Tag Archives: Moriarty

Durango – Moriarty

Posted on by kathousekelli70

We left Colorado yesterday morning to the haunting sounds of a steam train whistle.

Heading along highways, through small towns and crossing the Animas River more than once, the landscape has again changed to a somewhat green desert. A lot greener than we have seen in the past.

It seemed fitting when passing through Bernalillo to snap this shot of the street sign!

For now we are in New Mexico and it’s time to get set for the World Championships!

Gather your posse and see you on the range!

Kat xo

Places We Hadn’t Been

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Amarillo, Texas – The Big Texan

Jack and I have been through Amarillo many a time before. Every time we do he makes the comment about how he has been to The Big Texan before………..but I haven't!!

Finally we stopped and I got to experience this fabulous venue on Route 66 with its colourful hotel, the big cowboy, the odd cowboy boot wearing excited dinosaur and the big bull outside the restaurant.

 

Inside is a gift shop, laser shooti arcade, their own craft brews and bar, a fabulous restaurant with stuffed animals, deer horn chandeliers, wait staff all wearing the mandatory cowboy boots and hat and of course it wouldn't be complete without the outdoor area and the big rocking chair!

 

What a unique experience! Oh and I forgot to mention this is the home of the 72oz steak that if you eat it in under an hour you get it for free! Holy cow! That's massive but one lady, Molly Schuyler, holds the current World Record for eating not 1 but 3 72oz steaks in under an hour – to be more precise, she did it in around 20 minutes!!

 

This restaurant has been running since 1960 and if you haven't had a chance to stop there then you need to! Even if only to brows the gift shop and check out the place.

Adrian, Texas – Midpoint

Midpoint on Route 66 in Adrian is the exact halfway point of the route! 1139 miles to Chicago and 1139 miles to Los Angeles.

 

Nothing much else in Adrian, the poor little Cafe was struggling with burst water pipes this day meaning no rest rooms and no food service. There were people from Leeds, England, Chicago and us.

Santa Rosa, New Mexico – Blue Hole

Again, every time we drive past the signs we say to each other, we should stop there one day, so came the time to take a side exit back onto Route 66 and visit the Blue Hole.

 

It's spectacular curiously crystal clear blue waters sit at a constant 61F/16C. It is 60ft wide, 81ft deep and has an outflow of 3000gal per minute. I'm curious about that and how large the outflow is, where does it go to, where does water come in? Divers can explore the hole but with lifeguards on duty it is for those wants to just jump into the refreshing waters from various rock points over and over again.

Moriarty, New Mexico – Sierra Blanca Brewery

How many times have we been to Moriarty now and not once have we managed to get to the brewery?! I hear you all gasp in disbelief knowing Jack and I enjoy beer tasting, okay well drinking, especially trying out new local craft brews and we hadn't been to this one just two minutes from the hotel!

 

It's been in its current location since 2006 and has around 14 varieties on tap for tasting, beer flight samples, or full glasses, your choice. Here we sampled the Outlaw Lager, Alien Wheat, Alien Vanilla Milk Stout and the Pancho Verde Green Chile Cerveza. Then Jack went for a straight up Alien Wheat and I had the Cherry Wheat – I like that one too. One case Alien Wheat $30 bucks!

Grants, New Mexico – Route 66 Drive Thru

Into Grants to drive thru their new neon sign for a photo opportunity. We will visit this again in February and see it of an evening lit up!

 

We stopped at the Mining Museum briefly and agin we will make time for this next trip as there is an underground tour of the uranium mine right below the building!

 

Milan, New Mexico – Transcontinental Air Transport Museum

A small little building of National Heritage, the restored 1953 Flight Service Station. The Federal facility operated until 1973. It tells the tale of Charles Lindbergh's involvement in TAT's historic plane and train cross country travel, mail routes and his gegraphical aerial photography taken in 1929.

The photos were recreated in 2008.

The Beacon 62 power shed sat in the Zuni Mountains when it was in operation. Each beacon tower with its accompanying power shed and concrete arrow made for a visual “light line” along the route.

These beacons were located 10-15 miles apart with every 50miles having a landing strip which would also consist of actual radio contact and a weather station.

 

Also on the grounds is the metal route arrow of 59B moved to the museum location from El Morro.

 

A 1955 “Delta Platform” UHF antenna.

 

The Transcontinental Airway was approved by congress in 1923 becoming the world's first civilian ground-based air navigation system. It was to improve airmail service from the then current daylight airmail service that took greater than 2 days.

 

The TAT passenger service cost $340 a ticket to get you from one side of the country to the other. Fred Harvey provided in Flint drinks and meals and after day 1 flight journey the Harvey Houses provided swift service to a waiting Pullman and the train ride and onto the next day's flight continuation.

 

This was a great little museum with some very interesting and unique exhibit pieces.

That's it for new and interesting places!

Kat xo

 

End Of Trail 2017 Cowboy Action World Championships

Posted on by kathousekelli70

The 'town' has filled with more cowboy's and cowgirl's from all around the world, ready to test their skills and compete for their World Championship ranking.

This year there were 17 from Australia, 7 from New Zealand, at least 2 from the Netherlands and Canada, and a few from Germany. My apologies if there were more from other countries.

The match this year 'A Tribute to Clint Eastwood' westerns. The NRA Firearms Museum had a fabulous display of all guns used by Clint Eastwood in films or by others in films he had directed. Such a neat display! EMF Firearms also had some excellent firearms and a beautiful piece fully engraved and gold plated from The Museum of Confederacy Spirit – an edition of 500.


Thursday was a great start to the main match, starting on the late wave with Posse 29. On our posse led by Shamrock Sadie, we had Knot Hardly Dunn, Christian Mortician, Trail Bandit, Randy Saint Eagle, Papa Dave, Reno Mustang, Dodge City Dixie, Wild Horse John, Trigger Happy Ted, Misty Rider, Avery Wade, Tombstone John, Red Johnson, Pancho Sin Lefty, Lucky Boy, Jackaroo and of course me, Kathouse Kelli.


Most of the week but particularly Thursday and Friday were hot! Think the statistics for this year's match was 1800 gallons of water (?) and this one I do remember 97 gallons of Gatorade. A personal thanks to Dusty Garnet and EZ-GZ for your medical aid and driving up and down the range keeping everyone hydrated, to the rest of the waddies for keeping the water containers constantly topped up. Even though we always have some with us, it's never enough and we so appreciate it.


Side match awards were held on Friday night in the main tent and I must say again thanks to Santa Fe Brewing Company for sponsoring SASS, the bar was frequented often. Congratulations to all side match winners. I picked up one for the .22 pistol – thanks Dixie Bell for allowing me to use yours!


It was a great mix of side match winners this year!

Saturday we had the early shift. With an overcast sky and much cooler temperatures it made for a pleasant start of the final shooting day. All wrapped up! What's done, is done now and Sunday would see what the outcome would be.

Saturday evening for the banquet and best dressed costume contests started well. There were some sensational entries this year with myself, Texas Flower, Shotglass and Dixie Bell placing in the Best Dressed Ladies. Jack had entered his first costume contest ever as Thomas Durant (Hell On Wheels, S4, Ep1) but I should have had him in the Silver Screen category. 😦 Never mind, he did a great job, we just need to get the right hat sorted for him and he will enter again. Got Artie from Major Photography to work his magic and subsequently he has this amazing photo now.

 

After the costume contests were done and the band was on, it was a quick change up and Mary-Lou July made her first solo appearance at EOT. She said she'd been to the Doily Gang Clinic, had her own badge and she had learnt some gun twirling skills from Lightning Buck McGaw (learnt that and practiced in 2 afternoons). Mary-Lou July helped out Sassy Dancer, Shamrock Sadie, Ruby Jewel and Hey You with the announcements of the Top 8 Mens and Ladies Wild Bunch and Top 16 Cowboy's and Cowgirl's for the shootout.

 

The band played, Mary-Lou danced and danced. People had a great time, Jack was busy trying to sell land plots as his Thomas Durant persona and having a few drinks at every stop I'm guessing. Haa Haa Haa! Got him home, just before midnight and I think he had the best nights sleep he'd had in a long time!

 

Shootout took place Sunday morning. R C Shot from QLD, Australia made it in the Wild Bunch and I made it into the Cowgirl's. We used a magnetic board this year, with Sadie and Sassy having done most of the work on this one, it was fantastic, everyone had been randomly drawn and paired up the night before when announced. Then as each one dropped out we could re pair them for the next round and everyone could see who was shooting against who.

The winners of the Wild Bunch Shootout were Captain Sam Evans and Texas Tiger. For the Cowboy Shootout it was Matt Black and Texas Tiger (she is the First Lady to have won both shootout's at the one match)

 

Down to the nitty gritty and it's a huge congratulations to all who placed in their respective categories!

Let's start with the Aussie's:

  • Clean Match – Sam Balin, Chuck, Ex Sighted, The Trapper from Oz.
  • Posse Spirit of the Game Award – Chuck, Deadwood Gunslinger.
  • Category Placings – KT, 4th Place Junior Girls. Sam Balin, 3rd Place Silver Senior Duelist. RC Shot, 6th Place Wrangler. Kathouse Kelli, 1st Place World Champion Lady Wrangler. Ex Sighted, 6th Place Lady Wrangler. Sister Sarah Carnegie, 2nd Place Lady Gunfighter. Pearl Starr, 7th Place Lady 49ers. Chuck, 7th Place 49ers. Jackaroo, 5th Place Silver Senior.

 

This is where we cross over into the Oklahoman's – The Territorial Marshal's faired well and we will include Deadeye Dillard as well 😉

  • Clean Match – Bashful Kate, Greenhill Bart, Highland Scottie (and forgive me if I didn't take note of anyone)
  • Posse Spirit of the Game Award – Grady County Kid
  • Category Placings – Grady County Kid, 4th Place Buckaroo. Roadrunner, 4th Place Frontier Cartridge Duelist. Lady Roadrunner, 10th Place Lady 49ers. Greenhill Bart, 4th Place B-Western. Deadeye Dillard, 3rd Place Cowboy. Jackaroo, 5th Place Silver Senior. Three, yes three World Champions – Kathouse Kelli, 1st Lady Wrangler. Missouri Mae, 1st Lady 49er. Roy's Creek Dan, 1st Senior.

 

Congratulations to the 2017 World Champion overall winners – Matt Black and SASSkicker!

 

Thanks must surely go to Lassiter and Deuce Stevens for a great match, to SASS, the Wild Bunch, Misty, the girls and just everyone who helps 'git er done!' Sensational work as always.

 

That's it…..goodbyes are said, tears are shed, friends will be missed. Safe travels to each and everyone know matter how far you came.

 

Kat xo

 

End Of Trail 2017

Posted on by kathousekelli70

It is June and that means one thing. The World Championships of Cowboy Action Shooting, End of Trail, is on this next week!

 

Well actually we head out today for Moriarty, New Mexico. The van is loaded to the hilt! It will be a full day's drive with the occasional stop on the way.

Tomorrow we will head out to Founders Ranch to pick up our packs and check in. Dropping gear off to other Aussie's and catching up with a few friends.

Saturday will be the start of the Wild Bunch 3 day championship so will be back in touch then!

Travel safely those who are heading that way as well, all 600 of you!

Kat xo

 

End Of Trail Cowboy Action World Championships 2016

Posted on by kathousekelli70

As the saying goes…come for the shooting, stay for the people….its End Of Trail 2016, the 35th Anniversary of cowboy action shooting.

Last Tuesday was warm up day and the start of 6 days of fun. Well for some they could do warm up Monday as well but we were still wild bunching it!

Wednesday I assisted as an instructor in the Doily Gang ladies clinic along with Shamrock Sadie, Two Sons, Sass Kicker and Half-a-hand Henri.

 

We had around 18 ladies that we shared information with and coached through a stage giving them tips for working on or improving their transitions. I hope all the ladies enjoyed it as much as I did, working with 4 other World Champions, all sharing their knowledge.

 

It was on to the official Opening Ceremony that same afternoon. Jack and I had worn our Aussie outfits and I was honoured to carry the Australian flag as part of the ceremony recognising the countries participating this year. Australia, Austria, Netherlands, New Zealand, Italy, Germany and USA participated this year.

 

The 2016 class of new Regulators were announced with many friends recieving the accolade! Top Hand award went to Blackjack Zac. Congratulations to all!

 

Thursday, Friday and Saturday were main match days. 4 stages a day, 36 posses going through 3 waves per day.

We were on Posse 32 – Buck Skunk, Deadeye Colt, Deadeye Jake Maas, Cat Ballou & Tex, Texas Mac & Texas Flower, Doc Neilson, G.W. Wade, Hands, Louie, Ranger McDuffie, Tijeras Pete, Timbercrick Mick, Tooth Ache, Whiskey Rick, Wyatt H. Ristl, Yellowstone Vic, Jackaroo and myself and of course our Posse leader Half-a-Hand Henri. (Was great shooting with – now – a 10 times World Champion and all won in different categories! What an inspiration this lady is!)

 

Saturday night was party and Best Dressed Costume contest. Lots of entrants fronted up for best dressed in different categories but the main one I was concerned about was Texas Flower in the 'Diary of Desire' gown. Doc Barium also showed up in her Seaside gown and hat I had made for her last year! So now I had two entries in the costume contest.

Grin from ear to ear when both ladies with their exceptional stories, were announced as 1st Place for Texas Flower!! 2nd place for Doc Barium and the lovely EZ GeeZee 3rd place for her Mexican civil war gown.

 

To round out the night the Top 16 Mens and Ladies were announced. Made it to the shootout!

Men's – Missouri Lefty, Waterloo, Matt Black, White Lightning Jack, Cobra Cat, Cody James, Creek County Kid, Ranger McDuffie, Roy's Creek Dan, Deuce Stevens, Austin Black, Damascus Jon, Duke Skywalker, Lead Ringer, Nick Nitro, Pecos Nick

Ladies – Shamrock Sadie, Echo Meadows, Kathouse Kelli, Sass Kicker, Slicks Sharpshooter, Bonnie Macfarlane, Panhandle Cowgirl, Two Sons, Spinning Sally, Texas Tiger, Whirlwind Wendy, Diamond Kate, Belinda Belle, Hey You, Little Red Sure Shot, Morguns Ann Ammo

Sunday to finish off a top week of action the shootouts were held for both Wild Bunch and Cowboy. Had a couple of fumbling runs through cowboy, shootout sure gets you going! Congratulations to Slicks Sharpshooter and Cody James for winning the shootout.

For main match awards – well, Jack got a buckle finishing 10th in Silver Senior category, much to his surprise after a 5 round rifle jam on a stage. Aside that, he shot extremely well during the match. Jack's back! Congratulations to General Jubal Early this years Silver Senior World Champion and to all other buckle winners.

 

To all my fellow Lady Wrangler competitors including another Aussie, Ex Sighted in 6th place and to my main competitors finishing 2nd place Echo Meadows (only 9secs between us again but rank points change that), Dew R Dye in 3rd place, a big congratulations to all buckle winners. This is one happy cowgirl taking a back to back world champion win!

 

A huge congratulations to the 2016 Overall Champions – Missouri Lefty and Sass Kicker!

 

What a day, what a week and a half!!

Leaving the dusty trail for another year,

Kat xo

June 26, 2016

 

EOT Wild Bunch 2016

Posted on by kathousekelli70

We arrived into Moriarty a fortnight ago on the Thursday afternoon and got ourselves ready for a huge week!

The Wild Bunch World Championships commenced on the Friday with warm up and side matches.

Saturday, Sunday and Monday were the main match days. Now I managed to convince Jack not to over do it, so he sat this one out. He still came to the range every day with me and was helpful in loading mags and the loading strip while I was listening to stage instructions. (thanks man, love ya)

 

I was with a great Posse, some new faces, some I already knew and have shot with before. A good mix of modern and traditional shooters. Thanks to Texas Jack Morales, Last Chance Morales, Goatneck Clem, Capt Sam Evans, Mojave Mick, Boggus Deal, Lady Jane, Idaho Sixgun Sam, Big Casino, Big Iron Patnode, Colorado Jackson, Beaver John, Claudia Feather, Czexican Dave, Hipshot, Fast Hammer, Marshal Stone, Poke and Tumbleweed Thom.

 

The stages were great, a tough match but a whole lot of fun. The average number of pistol rounds was 25, some had 20 and some had 30 but generally the 30 round only had rifle or shotgun, not both.

 

As you can see from the photos there were a whole lot of knockdowns which made it interesting and I still think I'm getting used to having a front sight again. In short I need to practice on some smaller targets!!

 

Didn't get to do the BAM Match (Bolt Action Military rifle) or long range this time as Jacks rifle sort of fell apart the weekend of the OK State WB shoot. Next time!

Anyway at the end of 3 days……and a week of cowboy in between……I got a neat little badge for 2nd place wild bunch shooting costume. Had a run in the Wild Bunch shootout, AND finished 3rd in Ladies Traditional with two fabulous ladies Lady Jane in 2nd place and the lovely Lacey Doyly the 2016 World Champion Wild Bunch Ladies Traditional!

 

From the one handed shooter!

Kat xo

 

EOT 2015: Main Match Begins

Posted on by kathousekelli70

It's Thursday people! This morning's early wave will be done, mid wave starting and at 1.30pm we will commence the late wave today.

As a side note: at the motel this morning it is a hive of activity. Etta Mae and Claudia Feather have vacated their room early but are standing in hopes of a glimpse of Jeff Bridges. Jeff Bridges you ask? Why? Well there is some filming being done at the Motel, so there are lighting crews, sound crews and production assistants moving gear left right and centre and some of the filming for the movie will take place in Rm18 (Claudia and Etta's room) right next door to ours! Plus the car park and the fields across the road.

 

……….Later that same day out at Founders Ranch, (The important stuff!) safety briefing was held with 12 (of the 36) excited posses ready to hit the range for their first 4 stages of the match.

We are with Posse 32 – Annabelle Bransford, Colbert, Dedo, Duke Skywalker, Hurricane Camille, Jackaroo, James Samuel Pike, John Bohemia, Kathouse Kelli, Max Montana, Rowdy Bill, San Juan, Shenandoah, Tejon Buckaroo, Tex, Texas Flower, Texas Mac, Thunder Man, Tom Payne, Tooth Ache, and V Luna (Viper not in attendance).

We have 2 Aussies, 3 Czech Republic and the rest American. It's a good Posse, everyone is working and relatively fast. So far so good, shot stages 8, 5, 6, then 7 – 1 day down, 2 to go.

 

With worn out feet we withdraw to have our Posse photo taken and we met a tiny little cutie named Clara. She asked for our autograph. So I had a picture taken with her. I actually think she might be Duke Skywalkers daughter. She was a sweetheart though and I hope she does get to be a cowgirl when she can one day.

 

Have a great 2nd day tomorrow those who are here.

Cheers Kat!

Oh, and I got interviewed by Shooting USA today when they were there interviewing the Czech's. 🙂

P.S. 7.32pm – It's still all happening outside! Sneaky pic out the window, I know it's not much but there is gear everywhere out there and soooo many people. Saw a couple of actors waiting on the porch when we came back earlier!! Wasn't game to pull the blind back further so you could see ALL the gear!