Alumni Sandstorm ~ 03/22/15
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3 Bombers sent stuff:
Dick WIGHT ('52)
Maren SMYTH ('63 & '64)
David RIVERS ('65)
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BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Luana IVERS ('52)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Mike RICE ('60)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Jeanie CRIGLER ('62)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Nina JONES ('65)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Gordie McMASTER ('69)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Janet ELL ('72)
BOMBER CALENDAR: Richland Bombers Calendar
Click the event you want to know more about.
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>>From: Dick WIGHT ('52)
Re: Bombers and their lives
One of the things missing from ALUMNI SANDSTORM recently seems
to be entries on what folks are doing these days, or at times in
the past. Over the years I've enjoyed picking up bits of info on
Bombers and where life has taken them. The diversity in our lives
is quite striking and sure interesting - at least to me. One of our
alumni runs a successful fireworks display company - can't recall
his name now [That would be Larry MATTINGLY ('60)]. Dick MEYER ('51)
became a USAF general, and Rod LINKOUS ('53) also. Brad UPTON ('74)
remains a successful standup comic. Dick COATES ('52-RIP) and
Kay MITCHELL Coates ('52) operated a spiritual retreat center.
George BRUNSTAD ('52) was an airline pilot, and also a master
swimmer who swam the English channel. Verne VanDUSEN ('52) was a
long haul truck driver. And so on... quite a diversity! I'd like to
urge fellow bombers to share some of their life experiences,
travels, occupations etc. Life often goes different ways...
I'll share a little of my own. While in high school, I thought
perhaps I'd become an electrical engineer or a "gentleman farmer",
not sure which. And as a CAP cadet I figured I'd do my military
service in the Air Force. Learned to fly while in high school.
Nothing worked out that way. On an adolescent whim, along with a
friend, I enlisted in the Coast Guard at age 17, left Col-Hi on
Jan 2, 1952... got my diploma in the mail perhaps 2 years later.
(Maybe I belong to Class of '54 in stead of '52?) Served 5 1/2
years as an enlisted man (radio operator and electronics tech) -
attended OCS in '57. Attend various schools including a 2-year
electronics technology school. Served on 8 ships including a polar
icebreaker, was executive officer of 2 and commanding officer of 2.
Travels and assignments took me to Boston, New York, Connecticut,
Puerto Rico, Florida, Spain (and visits to Germany, Italy, France,
Portugal, Morocco), various places in California, Oregon, Alaska,
the Canadian Arctic, Hawaii and Japan. Served a total of 32 years
and retired as a captain (O-6) (same as a colonel for you non-
nautical folks). It was a great career. After retiring my wife Ruth
and I settled in Port Angeles, WA and for ten years did mostly
volunteer community service work... United Way, YMCA board, Kiwanis,
city planning commission and 4 years as an elected city councilman.
Ruth helped me in some of these endeavors and was a volunteer
administrator and fundraiser for Hospice. It was a rewarding time.
When we could, we RVd and have owned a trailer since 1981 or so.
We are on trailer #9, I think! We've hit every state in the U.S.
and many of the Canadian provinces. Built a house on Chinook Pass
(40 mi west of Yakima) and lived "in the woods" for 8 years. Moved
to a little Arkansas Ozarks community 14 mi.south of Branson, MO
and lived there 6 years. Spent 2 years "on the road" RVing, and
then settled back in Richland this past October, nearly 63 years
after I left. Between us we have 2 sons and a daughter, a "passle"
of grandkids and a growing number of great grand kids. It has been
"quite a ride"!
So what kind of life experiences have some of you other Bombers
had, old timers like me and some of you "younger folk"?
-Dick WIGHT ('52)
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>>From: Maren SMYTH ('63 & '64)
Re: 2015 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
http://www.iditarod.com/ - Official Iditarod Site
Picture of Dallas Seavey, 2015 Winner
There's still 10 teams on the trail... maybe they'll all make it to
Nome tomorrow.
Re: Trail Markers
Officials use snow machines to stick lath trail markers in the snow
for the mushers along the route... this year there were 13,500 lath
trail markers along the trail.
Re: How Nome was named
Have you heard the story about how Nome was named? A cartographer
made a note on a naval map "? Name" and then a person that read his
notation thought he wrote "C. Nome." Thus Nome become Nome.
Re: Mackey brothers race down Front St. in Nome to the finish line \.
Re: Scott Janssen scratched at Koyuk and tells how Lance Mackey
saved his [Scott's] dog team .
Re: Found on Scott's Facebook page:
"A volunteer from Koyuk, Leonie B-T, took a great photo
of Lance Mackey mushing Scott's team into Koyuk after
[Scott] was rescued by snow machine."
https://www.flickr.com/photos/112762807@N03/16878789935/
Re: Red Lantern Award from Iditarod.com website
"During the days of Alaska sled dog freighting and mail
carrying, dog drivers relied on a series of roadhouses
between their village destinations. Since these mushers
ventured out in most all kinds of weather, for safety
reasons they found the idea that pilots rely on, known
today as the flight plan. Word was relayed ahead that a
musher and team were on the trail, and a kerosene lamp
was lit and hung outside the roadhouse. It not only
helped the dog driver find his destination at night,
but more importantly, it signified that a team or teams
were somewhere out on the trail. The lamp was not
extinguished until the musher safely reached his
destination.
In keeping with that tradition, the Iditarod Trail
Committee will light a "Widow's Lamp" at 10:00am, on
the first Sunday [Monday in 2015] in March, in Nome at
the trail's end. This lamp, which will be attached to
the Burled Arch, our official finish line, will remain
lit as long as there are mushers on the trail competing
in the race. When the last musher crosses the finish
line, officials will extinguish the "Widow's Lamp"
signifying the official end of the Iditarod for that
year.
All too often, public and media think of the race as
being over when the winner crosses the finish line,
yet there are still teams on the trail. Let it be
remembered, Iditarod is not over until the last musher
has reached Nome and is off the trail."
http://AlumniSandstorm.com/Xtra/Idit/150322-Red_Lantern.jpg
Red LANTERN (in Elim 123 to Nome
66 Cindy Abbott/#10
Bomber Cheers,
-Maren SMYTH ('63 & '64) ~ Gretna, LA ~ 65° at midnight
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>>From: David RIVERS ('65)
Re: Spalding Rules
Well at least I thought so back in the second thru 5th grade... no
luck getting through to Craig DAVIS ('65) at Kadlec today either...
the first time I called he was back in the OR and the second time
they had just moved him into a room in ICU... if anybody knows how
he's doing lemme know... in the mean time... prayers never hurt...
Was glad to hear Jerry IRWIN ('58) was back near his old stomping
rounds... sent him an email just to say Hi... and for the big
news another Spalding Bomber-babe is a year older, wiser and even
purdier... HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Nina JONES ('65) on your special day,
March 22, 2015!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-David RIVERS ('65)
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That's it for today. Please send more.
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