22 June 2008

Virginia Cont.

How many rednecks can there be in this country? I thought that they
were limited to the actual southern stated, but I have seen more
mullets and buck teeth than I ever care to see again. This was
probably the best airshow I have ever been to. We had the British Red
Arrows headline and they are pretty good aviators. I got some sweet
pics of those guys.

20 June 2008

Washington DC

So here I am in Washington DC sleeping on the floor of a couple of GW
law students. I struck out on my own last night to see some of the
monuments, and I discovered that this is a pretty cool place. The
Jefferson memorial was definitely my favorite of the ones that I went
to. Even though I cant remember the words right this moment, the
inscription running around the top of the inside was a pretty good
one. These monuments really carry a lot of history, and they are kind
of intimidating in a way. The Washington memorial was also pretty
neat. When I got there, the US Marine band was doing a show and they
were a really good band. After the Washington, I went down to the WW2
and it was pretty neat as well. Its one of the newest memorials in DC.
The Lincoln was after that and it really kind of reminds you of the
Parthenon. It was probably the most beautiful of the monuments that I
saw. The reflecting pool is really some nasty water filled with duck
crap but it looks nice at night from a distance. The Vietnam and
Korean War memorials are right next to the Lincoln as is the standard
arrival for all planes going into Reagan Int. Overall, DC is a place
you need to dedicate about a week to.

v/r
Rick W
Psalm 121

17 June 2008

now that we have that first post out of the way we can get on to the real stuff.


Being a bike commuter in Altus, Ok is like being the one legged man in an ass kicking contest. People look at you like you just punched them in the face everytime they pass you (or you pass them). Even people that know me think it is a pretty weird thing to do. Probably some of the coolest times around here are when someone who has never commuted before tries it and comes to me talking about how much fun it actually was. Who would have thought? Maybe, just maybe, I do this because I actually enjoy it? It absolutely amazes people when you tell them that you do something physical that you enjoy. Hopefully the rest of the AF will be a little more accepting about the whole bike thing.
--This is my Surly Cross Check (aka Regina).

"Fix it or mix it!" Mike Hoover




my life is a pretty boring affair. I am constantly reminded of the contradictions in my day to day life. My preferred mode of transportation is one of my two bikes. I love to bike because its a fun, healthy, good for the environment, and good for the wallet way to get to work. I know that some people would instantly discredit me as a "treehugger" but someday those people will realize that we are all stewards of this planet for the next generation. I grew up enjoying the outdoors in as many ways as I possibly could, and I want my kids to have the same chances that I have had. Also, this is a great way to counteract the negative effects of my day job, Officer/Pilot in the USAF. I burn more gas warming up an engine than most people do in a year, but hey, at least I am trying.
I absolutely can't wait to be a real pilot and not a casual Lt or a student. These past few months have been difficult in that I have not really had a definition for what I am doing. Most of the people in my squadron have a mission, but I am just there filling space and doing the work that no one else really wants to do. That said, I wouldn't trade this time for anything. This has been an invaluable time for me both as an officer and a person. I am gaining experience in areas that many people wont get to for a few more years, and I have spent some quality time with my fiance. We have done some pretty cool stuff that we wouldn't have done if we werent here. Rachael and I are getting married in a little under two weeks, and it is a pretty exciting feeling. She is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I am thankful for her in my life everyday. I just hope that she can put up with my excentricities.