Field of Flags...

This past 10 days has been pretty special for a lot of veterans in the Shelby County area. The Shelby County Historical Society teamed up with some veterans organizations and put on a "Healing Fields" display. The common name for it is the Field of Flags, but it also included displays at the Historical Society which featured artifacts and displays from local Viet Nam War veterans, one of the traveling Viet Nam Wall displays, several memorial displays which included the names of service members killed in the various conflicts and wars since September 11.


The public was treated to a fantastic show on the opening day as somewhere between 2,500 and 4,000 motorcycles escorted the "Wall" from the town of Wapakoneta to Sidney, a distance of about 30 miles. It was reported that the semi containing the "Wall" and the first motorcycles were in Sidney and there were still motorcycles waiting to leave at Wapak. The bikers rode two abreast -- what a sight...what a sound. Naturally, people lined the route and waived their flags.


Historical Society members sold American Flags to the public who could purchase one to commemorate the life of a loved one in the service, present or past. The intent was also to honor firemen, EMTs, policemen, and any other kind of first responder who might have been killed in the line of duty. Their original intent was to just break even at around 600 flags. However, they did real well and sold right around 1,200 of those Star Spangled Banners. It was a pretty inspiring and humbling sight.

Pam and I purchased a flag in memory of my dad, a Tech Sergeant in the Army (Artillery) during the Second World War. He and I talked some about his experiences in the War but I wish I had learned more from him. He had some pretty interesting stories about his unit's participation in the Normandy Invasion and how his battery supported the landings from on board a ship.

We also purchased a flag in memory of a friend, SPC Damon Winkleman, a medic who was killed in Afghanistan in 2009. SPC Winkleman's dad and I served together off and on for about 20 years. He is one of the best friends I have. He too has spent a LONG time in the Army, and will soon retire.

The concept of a healing field is pretty special, especially in Shelby County. This area is so supportive of our Veterans. I hope these feelings are not lost in the future, because I don't think this will be the last call for our soldiers.

They (the veterans) changed the world ... They made the world a better place today. ... Make sure to tell others who they were. (Anon)

Hooah

HAMming it up at 6,500 ft......

Two weeks ago there was a nation-wide event called "Field Day" which is an event that tests the operating skills and emergency preparedness of amateur radio ("HAMs") operators to perform their skill in a sustained emergency network. Field Day is run like a contest in which operators try to make as many contacts around the country and overseas as possible in a 24-hour period. Various categories are established and different operating environments are encouraged by which the HAM uses emergency power, generators, homemade antennas, and various other kinds of equipment in order to test the maintenance of communications networks in emergencies. Cell phones, land lines, twitter nets, computers and internet can and will fail, hopefully not all at the same time, so the challenge is still there to at least maintain emergency comms through HAM radio operators.

This Field Day was a bit different for a couple of us. My friend, Eric, and I thought it would be fun to try to hook up something totally different this time and see if we could push the envelope a bit. Eric owns a small aircraft and had been toying with the idea of doing something where we could create an air mobile platform and do our emergency HAMming from 6,500 feet. Of course all Eric has do do is mention flying and I'm in, so we talked about the possibilities and "theory" and he came up with a rig that would work. The antenna was going to be the tricky part along with the step-down transformer that would allow us to power up the HF rig (12 volts) from the plane's power system (28 volts). Eventually we/he got everything worked out, got the antenna worked out, and off we went. If you click on the picture of us in front of the plane, you can see the antenna wires which ran from the back of the plane to the tie-down hook on the strut.

We were able to talk to people on both coasts and pretty much everywhere in between. Once he started making contacts and using our identifier as "air mobile" there were lots of people trying to contact us. In fact, we got jammed up a lot of the time because everyone was stepping all over each other trying to get to us.

We made one contact with the Amateur Radio World HQ (ARRL/W1AW) in Newington, CT. and they talked to us for a while. In the background of their station, we could hear one of their guys saying "Air mobile.......How do we log that one in?" Eric said you are the headquarters guys, you figure it out.

We had another HAM, Joe, with us to help with the logging. Eric ran the radio and I flew the plane. What a great way to spend a summer afternoon.

Try not. Do or do not, there is no try. (Yoda)

Hooah

What a bunch of firsts...

Over the Fourth of July, we had a really neat bunch of relatives here from Georgia. Hank, Doy (Pam's sister) and their son Mike and his family (Janet, Sarah and Ben) all flew up from the sweltering heat of Georgia to be here and what a surprise -- the weather for the first half of the visit was absolutely beautiful. Most of the time the temperature was in the mid-70s with very low humidity and just a little breeze. We were all pleasantly surprised.

With that kind of start, we were able to get outdoors most of the time and do lots of things...most of which were firsts for at least one of the members of the group.

It began with some fishing at the pond. Ben was quite the fisherman, and got into a bunch of bluegills and got to pulling them out one right after the other. He had 10 pretty good ones in no time at all. He also caught one of the mid-size bass (a first for him). Doy and Sarah got to fishing and I found out that that was the first time Doy had either fished or caught a fish -- I can't remember which she said. It all happened so fast, and......the fish was only about 4" long!! Sorry, Doy. Sarah also got a fish or two but did more feeding of the bluegills than catching them. On that same day, Chuck, Alanna and Karen also tried their hand at it. Alanna has a little child's pole and we were all wondering what would happen if she got into one of the big catfish. But that didn't happen as she tired of fishing in a very short time and turned her pole over to Grandpa for safekeeping. And wouldn't you know it -- just after she gave it to Chuck, one of the bass took her worm and Chuck hooked it. He reeled it in and all the while Alanna jumped up and down saying, "I caught a fish, I caught a fish."

Later that evening we all sat around the fire ring, watching the stars and telling stories. I really enjoy those times.

We were also able to go to Chuck's and watch the fireworks that the City of Lima puts on each year. They do a pretty nice job.

One of the other firsts was taking the kids for boat rides. The women went shopping one day, and we all went over to Lake Loramie for a short ride on Miss Pam. Since I forgot to check the gas tank before we left, we only had enough for about an hour's ride, but that was plenty. I know that was Ben's first ride in our boat. Later in the week, we also took canoe rides on our pond. I think almost everyone who took a ride said this was their first or second time doing that. It's not a big pond, but it was fun.

Before they all left, Pam brought out all of her dummies and everyone sat around just having fun trying to be a ventriloquist. When you see this picture, try to avoid asking the obvious question.

I put most of the pictures on my Picasa site, so if you know where that is, check them out.

Families are like fudge - mostly sweet with a few nuts.

Hooah

Follow-up on our last golf outing to NC...

While going thru some pictures last night and came across these. I had almost forgotten this part of our "Man Trip" to play golf in North Carolina this past spring.

As we did on our first trip there, we stopped on the way home to see Mayberry (Mt. Pilot, NC). It was another disappointment -- no Sheriff Taylor, no Barney, no Opie or Aunt Bea. We did, however, stop at the jail again and spent some time there...the tourist jail, not the real one. The old Sergeant Major (shown on the right) was the one in our group who may have had more of a chance to be in here than any of us as we were growing up. Dave liked fast cars back then! Chuck (left) is pretty much at home behind these bars too, but that's because he knows every line, scene, character that ever appeared on Mayberry.

Goober's gas station was closed. S'posed to open at 9:00 and it was 9:15. I guess that's how it was back then. Anyhow, it was raining and the gal who was to work that morning was just running late.

We hit the shops up town to find that perfect T-shirt to take home, and then went to the movie house (the old school house where Andy Griffith went to school when he was growing up there). There were some pretty cool statues out front, so we got our picture taken by some young couple who stopped by there, probably looking for the Sheriff or Opie too. From the way the young gal went on when she was taking our picture, she nay have thought maybe we were some of the characters from the original shows. I guess if you look closely, you can see some likenesses!

The "Good Old Days" aren't times marked precisely by a calendar, rather they are a state of mind fringed by the fog of passing time.

Hooah

The second most spectacular flight I have made...

During our June pilot's club meeting, the club decided to have a fly-out for the evening. It's been a while since I have been able to go to a meeting -- just about 6 years. Army kinda got in the way for all that time, so I was really looking forward to getting back with these guys. Most pilots I know are some really super guys, and we have some good times flying, talking about flying, and doing flying-related things, like Young Eagles, poker runs, etc.

This fly-out was to a small grass strip in the vicinity of Marysville, Ohio. We go over there every once in a while and the owner of the field has a hamburger and hot dog cook-out. The members bring a covered dish and it is really fun to just go over there, eat and sit around and just talk flying stories...most old, and some even real.

During this outing, the owner's son brought out a Stearman they own. What a beautiful biplane it is. Blue body with yellow wings, and a real nice black leather interior. I was once supposed to take a ride in one of these at the Troy WACO Field. My wife bought it for me as a present, but my first deployment to Iraq got in the way and when I got back from there, I found out that the guy who had the plane had gone out of business. I never got that ride, and I joked about it with the guy who owned this Stearman (shown below). He then asked me if I wanted to take a ride to make up for that one...I don't think a fly could blink faster than I answered yes. So off we went.
It was pretty cool. I even got to (had to) wear a little leather helmet with goggles and a built-in headset -- just like the Red Barron. We went rolling down the runway and had just cleared the wheels when he asked me if I wanted to fly it. That didn't take much convincing either. What a beautiful flight -- clear, blue skies at about 7:00 at night, no wind and me at the control of the stick. It doesn't get much better than that.

I might have flown a plane this way in an earlier life. No instrument panel, just a few dials, a stick and a rudder. This was as close as I might ever come to actually flying like a bird.

Maybe some day Quinn and I will get to go up together!!

When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return. (Leonardo Da Vinci)

Hooah

Scientific Investigation...

I have been conducting a scientific investigation this week, and may be on to something.

Haven't had a haircut for a few weeks, and I was getting a bit shaggy. I guess that's OK 'cause it keeps the sun from burning my head, but I discovered a problem with it -- or so I thought -- when I was playing golf this past Monday. It seems I kept hitting behind the ball and taking a rather big divot. I've never done that before, or at least that many times in a round. Well, after conducting more research over the next 14 holes or so, I came to the conclusion that I had too much hair on my head. It was too heavy and pushing me down into the ground, so I had to hit short!! I also found that with that much more hair, I was always sweating and the hair was always wet, thus adding to the weight that was pushing me down. That, and the fact that my head always felt waterlogged, drove me to this study, and to the barber.

I ran this theory by my barber, Cheryl (I've been a steady customer of hers since I moved to Troy in 1972) to see what she thought. I don't know why, but she was a bit skeptical. Barbers can be that way.

I further explained that as part of my study, I thought that dark hair was heavier than gray hair, so I wanted her to cut more of the dark hair and trim the gray. She said that should not be a problem, since there was a disproportionate amount of gray on my noggin. If this weren't a scientific study, she wouldn't have gotten a tip for this cut.

Anyway, as she was cutting away, I started to feel lighter in the chair. I thought I was going to have to hold the arm rests to stay in it. By golly, I think I'm on to something here.

Well, after getting a second opinion from Dave (the other barber in the shop), I left and headed to the truck. I have to admit, as I was getting in I did hit my head on the top of the door opening -- but I think that was just my being clumsy.

Later that day was my golf league and I thought I was going to hit that ball soooooo sweeeeeet!! How could I miss, being so light on my feet and all. Well, I did hit it sweet!! My shots off the tee were pretty good, and my irons were very good. In a sense of full disclosure, however, I admit I shot a 48, but I had an 8 on one hole and a 9 on another one -- the fairways were really soaked and the grass was very long because they couldn't get the mowers in there to cut. Anyway, our team won 26 points and we are currently in second place -- thank you very much.

I called Cheryl the next day to report the findings. She asked if she could tell all her golfing customers about the study and the results. I told her that I was going to see if Golf Digest wanted to publish the results first, then she could use them. I told her I would mention her and the shop in the article. Funny -- she said I really didn't need to do that. I wonder what she meant by that!

I found out how to increase my length off the tee -- hit the ball and then turn around and run backwards real fast for about 15 yards or so.

Hooah

Fly fishing on the Gunpowder River...

Pam bought me a one-day, guided fly fishing trip as a Christmas present this past year, and I finally got it in last weekend. What a great time.

To date, my fly fishing experience has been limited to popping around docks here at my house and over at Lake Loramie. I've caught a lot of bluegills, a few crappies and some small bass doing this. In fact I even spent a day whipping the water on the Great Miami River by the covered bridge at Troy (at that time I swore there were no fish in that river). However, now I know better.

I looked at the Gunpowder, which is located north of Baltimore, MD and would never have pegged it for a highly regarded trout river. In fact, it is one of the more popular trout rivers in that part of the country. I met my guide, Phil Gay (retired Navy Captain, fighter pilot and once commanded the U.S.S. John Kennedy aircraft carrier, which in itself is a big deal) early in the morning and had to admit that I had forgotten to bet my MD 3-day tag. So we went in the house and got on the computer to take care of business. He said I was not the first fisherman to do that, but I don't know if he was just saying that to be nice. Anyway, now it was down to the river. The water was COLD, and really swift. Most of the time we stood in rushing waters up to our behinds, but a couple of times we got in waters above our waist. Phil talked about river speed in terms of CFS. Well, I don't know much about that, but I do know if I mis-stepped I would be a quarter mile down river with full waders before I knew what happened. I also know I was really tired when I got back to the hotel. We were in the river pretty much non-stop from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. We did climb out to eat lunch, which Phil packed for each of us.

OK, so I've stalled long enough -- I caught a small brown trout, a small rainbow, a bass (about 10-11 inches) and a 14" rainbow (see picture). Now, I know there have been fishermen who have caught a lot more fish than I did -- in fact, most everyone catches more fish than I do, but my measure of success and fun is not measured in how many fish (I.Q. of about 2) I outsmart (I.Q. of ????). I learned a whole handful of new casting techniques, walked a beautiful river just a few miles from a major US city with all it's concrete and traffic, and got to spend time outdoors doing something I like to do. PLUS -- Pam came with me and we got to spend time together and then we went to NY to see Doug and Quinn (Danika was working and then had school that night -- boo!). We got to see their new house and spend time with our grandson -- that big ball of happiness!!

So now, Pam, what are you going to do to top this??? I have not yet had a glider flight or skydived!! I can hardly wait till Christmas.

All the romance of trout fishing exists in the mind of the angler and is in no way shared by the fish. (Anon)

Hooah