Wednesday, May 25, 2011

ROUTE

Some may have noticed that whenever we get a chance, we abandon interstate highways for one of America’s Classic old highways. 2011, our third year of workamping, was no different. Here is the “Land Train” , pulled over on Route 66 in McLean, Texas.

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McLean Texas is one of  our favorites. We couldn’t resist pulling off onto Route 66 in McLean. Here we are parked by the large Rattlesnakes sign.

Poco was giving us his, “I gotta’ go” signals, and this worked out just right.

We rolled slowly through town looking at, and noting changes.

The world’s largest ball of barbed wire wasn’t sitting on the ground anymore, but was now two balls on pedestals at the museum entrance.

The wonderfully restored Phillips 66 station has several great changes, to include a period outside covered oil change rack.

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This photo was taken on a earlier trip through McLean. The new oil change rack is located to the left of this photo.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

STOWAWAY

Our first day on the road was a long one ! Last minute things that came up, delayed our departure until 1530hrs. We pulled the Nissan 4x4 behind the 5er for the first time. We had worked through lunch, so our first stop was in Cove at Las Chica’s for a late lunch .

On the road again, as we neared Heavener Oklahoma, Betty said we needed a bag of ice for the cooler behind the Kawabunga truck’s seat.

While she was in the convenience store, I did a quick check of everything. As I opened the 5er’s door, I got quite a surprise. Patch, our Jack Russel, met me at the door, tail a’ waggin’ !

We had commented earlier in the day that Patch sure was wanting to go with us. Well, she had found a way, by hiding in the trailer, until we were down the road.

Here is Betty and patch waiting for my daughter to come pick her up.

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Luckily daughter Marie lives five miles away. Here is another view.

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A friend, truckin’ Tim, saw us parked during our lunch stop and immediately dubbed it “Harm’s Land Train”.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

PANTS2

Monday had been quite quiet, in South West Arkansas and as it was nearing the time for a visiting dignitary to arrive, I stopped into city hall to advise that I would be at the Landing zone. 

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While talking to the city clerk, the telephone rang and she answered. A strange look came over her face as she handed the phone to me, saying, “I think it’s for you, it sounds like a helicopter”.

The conversation was to the point and somewhat cryptic in nature. It went like this:

This is Larry.

Larry, this is Don. What size pants do you wear ?

Now, this is a guy that I had flown with quite a bit and there was a bond of trust. I didn’t hesitate. I told him immediately. His response was:

Do you have a pair of blue dress pants ?

Yes, I am wearing a pair now.

 

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To make a long story short, within minutes I was meeting the heilo, wearing a tactical jump suit, with my carefully folded uniform pants in a brown paper bag, under my arm.

As the heilo sat down and the rotors started to unwind, my friend, the pilot, pointed at me, standing in front of my patrol unit. Meeting Huckabee in mid LZ, I handed him the pants in the bag as I shook his right hand. We walked to the reception line that was waiting for him and as he went down the front of the line I paced him down the back side of it.

At the end he said quietly, “I guess the next stop is a bathroom where I can change?” “Yes, second door on the right”, I said. He changed and continued with his visiting, before lifting off for his next stop, where the newspaper article picks up the story.

But why did he need your pants, you might ask ? Yeh, logical question. The answer is quite simple. While exiting the heilo, he had slipped on the heilo’s skid step, ripping out the crotch of his pants.

Yes sir, Mike Huckabee needed a pair of pants about as bad as any one I ever knew ! There was a crowd waiting at the airport in Mena and the news media was there with camera’s at the ready.

The next day’s news paper photo was the last time I ever saw my pants !

Friday, May 6, 2011

PANTS

Some who follow this blog have heard me tell the story of “HUCKABEE’S PANTS”. It is just the kind of story that friends can enjoy around around the campfire in the evening.

It is a good story, that I have enjoyed, telling it time and again. And, I have had the story told back to me, as it had been related to them, by Mike Huckabee himself. So, I suspect that we both have had a lot of fun with the story over the years.

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The last time I ever saw my pants was in this Mena Star photo taken by Debbie Shelly, as the soon to be Lt. Governor elect, arrived at the Mena Airport.

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Here is a closer look at the newspaper’s date.

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Here is a closer look at my pants. Yes, I know, Huckabee has lost weight since then, and, I have gained. Neither one of us could wear those pants now !

A mutual friend, Vietnam Veteran, and Helicopter Pilot that owns a Helicopter flying service in Arkansas, is the link that ties this story together.

It was an election eve  Monday and the “Huckacopter Blitz” was under way. Candidate Mike Huckabee  was running for the State office of Lt. Governor and he was doing a “Lightning tour” around the State, visiting with the State’s voter’s.

One of his stops was to be in the town that I was currently serving in as Chief of Police. I had been made aware of his schedule for our area and would assist with traffic and so forth at the landing site.

End of part one of Huckabee’s Pants.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Nearly

After returning from lake Greeson we are parked under giant oak trees, tending to last minute details. Jugfest 2011 is over, attendance was down and some are talking of moving jugfest 2012 to another location.

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The large oaks hide the satellite’s from our dome, so we have hastily put out our tripod for the few days that we will be here. Soon we leave out on our third year of traveling America’s heartland.

We will travel a similar route this year, with a few minor changes. We are nearly ready to leave for Colorado.

Spring time thunder boomers are moving through the Ouachita Mountains as I sit typing in the office slide out, washing what is likely to be the last of the pollen and oak fuzzies from the air.

Soon we will move up to about 6000 feet high in New Mexico and catch up with Springtime again, in the high dessert. After a few days there, we will move up to 8500 feet in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains to await for Spring’s arrival there.

It is once again the time of the year when we play tag with Spring !