Trying New Things: Archery Golf

So the first thing I'd like to introduce is this nice how-to article on making ghee from butter. But if you'd rather have a more instructive, hands on approach, I should have more information on that in few weeks or so.

Trying new things is a general principal towards creating a happier and richer life. For the past nearly 3 years, I've been a specialist as a competitive weightlifter, and I've only lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for three years and change. This place has a lot to offer. So every week or so, I'm going to blog a bit about something new ManFriend and I (or myself alone) are giving a try.

Archery Golf

Just released arrow down the course.

There are something like 48 targets across three different courses at Redwood Bowman's Archery Club. We only stayed on the shooting range and tried out the first target. Thing with an archery course, unlike put-put or frisbee, you're shooting pointy things down the path. Therefore, once you get started, you can't really decide to turn around and go back, lest you get in the path of another group of archers. 

I was a hot mess on my first, very close target. About half of my arrows went over the target, and there was no rhyme or reason to where the arrows landed on the target. I'd like to blame the wind, but really, I think I twist or jerk right as I let go of the string, expecting a recoil like you get with a gun. (Hey, I'm from Texas. I started shooting guns in elementary school.)

ManFriend shooting down course target #1.

You'd think it would be a relatively low energy thing, but it's HARD to keep that still. At least for me, it is. I found that if I started breathing out, and let go mid-exhale, I was much more likely to hit the target somewhere reasonable. Like, hit the target at all. Okay, so I'm not good at zen and relaxation, duly noted. 

So next time we do this, probably next weekend, I plan to take a camel pack of water and some serious snackables to make sure we can do the whole course and I don't waste away to nothing. Oh, and sunblock. This ginger will need lots of sunblock.