Letting off Steam in a Tiny Texas Town

Texas, a state where the people are as sweet as their tea because their guns are always within reach. Therefore, I feel confident in saying, you have not truly experienced Texas until you have let off some steam firing a few rounds off the bed of a pick-up truck at a bale of hay.

While living in Austin, I befriended one of the sweetest most genuine people I have ever come across from a tiny town in Texas called Flatonia.

Flatonia is an absolutely darling town with a population of less than 2000 people, boasting a total area of 1.6 sq miles. It is a town where everyone knows each other and all the latest gossip in each others lives.

I was fortunate enough to take a day trip out to Flatonia with my friend where her father kindly taught me how to shoot a gun and be safe while doing so. We started out shooting a .22 caliber bolt action rifle, using the tailgate of the truck as a shooting rest. After inhaling deeply, you exhale, pulling the trigger before your next inhale so as to maintain a steady shot. If your sights are locked on the target, and you don't pull too hard on the trigger, you should hit your target spot on. However, the slightest twitch or movement will change the course of the bullet, and therefore change where the bullet will hit the target.

Shooting the rifle was incredibly fun and as our shooting improved we gradually moved further and further back from the bale of hay for a greater challenge. The rifle had a baby kick to it, but nothing truly noticeable. So although the sheer power of the weapon you were holding in your hands was intimidating, it wasn't scary as it was not particularly loud or pushy.

Moving up to a different and more challenging gun, we upgraded to a .357 magnum revolver. There was no shooting rest for this gun. You had to stand, one foot slightly in front of the other, shoulders squared over your hips, with your arms locked. You definitely notice pulling the trigger on this bad boy because as the bullet leaves the gun, the force of the shot sends the nose of the gun upwards, threatening to smack you in the face if you aren't prepared for it. The magnitude of force behind each shot, made my heart race and I had to try and relax in between shots to steady my heart and my hands.

Shooting the two very different guns was one hell of an experience that will remain forever in my mind. After we had each fired our last round, the guns were safely stored away and we relaxed around a blazing fire watching a football game in the background as we talked and drank a beer. I got lost in this fabulously Texan moment, there was no denying that I was in the South and I was loving every minute of it.

Beautiful countryside, a big truck, blazing hot fires, and Southern hospitality. This tiny little town in Texas highlighted all the good things about this massive state while offering an experience I would never forget!