"Be Donald"
Patty
left early in the morning to meet up with friends at Winter Range.
Dave, well...Dave went to a roping. There are few consistencies in
life: death, taxes...and Dave's obsessive compulsive roping disorder
(OCRD) among the most prevalent. It's a good thing he's good at it or
Cindy would have to hide his roping gloves.
Cindy
and I set up a drill we learned at one of the Kenda clinics for
mounted shooting. The drill incorporates several gates and three
barrels. The center barrel is your starting and ending point. You
circle the center barrel then shoot a single gate...round an end
barrel and shoot a three target cluster before returning to the
center barrel making a gun change and shooting an identical pattern
on the opposite end. Once you get that down...you run it in the
opposite direction.
We
each shot the drill both directions before setting up an actual
pattern. The random number generator on my phone picked #83. Cindy
showed me a better way to run. I have a tendency to want to run a
course so that I shoot the rundown cross. When I first started
shooting, a lot of shooters told me it was harder to shoot the
rundown “weak” (cross shots)...so that's all I practiced. Now I
prefer it. It's also how you shoot shotgun. Some shooters can shoot a
shogun run “strong” but those guys might be freaks. Way beyond my
skill level.
It
was a good practice. I focused on the things Kenda taught. “Shoot
late and you'll be right on time.” - “Lock on – arm straight –
tight grip – chin to your shoulder – mean, hunter face.” It's
also helpful to practice when you have another person there to help
point out things you might not know your doing. And not just the
things you might be doing wrong – but pointing out the good things,
too. Offering encouragement instead of criticism. There is a place
for constructive criticism – but maybe there's an even bigger need
for encouragement. Especially among women. I agree with Cindy when
she says that women are often tougher on themselves than need be.
When
I get to feeling self conscious...which is often – I tell myself
to “Be Donald” from the movie“Space Cowboy's” staring Clint
Eastwood, Donald Sutherland, Tommy Lee Jones and James Gardner. The
four are standing in line buck naked for a physical. Clint, Tommy Lee
and Gardner are self conscious about being exposed. They awkwardly
try to cover themselves and melt into the shadows unseen. Meanwhile,
Donald, a safe bet the least attractive of the four, is standing
chest out, feet apart – hands on hips with a shit eating grin on
his face tall and proud. He is overflowing with confidence and self
assurance. In his mind, he sees himself as a young man in his prime
flaunting it for all to see. He believes it enough that others can't
help but believe it too.
It's
that kind of confidence and devil may care attitude that we need to
succeed. While I don't plan on standing buck naked in line with
anybody – friends or not – I will try to think of that scene.
When I go out to make a run....start my circle with confidence. Pull
my gun like I mean it...assume the hunter position and grip the
handle of my runnin' irons like Nancy Peloski herself is trying to
pry it from my hands. Be aggressive...be purposeful...be Donald.
~
Patty
surpassed her Bonfire skills with the best yet. Perfect toe warming
coals and little smoke. Dave and Cindy joined us around the fire when
they got home. I brought out the apple pie that Jamie Z. had put
together shortly after I got here nearly two months ago. It's been in
Cindy's freezer waiting to be baked. Cindy doesn't have an oven in
her RV. I baked it in my portable Coleman Oven I bought with money
co-workers donated for my retirement. Why these newer LQ's come with
a microwave instead of an oven makes no sense. I use the thing for a
bread box.
I
look forward to Patty's evening bonfire each night. Four pairs of
boots propped up on the cinder-block ring and faces toward the star
filled sky. Discussions of the days events and plans for what the
next might bring...all carried into the night in a wisp of smoke that
smells of mesquite.
