Even Closer!

You know what's great about the Olympics? It gives us a chance to see sports that are popular around the world. To see things that we, as Americans, don't get to see, much less dominate as a country. True, the biggest news in America right now regarding the Olympics is "Redeem Team" basketball team. Every game is televised live and then recorded and shown again during prime time. I don't really care. I'm more excited by the fact that we won all three places in womens saber fencing! That's something! But we only hear about it once, maybe twice during the repeats. I was actually awake the other night, watching the woman who eventually finished 3rd in her semi final match. It was really exciting.

I remember as a kid on a Saturday morning, wanting to watch cartoons, but my dad was watching the Olympics, I whined and fussed until my dad said, "Fine, you can watch cartoons today, but not again for four years. The Olympics only happens every four years. You should watch this instead."

All the athletes at the Olympics are very passionate about their sport. This is their biggest stage and it only happens once every four years. I think we should give everyone their due and watch some of those other sports. You may find something really fun to watch. I rather enjoy watching handball and field hockey, even though the U.S. isn't fielding a team handball. Badminton is a quick game and I can't wait until they start televising table tennis! I did miss the first shotgun event, Olympic trap. But I'm not gonna miss the next one.

And speaking of which, I went shooting this weekend. It's been a long time. And I even found a course closer to home than Oak Tree.

Triple B Sporting Clays is down the street. I don't have to get on a freeway to get there if I don't want to, and it's a decent 15 station course. Sunday morning Nicole, my sister-in-law Anette, and I were sitting around. I was supposed to go shooting that morning with a friend but he never called. We started talking about it and Anette decided she wanted to try it. So we packed up the truck and went down.

I'm not a fan of shooting on weekends, it's often really busy, which this place was, not to mention it is summer so it's pretty hot out. But we went anyway with the intent of also finally purchasing my shotgun. We walked into the pro shop and I told the lady what I was looking for, "I'd like to buy a 12 gauge over/under Browning Synergy with 30" ported barrels." She looked at me for a moment and said, "Which Synergy? There are a few different ones."

"Ummmm... The cheapest one with ported barrels?"

"That would be the Synergy Classic Sporting, and we don't have 30" inch barrels in stock. BUT we do have a demo model you can go shoot if you'd like... 32" barrels though."

No problem, I just wanted to shoot. I took the rental, bought some shells and took Anette and Nicole out to the course. Here's the photographs...

In a word, Form. Fantastic form.

Anette knew nothing, I had to show her how to hold the gun, aim the gun and pull the trigger. Even in this picture I had to place her left hand in the crook of the gun so she could balance it right for the pose.

Dan and his trapper.

Admittedly, she does have good form. But then again, I taught her.

I only bought 50 rounds for each of us, and Anette was too afraid of the gun and only shot 10 rounds. I shot 75, before we ran out of money on the card (the only drawback of Triple B is that they don't give you extra targets to "view a pair"). I did okay, hitting 39 of 75, about 50%. I may not shoot great, but I look good doing it.

One week of work, and then on the 21st, I order my gun!

...