Northern Va Ride II

[twist]

What if I'm big and round and my gut hangs way out?  Does turning sideways make me look smaller?

Probably not, but in my case it makes me look smaller.  And I don't normally wear body armor when just walking around, so that point is moot.

[Sport-Touring]

[MacGyver]

Is this the Russian Weaver stance?  With both eyes closed?  

[twist]

Is this the Russian Weaver stance, with both eyes closed?  

That looks like some fucked up version of isosceles.

[MacGyver]

That looks like some fucked up version of isosceles.

LOL, I see that bassackwards stance day in, day out at the public ranges.  You might as well not shoot, because your not gonna hit shit.

[DNA]

Can someone please bring a MP9? Amd lots of ammo?  Please?  I really want to shoot one.

[twist]

Can someone please bring a MP9? Amd lots of ammo?  Please?  I really want to shoot one.

I wanna shoot one too!  At least take pics/video so I can see  

[MacGyver]

mmmmm...  yummy

[MacGyver]

On 4th of July weekends..... this is how my neighorhood at least sounds.. without the explosions

[hovmaven]

I see a lot of talk of how to stand with tactical tupperware, but still not clear if we are riding, or just riding over to shoot.  I'll check back later.  Earliest I could make the Temple is 10:30.  

[Riceman]

I'm unclear?  First, is a clunker (V Max) rider allowed?  Second, is it Sat of Sun?  If Sat, I'm already too late.  Third, if Sun, exactly where is the meeting place, or maybe meet you in route to somewhere?  Lastly, does the range allow C4, blasting caps and det-cord?

[Windblown]

Lastly, does the range allow C4, blasting caps and det-cord?

   

I for one think the V-max is a great ride!  

[Riceman]

   

I for one think the V-max is a great ride!  

Thanks Wind...I know she (my Max) is an odd bird, and I have accepted that.  Just as I have accepted the fact that people who see my feet think I have a large.....heart?  At any rate, the ride, when and where?  Can anyone answer those two questions?

[MacGyver]

Looking outside my door, the roads are still a slimefest.  The clouds are breaking up.  Waiting till 10:30 or so would make for drier roads.  We are definitely doing a ride, albeit a short one. ~150 miles

Last minute change to 10:30 @ temple, hopefully DaveD hasn't left his home yet.  I'm in no rush to go play in the sloppy remnants of yesterdays rain.

[Riceman]

Well, not being very familiar with ya'lls neck of the woods (temple), and since the notice was short (to me anyhow), and with the slim-clinging roads, I guess I'll have to link up with you guys (and gals) another time.  I already face a long ride to your area, which I dont mind...just need more prep time...and roads that are a bit less slippery.  Also would have to fight the last minute shopper traffic, which if anything like yesterday, will be terrible.  

I might be up for a ride tomorow though.  I think it is suppse to continue to dry, and temps are suppose to hold.  Anyone?

[Riceman]

So far weather looks to be at least alright tomorrow. I realize it is Christmas Eve, but my bike doesnt know it (not yet anyhow).  I am pretty sure I will be riding.  No place in particular.  If anyone is interested in meeting for like a brunch date, I'll be at the Harley shop on Hwy 1 around 10:30, weather permitting.  I know, strange meeting place, but I know where that is!  If one of you has a better suggestion, I'm all ears.

[MacGyver]

Today's ride was like any other NOVA ride.  Two compatriots of gunslinging, DNA and HOV, convened at the Temple to wreak havoc on a quaint range south of Warrenton.  On departing the Temple, we headed south on Poland road towards route 29.  Hiding in the shadows was HOV's dark side.  A side, I myself, have not seen very often.  Breaching the border to Gainesville, HOV saw fit to turn the dotted line into his own lane.  In the midst of this, I see his head down, fiddling with his tank bag headphones unplugged.  I guessed his trusty radio went to pot.  But this must of struck a nerve because he went into full commuter mode.  Certain members of our troupe would of had a fit at this display of road warriorism, but he wasn't along for the ride today.
Traffic was nonstop craptacular congestion all the way down 29. Too many tards, not enough common sense.  C'mon folks! We had shootin' to do!  Lots of folks with out of state tags clogging up the left lane, oblivious to the 50+ car length clusterfuck behind them.  Each of them in search of relatives they probably don't care to see more than once a year.  
Arriving at Clarke Brothers, we found the parking lot packed, along with one truck in particular that had a coyote slain in it's truck  bed.  Dave was gleeful this remnant of a critter was about to be posed on some rednecks' trailer wall.  
We go inside and buy a couple hundreds rounds of various diameters.  I bought 12 rounds for my hand bazooka at 350 grain load and 150 rounds for my XD-40.  Upon our arrival to the range area there were at least 2 open lanes at the 15 yard area.  What luck!  
The paper was stapled to the high-tech post and plank retaining system that obviously spent some time downrange of some crosseyed yokels.  It certified itself ready for the Vatican because it certainly was holy.  Firing commenced and as you can see from HOV's pictures, my new found respect for the Russian Weaver stance.  It is formidable and quite stable.  I had no problem hitting HOV's and Dave's targets, too bad I was aiming for mine.  As you can see from my target, I'm a pretty shitty shotty.  You can see how I keep my head down because Dave's shells kept bouncing off my head.
After our magazine wells came up empty,  we swept up the brass and headed north.  Filtering through the convoluted yuppie lover land of Gainesville, shot onto I-66, and found a nice little sushi spot that had an all you can eat lunch special going on.  It was uber yummy.  The pics will speak volumes on their own.  

Post em' up!

[hovmaven]

Certain members of our troupe would of had a fit at this display of road warriorism, but he wasn't along for the ride today.

He meant "Joey."  

Pics to follow.  Nice read.  I'd forgotten the coyote.    He was certainly dead.  

[hovmaven]

The Temple temps hovered around 50, but Mother Nature shined 60 degrees on our return.  We may be doomed as a planet, but balmy December weather sure is nice.  As you can see, Sling wore his "CCCP" shirt in honor of Twist.  He was even kind enough to point it out (I think the gesture was in honor of Twist, too)  :



Dave D danced with the devil on the somewhat slick backroad to Route 29, but stayed in the gas and avoided the highside.  How you manage that on a straightaway is beyond me, but Dave D's ability to push the envelope is limitless.  

As Sling noted, holiday revelers were out in force, and some of us navigated the clutter better than others.  I'm not naming names, but we almost had to pull over and wait for the Sprint.  

Dave D caught up and off we went to the range.  To our surprise, we found Clark Brothers with its festive bear in full holiday swing:

 

As you can see, the range facilities were, shall we say, minimal.  


Dave and I had Ed and Norton shooting to our left.  It made for an interesting experience.  They kept shooting the 4x4's holding the wood supporting the targets.  At one point they even knocked the cross piece off the support, causing my target to crumple on itself.  I compensated.  Sling and Dave laughed.



As you can see, their stance was a bit more upright:



In deference to Twist, Sling tried to shoot like Twist instructed, but for some reason it never really worked:

[hovmaven]

Targets were shot at and targets were hit:





It'd been five years since I'd touched a gun.  I'd shoot with either of these two any day.  For the record, your tax dollars funded the tactical training used to produce the the second and third targets pictured.  Thank you.   Dave produced a very respectable target but is keeping his day job.  

Weaver, Isocoles or whatever, here's Sling demonstrating the differences in recoil between his .40 caliber and "The Beast."

[hovmaven]

Now I know we ride for pie, but today, Sling wasn't accepting any other answer but "sushi."  Go figure.  

So off to the buffet we went.  I won't say who won track day getting there, but it wasn't Dave or Sling.  

I let Sling pose for the glamour shot anyway:



Today was fun.  One of the shortest rides in NoVa memory to be sure, but a winter riding opportunity that will not soon be forgotten.  I am certainly looking forward to the next one.