Yesterday, we got up at 3:30 A.M. Why, you might ask? We had to get to Clarksville, Tennessee, which is a 4-1/2 hour drive for us. And we had to be there by 8:30 a.m. We were going for The Tennessee Scholastic Clay Target Program state tournament. This is a new sport at our high school and the state tournament is this weekend. Unfortunately, due to vacations and previously planned engagements for the other team members, we had to go with a three person team. Because of this, we were not allowed to shoot the trap portion of the competition, which is what they had practiced all year. Since we only had three team members available we could only participate in the sporting clays competition. Which they had NEVER done before. We didn't even know what to expect. He was shooting at 9 and we thought he would be done by 10. We learned that sporting clays is a 10 "station" event where you shoot ten targets at each station. Each station is different with some being in the woods and some being in the field. And the walking. Oh, the walking. In flip flops. Up and down ridges in the woods. In flip flops. Carrying ammunition, my camera, book, Ipod, and cell phone all in a pretty pink Vera Bradley book bag. Did I mention I had on flip flops? Oh, and it was at least 198 degrees. I felt like one of the families ready to venture into the unsettled west, taking lots of stuff I didn't really need but not realizing I didn't need it or want it until halfway through the journey, probably around Oklahoma. After I had already worn down my pack mules.
Because there were ten stations, and to move things along as quickly as possible, each group started at a different station. Anthony's first station was #6. We walked about 100 yards before we entered the woods, walked along a nice rambling trail, then down a large hill that curved several times and was so steep the golf carts were sliding down it in the gravel. Oh, did I mention all the OTHER teams knew to bring 4-wheelers or golf carts. Just sayin'. At the bottom of this hill was station 5. And, since what goes up must come down, the opposite is also true. We went down, so must go back up. To station 6, which is RIGHT NEXT TO THE PARKING LOT. You see where I'm going with this, right. We walked FOREVER only to end up practically back where we started. In flip flops.
Sporting clays, apparently, are a simulation of hunting. That is why it is in the woods and in fields and all the different stations simulate a different hunting situation. Well, we (I) had never heard of sporting clays. When they were talking about the rabbit I thought there was an actual rabbit. Who picked a horrible day to be strolling around Clarksville. Nope. There is probably not an actual rabbit or bird in the greater Clarksville area due to this particular sporting event. The "rabbit" is a clay target that is rolled/hurled out of its chute at a very high rate of speed that bounces and bumps and jumps across the field in front of them.
There's smiley getting ready to "shoot some wabbits" (just like Elmer Fudd).
Okay, see the rabbit? ME NEITHER!!! If you will look very closely in the middle of the dark, shady spot, in the middle of the picture, there is a little orange spot. Just a fraction above the grass. THAT is the rabbit. THAT is what they were shooting at.
All the rest of the targets were in the air after station #6. The targets would come from beside you and behind you. Often times, the first one would come out quick and the other one was more of a lob. Sometimes the clay would be completely sideways making the target very small and then sometimes it would be turned so that you could see the whole face of the clay.
After we did stations 6 through 10, beside the parking lot, we caught a hay ride back around to... the beginning, where we had to walk the entire course again. In flip flops. At least we got to stop at each station this time, though, for a little rest.
This station was particularly difficult and Anthony had to go first on it (they rotated going first). The targets were going through the trees. The other shooters had the opportunity to watch and see that you needed to wait until the clay passed a particular tree before shooting it, which is why they rotate going first. You can learn a lot from others' success and failure.
The coaches from the two teams took turns working the "pull". This was Tony's turn.
And then there's Alex. She didn't want to go and we had made arrangements for her to stay home with her grandmother. But wait! You may eat at Rainforest Cafe afterwards? Then, I'm going. I can sit through shooting clay targets if I get to eat at Rainforest Cafe on the way home. I can ride 9 hours in a car in one day if I get to go to Rainforest Cafe afterwards. I can sweat through a 198 degree day if I get to go to Rainforest Cafe afterwards.
What? Rainforest Cafe is closed due to flooding in the Nashville area?
That's what she found out when she googled Rainforest Cafe Nashville on her phone at about Anthony's 8th station. Oops, we maybe should have checked that before we left...
We left soon after he finished shooting so we still don't know his results. He did very well, though, on some stations hitting 8 and 9 targets and on the last one he hit all 10. Can't wait to see where he falls in the rankings.
Now, off to nurse my feet after walking the sporting clays course twice. In flip flops. Carrying a pretty pink Vera Bradley bag with lots of unnecessary stuff in it.
In flip flops.
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