| THURSDAY | October 16, 2003 | |
 Hank at Papa Don campsite | October 16 saw Papa Don and the Hankster setting up the first camp. Jef arrived a few hours later, just before sunset, with his couch and carpetting. Jim and Madman showed up around sunset. While sitting around the fire that night, Hank experimented with his Wyoming fireworks on various mortars. Great fireworks. Jef drank too much and passed out early. |  Shade is sought during the day |
| FRIDAY | October 17, 2003 | |
 Cassidy setting pin for bowling ball | More people arrived on Friday, October 17: starting when Raymo showed up with Erik, Petri, and ?, Cassidy, and a film crew doing a cannon party film for a class. Later, Mara and ? arrived. Paco showed up about an hour before sunset, and Hank and Jef went out around 8 to guide Joe and Becca in. Their first time, and they got stuck in vicious traffic which slowed them by about 2.5 hours. John showed up later that night. 2 BBM shots, and a few cannon shots were performed for the visiting film crew. Hank finally got a good mortar launcher and shot up some more fancy fireworks. The film crew left before dark. | |
| SATURDAY | October 18, 2003 | |
 Soon to be Burning sofa
| On Saturday, the 18th, Zeppo was the last to arrive. Jef started the day by mapping (MAP) a loop hike that including the target and airstrip (between which he found 6 cannonballs, including a Hugh Stewart 3 pounder on the airstrip), some artifacts uphill from the airstrip, including a Mojave ? Development Co. sign and a wheelbarrow). He then hiked up the the 3311' high peak west of the cannon party, connected with the ridge road that included a 20' deep test shaft in the middle of the road. This hike concluded by continuing on the road junction with the road going up the canyon to the northeast, down that road and over to the cannon party. Paco shot about 10 cannon balls this day, missing a couple times by only a few feet. Hank, Don, Becca and Joe set out to hike up ridge. 20 minutes later, Jef decided to catch up with them, mapping a new route up the cannon party ridge. He caught up with the group on way down, and then proceded to map their route thru the main cannon party wash. While these guys were out hiking, 2 State Park rangers came by and warned everyone in the camp that this was the last cannon party, and that the site would be cleaned up and turned into a day-use area. Madman facilitated things, and all the obvious violations were not enforced. Cassidy sent up a bowling ball for the visitors before they left. He later sent up 1 or 2 more bowling balls. Madman constructed a crude burning man during the day. Joe finished it off with a head made from one of Jef's sofa cushions. Jef sacrificed his sofa as the burning sofa at dusk. John performed the ultimate camp cooking feat by deep frying an 11 pound turkey in 33 minutes! It was good and was quickly striped of its flesh by ravenous cannoneers, who were treated with mashed potatoes and stuffing, as well! About 10 that night, after Erik had sent up a few rockets, Madman was finally coerced to light his burning man. A pumpking was then sacraficed using some of Jim's fireworks. Jim set off his usual amount of unusual fireworks thruout the night. |  Burning man
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| SUNDAY | October 19, 2003 | |
 Astro Ortega half-pound cheeseburger | On Sunday, Jef and madman started the day with a sunrise shot. Jef got the ball stuck midway down the tube, and so missed sunrise by a few minutes while dislodging it. Jef left before 10. He stopped at Astroburger on way home. |  Yummy! |
| BECCA | Hank's daughter came to her first cannon party with Joe | |
 Fearless leader will learn of this and Boris can now find his Natasha. Watch out squirrel and moose!
|  |  Sure she smiles before the hike! |
| JOE | who drove Becca to the party made his mark | |
 Joe by mining prospect upwash
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|  By the burning sofa
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| MADMAN | came with Jim. Perhaps his first cannon party? did the burning man, used diplomacy skills with State Park rangers | |
 Before the last sunrise shot, Sunday 
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 After burning man was smoldering heap, these bright fireworks added more light | ||
| PAPA DON SITE | Music was generated around Papa Don's campfire Saturday nite | |
 Hank plays while Becca waves goodbye
|  Jefe crashed early on Thursday
|  Elizabeth, Don, Hank
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| THE FILM CREW | came with Tom/Raymo included Connie, Sloan, Sean, and the other guy | |
 Connie and Sloan
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| JIM | brought a warehouse of camping supplies! | |
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|  Jim's portable campfire
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| JOHN | the master chef of this particular party | |
 John lifting finished 11 pound bird -- cooked in 33 minutes! |  Yummy! |  To get such quick results, John has to manually adjust fuel to keep oil at around 315°F
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| HANK | brought some cool fireworks | |
 Ready to party, Thursday nite |  Don and Hank
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| PACO | the cannoneer also brought and played his guitar | |
 The cannon arrives
|  first cannon shot on Sunday
|  Another good day to shoot cannon! |
| CASSIDY | master of the BBM | |
 Black Powdah! |  Setting bowling ball in mortar | Bowling pin overflew film crew on ridge! |
| HIKERS | Hank and Papa Don showed Joe and Becca the other side of the ridge | |
 30 minutes into the hike |  Transition from wash to ridge |  At the ridge; Redrock Canyon in background |
| JEFE | mapped the area (MAP), found a dozen cannonballs, burning sofa man. | |
 sign just on other side of ridge
|  Redrock rest area as viewed from Peak 3311'.
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| THE FINNISH CONTINGENT | including master rocketeers Raymo and Erik | |
 Raymo eating a little dinner
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|  Zeppo |
| PUMPKIN | Nika don't like this pumpkin!!! | |
 Priming the pumpkin |  Back up!!! |  Viola! |