Manitou Springs, CO: A Day In Camp

Finally had a day in and around camp to rest & get caught up on a few things. I was finally able to return a few cell phone calls that had stacked up due to the lack of cell coverage in this RV park. Very strange; go down the road just a few hundred feet and you have a full 5 bars of cell phone coverage. Must be a mountain/peak blocking the signal slightly.

I did get a chance to speak to Bill M who owns Lakeside Creamery in Deep Creek Lake, home of the best homemade ice cream you will ever eat; especially the Cherry Vanilla, but hey, that's just me...

Bill is about to celebrate his 40th birthday and he remembered me telling him about the gift MLA and my coworkers gave me for my 40th birthday: a chance to fly and dogfight in a real airplane with Air Combat USA.

Air Combat USA is run by a bunch of retired/active duty military pilots using an Italian built Marchetti SF-260 fighter. You go to ground school in the am, get fitted out with a flight suit, helmet, and parachute and then take-off to do Ariel battle with one of your classmates. You fly left seat and your instructor pilot flies right seat. The instructor pilot does the take-off and the landing; you get to fly the rest of the time. Of the 60 minutes we spent in the air I flew at least 50 minutes.

Hey, flying is easy; it's landing that requires all the skill.

The instructor pilot takes off, gains a little altitude and then tells you "You have the plane". You fly in formation, literally 20-30 feet apart from the other plane until you get to an unpopulated area. You split up, have a few moments to get a feel for the plane and then you prepare to do battle. You fly towards each other approximately one mile apart and as soon as you pass each other the instructor's yell "Fight's on!", and you start maneuvering to get in position to 'shoot down' the other plane, while he is trying to do the same thing.

Each plane is equipped with a laser that, if you 'hit' the other plane, will trigger a device that lets out a stream of smoke. All captured on video. Just ask; I'll bore you with the video anytime you want. Personally I never get tired of watching me 'shoot down' another pilot....

You do six dogfights and then get a chance to go off a fly a few acrobatic maneuvers: Split-S, Immalman, inside & outside loops, etc. Too cool for school!

In any case, I gave Bill the info and he's trying to arrange for a group of his friend who are all turning forty to go flying and dogfighting. Good luck Bill!

By the way, if you are ever up at Deep Creek, Maryland, just mention my name and Bill will sell you a second ice cream cone for the same price he sold you the first ice cream cone. We're close like that.

Our neighbor in the RV Park, Penny, owns a deli nearby called A Flavor of NY Deli. We've been meaning to go over and have lunch there however our schedule has kept us pretty busy. So today we finally went over for lunch. OMG! MLA had the Reuben and I had the house specialty, an Italian Combo with the works on it, including cherry peppers. Incredible, just like being in NY city without the attitude. I know MLA and I will be going back.

In the afternoon, after spending some time organizing, I took MLA to the Garden Of The Gods Trading Post. I had promised her earlier in the week and today was the day to pay off the promise. WOW - biggest gift shop I've seen outside of Disney World.

I ended up buying a Tilley hat that I've wanted but did not want to spend the $$$. With all the sun and the amount of time we have been spending outdoors I figured I should buy something to keep the sun off my head and face. Cool hat and of course I look like a dork with it on. However, since I don't have to look at me wearing the hat I am already over it.

This evening we did a few more chores, a little reading, a little laundry, and when I finish this I'll do a little more reading. Tough life.

They are forecasting 'Isolated Thunderstorms" for every afternoon this week. Colorado, after a really good winter (lots of snow for skiing and snow melt) is in the middle of a drought. Most of the storms so far have been what they call Dry Lightning: lots of wind, lightning and thunder with little/no rain. It is so dry that the lightning starts fires very easily that are difficult to put out given the high winds.

In any case, MLA has a bunch of inside activities planned for us to do this week: shopping, Pottery Tour, shopping, Air Force Academy Tour, another visit to the Garden Of The Gods Trading Post to go ... I dunno, shopping?

Until then, See Ya!