Mission: Southern Hospitality Tour - One Stop Left!

[Innocent]

Ya'll better show up for AUg 21st match...
Innocent

[webmaster]

Ya'll better show up for AUg 21st match...
Innocent

You never know, this could be a possibility - I'm told there's another trip coming back here in Aug/Sept...

[Innocent]

At least you have the party hat on...
Innocent

[mordecai]

Chattanooga Report :

I'm a little at a loss. I've been traveling the matches around the area and have been shown warm welcomes and wonderful greetings at every turn. This has been a hard thing, having to choose, but I have to give it to Gator and the guys at Chattanooga for showing some superior hospitality when they really didn't need to...

This dumb "Other" did found himself in a pickle. I should explain the term "Other" first. There was considerable debate and it's still a little unsettled. Coming down and over from Washington State makes describing my kind a little difficult. I'm not quite a Yankee Northerner since I'm from west of the Mississippi. I'm not quite a Westerner cause this sort of stops at the border of the coastal states. So that leaves Other... I'm open to other ideas even though Other does tend to describe the bland weather and in-distinctive nature of NW'ers.

Anyhow, back to my pickle. So I got called to go into work Saturday morning - not entirely surprising but I wormed and wiggled to finish up early and see if I couldn't manage to still make the match in time. So I did a little mapping and figured if I hot-footed it on the interstate, I could shave a little time off the trek and arrive 1/2 hour before the match started. I pre-packed, pre-gassed, ate early and hit the road on the button. I pulled up precisely at 11:30 for the Noon match just like I had intended. I was pretty proud of myself and hopped out of my car to see everyone buzzing about. I ran straight into an old familiar Other/NW'er face, Mrs Laura, as I heard them call the 2nd relay up to the line. I found that a little odd and said Hi to Laura and asked if the match had started a little early? She wryly smiled at me and reminded this idiot that Chattanooga is on Eastern time. LOL Yep, I couldn't do anything but chuckle - best laid plans, eh?

So, my quick acquaintance with Gator lead to nothing short of great hospitality. He could easily have told me tough luck, but instead he charmed me into taking his firing position and got me up and running right away. I slid into the mix and put up a decent fight. When we couldn't find a slot to slip in the animal I had missed, he held a quick two-bank relay for me as everyone stood down for lunch. It's always fun to have a couple dozen shooters focusing on the odd-ball while you shoot. This sort of thing actually works out very well - you know you have to do your best with the world watching and while my first couple of shots for ram weren't pre-sighted and went high, I cleaned the rest of them to keep from looking like a complete dope. (Haven't shot like that in a while...)

I went on to enjoy lunch with a number of Steelchicken members, met a number of local shooters, found out about all the great matches they have in the area and how much they like the website. I was glad to get the new stickers out to everyone and look forward to seeing them on some gear boxes in the future!

In the end, they let me win AAA in heavy gun and took me out for steaks after the match. Gator and his team of shooters couldn't have been a more pleasant, hospitable or accommodating bunch if I had paid them. My thanks go out to them again for all of their help and understanding for an "Other" who can't read a time zone.

Next is Winnsboro - while we can all attest that Southern Nationals ooze Hospitality, Ducky himself will tell you it's a spectacle first and foremost!


Here are a few pics of the digs and match.

Some match-directoring going on!


The line in action...


A familiar face!


The range!

[jjp]

Well I made it in a picture. I'm the second shooter down the line.

[BCloninger]

Good for Gator! It certainly sounds like you had a great time and good match, at least partly because you came into it with a great attitude, so good for you, too.

[duckgumbo]

Great looking range. Gator is first class all the way!

[Innocent]

And his state championship is a fantastic match.

Mary

[firefly]

Was nice to meet you in Chattanooga and thanks for the stickers! Looking forward to the hats at Winnsboro. See you there.
Judy

[Boyd L.]

....I should explain the term "Other" first. There was considerable debate and it's still a little unsettled. Coming down and over from Washington State makes describing my kind a little difficult. I'm not quite a Yankee Northerner since I'm from west of the Mississippi. I'm not quite a Westerner cause this sort of stops at the border of the coastal states. So that leaves Other... I'm open to other ideas even though Other does tend to describe the bland weather and in-distinctive nature of NW'ers.....

I agree that the direction this discourse took was most interesting (our northern friends have a bit of difficulty adjusting to our rather pleasantly warm,and somewhat humid climate). I originally voted for "Yankee", but those in our discussion of a moderate and centrist demeanor won out with the geographically neutral "Other" description.

.....and took me out for steaks after the match. Gator and his team of shooters couldn't have been a more pleasant, hospitable or accommodating bunch if I had paid them. My thanks go out to them again for all of their help and understanding for an "Other" who can't read a time zone......

Steaks?? I hope you had time (or will some other time) for the City Cafe. The food is unbelievable.

.....Next is Winnsboro ......

Y'all think Chattanooga weather was warm and humid....

Glad you made it. Nice to have met you. Thanks again for giving us a forum.

[duckgumbo]

Winnsboro will not be any hotter than Chattanooga or more humid. Anyone that implies so has never been here

[ntyree]

I'll have to admit, gator's matches are top notch club matches, i hope our program in pinson can someday get to this scale of attendance and excitement. good job guys, i hope to make it up there soon, and as to our illustrious webmaster, come south whenever you can, we all would love to have you anytime, even if you are an "other" LOL


nick tyree

205 789 9486

[Hawk-1]

does anyone know the dates of the monthly shoots up at gators,(Tenn.) Couldn't tell from the pix. Are the longer range targets up higher than the chickens? Are you shooting up hill there, or does the pix just look like it. Thanks ps also what time are the matches?

[Gator]

Now you guys are blowin’ my skirt up with all these good words. Greatly appreciated.
Nick, I am glad he was on time for your match. Guess he was just testing our gullibility. Imagine if he had come from home 3 time zones away.
Thoroughly enjoyed having Mordecai shoot with us and dinner wasn’t un-sweet tea but a kiss of the hops. Good grub, good COLD brewskis, good conversation and good company. Don’t get much better than that.
Been many years since I saw the Legendary Frank. Shot my first match with him in Florida in the mid-80’s and a match or two at his range in Pinson in the early 90’s. Glad to know he is still up-and-runnin’.
Hawk - Chickens are a little downhill but the other three are nearly eyelevel. Weak point is there is no close backstop to see your shots for the pigs, turkeys and rams. We are actually on a smallbore range set up for bench and belly shootin’.
Below is the information for the monthly and the State matches. I will be glad to send programs if you contact me. [email protected]
Good luck to all y’all in Whinnie. Sorry to miss it this year.
Gator

It also is a good time to pick up your registration form for the Tennessee State Championships to be held on this very same range on 21 August 2010. Got a really cool door prize for one of the competitors at the State match.

The dates for the matches for the remainder of 2010 in Chattanooga are: 29 May, 20 June, 17 July, 21 August (Tennessee State Championship), 19 September, 16 October & 20 November. PLEASE NOTE. Due to scheduling restraints, all monthly matches are not held on the same week-end day. Check the dates. All matches will be NRA Approved matches with the exception of the State Championship which will be NRA Registered and have its own program.

Special Instructions: Due to problems in the past, entry to the Chattanooga Rifle Club property gate is limited to members only. Non-member competitors MUST contact Match Director, Ed Jones or Nelson Fagan, prior to arriving, to let them know their desire to compete in the match. Before match day, contact Ed Jones or Nelson Fagan at the numbers below, to make arrangements to be met and admitted at the gate on match day.
They will be met at the gate and escorted to the proper venue. This may be accomplished by cell phone after 11:00 am on the day of the match, by calling (706) 897-2306. Do not follow another member through the gate. I will be on range property by 10:30 on match day and hope to begin the match at Noon. Just call 706-897-2306 when at the gate and I'll come a runnin'.

Got Any Questions? Contact Match Directors: Ed Jones at (706) 896-1783 or by email at [email protected] or Nelson Fagan at (706) 781-6078 or by email at [email protected]

Don’t let the gate issue reflect on our REAL SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY.
Y’all come c us, ya heer.