I'm just back from a week out...... I went to CO to give my two-day AR15 Armorer class to a PD there.
Not my first trip to CO, but on this trip I saw some new territory. I drove it-- 60 hours in the saddle. I just didn't want to have to ship all my stuff out there and then ship it back-- better to have it with me and me with it. Even though I was just a few weeks back from a long trip into the same area, I didn't mind the road trip.
Driving I70 west out of Vail for sheer terror for one such as me, reared on flat land. It was a white-knucking, heart-pounding, adrenalin-dumping couple of hours, like a suicide mission barely survived and attempted again every three seconds. I committed to NOT going back home that way even if it meant going through Mexico and Canada!
Once I got to about Rifle, CO it got more reasonable. Don't get me wrong, it was beautiful 100% of time but it was good getting onto a piece of road that was way less terrifying. Coming down from Rifle the terrain is desert-- but still with mountains. Everything is dry rocks and sand, not much growing. But there is a spot where the Colorado River comes alongside the highway in a low, flat area and it's like a beautiful oasis. In fact, that whole valley is very actively cultivated and there are orchards there. I pulled into Palisade and got some of the best cherries I have ever had-- and we grow them good here in Michigan. When I got out of Palisade and back out onto the highway I realized I was going the wrong way, so when I got to the next exit I pilled off to turn around. Going under the highway I saw a sign that said something about a shooting complex.
I had allowed myself plenty of time to make this long drive; I hurried the first 3/4 of it so that any extra time would be in the 'hood of the class. The last thing I wanted was to have to call my host and tell him I would not be there on time. So as I got closer, and I was now close, I had a lot of time to explore, drive around, maybe do some gold panning.
I never got into the river, but alongside it in Cameo, I found GOLD and I want to tell everyone where!
The Cameo Shooting and Education Complex. I stumbled onto this facility and my jaw is still on the floor. How about 2,000 acres of Sporting Clays, archery, 20 bays for rifles and pistols including, I think 13 that are for organized events only-- like the IDPA Nationals that were going to be held here, unfortunately cancelled. If that doesn't do it for you, how about a 2000 yard rifle range? And how about shooting benches for same that are plasma-cut from 2" thick steel? How about in a couple weeks, Hornady is there putting on their Precision Rifle Steel Challenge?
Everything about this place is state of the art. All bays have WiFi that is wide and deep (however that is actually stated). Yet to be done, a proshop-- maybe something like a Cabela's.... maybe a brewpub.
How about the whole place was put up by..... the State of Colorado, with some federal funding that came out of the 10% Federal Excise Tax levied on all guns and ammo?
I can't believe I'd never heard of CSEC but it was only started a couple years ago and has grown by leaps and bounds just in the last 6 moths-- and it ain't done yet. I think it is or will be the premier shooting facility in the country and we'll be seeing a lot of high-profile events going on there-- check it out:
https://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/P...g-complex.aspx
Walt Proulx and his staff were very hospitable; Chris Miller took for a tour of the place on one of the 4-wheelers that are available to rent.
