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Post by fred on Apr 25, 2015 8:00:12 GMT -6
For those of you who care, the LBHA is holding its 2015 convention in Lynchburg, Virginia, from June 11 (a Thursday) through Saturday, June 13. Actually, I believe it begins officially on Wednesday, June 10, but I think that is more of a back-slapping event for old friends than anything of real interest.
These are generally pretty neat events, the lectures and the dinner being the highlights, at least in my mind. There are also tours to areas where George Custer fought during the Civil War, but I usually skip those. I have been to two of these shindigs-- one in Hagerstown, MD, and the other in Billings, MT-- and enjoyed them both and this year I intend to arrive some time in the afternoon of Friday, June 12, and will be hanging around until Sunday morning when my wife and I will probably make our way toward Myrtle Beach and-- hopefully-- a few days in the sun. We are getting seriously tired of 37ยบ mornings!
It would be a real hoot to meet any of you who can make it.
Best wishes, Fred.
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Post by tubman13 on Apr 25, 2015 15:16:39 GMT -6
Fred, Can non members attend on a daily basis? I am certain I can pick up an agenda on line. Custer's closest location to there would be Appomattox, 30 mins. away, via US 460. Charlottesville, another Custer location, a long hr. away, Tr. Station about 2 hrs. away.
Regards, Tom
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Post by fred on Apr 25, 2015 17:11:11 GMT -6
Can non members attend on a daily basis? Yes... they will only charge you for an event like the dinner on Saturday evening. I can bring you in as a guest... that is what you would tell them as you came in. No charge for the lectures. I believe there are 2 or 3 Friday morning-- probably around 9 AM; and another 2 or 3 Saturday morning. Afternoons are free time and some sort of organized grab-ass, but Lorne Langley has built in a lot of free time so friends can get together. I think he is doing a very nice job with this conference. Again, I will try to get in by late Friday afternoon. It's at the Holiday Inn, but since they probably do not accept little dogs, I will wind up staying elsewhere. Don't know where yet.... Best wishes, Fred.
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Post by fred on May 14, 2015 20:09:56 GMT -6
Since my friends and I will not be going to the LBH this year... but I will be at the LBHA conference in Lynchburg-- at least for a day and one half-- I thought I would put up a photo of us in June 2013. We six clowns are the guys on the left. The Keogh impersonator on the right is Lorne Langley, the fellow responsible for putting on the Lynchburg conference. Lorne is a good fellow and we razzed his butt something mercilessly... Best wishes, Fred.
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Post by dave on May 14, 2015 20:53:38 GMT -6
Fred I wish I could make the conference this year. It is only about a 12 hour drive and I would be there except: I am still on crutches and will be till at least June 1st. I have been wearing a boot for my foot since April 2nd and will till the end of June, so no driving since it is my right achilles tendon. My GG Grandfather was a member of the 29th Virginia Infantry and was captured at Dinwiddie Court House on March 30, 1865 which is not a fur piece away. I think I'll stop whining now. Regards Dave
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Post by fred on May 15, 2015 5:00:47 GMT -6
I wish I could make the conference this year. It is only about a 12 hour drive and I would be there except... Dave, I wish you could be there as well, but I know exactly what you are going through. I missed my LBH trip with my friends in 2011 because of a cancer operation. The key is to stop the ops!!! Right! I hope you are doing OK... Best wishes, Fred.
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Post by Beth on Jun 11, 2015 19:23:43 GMT -6
I wonder how the Conference is going.
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Post by tubman13 on Jun 12, 2015 4:26:23 GMT -6
Beth, Fred arrives today, I will join him tomorrow morning. Can't tell you.
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Post by Beth on Jun 12, 2015 11:16:38 GMT -6
Beth, Fred arrives today, I will join him tomorrow morning. Can't tell you. Thanks!
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Post by tubman13 on Jun 14, 2015 5:11:34 GMT -6
Beth, In short, it was a good time, spent with good people. Met a number of writers, want to be writers, historians, want to be historians, all knowledgeable. Two of the writers you will be familiar with were Bruce Liddic and Jerry Greene. Chip Custer, great, great nephew of George and Tom, resemblance is remarkable.
Literary awards given to Fred, Jerry Greene, and Gordon Harper. Tori Harper will be proud of what was said by the association and her dad's publishers, via text.
Costumes worn at dinner were fabulous, especially by the women.
Fred did a great job of mingling, networking, and introducing me around.
So as not to disappoint I got into a small dust up with one of the project manager, Lorne Langley, regarding Custer's performance. Lorne was a real gentleman, put up with me, defended GAC, ripped Reno, to say the least we came from different points of view. I need to e-mail him and thank him and Brian for the hard work they put in to make this a success.
I introduced Bill Rini to dropin, he was a gentleman. I liked last nights costume better than the one in the avatar.
The conference will be in the Black Hills next year.
Regards, Tom
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Post by fred on Jun 15, 2015 10:49:58 GMT -6
I got back yesterday evening about 6 PM... some 500 miles of driving. Got down there around 2 or 3 PM Friday, fully intending to go to the various lectures, then meet Tom on Saturday and head out to Appomattox. The only thing I succeeded in doing was meeting Tom.
This was my 3rd LBHA conference and with the exception of the wedding of my best friend's son, I have never enjoyed myself more at any large gathering. This conference was absolutely marvelous. I wound up meeting Chip Custer-- GAC's great, great grandnephew; Rick Gutterson, who not only married into the Custer family, but whose own relative was killed on LSH; Jerome Greene; Jeff Broome; and an-almost-92 year old Ed Bearss, who I might believe many of you have seen on these history programs. (Plus, he is a Georgetown graduate, which makes it even better for me.)
All in all, the conference was fabulous. I hope I didn't leave Tom in the lurch, trying to include him in everything, but it seems he succeeded quite well in having a decent time. And several people commented to me about what a good guy he is... so at least that worked out well. His little tiff with Lorne Langely was nothing more than any other discussion any of us have ever had, so the beer soothed all the jangled nerves-- if there were any. My hoo-hah with Langely and Rini after the dinner and after Tom had left was a lot more contentious and ended with some laughs and another beer.
Next year's conference will be in Rapid City and my friends and I have already signed on.
In all seriousness, this conference in Lynchburg was spectacular. What a great time we had... despite the worst dinner I have ever had in my life... though the chocolate cake was pretty good!!
Then, to top it all off, this highly-seasoned traveled, for the first time in his life, leaves behind a custom-made blazer, a custom-made shirt, and a pair of Brooks Brothers slacks. I noticed only when I got home!!!!! The rainbow had some light, however, and they are FedEx'ing the whole suit bag to me. Stupidity... or age-creep?
Best wishes, Fred.
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Post by tubman13 on Jun 15, 2015 16:26:59 GMT -6
Fred, Age. You old fart, I would never have said that prior to meeting you. Thanks again, the wife wants to go to Rapid, I can probably find you and yours a free bed. Sharpen your shooting skills, as I will be able to put you on a 23,000 acre cattle ranch to shoot prairie dogs. Can you ride?
Regards Tom
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Post by tubman13 on Jun 15, 2015 16:32:21 GMT -6
Chuck, You can come as well, but leave your A3-03 at home, I will lend you a .223/.556 and show you how to load, the scope will help you. Now can we drag Will?
Regards, Tom
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Post by tubman13 on Jun 15, 2015 16:33:06 GMT -6
I know Chuck, and the horse I rode in on!
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Post by quincannon on Jun 15, 2015 17:12:20 GMT -6
I am not sure I can handle a 5.56mm. Is it anything like a Brown Bess? Now that was a weapon. Does this 5.56 thingie still require that I have to mold my own shot? Not much for that new fangled store bought stuff you know. My Brown Bess has an effective range of near on two thousand yards, and even more if I prime the pan. Usually I just give it a good shake and it discharges on its own.
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