Seattle!

Hello from Seattle! We have had a great time these last few days up
here in the northwest. We got to do some really neat stuff. We went up
the space needle, went to the Pike Market and lots of other cool
stuff. We didn't even rent a car! We spent the entire week on bikes
and other forms of public transportation. The weather was absolutely
amazing. It was in the mid-70s everyday. We are definitely going to
come back here again. Next time we are going to fish and kayak to the
extreme.

Rick and I are sitting in the Seattle airport and apparently both updating AT THE SAME TIME. I'll wait though so Ican have the last word.

Wedding Party

We just got through with the wedding party that my sister threw us
back in Texas for my friends and family that couldn't drive to
Arkansas. It was really good to see the side of my family that I
haven't seen in six or more years. We also got to see some friends
that I haven't kept up very well with; but I am going to make a better
effort to do so in the future. It was a really good party and it was
fun to see the video of out wedding. Pictures to come later.

So Rick and I are stuck in VOQ (base hotel) for another day but we are finally out of the nasty ghetto house with the teeny tiny kitchen. I"m really excited about that. Tomorrow we leave for Dallas for the post wedding shower (thanks,Courtney!!) and I'm won't be coming back to Altus for a long long time if ever. Rick will be back on Monday, but just for the day. Then we have errands to run in Texas and it's off to Seattle for us. Yahhhh, honeymoon!!!!

moving

Its that time of year again. That wonderful time of the year where we have to move across the country. You think that as many times as the AF does this that life would be really easy, but man is this a really difficult process. We have spent the last two days just trying to get stuff organized so the movers and packers can come and mess it up. At least we had a long weekend. We went down to Cousin Dave's house and really had a good time. We played on the lake and did all that crazy stuff until we were too tired to move at the end of every day. We also got to see some family that I havent seen in a long time, and Rachael had only met once (or never!). The other sad part about this moving thing is that the bikes have to be stored away in the truck for the next few weeks. I just got a new seat for the road bike and now i dont even have a chance to try it out until we get to Mississippi! Speaking of the new seat, it is absolutely amazing if anyone who reads this has problems with numbness on long rides. I havent been out for a long ride yet but just the few test rides were noticebly different. Since the wedding, we havent done much other than just get ready to leave. Rachael is now officialy my wife, according to the AF and now I dont have to babysit her while she is on base. I am starting to get really excited about starting UPT. I keep talking to Seth and hearing about all of the stuff he is up to and it makes me extremely jealous. Only 4 more weeks until the year+ journey begins.

Peace out!

Married!

We were married Saturday in Arkansas on Mt Nebo. Of course it was the first time in years it rained on that date. And it rained all day long. But our pictures turned out wonderful and everything probably worked out for the best. We danced, we visited, had two bites of food and now we aren't heathens living together in sin. We are legit. I even have a military ID now. Granted the picture isn't the best but when are they? Now if only we could rein in the chaos that is our house and start getting things ready to move. The packers are coming on the 8th, the movers on the 9th, and then we are out of this house on the 10th. Goodbye falling apart house, crappy stove, ghetto neighborhood and drug dealer neighbor. Hello central heat and air. We are a little too excited to be moving to Mississippi in July but going from no a/c to a/c will do that to you.

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.

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

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.