Late Winter Shoot
This year was a relative breeze compared to the problems last year with the travel, with juggling breastfeeding a baby with shooting, with my bow being too heavy for me, and just general frustration. http://dubhease.livejournal.com/28457.html
We didn't leave until 8:10, but we got there by about 11:00. We made a slight detour to an archery store very near the event. I never used the bow I bought last September that I was so excited about. When Piers looked at it, he told me that he thought it was illegal. I looked at the Marshall's Handbook and he was right. The metal clips on the strings are okay at most ranges, but not for the SCA. I was briefly mad at Canadian Tire for selling me a bow that was not usable until I figured out that the SCA just had higher standards. Piers figured out that we could just buy a new string and searched on-line for archery stores in Petrea Thule.
The new string was sticky at first and I found shooting it to be a challenge. The bow was the perfect weight for me, but I had a lot of problems getting my form right since I hadn't shot since last July. I was complaining to Tempus that I was really pissed off that Peterborough, population 75,000, has 2 archery ranges while Ottawa, population 800,000, has none. He just looked at me and said that actually they have 3.
Towards the end, I hit more of my groove, but by then the shoot was over. I thought that the Winter Shoot was 10 rounds, instead of 8. I guess that is a good thing that I could have done more instead of thinking "Is this almost over?" because I was dying. My final score was 15. Last year it was 3. This is a 500% improvement. Nathaniel got a 19 and was really bummed about it until I told him mine. Then he announced, "So, I guess I'm not the worst archer in Ealdormere." Well, I don't feel like I am either. I got out there, having shot less than 10 times in my life, finished the whole thing, improved as a I went on, and quintupled my score from last year. There isn't any point in comparing myself to people who go to archery practice once a week. In the end, I am only interested in comparing myself to my previous scores and seeing whether I am improving.
Piers got an 85, compared to a 53 last year. He is a natural archer. He hasn't shot since last July either. If he had the opportunity to practice 2-3 times a month, he could be giving some of the Thulians a run for their money in a year or two.
I broke more arrows this year than Piers for a change. Most of my beautiful black and red arrows are now all screwed up. If I have any money in July, I should get someone to buy me more at Pennsic.
herr_reinhart was there. I had no idea he was even into archery, but he appeared to do quite well. Daffyd didn't shoot as he was busy autocrating. Robert Guerin shot and won. Watching Robert is always inspiring for me; it really is like watching poetry in motion. I met Gunnar - Gunnar the chocolate bearer - who came better stocked than the average Laura Secord store. The Septentrian baronial results were announced. Perceval and his wife will be their new baron and baroness. Anne Tinker was the receipient of the bronze arrow that is passed to the one who most inspires you - she was selected by Cecilly
The social highlight of the day was talking with Aelfwyn. She identified the bow that Piers was using, not as the baronial bow as I preveiously had thought, but as one that she had won at an archery competition while she was in high school. I had come prepared to surrender it to the barony and had even asked Edhan to take it home to give to Derfel and Melisande. Instead, not only did we get to take it home, but Aelfwyn was so happy that someone was using it and loving it that she gave it to Piers and shook his hand to confirm that it was now his. I had previously been in contact with Ragni to buy it from the barony as a Christmas present for him. Now, it is just his.
Happy shooting with your new bow, Piers!
We didn't leave until 8:10, but we got there by about 11:00. We made a slight detour to an archery store very near the event. I never used the bow I bought last September that I was so excited about. When Piers looked at it, he told me that he thought it was illegal. I looked at the Marshall's Handbook and he was right. The metal clips on the strings are okay at most ranges, but not for the SCA. I was briefly mad at Canadian Tire for selling me a bow that was not usable until I figured out that the SCA just had higher standards. Piers figured out that we could just buy a new string and searched on-line for archery stores in Petrea Thule.
The new string was sticky at first and I found shooting it to be a challenge. The bow was the perfect weight for me, but I had a lot of problems getting my form right since I hadn't shot since last July. I was complaining to Tempus that I was really pissed off that Peterborough, population 75,000, has 2 archery ranges while Ottawa, population 800,000, has none. He just looked at me and said that actually they have 3.
Towards the end, I hit more of my groove, but by then the shoot was over. I thought that the Winter Shoot was 10 rounds, instead of 8. I guess that is a good thing that I could have done more instead of thinking "Is this almost over?" because I was dying. My final score was 15. Last year it was 3. This is a 500% improvement. Nathaniel got a 19 and was really bummed about it until I told him mine. Then he announced, "So, I guess I'm not the worst archer in Ealdormere." Well, I don't feel like I am either. I got out there, having shot less than 10 times in my life, finished the whole thing, improved as a I went on, and quintupled my score from last year. There isn't any point in comparing myself to people who go to archery practice once a week. In the end, I am only interested in comparing myself to my previous scores and seeing whether I am improving.
Piers got an 85, compared to a 53 last year. He is a natural archer. He hasn't shot since last July either. If he had the opportunity to practice 2-3 times a month, he could be giving some of the Thulians a run for their money in a year or two.
I broke more arrows this year than Piers for a change. Most of my beautiful black and red arrows are now all screwed up. If I have any money in July, I should get someone to buy me more at Pennsic.
herr_reinhart was there. I had no idea he was even into archery, but he appeared to do quite well. Daffyd didn't shoot as he was busy autocrating. Robert Guerin shot and won. Watching Robert is always inspiring for me; it really is like watching poetry in motion. I met Gunnar - Gunnar the chocolate bearer - who came better stocked than the average Laura Secord store. The Septentrian baronial results were announced. Perceval and his wife will be their new baron and baroness. Anne Tinker was the receipient of the bronze arrow that is passed to the one who most inspires you - she was selected by Cecilly
The social highlight of the day was talking with Aelfwyn. She identified the bow that Piers was using, not as the baronial bow as I preveiously had thought, but as one that she had won at an archery competition while she was in high school. I had come prepared to surrender it to the barony and had even asked Edhan to take it home to give to Derfel and Melisande. Instead, not only did we get to take it home, but Aelfwyn was so happy that someone was using it and loving it that she gave it to Piers and shook his hand to confirm that it was now his. I had previously been in contact with Ragni to buy it from the barony as a Christmas present for him. Now, it is just his.
Happy shooting with your new bow, Piers!