The BLACKHAWK! Bus Awaits the Bloggers
While Sunday is a day of rest for most people, for the team at BLACKHAWK, LBM and a few dedicated outdoor, shooting sports and law enforcement bloggers, it was a day of travel to meet and make new friends. Today kicks off BLACKHAWK!’s 2010 Blogger Seminar. Laura and myself (Ashley) have flown or driven in from NH and MD to aid the team at BLACKHAWK! in welcoming eight bloggers from various backgrounds, disciplines, interests and geographical locations to the BLACKHAWK! Headquarters here in Norfolk, VA.
After I had a near death experience following my four-hour drive from MD (I was almost sideswiped by a car in front of our hotel and was missed by literally half a foot) and a missed plane by “Bullet Boy,” by 6:45 pm all our bloggers had arrived safe and sound and had received their first tour of the wonderful BLACKHAWK! facility. This was followed by a delicious western themed “Meet & Greet” BBQ served by Bistro Bill. At the close of the first night, many new friends had been made and the anticipation for the following day’s events wer high.
We’ve gathered some amazing bloggers with fantastic stories to tell. Take for instance Rev. Kenn Blanchard. Perhaps you better know him as the “Black Man With a Gun.” He’s a former U.S. Marine, federal police officer and now a full-time pastor, counter terrorism intelligence analyst, podcaster and blogger for several outlets. Or maybe your passion is hunting. Perhaps you’ve read Kevin Paulson’s blog, HuntingLife.com, which is the world’s premier outfitter directory and international source for Hunting and Conservation News. We’ve also brought in Barbara Baird, who heads up Womens Outdoor News, the one stop shop for news, reviews and stories about women in the outdoors. Or perhaps you’ve heard of James Rummel. His blog, “Hell in a Handbasket,” is the go-to source for those who are just beginning to explore the issues of self-defense, home security and the shooting sports. His speciality is in teaching the disabled and elderly in how to protect themselves, and some of the stories he’s already told us have been amazing.
While some bloggers prefer to be known, other’s like their identities protected, and we’re ok with that. One such blogger we have with us goes by the alias of “Bullet Boy.” Although not a professional in the field, he has a passion for shooting sports, reloading and weaponry. Art Welling is a teacher by day and a blogger by night. His blog focuses on shooting topics in all forms and his use of photography within his blogs has been well noted and applauded. Our last two bloggers are Richard Johnson and Jim Braaten. You may know Richard best for BlueSheepdog.com. This particular blog is considered an important resource for law enforcement training and news. Jim runs several blogs; the Star Tribune Blog, which is reserved more for topics that have an outdoor appeal in the Upper Midwest, and the Sportsman’s Blog, where he discusses all happenings outdoors – hunting, fishing, trapping, camping, etc, as well as product reviews.
We’re very excited to host these fabulous bloggers here at BLACKHAWK! and hope to give them an experience they won’t soon forget. Tomorrow proves to be a full day covering various products and trips to the range. Stay tuned for a wrap up on the second day!
