Posted: 6/30/2024 9:34:00 PM EDT
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Wondering what this is? Go check out the event thread (CLICK ME) Attached File Much emesis was spilt and many a tree watered - our liberty is well entreated. Peeple, your fathers Made good that resolution. They succeeded; and today you reap the fruits of their success. The freedom gained is yours; and you, therefore, may properly celebrate this anniversary. The 27th-29th of June is a great fact in our event's history—the very ring-bolt in the chain of your yet undeveloped destiny. From the round top of your ship of state, dark and threatening clouds may be seen. Heavy billows, like mountains in the distance, disclose to the leeward huge forms of flinty rocks! That bolt drawn, that chain, broken, and all is lost. Cling to this day—cling to it, and to its principles, with the grasp of a storm-tossed mariner to a spar at midnight. Stand ready in the face of future storm, and ready always to contribute emesis with heart laid bare. They loved their emesis better than their own private interests; and, though this is not the highest form of human excellence, all will concede that it is a rare virtue, and that when it is exhibited, it ought to command respect. He who will, intelligently, lay down his penalties for his brother, is a man whom it is not in human nature to despise. Your fathers staked their obstacles, their targets, and their sacred run, on the cause of their brothers. In their admiration of liberty, they lost sight of all other interests. Without a struggle, there can be no progress. It is not light that we need, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake. So our great adventure has come to an end for now. I miss all of you terribly and am grateful for the time together this past weekend. Hopefully all who attended learned something about themselves. A weakness that can be turned into a strength, a strength that can be honed and shared with others. Bring up those around you, strengthen your communities, be inviting and entreat the passions of fellow chuggers to enjoy the days between events. Thanks to all the event staff for making this possible, and for all the work behind the scenes. Thanks to all who made the trip, this event was amazing, enjoyable, and chill. Once again I'm blown away by the quality of people who come out. I enjoyed seeing old friends and making new ones. Huge thanks to all who made it so great. In the world we live in, it brings joy and relief to my heart to know such excellent people exist! There is good in the world - you are proof of it. Big gratitude to Geissele for allowing us the privilege of using their land and amenities, it's truly an amazing facility. Thanks to the sponsors, for sending an overflowing amount of swag for us to enjoy. Some attendees felt the love of cola so deeply they too donated items to the prize table. If you won something, or were awarded something at this event - go track those sponsors down. Hit them up on social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, their websites, email them & call them. Make an order for the things they sell and leave notes about loving their support of Cola Warrior. Review the items they make, design & sell if you like them so others can find their wonderful products. Have an issue? Please contact them to address. If there is an improvement to be made - they LOVE feedback and improving their wares. There were only a few clean runs, which means a great opportunity to improve has been presented. Get in great physical shape, life is easier and better. Learn and excel at shooting in improvised positions and imperfect weather conditions. Different situations may demand engaging targets from the left or right side. There were 18 rifle targets and 17 pistol targets with some challenging positions and situational shooting. Improve at speed of engagement and transitions, you'll be happy you did. Do hard things, be excellent to each other. Attached File Attached File |
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Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Pics of rifle I won, ended up giving it to my SIL who ran but doesn't own any AR15s |
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Pretty much copying my post from the signup thread here - definitely looking forward to next year, I need to work on my chugging, and now I'm extremely jealous of suppressors and night vision. I received so many great prizes that will turn into an amazing rifle, but just spending a few days with like-minded people, seeing some super-slick setups and pushing myself more than I had before. I'm kicking myself for not attempting a second run, but still.. the chugging.. Original post follows: What an amazing time - why didn't I do this before? So many cherries popped this week.. Before going to Cola Warrior Keystone 3, I had never:
I probably missed a couple things but man, what a great couple of days. Everyone was so helpful, and I tried to help where I could. CW Staff are amazing, and there were a few heat injuries, but no med-evac. Gosh, so many people to thank... I brought an AR and pistol, buttttt 1) I only had 10 round magazines (thank you NY...), and my rifle had a red dot + magnifier. I could barely see the targets at 300 yards, let alone 400-600. So brasscrossedrifles offered his suppressed rifle with 1-10x Athlon scope, dope card (which I forgot to use), and Glock 19 w/ RMR and exxxxxxxxxxtended magazines. Without his offer I would have faired much worse than my already poor time. I should have tried for a re-run, but still - first time doing any of this.. JohnStoner and 0627Devildog were amazing Match Directors - John was very patient, humble and kind, especially to a first timer. Devildog was umm.. good at encouraging! LOL Beast of a man, that one. But seriously, he was very welcoming as well. When another staff member needed a break or assistance he came running up. I'll let one of them post the official times but I'm sorry I missed his run (and Stoner's night run at 3am). Several people stepped up and did some cooking/grilling - I know pa-minuteman was one but I didn't catch the other name(s), but it was much appreciated as well. Some of the best burgers I've had. And finally, before pictures - huge thank you to Geiselle for the range and the amazing prize pool.. I'll put them to use somehow. Beautiful range:  Wind damage from storm Wednesday night:   Find someone who looks at you like this:  "What do you mean the targets are right in front of me?" 
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Quoted: "What do you mean the targets are right in front of me?" https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/453429/brass-course-3253902.jpg You would think I would know where all the targets are since I'm the one that put them there. Alas, I was absolutely cooked from doing that when I started my run shortly after I did so, and the obstacles and hill didn't make me any less tires. I guess it's a good thing I brought a list. |
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Quoted: You would think I would know where all the targets are since I'm the one that put them there. Alas, I was absolutely cooked from doing that when I started my run shortly after I did so, and the obstacles and hill didn't make me any less tires. I guess it's a good thing I brought a list. I think between being tired the next day & my pistol taking a crap on me. I honestly think I could have gotten a clean run 
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This was my 3rd cola and 2nd at the Geissele range. It is absolutely my favorite place to shoot. A HUGE thanks to @SAGMILL and @GACS and the rest of the G family for a beautiful location and welcoming us in. Definitely a shooting Mecca.  Props to JohnStoner for organizing this year. The course was about as perfect as could be. Challenging without being impossible. Met a lot of cool people and had fun hanging out. Want to be there for each day next year. I did a lot of training physically this year and feel I improved myself a lot. The chain of pain wasn't as tough but is still awesome. I really need to work on my shooting skills. Overall though I'm happy with my performance and it doesn't hurt at all to be beaten to a pregnant lady. This event is driving me to be better. My run is below. Pics to follow. Obstacles and Peeps/AK  Cola Warrior Keystone 3, ginger-mech run part 1 Shooting and chug  Cola Warrior Keystone 3 ginger-mech run part 2 The sponsor were extremely generous and I'm on my way to building my first battle belt thanks to Esstac pouches and magent. Great quality stuff. Also excited to try out the SD-E trigger. 
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 Cola Warrior Keystone 3 final chug Early morning, good time to relax and fly.  The field of battle upon which the oppressors of the Peeple were slain  This was just in front of the 12" 100yd rifle target  Feds checking in on us, thought Mr Bill was coming to visit     This next generation brings me hope        
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Quoted: Wait, carrying the sled up was an option?? What a baller! I did witness one person carefully dragging it back down instead of kicking it. 
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 they are the same! |
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| I had a great time! Very proud of my family for going along with me and even entering. Thank you to Stoner and staff for all the hard work and making this happen. Thank you Geisslle, Esstac, Savior every one who brought firewood and cooked and everyone else who helped make this such a cool event, it is very much appreciated! It’s pretty awesome that my daughter now has a nicer rifle than me! I don’t think it even really registered with her what she had won until we got to the gun shop! |
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Quoted: I had a great time! Very proud of my family for going along with me and even entering. Thank you to Stoner and staff for all the hard work and making this happen. Thank you Geisslle, Esstac, Savior every one who brought firewood and cooked and everyone else who helped make this such a cool event, it is very much appreciated! It's pretty awesome that my daughter now has a nicer rifle than me! I don't think it even really registered with her what she had won until we got to the gun shop! |
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Attached File All that Geissele gear!  Looks like a great time! Wish it wasn’t so far away! |
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Quoted: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/500232/IMG_5138_jpeg-3255549.JPG All that Geissele gear! Looks like a great time! Wish it wasn’t so far away! "This is what the kids are using these days, they call it a 'battle belt'.. you put your mags, fleshlights and peeps in these holders so you don't need to use your prison wallet." 
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This event was mega based. brasscrossedrifles Keystone 3 obstacles peep ak and run start  brasscrossedrifles Keystone 3 range and chug Attached File |
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BAD ASS! I used your technique for the first obstacle (sled), seemed to work well. The chain was, well.. a slog, but doable. Thanks again for the use of your rifle and pistol.. next year I'll bring a scope, even if it's my cheaper PA 1-6x. At least then I can SEE the targets, ha. (For those unaware, being from NY I only brought 10 round magazines, and my rifle had a red dot + 3x magnifier so anything over 300 or so meters away was too tough to see. I cleared pistol stage [I believe 17 targets?] with 21 rounds, so if took my time a little more I may have been able to complete with my own pistol) Need to work on my chugging technigue.. I disappointed devildog only getting through 2 cans. |
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Damn that's good ?? |
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Where do I start? First, I want to say thanks to the many warm greetings and opportunities to catch up with the intimate group that attended KS3. One of the things that I've always appreciated about Cola events is the sense of community and people volunteering to help out, and this was still evident, whether it was staff traveling from near and far to be there, or PAminuteman grilling and someone else making spicy (and cheesy) noodles for the group. Second, thanks to the sponsors that continue to support our madness. Show them lots of love, whether by using and buying their products, providing feedback, or promoting them on social media. Ideally, do all of the above.  I'm starting to lose track of how many events I've attended - a quick count says between 15 and 20 - although I can say with certainty that this is the first time that I've been to a Cola event without attempting a run. Several of you came close to convincing me to make it happen, but I knew I wasn't going to top 0627DevilDog's time (congrats again!) and I had more pressing matters on my mind. As many of you know, Keystone has been near and dear to me since it started, and I feel that I could have done better at addressing issues that resulted in complete changeover in staff from KS2. It took me quite a while to decide that I needed to sit down with someone and address issues and perceived wrongs, and we had a meaningful conversation that showed things weren't as one sided as I presumed. I don't know where the road will lead, but I do know that I want to see Keystone flourish and Cola continue to draw out the best in people. To that end, I encourage each of you to communicate with each other, staff, hosts and sponsors, preferably following the "praise in public, constructive feedback in private" pattern. |
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Quoted: Where do I start? First, I want to say thanks to the many warm greetings and opportunities to catch up with the intimate group that attended KS3. One of the things that I've always appreciated about Cola events is the sense of community and people volunteering to help out, and this was still evident, whether it was staff traveling from near and far to be there, or PAminuteman grilling and someone else making spicy (and cheesy) noodles for the group. Second, thanks to the sponsors that continue to support our madness. Show them lots of love, whether by using and buying their products, providing feedback, or promoting them on social media. Ideally, do all of the above. I'm starting to lose track of how many events I've attended - a quick count says between 15 and 20 - although I can say with certainty that this is the first time that I've been to a Cola event without attempting a run. Several of you came close to convincing me to make it happen, but I knew I wasn't going to top 0627DevilDog's time (congrats again!) and I had more pressing matters on my mind. As many of you know, Keystone has been near and dear to me since it started, and I feel that I could have done better at addressing issues that resulted in complete changeover in staff from KS2. It took me quite a while to decide that I needed to sit down with someone and address issues and perceived wrongs, and we had a meaningful conversation that showed things weren't as one sided as I presumed. I don't know where the road will lead, but I do know that I want to see Keystone flourish and Cola continue to draw out the best in people. To that end, I encourage each of you to communicate with each other, staff, hosts and sponsors, preferably following the "praise in public, constructive feedback in private" pattern. |
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Quoted: It was great to see you again! I'm glad you were able to come and hang out a little bit and get something to eat. Are you planning on going to East this year? Quoted: Quoted: Where do I start? First, I want to say thanks to the many warm greetings and opportunities to catch up with the intimate group that attended KS3. One of the things that I've always appreciated about Cola events is the sense of community and people volunteering to help out, and this was still evident, whether it was staff traveling from near and far to be there, or PAminuteman grilling and someone else making spicy (and cheesy) noodles for the group. Second, thanks to the sponsors that continue to support our madness. Show them lots of love, whether by using and buying their products, providing feedback, or promoting them on social media. Ideally, do all of the above. I'm starting to lose track of how many events I've attended - a quick count says between 15 and 20 - although I can say with certainty that this is the first time that I've been to a Cola event without attempting a run. Several of you came close to convincing me to make it happen, but I knew I wasn't going to top 0627DevilDog's time (congrats again!) and I had more pressing matters on my mind. As many of you know, Keystone has been near and dear to me since it started, and I feel that I could have done better at addressing issues that resulted in complete changeover in staff from KS2. It took me quite a while to decide that I needed to sit down with someone and address issues and perceived wrongs, and we had a meaningful conversation that showed things weren't as one sided as I presumed. I don't know where the road will lead, but I do know that I want to see Keystone flourish and Cola continue to draw out the best in people. To that end, I encourage each of you to communicate with each other, staff, hosts and sponsors, preferably following the "praise in public, constructive feedback in private" pattern. That's the plan (date dependent and all that fun stuff). |
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Quoted: Where do I start? First, I want to say thanks to the many warm greetings and opportunities to catch up with the intimate group that attended KS3. One of the things that I've always appreciated about Cola events is the sense of community and people volunteering to help out, and this was still evident, whether it was staff traveling from near and far to be there, or PAminuteman grilling and someone else making spicy (and cheesy) noodles for the group. Second, thanks to the sponsors that continue to support our madness. Show them lots of love, whether by using and buying their products, providing feedback, or promoting them on social media. Ideally, do all of the above. I'm starting to lose track of how many events I've attended - a quick count says between 15 and 20 - although I can say with certainty that this is the first time that I've been to a Cola event without attempting a run. Several of you came close to convincing me to make it happen, but I knew I wasn't going to top 0627DevilDog's time (congrats again!) and I had more pressing matters on my mind. As many of you know, Keystone has been near and dear to me since it started, and I feel that I could have done better at addressing issues that resulted in complete changeover in staff from KS2. It took me quite a while to decide that I needed to sit down with someone and address issues and perceived wrongs, and we had a meaningful conversation that showed things weren't as one sided as I presumed. I don't know where the road will lead, but I do know that I want to see Keystone flourish and Cola continue to draw out the best in people. To that end, I encourage each of you to communicate with each other, staff, hosts and sponsors, preferably following the "praise in public, constructive feedback in private" pattern. Thanks Dale, the event was a ton of fun, as always. I just want to reiterate that it's not to late to run the course. You can, and should, still do it. I don't want to hear "oh my ligaments" or whatever. But really, Keystone has been a consistently great event and I plan to keep going every year, at least until the rigged drawings get me a super duty, probably in 2055 based on my luck. |
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Quoted: Thanks Dale, the event was a ton of fun, as always. I just want to reiterate that it's not to late to run the course. You can, and should, still do it. I don't want to hear "oh my ligaments" or whatever. But really, Keystone has been a consistently great event and I plan to keep going every year, at least until the rigged drawings get me a super duty, probably in 2055 based on my luck. 
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Quoted: Thanks Dale, the event was a ton of fun, as always. I just want to reiterate that it's not to late to run the course. You can, and should, still do it. I don't want to hear "oh my ligaments" or whatever. But really, Keystone has been a consistently great event and I plan to keep going every year, at least until the rigged drawings get me a super duty, probably in 2055 based on my luck. You could always bring a wife and a few kids to run the event, boost your chances! I might drag my wife out next year. No kids, and my niece and nephews aren’t old enough yet… |
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Keep being awesome, cola bros. There's nothing I can say that wouldn't be repetitive, so I'll just be shameless about it. These events - the people at them - give me hope. Cola warrior is a great American institution. Grow it slow. Thank you to those who dedicate time and money to organizing, staffing, and sponsoring (and hosting!!!). And a very personal thank you to everyone who supported my opportunity to not just learn some lessons, but also successfully apply them. I don't get to do a lot of these events at this point in my life (I was lying about coming to Keystone 4 to run 4 times- I'll break it to you now). Getting to prove to myself that I can learn, improve, and perservere was invaluable. For my fellow hard rock enjoyers: Click To View Spoiler |
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Quoted: Sweet! I plan on coming this year depending on the dates. Hopefully we can catch up a little more at East Quoted: Quoted: That's the plan (date dependent and all that fun stuff). My wife and I are already planning the trip down to East this year. Looking forward to seeing everyone again. |
