I drove across Texas one month. On my way back from Cali.
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- Thread starter Wildcat Droppings
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One of the longest drives imaginable... I got a job in El Paso and drove from E'Town.
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I would have to take out a loan to drive across Texas with these gas prices. I need to plan ahead for a trip to the next county over.
I am sure getting close to that here. $4.55 and rising... COMPELETELY CRIMINAL (That is at the closest CASH gas station.)
$5.35/gal today. Up 67¢ since May 4th.
Back in the 1970's when we were having all of those gas issues the Federal Government lowered the speed limit to 55 MPH. Probably one of the dumbest things a government could do but some egg head politician from up North in a crowded city probably thought nobody drives over 55.
Well we were driving from Florida to Arizona to visit a dying uncle. He moved out there after getting black lung working in the Kentucky coal mines. I had a 1968 Mercury Cougar that would flat out fly. One of the fast cars I have owned. So somewhere in the middle of Texas with nobody in sight I eased her up to 90 mph and put on the cruise control. On up the road was a Texas State Trooper parked in a little park area with picnic tables. I just flew by him knowing any minute he was coming after me.
A few miles down the road I saw him in my rear view mirror but he did not have on his lights or siren. So I kept going and he pulled up beside of me and tipped his hat with a smile. I guess he saw my Florida plates and thought that boy ain't go no sense so no use in telling him to slow down.
But there is more to the story. I pulled into a truck stop and there he was again. He came up to me and said 55 is a dumb law isn't it and I said I reckon it is. Then he gave me a valuable tip. He said if I was going through San Angelo to watch out because their sheriff has speed traps set up. I thanked him and I did hold it under 55. I always want to support the local sheriff.
Speaking of Texas. Ole' Ernest Tubb would waltz across Texas with you
Smiling Jimmy says hey, Sir...(On the speed limit...)
On the other, there are a whole lot of good cops. Most of them....
Ernest Tubb used to do a whistle and stated dental work made him lose his whistle. I wanted to hear it but could not find it during a Google search ..
I remember after I transferred from UK in 1973 to Fork U and drinking age was 19, if you had to much to drink, the Tempe police would simply take your drunk ass home unless you were disturbing the peace like shooting out street lights. Then they would toss you in the slammer until you dried out and went before the judge. You could expect a fine for " Disturbing the Peace" and released after agreeing to a restitution pay plan for the repair cost of your naughty behavior.
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I can't tell you how many times my buddies in the Army and I came on post drunk as skunks and never had any issues other than to be assisted if needed. None of us got ignorant. Had beer machines in the barracks but most floors had a large trash can cleaned and had a keg in it iced down. (Only those who paid drank.) Never had an issue. (Fort Bragg, Fort Huachuca, Goodfellow AFB, never an issue....All different soldiers.(Except me. 
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Home again. I started to tell you earlier that we were going to Kroger to get some coffee but that we wouldn't get out of there for less than a hundred bucks. I know my wife. $111.47. We did get 4lbs of coffee and I threw a couple of things in there as well.
We order a lot of stuff and have it delivered now so these trips aren't as tiresome for me as they used to be.
We order a lot of stuff and have it delivered now so these trips aren't as tiresome for me as they used to be.
After serving many years in line units (INF and ADA), my experiences were vastly different than yours. Drunk GIs usually = trouble. Many incidents I was involved as an NCO bordered on stupidity. For example, back in '85, one of my soldiers decided he'd impress his German girlfriend and jumped, while intoxicated, from a 5th story window at Siegerland Kaserne near Burbach, Germany. Broke his back. Ambulance transported him to Jung-Stilling Krankenhaus (where my son was born 9 years later) in Siegen. From there, Bundeswehr MEDEVAC chopper flew him in inclimate weather to a special hospital near Bad Wildungen for spinal surgery. It gets better, but I won't go into there right now.I can't tell you how many times my buddies in the Army and I came on post drunk as skunks and never had any issues other than to be assisted if needed. None of us got ignorant. Had beer machines in the barracks but most floors had a large trash can cleaned and had a keg in it iced down. (Only those who paid drank.) Never had an issue. (Fort Bragg, Fort Huachuca, Goodfellow AFB, never an issue....All different soldiers.(Except me.
Numerous other incidents transpired over my career, ranging from fights to serious spousal abuse. Heh, one kid's wife broke a glass ashtray over his head resulting in a concussion. What a mess.
Really wish I could have been so lucky serving around reasonable folks. Problem for us revolved around the attitudes instilled in those units across the board. Train hard, party hard. Gawd, I hated staff duty on weekends.
Photo from similar building kid jumped from. Tree somewhat hides 5th floor window.
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After serving many years in line units (INF and ADA), my experiences were vastly different than yours. Drunk GIs usually = trouble. Many incidents I was involved as an NCO bordered on stupidity. For example, back in '85, one of my soldiers decided he'd impress his German girlfriend and jumped, while intoxicated, from a 5th story window at Siegerland Kaserne near Burbach, Germany. Broke his back. Ambulance transported him to Jung-Stilling Krankenhaus (where my son was born 9 years later) in Siegen. From there, Bundeswehr MEDEVAC chopper flew him in incriminate weather to a special hospital near Bad Wildungen for spinal surgery. It gets better, but I won't go into there right now.
Numerous other incidents transpired over my career, ranging from fights to serious spousal abuse. Heh, one kid's wife broke a glass ashtray over his head resulting in a concussion. What a mess.
Really wish I could have been so lucky serving around reasonable folks. Problem for us revolved around the attitudes instilled in those units across the board. Train hard, party hard. Gawd, I hated staff duty on weekends.
Photo from similar building kid jumped from. Tree somewhat hides 5th floor window.
Not judging and I hurt thinking about your circumstances. I should have qualified. I was always around areas of security. Maybe who I was around were better trained or maybe more diligent in not going ape schmidt. I was an II in MI. I went to work in a vault at Bragg XVIII ABC. We did some crazy things but were always surrounded in parameters that maybe insulated us more. That's the best I can explain it but in my four years I served with multiple groups of soldiers and we never had any incidents such as you mentioned that I was aware. I do realize some of the incidents you mentioned and maybe I shouldn't have posted as I was posting thankfully, not bragging.
(To this day, and I jumped on Bragg during airborne training, I do not know any reason nor could I fathom any reason I'd jump from a fifth floor. Maybe for my family but I cannot fathom it.)
I normally worked security, but one night a guy took over the stage in the NCO club because the band wouldn't play Sinatra songs for him. The chief of police called on me and a buddy to go get him because we knew the guy well. We each grabbed an arm and walked him off the stage. We had him outside and he's saying to let him go because he can walk. We looked at each other and both let go at the same time. He fell to the ground immediately. We picked up and tossed him in the back of the pick up truck, took him to the barracks and put him in bed.
Sir,
Not belittling that but I too took over a stage at a karaoke event as a soldier where I was about half lit. I demanded Merle Haggard's "Today I started Loving You Again". They did it, I sung it and got applauded. I thought they were pissed too but at the time I didn't care. (Man the stories I could tell of my escapades..)
To this day, I claim I don't have the sense God gave a goose. Some laugh it off but I know where I've been and the stupid stuff I did and got away with. Who knows why but God knows. I have just never been afraid to "Do things".... never harmful stuff but for sure some weirdo stuff at times... Nuff Said...
In Germany, I also pulled Courtesy Patrol in a jeep. MPs served as backup. Hated that duty on weekends. All the drunks ready to fight. Got into a few scrapes, though nothing serious. We called MPs usually 2-3 times on Saturday nights. I personally thanked them each time they helped us out.
I reckon nobody called the cops on you. I'm glad we knew the guy. Didn't want to have to fight or hurt someone, especially some poor homesick drunk.
They did Sir but I guess the circumstances were just different.
Our SIL was stationed at Clovis AFB in New Mexico..........we visited them four times in 13 months.........we always drove straight through.....to cheap to pay for a motel.............
I did that as well when I first got the job in El Paso. (I pulled off in rest stops and slept in my Ranger pickup. I left My Darling and children in E'Town as I was supposed to get a job in San Antonio after a couple months which I did and when I moved there and got an apartment I flew back and we loaded up a large Penske truck and hit the road to SA. (That was a haul as well.)
This is a good life's lesson. As we travel this journey just be yourself.
Good morning from ATX. Currently 71°F and clear with some clouds. Today's high should come in around 99°F. Increasing heat on the way later this week.
Been up since 5:11 am. Pup woke me wanting some food. Of course I could not refuse.![[winking]](http://l.yimg.com/j/assets/img/emoticons/classic/wink.r191677.gif "Winking [winking]")
Usual Sunday activities on our agenda for today. I'll try shopping around 9 am.
Wishing happiness and health for all our fellow D-League members.
Been up since 5:11 am. Pup woke me wanting some food. Of course I could not refuse.
Usual Sunday activities on our agenda for today. I'll try shopping around 9 am.
Wishing happiness and health for all our fellow D-League members.
I have one just like her. God love her soul. She is another $100 minimum grocery shopper. If we need a gallon of milk she will still go up and down every aisle searching for sales. She loves those 2 for 1 deals. She will buy things marked down a few cents that we don't need and tell me she saved money by buying them. Total bill at checkout: >>>>$100 . She truly was created by God to be a shopper and keep the economy robust.
I seldom if ever go shopping. For anything. It has to be over 10 years since I went into a men's clothing store. Probably much longer than that. I haven't been in a Walmart for probably 20 and will never go again if I can help it.
Good morning D-League. It's currently 60° and sunny ☀️ here in Eastern Kentucky, with clear skies and a high of 86° expected later today.
Hard to believe it's already June, as this year is flying by.
Hard to believe it's already June, as this year is flying by.
I love that picture above. Especially on a bright Sunday morning. 2022 is flying by but November can't get here quick enough.Good morning D-League. It's currently 60° and sunny ☀️ here in Eastern Kentucky, with clear skies and a high of 86° expected later today.
Hard to believe it's already June, as this year is flying by.
We are checking in this morning at 72° and sunny skies. Chances of rain are 2% today but increasing to 35% by late afternoon. The sun bathers should be back at their rooms before getting wet. Our high is expected to reach 83°.
Trust all are well and doing fine.
Uh-oh . . . Choo choo boo-boo
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90 days until Kentucky Football. 🏈
Jackie Gleason always had that cigarette in his hand. He sure made me laugh, loved the guy. When I think of New Yorker, I think of Jackie Gleason. My daddy would roll in the floor laughing while watching the Honeymooners
I'll admit, some of these I didn't know about.
One thing I miss about Florida are the Publix stores. Not only do they have everything but they must drug the help because they are always nice.
Good morning folks. Back from about as long a walk as my bum hip and knee can take. Absolutely flawless, cool, bright day in the east. I was listening to a podcast today about how many people head out into the wilderness in our rugged, beautiful, physically diverse country and .....just vanish. Experts put the number at 1,500-2,000 a year. Some bodies are eventually found, some never.
Some of the stories are pretty fascinating, while of course being tragic. Couples are seen at a trailhead of a fairly well traveled stretch of a popular park, then never seen again. That kind of stuff.
In my younger days I took some really long solo hikes, and as a father I've taken my son along when I was in my late 40s, early 50s and felt like I could trek forever. And i certainly got a little "turned around" from time to time. Once with my then - 12-year-old son, in early April, we got fogged in on a hike up to a little peak called Sugar Loaf Mountain in Maryland. The fog seemed to roll in out of nowhere, and coming down, we couldn't see much. We managed to shift too far to the left and miss the parking lot half way up to the top. We ended up having to walk to the bottom, then hike back up until we hit the road to the parking lot. We didn't get back to our car until well after dark, hungry and thirsty. I guess the kid still thinks that was just an extra-long walk. Luckily at that age, a couple Big Macs and a shake and he was ready to sleep all the way home.
I guess all native Kentuckians are like Daniel Boone. I'm sure you've all heard what he said when asked after his days as an explorer whether he was ever lost: "No, I was never lost," he said. "I was BEWILDERED once for five days."
Some of the stories are pretty fascinating, while of course being tragic. Couples are seen at a trailhead of a fairly well traveled stretch of a popular park, then never seen again. That kind of stuff.
In my younger days I took some really long solo hikes, and as a father I've taken my son along when I was in my late 40s, early 50s and felt like I could trek forever. And i certainly got a little "turned around" from time to time. Once with my then - 12-year-old son, in early April, we got fogged in on a hike up to a little peak called Sugar Loaf Mountain in Maryland. The fog seemed to roll in out of nowhere, and coming down, we couldn't see much. We managed to shift too far to the left and miss the parking lot half way up to the top. We ended up having to walk to the bottom, then hike back up until we hit the road to the parking lot. We didn't get back to our car until well after dark, hungry and thirsty. I guess the kid still thinks that was just an extra-long walk. Luckily at that age, a couple Big Macs and a shake and he was ready to sleep all the way home.
I guess all native Kentuckians are like Daniel Boone. I'm sure you've all heard what he said when asked after his days as an explorer whether he was ever lost: "No, I was never lost," he said. "I was BEWILDERED once for five days."
That is my engine! 😁
Uh-oh . . . Choo choo boo-boo
Jackie Gleason always had that cigarette in his hand. He sure made me laugh, loved the guy. When I think of New Yorker, I think of Jackie Gleason. My daddy would roll in the floor laughing while watching the Honeymooners
Jack, Jackie, Gerald, and Bob..... There's four to draw out of a hand. 😏👌
They follow the Chick-fil-A model in hiring personnel. Actually I think Chick-fil-A copied their model. The store was founded in Winter Haven, FL in the early 1930's. The employees are trained to be cordial with a smile. If you do not have that personality you will not last long.
I apologize for the length of this post but I have an affection for Publix and how they treat employees. Based on a lesson of life.
My first cousin's dad got sent to the federal pen in Atlanta and he and his four younger brothers were left without a father for 20 years. His dad's crime was a white collar crime involving finances. He was a brilliant person (IQ wise) but thought he could swindle old ladies out of their money. When they divided up the Old Home Place his wife, my aunt, got her 40 acres and my uncle decided to develop it. He got into a mess and The Feds put him in the Pen.
Anyway what is left of the family are 5 young brothers and a mama. So at age 14 one of the boys went down to Publix to apply for a job as a bag boy. This was in 1958. It was a small town and the manager of the store went to the same church and he knew the story of the family. He hired him and let him work after school. Time moves on and it is time to graduate from HS. Bobby is a straight A student. Publix kept him employed and allowed him to go to college at the University of South Florida in Tampa. They paid his tuition. He graduated with a degree in finance and economics and worked his way to the top, all the way to their headquarters where he retired. From a bag boy to the inner circles of a giant food store. Now that is the America I knew about when I was a youngster.
One Publix practice that was common and still is; during a rain storm an employee will hold an umbrella for you as you go to your car and the bag boy/ girl is trained to always offer to take your groceries to the car.
His niece is now with Publix and she told me they are expanding into Kentucky on a trial basis. First Louisville and then Lexington. I told her I was not sure it would go over in Kentucky because it is more Midwest than Southern and it caters to different food. But maybe it will. Locally we have a lot of transplant from the North who are of Italian descent. Publix caters to them and have a long aisle of nothing but olive oil and Italian food items. So you can get chicken and dumplings on one side of the aisle and olive oil on the other. They did the same thing for Spanish food. That is an example of understanding your customers.
Good morning! I've been up for a couple of hours now. The night is officially over.
Every morning I go through the national headlines to see if there is anything worth reading about. Each morning I feel like I've Rip Van Winkled the last 20 years and I've woken up to a bizzarro world.
California has 40 cities and communities that have banned gas stoves in homes and businesses. To save the planet! Los Angeles is set to follow.
I have the first gun I ever shot. It is a cheap German made 22 revolver that came with 2 cylinders. 1 for long rifle and 1 for magnum. My father brought it home with him from the Korean War. I only have the magnum cylinder and have no idea what happened to the other over the years. I was at the flea market at the fairgrounds last week and started to buy some magnum's from dude. He said the price was $27.50 for a box of 50. I said "that's about 55 cents per bullet"! he said "that's exactly right". I still have no magnum bullets.
90 days until football action! I'm already nervous about this season. I can see it as a tipping point for UK football. If we can play for the East championship, it will propel us into the upper echelon. Top 4 in the SEC is top 10 in the nation. We deserve it as much as anyone else does. We have been disproportionately penalized for things other schools do regularly with no repercussions.
Have a great Sunday. While you still can.
Every morning I go through the national headlines to see if there is anything worth reading about. Each morning I feel like I've Rip Van Winkled the last 20 years and I've woken up to a bizzarro world.
California has 40 cities and communities that have banned gas stoves in homes and businesses. To save the planet! Los Angeles is set to follow.
I have the first gun I ever shot. It is a cheap German made 22 revolver that came with 2 cylinders. 1 for long rifle and 1 for magnum. My father brought it home with him from the Korean War. I only have the magnum cylinder and have no idea what happened to the other over the years. I was at the flea market at the fairgrounds last week and started to buy some magnum's from dude. He said the price was $27.50 for a box of 50. I said "that's about 55 cents per bullet"! he said "that's exactly right". I still have no magnum bullets.
90 days until football action! I'm already nervous about this season. I can see it as a tipping point for UK football. If we can play for the East championship, it will propel us into the upper echelon. Top 4 in the SEC is top 10 in the nation. We deserve it as much as anyone else does. We have been disproportionately penalized for things other schools do regularly with no repercussions.
Have a great Sunday. While you still can.
I was on leave from Ft. Sill traveling through Lexington on my way to see a friend spring 88. I had an 87 Ford Bronco 5.0 and was testing it out on the highway. I hit 105mph when I saw the lights of a state trooper. When he came to my window he ask if I knew how fast I was going and I said yes. Told him I was on leave from Sill and was late meeting a friend in Cincy. He saw my campaign hat sitting on my dash and realized I was a Drill Sergeant. He told me that at that time anything over 20mph over the speed limit was arrestable but, said he would only clock me at 75mph and ticket me for that. I thanked him and went on my merry way at a much slower pace.
Yep, many similar stories. I had one while I was on CQ in Germany (4th USAFAD) around the same time frame jump out of a 3 story building after wrapping himself in toilet paper, lighting it on fire, then jumped out. Burns and a broken leg and a dishonorable discharge. He wanted out so, he decided this was is only way.After serving many years in line units (INF and ADA), my experiences were vastly different than yours. Drunk GIs usually = trouble. Many incidents I was involved as an NCO bordered on stupidity. For example, back in '85, one of my soldiers decided he'd impress his German girlfriend and jumped, while intoxicated, from a 5th story window at Siegerland Kaserne near Burbach, Germany. Broke his back. Ambulance transported him to Jung-Stilling Krankenhaus (where my son was born 9 years later) in Siegen. From there, Bundeswehr MEDEVAC chopper flew him in inclimate weather to a special hospital near Bad Wildungen for spinal surgery. It gets better, but I won't go into there right now.
Numerous other incidents transpired over my career, ranging from fights to serious spousal abuse. Heh, one kid's wife broke a glass ashtray over his head resulting in a concussion. What a mess.
Really wish I could have been so lucky serving around reasonable folks. Problem for us revolved around the attitudes instilled in those units across the board. Train hard, party hard. Gawd, I hated staff duty on weekends.
Photo from similar building kid jumped from. Tree somewhat hides 5th floor window.
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