In the last stage of the July Dundee match, I tried to get as many squad-members on video as I could. We were all fairly ready to go home (or to lunch at Abby's Pizza in Newburg ... Giant Linquica pizzas and beer, yum yum!)
The stage is an odd one: start in the Guard Shack, engage 3 IPSC targets with 3 shots each, knock down the 3 pepper poppers (one of which is 'forward-falling'), and clean the 5 plates on the Texas Star. The stage instructions read: "Start in the Guard Shack, do what you usually do." It assumes we know what that means ... and although there was some ribald humor occasioned by the stage procedures, we did, indeed, do what we usually did. What a great way to end a Summer Match!
I filmed The Hobo Brasser, Erik, and as a change up I even have a video of The Geek doing his Limited best on this 23-round stage with lotsa awkward steel (including a straight-up Texas Star). The video also includes relatively new shooter Mike S., the surprising John M, and the high-light of the squad, Jerry D.
The most interesting part of this match was Jerry D. He was shooting an 'old' STI (black finish, no frills, with a C-more) and he did it very well ... although none of us could remember ever seeing him at a match before.
I finally, on this last stage, asked Jerry why he shot so well when we didn't remember him.
"Well, I haven't shot IPSC since 1990" he replied.
Where was the last match he shot?
"Tri-County", he replied, citing a local club.
The story is, Jerry D. signed up with another local shooter, Rich B., whose membership number is 5*.
"But surely that's a Lifetime membership member, Jerry. What's YOUR membership number?"
He cited a middle 3-digit (5**) USPSA Membership number.
Wow, I thought. The Hobo Brasser and I consider ourselves 'old-timers' in USPSA because our membership numbers are mid-1*,*** but Jerry D is truly one of the Pioneers of USPSA.
"So tell, me, Jerry, why is Rich's lifetime membership so low, but you didn't take the lifetime membership option"
He said, "I thought it was a waste of money to pay for the lifetime membership. I just signed up for the annual membership. I didn't think it would last this long."
For those people who don't think that Practical Shooting is an addictive sport, I have to say ... it's hard to stay away.
This is a 3:25 minute video. There's a raw version of the video on You Tube, but if you want to see it with music, click on the embedded video below. (Match scores available here.)
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