Paintball Day
by Nathaniel Bluedorn, Copyright April 24, 2004, all rights reserved. 342 views
9:30 – We arrive at Dewayne Fender’s wooded lot where he has built forts and paths for playing paintball. Before we start he explains the rules of paintball and how to play safe. We have eighteen players and we divide into two groups: the Blue Team and the Red Team.
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| From 2004-04-24 Paintball Day |
Getting ready for the first game.
10:00 – Siege: Our team is set to guard one of the forts. We place players behind the walls and on the tower. The rest of the team hides in ambushes around the fort to guard where we’re vulnerable. We have a timer set for seven minutes. The other team must get everyone out of our fort before the timer goes off. The attacking team has multiple lives, so if they are hit, they can return to their base and re-enter the game.
Right from the start, we have trouble risking ourselves. Nobody wants to get shot. However, though the day we learn to take risks and charge the enemy’s position. After a fierce battle, our team wins the first game.
10:30 – Elimination: Both teams start at opposite ends of the field. Each team tries to eliminate the other team. This is simple, and we finish in less than five minutes. We advance using barricades to cover us as the next guy runs to the next barricade.
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| From 2004-04-24 Paintball Day |
A paintball battle in progress. You can see the players crouched behind the barricades.
12:00 – We break for lunch. Mrs. Fender has made a grand supply of goodies.
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| From 2004-04-24 Paintball Day |
Everyone is hungry for lunch.
1:00 – Capture the Flag: This was the longest game. Each team needs to capture the opposing team’s flag. The flags are at two forts on opposite ends of the field. If you are hit, you can go back to your team’s fort and re-enter the game.
First, we strategize and divide our team into three divisions. One division guards our flag, and two divisions take different routs toward the enemy’s fort. But once the game starts, tactics change. For the first ten minutes, there is confusion as players are hit and run back to their fort to re-enter the game. I am in the division guarding our flag. I shoot from behind a barricade that allows me to keep the enemy off for quite a while. Then my gun jams. At first, nobody notices that I’m not firing, and I try to keep it that way. But then they make a rush. Within five minutes, they take our fort and our flag and run.
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| From 2004-04-24 Paintball Day |
Taking a rest after the game.
2:00 – It begins to rain. We go into Mr. Fender’s garage and tell yarns about our exploits in the field. Novices propound clever strategies for wining, and old-timers keep silent with views of their own. Then someone gets the idea of playing a game in the rain.
4:00 – The day ends as we file back into the garage wet and exhausted. We start cleaning ourselves and our guns. The rain’s washed off most of the paint, but now we have to wash off the mud.
6:00 – We have supper and talk.
9:00 – Everybody goes over to our (the Bluedorn’s) house to spend the night.
Paintball teaches skills that you can’t learn in books. It’s a game of action and quick decisions. You must choose to risk your life, figuratively speaking, and know how to coordinate with your team members. Being an overly strategic person, I’ve learned when less thinking and more quick action is needed. I’ve enjoyed this, and I think it will help me in the future.
Comments
1 • Ralph • September 10, 2008 • 10:02 AM
Let’s go!
2 • Mandy M. • September 21, 2008 • 7:50 PM
Kelli, I’m assuming you wrote this? Just wanted you to know, at this point in my life, this is very encouraging to me. Thanks for sharing. It’s amazing how God can worth through a simple blog post.
3 • Johannah Stanford • September 24, 2008 • 3:00 PM
The quality of this video looked good to me, and it didn’t take hardly any time to download on our computer. Did you get more climbing equipment? 
4 • Kristen • October 04, 2008 • 3:39 PM
Sounds like tons of fun. 
Ryan took me rock climbing indoors for the first time a couple weeks ago and I loved it! (I’m his sister.)
Colorado looks and sounds like a very fun place.
5 • Mandy M. • October 04, 2008 • 5:49 PM
Great post Heidi! You sure are brave. I’m glad you had such a great time!
6 • Nate • October 13, 2008 • 5:23 PM
Thats awesome….
Sounds like something I would do. :p
7 • Heidi Reiman • October 20, 2008 • 4:47 PM
Hans, You poor thing. I’m sorry you couldn’t get a wi-fi connection. By the way what is a wi-fi?
Is it like wiffer cookies with fine milk?
8 • Kelli • October 29, 2008 • 8:03 AM
Oh sheesh, Nathaniel, you’re hilerious! That was really roughing it.
9 • Nathan Nasby • November 04, 2008 • 11:28 AM
If you want a really creepy expirience stay at the Imperial Hotel in London! Wow, we had blood on the walls and in the sheets in our room. The Window was broken, and I’m not even going to mention the shared bathrooms!!!!
10 • Anna • November 05, 2008 • 8:01 PM
Haha! Nathan, this is just the beginning… Soon you’ll be cool with using towels unwashed from the last occupant, sleeping on bedbug-ridden mattresses, and, well, haha!
11 • Heidi R. • November 17, 2008 • 10:00 AM
Great story.
12 • A • November 17, 2008 • 7:01 PM
I just watched this a few days ago (was looking up vids of Marrakesh and then followed the rabbit trail) and thought about you guys… Odd, but fitting, to see it here as well!
13 • Kristin C. • November 17, 2008 • 10:13 PM
Haha!!! That is hilarious!!! :-D
14 • Debbie • November 25, 2008 • 10:27 PM
I have a problem with getting cave crickets in my basement and hate them. I don’t think I want to be their friend. But neat story on your adventure. God Bless!
Debbie
15 • Laura • November 29, 2008 • 12:49 AM
Wow! :D
16 • Estin • November 30, 2008 • 8:58 PM
That’s crazy.
17 • Trish • December 04, 2008 • 12:11 PM
Um…Ew. That is SOOO disgusting.
18 • Kristen B. • December 07, 2008 • 6:52 PM
You are a great writer, Kelli.
19 • Heidi R. • December 09, 2008 • 11:45 PM
Thanks, so are you.
20 • Heidi R. • December 09, 2008 • 11:46 PM
Oh, and I love your pics.
21 • Quentin Cooper • December 18, 2008 • 7:58 AM
This seems to have been written by people who have caved only once in their life or read about it in an armchair. What about the main thing warm clothes (be it a wetsuit or neo-fleece). Gloves completely unimportant as I have caved without them for 20 years and never wished I’d brought them. What about a survey of the cave? Going with someone experienced? Leaving a CALL OUT? that not feature in your essentials? Incase people ahave an accident in a cave then nobody knows about it….come on guys….
22 • Blue (Royal) • May 06, 2009 • 11:07 PM
Nice film guys. The water side looked like fun. I love a good natural water slide. Good job with not making it look to rigged.
23 • Royal Magnell • May 06, 2009 • 11:57 PM
That was fun… now we run so the cops don’t catch us!
24 • Rachel • May 19, 2009 • 9:36 PM
Hey! Hoping you get this soon. Just wondered what kind of camera, flash, etc. was used for these pictures. Also how the cameras were kept dry and clay free. Thanks so much!
25 • Beau • August 04, 2009 • 12:16 AM
Enjoyed it. I am curious if this is the Wilder cave in Pelham, AL?
26 • Dannity Kane • February 27, 2010 • 2:06 AM
Give me a little of that and I’d feel like a king.
27 • Stephen Nasby • May 28, 2010 • 9:09 AM
Good job.
28 • Stephen Nasby • September 02, 2010 • 9:58 AM
That looked like quite an adventure, exciting. Swim looked very refreshing. Cool camera, you can even go underwater with it.
29 • Katie Carter • September 18, 2010 • 10:11 PM
It is in Grady County Georgia, between Pelham, and Cairo. It is owned my my aunt. It is very pretty, it is not open to the public because people can’t seem appreciate it without breaking pieces off, and spray painting.