feralmerril
Absent Comrade
I had so many its hard to narrow it down, but reading gutpile charlies story brought one to mind similar. I wasnt near being a kid, was about 36 years old back in 1977. I had just got my flying license, and owned a 1972 citaberia. (Still own it, but have been inactive forever). I decided to fly it from california to wisconsin to see the folks. Prior to leaveing my radio acted up. I got it fixed, or so I thought! Much later I found the real problem was a broke antenia wire, but the fbo said they found the problem and charged me big! The radio did work right there at the airport, but once I was on my way on the trip away from the airport I had problems again.
I am not going to give alibi,s or excuses for the rest of this story. Suffice to say I was stupid and over confident in those days. Here is how it went, and it aint too flattering on my part. Just stupid and lucky.
I decided to continue the trip. I would just hit grass strips and stay away from controlled fields. All my life, if I was good at anything at all, it was a sense of direction, and trusting my own navagation.
Well, I did okay untill the black hills. I did not check with flight service as I should have. I took pictures of MT. rushmore. I couldnt communicate on the comm side of my one radio, but I was able to use my nav, or omni side. I hit a few clouds and climbed above to where things were super smooth. I started to run out of my VOR and tuned in the next one I had planned on. No siginal! The station was down for service and I would have known had I checked FS before I took off. Also I would have found out about the bad weather ahead and wouldnt even be in the air for the next 4 days! Well I was nicely trimed out and got looking at the map. Finaly I seen I was socked in on top! I had been through that exact country before by car and motorcycle a number of times and knew it to be flat as a skillett. (Now east of mt rushmore).
No problemo. I will just set her into a 300 ft per minuet descent, untill I come out under the clouds and if I dont I will give myself 200 ft over the terrain figure on the map and climb back up if I aint out of the soup. Well, that worked! Now I was in a different world. Looked like the great flood! I was skimming over the country with maybe a 150ft ceiling, and wasnt real, real sure where I was exactly! Not to worry, I will just head south and I will hit I-90 that I bracketed my route with. Well, that worked, now I will just fly east and sompin will show up. Soon a town come up. I buzzed the water tower and it was murdo south dakota. Nutther look at the map and on to the local strip about 5 miles west,
The asphalt runway was under water! I water planed to a stop by two other planes and a phone booth. No buildings at all. I noticed one of the planes was a pawnee crop duster. I was standing ankle deep in water at the phone booth looking for coins, and it was raining. About that time I see a old 4WD truck trying to make it to me. Turned out he owned the pawnee and had seen me circleing the town.
How ja git down? Told him what I done. What would ja do ifn ya met someone? Well he turned out to be a nice guy. Had my same first name too! Merril Rust. Took me home to his house, and then a motel. Introduced me to the local sheriff at the truck stop. Old Mac. About 60 years old driveing a old red comet, wore bib overalls, packed a nickle colt saa .45! Had a single barrel in the comet. Mac was a one man show, no deputys. Guess he mostly served warrents. The other plane on the field was a young FBIs agents. He had been forced down prior to me a day or so. He being a young hot shot picked up with the town police that were similar, and I ended up rideing around with old mac with the springs sticking up through the seat of his old red comet. We both were close to the same type anyway, except he probley was 35 years older than me at the time. I was grounded about 3 or 4 days untill the weather lifted.
Finaly I got out of there and made it home to a grass strip a few miles from my folks. Took the radio to oshkosh and again was told the radio was fixed for the usual outlandish fee. I made a mistake of driveing over when the radio was done and bolting it in the plane myself. It wasnt fixed!
Now I am headed back to california. Again I see the radio aint fixed! The fun starts at delhart texas. I fill up and next up is santa fe. By now I knew I could transmit near a feild, but couldnt receive. I ask for lights and get a green light. In my turns lineing up I check my tanks. Dont check your tanks in a turn! I really, really got to hit the head! The tanks look --well, maybe fair. I go to the toilet and then see about getting gas. It sounds like I got a hour or two wait. It will be night, and if I stay over I know I am in for a big taxi bill, plus another huge motel bill.
I guess I convinced myself I could make gallop new mexico on what I had. I take off and hit a strong head wind. I again check my tanks and know I am going to die! Its getting dark and I am over a mountain range. Its the longest hour of my life! I am past the point of no return and press on. Finaly I am over the mountain crest and see lights far in the distance. I can see the freeway off to my left and swing to it. I see a ambulance speeding on another road and seriously considered trying to land in front of it as it is on a unlit dessert road with no other traffic. I rethink that and chicken out. I aint got any gas in the float gauges for what seemed 10 minuets! I see the airport a few miles off the freeway. This was the absolute scaredest I have ever been. I am afraid I am going to end up in sommebodys bedroom. I have already got right with God about a half hour ago, but been cussing myself out ever since!
Obvisely, I landed. I could hardley stand up when I got out my knees were shakeing so bad! I call dad up and confess. He just says, the next time ya come home, do me a favor. DRIVE!
I get a motel. The next morning I fill up. It takes 35 gallons. The manuel says it takes 35 gallons!! I belive in GOD!
I am not going to give alibi,s or excuses for the rest of this story. Suffice to say I was stupid and over confident in those days. Here is how it went, and it aint too flattering on my part. Just stupid and lucky.
I decided to continue the trip. I would just hit grass strips and stay away from controlled fields. All my life, if I was good at anything at all, it was a sense of direction, and trusting my own navagation.
Well, I did okay untill the black hills. I did not check with flight service as I should have. I took pictures of MT. rushmore. I couldnt communicate on the comm side of my one radio, but I was able to use my nav, or omni side. I hit a few clouds and climbed above to where things were super smooth. I started to run out of my VOR and tuned in the next one I had planned on. No siginal! The station was down for service and I would have known had I checked FS before I took off. Also I would have found out about the bad weather ahead and wouldnt even be in the air for the next 4 days! Well I was nicely trimed out and got looking at the map. Finaly I seen I was socked in on top! I had been through that exact country before by car and motorcycle a number of times and knew it to be flat as a skillett. (Now east of mt rushmore).
No problemo. I will just set her into a 300 ft per minuet descent, untill I come out under the clouds and if I dont I will give myself 200 ft over the terrain figure on the map and climb back up if I aint out of the soup. Well, that worked! Now I was in a different world. Looked like the great flood! I was skimming over the country with maybe a 150ft ceiling, and wasnt real, real sure where I was exactly! Not to worry, I will just head south and I will hit I-90 that I bracketed my route with. Well, that worked, now I will just fly east and sompin will show up. Soon a town come up. I buzzed the water tower and it was murdo south dakota. Nutther look at the map and on to the local strip about 5 miles west,
The asphalt runway was under water! I water planed to a stop by two other planes and a phone booth. No buildings at all. I noticed one of the planes was a pawnee crop duster. I was standing ankle deep in water at the phone booth looking for coins, and it was raining. About that time I see a old 4WD truck trying to make it to me. Turned out he owned the pawnee and had seen me circleing the town.
How ja git down? Told him what I done. What would ja do ifn ya met someone? Well he turned out to be a nice guy. Had my same first name too! Merril Rust. Took me home to his house, and then a motel. Introduced me to the local sheriff at the truck stop. Old Mac. About 60 years old driveing a old red comet, wore bib overalls, packed a nickle colt saa .45! Had a single barrel in the comet. Mac was a one man show, no deputys. Guess he mostly served warrents. The other plane on the field was a young FBIs agents. He had been forced down prior to me a day or so. He being a young hot shot picked up with the town police that were similar, and I ended up rideing around with old mac with the springs sticking up through the seat of his old red comet. We both were close to the same type anyway, except he probley was 35 years older than me at the time. I was grounded about 3 or 4 days untill the weather lifted.
Finaly I got out of there and made it home to a grass strip a few miles from my folks. Took the radio to oshkosh and again was told the radio was fixed for the usual outlandish fee. I made a mistake of driveing over when the radio was done and bolting it in the plane myself. It wasnt fixed!
Now I am headed back to california. Again I see the radio aint fixed! The fun starts at delhart texas. I fill up and next up is santa fe. By now I knew I could transmit near a feild, but couldnt receive. I ask for lights and get a green light. In my turns lineing up I check my tanks. Dont check your tanks in a turn! I really, really got to hit the head! The tanks look --well, maybe fair. I go to the toilet and then see about getting gas. It sounds like I got a hour or two wait. It will be night, and if I stay over I know I am in for a big taxi bill, plus another huge motel bill.
I guess I convinced myself I could make gallop new mexico on what I had. I take off and hit a strong head wind. I again check my tanks and know I am going to die! Its getting dark and I am over a mountain range. Its the longest hour of my life! I am past the point of no return and press on. Finaly I am over the mountain crest and see lights far in the distance. I can see the freeway off to my left and swing to it. I see a ambulance speeding on another road and seriously considered trying to land in front of it as it is on a unlit dessert road with no other traffic. I rethink that and chicken out. I aint got any gas in the float gauges for what seemed 10 minuets! I see the airport a few miles off the freeway. This was the absolute scaredest I have ever been. I am afraid I am going to end up in sommebodys bedroom. I have already got right with God about a half hour ago, but been cussing myself out ever since!
Obvisely, I landed. I could hardley stand up when I got out my knees were shakeing so bad! I call dad up and confess. He just says, the next time ya come home, do me a favor. DRIVE!
I get a motel. The next morning I fill up. It takes 35 gallons. The manuel says it takes 35 gallons!! I belive in GOD!
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Gone With the Wind in the last row of the Gables Theater with Maria Jovanovich when I was 14 and in the eighth grade at Ponce de Leon Junior High School in 1961. 
