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Post by udwe on Apr 16, 2022 8:17:18 GMT -6
Sounds like Margo got out just in time!
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Post by gipsy on Apr 16, 2022 8:22:46 GMT -6
If she is a good one we need her to stay,but one alone is not much good in DC. Perhaps she will be around to rebuild when it is all over.
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ydderf2
Member
"I'm from the government and here to help" hahahaha
Posts: 321
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Post by ydderf2 on Apr 16, 2022 16:47:32 GMT -6
Thanks for the update
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Post by ncsfsgm on Apr 16, 2022 20:22:54 GMT -6
Chapter 101
When Gil drove up to the house, He saw Grace and Margo going into the guest cabin. Gil waited for Drake to get out of his truck and led him up on the deck into the house. Glancing back at the guest cabin, Gil saw what could have been Grace in the window as he followed Drake in. Gil poured them each two fingers of River Bank and started a fire in the fireplace.
"This gets better every time I taste it." Drake said.
"New barrel. This is the Smokey Edition. I'm finally getting this down to the taste I was looking for." Gil replied.
Grace and Margo came through the door and headed into the kitchen, coming into the Great Room a couple of minutes later.
"Margo, you remember Drake. He and I were just up checking your house out, making sure the power system was functioning properly."
"Why thank you Drake." Margo said, smiling.
<"I've got a feeling her house is going to have a few hiccups." Thought Gil.
"When are the movers arriving?" Grace asked.
"Thursday morning."
"We'll have people there to help you." Grace said.
Gil chuckled. "Along with a ton of food, Grace no doubt will provide."
"Oh! I don't have a freezer or refrigerator! I…"
"The house has both." Drake said."
"Oh, good! I need to do a walk-through and see what I need to purchase." Margo said.
"We'll go down in the morning, and I have four bottles of wine for you also." Grace said.
"I hope you aren't giving her the good stuff!" Gil said sternly.
"Oh hush! She IS getting the good stuff!" Grace said.
"Well, throw in a bottle of the River Bank too. Drake likes it also."
Drake choked on the drink he was taking and Margo flushed.
"I've got pizza dough in the refrigerator. Drake, what do you like on your pizza?" Grace asked.
"Anything is fine with me." Drake replied.
"Come on Margo, let's make these men pizzas."
Drake watched Margo follow Grace into the kitchen, then turned his head to see a grinning Gil. Gil lifted his eyebrows. "Make your move."
Drake took another sip of his whiskey.
Jarrod begin typing out the label for the dried Lady's Slipper root. It had been used to lower fevers, cure headaches and relieve menstrual cramps and birth pains. The plant had, in many places, been over harvested and was being protected, but Jarrod had cultivated it over the last year and had a good harvest in the early fall. When the label sheet came out of the printer, he pulled it off and stuck it on the canister, placing it in the rack he had made. He then picked up the bag of dried Juniper berries to put into a container, making an extra one for Gil. Gil wanted to flavor some of his vodka to make gin out of it.
"How does it feel, being free from the glitterati of Washington?" Grace asked, as they munched on the pizza.
"Oh, I never moved in that crowd. I went to parties and gatherings but was to rub elbows who the few who were willing to get things done. I never witnessed it, but I've heard of some of those parties of the rich and famous that got a bit out of hand with the drugs and 'extracurricular' activities. Those are the types of events that set you up for political blackmail. I managed to make it through and keep my nose clean."
"It must have been tough. I've heard many good people fall under the D.C. political swamp spell." Drake said.
"That is true. If you don't stay true to your ideals, you'll fall under the wheels of the Washington political machine. Once you've fallen that low, there's not a dime's worth of difference between a Democrat and a Republican." Margo replied.
"Enough politics, folks." Gil said. "Margo, I've got people coming in to extend your drive. The property line is a little over one hundred feet from Haven Road. I'll connect your drive to Haven Road and put in a security gate for direct access. It will be a shorter drive for you to the Haven."
"That reminds me, I want to get rid of my Kia. I want something bigger, but not too big." Margo said.
"What are you thing of?" Gil asked.
Margo took a sip of beer. "You know, my dream vehicle would be a 1965 Kaiser Jeep Wagoneer like my father once had. It brings back a lot of fond memories."
"Well, I know a guy." Gil said. "I'll have him check around."
"Thanks Gil. The Kia was okay in the city to go from place to place, but I want to enjoy driving now. Say, how is the fishing here?"
"Best around. Drake, you've been fishing in the lake. Maybe you could show Margo some good spots."
"Uh…sure. Anytime."
Margo grinned. "Daddy used to take me on Saturdays in that Wagoneer to his favorite fishing spots. I love to fish, but haven't had the chance in years to let my hair down long enough to get out and enjoy it." Margo said, musing.
"Well then, you get settled and we'll get out before it gets too cool and I can show you some spots." Drake said.
"I'll have to get a rod and some tackle before we go."
"I've got extra." Drake said.
Gil looked at Grace and she was smirking.
"Well, it's been a long day for me. I hate to break up the party, but I need to get some sleep." Margo said.
"I can walk you to your cabin." Drake offered.
"Why thank you kind sir."
Gil and Grace watched them get up and walk out the door.
"He's interested." Gil said.
"She's willing." Grace replied.
"Well, we've pushed them close enough for them to dip their toes in the water. We'll just have to see if they go out far enough to swim."
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Post by gipsy on Apr 16, 2022 20:42:26 GMT -6
Thanks for the update.
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Post by udwe on Apr 16, 2022 22:06:09 GMT -6
Great Job!
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Post by cavsgt on Apr 16, 2022 22:25:45 GMT -6
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Post by texican on Apr 16, 2022 22:55:51 GMT -6
The Grace/Gil match making is in full force and successful.
Texican....
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Post by ncsfsgm on Apr 17, 2022 20:20:15 GMT -6
Chapter 102
Gil walked into the building and found Blake in his office.
"Hey Gil, need some more vehicles?" Blake grinned.
"Well, sort of. Senator Bunson, who is now the CEO of River Haven, is looking for a 1965 Kaiser Jeep Wagoneer. Do you think that guy out in Colorado could find her one?"
"He probably could. Do you want it converted?"
"Yeah, yeah convert it too."
"I'll call him and get the search started. How's the power system company doing?" Blake asked.
"They finished the Smith house and everything is working fine. They've started advertising and ready to start projects."
"Well, once the word gets out things will get busy, just build the inventory. The quicker a quality installation is done, the more satisfied the customer will be."
Gil nodded. "How are things going here?"
"We're building a proto for the Hawkins County Sheriff's Department for them to test. I think by the end of the year we'll be converting their entire fleet."
"That's great!" Gil said. "Well, I need to go down and see Jerry at the farm. I'll see you later."
Gil drove down to Peaceful Meadows and Jerry was refilling the oiler reservoirs.
"Hey Gil! I appreciate that meat from the last steer!"
"You raised them, you get a share too." How's everything going?"
"Fine. Got more calves on the way and pasture #2 is in great shape."
"Is there anything you need?"
"Nope. Got the feed and winter hay…I can't think of anything."
"Okay, how's Carla been? I haven't been able to catch her around."
"She's staying busy. Doing a lot more farm visits."
"What are you filling the oilers for? It's a little late in the season for flies."
"No, that's a natural tick repellent that Jarrod fixed up for me. This time of year, ticks look for a warm body to winter on. It definitely keeps them away."
"I wonder if he could do something for the deer. I'll have to have a talk with him. Well, if you need anything, yell."
"Sure will Gil. Take care."
<"…this just in. Senator Durleen Wilson, (D) California, the oldest sitting female member of the Senate, passed away in her sleep last night of apparent heart failure."
The men moved furniture and laid down rugs as the women finished making the beds and did the final touches.
"Now you need to have a housewarming party!" Mollie said.
Grace chuckled. "Give her a little time to catch her breath!"
"But that's a good idea." Margo said. "What about Saturday? We could use the outdoor kitchen to cook steaks, if I can get a volunteer to burn the meat."
"Oh, I don't think that will be a problem." Grace said.
"Where did Drake go?" Margo asked.
"He was putting together the pool furniture the last I saw of him." Colt said.
Margo walked outside and Drake was pitting the umbrella on the table.
"It looks good. Just where I would have put it." Margo said.
"This is going to look nice." Drake said. "Margo, would you like to go out to eat with me sometime.?"
"Why Mr. Simpson, what are your intentions?"
"Why uh…to take you out on a date. To get to know you better."
"Then I accept. I would like to get to know you better also, but I have a question."
"What's that?"
"What took you so long?"
Fuel prices were going up again and Jimmy sent the trucks up to top everything off. They didn't need much and Gary freed up money to completely fill the propane tanks at the Haven. Gill decided to have diesel and gas tanks installed and capped at the Haven also. Grace and Allie over ordered much of their rotational stock because with the rise in fuel prices came the rise in food prices due to the shipping costs to get the goods to the warehouses and stores. Gil bought two silos and they were going assemble them in C3 and buy the grain from local farmers. He would give them a better price than they could sell it for at the grainery. Gil went on down to the Church and saw Reverend Jim tending the flowerbeds around the church steps.
"Well hello Gil!"
"Hello Reverend. Flowers are looking good."
"Well, there aren't that many flowers that bloom in the Fall and Winter so I make do where I can. I took the liberty of taking some of the manure from your pasture to build up the nutrients. I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all, take all you need."
Gil, have you a moment to talk?"
"Sure Reverend."
"I've done a lot of think and praying over this thing with the Shaman and the Shaman Priestess and at first, thought you might be deceived by not so friendly spirits. But God has worked his miracles in many different ways and used many people as his tools, including you."
"Well, I don't know about that Reverend. I'm just trying to do what's right."
"Well, Gil, look at you your past here. You came to this area to be alone and hide from the world, but you opened up your heart and assets to help others. God smiles on those who do good. The miraculous curing of Grace is something many would not believe. We all saw the results. Was it the Priestess who cured Grace or was it God using the Priestess or is the Priestess really an angel. It really doesn't matter, as long as you have faith and reach out to help others."
"Well Reverend, I have been blessed to have the assets and the good people who have come here. Sometime soon, I'd like you to hold a Sunday service at the Haven so everyone will have had the experience and give you the chance to set up the area as you like. Then maybe have a pot luck dinner after. I'm curious if we have the setup you need."
"I'll go up and take a look, maybe do a practice setup to see what else we need."
"Well, for one thing, you'll need a pulpit, which Billy is working on now. He also has a pattern for a nice wooden folding chair he's making jigs for to mass produce. If you need an Oblation table or whatever, just let me know."
"I hope you are keeping the items simple. I don't require anything ornate."
"Nothing of the kind. Simple items from the trees of the Land."
"That's good. I want the things to reflect the simplicity of our lives. This world today has become far too complex."
"Amen to that."
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Post by gipsy on Apr 17, 2022 21:21:18 GMT -6
Thanks for the update.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Apr 18, 2022 10:38:03 GMT -6
Chapter 103
Attaching the deer hoist to the strap wrapped around the outhouse at the heavily used deer camp, they slowly tilted the shell and lowered it to the ground. They unwrapped the plastic from around the body and dump the naked corpse into the stinking sludge of the pit. Maggots would soon consume the remains and the bones would sink to the bottom. Tilting the outhouse back up over the hole, signs of disturbance were removed from around the area, Stuffing the blood-streaked plastic into a garbage bag, then the coveralls, headgear, gloves and even overshoes into the bag, they headed north into the next state and did a late night stop at a crematorium where they watched the bag incinerate. The missing person report would never be closed.
"Gil, we have a situation down at the construction trailer." Jacinta said over the encrypted radio.
"Roger, on my way." Gil replied, looking at his watch.
"What's going on?" Grace asked as Gil pulled on his coat and holstered the pistol.
"I'm not sure. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Gil got his gear pack out of the closet and went to the shed and threw the pack into the E-Gator and went down to the charging station. Transferring the pack to one of the pickups after pulling out the NODs, he put them on his head and turned them on. He flipped a switch to kill the noisemaker on the truck, he silently drove up the drive in complete darkness. Nothing but crunching gravel could be heard.
When he reached the trailer, Jacinta and Eric were waiting for him.
"What's up? " Gil asked.
"Over here." Jacinta said, leading Gil back into the trees.
Two bodies were sprawled out on the ground, pistols laying near their hands.
"I heard a boat and slipped out to investigate. It's moored on the rip rap down below." Jacinta explained. "I check around and found these two here, dead as a doornail."
"Clean this up and get the boat away from here. Someone will know they went out tonight, maybe not to where." Gil said.
"Roger." Jacinta and Eric both said.
Gil left and went back to Bluff View.
Jacinta and Eric put on their gloves and picked up the pistols, placing them in the coat pockets of the cooling deceased. Carrying the bodies down to the boat, one in front, the other at the driver's position, Jacinta turned to Eric.
"Meet me on the drive at the powerline. It might take me an hour." She whispered.
"Be careful."
"Bring a blanket, that water is going to be cold."
Jacinta cranked the boat motor, cringing at the sound, and slowly moved it out into the middle of the channel. She slowly drove the boat down the next straightaway and around the next bed until there was about a mile and a half straightaway where the boat wouldn't run into anything. She pulled the driver's body over and had it slumping over the wheel, holding the boat on course. As she neared the point where the power lines crossed the lake, she made one more slight correction, pulled the left drain plug out then slipped silently over the side, swimming with splashless strokes to the shore. Reaching the shore, she stayed along the tree line as she trotted northeast to the pickup point. A half hour later, she saw the flash of the red pinpoint of light and headed for it. Eric wrapped the blanket around her before she got into the E-Gator and they silently returned home.
The boat slowly moved down the lake, barely missing the shoal at the next bend. Continuing on, the boat reached the far side of the bend in the lake, bounced off the rip rap and headed into a narrow arm of the lake where it beached itself, propeller turning until the motor ran out of fuel. It would be a day and a half before the boat and its grim contents were found.
"Gil, we got our first job." Drake said.
"Good. Where?"
"Hawkins County Emergency Management wants a grid tied system put in."
"Are you adding a wind generator with the automated mast?"
"Yeah, and I'm adding an aircraft warning light. The EMA Director said they had a helipad nearby. I'm to meet him this afternoon at the building."
"Did he ask for a grid tie?"
"No, it was going to be my recommendation to him."
"Make sure you emphasize that they could actually make money by selling the power back to the TVA. Work up some kind of rebate or something if other county agencies decide to go grid tied. They love getting money to pour into other projects."
"Good idea. Well, let me get my stuff together. I'll let you know how it turns out."
Drake ended the call and Gil put his phone back on his belt. Gil checked the still and it was within the temperature range he wanted and sat back down, waiting for the container to fill. He had six drums he wanted to fill with methanol and he had the time while the other guy were processing the logs.
Margo had finished setting up the one bedroom apartment on the first floor as an office. She was going over the inventory on the computer when her phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Margo, Drake. Can you do me a favor?"
"Certainly."
"I need a reading off the controller panel at the battery bank."
"You don't want to come down and see me?"
"I'd love to but I'm on my way to a meeting with the EMA Director and I'd like to get that reading."
"Well, okay. Listen, let me call you back. I'll have to get a cart to go down there." "Okay, thanks."
Margo got an electric UHV and got to the battery storage area. Calling Drake back, she read off the reading.
"I'm looking forward to tomorrow night." Margo said.
"I am too. I've got reservations at Amis Mill so you don't have to get too dressed up."
"Okay, I will talk with you later then."
Margo ended the call and got into the UHV, smiling.
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Post by gipsy on Apr 18, 2022 10:44:47 GMT -6
Things are heating up. Wonder what the two guys were trying to do? Needed to check for ID to see who they were and if they had some government affiliation. Thanks for the update.
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Post by udwe on Apr 18, 2022 20:54:12 GMT -6
Obviously they weren't supposed to be there. Maybe they were taken care of....
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Post by gipsy on Apr 18, 2022 20:55:54 GMT -6
But what were they up to?
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Post by imahic on Apr 19, 2022 19:31:10 GMT -6
Thanks for the latest. Looking forward to reading more.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Apr 20, 2022 5:37:39 GMT -6
Chapter 104
Brad pulled the saw blade off, folded and tied it with a piece of wire for Gil to take to the shop to sharpen.
"That one lasted a pretty good while." Brad commented.
"Yeah, every two hours is about right. Always change the blade when you are switching species. I'll take these other two blades and go sharpen them."
Gil put the blades in the back of the Gator and headed to the shop. In the shop, Gil held a blade carefully and flipped it out letting it snap open on the floor. He then clamped it in the sharpener/blade setter and did his adjustments, set the number of teeth and checked the grinding oil reservoir. . Once the machine began sharpening, Gil closed the shield. It didn't take long to sharpen the blade and he went ahead and set the teeth. Once the blade was finished, he set the next blade in and started it. Wiping the first blade down, he folded it and tied it together with a short piece of wire to keep it from snapping open accidentally. When he was finished, he carried the blades back down to the sawmill and hung them back up. They changed the blades religiously every two hours. They had a dozen spare blades but he liked to stay ahead on sharpening.
Billy polished the pulpit and stood back. The bleached maple cross in the center really stood out against the dark stained oak. He walked around it, looking for blemishes or unpolished areas and found none. He unlocked the casters and rolled it into the back of the shop. Taking an old sheet, he draped it over the pulpit and went to put more folding chairs together. He had parts for twenty-five chairs ready to assemble. He had made the parts, sanded, lightly stained and applied two coats of linseed base spar varnish to the parts. Now, all he had to do was put them together. He would have to take a load up to the Haven because he was running out of space in the shop. As he was finishing the fifth chair, Carrie came in.
"I passed! I passed the NCLEX-PN! I start at the hospital next week!"
Billy grabbed and hugged her.
"I am so proud of you! Let's go out for dinner and celebrate!"
"Could we wait until this weekend and fly to Nashville and go to some shows too?"
"Whatever you desire. That means I need to hurry and finish putting these chairs together." Billy said.
"Show me what to do. I'll help."
Carrie stayed for dinner that evening and Grace an Gil congratulated her for passing the national exam.
"Dad, I want to fly Carrie to Nashville this weekend to celebrate."
"Sounds fun. Do you want to take the Maule?"
"No we'll take the SuperSTOL, it's more fun to fly."
"How is the pulpit coming along?" Gil asked.
"It's finished. It's in the back of the shop, covered up. I've got an old sheet thrown over it but it could use a better fitting cover."
"Bring me the measurements, including the height and I can sew something up with those sheets we got at the seconds shop." Mollie said.
"How many chairs do you have built?" Gil asked.
"Completed? I have 75 done. I've got enough parts finished and unassembled for another 75. How many are you going to need?" "Well, let's shoot for two fifty. As soon as we have our first assembly, we'll have a better fix on the number. Do you have enough hardware?"
"I've got hardware for 500."
"Good. I expect the chairs to kind of drift into the apartments over time, and I don't mind that, I just want them available when we need them. I want to build some movable racks that will hold 50 in each rack so we can get a rough count of what is available at any given time. I'll come up and help in the morning, and have Colt and Trace come too. Brad is going to Kingsport. We can get a lot of them knocked out tomorrow. When are you two headed to Nashville?"
"Not until noon on Friday." Billy answered.
"We should have them knocked out by then."
"When we get back, I'll start making the parts for the rest of the chairs and getting them finished." Billy said.
"I'll get on making the racks. For now, we'll just lean them against the wall." Gil said.
The next morning Colt and Trace took the load of finished chairs to the Haven while Gil, Billy and Carrie began assembling the finished parts. Gil backed a trailer up to the shop and as they finished them, they'd place the finished chair onto the trailer to keep space open in the shop. When Trace and Colt got back, the assembly process speeded up quite a bit and by mid-afternoon, had all the chairs assembled. Trace and Colt took the load of chairs up to the Haven. They had a couple of hours so Gil began cutting out blanks while Billy shaped the parts. Carrie would take the shaped parts and sand them on the balloon and brush sanders, wipe them with a linseed moistened rag and place the parts in a separate box for each part. They would apply the stain and finish later.
The politicians in Washington were ill tempered and while trying not to show it, afraid. They demanded more protection. They had lost 12 members of Congress and four from the Senate, either outright killed or had disappeared off the face of the Earth. It took them a few days to find a common denominator; whenever a bill was presented to allocate more money than the government had to spend, anyone who presented or rigorously sponsored the bill, paid for it, sometimes with only a warning, but frequently their lives. The Legislative process was at a standstill. They couldn't get anything done for fear of retaliation. The last straw was when a Congressman from Virginia submitted a bill to beef up Capitol Police and Secret Service assets to protect the politicians in Washington. The Congressman drowned in a boating accident on the Rappahannock River the following weekend. No more spending bills were introduced. They began coordinating to put a balanced budget together in order to save their own skins, like they had been warned to do.
Billy towed the plane out of the hanger and unfolded the wings. After loading their bags into the plane, started his walk-around inspection, Carrie following him to watch what he was doing. They got into the plane and put on their headsets, then started the checklist, Billy explaining everything as he went through.
"What is this screen for?" Carrie asked.
"This shows an aeronautical chart of the area we're flying through. If I push this, it changes the altitude view of the chart. Right now, it's showing 4800 feet. That is MSL, or what the ground looks like from 4800 feet above sea level. Now remember, we have terrain that is 2000 feet, more and less, between here and Nashville, so that means we would be less than 4800 feet above the terrain. Now, I could follow our route using that screen but I'm going to use my GPS screen on my side to fly by. That screen is for you to see where we are."
"What are those circles for?"
"Those are airfields. If we needed to land, we could divert to one of them."
Billy started then engine and studied the Engine Information System screen on the panel until everything was at normal operations level. Billy went ahead and set the flaps to twenty percent, released the brake and moved the plane down the runway to the turn-around. Holding the brake down, he advanced the throttle until the tail lifted off the ground and released the brake. They rapidly gained speed and lifted off the ground. Billy trimmed the flaps and maintained his heading until he'd reached 2000 feet then turned onto his GPS heading. It was cool in the plane so he adjusted the cabin heater a bit.
"Is that comfortable?" Billy asked.
"Yes, that's better, thank you."
Billy set his cruise altitude a 3500 feet and was enjoying the flying. About an hour out, Carrie said, "Oh! Look at the windmills!" Suddenly, there was a "BANG" and the engine slowly stopped.
"MAYDAY! MAYDAY! This is November Six Four Three Alpha Papa experiencing engine failure. I am just north of Windrock. I have a road in sight, I'll try to put the plane down."
"Three Alpha Papa this is Knoxville Regi...."
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Post by gipsy on Apr 20, 2022 6:49:11 GMT -6
What is with Billy and engines? You just want him to practice his emergency landings. Thanks for the update.
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Post by NCWEBNUT on Apr 20, 2022 10:15:53 GMT -6
Nothing like hanging onto a 3500 foot clift
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Post by udwe on Apr 20, 2022 21:22:48 GMT -6
Help!! I'm falling down the cliff!
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Post by solo on Apr 21, 2022 8:23:59 GMT -6
"Three Alpha Papa this is Knoxville Regi...."
Wait! Why would center cut out? What is going on, on the ground. Has the big event finally arrived? Is it a flare, EMP? Maybe not... The bang seems to be only engine related. Hmmmm. You are just keeping me pressing reload!
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Post by gipsy on Apr 21, 2022 9:05:09 GMT -6
Yep it is an example of his cliff building skills.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Apr 21, 2022 9:26:24 GMT -6
Chapter 105
Carrie was silent with fear as Billy added flaps and lowered the nose to line up on the narrow road. Then he saw the area a coal mine had reclaimed that had a wider road down the middle and no trees along it. He adjusted a little more to line up and prayed there were no big ruts running across it. He lowered the nose a little more and added a little more right rudder to keep the nose aligned in the slight crosswind. Adding a little more flap, he kept the nose aligned on the road and as he crossed over the slight bend on the hillside, slowly raised the nose until he was almost in a stall as the wheels touched the ground. Bouncing once, then twice, he finally slowed the aircraft down without going nose over. Braking to a stop he turned the ignition off,
"Knoxville Regional, this is November Six Four Three Alpha Papa, how do you read me?
"Three Alpha Papa I have you four by four. Are you on the ground?"
"Roger. I am at….wait one…36 degrees 09 minutes 01.84 seconds North, 84 degrees 23 minutes, 29.20 seconds West. I have landed safely and will check the cause of the engine failure."
"Three Alpha Papa, do you need assistance?"
"Negative Knoxville, I have assistance on the way."
"Roger. Knoxville Regional."
Billy and Carrie got out of the plane, Billy opening the cowling on his side. Seeing nothing, he went around to the other side and immediately saw the hole in the lower portion of the cowling cover. Opening it, he saw where a bullet had taken out his fuel line.
"WHAT THE F…!"
"SOMEONE SHOT THE PLANE!"
"Can you fix it? Carrie asked.
"No, I'll call dad. Maybe he can bring me a fuel line. We were lucky there wasn't a fire."
Billy got his emergency tool bag out and used the vice grips to crimp off the leaking fuel line. Taking out his phone, he dialed his father's number.
"Hello?"
"Dad, I'm down. Someone shot my fuel line out."
"Shot your fuel line?"
"Yeah. Can you bring me up another?"
"Where are you?"
"Hold on." Billy got back into the plane and read the coordinates off.
"I'm at 36 degrees 09 minutes 01.84 seconds North, 84 degrees 23 minutes, 29.20 seconds West. That's northwest of the Windrock windmills. I landed on a coal mine reclamation site."
"Listen. Sit tight. I'm going to have Brad fly his plane up and swap with you. You and Carrie go on to Nashville. I'll bring the trailer up and we'll haul the plane back here. He should be there in about an hour and a half."
"Okay Dad, thanks." Billy said, and hung up.
"Help me lift the tail and drag the plane off the road. Brad is going to fly up and swap planes with us and Dad is going to drive up and pick this plane up. Let's get the bags out and we can fold the wings up."
They were sitting on the ground, leaning against the left wheel when Billy heard the engine. They stood up and saw the plane coming in for a low and slow. As Brad flew over and banked to come back around to line up on the road and land, Billy and Carrie stood up and brushed themselves off. Brad make a nice short landing and pulled up next to them and shut down.
"Hey guys, you two buzzing nudists?"
"I don't know who hit us. We were cruising at 3500 feet and all of a sudden there was a bang and the engine stopped."
"You are lucky there wasn't fire." Brad said, looking at the damage. The line was still leaking a tiny bit so Brad took the vice grips and flattened the fuel line more behind the crimp and rolled and crimped the line some more, stopping the leak.
"You two load up and head on to Nashville. Your Dad will be here before long and we'll take the plane back home."
"Thanks Brad. I appreciate this." Billy said.
"No problem. Now load up and have a better rest of your weekend."
Brad watched as they loaded their bags into the plane. Billy did his walk-around and helped Carrie into the plane. He started the engine and moved the plane a bit down the road, did a braking turn and lined up on the road. The winds were right and he did good short field takeoff then banked left to clear the little ridge at the end of the road, gaining altitude. Brad pulled a paperback book out of his coat pocket, sat down and leaned against the wheel.
Brad's phone rang and he saw it was Gil.
"Where are you?"
"I'm coming up on Brushy Mountain Penitentiary. The GPS shows I'm about ten clicks out." Gil said.
"Yeah, you're going to see coal heaps off to your right. The road up to the reclamation site is to the left. Go up it and you can't miss the site."
"Roger. I'll see you in a few."
Fifteen minutes later Gil saw the piles of coal and turned left onto the road heading up the hill. Three quarters of the way up he saw the site off to his right and the plane with its wings folded. Turning onto the road leading to the site, he drove up to the plane at the far end.
"What's it look like?"
"Fuel line shot in two. He said he was cruising at 3500 feet."
Gill looked around. "Could have been 350 to 600 meter shot in this terrain, and a moving target at that. Whoever did it was lucky and Billy was just unlucky. Let's load it up and head for home."
Billy looked over at Carrie. She hadn't said a word since they had taken off from the reclamation site.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking. Life is so uncertain these days. We can be gone in an instant of someone's stupidity. Billy, I want to get married."
"Well, could we wait until we get to Nashville and we can pick out the rings? I wanted to exchange that promise ring for an engagement ring this weekend."
She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
"Keep your hands on the stick, buster. We'll have plenty of time for that.
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ydderf2
Member
"I'm from the government and here to help" hahahaha
Posts: 321
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Post by ydderf2 on Apr 21, 2022 9:44:56 GMT -6
Thanks I am so glad to not be hanging on on the cliff.
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Post by solo on Apr 21, 2022 10:09:21 GMT -6
That cliff has been relieved. Wondering who that shot was from and why.
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Post by kaijafon on Apr 21, 2022 10:48:11 GMT -6
life is short and full of ... life
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