plane in the air this summer, even if it's on wheels.
Mike
044SR
-----Original Message-----
From: mike.davis@dcsol.com [mailto:mike.davis@dcsol.com] On Behalf Of Wayne
G. O'Shea
Sent: Friday, July 28, 2006 8:23 PM
To: Murphy Rebel Builders List
Cc: Robert White; lakeland/threebuoys
Subject: [rebel-builders] Walter and Al's great adventure...to Temagami
Just thought I'd update everyone on the last month or so. If you think I'm
just lazing around.... I had 4 guys drop by to confirm even though I'm on an
island I've been putting in 12 to 14 hour days renovating. Some things never
change with me....just a different venue and Leah is enjoying breathing a
bit easier outside the smog belt! Mind you the 21 days straight before the
guys arrived, at that daily pace, made sure they all had a place to sleep
and I might just kick back and do some fishing in August.
The island "retreat" (read dump!) has been jacked, levelled, rotted
headers/joists pulled out, etc and new wood put in. 5 adjustable beams
installed underneath, etc. I've been singing that damn song "one
thing...leads to another.." for weeks now. Bedrooms totally gutted to the
bare studs and rebuilt trying to make the place worth at least half what
MPAC has it's assessed value pegged at.....and Al was lucky enough to get
the first sleep in the bedroom that had just been finished.
On Monday the 24th we survived what I can only call a hurricane on the Lake.
The winds hit 150kph (90mph). Two lines of hail, one pee size and then just
when we thought it was over another line of 1/2 golf ball size hail. Then
the trees went from vertical to 40 degrees off the ground. I almost lost my
airplane about 3:15 pm and with 5 ropes holding it down to the lift it still
managed to weather cock and get turned sideways on the lift. At one point I
could see the left wing 4 feet higher than the right (airplane sits
absolutely 90 degrees to the storm path) and not a damn thing I could do but
watch in fear and wait it out. We lost our power at 3:25 on Monday and got
it back luckily on Wednesday night about 9:50 just as Al and his son Paul
were settling in and we were deciding what to do. We were the lucky ones on
the Lake though. The Provincial Park across the channel lost at least 50
large trees. Amazing no campers were killed. Up thru the Axe Narrows on the
lake and Broom Islands there are cottages split in half from old growth
forest dropping on them. It looks like a giant walked thru busting the trees
off as he went. Devastating for many and I can only thank my lucky stars
that we got away pretty much unscathed. If I didn't have full hull insurance
I'm sure DJK would have been cartwheeled down the lake.
Al called me about 8:15am on Wednesday to say they should be at my place by
mid afternoon....a day earlier than Walters predictions and here we were
with no power for two days... so I couldn't finish a lot of what needed to
be done prior to their arrival. They had flown all the way from Seattle, WA
and Surrey, BC in a couple of days. Walter was the first voice I heard on
the radio Wednesday afternoon from about 35 miles out to the West. I could
finally talk to him at about 6 miles out on my handheld and he came in to a
nice smooth slide, we tied him to my make shift (that work great) dock ends
and a cold beer was waiting! Al was delayed, as his son Paul needed to take
care of some business on-line during their stop in Sudbury. Was really great
to finally see Al around 7pm to put a physical person to all the
correspondence between us over the years while he built his Moose. Walter
was great to see as well....but I already knew what that bugger looked like
as I'd dropped in on him in Surrey, in August of 2004!
We sat on the deck enjoying conversation and Lakeland's Beaver coming and going 'till
dark....while I BBQ'd up some chicken that had nicely dethawed in the
freezer. Then we threw mattresses on the floor, Paul on the couch and Al on
the BYO bed in the newly completed room to get some well deserved rest for
the guys.
I'd been pretty proud that I've lost about 12 to 15 pounds since heading to
the lake and working long days thru 30+C weather, loading and unloading
lumber in/out of the boat, carrying it up the hill/etc and what does Al
do.....brings a damn chief with him (son Paul) and man can he cook. You've
never seen 4 guys chow down on pound and a half + T-bones EACH so fast in
all your life (we needed a side plate to fit the potato !).
We down rigged for Lakers at 80 feet while running cheater lines at around
35 feet for suspended Pickeral. Had a few kick offs but not catches on the
riggers. Al and Paul did some fishing in the steel work boat while Walter
and I changed the oil in C-GBEE on Thursday on my air lift, catching a few
small bass each. Drew got up to join us on Friday morning and we did some
more unsuccessful downrigging, but it is a great way for 5 guys to spend a
day together and shoot the sheeet. We all got to enjoy some fishing in
various forms and Drew, Walter and I went out for Pickeral or anything else
that would bite on Saturday .....after Al and Paul had departed for
Rochester, New York in the Moose. We caught a mess of small bass and Drew
nailed a nice eater Pickeral on old faithful....a Red and White Spoon
missing a Treble hook. Probably the oldest spoon in my many boxes of tackle.
BTW Drew....it was DELICIOUS...wasn't it Walter !!!
Drew left about 4 pmfor his cottage and Walter and I ate his fish with a side of pork chop and
French fries.
Walter departed North West about 7:20 am on Sunday into unknown
conditions..... even after two weather briefings in less than 8
hours.....hoping to make Brandon Manitoba in one long hop...but got stuck in
Thunder Bay about 1:30pm just before a Thunder Storm roared thru...leaving
him there overnight. If not for that storm he would have made it! He had
fuelled the night before at Lakeland Airway's dock for an unbelievable
$1.30Cdn/litre.....after getting screwed for $1.63/litre at Sudbury on
Wednesday afternoon ! I was nicely surprised, as was Walter, at the fairness
Lakeland shows in their fuel price. I'd expected to hear close to $2/litre
after what Sudbury charged for fuel from the same bulk supplier...and due to
quantity Sudbury would most likely obtain cheaper than Lakeland Airways!! If
anyone is flying in the area drop into Lakeland's dock (radio ahead though
127.50) and help them keep their fuel fresh...not that Darren really needs
help with the hours he puts on their Beaver. U might want to visit me 4
Island out from their dock as well....or not ! ;O)
I know the weather Walter sat out well....as I tried to go home
Monday..Tuesday...Wednesday and Thursday and decided each day it wasn't a
great idea due to weather mid flight. Finally got in the air this morning at
8:12am and only got about 20 miles before I was skirting West instead of
South with a vertical smog/haze wall accented by a horizontal "cotton batten
roll" equalling no horizon. Home at 10am and 8 hours later I had the bills
cleared up, three companies government remittances mailed out and even made
it into a mall to get Leah an Anniversary card for our 24th next week. Hope
to be in the air by 9am and back at the lake for August with maybe one trip
home... so don't expect any expedient email responses. Don't have email at
the lake.....and not getting it. Enjoying what life was like before this
medium...IMMENSELY !
Picture links of airplanes and cottage work below!
Cheers,
Wayne O'Shea
http://www.irishfield.on.ca/gallery/Tlakeshot.jpg
http://www.irishfield.on.ca/gallery/Talmoose.jpg
http://www.irishfield.on.ca/gallery/Tal ... rcraft.jpg
http://www.irishfield.on.ca/gallery/Tallaircraft.jpg
http://www.irishfield.on.ca/gallery/Tallaircraft2.jpg
http://www.irishfield.on.ca/gallery/Talwalter.jpg
http://www.irishfield.on.ca/gallery/Talpaulwalter.jpg
http://www.irishfield.on.ca/gallery/Talwarmuprun.jpg
http://www.irishfield.on.ca/gallery/Twa ... depart.jpg
http://www.irishfield.on.ca/gallery/Twalterairborne.jpg
http://www.irishfield.on.ca/gallery/Tdjk.jpg
http://www.irishfield.on.ca/gallery/Theaderout.jpg
http://www.irishfield.on.ca/gallery/Theaderin.jpg
http://www.irishfield.on.ca/gallery/Tsheated.jpg
http://www.irishfield.on.ca/gallery/Tbeamsin.jpg
http://www.irishfield.on.ca/gallery/Tgutted.jpg
http://www.irishfield.on.ca/gallery/Tcrazy.jpg
http://www.irishfield.on.ca/gallery/Tbdrm1.jpg
http://www.irishfield.on.ca/gallery/Thappynewroom.jpg
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