Some R&R before winter settles in

We arrived in Prescott Arizona yesterday afternoon. We are here to shoot in the Arizona State Steel Challenge on Saturday. Today we ran out to the range to check it over, and learned that a small 5 stage match was going to be held, so we came back to town to buy some ammo to shoot the match. It was a fun match and afterwards we came back to town, ate rather well at A Golden Corral buffet and we are now resting in our motel. Neither of us slept well last night so we are tired.
Tomorrow we have a tour of the Ruger factory, then plan to do a little sightseeing in the afternoon. I want to got to the Gateway mall where I worked a number of years ago. I know at least two of my friends still work there so it would be nice to see them again. I will have photos and a report after we get home on Monday.

Cool Stuff, and thought for the day

Thought for the day:

Only by going too far can one possibly find out how far one can go.

Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge

I have driven across the top of the Hover Dam in Colorado on journeys to and from Arizona a few times, and I must say it was a rather um! interesting drive. The road is very narrow with some rather tight curves to navigate, especially if a semi-truck, large RV or some other vehicle was coming from the opposite direction.
Although the view is stunning, what you could see of it while trying to keep your eyes on the road ahead, you can now bypass the view from the top of the Hoover dam, by driving an alternative route across the newly constructed Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge.
The Federal Highway Administration, in conjunction with the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT), officially opened the new segment of US 93, formally known as the Hoover Dam Bypass. Traffic began flowing on Tuesday night, October 19, 2010. Click HERE for more interesting information.

The new Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge Spans the Colorado river's Black canyon, with the Hoover dam with it's narrow winding road leading up to, across and over the other side just 1500 feet away.

What an amazing feat of engineering construction, and a beautiful work of art to boot.

Most arch bridges are cast elsewhere, but this one was built here, 900 feet above the river.

The cost of the project was $240 million, took five years to construct by about 1500 workers.

An absolutely fabulous sight.

Wordless Wednesday

Pictures of the day

Sunday morning we were up at 5:30am to get ready to catch the ferry from Clinton across to the mainland. As there was only one ferry running, the other had been pulled from service due to mechanical difficulties, we thought we would check out the terminal webcam to see just how bad the backup was. The backup was not as bad as we thought so we made sure we were on the dock to catch the 7:30 ferry.
With fog horns blaring now and again, and the fog swirling damp and thick around us, we slowly made the crossing. As we approached the dock at Mukilteo, the sun was beginning to break through the fog just beyond the trees, painting the scene with some wonderful ethereal effects.



To read about the rest of our day click HERE

It's a pea souper

Brrr! it is a damp clammy morning, one we are hoping the sun will burn off after a while. This kind of cold, wet fog seeps into your bones, making you shiver and shake and head towards the nearest warm place looking for a hot cup of coffee.

Wednesday humour

Bill, Jim, and Scott were at a convention together and were sharing a large suite on the top of a 75-story skyscraper. After a long day of meetings they were shocked to hear that the elevators in their hotel were broken and they would have to climb 75 flights of stairs to get to their room. Bill said to Jim and Scott, let's break the monotony of this unpleasant task by concentrating on something interesting. I'll tell jokes for 25 flights, and Jim can sing songs for 25 flights, and Scott can tell sad stories the rest of the way. At the 26th floor Bill stopped telling jokes and Jim began to sing. At the 51st floor Jim stopped singing and Scott began to tell sad stories. "I will tell my saddest story first," he said. "I left the room key in the car!"

There seems to be a trend developing, one which will be nipped in the bud

I can remember a time when I could count on the fingers of one hand, how many times I have fallen down in my life, but can top that now by falling down three times in six months.
My first topple was off a bicycle I rented while in Holland in May, that one resulted in bruises, scrapes and pulled muscles. Last month I stepped back while writing down scores for shooters at a match in Reno, did not see the rock directly behind me, and tripped over it to come crashing down, resulting in more injuries. This morning, while at the grocery store, I turned to look for something behind me, caught the heel of my shoe on the wheel of the shopping cart, and came down hard on the concrete floor. The two young men who were stocking vegetables came running to help me. One asked if I was hurt, I said I will probably feel more as time goes by, and I sure do. I now have both hips which hurt, a pulled muscle in my groin, and a slight sprain of my right hand. Dang! I told myself the last time I fell, "be more careful"

5 stage Steel challenge

The season for steel challenge is winding down as winter approaches, well at least it is winding down for me, as I am pretty much a 'fair weather shooter' and I do not enjoy shooting while my teeth chatter with cold. On Friday, we left for the range which is located just outside of Yakima WA. This is not the first time we have been to this range and you can see previous visits HERE and HERE

Mr C chowing down a cinnamon roll (home made of course) and a cup of coffee before the match commences.

Shara draws the score sheet of the person who is to shoot first on our first stage.

Texas two step?... no.....oh look! it is the Outer limits sprint!!

Matt times Mr C as he shoots Outer limits, a stage which can make or break you in a match. It sure did me in this time, as it seems I just could not get my act together. Oh well! I had fun regardless of my performance, and that is what the sport is about. If you are not having fun, then go find something else to do.

I finished third behind MR C who shot two guns
Mr C
62.80
63.34
Keewee
94.48

We had a great time as usual, two meals at our favorite little 50's themed diner in Moxee, and topped it off with a Dairy Queen ice cream when we arrived back on the island. We have a tradition of stopping at DQ when we come back onto the island after a trip away.