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Post by Dan on Jan 17, 2010 5:37:38 GMT -5
Note: This is a continuation of an adventure to explore the U.S. border with a flight that originated in Charleston, S.C. flying Digital Aviation's Cheyenne. It started out as just a flight to Daytona Beach, but as noted in the 'General Aviation' forum, progressed down to Cape Canaveral, Miami, the Keys, Tampa, etc. and then became an adventure in and off itself to see the U.S. from the outside looking in, with the initial thread posted after passing over Corpus Christi, TX in that forum. mainescenery.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=genav&action=display&thread=9687Well, it seems like I've been in Del Rio, Texas for a couple of months now . . . The Redhead loves 'smothered' Burritos, so we landed that night and ate and drank ourselves silly. Then decided to stay a couple more days and see the sites - lots of early Texas history, including the infamous Judge Roy Bean - an eccentric saloon owner and Justice of the Peace in Val Verde County. He promoted himself as "The Law West of the Pecos" and according to legend, held court in his saloon along the Rio Grande. We did some camping at the Amistad Reservoir, formed on the Rio Grande along the border of the US and Mexico - big lake, big fish, and big parties!! Also, toured the site where they filmed 'The Alamo' directed by John Wayne and as Davy Crockett - actually, I remember the Walt Disney version with Fess Parker (1955). Took off some time thereafter in the AM (not sure what day) and passed over Lake Amistad. [a href="  "] [/a] There's Davis-Monthan Air Force Base - Tucson, Arizona below - it's the official AF graveyard, but I don't see any planes - hmmm, must've buried them.  Tucson International Airport is to the upper left. [a href="  "] [/a] Oh, my - we've lost an engine . . .  . . . just as the Redhead wakes up and asks what's wrong - I told her - she thinks we should go back and look for it . . . [a href="  "] [/a] I got the engine re-started and now . . . I have no gauges - nothing, except the engine gauges. No radio, no speedometer, no makeup mirror, nothing - all hell is breaking loose. The Redhead is yelling and screaming, calling her mother - she told her we found the engine, but now lost 'all' the gauges. Her mother is calling 911 . . . [a href="  "] [/a] Nowhere to land out there.  Nothing to do now, but fly strait and level and hope San Diego is in that compass somewhere!  There's the Salton Sea - always wondered where that was. I think I'm too far north - doesn't look right. Oh, how I wish she could read a map . . .  [a href="  "] [/a] San Diego . . . phew!! But, that right engine is going out again . . . [a href="  "] [/a] Ahhh, now for the sweet screeching sound of rubber . . . better then the Redhead!! Looks like we might be here for awhile!!  Dan …it’s great being a kid again – without the glue! ;D
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Post by bhk on Jan 17, 2010 6:25:51 GMT -5
Do we ever get to see a photo of "the redhead"....you know......before you crash the plane somewhere?
I'm a nervous wreck here!!
Bruce
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Post by sgtmajor on Jan 17, 2010 12:26:30 GMT -5
Dan....... give me a call. You and the Redhead are welcome to stay here while the aircraft is repaired. (Hemet...KHMT... about 80-85 mile North of San Diego.)
Got plenty of room......a few cold drinks (we can get more)......and if you're up to it, we'll have a good cigar while the redhead and the wife go shopping!!
Standing by...........(Smile)
Cheers,
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Post by Dan on Jan 18, 2010 5:32:09 GMT -5
Do we ever get to see a photo of "the redhead"....you know......before you crash the plane somewhere? I'm a nervous wreck here!! Bruce LOL !! Well Bruce, hopefully I'll land the plane before we crash but, then with no radio's, I'm thinking we could get shot down - I'm not sure what the procedures are, so I asked the Redhead to smile real pretty and throw lots of kisses . . . she's thinking about it. Regarding a picture of her, well, let me just say that the Redhead is whatever you may think she is. Over the past 'simulated' years, I've created a lovely, but feisty five foot something flying character that is a blend of a little Lucy Ricardo, a little Gracie Allen, a little Private Benjamin (Goldie Hawn), a little spice and everything that's nice or not, that I find interesting about my bride of 40 years - she's actually a brunette! Dan....... give me a call. You and the Redhead are welcome to stay here while the aircraft is repaired. (Hemet...KHMT... about 80-85 mile North of San Diego.) Got plenty of room......a few cold drinks (we can get more)......and if you're up to it, we'll have a good cigar while the redhead and the wife go shopping!! Standing by...........(Smile) Cheers, Steve, that sounds terrific - especially the words "we can get more"!! ;D I'm changing course and will call on landing - if we get shot down, you and all of San Diego will hear the Redhead . . . Looking forward to the cigar! Dan …it’s great being a kid again – without the glue! ;D |
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Post by bhk on Jan 18, 2010 6:51:34 GMT -5
....- if we get shot down, you and all of San Diego will hear the Redhead . . ... That's about all they'll hear in San Diego now that the Chargers are out!  Bruce |
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Post by Dan on Feb 5, 2010 5:26:08 GMT -5
Well, with the timely invitation from SgtMajor, we made a direct turn to KHMT and looking forward to a cold one at the airport and who knows how many more!! That left right engine went out again and electrical power is intermittent, but mostly mittent - may have something to do with the Redhead's high velocity double barrel hair dryer - I just don't know . . . Seems we're not going to have an 'identification' problem, as the Redhead used her cell phone and called the airport, demanded to talk to the tower, told them the radio wasn't tuned right - said she didn't like their programming anyway. Sometimes she's just absolutely brilliant . . . [a href="  "] [/a] That didn't take long - well it did actually, as I can hear her mother on the cell - sounds like Ethel Merman in the movie "It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World". What a great movie that was! [a href="  "] [/a] And there's KHMT - looks great!!  [a href="  "] [/a] Now, to swing this puppy around and line her up [a href="  "] [/a] Ahhh, a little high - love that feeling! [a href="  "] [/a] We made it . . . even with a flat!! I told the Redhead to go get a tow - I don't think she heard me - said something inaudible and left . . .  Well, now to look for SgtMajor and a good time!! ;D Dan …it’s great being a kid again – without the glue! ;D |
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Post by Dan on Feb 16, 2010 5:01:42 GMT -5
The Cheyenne is finally fixed - had the engine replaced with a new one, both tires changed, and the electrical problem analyzed - threw out the Redhead's hair dryer! The entire process took about a week and a half, so the Redhead and I had a great time with SgtMajor and his wife. They were very gracious hosts and took us all around San Diego - I can see why so many people I've known in the past have raved about the climate, the people, and the night life! I throughly enjoyed the beer (we did get more, ;D cookouts, cigars, and the many many conversations ranging from airplanes, boats, and of course flight sim!! I didn't ask the Redhead how much she spent shopping . . . learned that a long time ago! But, like so many great experiences in life, the time comes to say good-bye . . .  And so we did early this morning - took off from KHMT around 7:30 AM just as the sun was coming up. [a href="  "] [/a] Looking back - ahhh, it will be a great memory [a href="  "] [/a] If I'm not mistaken that's Santa Catalina Island . . . [a href="  "] [/a] Made popular back in 1958 by the Four Preps' hit "26 Miles". www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdMEx609X_8. . . takes me way back  [a href="  "] [/a] Woke the Redhead up - how 'bout breakfast . . . [a href="  "] [/a] Had a plate of French Toast and the Redhead had a Spanish Omelet w/an English Muffin. Walked around for awhile looking at the island and memorabilia, but time to go . . . Now, on to San Francisco  Maybe a stop in Monterey . . . Dan …it’s great being a kid again – without the glue! ;D |
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Post by bhk on Feb 16, 2010 5:09:35 GMT -5
"Santa Catalina, the island of romance, romance, romance, romance"......
(Did you sing it to the Redhead as you flew past the island, Dan?)
Takes me back....I have that song as part of my 1,000+ songs from the late fifties thru the sixties.
Bruce
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Post by Slide on Feb 16, 2010 7:54:03 GMT -5
Love your flights Dan! Thanks also for that Catalina song. I had not heard about the Four Props before (I was made in the Sixties ). Really like this prehistoric Surfsound!
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Post by bhk on Feb 16, 2010 16:14:12 GMT -5
.....I had not heard about the Four Props .... "Preps", Slide. The name was a contraction of "preparatory", as in "preparatory school" or, as we knew it better back then "prep school". Students were called "preppies" or "preps". Here's a description of what that meant/means in America. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preparatory_schoolDown Here a prep school is always a private primary school, where the students "prepare" for secondary school. So preppies here (and I was one!) are normally aged between 5 and 12. Bruce |
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Post by Slide on Feb 17, 2010 4:40:08 GMT -5
"Preppies"!! ;D That sounds funny for the short ones! Reading "Props" must have been the sim madness...
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Post by Dan on Feb 17, 2010 4:49:27 GMT -5
Did you sing it to the Redhead as you flew past the island, Dan? Takes me back....I have that song as part of my 1,000+ songs from the late fifties thru the sixties. Bruce I sure did Bruce, that's what woke her up . . . I've got a voice like a drunken ol' baritone parrot . . . so I then played the CD and we threw kisses back and forth and danced off the plane when we landed and all around town like a couple of teenagers - romance, romance, romance . . . amazing how a song can put the fire back into you!! A 1000 songs - just for the 50/60's - WOW - incredible! Must be quite a collection - where do you ever find the time? Love your flights Dan! Thanks also for that Catalina song. Thanks, Slide - glad you enjoy them and your welcome for the song! I hadn't heard it in a long time until I looked out the window of the Cheyenne and tracked the song down - haven't stopped listening to it since! ;D Here is their 'official' website with their history and a couple of other hits - great times! www.thefourpreps.com/Dan …it’s great being a kid again – without the glue! ;D |
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Post by bhk on Feb 17, 2010 6:54:54 GMT -5
Another male quartet very popular in the late 50's and on into the pre-Beatles 60's....The Four Lads, contemporaries of The Four Preps. www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlbGQ0xKZbYDan, all those hits (and not so hits!) were collected over about five years between 2001 through 2006, when I was doing a weekly radio show. Most are in MP3 format but there are about 130 audio CD's too. Bruce Bruce |
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Tucson International Airport is to the upper left.
. . . just as the Redhead wakes up and asks what's wrong - I told her - she thinks we should go back and look for it . . . 
Nothing to do now, but fly strait and level and hope San Diego is in that compass somewhere!
