Blogger Rendezvous in Seattle

So for the second time in my life I had a conversation with Joe Huffman, and for the first time conversed with his lovely wife Barbara. If I am in the area next year (I don't know my schedule that far out) I am so attending Boomershoot. Even if I don't shoot I'm sure somebody could use a spotter.

Phil from Random Nuclear Strikes showed up in restrained fury at the idiocy that is Mayor Nickels. Phil has a point, JP Patches would run the city of Seattle without trying to trample on the rights of citizens half as much as "Clown shoes Nickels".

And Ray was waiting for us at the door and quite graciously forgave me my Evergreen alumni status. Evergreen is Berkley Light, but still a repository for hippy breeding. I guess higher education for hippies is like growing mushrooms, kept in the dark and fed crap until ready to go forth into the world to be chewed up by reality.

The topics of discussion ranged from the obligatory pistol shooting stance to full auto firearms (I don't like full auto, but that doesn't mean it should be restricted to MIL/LEO only. I don't like poodles but that doesn't mean they should be restricted to France althought that would probably serve them right). Joe's impression of the ParaOrd pistol and crimson grips was enlightening. When an engineer likes or dislikes something there is usually a darn good reason for it. From the way he described the trigger it sounds like it suffers from the same limitations as the S&W Sigma trigger, you have to dang near break contact with the trigger to keep the gun functioning. That means "double tapping" as a technique is out, and increases bad habits such as milking the grip.

Joe liked the crimson trace grips as a training aid, for the same reasons Tamara laid forth in surprisingly unsnarky tones. Tamara is consistently serious about training, and her training is consistently serious.

My wife talked with Barbara quite a bit, I tried to keep an ear open for multiple conversations and sidebars, but I'm not good at that so I usually got sucked into one or the other as interest waxed and waned. I was never bored simply because as the most feeble minded of the group I did my best not to get totally schooled on every subject.

And I'm pretty sure someone else paid the tax on my breakfast, so thank you and next time please let me return the favor.

After that the wife and I went in search of beer, Yuengling Lager to be precise, and turned up empty. The Naval Exchange at Naval Station Everett lacked any of the bottled goodness, and 99 Bottles in Federal Way doesn't stock it. So I'll just have to settle for one of the many excellent local brews to celebrate the end of the Yakima mission in ten days.

I leave tomorrow for Yakistan, and won't be back for a while. But hopefully I'll be able to post happy stories of riding around like a Sheik in an SUV while making sure my boys get their firearms training on.