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Rumblings in the Desert - EOT 2023


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After months of planning during the long hot summer the first weekend of November (when the temps have cooled a bit) finally arrives and it is time to start turning plans into reality.  

 

Volunteers break down into groups and start building new props.

 

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As soon as the new fronts are built they are moved and another group primes them so they will be ready for paint and trim at the next work party.

 

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Other groups start pulling trailer loads of props from storage to repaint, repurpose or junk if they are no longer useful.

 

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After hours of fun in the sun the volunteers take a break for lunch.

 

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In the coming weeks EOT 2023 will continue to take shape as the Rough Riders, Rangers and Volunteers eagerly await the 700+ shooters that will shoot the Wild Bunch, Cowboy and side matches from February 27th – March 5th, 2023.

 

 

 

 

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Thanks Larsen, your pictures make us look like we're working a lot harder than we are! That chicken lunch provided by Capt. Dan was darn good too. For anyone who wants to join us or just stop by and say hi, we'll be hard at it again this Sunday, November 13th. We meet at 8:00am at Ben Avery in the storage yard directly behind where Stages 1-4 will be.

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You guys are a special bunch.

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Love to be out there to help you more but that 4000 mile round trip is a bit much. Great to see familiar faces. See you in February. Thanks for the photos. 

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My first thought when I saw the picture of the fence posts was..."They should have used pressure treated plywood for the bases so they won't rot".  Then I remembered, it doesn't rain much in the desert.  :lol:

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I LOVE to paint and do the things y’all are doing! Wish I were closer to be able

to help! Y’all do an amazing job! 
 

Thank you!!

 

Big hugs!

Scarlett

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6 hours ago, Dogmeat Dad, SASS #48563L said:

My first thought when I saw the picture of the fence posts was..."They should have used pressure treated plywood for the bases so they won't rot".  Then I remembered, it doesn't rain much in the desert.  :lol:

 

A quick coat of Olympic Water Sealer is all it takes and they last for years :). Now termites are another matter, the fence posts, cargo boxes, and anything else made of wood have to be stored off the ground.

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Eight days later and another work party. These cowboys and cowgirls just can't stay away!

 

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Work progresses surrounded by targets. At last count 300+ targets.

 

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The Vendor's Check-in booth gets repairs and a new coat of paint.

 

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A brand new Jail front takes shape on the ground. More on that in a minute...

 

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Stage boxes and expeditor boxes get repaired and a fresh coat of paint every year.

 

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And finally the Jail gets set up for a trial run before the final coat of paint.

It was a beautiful day, highs just hit 70 degrees with a light breeze that kicked in a little stronger just as we set up the jail, of course.

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Many thanks to all involved in this EOT factory. Your all just plain fantastic for being involved.

 

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  • 1 month later...

20+ End of Trail elves gathered Sunday 12/18 for another day of fun at Ben Avery. Under partly cloudy "winter" skies, they toiled building not toys, but stage fronts, tent fronts, and cargo boxes knowing that the opening shots of the World Championship matches are only 71 days away.

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Range Master and Deputy Match Director Red River Wrangler comes all the way from Fort Collins Colorado to supervise the construction of fronts that he has designed. Turquoise Bill, Sarival Slim, Squibber, and Match Director Balckjack Zak contribute the skilled labor.

 

 

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Senior Master Elf Cactus Wen, whose face is intentionally hidden from the public, checks all 175 shotgun targets for operational readiness. Just like Santa, he gets it all done in 24 hours.

 

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World Champions Serenity and Sassy Dancer join Legendary Lawman and Rustler in the monumental task of painting panel after panel.

 

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Marshal Chance Taker and Buckshot Sheridan make new outside panels for Parson's Place, our informal gathering spot and home to Sunday's Cowboy Church services.

 

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Ima Daisy (Marshal Chance Taker's better half) and Marshal Kane are giving the vendor's check-in booth a fantastic face lift.

 

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And finally, the unsung "Box Crew" of Joe McGlue and St. Helena Slinger work to reverse the ravages of the desert sun and monsoon rain on our massive collection of cargo and expeditor boxes. Not pictured are Buffalo Red and Roscoe Clyde, who snuck out before I could get this picture. These four cowboys are tackling a huge task this year, one that started in November and will stretch until the eve of EOT.

 

We'll be out there again on Saturday January 7th. Join us and I'll do my best to make you famous, at least on the SASS Wire. 

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Here is a picture of the construction crew for the new SASS tent front, designed by Red River Wrangler: From the left, Sarival Slim, Squibber, Red River Ranger, Blackjack Zak, and I'm the one with the iPhone camera:D

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Slim,

Thanks for the captions with the pictures and especially the names. I'm old, senile and I forget names. 

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  • 1 month later...

Final preparations are underway for "The Big One" EOT 2023. Work party was busy yesterday repairing and repainting the expediter boxes, finishing up the new fronts for the main tent, getting the cargo boxes ready for the new stage with the Winchester Factory building. This years theme is 1873-2023 150 Years of the Winchester 1873 Rifle. Stages will have start lines from the movie Winchester '73.

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And today, thanks to Serenity, Legendary Lawman, Hopalong Harry, Marshal Kane, and Lou Graham; Coosie's - Stage 12 got a fresh coat of paint. For those of you that think it's always warm here, we started at 9:00 at about 45 degrees. Brrrrrrr....

 

 

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43 minutes ago, Rattlesnake Slim said:

And today, thanks to Serenity, Legendary Lawman, Hopalong Harry, Marshal Kane, and Lou Graham; Coosie's - Stage 12 got a fresh coat of paint. For those of you that think it's always warm here, we started at 9:00 at about 45 degrees. Brrrrrrr....

 

 

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Looks fantastic. Thank you guys.

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  • 2 weeks later...

February 4 and it is sunny and 75 degrees.  This work party is the last big one before set-up begins in just a couple of more weeks!

 

The finishing touches on construction projects for new props for this year's EOT are completed.

 

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A little break in the action for some cowboy port saw practice.

 

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Painting is finished on a perfect day where it is warm enough for the paint to throughly dry before being put in the containers.

 

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A bunch of fence posts are refurbished and painted.  Someone had a great idea.  They found an old plow and used the metal discs for new bases for the posts.

 

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Banners are stretched out to make sure there is a flag for every nation that will be represented at EOT.

 

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A final review of the checklist is made to make sure everything is ready to go for set-up.

 

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At lunch Rattlesnake Slim goes through some details on what needs to happen and in what order when set-up begins.

 

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February is going to be a busy month in Arizona.  The Arizona Cowboy Shooter's Association (ACSA) will be having an EOT warm-up match from February 10 - 12.  Cowtown (which is just a few miles west of Ben Avery) will be hosting Fire and Ice on February 25 and 26.  The Old Pueblo Shootists Association will also be hosting a warm-up match down in Tombstone on February 25 and 26.

 

For those that do not know EOT takes place at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility (BASF).  BASF is a public range where everything has to be moved to and removed from the range within a set number of days.  Set-up is scheduled to start on Tuesday, February 21.  That is the day most of the steel gets moved as it has to be on the range before the fronts are built and block access downrange.  The set-up of the buildings and props will begin on Wednesday, February 22.  Lots of people come by the range to visit and many stay to help.  So come on by and watch the progress of a town being built in the middle of the desert.  If you have the time or inclination feel free to stay and lend a hand.  

 

Registration opens at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, February 26.

 

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2 hours ago, Singin' Sue 71615 said:

Sorry Shanley couldn't make any this year.

Life had other plans for us.

 

 

All right, all right.  I'll go to the barbershop on my own.:rolleyes:

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