Catch up already!

Ok, I have been away from this for a while. It's just been super busy, especially losing a whole weekend to the cross-country. Not that I consider it a 'loss' or anything, it just wasn't a break! I guess I'll start there in my recounting, though. We met Friday to start setting everything up. A big group of other guys was heading to Denver Colorado, but Captain Dove didn't want to head out that far because it would be way too much time spent at just straight and level flight and wouldn't leave much time for practicing approaches and seeing other airfields. So, we decided to head to Talahassee that night in one jump since we were leaving later in the day. So got everything prepped up and headed out with no problems. We shot a couple of approaches at Dothan Regional on the was to Talahassee and then full-stopped there. That night we stayed in a hotel near the air port and got a rental car for the trip in and out from there and in order to find somewhere to eat. We went to a grill first, but they had some really loud live music, and both of us were tired and in no mood for that. So, we left there and drove up and down the street near the hotel and a fondue restaurant caught our attention...

So, yes, two grown men went to a fondue restaurant together, but I must say, it was some great food!! That was my first time having fondue and it was great! Actually, I even said at one point to Dove, "hey, man I don't want to make this awkward or anything, but this is one of those places that would be perfect to a girl out to for a really nice date." :) I got steak and I don't remember which fondue we got for the table. So, what they do is bring everything out to you totally raw, so the waitress came out and handed me a plate of bloody steak meat. I came SO close to saying "hey, I think you need to take this back, I don't think I ordered it still moooing. The chef needs to at least try to cook this!" But, I thought she'd probably heard it a few times in the past... We didn't get any of the dessert and chocolate fondue as the meal itself was PLENTY expensive already and plenty filling as well. Anyways, enough about the fondue.

Saturday morning we got up and had breakfast at the hotel and then headed back to the FBO at the airfield to plan the day. We'd decided to head for Charleston SC and stop at Gainesville on the way. So we crossed to the east coast of FL to the Kennedy Space Center and shot an approach there and then tracked back to Gainesville for a couple more approaches and a full stop. We got a courtesy car at the FBO there and then got chipotle downtown and debriefed the flight. Once we got back to the FBO I spent about 45 minutes and planned up our leg to Charleston. However, that was not to be. When we stepped to the jet and I tested to Aux-Bat, it wasn't holding its charge. So, long story short Capt Dove called back and they told us we couldn't go out to Charleston because it was too far if the jet died and they would have to send out a repair team. So, our plans changed last minute to head to Birmingham instead for the night. That was a good flight was a pretty long haul of straight and level that got pretty boring so I was happy to see Birmingham for a couple more approaches to a stop. That night we stayed at a really nice hotel so we had to cover the extra bit, but it was a nice place. Then Dove suggested a Thai place he knew within walking distance since we didn't get a car that night since the hotel had shuttle service to and from the airfield. I got a really good curry dish there that reminded me of a rendang dish we used to have in Indonesia all the time that I loved.

Sunday we went down to Mobile Alabama first which was really cool because much of pattern was over the water there. We got pizza delivered to the FBO there and then had to change plans again due to a storm developing between us and Columbus. So we went through Meridian and did some checkride approaches there before coming back to Columbus for some VFR patterns. We were actually flying in real weather for most of that trip including some rain for the last portion. Then we debriefed everything and left from there. It was a great weekend and a real fun time and Captain Dove was a great guy and I enjoyed flying with him. It was just a lot of stuff going on at once!

After that, I only had 2 I-sims and my to-check left to go. So Monay and Tuesday I did the last two sims, and then Wednesday I double-turned with the to-check and a formation ride. Usually they don't double turn you before a checkride, but I was running up on a 14-day break in formation but so it had to be done. The checkride then went really well on Thursday, though I had to change from the primary to GTR. I went out to the MOA first to do the 3 items or so that could be done out there, and then turned circles in the MOA while loading up the GPS approach for GTR. I did the GPS and ILS and then he flew back and did a few patterns of his own at columbus. We did the GK and EP after that, and I thought I did pretty well, but he still gave me one downgrade on GK, and then my only other one was for the ILS because I actually missed the glideslope until I hit the FAF. But I then talked him through my plan of just turning it into a LOC approach until hitting the mins or reintercepting the glideslope so he only gave me a downgrade on that mistake. So the Lord blessed me with a 2E in the end! Friday I sat the RSU all morning for my first solo tour for a crazy shift with a max of 11 aircraft in the pattern at one point (we can only hold up to 12 before we have to land some), and on top of that I was upgrading someone else; and then, the computer was on the fritz the whole time so I had to reboot the things literally a dozen times while we were out there! That night was a cottage chat at the church I made it to, and it was a great time with some volleyball games after the food and devotion. That Saturday I was so tired after 2 weeks straight of flying with no break that I pretty much just took the whole day off. Sunday of course was church with a nap in between.

If you've followed along so far, this brings us to this past week. Monday I had a formation ride that went really well. I got an excellent overall and really just enjoyed the ride. Tuesday Josh Dove and I were given the privilege of flying with the squadron DO and ADO (essentially our 2nd in command with the ADO being 'assistant to' the second command of sorts). So, Josh led us out to the area, and we did all of the area work up to extended trail (ET) stuff. Then, they called the move into ET and we started into it. Well then I heard the major in my back seat asking what in the world I was doing several times, and then took the aircraft. Then he said again that he had the aircraft. And I answered him...again! That's when we started to realize he was having some transmitting and receiving issues in the back. So we ended up knocking off the manuevering, and since we didn't have solid communication in our jet (we were in the process of making up some crazy spur-of-the moment sign language of our own at the time) we decided to bring the formation back in. So since I didn't lead anything the sortie was graded as an incomplete. Basically, it was a free sortie of practicing wing stuff for me! Wednesday I had nothing on the board, and I actually was able to get out of there on time to make it to church! It was great because Jonny had asked me again on Sunday if I could give a testimony to the teens. So the Lord worked it out great and I had had time to put together a decent outline and gave my testimony and about a 30 minute sharing-lesson of sorts. I was really honored to be able to do that, and just pray that the Lord will use it to work in their lives in some way.

Yesterday I had the makeup flight for the incomplete on Tuesday and that went really well too. I also had Taco CAP for the GK downgrade on my checkride. So I made Mom's recipe for chicken soft tacos in the crockpot. I didn't know how much I was going to need, so I got 12 pounds of chicken. Only when I started to fill the three crockpots on Wednesday night I realize just how much chicken that was! So needless to say, there was plenty of extra! I just set it all to cook when I went to bed, and then got up in the morning and shredded it all and combined it into one crockpot to take in and put on 'warm'. There was a ton left so I put a bunch in the freezer and more in the fridge. Ryan and I will be eating that stuff for a while! But it was a huge hit, I guess my culinary 'skills' impressed a few people 'cause I got a lot of compliments.

Oh, another thing that's happened: I am our flight's snacko guy now too since the senior class gets lumped with that spectacular duty. I'm almost to the point where I'll punch the next guy who complains because his favorite (and very specific) type of soda isn't stocked in the fridge! Haha, but no, seriously, so far all I've received is moaning no matter what we do to keep it stocked. It's just a no-win job. We basically spend all the money to restock, and then wait for people to buy so that there's more money, and then restock again. What that means is that we're not able to get any reserves and stuff runs out way too quick. I think some people aren't paying for everything they're taking either. Anyways, it's a huge pain.

Today I didn't have a flight again, so I worked on some snacko stuff, helped with sorting pennies for a competition that's been ongoing, sat FIDO for a few hours, and then called it a day around 1300 and played a few hours of final fantasy before getting some work done around the house. Currently I have no real plans for tomorrow, but I'm going to see if I can buy brake pads for my bike locally and replace them tomorrow.

And I think that may qualify as my longest post to-date. I know it's been too long since my last update...I even had mom and dad worried enough that they called just to make sure I was still ok down here. :) So again, I've got to make myself keep up on this more on a daily basis...it's not like I'm really busy or anything. Ha!