Monkey Butt and Mustangs . . .
The rain was still holding off so we were able to get our walk in without getting damp. I started coffee before we left so it was nice to come back to the coach and have a hot drink waiting for us.
Starting a little before 1 pm I spent about 30 minutes on the phone with AT&T trying to get my email problems straightened out. For the last several days incoming email has been intermittent and outgoing has been impossible. I knew the problem was on their end because I also could not login to my WebMail thru the browser. But sometimes convincing them that the problem is on their end and getting them to look for it, is a problem in itself. But finally I got them to go in and do a complete reset of my email account and that fixed the problem.
At least so far.
While I was on the phone, a gentlemen showed up at our door to say hi. Either Jan didn’t get his name, or didn’t remember it, but he knew us.
He’s staying down the road at Green Caye RV Park in Dickinson and found our blog thru Nick Russell’s and recognized where we were. Since I was on the phone, Jan did most of the talking to him. Hopefully if he reads this he will leave us a comment with his name.
About 2 pm I drove up to Kemah to pick up some wine for dinner from Spec’s Liquor. They have a great selection and seem to be the only place that carries our favorite. It’s a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc called ‘Monkey Bay’, but after a few glasses, it ends up as Monkey Butt.
About 5:45 pm we headed up to Pasadena, wine in hand, to have dinner with our good friend, Barbara Cutsinger. It seems like I’ve known her forever, but it’s only been about 5 years. She even visited us in Alaska in the summer of 2008 when we were workkamping up there, and she was on a cruise.
I met her when I was doing IT support for the organization she works for, Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership (BAHEP).
Barbara is a fantastic cook and we always have a good time. She got a new laptop and wanted me to get it set up for her.
In return we got a great meal of Roasted Pork Tenderloin, Roasted Vegetables, Green Beans, Salad, and for dessert, Ice Cream with Kaluha on it. HMMMMMM!
We had a really great time, and didn’t get home until about 11:30.
Thought I’d leave you with another blast from the past with our visit to the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia.
Mustangs and Tomahawks…
Posted on June 28, 2009
Today we drove back over to Virginia Beach to visit the Military Aviation Museum that we had scouted out yesterday.
I was surprised to find out the Museum is privately owned by Gerald Yeagan who also owns a company called The Fighter Factory that specializes in restoring and maintaining old military planes. He owns over 20 restored military planes with a number of others under restoration.
The complex consists of a museum area flanked by large hangers on each side, with an operating airfield out front.
Even the red checkered water tower is of WWII vintage.
The Museum had several interesting displays. Two planes caught my eye.
A replica 1911 Wright Flyer and a 1918 Sopwith Pup fighter were on display. These were remarkable due to the fact that we had just visited the Wright Brothers Memorial at Kill Devil Hill and had seen the 1903 Flyer.
The amazing thing was the quick progression of the planes.
The 1903 Flyer was very primitive, with the pilot lying prone on the wing next to the engine, steering by swinging his hips back and forth. The elevator is in the front of the plane and the engine is almost toy-like.
The 1911 Flyer was a big jump. The pilot sat in a chair, steered the plane with a control stick, and the elevator was in the rear, all just like today’s planes.
Note the 1911 Flyer has a much bigger engine and also landed on wheels, rather than skids like the 1903 version.
This 1911 Flyer was also used to make an intercontinental flight from New York to California to the win a $50,000 prize put up by William Randolph Hearst. This means that only 8 years after the first flight, man is now flying from one side of the country to the other.
But the real jump is this next plane, the 1918 Sopwith Pup.
In just 7 more years, we now have plane with a fully enclosed cockpit, engine, and fuselage, and, of course, machine guns, that can fly hundreds of miles in one flight.
And all this only 15 years after the first flight of 120 feet.
Quite a jump, indeed!
They sure have a lot of great planes here, and what’s really amazing is that they’re all in flyable condition, or being restored to flyable condition.
Here’s some of the best.
P-40 Tomahawk
P-51 Mustang
Supermarine Spitfire
Hawker Hurricane
F4U Corsair of “Bah, Bah, Black Sheep” fame
PBY Catalina Flying Boat
TBM Avenger Bomber – George H. W. Bush flew one like this.
T-35 Mentor trainer – I had flight training in one of these.
But the real treat was getting to see the P-40 Tomahawk fly! These big engines make a roar that is unmistakable.
Finally, I’ve shown you pictures of area mascot animals, like pelicans in Seabrook, TX, moose in Coeur d’ Alene, IA, and mermaids in Beaufort, SC.
Here in Virginia Beach they have a porpoise mascot, and the Museum did theirs up in a plane motif.
We had a great time at the Museum. And I’m really lucky to have married an Airforce brat who likes old planes and airshows.
After leaving the Museum, we stopped off at Supercuts to get our hair cut and then ate a late lunch at El Pollo Loco before heading home.
Later in the evening after it had cooled off, we sat out in the shade of the coach, looking out over the lake, drinking Sangria, and watching Mister do his “Catch and Release” program with the many blue dragonflies.
Or rather, it was ‘Catch, and then I yell at him until he reluctantly raises his paw and lets the dragonfly go – Release program. He never seemed to hurt them, but just held them down for a while.
What was really amazing is how fast a 22 pound cat can move.
Today is our last day here in NC. Tomorrow we move north to Williamsburg, VA.
More then…
Thought for the Day:
Remember, a healthy dose of buckshot will probably get you the last word in any argument.
sdfg
