A special Nationals story and THANK YOU!
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 10:32 am
The day before I was to head to the NRA Smallbore Silhouette Nationals I found out that the day I was planning to leave after work would be my last day on my job. I made the decision to go ahead and go since the arrangements were already in place for the trip. Most of the long drive was fine. The closer I got to my destination the more road construction and detours I seemed to run into. Add to that the torrential downpours I encountered the end of the drive. I arrived at Ridgway rifle club sometime after midnight and located a spot to put my tent close to the many campers/travel trailers that were set up. The rain eased up enough for me to put the tent up and blow up the air mattress. I crawled into the tent and said little prayer that the tent wouldn't leak about the time it began to rain REALLY hard again. I woke up and was relieved to find out I was dry .. the tent had stood up to the heavy wind and rain. I put my hand on the tent floor next to the air mattress to find that while I was dry inside a puddle had formed between the ground cloth and the tent so I had the equivalent of a waterbed next to me. I would worry about this later was time to get dressed, get some zeros and shoot in the warm up match being put on by the Ridgway rifle club. It was during this time I ran into friends who were also camping and suggested I move my tent to where they were as the ground was a bit higher and better suited to camping in a tent. After the match I moved my tent and truck and unloaded my things and got my camp set up. I hadn't brought food thinking it to be a better option to wait until I got to my location then I didn't have to worry about ice as much. I moved my truck up to the range area and parked in front of the Lapua trailer so I could get my rifle and put it away before heading to town to get groceries. I came back with my rifle and put it in the case only to find my truck wouldn't run. I would try to crank but wouldn't stay running. I went in the rangehouse where my friends were and said in frustration my truck won't run. I was then asked where I got gas last as there had apparently been issues of water in gas. That sounded feasible the way the truck was doing. One of the gentlemen headed to town and got some additive to dry up the water in the gas. The truck cranked a couple times but wouldn't stay running. Suggestions were made as to things to check and different ones said I might have this tool or that one as which point I pulled out my tool bag that lives in my truck. We checked several things and were still thinking it was a water in the gas issue. We left the truck parked where it was so we could eat dinner and would come back to the truck in the morning since it was getting late. The next morning several people helped to push my truck out of the way, so I wasn't blocking access to the vendor area. I didn't have a great day I couldn't concentrate my energies on my shooting. I was thinking about what could be wrong with my truck and I hoped it would run because I didn't need an expensive repair right now. That evening several of us were again looking at the truck trying to figure out what the problem was. It was eventually decided after checking all the cheaper options that it was more than likely the fuel pump. I knew it wouldn't be cheap but at least I could put the part in myself. Had I done that before, NO. But I had my repair manual and was not afraid it was something I couldn't do. The book was telling me to drop the tank which was between a half and 3/4 full. This wasn't going to be easy. Offers of tools, and assistance were plentiful and greatly appreciated. One local gentleman had ramps and jacks that were offered and anything else I needed he would be happy to bring for me to use. If I had to breakdown somewhere other than home I was becoming very glad it was at the range. We stopped worrying about the truck to cook another great dinner. I couldn't help but beat myself up, what had I been thinking, when I found out I had lost my job I should have stayed home. I wasn't very sociable that night because I was trying very hard not to cry. People always tell me how strong I am, most never see the tears that are shed in frustration, hurt or anger. I know that those helping try to figure out the problem were aware of my frustrations over my truck, not all knew of the added frustration of my job situation. I went to bed early and resolved to deal with the issue the next day. Mondays morning match was better than the day before but still not where I wanted to be in terms of score. During the lunch break I was able to borrow Adam's computer at the Lapua tent. I went to a site I use to buy Toyota factory parts. With over 506,000 miles on the truck I definitely wanted a toyota part. I knew it wasn't going to be cheap but wasn't quite prepared for the discount price of $261.38 as opposed to the retail of $373.40. Adam talked me into calling to see if a dealer local could match the discount price before I ordered it. He pulled up locations on his smart phone and we called what we thought was the Toyota place in Debois about 25 miles away. The match was starting back when I finally got the parts department on the line. The gentleman on the phone said that the fuel pumps on the Tacomas rarely go out. He then asked how many miles were on the truck when I replied 506,659 he loudly said OH MY GOD! that is big rig miles... we will have your part tomorrow. I had just enough time to give him my name and phone number and I said I have to hurry my relay is about to be called to the line he said don't worry about prepaying you can pay when you pick it up tomorrow, we are open until 8pm. After putting my debit card back in the pocket of my shooting vest I went back to the match with a mild amount of relief the situation was under control. It had been suggested that I should sell tickets for people to watch me repair my truck, that would give me the money to pay for my fuel pump. I just laughed. I was on the phone by my tent when 3 of the men camping by me came up to me and handed me an envelope. The shooters had chipped in to get me the money to pay for the fuel pump, I was blown away. That evening after awards were given out I was told we should move my truck into the garage area on the end of the range house that it had been cleared to give me a place to work on it out of the rain if it started to rain again. In talking with a friend it was recommended that instead of dropping the tank I should just take the truck bed off. Less worry with disconnecting fuel lines and to me the much safer option. One of the locals was going to bring an electric impact the next morning for us to use to break the bolts free on the truck bed. We pushed the truck over and backed it into the garage area where we tried and were able to get the bolts out without the use of an impact. I disconnected the lights and wiring harness. Several of the shooters came in and easily removed the truck bed and set it aside on some pallets that we found that were perfect for the job. I went to bed that night with relief that things were going smoothly with the prep for the repair and with a very humbled heart. Many of these shooters were friends of mine but just as many of them hadn't a clue who I was but they gave to help me just the same. I have said thank you so many times to so many people and yet it doesn't feel like enough. The last day of competition was tuesday. Joe McClung was kind enough to offer to drive me to the dealership in Dubois to pick up the part. We had decided to leave as soon as the match was over since I hadn't shot well enough at this point for awards to be an issue. I started out the first match of the morning on rams hitting 9 out of 10. I was amazed. This is a tough sport and that was definitley not the norm for me especially lately. I went on to tie a personal best score I had only shot one other time before when I was shooting much more often than I have been able to lately. That score was good enough to put me 2nd in AA class for the standard match. I shot well in the hunter match as well but missed award range by 1 place. We had to delay leaving to pick up the part until after awards. As much as I hated to leave before awards were finished, my apologies to the other winners, we had to get on the road to get the part for the truck. We were leaving when I realized I didn't have my cell phone but decided it was ok we didn't need to go back and get it. We arrived at the dealership to find the parts department closed. One of the gentlemen that works in the parts department came back to the dealership to try to locate the part. The man asked who I talked to and I don't think I ever got the guys name. We talked about the phone number and figured out we were at the wrong place. He called the dealership in State college, PA another 35 miles or so away to find out that was where my part was. There was no way we could be there before they left at 8. It was arranged that I would pay for the part over the phone and they would leave it out back for us to pick up after hours. I started looking for my debit card when I realized that it was still in my shooting vest where I had it when I placed the order. Joe said I will put it on my credit card and you can pay me. We did that and left to drive to get the part. Joe and I talked about how we hoped that there wasn't anyone close looking for a 5 finger discount. We arrived at the dealership and drove around back I happened to see the bag in a doorway and we left with the part. When I opened the box it wasn't what I thought I was getting (it was the right part just not what I had envisioned it would be). We stopped at an advance auto that we passed and while there I went ahead and got a new fuel filter even though the one on the truck wasn't that old. We finally got back to the range about 11:30pm. I woke up early wednesday morning, got dressed and was putting the new fuel filter on by 7am. There was going to be a workshop at 8am with Chris Winstead, Cathy Winstead-Severin, Bill Motl, Laura Goetz, Mallory Nichols, John Neihouse, and Mark Pharr working with shooters to give us tips and suggestions as to how to improve. I had the fuel filter changed and the assembly containing the fuel pump out of the tank when the workshop began. I put the box with the new part over the tank opening and went to the workshop until it was over around 10. I left the workshop and it took about a minute to actually swap out the filter on the assembly. I then put everything back together and checked to make sure everything under the hood was good where I had changed the fuel filter. My friend Doris Neihouse was there when I finished putting everything back together. She asked what she could do I said just pray that it starts. After checking everything I got in the truck and turned the key on and sat for a second keeping in mind that there was pretty much no gas from the tank to the motor with everthing having been changed. I tried to start the truck and stopped about the time it tried to crank. Turned the key a 2nd time and the truck started right up. I am not sure who had the biggest grins, me or the people who were nearby watching. I cleaned the back of the cab and the front of the truck bed while another shooter sprayed off the frame of the truck. Again several people came to aid in putting the truck bed back on while I was underneath to guide the bolts into place. The truck bed was tightened down, wiring harness put back in place and lights put back. We then cleaned out the truck bed and put the bedliner back in. I then took a shower and for the first time since my arrival made my way to town to eat lunch. I came back and went to the high power range where Savage Arms had several firearms we could shoot and check out. I went back and later enjoyed a dinner out with a large number of my fellow shooters. I didn't shoot as well as I hoped but I had fun. If you took the frustration out of the equation even working on the truck was fun, with everyone that pitched in cutting up. The biggest thing I took away from this years Nationals was an affirmation that this is a group of some of the finest people I will ever have the honor of knowing. I say this not because of just what they did for me, but because this isn't the first time I have seen them do things of this nature. It is a family of sorts with all of the picking, teasing and pestering of siblings to the willingness to help out however one can. When I camped in Louisiana I got a phone call when most had left warning me of bad weather and making sure I had taken my tent up and moved into a more solid shelter. I am honored and blessed to be associated with the sport of Silhouette shooting and the people who are a part of it. Thank you again to everyone who was at Ridgway and the Ridgway Rifle Club
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