Rampage at Ridgeville

Madame and I drove to South Carolina to (lol) compete in the state match. We drove mostly north for 7 hours to have the temperature get hotter. I think the theme of the match must have been hell fire because it was probably the hottest match I shot all summer and I shoot in sticky humid Florida. Doc Kemm, Sue Render, Whiskey Mac, The Cottons, grey dog and everyone else that worked their butts off putting that shindig together, Madame and I thank you. I know Y’All didn’t stop running until this morning. What a weekend!

You want the break down? OK. Madame and Scarlett Darlin were in “Beast Mode” all weekend starting with Madame putting a big crack in the fore stock of her 97 and on the same stage she had a rifle issue and left 6 rounds it. But wait there’s more, after going to the unloading table flustered about breaking her shotty and the rifle jamming she forgot to unload her pistols. Very first stage she was dinged a SDQ. Sorry Madame. That didn’t stop her though, she was clean on I think every stage after that and put down some of the best times that I have seen her shoot. She recovers better than I do.

Me? What can I say, let’s see, I had fun. I had a rifle jam that left 3 unfired rounds on day one with one other miss on those 5 stages. then 3 misses and a P on the next days 5 stages. I can create a list of things that caused a bad match but they wouldn’t be accurate.(neither was my shooting) I think my biggest enemy is I’m lazy and don’t practice as much as I should if I want to win. I had some pistol runs that felt good and some shotguns that were smooth but could do all of them on the same stage.

 Shelleen was on this weekend. I give him a lot of crap and lets face it he probably deserves most of it so why stop now. He wasn’t feeling so good Saturday after shooting and didn’t attend the awards Sunday morning. The one time he doesn’t go to the awards he buckles in 49er 5^th place and 8^th over all! He had some good runs and some nice shotgun work. I like to think it’s my tutelage and words of encouragement. Either way he had a great match. He left an hour or so ahead of Madame and I but we still caught up to him at the waffle house on I-10 and 301 to give him his buckle. If you ever rode with Shelleen you know how that can happen.

As the sun beat down on us Delta Glenn stepped up and shot a clean match and finished 5^th over all. With his normal smooth shooting he mowed down stage after stage and bottle after bottle of water. We heard a story at dinner about a friend of his that could out eat him any night of the week inspiring Shelleen to throw the bullshit flag and I’m pretty sure the rest of us called shenanigans.

As the match moved along the humidity and heat rose. But Santa Fe River Stan didn’t let that slow him down at all, putting up impressive times and shooting clean. He had some fans come find him on the range, they saw the video that Hawk Eye Gin made a few years ago and were impressed. I think I saw him sign a few autographs. At the awards Sunday morning as Slippery Stew read the names of the fastest time on the stages Santa Fe River Stan’s name was almost worn out. He had a great match and I enjoy shooting with him.

Deadly Don and Cowboy Jon made the trek up from Florida. Cowboy Jon took first place in his category and Deadly Don had fun with me. Especially on the stage that had the longest run of the match he and I put up our best times of the match, go figure. Cowboy Jon had issues with his shotgun and used mine on the last stage so he is now one with the force. ;)

We all traveled there and home safely and had a good time meeting new friends and reconnecting with old friends. It was hot, I didn’t shoot well, Shelleen had a good match and a rock cracked Madame’s windshield. It was still better than a good day at work.