Hubby Has a Hobby

Patrice likes guns. He's been learning and practicing more and more and recently he took a ride out to the Tucson Skeet and Trap club and had an epiphany of sorts. He found something that called to him. Or he found an excuse to get a new gun.

The day of his first visit to the trap and skeet club was the day of the trap and skeet World Cup. He watched both the men's and women's finals and spoke with some of the competitors, one of whom was French and as it turns out actually lives only about 30 miles from his parents' home. Anyway, he was impressed and interested and learned about the club and started researching shotguns. He's gone back a few times to practice and get instructions and last night, we went along.

The Tucson range is a world-class facility and regularly hosts international and Olympic training events. This weekend they are hosting the Olympic trials for the upcoming games in London. We might go back.

Here's Patrice, loading and warming up.

And here's the view. It's pretty spectacular! I like the layered look, myself. The gravel, the dirt, the weeds with whitish blossoms, the shattered remains of neon orange targets, yellow grasses, green palo verdes, topped with the purple mountains majesty.

Patrice came over after firing off a few rounds to ask Nicco what he thought and the boy said, "This is awesome! Thumbs up!"

Then he said, "Wait, no! TWO thumbs up!"

The rule at the range is that anyone in the field must wear ear and eye protection. Nicco geared up and followed his papa out to the field in the setting sun.

Patrice made Nicco the judge and assigned him the task of counting his missed shots. Nicco, sitting up high in his official chair, took the responsibility very seriously.

The daddy has a fan!

And we may have a junior trap and skeet shooter on our hands!