came with. I know that I learned a lot from those guys and I hope that I was able to teach them a little about our lives out here.
We talked more than a few times about all of the friends who we wished were here. Everybody not here was missed in a big way. It is our wish that everybody can make it up next June for the branding here on the ranch. We got our heads together and have came up with a shooting contest we will have at that time and we hope to make it an annual event. I encourage everyone to try and make plans to attend. There will be a lot of discussions about it between now and then, I'm sure.
Having those guys here was a real blast. I was telling the Hostile Native this morning that I feel like we crammed six months of fun into four days. I can't speak for the other three, but I know I am beat right now. I would do it all again tomorrow though, if I could.
Thanks for the laughs and good times, guys. I can't wait to do it all again.
Tex