Well folks, I think the love affair with the automobile is headed the way of the DODO Bird! (Not related to the Ole Bird). Gasoline is now $3.75 per gallon in these hills and the end is not in sight.

The French have declared war on Libya and we are helpn them with a few hundred Tomahawk Cruise Missiles ($2.5 mil each – just alittle support the industrial/military complex). I never really understood what the French saw in Libya. They do have some beautiful women … but other than that (and a little oil here and there) the place is really depressing.

But you know the French – viv la differance!

Have at it buckos – Kaddafi is a nut job! Show his picture to one of those new Hound Dog missiles … and sick it on him!!

It was race week here in East TN, thats what got me to thinkin about cars, gasoline and other ways of getting around the peanut patch. Every Red Neck within 200 hunert mile was in town. There was no safe place to drive. The Food City parking lot was like the Indy 500 crossed with Demolition Derby! Probably safer to be parked outside a Japanese Nuke Plant … than the liquor store on South Roan Street!!

No doubt we still love our cars & trucks – and so long as they will run on moonshine … East Tennessee is in good shape!

73,
Ole Bird

Over the last couple of weeks I have attended a number of civic group meetings – now I remember why I don’t do that as a matter of course!

Typical – the Alpha Male Dog – showed up and dominated meeting number 1. He apologized for being so dominant, then proceeded to totally monopolize the discussion. Two hours later, the meeting adjourned having accomplished absolutely nothing.  Now this is the third time in the last year that I witnessed this. Sorry folks – if you don’t know how to run a meeting, make decisions, and get something done – you will have to continue doing nothing without me!

I can loaf far more productively on my own time! …[protected]

Meeting 2 was an off shoot of meeting 1 … I had hoped this group had decided to splitter and actually move forward on a few serious civic issues. Unfortunately, Alpha Male #2 jumped in and continued with the same B.S. as the first – only worse!

Obviously a fan of FAUX News – he immediately launched on a rant about how Obama was spending $200 Million a day – over a billion dollars total – 40 airplanes – 34 ships – 3500 people – and all the rooms in the Tajh Ma Hal. Heads bobbed in agreement about how the government was totally out of control … and we needed to march on Washington … to take our country back – even if it means exercising our Second Amendment Rights!

At that point, I stirred very uncomfortably in my seat and left for the boys room. Last time I looked it was still a federal crime to advocate the violent overthrow of the elected government – Not me you idiots – Atlanta Federal Prison is not where I want to spent my summers – or winters for that matter.

When I returned the discussion had moved on to the calendar of events for the coming spring. A representative from the “Turkey Federation” … (honest) … had the floor (in full camo, no less) complaining that last years participation in kids day was low due to a conflict with the start of little league baseball season!

Turkey Federation … damn right … them turkeys have rights!

“”The Turkey Federation & FAUX News …. REALLY!”” … beam me up Scotty … there’s no intelligent life on this planet?[/protected]

73,
OleBird
PS (No offense to Butter Balls …)

Normally I avoid crowds, but for some strange reason I had the urge to go to the Rally to Restore Sanity in DC last weekend.   When #1 son said he would like to go too – a plan was hatched! (typical Ole Bird planning)

The crowd was forecast to be somewhere south of 60K,  the weather was perfect – or so we thought – so we figured a day trip in the Millennium  Falcon (N8729A) would work out.

I flight planned wheels up at 7:30 am – a short, two hour ride to Manassas Regional (HEF)  – 30 min on the metro – and lunch on the mall by noon!

So much for planning !!

We lost thirty minutes screwing around with trying to swap out the #2 NavCom – Old reliable KX-170B was replaced by a digital MX-170 – but the NAV side has proven to be intermittent and does not drive the #2 Glide Slope receiver correctly.  Although a direct replacement – it would not slide into the mount – so I left well enough alone in the interest of time.   (Later I would regret that!)

Airborne at 8:00 am and with a 50 kt. tailwind at FL 8.5 we were on the ground in Manassas 40 minutes ahead of schedule – back on schedule right up to the point we hit the freeway to the metro station.  27 mi outside the Capital and traffic was backed up – wonder why?  The TomTom GPS  took us reliably to the Metro on the surface streets but we lost more time.  At the metro – the crowd was three abreast from the turnstiles to the North Parking lot – a good quarter mile!  Turns out it was the biggest traffic day on the Metro EVER !!! The crowd estimated closer to 500K than 60K!

We made it to the Mall about 2:30 … thinking the rally would be delayed!!

Ha – they shut down promptly a 3:00.

The “people watching” was however worth the trip.

The insanity came on the return trip – in the dark – fighting a 60 to 80 kt headwind all the way home … was not fun.

Won’t do that again!

73,
OleBird

What ever happened to basic transportation?  When my ‘53 Ford broke down – I could fix it with a screwdriver, pliers, and some coat hangars!

No longer!

My GMC  Suburban quit on the way back from Michigan a few weeks ago – and I mean quit … dead – would not even think about firing up!  Starter would spin everything just fine – but no hint of running.  All this happened at 2:00 am, at the welcome station on the Tennessee/Kentucky state line – fundamentally in the middle of no-where USA!

So I piled in the back with a thermal blanket I normally keep in the airplane and curled up for a nap.

The sun woke me about 7:45 and a quick call to my dealer buddy back home confirmed the worse.  Most likely the electric fuel pump died.  With no fuel pressure at the injectors – my buddy says – she will not run a lick!

And boy … was he right!

$700 bucks and a 50 mi roll back ride later – I was back on the road.

Now the interior lights seem to have a mind of the their own … come on at the strangest times.  Then … they run the battery down.

The wipers will only run – when its NOT raining!

My buddy says it the computer!   ($1500)

I checked the internet forums – and guess what – others are having the same problems. I called GMC – recall – what recall??  You don’t need any stinking interior lights … just pull the fuse!! (done already)

And don’t drive when it’s raining??

Oh how I long for the days of my ‘49 pickup!

73,
OleBird

Some days are just better than others. Don’t ask me why, I have no idea.  There is no “wrong side of the bed” – I always get up on the same side – the one closest to the head.  Quickness at my age is important!

Finally … the weather is more East Tennessee like – mid 70’s and clear.  I thought Fall would never get here.

Watauga lake is down to winter levels due to the lack of rain over the summer -  I’m just about to give up on that lake – time to move ole SeaBiscuit to a body of water that a little more useful year round.  As much as I like Watauga – this low water is are real pain.

The talking heads have taken on “Education” this week – probably what has me all pissed off. 

Why bother? 

Nobody values an education anymore and there are factions (Corporations) who would rather the middle class not learn how to think!  They want drones, not intelligent human beings – who just might question what the hell they are doing.

Think about it – who else would expect us to vote for Palin or O’Donnell – now there’s a pair of scholars if I ever saw any!

Later

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