Scout’s Cowboy Action Shooting Travels

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

13 minutes ago, Rip Snorter said:

Why do I recall my Dad inflicting slide shows on family and friends back in the day - and he was a better photographer with his Leica.

Well everyone has the ability to scroll through them as fast or as slow as they want to OR not look at them at all.  

[Rip Snorter]

The latter.

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

After completing the inside tour I went to check out the grounds outside

 

Side gates

Right side

 

Have now left the property through a side gate to walk the Cliff Walk along the shore line

Back onto the property

 

Back on the trolly for the rest of the tour headed back to the visitor center

 

Now back at the visitor center and across the street is this fire station

 

Walked back into town to look at a 300 year old church and eat lunch

 

Here is the church

They are celebrating it's 300th year - the US is celebrating it's 250th year

 

This is where I had a great seafood lunch seated at a street side table with open window - beautiful weather!

 

Now back to the motel to rest and another trip tomorrow.

 

Edited September 12 by Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Tuesday July 28th traveled to Hartford CT to see the Mark Twain House, Visitor Center and Museum.

Visitor Center and Museum entry from parking lot

House to the left as viewed from the parking lot

Inside the visitor center

Legos

I watched the video on the life of Mark Twain

Purchased a ticket for the Living History House Tour instead of just the regular tour

The courtyard just outside the upper level of the Vistor Center - not the house in the back ground

Our tour guide in costume and portraying the part of a friend of Mark Twain during the time he lived in this Hartford house

The Mark Twain House from the ouside - We were not allowed to take any photos inside the house

Toured the first floor, then the second floor and then the basement - all the time the guide was in character and told about the rooms and his interaction with Mark Twain when he visited him in this house - Great Tour!!

More of the outside

At this point it started to rain a little

 

Went back inside the upper level of the Center and looked at the special photographs exhibit

 

These were the various exhibits - took pictures of info plate only not any of the photos except one of the Twain House

 

By now it had stopped raining so back outside for some more photos

Couple views from the sidewalk of the city street

Adjacent building I did not go in

Adjacent house under renovation

 

Photos along the wall on the upper level

 

Overview down to the main level with unique wood bench

 

Small museum on main level

It was this machine that Mark Twain invested in from 1880 to 1894 that caused his Bankrupsy

 

This concludes my tour of the Mark Twain House, Visitor Center and Museum.  Now to eat lunch and head over to find the old Colt Factory, next post

 

Edited September 12 by Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

So the old Colt Factory is in the process to become Coltsville National Historical Park to be managed by the National Park Service but they are not quite there yet.  Still wanted to go find it.

 

Coltsville National Historical Park

• Plan Your Visit
• Learn About the Park
• Get Involved

Park Development

Park Status

• As soon as the historic brownstone buildings 8 & 10 or Forge and Foundry are officially transferred to the National Park Service we will be an official Park!
• However, this is a long and complex process and we have no current estimate for the land transfer completion.

Background

• Congress authorizes the establishment of new national park units. A park's authorizing legislation can call for the establishment of a new unit immediately OR it can require that certain conditions be met (e.g., sufficient lands are acquired, certain agreements are in place) before a new park can be established.
• Coltsville was authorized under the Defense Spending bill in December 2014.
• To become "established," the legislation calls for us to accomplish three major things:

1. Enter into a written agreement with the City of Hartford
2. Enter into a written agreement with Colt Gateway LLC (the current land owner)
3. Acquire a donation of property for the park

• We have accomplished both #1 and #2 and are diligently working through the property transfer.

In the mean time. . .

• Until a park is formally established as a unit of the National Park System, the National Park Service role is largely limited to pursuing the work necessary to accomplish that important milestone. This involves a lot of “behind the scenes” efforts to complete the required agreements and land acquisition called for in the legislation.
• The park managers are currently reaching out to the wider community to introduce the National Park Service and, when resources are available, offer limited public programs.
• Unfortunately, we do not have a park stamp until the park is established.
• Please feel free to contact us with any questions.

 

Samual Colt Memorial at the corner of Colt Park

Colt Armory Complex - looks like at least 3 different eras of buildings

This is the former Workers Housing across the street from the factory parking lot

 

That concludes the old Colt Factory photos.  Wednesday July 29 was 100% rain all day so I stayed inside the motel room and got some needed rest.  Start more site seeing on Thursday July 30th.

 

 

 

Edited September 12 by Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Thursday July 30th traveled to Pawtucket RI to visit the Blackstone River Valley National Historic Park.  At this location is Old Slater Mill (National Historic Landmark), Wilkensons Mill and Sylvanus Brown House (both closed for renovations).

 

Parking

Will post about the site walk first and then post about the 10:30 Guided Tour and inside the Visitor Center

 

But let's give you some history about the Slater's Mill first

Slater Mill (1793) was the first successful water-powered cotton spinning mill in the United States and the first property to be added to the National Register of Historic Places (November 1966). For more than two centuries, people have transformed Slater Mill. These workers have changed the meaning of the mill, from a place for making thread to a place for learning about the consequences of industry.

 

Months after the start of George Washington's presidency, a second revolution was just starting along the banks of the Blackstone River.

In Providence, RI, a local merchant named Moses Brown was taking steps to invest in American manufacturing. His goal was to manage a mill where water-powered machines could spin cotton fiber into thread. Brown chose a location just north of Providence, and invested in a workspace next to the Pawtucket Falls. With a source of waterpower, a community of tool and machine makers already living there, and the ability for ships to bring in cotton and take out finished textiles, this location seemed ideal for Brown’s experiment.

Brown had one big problem. He did not have machines that worked. Through the American Revolution, the English had kept the operations of their cotton machinery a well-guarded secret. That changed with the arrival of a young and innovative Englishman.

In December 1789, Brown hired Samuel Slater, a recent immigrant from England. Slater had spent the past seven years working in an English textile mill. He rose from an apprentice to an overseer of machinery and mill construction.

Slater determined that Brown’s existing machines would not work. New machines that could card (brush) and spin the cotton would need to be made locally. For several years, Slater worked with local mechanics, like members of the Wilkinson Family, to make new machines. In December 1790, Slater got the machines running. For the first time, workers could produce thread on water powered machines in America.

Slater had spent part of his childhood in a factory. Once in Pawtucket, he hired children to sell their time and to work their new machines. These children who worked in the mill were not paid for their production but the hours spent under Slater's supervision. Eventually, entire families would work and live in places called mill villages. Here child workers (between the ages of 8 and 14 years old) earned steady wages, but they lived under the constant control and manipulation of their employers. These changes marked a new age of American Industry.

 

Slater's Mill
In 1793 the firm of Almy, Brown and Slater replaced their experimental workshop with a new mill. Known as the Slater Mill, it was the first water powered textile mill in America. The original mill was six windows wide and two and ½ stories tall. It makes up the core of the building that still stands today. During the 1800s, Slater Mill was expanded six times. It remained a textile mill until 1895, but industrial uses of the building continued until 1920.

In 1921, Old Slater Mill Association was founded by local business people to restore the mill. After years of work building exhibits and extensive preservation, the mill was restored to its 1835 appearance. In time, it became a tourist destination and one of the few surviving structures from the early age of industrial development in the area.

In March, 2021, Old Slater Mill Association donated the building and surrounding property to the American people through the care and stewardship of the National Park Service. Now, we cultivate legacies of education and preservation together.

 

Wilkenson Mill (currently used as NPS offices - under renovation for future public access and tours)

Sylvanus Brown House (currently under renovation for public access)

Slater's Mill

 

Falls next to the mill (down stream) 

View down stream to falls at bridge

Video of falls at Mill

 

Old Water Wheel

Water from one mill flows toward other mill and back to River

Video of that flow

 

 

Now down to fall at bridge

Video of that fall

 

Looking back to falls next to Slater's Mill

Church across river

View back to mills

Walked back beside city street

 

Time for Tour and will do another post

 

 

 

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Inside Visitor Center prior to Tour

This Ranger conducted the tour

We started outside and then entered the side door

He used a small working model to explain how the water wheel worked

This working lego mill was kinda neat to watch moving parts

Then we moved here and he expained what was done to raw cotton before it was shipped to the mill in bales and what was done after arrival

Processed cottom from right to left 

Will insert this again to name process

Early Slater machine run by children workers 

Later Slater machine run by adult workers

 

Examples of later more complicated Post Slader machines

 

Inside the Visitor Center after the tour - They did have a short video about the history of the Mill that I watched

Multiple RI sites make up the Blackstone Park - Slater Mill is just one of them

 

Then went outside and looked at the Mill side between it and the parking lot

This is the inlet where the water is diverted into the mill upstream of the falls by the mill

Couple ducks

From that inlet it flows through here to under the mill and turns the water wheels

Short video

 

Falls next to the mill on the upstream side

Video from this location

 

Parting photos

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Friday July 31st traveled to New London CT to visit two State Park Sites, Fort Griswold and Fort Trumbull.

Started at Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park is located in Groton CT across the bay from new London.

Parking was parallel along Mounument Street

Small Museum

Model of Fort

 

 

Now to the outside

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

The Oblisk - there was a stairway going to the top but I did not do that 

In background Museum to the right Restrooms to the left

Entry gates to fort location

Ditch surrounds the earth ramparts

Entry to fort interior courtyard

View back towards Obelisk and short earthworks in front of entry

Wood platform in the distance

Up on platform

View across bay to New London

Passageway through earthwork to exterior - will do that later

Stone outline of where the barracks building had been - squares in center are where fireplaces were located

OK now out through the dark narrow passageway to outside the earthworks looking back

Panaramic views from passageway exit/entry

Rock lined pathway can be seen

Lower Battery in distance

Ebenezer House (red) in the distance - pathway is used today instead of the deep overgrown pathway lined with rocks

This was the pathway noted in the sign at the top and it was lined with rocks that showed in previouis photos - nobody uses that pathway now everyone uses the simple open pathway

Structures at the lower battery build much later than the 1871 fall of the fort to British Troops

Lower battery walls and gun placements - most likely from the same time period as those structures from 1843

Now over to the house - relocated to this site to be part of the state park

 

Walked back up the hill to the front of the fort again

Then to the other side that faces Smith Street

Point of one of the earthworks star shapes

People are where the passageway through the earthworks comes out

Panaramic views

Back across Monument Street

Back of Museum

Side of Museum

 

This concludes the writeup on Fort Griswold - now on to Fort Trumbull acoss the bay

Edited September 13 by Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Should have found a place to eat lunch but did not.  Will be pretty hungry when I am a done at Fort Trumbull.

Visitor Center and Museum - will do that post first then do seperate post for exterior and fort

Model on first floor of Visitor Center

Same time as the Fort Griswold

Museum on upper two floors

Watched a video on the history of the fort

More info on Fort Griswold

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This gets us to 1900 so I will start another post from then to now

 

Edited September 13 by Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

OK a little more on 1898 before we move on - Spanish American War time period

Now to top floor and 1900's

Videos on this time period at the fort

 

 

 

That completes the museum so now to the outside and fort

 

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Back of Visitor Center and Museum

Oldest structure on the property

Between the Blockhouse and the Gift Shop is the Parade Ground but no photo of it to post 

Entry to flooded area

View back towards north battery and fort

Moving around outside of fort

Just below parking lot

 

Now to inside the fort

Edited September 13 by Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

 

This completes my writeup on Fort Trumbull

 

Edited September 13 by Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L

[Buckshot Bear]

Scout, I'm so very much enjoying this thread. I'm only so far up to July 2025, I only come on to it when I really have the time to do it justice and have the ability to read a post and go over all the photos in great detail.
I have it bookmarked, I don't think I will ever get to the USA, that's why I'm enjoying this thread so much.
I know how much work is in making it and put up all the info and pics, and for that my thanks and gratitude. 

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

10 hours ago, Buckshot Bear said:

Scout, I'm so very much enjoying this thread. I'm only so far up to July 2025, I only come on to it when I really have the time to do it justice and have the ability to read a post and go over all the photos in great detail.
I have it bookmarked, I don't think I will ever get to the USA, that's why I'm enjoying this thread so much.
I know how much work is in making it and put up all the info and pics, and for that my thanks and gratitude. 

Bear I so am glad you are enjoying it.  If you are only up to July 2025 then you have a whole years worth more to go as yesterday I completed my postings of July 2026.  Today I start August which will get me to 47 states, and when I shoot the New Jersey State Championship in October that will make 48 states, leaving Alaska and Hawaii for next year to get all 50 states.

Edited September 14 by Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Saturday August 1st shot the monthly match hosted by the Ledyard Sidewinders held at the Ledyard Sportsman Club in Connecticut.

This is a google map view showing the overall club layout which you reach by turing onto Whipple Road

This is the range used for the Cowboy matches - they shoot on 3 bays with 2 stages each bay

Parking

View from parking to bays

View from bays to parking

Registration conducted on bay 2

Bay 1

Bay 2

Bay between 2 and 3 not used for match

Storage area

Bay 3

This is the posse I shot with

Our posse shooting on Bay 1

I had 4 misses  - They emailed out the results and I finished 11th out of 22 shooters and was the only Classic Cowboy.  This was my 46th state to shoot Cowboy Action.  Had a Great Time and got to shoot on the same posse with the match directors again at the Midwest Regional later in August!

 

Edited September 14 by Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Sunday August 2nd shot the monthly match hosted by the Harvard Ghost Riders held at the Harvard Sportman's Club in Massachusetts.  Could not find an aerial view or layout of the club to post.

 

Entry gate off Little County Road - electronic gate open 8:00-9:15 days of shoot

After entering club I drove past the sign to the action bays and made the loop road seeing all the different areas they have for club members to shoot, Nice Club.

 

Cowboy Parking

Road I would have come down if I had turned at Action Bays sign

Registration for match

Other action bays not used for cowboy match

Rifle range past the cowboy bays

The areas not in bays are heavily wooded

 

Cowboy Bay 1 

 

Cowboy Bay 2

 

Cowboy Bay 3

Typical load table

Typical unload table

 

Safety Meeting before the match

This is the posse I shot with

This is the other Classic Cowboy who shot the NH monthly match and this match - I understand he is fairly new to CAS but has jumped in with both feet!!

 

This club hosted the Tri-State (MA-CT-RI) Championships for MANY years.  However due to some Massachusetts bad gun laws passed in 2024 it was their last year to host that Championship.  Maine has stepped up and hosted it in 2025 and 2026. 

 

After the match before leaving I was given these two clean match pins from those Tri-State matches as a remembrance souvenir for shooting at their club.  Very Nice!!

 

I had a miss and a P - They emailed out the results after the match and I finished 1st Classic Cowboy out of two and 15th out of 31 who shot the match.  This was my 47th State to shoot Cowboy Action and I had a Great Time!!!!

 

This concludes the write up on my next to last previous travel trip and will have to wait until later this month to post my last previous trip to shoot the NH State Championship and the Triple Classic in Indiana.  Because I leave in the morning to attend the Fall  meeting of the American Society of Arms Collectors being held in Lexington Kentucky.

Edited September 14 by Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L

[Eyesa Horg]

15 hours ago, Buckshot Bear said:

Scout, I'm so very much enjoying this thread. I'm only so far up to July 2025, I only come on to it when I really have the time to do it justice and have the ability to read a post and go over all the photos in great detail.
I have it bookmarked, I don't think I will ever get to the USA, that's why I'm enjoying this thread so much.
I know how much work is in making it and put up all the info and pics, and for that my thanks and gratitude. 

I'm bummed I never visited some of these sites. I lived for decades only a half hour drive from Fort Trumbull and often worked in New London, but yet never went there. Shame on me!

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

1 hour ago, Eyesa Horg said:

I'm bummed I never visited some of these sites. I lived for decades only a half hour drive from Fort Trumbull and often worked in New London, but yet never went there. Shame on me!

Well now you got to visit them through my posts   

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Well I have loaded the ammo I need for my next two out of state matches so back to my travels story and photos.

 

Friday August 14th - Sunday August 16th shot the New Hampshire State Championsip "Fracas at Pemi Gulch" hosted by the Pemi Valley Peacemakers held at the Pemigewasset Valley Fish & Game Club, Inc. 

Club house

Large meeting room on main level

Cowboy registration on lower level

Paved road from front gate to club house

Parked at range looking towards shooting bays

Looking back towards camping area

Bay layout for match - Wild Bunch & Side matches Friday, Main match 6 stages Saturday and 4 stages Sunday

Wild Bunch shooting on Bay 2

Bay 1 - stages 1 & 7 (WB already had shot it)

Bay 2 - stages 2 & 8

Bay 3 (left side)- stage 3

Bay 4 - stage 4

Pistol shot from here, Rifle shot from front of building at same targets

Shotgun between Rifle and Pistols

Bay 5 - stages 5 & 10

Bay 6 - stage 6

Bay 3 (right side) - stage 9

 

Various range photos

Friday night pot luck dinner in main club house

Saturday Opening and Safety Meeting

Posse I shot with

Posse shooting stage 3

Posse shooting stage 5

Saturday night banquet in main club house

Sunday afternoon Awards in main club house - Scout Troop in red shirts who picked brass during the match

Match Director

Awards table

Wild Bunch Awards

Cowboy Awards

Cowboy Overall Champs

I won Classic Cowboy - but I was the only one in the category - had 3 misses day 1 and clean day 2 and finished 24th out of 56 who completed the match.

 

This concludes my write up on the NH State Championship - met some new folks and saw a bunch I had aleady met during my other matches in the Northeast.  Had a Wonderful Time!

 

 

 

Edited October 1 by Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

My previous trip to this area I had wanted to tour Fort Adams located in Newport RI, but it was closed during that time due to a music concert that whole week.  So after attending NH State I had to go tour the Fort.

Visitor Center

Views from the center

Old Mule Barn (now used by the group that runs the Music Concerts)

Fort on left Mule Barn on the right

Center is to the left of this photo

Behind the center

Inside the visitor center/gift shop

 

 

 

 

Edited September 30 by Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

I took two guided tours one in the morning and one in the afternoon.  The morning tour explained how the fort was designed and constructed to repel attackers

 

 

 

 

 

Stone model outside the main gate

The main gate

The far gate is where we will enter for the tour inside

 

Earth mound and wall on the left - Southern outer works on the right

Now between the Southern outer works on the left and main Fort on the right

Main Fort on the left - Southern outer works on the right

Entry into the outer works

Inside the outer works - gun ports facing the space between it and the fort

Tunnel leading back into the outer works

Looking back from within inner room for artillery

Artillery firing ports

View of where artillery pointed between walls within outer works - not a good place to be trapped trying to get to the Fort

Pathway to outside the outer works

A pathway into the fort

Outer works on left - fort on right

Around the corner - Fort on left - outer works on right

Now inside the Fort with massive parade ground

Where we entered the fort

Stone mason families from Ireland were brought in to building the Fort.

Section of interior stone wall is missing and needs to be restored

Restoration work in progress

Main entry gate

Designer of the Fort and graphic showing how 3 other forts would fit inside the massive parade ground

I have not made it to Fort McHenry yet

I visited Fort Sumter last year and posted about it.

I visited Fort Ticonderoga this year and posted about it.

Looking back at the main entry

Inside the outer wall at the main level

The Fort was active from 1842 to 1950.

Stairs to upper level

Former gun emplacements

Smoke vent hole above gun postion on main level below

Fort Adams is named for the Second President of the United States

 

Wrist band to indicate you paid for the guided tour and decal the tour guide gave us.

 

This concludes the morning guided tour.

Edited September 30 by Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

This building also seen during the first tour is where the private Trust who operates the Fort is housed.

The afternoon tour covered life in the Fort and started at the stone model again.

Back to the sign about the designer of the Fort (this is the same sign showing the 3 forts fit on the parade ground)

Inside where the storage areas where

Looking back at the Southern outer works

Lots of fire places

Artillery locations between the storage rooms and the outer wall facing the Southern outer works

Smoke vent hole in ceiling

Windows to storage rooms

Storage rooms

Toilet room - compost toilets

Urinals

Gun enplacement next to urinals

Entry to storage rooms

Bakery with bread oven fronts

Backside of where the bee-hive bread ovens where

Salvaged items for future restoration projects

View back to Southern outer works

Back to the parade ground - this is the same sign I showed earlier about the construction of the Fort

This area is used for over night group stays

Medalions on ceilings indicated the rank of the officers who lived in these barracks

Group eating area

 

Now to officer quarters not restored (not open to public access except tours)

Windows to parade ground

The walls plaster over wood slates over masonry

Door and windows to parade ground

Powder storage

Inside one of the artillery bays with displays

 

We then went to the upper level again but I did not take any more photos of this area. 

 

Our tour guide grew up in the area and remembered when the Fort was operational.  Said as a member of the local artilley militia group they actually practiced with the army firing artillery out into the bay.  When the Army shut down operations they gave the Fort to the Navy who in turn planned to tear it down.  When President Eisenhower who lived sometimes in a house nearby found out he put a stop to that destruction.  Once the Fort was abandoned it fell into disrepair and was taken over by hippies and homeless people and pretty well trashed.  The Fort Adams Trust operates the Fort and works to restore sections as they can get funding. 

 

The tour ended and I then walked over to see the lower level of the old fortifications which were not part of either tour.

 

 

Photo from the two story portion of the Fort - red brick second story added later to the Fort

 

This concludes my Fort Adams tour.  Unfortunately I did not take a lunch with me so I had a LATE lunch EARLY Dinner once I got back to my Motel and went to a nearby resturant.

Edited October 1 by Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

My next stop was the Midwest Triple Classics Championships hosted by the Paradise Pass Regulators held at their faciltiy in Edna Green Indiana.  I had shot here when they hosted EOT in 2021, so this did not add a state for me but was kinda on the way home from NH.  Friday August 21 - Sunday August 23 I shot the International Black Powder Match "Fire & Brimstone", the first leg of the Triple Classic.

Quarter to show size of pin

Sign at road to enter the property

This is directly acoss from the entry - Lots of Corn in the area (tall and green due to lots of rain)

Once you get pass the fields with campers and RVs and turn the corner you find Two Bear Arms Gun Shop. 

Range layout - with bay numbers

Cart path back to camping area

Club house and registration

Raffle prizes covered as they were not open when I took these photos

Shooter prizes - you got to pick what you wanted when picking up your packet

Sign from when they hosted EOT in 2021

Pavillion where food was served

Bar in back corner

Chuck wagon

Central pond with cabins and camping on the other side of the pond

Big tent for gatherings

There were shooters there from Germany, Netherlands (Dutch) and Austrilia

Vendors

Special shooting opportunity

Good place for photos

Panaramic views of the range - start looking at bay 10 in far distance, turning left and end looking at the pond

This field was pretty mushy due to all the prior rain they had in the area

 

 

 

 

Edited October 1 by Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Now for the shooting part starting with Bays

Bay 1 - stage 1

Typical loading table on left and unloading table on right

Bay 2 - stage 2

Bay 3 - stage 3

Bay 4 - stage 4

Rifle Pistol targets pattern for BP night shoot

This was the pattern change on this stage used for Main Matches both BP and Regional

Bay 5 - stage 5 (new LONG train replacing old train used at EOT in 2021)

These are the rifle pistol changes in pattern for the Midwest Regional on this stage

Shotgun same for both

Bay 6 - stage 6

Bay 7 - stage 7 (also used for Plainsman 3 stage side match during Regional)

Note vertical staging boxes for rifles - not in correct location, they will be near right and left catus - must shoot outside catus not as shown in my photos below

Shoot Rifle , then center shotgun, then pistols - R/P from either side or mix of side shooter choice

Left rifle/pistol targets

Center shotgun targets

Right rifle/pistol targets

Bay 8 - stage 8 (also used for Plainsman side match with extra rifle target)

Bay 9 - stage 9 (also used for Plainsman side match with extra rifle target)

Bay 10 - stage 10

This was Bay 11 - stage 11 used during EOT in 2021 - not used this match

This was bay 12- stage 12 used during EOT in 2021 - now been converted to shootoff bay for Regional

This was the location of the shootoff bay for EOT in 2021 - now storage area

 

Opening and Safety meeting for BP three stage Warmup match Friday

Shooting during Warmup match stage 1

I had one pistol miss on stage 1 and shot the rest of warmup match clean

 

Had to get a photo with Scarlett - remember the wagon photo location

Opening Reception and social event Friday evening

Safety meeting Saturday morning for main match of Fire & Brimstone

The posse I shot with

Posse shooting on stage 5 Saturday

Posse shooting on stage 10 Sunday

I got to shoot with this couple from Germany during both BP and Regional (Jack of All Trades and Raindance Meggie)

These were the spotting sticks used for all the matches (that is what is in his holster in the photo above)

Also had to get a photo with Constable Nelson from Australia (we first shot together at EOT in NM many years ago)

Awards banquet - servers setting up food line

Awards

Shooter Prizes - winners had ticket taped to bottom of chair they were sitting in

I shot the 10 stage main match clean, finished 53rd out of 75 who completed the match, and finished 6th out of 12 Frontier Cartridge Duelist.  They gave awards to 5th place in FCD and I was 4.51 seconds behind 5th place. I had a great time!!!

 

I did not shoot the Wild Bunch match but did some site seeing instead.  That write up and photos will be next and prior to the Midwest Regional post.

 

Edited October 1 by Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

OK a little change in plans on posting order.  Misty and Ruby offered two tours of the SASS Headquarters building in Akron.  One tour during the IBP match and one during the Midwest Regional.  I made it over during the IBP match.

The part of the building with the dark window frames make up the SASS HQ.

It is an old Bank building.

Photo of building when it was a bank from about 1915

One of the original stain glass upper windows "Exchange" as seen in the period photo.  They have a desire to remove the lay-in acoustic ceiling in the front area and restore the high ceiling to expose the upper transom windows again.

 

Front foyer with original tile floor and display area.

Wooley Chaps from Coyote Calhoun - SASS #201

Membership Certificate for Roy Rogers - SASS Alias "King of the Cowboys"

Tex - SASS #4

Hipshot - SASS #7

Judge Roy Bean - SASS #1

U.S. Grant - SASS #2

They have found and kept a lot of the original doors, hardware and other items for use as the upper floor gets built out for offices and the SASS Museum.  These screen door frames are mounted as decoration in conference room.

This painting hangs on the opposite wall in the conference room and came out of the Hotel/Bar at Founders Ranch

I did not take any photos of the offices and work room on the first floor.  We also got to see the basement that is being used for storage and houses the first bank vault.  Got to see the second floor which is pretty open and being framed out for some other rooms to the rear of the stairs and the SASS Museum to the front of the stairs.  I did not take any photos on the second floor. 

 

They found the original wood baluster that went around the top of the stair opening and plan to reinstall it when the stairway is reconstructed to the second floor.  The original wood flooring and portions of the plaster ceiling is also present on the upper floor.  The stair to the basement is also in need of reconstruction.  I hope they do that one SOON as they currently store things down there. 

 

This concludes the tour of the SASS HQ.  I will continue on with the Midwest Regional Championship next instead of doing the car museums I visted during the Wild Bunch Match.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited Friday at 02:31 AM by Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Shot the Midwest Regional Championship Thursday August 27th - Saturday August 29th.  Sunday August 30th was the Top Gun Shootoff and Awards Presentation.  Targets were set the same as IBP except for the stages I already posted the different target arrangement but of course were all shot with different senerios.

 

Couple vendors that were not there during IBP - I don't know about WB

Safety meeting for 3 stage warm up match Thursday

Was split into 3 posses, I shot on posse 1  - shot the warm up clean  

Then hurried to change out guns to shoot the 3 stage Plainsmans side match that was to start at noon - so no lunch

 

This is the only photo I took during the Plainsman match  it is Dallas McBoomboom in his alter ego for shooting Plainsman - Don't remember what alternate alias he uses with this outfit.     I shot the Plainsman match clean also 

Had a late lunch which consisted of Ice Cream because all the food vendors had already left by the time Plainsman was over.  That evening was the Opening Ceremony and Welcome Reception under the big tent.

With Burgers and Hotdogs cooked on site

These folks wanted to be closer to the food line when it opened 

Friday morning Safety Meeting prior to the days 5 stages

Much larger group than for the IBP

Swap meet that afternoon under the big tent

I did not come back that evening for the Saloon Social or the Fireworks Show which I understand it was great

 

No safety meeting Saturday prior to shooting but there was a short parade in honor of the US 250th Celebration were they handed out flags and candy as they passed the stages with people waiting to start shooting

 This is the posse I shot with

Saturday evening was the Banquet and side match awards and raffle

The band setting up to play that evening after the dinner

Banquet food setup

Lots of pie options

Side Match Awards and Raffle

I won second place Senior Traditional Plainsman out of 4 and finished 6th out of 14 who shot the match.  Was also one of Five who shot it clean. 

After dinner the band played - due to loudness most folks stayed out from under the big tent

 

Sunday started with th Top Gun shootoff

Spectators gather to watch

Shooters start getting ready

Too congested during shooting to get any good photos - Several flghts shot, men and ladies finally get a champion for each and then Top Man and and Top Lady shot off and Top Lady Won that.

 

Now to Awards Ceremony

I mentioned earlier that I shot the IBP Match Clean, the Regional Warmup Match Clean, the Plainsman Side Match Clean and I also shot the Midwest Regional Clean.  The only miss I had was one pistol on the BP Warmup match.

Awards

There were 9 Classics who shot the match - 5 Classic Cowboys, 3 Elder Statesman Classic Cowboys and 1 Classic Cowgirl - this is a group photo of 7 who stayed for awards

I finished 3rd Elder Statesman Classic Cowboy out of 3 but actually finished 5th out of the 8 Classic Cowboys when combining the scores.  Finished 113th out of 167 who completed the match.

Had to get a photo with Misty Moonshine and Ruby Ruthless before heading out.

 

This concludes my write up on the Midwest Triple Classic Championships.  Had a Wonderful Time, well run event!

 

Next up will be my site seeing tours between IBP and Midwest Regional I did during the Wild Bunch Match.

Edited Friday at 05:34 PM by Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L

[Eyesa Horg]

Thanks Scout!

🤞🤞that the flooding down there isn't impacting you. See you end of next week!

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

I had 3 days between IBP and the Regional, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdy.  Monday I rested all day goofing off, it was nice!  Someone earlier in another thread had mentioned the Auburn - Cord - Duesenberg Automobile Musum in Auburn, IN and it turned out to be 1-1/2 hours from my motel in Plymouth, IN.  So Tuesday August 25th I went to that museum in Auburn.  This will be split up into multiple posts due to the large amount of photos I took here.

 

Back in the Day

Prior to renovation

Now

My Visit

Turned out there was another car museum right next door and they offered a two day campus pass at a reduced rate.

 

First post will cover the first floor in the Original Company Showroom and second will be the Cord Gallery

When I posted this photo I realized I did not get photos of the hood ornaments in that case.  Got others later.

 

Will post photos of a car followed by the info on the car

 

Not sure how this corvette fits in but it was here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Entrance to the Event Area in the center of the building - closed off to the public

 

 

Original Main Entry to the showroom

Grand stairway opposite Main Entry

Hood Ornament displays both sides of stairway

Left case

Right case

 

 

 

 

There was renovation work going on the outside of the West and South walls of the building so some areas were not accessible and you can see plastic protective sheets and scaffolding.

 

 

 

Edited Saturday at 09:37 PM by Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Next is the E.L. Cord Gallery of Entrepreneurship

Movie about the Museum that I had watched on line before visting the museum - elevator to upper floors

Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum Orientation Film

More Hood Ornaments

Looking down at them

 

 

The following are not nessasarily in date chronological order

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Up the elevator to the 3rd floor

Early Auburns and Eckhart Carriage Company

 

 

 

 

Video dramazation on shopping for a car back in this time period and looking at the features offered

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parked in the corridor by the stairway

 

Hall of Technology adjacent to in progress exterior wall restorations - unfortunately a lot covered in plastic

 

Gallery of Auburn unfortunately not accesible due to restoration work on exterior walls - so photos from doorway

Down the hall to the old advertising offices

 

Gordon Buehrig Gallery of Design

 

Design Studio on opposite side of building

 

 

Edited Sunday at 03:58 PM by Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

"Cars of Indiana" in what use to be the main drafting room near the old design studio

 

Gallery of Racers and Record-Setters

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited Sunday at 04:26 PM by Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L

[Eyesa Horg]

That's a crazy cool museum Cowtown.

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

Evolution Showcase and Gallery of Excellance and Innovation in central main room - Lots of car photos and info sheets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That is along one wall

 

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

22 minutes ago, Eyesa Horg said:

That's a crazy cool museum Cowtown.

Oh I'm not done posting this one yet, and there is another one to go after this one.