I left the house Thursday nite to come up into OR... I'd found a "Wild Bunch" match to be held today outside Caldwell, ID that could work, if the stars were all aligned right. So, I loaded up 1897 Trench gun, 1873 Uberti rifle, and 1911... along with sufficient and compatible ammo... and got all of 19 miles down the road... brakes faded and failed. 3 hours later, they were temporarily fixed... but would have to get redone in Amarillo, where parts were located. So, @ 2am I headed off to Amarillo. Normally I could be there by 7 or 8 am. Not that night! Finally rolled into Armadillo town about 1300hrs on Friday afternoon. 3 hours later, new parts installed and I'm in the wind. 1,000 miles to go, by 0900 Sunday.
All is well, hit WY and realize that my 134th 15,000 mile oil change was due at the stateline. Oh well, maybe Rawlins can get 'er done. Yep, a shower, breakfast, lube and oil change later, I'm rolling again on Saturday afternoon! 190 miles later... KAPOW!!!! what was that... oh, look... rubber is getting spit out the sides of my trailer like I'd struck a rubber well! Phew, it's a trailer tire, the company has to pay for it... Yep, 3 hours sitting on the side of the road waiting for the repair guy!
Yeehaw! I roll into Caldwell, ID about 0330, with the match due to start at 1100 hrs my time... Time to give my pillow my head! ARRRGGHHH! WHAT's that NOISE!!! Turn it off, please! Wait, shooting match, breakfast... 30 minutes drive to parking spot, 30 minute hike to range (unless I can snag a ride)! OK, crawl out of bed. Dressed in cowboy gear... find restaurant... Breakfast is excellent at the Sage Travel Center in Caldwell, ID.
Find range... check time... 0845, worker's due to arrive at 0900 to start setting up for match... Get gear, make like I'm 22 again and start the hike to mile up to the range... Yep, you read that right, UP! Ok, you strap on a gunbelt, drop in 1911, pick up cased long-guns and a 45cal ammo can full of ammo, 30 rounds of 12 guage on your gunbelt and a separate shotshell belt... start your hike at 2497', and stop at 2599'. 1.4 miles later... several rest stops, and nary a soul had passed me... Oh, did I mention that it started sprinkling about the time I unloaded my gear from the truck? Got about 100 yards, and remembered I forgot my ear protection? While back at the truck, I check the computer for any messages... drats, no signal... no internet!
Back on the hike. I stopped for a rest about ¾ of way there, and remember thinkin', "...dummy, your phone's in the truck... your license and id are all in the truck... you're on a private road, carrying ammo, 3 firearms and no id! What'd happen if you had a heart attack? You're a couple miles out of town, think a few shots in the air are going to be sufficient?"
Oh well, no attack, no stroke, oh, but did I mention that about a ¼ of the way there it started to RAIN! Does a loose fittin' Levi jacket constitute cover for a sidearm? Who would care that it's unloaded, all the ammo and magazines are in the closed, sealed can in your left hand, being carried by the handle? Hey, did I tell you about the temp? All of 56ºF.
Well, carrying about 35 lbs of gear, 50 lbs of unnecessary flab... and my years like lead cowboy boots... I arrive at the gate. Closed, locked, not a soul stirring. Gaze off down the dirt road I just walked (trudged be more like it, just falling forward if the truth be known)! Not a whiff of dust. Wait out the hour, decide that I alone, did not get the word that Idahoans melt in the rain... match cancelled.
Oh my good Lord, please let me make it back to my truck without incident! Viola! The Lord answers prayers. But when they're selfish, he exacts a price! The dogs are a'barkin'! Did you know that walking downhill is harder on the calves than walkin' up!? I fire up the computer from it's sleep mode... look again at the schedule... Yep, I had my facts right:
Look at watch... 1000 hours. It was a match of ONE! I declared myself the winner and treated myself to another hike around the Wal-Mart in Caldwell... shop til ya drop Dude!May 26 -Wild Bunch Match on the upper range. Registration at 10:00am and the match start at 10:30am until 2:00pm.
Found some of my favored, non-caffienated, diet soda, a new book, a coupla Hawaiian shirts (Ji would be proud!), did not succumb to any food goods not on my new (started Friday), no-carbohydrate diet! Yea, my shoulder hurts from pattin' myself on the back!
Stumble, if calves cramping up, bad knee (3 operations spanning 45 years if you round up a couple of months) wantin' to wander in directions the rest of me is not pointed... I arrive back at my truck. Load new loot in side. Get in driver's seat... check computer! LOOK! Internet service! Connect, check email and forum... Oh, my... an email came in an hour & ½ earlier... from match director... "We're starting at 11am today, rain delay! Call me and I'll give ya lift out to the range..." yada, yada, yada... Look at watch... 11:20. calculate drive time, etc... oh well... after the hike, I'd be lucky to lift my 1911, let alone shoot it!
So, that's my holiday. How was yours?
