Wondering what this is? Go check out the event thread here:

Synopsis: The Peep With No Name enters the barren cola wastelands of White Hills in the midst of a power struggle among the five Rojo obstacles and AK47. When a regiment of unruly cola warriors bearing carbonated gold intended to pay for new penalties is waylaid by the Rojo obstacles, the peep inserts himself into the middle of the long simmering battle, selling false confidence to both sides for his own benefit and awarding penalties for their troubles. All does not go according to plan, and the cola warriors collect their fistful of penalties.

And thus - A Fistful of Penalties draws to a close.

Thanks to everyone who made the trip out and defeated Obstacle 0. A few came close to allowing Obstacle 0 a win - but managed to scour the desert for suffering. It brought me great joy to meet new excellent people and see again so many greats. Though life can seem overwhelming on long hard days - it is a relief to know such great and excellent people exist. There is good in the world - you are proof of it.

Thanks to all of the event staff who took time out of their lives to prepare the location, run runners, cook delicious food, help handle logistics and a HUGE amount of other things. This was possible because of YOU. Thank you!

Thanks to the sponsors, for sending an overflowing amount of swag for us to enjoy. Some attendees felt the love of cola so deeply they too donated items to the prize table. Barrels, handguns - amazing.
If you won something, or were awarded something at this event - go track those sponsors down. Hit them up on social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, their websites, email them & call them. Make an order for the things they sell and leave notes about loving their support of Cola Warrior. Review the items they make, design & sell if you like them so others can find their wonderful products. Have an issue? Please contact them to address. If there is an improvement to be made - they LOVE feedback and improving their wares.

This range was the hardest yet, and great were the number who collected their fistful of penalties there. 16 Rifle and 16 Pistol. Many learned that CW West is unlimited capacity for a reason (Also known as standard capacity). A few new shooting challenges hopefully introduced runners to some skills to hone. You don't always have 2 hands/arms, and may need to use just one. Improvised shooting positions may be required in various situations.

All who attended, I hope you learned something about yourself. A strength you didn't know you possessed. A weakness you identified - to turn into a strength. Never stop improving. Lets keep climbing together!

Do hard things - be excellent to others.

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And now, the Fistful of Penalties:

PlaceTimeRunnerDivision
 
00   21:57:00   JohnStoner  (0th Place)
01   36:50:00   HyperScott  (Overall Winner)
02   39:51:00   BMSMB
03   42:05:00   HarleyFX69
04   46:19:00   AllAlphas
05   47:14:00   Mustangduckk  (High Night Vision)
06   48:35:00   Grey50Beast
07   48:42:00   Binary_Operator (High Combat)
08   49:49:00   RyanEsstac  (High Beltfed)
09   51:05:00   Fazertron
10   51:41:00   BinnyTalls
11   52:55:00   TripNickelForty (Combat)
12   53:50:00   YukonBoy03  (Combat)
13   56:29:00   MeesterMurphy  (Combat)
14   56:45:00   StuEsstac  (Night Vision)
15   58:13:00   Shade_1313  (Night Vision)
16   61:48:00   CrookedSteve
17   62:02:00   LewdyMcShootie
18   64:58:00   CantRollAR500
19   66:23:00   Getboth  (Night Vision)
20   70:41:00   Coyotlgw
21   73:11:00   Splat2013  (High Woman)
22   75:30:00   Scooter
23   80:11:00   MrSprocket  (Combat)
24   81:45:00   BlackTuano
25   82:46:00   NVGeologist
26   84:43:00   Delta110
27   86:45:00   Kolat
28   87:10:00   Santaroga
29   88:35:00   Anthem_of_the_mind
30   91:56:00   Crzydn40
31   93:52:00   Haywire
32   96:21:00   Mgobin
33   96:35:00   gto66man
34   97:32:00   Pestoso
35   99:17:00   AmmoSmith
36   103:01:00 HDLS  (Combat)
37   108:59:00 That1GuyHenry
38   114:10:00 8eDuece
39   114:32:00 Boobaloo  (Lady)
40   120:01:00 BurnNturn  (Lady)
41   121:37:00 GoreTex
42   122:33:00 SgtReynolds
43   123:28:00 Firecat308
44   124:59:00 Freeride21a
45   125:14:00 EsstacCPH
46   126:30:00 Lhotse
47   126:57:00 Mothsquad
48   127:30:00 Iceman
49   127:48:00 S_gorilla45  (Combat)
50   128:14:00 bigstick61
51   144:00:00 SirSqueeboo
52   148:00:00 MrsGrey50Beast  (Lady)
53   150:55:00 Chefjojo  (Lady)
54   154:37:00 BigMel  (Lady)
55   156:59:00 BrettTheVet
56   160:45:00 NorCalJackalope  (Lady)
57   160:46:00 Mikey  (Combat)
58   163:31:00 Fieldlost  (Combat)
59   164:18:00 MyNameisJeff
60   165:17:00 Britmonr  (Lady)
61   167:03:00 55_Shawn_S2K  (Night)
62   168:51:00 Leif
63   171:25:00 MrsLockTimeAmmunition  (Lady)
64   173:13:00 TwistedTea1773  (Lady)
65   176:08:00 Jesse_  (Combat)
66   184:25:00 Sassy_brass  (Lady)
67   185:55:00 mondernsandow  (Combat)
68   188:29:00 Max / Lost Boy
69   193:13:00 Space_Cadet
70   206:58:00 Shopgirl  (Lady)
71   227:52:00 Brandonletsgo
72   230:58:00 Mimi  (Lady)
73   231:13:00 CashrArms1701
74   278:40:00 Wachs145  (Night)

1   9:17:00   Ben  (Kids Course)
2   11:05:00 Finley  (Kids Course)
3   16:47:00 Philip  (Kids Course)
4   20:38:00 Bee  (Kids Course)
5   25:00:00 Hannah  (Kids Course)

SPONSORS OF EXCELLENCE!

03screwlariat
Abe & Moe
ADW Knives
Aim Surplus
ALG Defense
American Defense Mfg
Arisaka
Arson Machine
AXL
Baja Gringo
CCI Ammo
Cherry Balmz
Craddock Precision
Criterion Barrels
Damn Yankee Kydex
Esstac
Forward Controls Design
Geissele
HDLS
Holdway Customs
JoeyPacific
Jolly Green Juan
Locktime Ammo
Macon Armory
MOA Targets
Night Solutions LLC
Night Vision Inc
SBF Kydex
SirSqueeboo
Tater's Welding
WormGod
Zero Day Consulting

Missing from the list? PM me

Looks like it was an awesome time.

I get a knee replacement in 2 weeks.   After that I will make one of these events!!!

Just an FYI, when JohnStoner tells you to check out the range and make a range card, it's good advice!
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This covered only half the rifle targets.

Congrats to all participants and a thank you to all the staff and sponsors.

Another successful cola warrior west in the books! Thanks to @JohnStoner for hosting yet another great event! It was a pleasure being a member of the event staff and I greatly appreciate the occasional rides to the range ( it was earned, after the pain we inflicted during NW), all of the cooking and help running people and those running the range.
I had a few goals coming into this event, I wanted to break 70 minutes at west, get 4 cans on my chug and if the powers let it be, take home high woman. Some of those came true, some not so much.

For me, this event was a long time coming. I have placed 2nd and 3rd for females at west way too many times. I have been chasing a top female overall since West 2, and I am happy to say that I made it happen this time. Last year I missed it barely by about one penalty while running combat, didn’t make that mistake again and easily took high woman.
I spent some extra time attempting the death helix, that in all honesty I should just stop being fat and learn how to do the correct way. The range was challenging, I was expecting one penalty on pistol but ended up with two. Pretty sure I yelled some not so family friendly words when my mag ran out. Rifle was solid for the most part, can always be faster, need to practice more shooting off barricades. Maybe that is something else that needs built at the new house, in addition to a death helix practice gym…

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When I started my chug, I was determined to get 4 cans. I puked on can 3 (I think), got it all purged out of my system and downed the third. Then I started on getting the 4th can down. I remember looking at Binary and asking how much time I had left to finish my chug, was about 1:30. My loving husband encouraged me saying that I had just a bit left and I could do it easily. I looked at him and said, I am going for 5. I downed it, reached for my last can and chugged it in about 45 seconds (which is extremely fast for me). Finished my personal best of 5 cans just under the 10 minute mark. BMSMB has coined that as my anger chug based off how mad I was about leaving pistol targets up. The look on his face when I went for can number 5 was priceless and I am glad it worked out in my favor.

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My overall time was slightly slower than last year, but I still easily clinched the high woman title that I have wanted at west for so many years. Glad I got to have a solid win and congrats to the other winners. @Hyperscott for high overall, watch out, @BMSMB is coming for you! @Binary_operator for high combat and @mustangduck for high night. Seeing both combat and night overall winners in the top 10 was crazy. This event I just barely was outside of top 20, placing 21st I decided I have a new goal of breaking into the top 20 at a larger event. Normally my goal is top half which I generally succeed at. Being a penalty away from being top 20 showed me how far I have come, but how far I still need to go. Need to get stronger to be able to complete some more obstacles!

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As always, I'd like to start off by thanking our fantastic sponsors. There was an amazing spread of prizes for the event, and your generosity continues to leave me in awe!
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A big thank you as well to JohnStoner for hosting an amazing event and to all of the other staff who helped keep it running smooth.

I had a decent run this year with a penalty taken on the death helix and one on the chug. I'm fairly annoyed with the death helix penalty because I was able to clean the obstacles last year. Last fall I started focusing more on pistol dry fire and the time of day I would typically exercise was spent doing pistol drills instead. Goals going forward are to maintain the dry fire and find a good time slot to exercise daily.

I'm honored to be taking home the prize for best pistol this year as well. During an earlier range walk through, I asked if the pistol targets at 100 yards were the full IPSC's, or the hostage flappers on them. I was happy to hear they were the full size IPSC due to what I explained was only a 50% hit ratio on the hostage takers with my pistol at that range. During my run, I ended up with that 50% ratio, with 1 full size IPSC hit, and one hit on the hostage flappers.
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The ADW knife is incredibly beautiful and the sheath from Damn Yankee Kydex is the cleanest one I've ever seen. I've already rearranged my battle belt to add them.

I'd also like to thank HDLS for this awesome patch! I was completely caught off guard when he handed it to me.
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Some bonus pics:
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Took some other photos while at the event as well

Our picturesque campsite

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After closing ceremonies, we realized that mistakes were made. RIP canopy, time to get another one. Luckily it served its purpose while at the event

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Props to Mikey for showing up not realizing that he signed up for combat and wearing my plate carrier, glad it kind of fit you

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Copper and Ruby enjoyed running through the desert wasteland as well

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Thanks so very much for John, crew, and all the sponsors for making this happen!  Always such an incredible time.

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I'd say you brought a fist FULL of penalties to the event based on those times. I really need to make it to West!

@JohnStoner

Looks like a great time!  Any idea when the stuff we ordered ships?

Cool pics, looks like a great time.

Looks like y'all had a great time. Really liked the artwork for this event!

Thank you to the sponsors for your generosity and staff for helping out

Looks awesome. I'll make west one of these years. Those Esstac backpacks look amazing

The backpacks are pretty dang cool. This pic needs to be on Esstac’s site when the backpacks are released.

Congrats to winners and those brave enough to show and run.

Obstacle 0 got me this year but I’ll see you guys at FO!

Zipped by 5.56! Was pretty cool seeing the mag explode out of the pouch
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User name checks out. Looked like a blast.

Look at all those night guys in the top 20.  Mmmmmmmwizards getting it done.

The competitor stepped up to the obstacle, the sun beating down on his face as a warm breeze kicked up dust and blew a tumbleweed across the course.  A gang of no-good peeps stared back at him from a short distance away, as if to taunt him.  It wasn't time to deal with them yet.  A bunch of obstacles needed wranglin' first.  Yeah, they'd be tough, the competitor had heard.  But, through it all, he heard rumblings from the other folk that worse things waited, spoken about in hushed tones and whispers, as if they were afraid to be heard discussing it...the range.  Thirty-two ornery, sneaky, low-down and just straight-up tough hombres waiting to crush dreams in the desert.  Some of them were bold and would face you straight. Others hid in the bushes, waiting for their chance to crush your dreams.  As if that isn't enough, after it all...the chug.  The competitor turned his attention to the fiirst obstacle and....the penalties flowed.

At least, that's how I saw it playing out all weekend long - including during my run - at another amazing Cola Warrior West event!  This time, it was The Ocho, a Fistful of Penalties!  The name was appropriate, for sure.

I can't say enough to thank @JohnStoner and the rest of the staff (I'm sorry I can't mention you all) for the amazing work they did in putting on a great event.  I know we are only barely aware of the work you guys do before the event even starts and all of the hard work you do during the event.  Again, thank you for your efforts!

The sponsors, as always, are so generous and I know we all really appreciate it.  All of you competitors - now is the time to let them know. Sing their praises far and wide, call them, email them, buy their products if possible so we can keep them coming back.

I am so proud to have managed my second overall win in a row, especially with the competition that I was facing.  I entered into this event feeling content with my win last year but hoping to defend it and win another, just so I could have one Geissele upper to hand down to both of my kids someday.  Having secured that, I'm going combat class or night from here on out and I'm looking forward to the new challenges.  Of course, there's no reason why you can't win high overall in combat class or night, right?

I'm really pleased that I managed to get the salmon ladder for the first time this year.  I've trained hard for it and it feels good to have that hard work pay off.  It was an ugly attempt, but it counted, even if it was by the skin of my teeth.  I'm bothered by the fact that I had to skip the tire again this year but I have to listen to my 47-year-old back on these things.  Hopefully, I'll be confident enough to get it next year.  


The rifle and pistol range was no joke this year, for sure.  Just as a Cola War should, I learned that I need to practice shooting off barricades.  That sideways slot gave me trouble for sure.  At one point, I seriously couldn't figure out why I couldn't see anything as my scope was pointing at plywood. Hypoxia and stress is a bitch, sometimes.



Range cards - you need them. Trust me. Make the time to do it.


I found out afterward that my youngest daughter slipped a "good luck" note into my kit.  I unknowingly carried it throughout the whole course.  I had some lucky shots since I struggled with eye relief on my new scope, so maybe that was the winning factor.


I'm usually pretty confident in the pistol but this time, the course got me.  I spent way too much time on the polish plate rack and didn't leave enough to make a serious attempt on the spinner.  I completed the spinner last year but left it unconquered this year as my only pistol penalty.  Thankfully, with my super-professional homemade "I LOVE MOA TARGETS" t-shirt, I was lucky enough to take a spinner home to practice with.  Thanks, MOA Targets!

The chug...was rough.  I tried out a new drink this year and...mistakes were made.  I got it down but took almost twice as long as I have in years past.  The heckling almost got me to pop early, but the encouragement helped me finish.  

I had so much fun in the desert with all of you this year and I can't wait for next year already.  Thanks again, everyone,  for all of your encouragement (and heckling)!  Training for CWW9 starts today!

The sweet Freedom Spinner I got to take home:


Now I have no excuse for not completing it next year!  Thanks @nvgeologist!

Thank you to all the Staff and Sponsors! As a noob I had a great time and will be back! A fistful of penalties describes my shooting and I came out of it with lots more work to do! MOA targets are the worst and the best!
Thank you @hyperscott for the invite! I can only hope to get to your level soon. Cola training for next year already started and combat class here I come!

I'm scared what your run time will look like if you add in a bit more pistol/rifle practice over the next year!

Forgot to add this in my previous post

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Don't forget the belt fed goodness!

Edit: crap can't seem to upload on my phone.

I thought the same thing!

As always, I’m amazed at the generosity of our sponsors. Thanks to the staff for putting in the time and sweat to make things happen. West is a great event.

I swapped around some loot to hopefully give some of the prizes a better home, so this is the stuff I ended up bringing home.

Allalphas, thanks for taking not only your shifts on the range, but taking time to help me better the deficiencies in my pistol shooting. You’re a good dude (for a ginger).

Those of you with nods, I highly recommend making your next run at night. This was a very doable course, especially with Stoner spotting for you with his clippy-zoomy wizard eyes. You have the gear, time to make it happen in the dark!




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HUGELY BIG THANKS to our host JohnStoner, our incredibly generous sponsors, staff for their hard work keeping things running smoothly, and all the cola bros/sisters that are some of the best people you could know.

For the cola bros/sisters that couldn't make it, you were thought of, spoken of, and sorely missed.

For the new cola bros/sisters, now you're ONE OF US!!! ONE OF US!!! As great as it is seeing and cola warring with previous cola friends, it's always good to get new blood competing and brought into our crazy cola family.

I was missing all of you, old and new, as soon as I was packed up and making my way out of the desert wastelands. Hope to cola war with all of you again soon.

My run:  Totally mediocre with two fistfuls of penalties shooting.  I take a tiny bit of solace in the fact that some normally really fast and accurate shooters struggled with the range too. Misery loves company

The tire kicked my ass the last couple years, but this year I got it.  Setting my sights on the salmon ladder and shooting much better next year.

BIG POSITIVE: After 8 years and like 21 cola wars, I finally got a clean chug, with a 2 liter! One of my proudest moments yet in this different kind of war.  Thanks to nvgeologist giving me a verbal kick in the ass on the way home from cola northwest and telling me to quit fucking around with the 6 pack and just do the 2 liter.  Also AllAlphas for his chug science tips that helped get that 72oz down.

Awesome pictures of my run by Pestoso and Mustangducck, thanks cola bros for taking the time to capture my run.

Thanks to everyone that bought patches and stickers.

After costs, there's $226 from West to go back to the cola wars and previously $34 from Northwest that went to West already.

Cola bros and sisters best!

This is now one of my favorite post chug spews.  Done into the howling wind.  MISTAKES WERE MADE!



@AllAlphas

Excellent rifle stance sitting at that barrier! Pay no mind to the yucca and do what needs done!

Great photos!

Pain at the pump to get to the pain at the cola war.  Worth every penny though.




The things this rail of peeps has seen traveling to multiple cola wars...


Wake up in beautiful Ludlow


East to the Arizona desert wastelands.


Into Arizona.


Rendezvous at BajaGringo's place Tuesday morning.



The Sultan of Tortillas, BajaG.  What a kind and generous man.


To the range to verify zero with a gaggle of cola bros and sisters (not pictured). My zero was on, but I wasn't when it came to shooting the event. MISTAKES WERE MADE!!!


Into the wastelands Tuesday night. Don't recommend doing this at night when pulling a toy hauler. Or at least have a navigator with you if you do, so you don't miss a fork in the trail and have to back and turn around in the dark. MISTAKES WERE MADE!!!


You know you're close when you see this tank with this sticker.  Unless you came in the White Hills Rd route, then you missed your turn and are going the wrong way.




Obstacle zero of the Cola Wars can be a bit challenging, especially at West.

I just want to say Thank You Biggly for letting us shoot your belt-feds and happy switches and the entertaining "shoot the plate carrier".  You guys are great!!! Thanks for supporting and participating in the Cola Wars.

And he was a pretty cool guy showing up and not knowing he was running

I was top 20!  For a little while anyway.

@RyanEsstac That's an exciting idea, and I'm onboard! I need direct communication with them, can you get us linked up? Did they have anything on the prize table at this event?

Thanks all for another great event, sorry I wasn't able to see many of you, or any of you long enough.

Here's the pics I was able to get.

@RyanEsstac have you been able to upload any of the thermal video from Thursday night?

I’d like to check it out once it’s up.

Weds morning calm before the war.  

Definitely missed seeing you, bro!

What a good event!

Congrats to all the winners and big thanks to all the sponsors.

Running people was more fun than running myself, though scoring some people was more stressful. Next year I'm going to try to heckle more, though some people were thrown off by my gentle encouragements (maybe psyop covert hecklage?)

Shit the bed my first west. Got 3rd woman my 2nd west. 2nd woman this/my 3rd west... hopefully high woman next year?! Is it bad I really want one of the special hats more than the upper??

Also, on the 3rd time eating barrel chicken from the kitchen, I thought I was over it, so can someone tell me why that's all I've been craving this week?

Thanks to all the machine guns we got to shoot after the event, originally I wasn't even planning on dragging my lazy ass up the hill one last time but I'm glad I did.

Always a pleasure seeing old friends and making new ones.

Foxy is sad being back in apartment life but I'm pretty sure she prefers the 80 degrees out here to freezing in the wasteland.

Much love to yall, see ya next year if not sooner! ??????

Will post my AAR after the work week as done.

Returning to work has sucked so far.

Post cola depression is a thing. Not sure if better or worse by short exposure.

I like that I was top ten in this very brief window... :)