The Blog

From the moments I set my fingers to the keyboard to seeing Shoot up on major bookseller websites, writing my book has been an incredible journey and an amazing experience. In fact, the first time I saw the title and my name as “author” on amazon.com I squealed out loud. I definitely need one of those reality pinches!

And so, [INSERT DRUMROLL] it is with great excitement that I share with you the book trailer to Shoot – Your Guide to Shooting and Competition and please click on “the Guide” for more info.

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The World Shoot stages were simply beautiful. Courses of fire had either Greek cultural themes or those that featured the region’s history and mythology. The work that went into building and painting them was extensive. They were also challenging, especially for US competitors. Even though the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) is a region of the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC), we have our own set of rules and even have different divisions. The World Shoots I have attended have also featured a different style of shooting. Less shooting on the move, targets on average at further distances, fewer … Read the full story

Read more about the 2011 United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) Revolver National Championships here.

Walking onto the range the day of the shoot offs, the atmosphere was mixed. Some of the competitors were joyous, sharing greetings, laughs and posing for photos. Others were intense, perhaps seeking a bit of redemption after guessing where they finished in the standings.

For US shooters, shoot offs are not something we get a lot of practice at. The USPSA Nationals hasn’t conducted one in many years. The American Handgunner, an entire match shot in the man vs. man format, is now extinct. If you want to get shoot off practice for IPSC, there are very few matches in … Read the full story

What better way to close out a fun day of shooting than enjoying a great meal and dipping toes in the Mediterranean Sea! After the shoot off we stopped at Mike’s Taverna near the range. We had heard it had some delicious food and the owner, Mike was super nice.  After filling our stomachs we drove a short half mile down to the water’s edge for a spontaneous walk along the beach. Here are some of my favorite photos…

Our last opportunity to explore Rhodes, my brother and I drove to the ruins at Kamiros after the shoot off. It was eerie walking through the ancient city especially with the gloomy weather, strong winds and bouts of light rain. It was easy to see why the people of ancient Kamiros chose this location to make their home though. Nestled in among rolling hills, the town was built overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Kamiros prospered until 142 BC when an earthquake destroyed it. Today we are left with ruins of foundations, a bath complex and a few remaining columns as reminders. … Read the full story

I could literally spend days in Old Rhodes. It has all the charms of an ancient city and it was easy to imagine myself going back in time as I walked the narrow, stone streets with small doorways and arches. I indulged in purchasing a hand painted bowl depicting my favorite Greek goddess, Artemis, added two ceramic masks to my collection and bought a couple of silver pendants, one with Minoan bees and the other with the Greek symbol for infinity. They serve to remind me of my incredible time in this country.

We walked the grand halls … Read the full story

Petaloudes, the valley of the butterflies, is nestled along a curve along the a very windy road not far from the IPSC World Shoot range complex. The Callimorpha Quadripunctaria species of butterfly makes the valley their home, mating in July and August. They lay their eggs in September, emerge from cocoons in spring and in June they are full-blown butterflies. More about Petaloudes can be found here.

Even though there were no butterflies when we visited, the valley of the butterflies was beautiful. With so many man made ruins throughout Rhodes, Petaloudes is a natural wonder with cool shade … Read the full story