5/7/2009 Altus, OK
We left Texarkana in fog and mist, headed west on I-30. Thirty miles later, we branched off onto US-82. We followed US-82 through Paris, Gainesville, and on to Wichita Falls. Gradually, the mist and fog subsided. The first part of the trip had scenery like yesterday - rolling hills. Gradually, the land got dryer - the trees were replaced by shrubs and the other green things disappeared. It also got flat.
Again, we needed the air all day to combat the mugginess. We turned north at Vernon, TX, and came into Altus. We checked in on the base for the FAMCAMP (in the military, everything has an acronym - Family Campground), went there and set up. I was dripping sweat in a few minutes. After getting things set up, we made calls to our niece and husband (AM & Randy) who both work on-base as contract employees of the Aircraft Maintenance Wing.
AM called a little later; they said they'd pick us up on their "lunch break" at 7:00 pm - they're working evenings this week. They took us to a nice buffet place where we all ate and began to catch up. We returned directly to the flight line.
AM got permission to take us on a tour to and in a C-17. We rode out and walked up the ladder into the tremendous cargo bay. AM demonstrated lowering and raising the cargo ramp and other equipment and showed us where some really innovative designers choose to hide equipment. We saw some cockpit displays and saw how very complex the cockpit is. There are two pilot seats and two more seats in the cockpit; there are bunks behind it for replacement pilots if the flight is going to be very long, involving in-flight refueling. The avionics equipment rack we saw was only half populated. They say computer advances have allowed one black box to take the place of two.
We watched as three C-17's taxied past for a night training flight (this is a training base). Then she shut down the power unit. Finally we rode back to the FAMCAMP and settled in for the evening. We'll see them again tomorrow.
Day 3
5/8/2009 Altus OK Temps in the 80's
We loafed a little this morning. I got up earliest, had a mini-breakfast and coffee, made more coffee for Dolores, woke her up and went to the BX to get a haircut.
Dolores was up having her breakfast and coffee when I returned. When done, we walked to the BX to buy little things we'd forgotten. Then we stopped at the commissary to get a few items. Both these places are within a city block of the FAMCAMP.
I decided I'd take on a truck project, so I went to Ace Hardware and bought things. The truck bed has a two-bin storage box made of plastic. The latch on the left bin had broken (flimsy design), allowing anyone to lift the lid and take the contents. So I drilled a long hole through the center divider into the left bin lid, stopping before drilling into the sealing gasket.
Then I put a dowel cut to length through the hole. Closing the right lid captures the dowel on that end and the gasket stops it on the left end. Now to access the left bin, I open the lockable right lid, then pull the dowel out.
About that time AM & Randy called to invite us to see their new home. They were just completing their walk-thru prior to purchase. They'll move in next week. It's a nice place, a little smaller (part of their plan) but with lots of nice features. It has a smaller lawn (also part of their plan). It's a 3BR, 2Bath, 2-car-garage, split bedroom arrangement on one level. It'll be a nice place for them.
They had to work at least the first part of the evening, so they went off to get ready. They referred us to the Sunrise Cafe for lunch, which was very good. D had pork wings, fries, and corn & I had a hot ham-and-cheese with salad.
We went to the base library. D did internet while I read periodicals (no wifi, can't plug into their network). Great library, large assortment of books on DVD and BBC TV shows that D likes.
Off-base to get fuel and find mass times. Then a short stop at the VFW (rather dead at 4:30) and back to the trailer to read and relax.
Then AM called to invite us for dinner at 7:30. Randy stopped at the trailer & chatted for a while, then we all went. But AM's intent to leave had been stopped because she had to fix something. Randy did dinner & we ate, then AM came home. We chatted a bit, then the four of us went out in two cars for ice cream at Braun's. It was jammed, today being commencement day at the local CC. I had a banana split (hadn't had one in years) - it was delicious.
Then they headed home and we went to the trailer to settle in. Great day.
Day 4
5/9/2009 Altus OK Temp at 8:30 is 62*F
A front went through during the night and it turned cool and cloudy here. Per agreement, we sat around the trailer until joining Randy & AM at their place. We had a *big* breakfast there while chatting and watching the dog, the cat, and the bird. Sam dashed in and out.
AM & Randy are moving, and per the terms, leaving the furniture. So they're in the market for furniture and asked if we'd mind. We said we'd love to do that, so we drove to Lawton (60 miles) to shop there. The whole 60 miles was flatter than a flounder.
We went through three furniture stores looking at living rooms, futons (for Sam's room), and beds. We (O&D) came away with an idea or two for our house, but Randy & AM may have been more confused at the end of the day. They're going to make diagrams of the rooms and put in blocks representing furniture pieces and get an idea of the people-flow through the main rooms. Then they'll look again.
We took a back route returning to Altus that leads first through Meers, an old stagecoach stop "back when". There's a run-down concrete-wood place there that does Meersburgers - a huge, non-fat, piece of ground beef (1/2 lb or so) on an oversized bun. Their house beer comes in 22 oz bottles and is quite good. We had Meersburgers, and shared toothpicks (jalapena strips in batter, deep-fried). Then we shared a big dish of peach and cherry cobbler. All quite good and very filling.
We continued back to Altus through the federal game reserve. Dusk was fast approaching, so many animals were out feeding close to the road. We saw bison, longhorn cattle, a half-grown racoon, several deer with fawns, several groups of elk, and a pair of javelina. We drove past the prairie dog colony, but there were two coyote in it, so the dogs were way underground. Leaving the reserve we came on a huge bison scratching his neck on a fence post.
R & AM needed to stop at WallyWorld on the way to their house, so we did. They bought a few things, then we went to their place. We were pretty tired by that time, so we bid each other good-bye in the yard.
Back to the trailer and settled in. We've had a somewhat unusual but thoroughly enjoyable visit here.
Day 5.
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