It really has been one shit sandwich after another, just when you think you're going to pull ahead, it's like Charlie Brown and Lucy's football again. lol I don't even post all of them on here, including a couple big ones, but the RG going down for however many months and costing however many tens of thousands of dollars (insurance is for catastrophic big things over the total of the aircraft and has a very high deductible if we utilize it and risk them vastly increasing our rates) was great timing. Our instrument students don't have a platform right now, so we'll have to work something out on that. Commercial/Instructor students can use the regular 172 if they have to at least. But we'll get it back up and running. It really was amazing how little damage there was to the airplane. The belly is FINE. Hell, even the tire is still inflated and fine. The prop obviously, and an engine inspection and possible overhaul anyway since it's higher time. An antenna, maybe two antennas. And an exhaust stack got bent, part of what kept the belly from scraping. That's it. That's sort of amazing. So like I said. We'll get it back up. The deal will continue and we will still purchase the airplane, along with the RV. Would've been nice for this not to happen and we actually start off not behind on it, but hey, since when has that ever been how it goes? ;)
Steve is out back with AE just hanging out, Kaylee is next door with Molly just hanging out, and I'm just in my own living room with myself just hanging out.
Yesterday. Saturday. I met up with Steve, Morgan, Chuck, AE, and Greg O for lunch at Grindestones, and then most of us went out to Kokomo where we opened the big hangar door, got out our camp chairs, and sat outside and just hung out and talked for several hours. The guys broke out the dark beer, the bourbon, and the cigars. I didn't partake in any of that. John R and his daughter came out and joined us as well, and then one of our CFIs, Hayden. Hayden started off looking and acting like he had the personality of a wet rag. I hope he never reads this. But he did. He never spoke, he was slow and quiet and methodical and didn't seem super bright, sharp, interesting, nothing. But lately I've finally started seeing another side of him. The quiet sarcasm I can appreciate, the fighting back a little if Steve pokes at him. I've enjoyed watching him turn into a real live boy. ;) He was the one who volunteered to go up and be with Brennan's mom and girlfriend at the FBO, and spent the afternoon with them making sure they were doing okay, aware, calm, etc. He did a great job with them, and today I sent him a thank you text about it, which he appreciated. He really stepped up and helped a lot with that.
We hung out there all afternoon. While we were there, I'd had this idea. I thought about making a funny post about Brennan's gear up. It felt sort of wrong, but also felt sort of right. A "Congratulations" post like we always do on our Facebook page. Steve was unsettled at the idea. I floated it past Morgan who thought it was pretty funny. So I started it, and then she added a couple things to it, and John's daughter Lauren helped us with ideas too, and then suddenly inspiration hit and I fleshed out the rest of it. Edited it, passed it around. Morgan and Lauren thought it was great. I sent it to Hayden and watched him laugh as he read it. Steve was worried about it. So I sent it to Brennan and asked what he thought. He didn't respond for awhile. So I sent him another and said 'hey, we were just having fun with it, we won't be offended if you don't want to do this". He fires back in a few minutes "That's hilarious. You can post whatever, I don't mind" So I 'sent it' as the kids say, and posted it on our Facebook page. The only person I'm concerned about being upset at it is his mother, because she was terrified while he was up there circling around, and I'm pretty sure she doesn't find anything funny about it at all. But we were with her, she was appreciative of us, she seems to have done well at the end, and he gave permission, so I did it.
I had to Google "what is the official definition of a viral post", and it came up with "If you get ten times your normal engagement in a short period of time, your post has gone viral-for you". Well then, that post went viral for us. So far, in 23 hours, my post there has gotten more than 5,300 reactions, 400 comments, and 390 shares to other pages, people, platforms, etc. Some of those shares were to bigger pages too where they also got a bunch of reactions and comments and such. Best of all, most of the reactions and comments are actually positive. You get a few idiots, and I couldn't help but clap back at one or two of them, but for the most part I'm staying out of it and letting it ride. It's been fascinating watching this post just spread all over social media, it was wild hearing from people all over the country while it was happening, and it blew me away when I found out it was the #1 tracked airplane in the world at the time. Our little RG.
Around 6:30 or so, Morgan and I left the airport and met up in Peru at a restaurant for dinner before going to a bar in town there where her uncle was the main band playing a set for the night. We went last year too, so this year I knew to bring along ear plugs. I about was deaf for 2 days after last year, so this year I was prepared. We were right up by the front stage, and the band is good, the uncle is a good singer. We were there until 12:30 am. The bar is dingy, small, packed full of people, it's a smoking bar, and there was some pot in there too. So I smelled like I'd been in a whore house. I mean, if I knew what a whore house smelled like I would go with skunky pot, stale cigarette smoke, spilled booze, and something else gross, and that all pretty much covered it. ;) Some of the audience was all in on the music. One guy who was almost a little person was standing front and center, hanging on to a bar right at the stage, headbanging and screaming and sending rock horn hands, etc. and he was way more entertaining than the band, even though they were good. It was mostly good music, excellent people watching, and good company, as Morgan was there with her parents, her friend Carly, and me, and we all actually had a pretty good time. I did not get home until like 1:15 am, got in bed around 1:45 am or so, and that's why I feel pretty beat up today, frankly! No regrets though. It was a different and interesting way to spend an evening.
I think I'll go backwards and do Chicago and the other trips on different posts...Yep, scroll down to "older" posts to find the previous days in order. If you care. ;)
More of the RG
Hey that's me with a bunch of firefighters and I look like I have stripes on my pants
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