Persistence and Patience

Recently I have started seriously archery hunting. The bow and arrows I am using I purchased almost 10 years ago. They have sat in my parents garage until last year. Getting them out a year ago is about all I did. I shot it a bit but did not do any hunting, mainly because I had a new job and did not have many places I knew of close by to go.

A year later a year smarter has allowed me to do some hunting. Whenever I am out I am so thankful to be able to do so, even though I have picked one of the most difficult quarry to get with a bow... the pronghorn antelope.

They don't call them speed goats for nothing. These critters are fast and spooky. Getting withing 100 yards of them is a feat in itself. They like the open country so it is almost impossible to stalk up to them. 

On Wednesday I did. I got to within 150 yards and then let them close the distance, which they did, but the big buck was at 70 yards and I did not feel comfortable at that range. They spooked and ran off.  I met them at the other end of the valley and had them within 100 yards as they crossed a creek.

Yesterday instead of chasing, I sat and waited. I knew about where they were going to go, but I did not know when. Well, after 4 hours of sitting and waiting they came. They went right were I thought they would. Problem was, they didn't stop. The herd sprinted past me, 20 yards away, and I never got a shot. I could smell their distinctive antelope smell as their breeze blew by me. There were some stragglers that started me. I almost got a shot off, but I arrow fell off my rest. 

Needless to say, I have learned a lot this week about archery hunting and antelope hunting. Hopefully my patience and persistence will pay off, but if not, that's cool too. The experiences and views have been worth it. 

Peace all

My New Hobby

I guess this is not my new hobby, it has been about a year since I bought my first mountain bike and it has been all up hill from there.
At this point I have two main bikes.
The first is an older Rocky Mountain full suspension free ride bike... RM6 to be exact.  I bought just the frame and then built it up from there to what it is now.

Its fun to ride and since it's already beat up a bit I don't worry about being tough on it.
The second bike I just finished.  Same deal as the first; I built it from the frame up.  I started with a Santa Cruz Chameleon frame and did something a little different with it.  The frame is designed to use 26" wheels, the standard mountain bike wheel size.  Well, my first bike, that I bought last summer and have been parting out for my other bikes has 29" wheels.  So, I took the front 29" fork and put it on the Chameleon to make what they wall a 69er... 29" wheel in the front with a 26" wheel in the back.
I call it the "Sexy Lizard"

The cool thing is that these bikes are never really complete.  Parts wear out, I feel like upgrading or changing the look... it never ends.
My only worry is that it distracts me from the important things, mainly God and what I need to be doing for him.
At this point, I think I am okay.  As I keep learning more and more about bikes I know I will be able to help other people with their bikes.

Peace all