Well, the flood didn't carry me off...

But it did run me off, at least at night! I'll fill you in on that part later.

I know it's been a while, but things have been hectic around here again. I'll get into all that in another blog, but for now let me apologize for not commenting on all of your blogs. I promise I'll try to be better about that in the future!

I should probably also break this up into a few small blogs rather than one long one, but that just isn't my style. Instead I guess I'll steal a move from mom who stole it from Kate and warn you that this will be a long one, and if you aren't ready for it just come on back later when you are! I really need to get back to blogging more regularly so that things like this don't happen, but I have a few new responsibilities at work that have me tied to a computer more than I would like, and so my desire to hop right back on one later in the day has waned a bit. I'll try to get it back on track soon though!

I also wanted to tell you about my little adventure this weekend. If you'll recall from my last blog, I was heading about an hour north to participate in an archery contest this past weekend. I went up there Thursday and got started on building my own bow to be able to shoot it on Sunday as part of the competition. I did not know a soul before leaving, but I met a ton of nice and helpful people over 4 days. In fact, everyone I met was really nice and super helpful. This is one of those places where you could set something down, like your several thousand dollar custom bow, walk away for a while, and when you came back it was still there. I'm not sure I would have the guts to do it, but hey, more power to the guys that were willing to risk their expensive custom bows that way!

While I was working on my bow, I met a guy and his dad from IL that were there on their own as well, and were building a bow together. We hit it off and they let me buddy up with them for the rest of the time, which was really nice of them.

I started on my bow Thursday afternoon about 1:30 or so, and by Friday afternoon I fired my first ever arrow! It was really a neat feeling to shoot my first arrow ever from my first bow ever knowing that I had made the bow myself.

The process involved in making a bow was pretty simple, which I guess given the fact that there is like a bazillion years of history in these things shouldn't surprise me. I've seen people online build them using power tools and all kinds of specialized clamps and flanges and do-hickies, but there was none of that this weekend. Ok, well, it was all there and available for use, but for the most part mine was built with simple hand tools.

<><>Here's my bow, I've already tillered it by this point and I am working on the handle.<><>

When I got there, I introduced myself and told them what I wanted to do, and they whisked me away to the bow making area.

<><>The bow making area, each table had a vise attached to it. There was more to it than this, but this is the only picture I got. There was an impressive array and number of tools and benches, but there were way more people than workspaces, so you were constantly sharing and swapping up with people. I'm definitely glad I got started on Thursday and done before it got busy Friday night.<><>

This place was amazing. It is on 500 acres of private property, and it really was like heaven on earth if you enjoy the outdoors. I would put it right up there with Hefflin, AL (for those of you that know haha), only instead of being for the shotgun enthusiast, it was geared towards archery. The owner of the property lets his friends hunt deer and turkey, so he would be a good guy to get to know better! I knew some of the guys were going Turkey hunting Friday morning before the crowd got big, so when I heard a truck go by my tent early in the morning I didn't think anything of it. Right after sun came up, though, I got awakened by a shotgun blast! I had figured they were going bow hunting, but I was wrong. My heart was pounding, I was so startled. They weren't near me but I wasn't expecting it either. About the time I got settled down and fell back asleep, it happened again! They did pretty good, 2 birds on 2 shots, so I was happy for them.



<><>This is the front porch of the cabin the guys who work the event stay in. The cabin is probably close to 3,000 square feet, and I was priviledged enough to get to go inside and check out a few bows. I wouldn't mind living in a cabin like this one!<><>



So after meeting a fellow named Greg who would go on to spend all of his time over 4 days helping people tirelessly with their bows (with an endless patience to match his endless work!) he took me over to a cabinet that was moisture and temperature controlled. I got to pick out a piece of hickory that had been already shaped into a rough bow blank. These guys had taken the time to cut down trees, split them into staves, rough them out into bow blanks using a draw knife and band saw, then put them up for a year (or several years) to dry out, leaving it just right for me to start on. It was really impressive. I used a saw blade that had been cut down and converted into a scraper to shape the wood and get it to where it would bend. Everytime I would bend it I would flinch, expecting it to just snap, but so far so good! I felt like I was seconds from disaster the whole time, but I eventually wound up with a working bow, so I guess it all worked out in the end.

<><>Greg explaining the process.<><>

After getting it shaped and thinned out a little, I began to 'tiller' the bow. Basically that means making sure it bends evenly in a nice arch. You start out bending one side on the floor. If part of it looks stiff, you scrape a bit there and try again. After you get it bending on the floor, you put a long string on it and use a 'tillering board' for the next step. You basically have a 2X4 with notches cut in it, and you put the bow on top. You slowly work the string down the notches, causing the bow to bend, again making sure the arch is even. When you get it pretty well there, you string it like you would to shoot it and move on to final tillering, which involves using a scale to make sure you get the draw weight you are looking for. The scale (which is basically a game scale) has a hook on the top which attaches to your bow string, and a rope off the bottom of the scale that runs through a pulley. Your bow rests on a block mounted to the wall above the scale. You get to stand about 6-8 feet away when you flex the bow and check it out. That way if it 'blows up' you don't get whanged in the nugget! I managed to get lucky and hit my weight on the first try!

<><>Final Tillering in action. This is the rig that lets you determine what draw weight you have and gives you one last chance to make sure you have a nice curve.<><>

I finished up the handle (with lots and lots of help from Greg) and it was ready.

<><>The roughed out handle, before getting rounded out. The little lip is the arrow rest.<><>

I got to shoot it once, and then Greg fired it too. He told me that it was a great shooting bow, and I had to take his word for it. As far as I was concernced, the arrow went in the correct direction and it didn't shatter, so I was happy! It isn't quite finished though. It rained <>ALL<> weekend long, and it was so humid that I couldn't put a finish on it to protect it. It will have to dry out for a few more days, then I'll put a polyurethane finish on it to protect it from the weather. The handle turned out a little thin for me, so I may put a little leather on it, but I'm not sure yet. I'll post a picture of it when it is completely done.

I had a really great time over my 4 days. It was raining so hard that we had some flooding back home. April said the news was reporting that they had to do a water rescue in downtown! I had been debating whether or not to spend a second night in the tent or head home. Due to the weather and the fact that home was so close, I hit the dusty trail and came back the next day. Yes, you read that right, I gave up the chance to sleep in a tent in a monsoon to sleep in my own bed after a hot shower and getting dry.

<><>My tent right before I took it down to head home. It still hasn't dried out!<><>

The guys from IL that I hung out with had brought some extra bows with them that they were hoping to sell. They let me borrow one of them and taught me some of the basics of shooting. There was a practice course set up (seperate from the one that you shot for score) and you could shoot that as many times as you wanted. Basically, you took a nice walk through the woods, and you would come to a shooting station. There would be a 3D target, a bear, or deer, elk, turkey, moose, something like that, and you would take your shot, retrieve your arrows, and move on to the next one. It was a great excuse to take a walk in the woods, and I had a blast.

<><>Even the concession stand was cool. From what I could gather, all of these animals were taken on the farm where this all took place. The stand was under a large pavillion, so you had a dry place to eat and hang out.<><>

<><>The other side of the concession stand.<><>

The dad had told me what he was hoping to get for the bows he had for sale, but after hanging out with them and getting to shoot one, he offered to sell it to me for half of what he was asking. It was a nice fiberglass and wood recurve bow, and he offered it to me for such a good price that I couldn't say no. He was so happy to be able to bring a new shooter to the sport that he threw in a quiver, several arrows, and a finger tab. I couldn't believe it. Just the accessories he gave me alone were worth more than I paid for the bow. The whole weekend was like that, people were generous and happy to help a new guy out. I'll have to remember all that for next year! On the last day I was having a hard time stringing the bow, and the guy that had helped me build mine gave me a bow stringer so that I could be safe when I strung it.

There were lots of demonstrations and guys practicing primitive skills. They had a whole area where people could practice their knapping, which is basically chipping the edges off rocks like flint to make arrowheads, spearheads, knives, etc. It was pretty cool.

<><>The Flint Knappers hard at it. One guy was so good that he was able to make a perfectly round 'nose ring' that you would have thought was store bought if you didn't know better!<><>

In fact, I had so much fun I forgot to take pictures! The whole first day my camera stayed in the car, the second day was a bit wet so I didn't get to take many, and I pretty well forgot about it after that. I wish I had taken more photos, but I was just having way too much fun. Although it did rain a ton, it did a great job of knocking down the heat. In fact, it probably never got about 70, which was great for being outdoors. It was plenty muddy, but I would trade that to avoid the heat in a heartbeat! The real downside to the rain was that I didn't have the guts to shoot my bow in the contest; I was afraid of ruining it!

I think I have talked my dad into trying to go next year, and I would love to have anyone else join us that thinks it sounds like fun. My house is close enough that it's no big deal to just drive back and forth, or we can camp. Their concessions were dirt cheap ($1 for a hotdog and $2 for a hamburger) so food isn't a big deal either. If you can't make it up until Saturday and Sunday, I can go up and pick out a bow blank for you. They had several people do that; they bought one and put their name on it, then stuck it back in the cabinet to keep it dry and warm. By Friday evening they had sold out of blanks, so the turnout was pretty good! If you don't want to build a bow but want to check it out, there is no cost to come spectate. I would love to have as many of my family and friends come as possible.

I didn't know how to work this into the blog, so here it is at the end. I've read about these things, but this was my first time to see one in the wilds:

<><>The Camo Kilt, which is apparently the newest trend in outdoor wear. I wish I were kidding you, but it is what it is. While I feel there is nothing wrong with kilts, I do feel that some people will do ANYTHING if someone tells them it is trendy. I think I'll just stay old fashioned, thank you very much!<><>

Sorry to leave you with that image as the last thing to remember this blog by!