Excuses

The RRR gives the top excuses for having shot 15th or 16th in pistol competition at the Iowa games.

1. I hadn't shot one handed competition since 1979.

2. I'd never shot International Free Style before.

3. I worked all night and was so fatigued I passed out on the ground between matches.

4. The spare magazine I bought on Friday wouldn't work Saturday so I had to use one mag and quickly reload between five shot strings.

5. I was expecting to shoot at noon and got stuck in as last shooter at 10 a.m. without chance to adequately mentally prepare.

6. The indoor range was as hot as an oven and the sweat kept running in my eyes and fogging and streaking my glasses.

7. I forgot my handkerchiefs to make a sweat band and wipe my face and glasses between strings. (see 6 above)

8. The range master was deaf and going senile and kept making the wrong instructions.

9. The cheap target ammo I bought at Sprawl Mart gave me a dud, that caused an alibi shoot and took away my five best shots on one target.

10. People kept violating the red light and going in and out of the door behind me during the shoot and breaking my concentration.

11. I've been doing combat shooting the last 3 years using a big bore cop gun with a 5 lb. trigger pull and my target .22 only has 1 1/2 lb. and is balanced totally different.

12. I'd drank so much coffee to stay awake, my hands were shaking.

That all being said, Mrs. RRR and I had a great time and I enjoyed the camaraderie with the other shooters. The Isaac Walton League facility in Ames is fantastic and the Boy Scout troop they sponsor who had the food concession did a great job.

Most importantly: Just Wait Till NEXT Year!