There I was....

Most of you know I have a 14 year old son that I go to Colorado to pick up on various holidays and whatnot. I live in Wyoming--land of the horizontal snow. The vehicle I drive is a 2005 Avalanche which I baby like a newborn puppy. Here's a photo of said Avalanche:




So, there I was---yesterday (Sunday) I, my wife, and my son just driving out of town to make the 200 mile trip to return him to his mother's. Two days ago it snowed and the roads were icy and the wind was blowing at about 20 knots--that's not much for here--we've been having winds exceeding 60 and 70 knots for the last week. You have to understand that this is normal for this area, and I've been driving in the particularly crappy weather that happens here for over 30 years.

Having just filled up the tank and ready for a road trip, we settled in and I put the truck in 4 wheel drive "just in case." As a side note, I tell people that I'm much more comfortable flying--there is much more space and the air isn't full of idiots who can blunder into you on a whim. At least as pilots we have training. Anyway, as I said, there I was....

We were about 3 miles out of town when suddenly I saw something that wasn't right. We were approaching the area of the road where the two lane traffic merges into single lane traffic. We, still being a couple of hundred yards from the merge, were still in the left lane, with a slightly slower vehicle in the right lane just ahead of us. Suddenly ahead of us I noticed a vehicle traveling at a high rate (easily 60 mph) toward us in our lane backwards! Remember the roads were completely icy--no exposed pavement anywhere. The vehicle ahead and to the right noticed at the same time and hit his brakes. I did the same and brought my truck in behind his, my attention now divided between not rear-ending him and trying to get as far over to the right as possible without hitting the rail. Meanwhile, the backwards sliding truck started drifting into the right lane and now started a slow spin counterclockwise. The car ahead and I were now at almost a complete stop--less than 5 mph anyway. The errant vehicle clipped the rear of the car ahead of me.....and nailed us. I'm really glad he hit my door and not my son's, who was sitting right behind me. I only had time to do 2 things---to yell, "Hang on!" and to think that this was going to make that terrible sound you dread hearing. This all happened in a matter of 4 seconds.

The terrible sound happened and broken glass flew. The seat belts worked. Just like on TV all 3 of us were saying, "Are you OK? Are you OK?" I made a quick assesment of them both and determined that they were indeed alright, looked ahead at the other clipped car, in the mirror at the truck that hit us, and then out my now shattered drivers side window. I didn't even realize that the impact had knocked off my sunglasses and thrown the hat I was wearing into the back. My wife called 911 and they asked all the pertinent questions--asking if we needed an ambulance or firetruck. "No," she said, "we should be able to get out," and we were informed that the HP was on the way. Then I tried to get out. No dice. My son could push his door a little, and probably could have forced it, but I told him not to because there was no way I wanted him outside with these icy roads in case some other idiot wanted to repeat the ordeal. My wife couldn't get out because we were pinned up against the rail. So we had to call 911 back and tell them that we maybe did need a firetruck. In hindsight this was stupid because we were OK and climbing out the windows would have been easy.

The HP came and assessed, the firetruck came and did the same, as did the ambulance crew. My wife, who works at the hospital, knew most of the firemen and we both knew the med crew. We sat there and joked a bit---me lamenting my now broken truck. Of course, liability issues and all, they wouldn't let us just crawl out the window. If we did happen to be injured the activity could just make it worse. So out came the Jaws of Life....

The sound of my door being ripped off its hinges almost made me cry. I clambered out to see this--my son took these with his phone--I'll have more photos tomorrow after I get a rental car and take my own....







I'll make the rest short. We had called my friend, the captain that works opposite shift with me, and he came to help me empty out the truck and take us to Colorado. I spent the next 1 1/2 hours with the HP going through the paperwork dance. When I got in each of their vehicles I informed them that I was carrying (I always carry, and yes, I have a concealed permit) and joked around with them for a while. We towed the truck to a shop, where the initial assessment was that it was totaled--but an estimate would be forthcoming. Insurance calls were made today, I get a rental, and now I must gear up for that pain in the ass job of searching for a new vehicle.

The good thing is that we are all OK! OH---wear your seatbelts!!!

Me

Obviously I don't write anything here. I read a lot of blogs and my "writing" is done mostly in comments and observations of others. However, since luckily no one reads this blog, I can post some things for me to save for my own posterity. I wrote this in response to some observations someone made regarding the "progress" people have made over the years. The preceding only to remind myself and to jog the memory of the original post.
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I think we're all guilty of the "want it now" syndrome in some sense. But I think there's a difference in wanting it now and getting it now. If I can afford it, I get it, and if I can't I wait until I can. If I want or need it badly enough I'll put it on a credit card, but only if I can pay it off within 3 months. While that may not be the epitome of restraint I think that, for me, it works. That's just my own personal rule that I set for myself.

As far as Shadow's oberservations, I agree. There was a time I liked being out in public--whether it being in the bars or out amongst the public, so to speak--but after bouncing in the bars for many years and getting to see up close and personal the different types of personalities and types of people that said people are becoming, I got tired of it quickly. Now I'm a homebody that only leaves home for work, groceries, and the occasional foray into the mountains. I'm perfectly happy being at home reading my multitude of books and watching the news (that's a different discussion in itself!)

When and where I grew up I feel I was lucky. I had travelled literally around the world and then some--and then settled into the middle of nowhere southern Wyoming. We had one channel on TV which we were lucky to get. If it was windy (always) or snowing then we could forget reception. So I read books. A lot of them. I read the entire World Book Encyclopedia by the time I was 12, and James Michener's Hawaii at the same time. Not exactly grade school reading level. My mode of transportation was cross country skis and I can't count how many miles I'd traveled on them---teaching myself to downhill on them, jump, and practicing for my own aspiration of the Biathalon in the Olympics by shooting with my .22 at the most distant twig of a branch on a tree that I could see. I did many projects out of the American Boy's Handy Book and thought of myself as self sufficient--able to handle most any situation in the outdoors. I built snowforts in snowdrifts able to literally hold 20 people in comfort. School was a boring necessity--very easy and just a place that held, for me, angst and fear of getting my ass kicked for being small and not quite like everybody else, although I tried to fit in.

I told you that so I can tell you this: I feel I failed.

A failed relationship later and a son, 14, who lives 200 miles away. A boy who I absolutely adore, and can't seem to find enough ways to be there for him. And in that sense I have a tendency to not be able to do the right things by him. I feel that we're close, but not as close as we used to be, and so I have some sort of flawed thinking that I need to do something, anything, to help recapture what we once had. He has no interest in school, so grades are a continual battle. I am holding his cell phone hostage in exchange for grades. The fact he even has a cell phone speaks volumes to my own bad parenting skills. In my own defense, he's 200 miles away and I really wanted to be able to call or text him at will. I miss him always.

But the point is that he doesn't have the opportunities I did. He lives in a city, unable to venture out to the beaver ponds at will and go fishing. To grab his gun and head out into the woods to shoot what boys will. To explore in the barn and climb a half fallen tree and pretend it's an airplane high above. To strap on a pair of skis and see how fast a 70 knot wind can push him--coat open and held aloft to attempt to fly. To traipse the fields with no worry as to when to be home, only to be home when you got there. I had these things and so much more. Unstifled. Free. Completely curious. Wondering. My son shows none of these traits--captured in a city and bound by rules. A product of government schooling and social axioms. He must be subject to so much peer pressure, much more than I probably had to endure, than I can even imagine in this day and age. ......to be continued.....

Spectre of the Brocken

I do love my job. Flying has been a passion of mine since I can remember. Although the political crap that goes along with any job can ruin things, actually going out and doing my job makes it worthwhile.


This photo illustrates several atmospheric phenomena--the Spectre of the Brocken, a glory, and heiligenschein (holy light.) I took this one early morning descending into Lander, WY. I'd noticed this opportunity "leading" us and was lucky enough to have my camera out and ready.





The Spectre is simply your shadow projected on the cloud below. The glory, which is the rainbow, are always directly opposite the sun, centered at the antisolar point and therefore below the horizon except at sunrise and sunset. They are formed when light is scattered backwards by individual water droplets. Heiligenschein, or holy light, is the bright glow in the very center. The glow is centered on the antisolar point--so if you look closely you can tell (by looking at the very center of the glow) that I was sitting in the right seat. That particular day I was training one of our First Officers to be a Captain--so he was flying left seat.


This photo is the only one I've had published so far--in Tim Herd's Kaleidoscope Sky --thanks, Mr. Herd! It's a very interesting and informative book on atmospheric phenomena....

Frogs

A couple of months ago I went to a friend's house for a party. He has several vivariums with Poison Dart Frogs (PDF's.) I caught the fever. Here are a couple of photos I took of his frogs.

This, of course, inspired me to start building my own vivarium. It took a lot of research and a bit of time--but I finally completed my first. I used a 20 gallon high aquarium and incorporated a water feature. It will take a couple of months to grow in, and I've added a few plants since this photo was taken. The frogs are next--after the grow in and after I've mastered fruit fly cultures to make sure I can feed them. Once I'm comfortable with this initial effort I have a 55 gallon tank I'll be converting.

I'm still trying to master taking shots of it--the lighting is difficult. That was taken about a month ago---it looks much better now--especially since I put some moss that I found in it. Ironically, I found this fantastic moss in the most unlikely place---right outside of our hangar. In the summer this spot is hot and dry and, as far as I know, the most inhospitable place for moss to grow. Yet it does, and so I must transfer it to a new home....

As an aside, once I build the 55 gallon it will be on to the next project--a paludarium. These photos, from The Aquarium Design Group inspired me too....

A Force of Nature

I was talking the other day with one of my co-workers about storm chasing. Hoping that we'll finally have some time off later in the Spring we've decided to take a few days and travel to eastern Nebraska or northern Oklahoma to chase some of those huge thunderstorms they have. While we get some relatively good ones here---they are few and far between--and have nowhere near the size, violence, or beauty that occur in the midwest. I just want to photograph some of those huge cumulonimbus clouds being lit up at dusk....

I chased this storm through the wee hours of the morning a couple of summers ago. I used a window mount "tripod" and my Canon 10D with a remote timer.

First Post

Writing. It's something I've always wanted to do---but I've never had the tenacity to follow through. I suppose time will tell whether I will or not. Whether I have anything interesting to say is a whole other story.

I have many interests--but have some internal mindset that doesn't allow me to be too "personal." Politics, science, hobbies--I will write what I know....