Looking all dapper in my work dress uniform.....yes not flightsuits on a flying course, why would that make sense? Anyways, it stems from some others a few courses ago were out of control one night doing things they shouldn't have done, so they were punished and had to where their work dress uniforms for the rest of Ground School. So here we are a year later with the penalty box still in full effect.......oh well, bite my tongue and get-r-done!!!! As it turns out, day one proved to be torture on my little taster!!! I may have drawn blood at one point in time. At least I'm not alone in inflicting self pain on my tongue as Tyler sits behind my groaning just the same! He actually has a motivational poster from his wife that he hangs on the back of his door as a last reminder as he leaves his room.....it's a collage of pictures of him flying planes and a caption that says "The Training World is not the real World, so shut the (explicit) up!". So very true as this has been the advise that all the pilots, giving me support, have told me!!! No worries there, this is a chance of a lifetime and one that nobody can take my pride or hard work away from me!!!!
Well the first day was an intro to the Portage PFT world and was pretty relaxed until we received our pre-read list........alot!!!! I hammered through it and made sure my internet was up and running as I finally got a look at my beautiful family on Skype!!!! Ah yes Technology is a wonderful thing. They were awesome to see and kept me focused and motivated!!!
The second day proved to be much easier as we were settled and less of a sideshow attraction to others, since we are the new kids on the block, especially with us two Capts.
More of the week to come.......TBC
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Traveling Day 5
Well the final push is here! We get up grab some continental breaky and head out. Not a sole on the road......"freedom" as Lightning Mcqueen says in my head......only watched that a couple hundred times, read the books a couple more and played the games a few!!!! Tyler and i make some good time with no real issues at all, just waiting for my luck at the border. For some reason I failed to mention my border experience on day 1, I guess I was somehow distracted. Anyways, on day 1 as I reached Waterloo on the 401, I realised I forgot my passport!! Man my brain sucks!!! Anyways I called a couple of friends and Gary Schuell actually found the online link that allows land travel leniencies, needless to say I still had to go inside as a penalty lap! Apparently James Brown is a common name.
As we turned north at Fargo and headed past Grand Rapids, ND the flood waters were amazing to see. Farms, barns, houses, equipment all surrounded in water. The roads were barely afloat as you can see in the pictures. Don't worry I took those using my bluetooth...the technology is there, or at least it was voice activated some how! I was fine Mom!!
Made the final push to the border topping up with (relatively) cheaper gas and a quick stop at the duty free. I feel I could use a little back from the money I spent over the last few days. The crossing was such a non-event it was awesome, she was great! Less than 2 mins and through. A last quick stop for lunch at BP's in Winnipeg and off to Portage.
As I turned off the hwy to Portage that incandescent bulb finally extinguished, **insert curse words here**. Oh I forgot to tell you, (cause I didn't want anyone to worry, I'll just stress myself) that about 4 hrs into the trip after I left from getting the car back, that light reappeared!!! Close to Portage MN, no joke!!! I spent the remainder of the trip pulling over checking out everything possible and finding nothing but the sweet sounds of a prrring engine!!! Silly O2 sensor!
Checked into the shacks with the help of Peter Wright and settled in for what looks to be a fun course!!
As we turned north at Fargo and headed past Grand Rapids, ND the flood waters were amazing to see. Farms, barns, houses, equipment all surrounded in water. The roads were barely afloat as you can see in the pictures. Don't worry I took those using my bluetooth...the technology is there, or at least it was voice activated some how! I was fine Mom!!
Made the final push to the border topping up with (relatively) cheaper gas and a quick stop at the duty free. I feel I could use a little back from the money I spent over the last few days. The crossing was such a non-event it was awesome, she was great! Less than 2 mins and through. A last quick stop for lunch at BP's in Winnipeg and off to Portage.
As I turned off the hwy to Portage that incandescent bulb finally extinguished, **insert curse words here**. Oh I forgot to tell you, (cause I didn't want anyone to worry, I'll just stress myself) that about 4 hrs into the trip after I left from getting the car back, that light reappeared!!! Close to Portage MN, no joke!!! I spent the remainder of the trip pulling over checking out everything possible and finding nothing but the sweet sounds of a prrring engine!!! Silly O2 sensor!
Checked into the shacks with the help of Peter Wright and settled in for what looks to be a fun course!!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Traveling Day 4
Well I met up with my buddy Tyler who is on course with me. He caught up with me from Greenwood. He found me at a sports bar watching redneck truck racing in the smokiest bar since being in Montreal in the nineties!!!
Hey here's some irony for you.....my car was getting fixed in Portage MI not Kalamazoo MI, crazy eh. Well it was ready at 830am today and I was back on the road by 930. Needless to say I was a bit flinchy as I passed through Portage IL and again Portage WI!!! Made it to Alexandria MN and caught up to Tyler again. Only about 6 hrs left to go!!! A very uneventful day off driving........I think I deserve it!!!
Hey here's some irony for you.....my car was getting fixed in Portage MI not Kalamazoo MI, crazy eh. Well it was ready at 830am today and I was back on the road by 930. Needless to say I was a bit flinchy as I passed through Portage IL and again Portage WI!!! Made it to Alexandria MN and caught up to Tyler again. Only about 6 hrs left to go!!! A very uneventful day off driving........I think I deserve it!!!
Traveling Day 3
Well as it turns out, there ain't nothing to do in Kalamazoo! I walked for about 15 miles and found an aviation musuem called the Air Zoo. Killed a few hours there, talked to some old guys about flying. Later I went to check on the car......not ready!!! Back to the hotel and order another calzone and a six pack!!! Man I'm grumpy!!!!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Traveling Day 2
Get up this morning ahead of the alarm which eventually doesn't go off. I think hotel staff love this joke on me and put the alarm clock on the exact time but reverse the am/pm thingy, so you don't pay attention to all the details of setting the alarm. Man you'd think after all my travels and the consistency of this anomoly happening to me, that would be the first thing I'd check. But I am a guy after all, it's like instructions in the box, Teresa's says, they give you those for a reason as I'm done with no idea why I have extra parts and the wheels won't roll....anyways, I digress. Well grab my shower, pay my bill grab some free Java and head off to the Muffler Man. As I sputter and chug along the road, I make it to the entrance of the shop and hear some grinding....not good! Shut it off immediately and coast in to park. We push it in a bay, lift it, deduce it's the engine (uh duh!) and then pull the oil pan to see what treasures we may find. Well if you see the picture attached, we find a really bent valve rod, and the remnants of the piston head, shaft, rings, etc.......engine change time!!! Good thing I listened to that very free advice (no amendments to the fee), 'cause the beauty of Kalamazoo is it's right next to Motor City USA and Detroit MI has a few extra 3800i GM engines sitting around. In fact, the guy was able to get me another engine with the same amount of Kms/Mi on i
t just down the road and predicting me to be on the road by tomorrow night or Saturday morning.....light about $2200 CDN in my wallet. But all things considering, could be worse, like say, past Wawa by hrs with no cell coverage, the car packed with my crap and no CAA card in my wallet!!!! Dumb-dumb!!! As I sat patiently in the waiting area, a lady pulls in with an older Jeep YJ steaming out the front and Anti-freeze pouring out the bottom. She gets her low down and it's a water pump that needs to be replaced. She sits down and starts complaining to me how she just had the radiator and the entire cooling system replaced about a year or so ago and how she can't afford this rig
ht now, how she lives 30 mins away with no one to come 'rescue her', the whole time I'm just politely nodding and smiling away. To which the guy behind the counter said "wrong guy to be talking too!" but I did respond "wanna trade?".
As I'm waiting for someone to say 'Nah we're just kidding, you're good to go.' I contemplate my next moves. The guy asked me where I'm staying, so I mentioned the Marriott is where I think I'll head, so he offered me a lift. He said "I'm heading to bible study that way I'll drop you off." Oh crap what did I say over the last hour, raced through my head to which he furthered, "You can come with me if you want and repent your sins of what you may have said or thought of saying." but he was joking with me of course with a big smile. As I take him up on his generous offer (the lift only), I crawl into the front seat and see a stack of bibles and religious literature in the back seat and a Holy Bible tape in the cassette deck......was he joking....am I a heathan? Nope he was just kidding!!! We chat on the way and he asks me his thoughts on the recession and the new US Health Care plan. We talk indepth about the issues and how they affect Canada as well, getting into the whole Fanny Mae/Freddy Mac fiasco......alot to take in after the morning I'm having. But a great guy after all.
So I'm back at the Marriott, looking to take in the sites of Kalamazoo. 'What's to do in Kalamazoo?' you ask, don't know but will let you know next blog!!!
t just down the road and predicting me to be on the road by tomorrow night or Saturday morning.....light about $2200 CDN in my wallet. But all things considering, could be worse, like say, past Wawa by hrs with no cell coverage, the car packed with my crap and no CAA card in my wallet!!!! Dumb-dumb!!! As I sat patiently in the waiting area, a lady pulls in with an older Jeep YJ steaming out the front and Anti-freeze pouring out the bottom. She gets her low down and it's a water pump that needs to be replaced. She sits down and starts complaining to me how she just had the radiator and the entire cooling system replaced about a year or so ago and how she can't afford this rig
ht now, how she lives 30 mins away with no one to come 'rescue her', the whole time I'm just politely nodding and smiling away. To which the guy behind the counter said "wrong guy to be talking too!" but I did respond "wanna trade?".As I'm waiting for someone to say 'Nah we're just kidding, you're good to go.' I contemplate my next moves. The guy asked me where I'm staying, so I mentioned the Marriott is where I think I'll head, so he offered me a lift. He said "I'm heading to bible study that way I'll drop you off." Oh crap what did I say over the last hour, raced through my head to which he furthered, "You can come with me if you want and repent your sins of what you may have said or thought of saying." but he was joking with me of course with a big smile. As I take him up on his generous offer (the lift only), I crawl into the front seat and see a stack of bibles and religious literature in the back seat and a Holy Bible tape in the cassette deck......was he joking....am I a heathan? Nope he was just kidding!!! We chat on the way and he asks me his thoughts on the recession and the new US Health Care plan. We talk indepth about the issues and how they affect Canada as well, getting into the whole Fanny Mae/Freddy Mac fiasco......alot to take in after the morning I'm having. But a great guy after all.
So I'm back at the Marriott, looking to take in the sites of Kalamazoo. 'What's to do in Kalamazoo?' you ask, don't know but will let you know next blog!!!
Travel to Portage La Prairie, MB for Primary Flight Training (PFT) - Phase I
Well it was a somber morning as I got myself ready for a day of driving, knowing I'll be leaving my family for 2 months. I helped get the kids dressed and ready for daycare, taking in this event so I can savour it over the next mornings to come! Hannah slept in as usual (as a great Princess should) but Evan was up nice and early jumping, raring to go, and proclaiming "It's a happy sunny day!". Loaded the kids in the truck with Mommy and took my extended hugs from Teresa as I waved and blew kisses to the kids on their way out the driveway. Evan shouted "Good luck, Daddy!", "thanks, I'll need it buddy!" as I said not knowing I'd be cashing in that luck later that day.
I hopped in the car, on my way with a few stops to start with.....Tim Horton's for a little breaky and a coffee, then gas up while it's cheap, 97.3c/l and a stop in Georgetown to see my parents. Dad just got out of the hospital with hip surgery, so checking to see how they are holding up and get him online with his laptop! All was great, just a little tired and Mom had things well in hand and under control (no doubt there!).
Headed south on the 401 to transit through the US and keep things on major hwys as I go. A few weeks ago Teresa said to leave early to account for any problems like weather or what not along the way.....Dad and my buddy Whyvess added to take the US routes to have major cities along the way, as I had planned to go along the north shore of Lake Superior for the gorgeous drive. Well as it turns out, the advice was free and taking it is proving to be priceless. While on Interstate 94 in Michigan the check engine light comes on.....the idiot light for some, me especially. A short time later, after I told myself 'yeah yeah, an O2 sensor or something', the Bonneville gets a little angry at me paying lip service to the steady incandescent bulb, it starts flash 'service engine soon' then starts chugging, sputtering and losing power. So you don't have to hit me too hard over the head with a rubber mallet to get me to pull over now. So I oblige to the flashing incandescent bulb this time, find a car pool parking lot and check things out, since I am a guy after all. Well I think I narrow it down and use one of my saves and 'phone a friend' Trent Hunter. We go through scenarios, this guy being a 3800 (my type of engine) specialist..... well at least more so than me.....we finally concluded it's a catalytic converter or the muffler is clogged somewhere. With the evidence in front of us, that is the logical issue. So still no idea where I am, I walk over to a tow truck at the other end of the parking lot and notice a church across the hwy called the Kalamazoo First Church....mystery solved, I'm in Kalamazoo MI. Get the low down of the area from the driver with a place to stay and a Muffler Man to go to first thing in the morning!!!
The Marriott is nice, friendly and honours military rates....score! Call home and give the rest of the story to Teresa and talk to the kids. I was on the speaker phone and treated to the sweet sounds of the kids enjoying bath time!!! It was the right therapy I needed at this point!!! We all chatted for a while then said good night. Watch the tube for a bit then off to bed for a big day of travels.
I hopped in the car, on my way with a few stops to start with.....Tim Horton's for a little breaky and a coffee, then gas up while it's cheap, 97.3c/l and a stop in Georgetown to see my parents. Dad just got out of the hospital with hip surgery, so checking to see how they are holding up and get him online with his laptop! All was great, just a little tired and Mom had things well in hand and under control (no doubt there!).
Headed south on the 401 to transit through the US and keep things on major hwys as I go. A few weeks ago Teresa said to leave early to account for any problems like weather or what not along the way.....Dad and my buddy Whyvess added to take the US routes to have major cities along the way, as I had planned to go along the north shore of Lake Superior for the gorgeous drive. Well as it turns out, the advice was free and taking it is proving to be priceless. While on Interstate 94 in Michigan the check engine light comes on.....the idiot light for some, me especially. A short time later, after I told myself 'yeah yeah, an O2 sensor or something', the Bonneville gets a little angry at me paying lip service to the steady incandescent bulb, it starts flash 'service engine soon' then starts chugging, sputtering and losing power. So you don't have to hit me too hard over the head with a rubber mallet to get me to pull over now. So I oblige to the flashing incandescent bulb this time, find a car pool parking lot and check things out, since I am a guy after all. Well I think I narrow it down and use one of my saves and 'phone a friend' Trent Hunter. We go through scenarios, this guy being a 3800 (my type of engine) specialist..... well at least more so than me.....we finally concluded it's a catalytic converter or the muffler is clogged somewhere. With the evidence in front of us, that is the logical issue. So still no idea where I am, I walk over to a tow truck at the other end of the parking lot and notice a church across the hwy called the Kalamazoo First Church....mystery solved, I'm in Kalamazoo MI. Get the low down of the area from the driver with a place to stay and a Muffler Man to go to first thing in the morning!!!
The Marriott is nice, friendly and honours military rates....score! Call home and give the rest of the story to Teresa and talk to the kids. I was on the speaker phone and treated to the sweet sounds of the kids enjoying bath time!!! It was the right therapy I needed at this point!!! We all chatted for a while then said good night. Watch the tube for a bit then off to bed for a big day of travels.
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