Living the dream

I'm still intrigued by J.W. French's odyssey. This week he spent time in Texas with Bruce Bohannon and has provided a slideshow of images.

I'm thinking of featuring this in the RV Builder's Hotline this week, even though it's not about RV airplanes, per se. But, then again, it is. Isn't it?

Here is Mr. French's Friday morning update:

I have had several people on the trip ask who RON is. To clear that up, RON is a military term that means "remain over night." I really don't know how it became a part of my vocabulary, because I am a career civilian, having never been in the active duty military.

Choir practice at Flying Tiger's Field of Dreams was a spiritually uplifting experience. Bruce, Freya, Ernie and the whole group were in fine voice, and the fellowship was wonderful. On top of that Bruce's resident electrical genius, I believe it was Alan, diagnosed and fixed the gremlin in my electrical system in short order.

Flying Tiger's Field of Dreams is a hard place to leave. The people involved are the kind that make any organization great. I hope Bruce's dream for a museum, camping and nature area, and learning center becomes a reality. It is people lilke Bruce, Freya, Ernie and the rest of the gang that will keep grass roots aviation alive. I had a great night's sleep in Kathy and Craig McDonald's guest quarters, with the heavenly sounds of "choir practice" ringing softly in my ears.

This morning thunderstorms were already forming and heading for Waco, TX so I had to scrub the visit with the Waco Chapter Thursday lunch bunch. I missed getting to meet Jeff and Lynne Stoltenberg in Brenham, TX where I stopped at the airport and had their highly publicized $100 hamburg, but I got a call from Jeff after I landed in San Marco, TX, and we had a nice visit on the phone.

It is great to visit with the family here. I haven't been here to see them since the SBMJ 2005. I will be in San Marcos, TX till Sunday morning when I will leave for Alpine, TX to visit with Woody and Mary Haston. Woody was one of the fellows that helped look after Sam in this final days. He also built one of the finest Hatz biplanes every built. He did it in German WWI markings with a scalloped trailing edge on the wings, and wire spoked wheels. It is a beautiful airplane.

I'll report again when I get to Woody's.