For a Fall National that looked for a time like it wasn't going to happen, this one sure launched itself straight into the Buncombe Rifle record book! On the first day of the 110th, thanks to the remnants of Jeanne, Back Creek quickly took over parts of the range and Confederate Flats. From the back corner of Area 5 to the Gainesboro Ruritan cook shack, the water took several items and bore them downstream, depositing a porta-john at the state bridge at the end of the exit road (excuse me, go-out road)

At one point during the water-filled camper event, the current from the creek was lapping over the top of the foot bridge down on Artillery Row, and threatening the deck of the Main Bridge at Memorial Park. Fortunately, both the water and the "it's-utter-chaos-down-here" N-SSA Bulletin Board posts subsided with the passing of the rain and the nighttime of Tuesday.

We continued with the skirmish, enjoying the best weather I can remember for a National, but the flood of 0ught-4 will be discussed around campfires beyond any of our years.

Friday brought the beginning of the team matches, and the first of our medal wins as Todd Wenzel, Bob Currie, Shane Parris, and Shelby Hilton fired their way into fourth place in class A-1! With the fastest 'A' Pistol National times on both the hanging pigeons and the 4" tiles, they got the job done in a mere 105.2 seconds, 13.1 seconds out of 1st Place.

Meanwhile, Dave Jackson, Jerry French, John Long, and Mike Trahos wound up finishing in a respectable seventh place in Class B with a fired time of 165.2, 275.2 after penalties were added.

Then it was the Buncombe Repeaters turn. In another Bunny First, we fielded two full teams without swapping weapons back and forth (OUCH!), picking up any extra shooters, or stepping in something.

And, in a thumbing-of-the-nose gesture toward the 108th National where we finished 2nd in a 1-team race, our Repeater 'A' Team finished FIRST in class A-3, better than 20 seconds ahead of second place this time. Our B Team, consisting of Jerry Davenport, John Long, Mike Trahos, and Todd Wenzel came in 9th in Class B with a time of 472, six places too long for hardware winning, but chalk up medal number 2 (and a gold at that) for the Bunny Trophy Chest!

Saturday dawned, and VERY shortly thereafter, Shelby Hilton and Jerry French joined up with the 66th North Carolina's B team for the Carbine match. At the end of Phase One, they were in 2nd Place! Unfortunately, it didn't hold through Phase Two and they wound up in 11th place in Class B-1.

Speaking of Phase Two, the Buncombe 'A' Team shot a very respectable 564.3 second match, and Dean and I found ourselves asking, "which class are we in again?" "Can't remember! But we should NOT be ashamed of the way we shot today!"

I should say not... what with a 3rd Place Class A-2 Medal (number 3) to bring home!

Now for another Bunny First... We fielded two (count 'em) cannon teams in Saturday's match! Unfortunately, the medals alluded us yet again; we were so hoping the magic would hold. But heads held high: Dave's crew came in 10th with a 45, and Mike Trahos' gun brought home a 41-1V, truly excellent for a first match!

Unfortunately, the Sunday morning Musket Match was not a rally back to the days of early Saturday (how quickly we forget), and the 'A' Team turned up in a lack-luster 32nd Place in Class A-1... the 'B' Team in 23rd in B-1, neither a Bunny-first nor a Bunny-worst.

But as usual when this crowd gathers, the weekend was punctuated by various bits of humor impossible to capture or re-create. One absolute favorite: for years we have heard Dave Jackson reply to any question about National Scheduling with "it's on the board in the hut". "What time is Carbine tomorrow?" Comes the reply: "it's on the board!".
Well, events conspired to leave Dave watch-less this National, so he was reduced to finding the time of day from anyone nearby, and the team solution to this was: find a nice cheap, reliable, preferably tacky, definitely green, wall clock to hang at the top of "the board".
So, heh, time passed and Dave wanders into the hut, asking of Dean: "what time ya got". Dean replies: "it's on the board". "No, I mean what time is it now?" Dean: "It's ON the BOARD".
And Dave turned around and looked... and behold!

Even Dave had to laugh at that one!