State of California

I have been asked many times, by non-Californians, if I live in the mountains or near the ocean. I have to reply that it is neither.

So, for those of you out there in the blogsphere that do not live in CA, I am posting this map to help.

I live in the central valley of CA, almost directly east of San Francisco. Kent, whom comments on this site, lives down near the Mexico border, just east of San Diego. GFI is somewhere between San Diego and Los Angeles, I think. Vixen is somewhere between San Jose and Oakland, again a guess (unless she on assignment in LA).

The now 20,000 acre fire is located in the San Fernando Valley, north and east of Los Angeles.

Reno, Nevada (where I spent my last vacation and met the woman from the post "You") is just east of Lake Tahoe.

I hope that I have answered any geography questions for those of you that need the help.

Pics From Squirrel Shooting

This is Water Rat and I. If I go shooting, it is usually with him.

Here I am getting ready to go varmint shooting. I am carrying a .223 and a 12 gauge, as well as the ammo. You just never know what you are going to need.

You can see the "That Poor Squirrel" sitting on the top of this rock. He/she was barking loudly. Or as we like to call it out west, 'Talking Shit'. Well, little did it know that it's minutes were numbered.

Kent titled this pic as "Squirrel Killer". I did kill it, too. The squirrel must have flown five feet higher than it was on it's rocky pirch. It also did about ten somersaults in the layout position, before making impact with the ground. Sans head.

Play time is over. I am on the phone with my Mom. She and Pop are 15 minutes out from Water Rat's home. So, we closed up shop and headed back to see them.

Overall, we didn't get to shoot much. But the shots that we did take resulted in kills. Always a fun time on the eastern edge of the valley.

**All photos were taken by kent of RFL. Double quotation marks are the titles of the pics named by the photographer. Some touch-ups were done to the pics to protect the guilty.

Festive Mood

My job is in one of the slow times. Halloween is a big selling day, but until then....slow. So, that means that I am only working 8 to 10 hour days, instead of 12 to 14 hour days. I could live with this.

Also, I am losing a couple of accounts starting Sunday. Thankfully, one of the accounts is the home of the bitch. I am counting the days until I can get rid of her. This is two days and counting.

Party anyone?

Weekend Made Me Tired

I dropped Kent off at the airport in Sac about three hours ago, for his return flight to San Diego. It was an enjoyable weekend with one of my best friends. Although, I am exhausted.

Too much beer, may be the main reason for this. Between the two of us, there were many gallons consumed. Kent drained my fridge of "Pilsner Urquell", which was just as well because I don't like it any way. (It was a remanent of a previous girlfriend). All of the St. Stans and Anchor Steam/Anchor Porter somehow disappeared, as did a growler of Pine Creek KGB.

Meanwhile, the micro-brewery in town made a sum of money off of us as well. I remember seven porters for me and a horrible IPA. I think that Kent had five porters, an ale, and a specialty beer. This was just on Friday night. On Saturday night, Kent and I each had two porters. (I had to be at work at 0430 on Sunday, otherwise...)

There was this waitress there that Kent was trying to hit on. But she kept shooting him down. She was, for some reason, fixated on me (according to Kent), but I wasn't really interested. Hippy chicks just don't do it for me, maybe it was all of the time that I spent in Yosemite, and the hippie culture there.

I also took Kent out shooting. He is dangerous with a gun. My brother handed him the weapon and Kent "killed" a hay bale. (He pulled the trigger accidentally). Luckily, Water Rat was out of the way and there was a clear background. I think that the shot startled him as he didn't want to try again.

We also hung out with Water Rat and his family, as well as my parents on Saturday afternoon. Kent hadn't seen the folks in over ten years. (Since just after we graduated college).

All in all, it was a great weekend. Thank God it is over. I need the sleep and the sobriety.

Pics soon to follow.

Drunk And Hungover

Kent and I went out to a micro-brewery in Ash Tree last night. I am not really interested in posting anything, because I am still hungover. We drank some great porters. Hit on the waitresses and I woke up alone feeling like shit. Great fun. I will try to post more when I feel better.

You

I saw you in the black outfit. You were the hostess at the restaurant that I visited on Saturday. Those long legs and fantastic smile. The way you held yourself and the way you talked to others.

"I don't want to know your name,..."

You were standing there on Wednesday when the whole family wanted to eat out again. I marveled at your laugh. I heard you speak and then sat us at the table. Tonight in pink and black. Your scent was intoxicating. A friend paid for dinner and you smiled at me as I walked out.

"...and I do want your private number, baby."

On Thursday, the family decided to eat in the resaurant again. You were there in tan and black. I had my back to your post, so that I didn't have to look in your direction. Just the sight of you that night was enough. Yet, you kept passing me and looking in my direction. I saw you talking to a server and looking over her shoulder at me. I can see your smile even now. My uncle paid and we headed out.

"I set my sights on you. And no one else will do."

But, I knew that I had to pay for dinner tomorrow. I decided to come back here. So, I came back to make reservations. Even though you had a large group scheduled, you still found some way to get my group in. You told me your name and laughed at my jokes.

"And I have got to have my way now, baby."

You were in black tonight. You were so beautiful. We briefly talked before you seated my family. Your boss yelled at you on the floor. Very unprofessional. I saw the tears in your eyes when he left as you talked to a co-worker. You went behind the scenes, clocked out and left. I followed you out, but I could not find you. I was torn and the night was somber.

"All I know is that to me, you look like a lots of fun..."

My cousin and I looked for you on Saturday and Sunday, but to no avail.

Will you be around on my next trip to Reno? How do I get you off of my mind?



**Italics from the song "You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)" by Dead or Alive

Busy, busy, busy

Since I have been back (from vacation), I have been too busy to really write anything.

The whores at work didn't cover my route very well. I had a newbie on it all week and three different 'swings' for my days off. Which just boils down to four people that don't really care about the route. So, my accounts were trashed!

Yesterday, for example, I worked for 14.5 hours. This would be great, if I was making some sales. But, I am really just cleaning up the shit that the others didn't do. On the bright side, though, I have only four work days this week.

I am also looking forward to the visit of one of my best friends, Kent from the blog of Right From Left. He is flying in from San Diego on Thursday evening and leaving on Sunday evening. I am sure that there will be mass quantities of beer and food to be consumed during that time.

Well, I am leaving to go back to the grind. I will talk at you later.

Home Again, Home Again Jiggity Jog!

I am back from a fantastic vacation. I got some sun. Saw a lot of racing. Saw family. Spent money. Basically, just a lot of fun.

It is late here right now and I have to be at work by 0430 tomorrow morning. I will be posting more in the near future.

I am probably going to start another blog exclusively for air racing.

Stay tuned....

Off To See The Wizard!

Well, I am off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Reno. I won't be posting anything until I return on Sun 18 Sep 2005. I plan on having a lot of pics and things to write about when I return, so look back here then.

Jenn and ~Eyes you so rock and I will miss hearing from you! Prufr0ck, well you know...

Take care guys, talk to you later.

More Unlimited Racers

"Voodoo" is leading "Dago Red". These are, also, highly modified North American P-51's.


Unknown Aircraft and "Cottonmouth". Both shown aircraft are stock P-51's.



Race Plane #7, "Strega", flown by Bill 'Tiger' Destefani of Bakersfield, CA. This is a highly modified P-51.

The top speed of these aircraft is reaching 500 mph. There are only a few, at this time, that are able to get to this mark. "Dago Red" is the aircraft that has come the closest to a 500 mph sustained speed. Unfortunatly, the plane was sold last year and its racing career is uncertain.

Biplane Racing

Although not as popular as the Unlimited or T-6 Classes of racing, the Biplane Class has some of the fiercest competions . These planes, unlike the previous two, start from the runway from a dead stop, with up to nine aircraft in a race at one time. These aircraft run a 3.11 mile course with top speeds of about 200 mph.

Reno Air Racing, AT-6 Class

Although not a great picture, because of the overcast sky, this pic does illustrate the racing.

These are AT-6/SNJ-6 class racers. The AT-6 was usedas a trainer for World War 2 pilots.

These planes are all stock. Heavy penalties are enforced for rule violators, including disqualification from further racing for the season.

The planes shown here, from top to bottom are:
"Mis Stress", "Mystical Power", and "Daring Diane".

Reno Air Racing, Unlimited Class

This is an image of Lefty Gardner in 'White Lightning' going around pylon #8 at the Reno Air Races. The top of the Reno can is roughly 60 feet off of the ground. Lefty is about five feet above that.

This picture was shot from the infield. It is a special area for the media. A job that I had at one time.

'White Lightning' is a P-38. This is an example one of the major pursuit aircraft in World War 2.

Countdown to Racing

Next week I will be on a much needed vacation.

I will be in Reno for the Reno National Championship Air Races. Every year I take a ton of photos and end up with five or six quality pics. I will post some of my best pics on flickr when I return. In the mean time, I will just be counting down to the green!

Much Better

I am much better tonight. If you read my previous post, you will understand. Thanks to those who cared, fuck off to those that didn't.

Moods

I am currently in a mood that I would rather avoid, because I don't handle it very well. I am depressed. I feel a poem coming on, maybe to be posted on Ruminations. If you have read that blog, you can see that I have managed to avoid this feeling for quite a while. (As I always write something while in the mood.)

Pray for me, those who believe, for this could get bad.

Dove Season Opens, BANG!

Today is actually the second day of dove season. As many who read this blog know, I had a very tough and long work week, so I slept when I got home yesterday.

But, this morning I was up at 0330 and at Water Rat's house by 0430. We drove up to the wine vinyards around Rancho Seco Nuclear Facility to do some dove hunting. We arrived before dawn, set up our 'mojo' decoy, and waited for the sun and birds.

I was a bit rusty out of the gates. I missed several easy shots, but redeemed myself later. I dropped one into the vinyard and went a huntin' fer it. Unfortunately, it was still alive when I found it. (I need to preface this commentary to say that I am a big Puss on some things). So, I backed off ten yards or so and shot it again. This didn't sit too well with Water Rat.

As well as getting a big ass chewing from my "little" brother, he also showed me how to pull the head off of the dove. Wouldn't you know it, the next one I knocked down wasn't dead either. So, (trying not to further my Puss factor) I walked up to the bird, grabbed it as I should and ripped that little guy's head right off! Blood squirted everywhere, just wonderful. The third downed bird, same thing. Same ending.

But, I my fourth downing, I couldn't find the bastard. I looked and looked. I was crawling under vines, when I saw it. The damn thing didn't even look touched. I crawled up to it and it flew off a few rows like it was stunned or had a damaged wing. So, I went after it. Just as I get to it, the damn thing flies away! It seems, in talking to Water Rat, that the wad from the shell knocked the bird out and it fell. (The wad had small feathers on it). I have never, in 30 years of hunting seen that. Amazing!

I finished the morning hunt with six confimed birds. Water Rat nailed his ten (limit). But, the fun wasn't done! Oh, no!

Now we had to clean the birds. So Water Rat showed me how to stick my thumb under the breast plate and pull the bird apart. Oh, I am such a Puss! I hated doing it, but I did it anyway. You only keep the breast of the dove, you see. Then you push the skin and feathers off from the meat. Pretty straight forward.

We ate in a small town on the way back to Water Rat's house. Washed off the breasts and put them in the freezer.

Water Rat and I went out again tonight with some friends. He got six, I got three, Friend 1 got five, and Friend 2 got two. Same number of birds as this morning with more hunters.

I am beat, but this beats the hell out of working! Even if I am a Puss at times.

Tough! 2

After my previous post on the flood, I thought that I would further explain my position.

In 1997, I was living in Yosemite. We had a 100 year flood. I was displaced from my home, with no forseeable job and a lot of questions. I got no help from anyone. I had to make due with what I had. Where was the money to help those of us who went through that?

That is why I don't care about these people. No one cared about me in my crisis, why should I care about theirs?

And, how many buttons do I have to see to pledge to the effort on the various blogs? Virtually every site has one. Great you supported! Are you looking for credit by putting a button on your site?

Like I said before, BFD!