Stranded at the range!

[PennsyPlinker]

This sounds like an excuse to go shooting right? Truth be told, when I sent a text message with the same text as the title of this post to Mrs. Plinker, the response I got back was,

"Really?"

Yes, really!

The story actually started this morning. I traveled to Lancaster to transfer a Kahr CW 45 to my possession from another member on the board here. While in that town, I met up for a cup of coffee with yet another member, and had a great time discussing shooting, families, our mutual faith, etc. But I was itching to get home and run some rounds through two guns.

I made it home early this afternoon, and spent some time doing some actual work. After getting caught up on business, I packed the range bag with the Kahr and a CZ 75 compact .40, both new to me. The CZ in fact, while purchased used, had never been fired by the original owner. I contacted several of my cronies and one was free to come along, and we planned to meet. I knew I would get there first, so I wasn't worried about waiting for him.

When I arrived at the range (Guthsville) there was only one other guy there on the plinking range, and he left shortly after I got there. I had the place all to myself. As a side note, there is one road going back to the ranges. One road in, and the same one road out. There is no "back door" or alternate route. And the range I was using is all the way down, next to last, end of the road. That may have been a good thing for what came shortly thereafter.

I got my target set up, and started banging away with my pistols, having a great time. Both of them ran flawlessly, although I am going to have to spend some time getting used to the trigger on the Kahr. It is as smooth as butter, but a longer pull than I am used to. I stopped shooting from time to time to collect brass. After a while, I began to wonder where my buddy Matt had gotten to. Just then, I heard a very loud, multiple cracking noise, like a whole bunch of people had fired off a ragged volley of shots down at the rifle range. It was just a very odd sounding noise.

I walked around the end of the berm, and saw a sight that caused me no little bit of consternation. I was trapped!



A huge willow tree had finally given up the ghost and come crashing down, right across the only way out. I packed up my stuff, hopped in the truck, and drove down to the spot where you see the truck in the picture. It was not good. The tree trunk itself was about 28"-30" in diameter. The root ball was hanging in mid air above the stream where it had been rooted only minutes before. The crown of the tree was firmly planted on the roof of the 25 yd pistol range. Between the stream and the cliff on one side, and the berms and the hill on the other, my truck was stranded. As Rodney Dangerfield says in one of his sketches, "You ain't usin' this car tonight!"

I got my water bottle out of the truck, and found a way through the branches to the other side of the tree. Here is a view from that side.



I walked on down to the caretakers residence and knocked on the door. When he answered, I said, "We have a big problem, and it involves a tree." He had a feeling which tree it was, as he had been talking about it with the officers. We hopped in his truck, and returned to the scene with a chainsaw. He made some calls while I contacted Mrs. Plinker. She did not believe me at first.

"Stuck at the range? Yeah, right. More like you just don't want to come home."

It took a picture sent via the phone to convince here. That wasn't so easy either, as anyone who has been there will tell you that phone reception there stinks. Most of the time, it just doesn't work. The good news is, I wasn't under it when it went down, nor was anyone else. I worked with the caretaker for a while, cutting, hauling, and piling branches. The humidity and a bad shoulder were catching up with me by the time help arrived. But my truck ain't going anywhere until sometime tomorrow, I am sure. I can say this though. I would love a couple of boring days. I don't need all this adventure. It does make for some good stories though.

[Guns4Fun]

Three things.

This makes a good excuse to buy a winch, or at least a tow strap. That probably would have moved it out of the way.

It's a good thing your truck wasn't parked under it - especially if you were in it.

That looks like a lot of winter burning wood there - for you - since you helped cut it up.

[PennsyPlinker]

Three things.

This makes a good excuse to buy a winch, or at least a tow strap. That probably would have moved it out of the way.

It's a good thing your truck wasn't parked under it - especially if you were in it.

That looks like a lot of winter burning wood there - for you - since you helped cut it up.

Three answers. I have a tow strap, but even a heavy duty winch would not move this thing. The root ball alone with all the dirt probably weighs close to what my truck does. The trunk is very heavy, and full of water, being a willow.

I am very grateful I was not under it! So was the groundskeeper, who had been trimming this very tree yesterday.

Willow isn't even worth cutting for firewood in my opinion. It is very soft, softer than pine, and usually rots before it dries out enough to burn. When it does dry, it just turns into a bunch of ash. Now, if it were an oak, ash, hickory, mulberry, or locust, you can believe I would be there with my saw!

[GunLawyer001]

Wait a minute, I've seen the TV commercials, and REAL men like you and me would just uncoil some steel cable and winch that sucker off the road. And there'd be babes in cutoff jeans and halter tops. And beer.

Don't ruin my world view, bro.

[gnbrotz]

Wait a minute, I've seen the TV commercials, and REAL men like you and me would just uncoil some steel cable and winch that sucker off the road. And there'd be babes in cutoff jeans and halter tops. And beer.

Don't ruin my world view, bro.

Come on Phil, isn't it obvious that he didn't want to post 'the truth' (just like the commercials show) because he didn't want a bunch of us rushing up and spoiling the babe-to-men ratio?

[thanker92]

You've got to do better than that!!!!!

The old "tree down, trapin' me at the range" trick!!!!!!!

......And she fell for it!!!!!!!!!

[Sandcut]

Can't you have a normal, uneventful day?

[Michele]

What the Hell is in the water out there in the east?

Didn't another eastern member here post a video about a tree almost falling on him?

I'm staying up here in the frozen tundra! Its much much safer!

Glad you're okay Bill!

[LowFlyer]

Looks Photoshopped to me!!!

The color of the leaves don't match the others in the area. The original photo of the 'fallen' tree had the sun shining at a different time and angle!!!

[God's Country]

Keep a cheap chainsaw in your tool box.