Hitting the Archery Bullseye

I did it!  I checked off my first “40 Before 40” Bucket List item!  I have the scars (okay, bruises) to prove it, but I’ll get to that later.

First, I thought I would tell you my plan for documenting each of my “40 Before 40” check-offs this year.  When I sat down to write about my archery adventure, I thought, hum, what would folks want to know about this?  My goal is to share information about the experience so that you know if you might want to add it to your bucket list and to give information on where to do it.  Then I thought, why not do it interview style?  So, for each bucket list item, I’ll be answering the classic questions- who? what? when? where? why? how?

What was the activity?

Who participated?

When was it completed?

Where was it completed?

Why did I choose to put this item on my bucket list?

How did I find out about this activity?  How would one go about making arrangements to do this activity?

I also thought it would be fun to end each post with any interesting tidbits that occurred during the check off process.

Let’s do this…

What?

✅ Hitting the archery bullseye.  I hit the bullseye from 10 yards after approximately 15 “warm-up” tries.

Who?

It seems appropriate that I checked the first item off my list with my husband Scott.  We are a pretty competitive pair which makes anything with a win/lose outcome more fun.  So who won?  Drum roll….we tied.  I know, anticlimactic.  We were bummed too.  Scoring was done via an electronic program.  When the game was over, it was over.

When?

Sunday, January 28, 2018

#26 on list

1st 40 Before 40 item completed

Where?

Average Joes Archery in Coon Rapids, Minnesota.  Average Joe’s has a large indoor shooting range with 20 archery lanes.  The shop is also equipped with a TechnoHUNT video archery simulator where you can compete with a partner.

Why?

I have been fascinated by archery since I was a kid.  My dad went bow hunting when I was growing-up, and I always wanted to learn how to shoot.  I think women who are skilled archers are especially fierce.  I’d also be lying if I said watching The Hunger Games movies wasn’t an additional push to want to learn;).

How?

Those who know me well know I am a Groupon and Living Social fanatic.  You guessed it…I found Average Joe’s Archery on Living Social.  The deal I purchased was for two and included: Equipment, Instruction, 1 1/2 hours of shooting on the range, 30 minutes in the TechnoHUNT video archery simulator, and sodas.  The entire package cost only $29.  Cheap date night, huh?

One of the things I love about Groupon and Living Social is finding new experiences….for cheap.  The search feature is also nice as you can search for specific experiences in a particular city.  For example, I looked up “archery” in Houston, TX; Tampa, FL; Atlanta, GA and Seattle, WA.  There are archery experiences in each city listed.  Hitting the Bullseye (or learning to be Katniss from The Hunger Games) can be on anyone’s bucket list, no matter where you live!

Interesting tidbits…

• When I was fitted for my bow, I learned that I am left eye dominate which makes me a left-handed archer.
• Form matters.  You can get injured in archery and not just from a stray arrow.  I did this all by myself.  Seems as if my right elbow hyperextends when holding the bow.  The string kept hitting my arm when I released the arrow.  I eventually learned to bend my elbow when holding the bow but not before I got this beauty.  I know, it would have been a better story if I got the injury from Scott trying to shoot an apple out of the crook of my arm.