LettersFromFlyoverCountry

LettersFromFlyoverCountry

Well Known Member
A beautiful Midwestern night. The GPS took me to the exact spot I've been for several years now and old friend Rich Emery was able to find me. Chad Jensen's spot is still empty, fewer land yachts, more pop ups and tents. Fewer planes so far. The pattern is extremely quiet.

The wiFi works. Good job, EAA. I've started the annual diary here.

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We're missing you Glenn Brasch, and Darwin Barrie, and John Porter, and Kevin Faris. We'll be thinking about you.
 
Bob Collins said:
A beautiful Midwestern night. The GPS took me to the exact spot I've been for several years now and old friend Rich Emery was able to find me. Chad Jensen's spot is still empty...
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Bob, I was planning on calling you tomorrow (Sunday), but if you read this before I call...any chance of stakin' it for me? We're gonna have a group on that triangle this year, so we need the whole thing. Me, Brad, Joe Ferraro, Larry Enyeart (f14rio on here), and John Sannizzarro. Mike Bullock will be joining us later in the week as well.

We'll be there Tuesday afternoon...

Talk to you tomorrow!
:cool:
 
Wish I was there

This morning at 0630 local I woke up and took my dog outside. While out I heard the distinctive sound of two RV's East bound. Looked like they were heading into Chandler for fuel.

I'm really bummed. It will be up to my buddies to drink my share of the beer and have a couple of Scotches for Glenn.

Keep us up to date on everything guys. Most importantly, have a great time.

And, Bob, glad you made it. I think this trip will have significant meaning to you when all is said and done.
 
cjensen said:
Bob, I was planning on calling you tomorrow (Sunday), but if you read this before I call...any chance of stakin' it for me? We're gonna have a group on that triangle this year, so we need the whole thing. Me, Brad, Joe Ferraro, Larry Enyeart (f14rio on here), and John Sannizzarro. Mike Bullock will be joining us later in the week as well.

We'll be there Tuesday afternoon...

Talk to you tomorrow!
:cool:
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I'll go buy some stakes tomorrow. I bought a can of fluorescent marking paint tonight to try on the grass. Do you suppose people would honor it if I just sprayed "No parking" there?
 
Bob,
I won't make it this year - too many things going on with the kids. I'll have to settle for wearing my lime green t-shirt from the picnic last year around the shop this week...
 
Bob Collins said:
I'll go buy some stakes tomorrow. I bought a can of fluorescent marking paint tonight to try on the grass. Do you suppose people would honor it if I just sprayed "No parking" there?
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I know you'll probably say no, BUT I will GLADLY pay you for the stakes if you go that route. If the "No Parking" is big enough, and readable, that would probably work...

THANK YOU BOB!!!

:cool::cool:
 
My spray paint ran out about 1/2 around the triangle.:( But I went to Lowe's and bought a big reel of Caution tape.

Chad's Corner is now in business:

chad_compund.jpg


I was surprised how much stress the Oshkosh wind puts on that stuff. You can see Camp Collins in the background.
 
I'm leaving tonight in a cherokee, I'll see how many RV'rs I can hook up with when I get there. We are going to be in GA Camping.
 
I've been out in RV camping interviewing RVers about their planes. I'm hoping to have a little multimedia slideshow posted this afternoon, but more likely some time tonight.
 
Bob Collins said:
My spray paint ran out about 1/2 around the triangle.:( But I went to Lowe's and bought a big reel of Caution tape.

Chad's Corner is now in business:

chad_compund.jpg


I was surprised how much stress the Oshkosh wind puts on that stuff. You can see Camp Collins in the background.
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Thank you Bob!!! Looks great, can't wait to get there!!!:cool:
 
Bob-

That is outstanding! Chad and his gang invited me to tag along this year for my first trip since '85 (fresh-faced college sophomore!). I haven't a clue how this camping thing works, so I'm glad we have "our spot" all set.

Thanks for the effort. Really looking forward to meeting you Tuesday!


Joe
 
Bob Collins said:
My spray paint ran out about 1/2 around the triangle.:( But I went to Lowe's and bought a big reel of Caution tape.

Chad's Corner is now in business:

chad_compund.jpg


I was surprised how much stress the Oshkosh wind puts on that stuff. You can see Camp Collins in the background.
Click to expand...
Fantastic!!! Thanks Bob! I think I still see an outline in the grass where I collapsed last year. :D

See you guys in a few days!
 
And I see a sign pole for support while sustaining vertiginous inebriation. I'll be staying at nearby Sleepy Hollow this year (Wed-Sat), but will definitely be by to say hi to all. You gonna have an extra cold one (non-fruited), Chad, or will I need to BYOB?? Can't wait to meet all of you. And look forward to meeting you, Bob, after reading your many wonderful stories and posts. I'm pumped - have been listening to ATC all day, even during dinner while the family just stares (it's OK kids, daddy will be fine...it is just a little thing...just finish your dinner...I'm sure it's nothing serious...honey, you will be OK, right??).
 
The campground has really filled up. I haven't checked the triangle this morning to be sure that the tape is still there. This is one of those years when folks try to squeeze into every space.

I'm watching the third party in a day set up camp next to the portable toilets. The other two, of course, moved. Why on earth would anyone set up camp there? That's an eternal Oshkosh mystery.

I had a nice dinner last night at Wendt's on the lake with Jerry Hansen, Chuck Busch, and Sid Tolchin. There are no better people on the planet, as far as I'm concerned.

I just posted a couple of updates. Having a hard time getting audio off my Marantz despite a new cable so the "Meet the RVers piece might have to wait."
 
Bob Collins said:
The campground has really filled up. I haven't checked the triangle this morning to be sure that the tape is still there. This is one of those years when folks try to squeeze into every space.
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Well, if it's still there, we'll get it. If not, time to start a new "tradition"...it is, as you know, "waterfront" property. ;) That's a prime location!
 
Oshkosh Port-A-Let Song

Bob Collins said:
...I'm watching the third party in a day set up camp next to the portable toilets. The other two, of course, moved. Why on earth would anyone set up camp there? That's an eternal Oshkosh mystery....
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Memories from Oshkosh past (1994)...my late father, my son and I made up a song to the tune of "Oh, Christmas Tree..."

It started like this...

Oh, Port-a-Let, Oh, Port-a-Let, I need to use thee, Port-a-Let...!

Enough of that!

I agree, why would anyone want to set up camp next to those? In addition to the obvious offenses to the nose, there is the constant noise of the spring-loaded doors going BANG all hours of the night. They are usually lined up in groups of 8 or 10, so there is an irregular regularity to the noise. However, I do appreciate the fact that they are provided for our use.

Bob, I'm glad you made the pilgrimage and I look forward to your reports each day. I enjoy reading them. THANKS!

Don
 
Funny you should mention that, Don, I am noodling on a short piece on the role of the Port-a-Potty in the Oshkosh experience.

On a related note (just kidding).. Stein and Jed are handing out their T-shirts, but not to me. :p

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and just a nod once again to the guys from Trio Avionics -- Sid, Chuck, and Jerry. I'd have missed a lot if I'd missed coming over this year.

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I just attended another in my long line of wiring workshops and stuck a little something up.

But have you noticed I'm not snapping many pictures of airplanes? You all know what an airplane looks like anyway. But, funny, I don't come to Oshkosh for the airplanes.
 
SteinAir Photo

Okay, which one of these Minnesotans is Stein? I can't see their fingers...or lack thereof!
Don
 
Bob's Multimedia Show

Great Work, Bob!
It worked the first time for me. Hope you have time to do another one! I have pangs of guilt for not making the trip, but your photos and interviews help me feel a part of the experience.
Thanks for putting this together.
Don
 
Great writing

Bob,

Thanks so much for the great reporting. I'm so glad you have covered many of the "non" airplane issues. I was laughing about the Pots and Pans sales pitch. This clear fall into the WGAS category. I could picture you there in the confrontation!!!! Excellent.

I also loved the editorial section near the end discussing how people complain about EAA becoming too commercial and your comments on how to fix it. You hit it perfectly, grab some builders and swap lies.

Bwtn, you and Doug, I think you have all the bases covered. Keep up the good work.

Can't wait till next year!!!!
 
OSH Accident?

Really enjoying your updates, Bob!

Listening to ATC, and the aiport just closed due to an accident (~1803Z) - they are diverting all inbound aircraft to alternate airports and have several aircraft holding in the vicinity of OSH - any idea what happened?
 
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Bob Collins said:
My spray paint ran out about 1/2 around the triangle.:( But I went to Lowe's and bought a big reel of Caution tape.

Chad's Corner is now in business:

chad_compund.jpg


I was surprised how much stress the Oshkosh wind puts on that stuff. You can see Camp Collins in the background.
Click to expand...


put several twists (at least one every 5 feet) on the tape, it reduces the wind drag. very common for electric tape fencing for animals.
 
RV7Guy said:
e I could picture you there in the confrontation!!!! Excellent.
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I was pretty sure i could take the wife. the guy I'm not so sure about.

Sitting in the campground watching the same old airshow...made some lunch but I think I'm going to go over to Ed and Ardy's now by myself (nobody seems to be around) and hoist a root beer float in honor of all of you who couldn't make it. Just because...

you know?
 
Oh Sure, Rub it in!!!

Rub it in!! At at least we have a Culvers not far from my house now.

Also, got a call from friend and said there is a Kettle Korn vendor this year. I've been trying to get in for 3 years. Gonna have to talk to Uncle Tom about that.




Bob Collins said:
ardy_eds_interior_2.jpg


Mission accomplished...

ardy_eds_exterior.jpg
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I did the Kettle Korn person setting up Sunday and immediately thought of you.

Unfortunately, my week came to an early end. I got a call during Jeff Dunham's show (which was good). My son had been robbed at gunpoint in his apartment.

He had used Craig's List to find someone selling some sort of game system that he and his roomates wanted to buy. Instead they got three guys with guns.

It's always something.
 
Bob Collins said:
...Unfortunately, my week came to an early end. I got a call during Jeff Dunham's show (which was good). My son had been robbed at gunpoint in his apartment...It's always something.
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Man, Bob, what a bummer. I hope he's okay. We'll miss your reports but certainly understand the priority.

I'm already looking forward to your continued reports from 2009 Airventure! :cool:

Don
 
Chad's Corner?

I have been here since sunday wandering around, this is the first day I got on WiFi and have not met anyone from Doug Reeve's collection. I saw Doug's plane at SPOT, I saw Beautiful Doll but have not met any pilots. However I have met many new people. So I will look out for Chad's corner, if some one can point me in the right direction.
Mark Mercier
C-GQRV RV-7A
Vancouver BC
 
Mark:
Go to Camp Scholler and the West End Store (it's the yellow building). Take the shuttle bus if need be. Walk out into the field (walking south). Find 11th St (or 10th street) and follow it.

There should be a creek to your left, walk one block (from the main road) and when you get to the bridge over the creek, straight ahead of you, you'll see a little triangle formed where "10th" street and 9th St meet (10th follows the creek, 9th is parallel to Highway 41, thus the triangle).

Here's the map I used for the BBQ for a few years. If you look where the "X" is and look at about 10 O'clock from that position, you'll see the triangle.

And older woman, I'm told, camping nearby, thinks it's a fraternity getting together.:D
 
Not that we were too rowdy, just all so young and good looking! She did pack up and leave her site the next morning though:D


Last night here, come on by!

Joe
 
Spent two days there, got a SteinAir shirt (I guess I got lucky?), checked out Vertical Power (I like it, but it isn't quite the cats meow I was hoping for...), met Jay Pratt, checked out 'Flash', saw the formation, very impressive.

A couple comments from my friends who've been there before...

"Venders are charging for teeshirts???"

"Kind of a weird vibe this year..."

"Your tent is gonna leak."

Was it worth the trip, yes. Will I go again? Not until I've got a flying RV.
 
What a great show! It was really fun to meet the faces behind the posts. Didn't make it to 11th & Lindburg to meet Bob, my loss. Maybe next year unless Bob goes though one of his "I ain't going to OSH this year." syndroms. hehehe

Biggest disapointments?

Jet pack was not a jet, and could not fly on it's own. It was just a scheme (IMHO) to get investors. The EAA should have chekced it out more. Also, being duped into thinking John Travolta, Nick Cage, Kathern Betta Jones was gonna show up at a forum. :mad: Turns out it was a stage double? Not cool.
 
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Bob Collins said:
And older woman, I'm told, camping nearby, thinks it's a fraternity getting together.:D
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It is a fraternity! There was more than enough hazing to make it one.:D

Thanks again Bob for grabbing the spot. It was GREAT to see you again.
 
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Had a great time! Sorry we may have missed some of you that left me messages that you stopped by and we weren't there...:eek: Hope to see you next time!!:cool:
 
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