Action Movie? Probably not…
Set out for a weekend of skiing, we drove down to Pennsylvania, to the mighty Pocono Mountains. There is actually nothing mighty about it. Set just a few kilometers off the I-80, Poconos reminds one nothing more than a hilltop creamed with a mix of natural and man-made snow. Still, with only a 1.5 hour drive from Manhattan, this place seems to be the most convenient “Alpine skiing” for a New Yorker.
Blame it on the low altitude and our persistence to disregard the weather reports, Poconos greeted us with heavy rain. Thus, we weren’t left with any other option but to try out the Sunset Hill shooting range, located 15 minutes away from the ski resort. Excluding one friend who has been there once before, we were too clueless to have any expectations on this vicious activity. Scarface, Lord of War, the Last Action Hero and numerous other action movies were there to misguide us to what we were going to witness in real life.
The shooting range on the horizon, we were perplexed with the sound coming from the other side of the wooden fence. It was smashing through the windows and rocketing into our ears without any welcome. Without a glimpse of this heart-pounding sound’s source, we galloped into the cabin where we would sign in to observe and test. Huge ear muffs blocking the sound and large plastic glasses protecting the eyes, we moved into a lethal weapon heaven. Above a carpet of used bullets, children to grandfathers, everyone was there to bring out the Agent 47 inside them. They were all eyes and ears, carefully observing every move of their instructors. From AK-47s to sniper guns, the sexiest lethal weapons of our time were proudly displayed in their sections. Cold, crisp, determined and too light for the purpose they serve, each gun was ready to be fired. Overwhelmed with power, confused by accessibility and surprised by the difficulty of hitting the targets, we tried to understand a world we observed only through the media and the movies. We were so far away, but yet so close. The gun scenes on the white screen became a joke. The reality of wars became heavier than ever.
[...] What to expect: Camelback is the closest Alpine skiing spot for New Yorkers. The best thing about it is the night skiing that keeps the slopes open until 10 pm. After 5.30 pm half of the skiers on the mountain will disappear and you will have the place to yourself. With that in mind, I still recommend you don’t go to Camelback with huge expectations. There will be a lot of beginners (especially beginner snowboarders) and little children spread around the mountain. The longest slope you are going to be on will take approx. 4-6 minutes to ski down depending on your speed. A regular blue slope in Colorado or Vermont will take at least 10 minutes. Make sure you check the weather the very last minute to guarantee you won’t be stuck in Camelback in rain (like we once did…Action Movie? Probably not…) [...]