I love shooting Steel Challenge matches but for the past year I haven't been able to finish a match. I may get in one or two of the eight stages and then have to leave because I'm too weak to go on or just feel sick. It doesn't help that I'm in a wheelchair and sometimes the mud on the range prevents me from getting to the shooting boxes.
Today, the weather was beautiful. Started out cold, 53 degrees and 30 mph winds but it warmed up nicely to be in the mid 60s during the match. My group started at a different stage from our normal start position which helped a lot. We started at the far left stage on the range. From there we move from left to right until we complete the course of fire. I was able to get to stage one with no problems and stage two is right next to it so, there was limited movement for me to traverse with my wheelchair.
The bays run downhill and it's a real problem coming back out of them. I have to go backwards so I can use my legs more to get the strength to move that far. Between my legs and arms it gets hard to move and I'm tired by the time I get out of the bay.
I finished the first two stages, for this year I've had to give up at this point because I was too tire to move on or two dizzy. I have been really sick this past year and just didn't have the strength to go on. Today I felt strong and really wanted to finish. Bay two is about 125 yards down a slight hill. It's Smoke & Hope which I love to shoot. I got down to the shooting area and couldn't roll up to the shooting box. I couldn't go over the deep tire tracks and thought I'd have to skip the stage but two guys volunteered to help me walk to the shooting box and one brought my wheelchair so I could sit down.
Another long trip back up the bay to get to the next shooting area. I made it and rested before the rest of the group was done. Another long bay to get down but it was down hill slightly and I could roll most of the way with limited effort. This bay had three stages laid out and were pretty close to each other. It wasn't difficult so I made it without trouble. Another long trip back up the hill and then around the berm to the next bay, down hill again and two stages set up. I had the strength to make it. I didn't want to give up. Glad I brought gloves with me because they protected my hands from the small rocks being caught on my wheels.
Well, I finished all eight stages. First time in a year I felt great but tired. Finally someone asked if I needed help getting to my car and they pushed me. The squad was all parked together, we said our goodbyes and hoped we'd get together next week for another match hosted by a different club. I don't know if I can make it but I'm going to be riding my stationary bike to build up my strength.
I shot my Black Mamba with a green dot. I could hardly see the dot, it was a cheap one because I couldn't find my C-More. that I normally use. I found two but they didn't have the mount on the bottom. I ordered a mount, the day it came in I found my C-More with the mount. Isn't that the way it always happens. Order a new part and then find the one you already have.
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Originally Posted by okie john
