Saturday Non Ride & Sunday Paintballing

There were few cars in the Kroger parking lot for Saturday's Roving Ride out of Sunbury.  One of those cars did not belong to Jeff F,. the ride organizer, showing he still has a thing or two to learn from his mentor, Jeff S.  However, Jeff arrived a few minutes after the 8:00am official start time with maps and sign-up sheets.  Although there were 10 of us in the parking lot, 2 of us (Dennis & me) decided not to ride because weather radar looked ominous.  After the fact, it appears much of the rain dissipated and those that stayed may have gotten in a good ride.  

Farther to the south outside of Lithopolis, the first annual "Pastor Plunge to the South Ride" was planned with Mark Clingan offering a 90 mile route.  The rain kept many away but Mark, Ryan R and Dan Farley did get in 62 miles with light rain throughout and one thunderstorm while the group hunkered down in Laurelville.

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On Sunday, I participated again in the Spring Big Game, a paintball extravaganza at Splatter Park in Mt Gilead.  Typically around 2000 people pay to play various paintball game scenarios that mostly just involve blasting away at each other from various bunkers for 6 hours with guns set at a maximum 275psi pressure.  The impact of balls on body is painful and I'll carry around welts for days.  I'm glad my cycling buddies are not into this activity because if they were, I think the incidence of "fragging" would be high.  After the official games are finished with points tallied and the blue or orange team declared the winner, most of us gather for the "Rein of Paint".  The groups are divided by team color, inserted into a field of shipping containers and each side blasts away at the other until either you can't take it anymore, you run out of paint or the 15 minute limit is reached.  It is a wild scene and there are many Youtube videos to demonstrate.

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One of the high lights is defending or assaulting this fort.  It's a thrill to overwhelm the defenders and a bummer when evicted from it. Two floors with many firing windows and slits makes it a formidable defensive obstacle.

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At some point, both sides fought to gain control of this downed aircraft.  Points are awarded for capturing positions like this. 

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