Author Archives: Captain Blowdri

Civil War Invitational Racing: Silver Dollar Speedway Style

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(captainblowdri file photo)

As my summer vacation is slowly coming to it’s end, I still have one last opportunity to Work On My Redneck!  One of my last stops this summer is in Chico, CA.  The 320 mile drive from La Pine, Oregon, where I spent a total of four and a half weeks, to Chico, CA took about six hours.  Need I say that the drive was spectacularly beautiful.  The prettiest part of the drive was transiting the Lake Shasta area on I-5.

However, the goal on my 320 mile sojourn was to arrive in Chico, setup my RV, and then enjoy four fantastic nights of sprint car and midget racing in Northern California. The Silver Dollar Speedway is an action packed, high banked, 1/4 mile clay racing facility.  The Gold Cup Race of Champions, as this event is called, is the culmination of a hot summer of intense, close competition.  It is one of the most prestigious races on the West Coast for Sprint Cars.

The first night of racing consisted of winged 360 sprint car racing in the 2011 Civil War Invitational.  The top 35 drivers in the points for this series are invited to compete for some really big money.

Likewise, the top drivers in the in the Joe Hunt Magnetos Wingless Spec Sprint Car Series were invited to compete on Wednesday, the first day of this four day event.

There were 53 sprint cars, both winged and wingless, for the first night of racing.  The quality of the racing was top notched and rivaled racing that I have witnessed at The Knoxville Nationals, in Knoxville, Iowa.  In both the winged and the wingless sprint car A mains, the racing was fast and furious!  The size of the race track, 1/4 mile, facilitates tight, wheel-to-wheel, aggressive fast racing.

No matter where you were focusing your attention, front stretch, back stretch, turns 1 and 2, or turns 3 and 4, it was an action packed evening of thrilling, intense, throttle-jockeying!

This was just the first night of an action packed four nights of racing.  If this was just a precursor to what is the culmination, a two night show from “The Greatest Show On Dirt”, The World Of Outlaws, then it will be money well spent!

So for now:

THIS IS YOUR CAPTAIN SPEAKING, ROGER, WILCO, OVER, AND OUT!

 

Giants of the Northern Calif. Forest

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(Captain Blowdri and a 19′ diameter/297′ tall giant redwood)

It is July the 4th weekend and I sit in my motorhome in an RV park at Gold Beach, OR.  This small resort town sits at the intersection of the Rogue River and the Pacific Ocean.

It  has been four weeks since I pulled out of Yuma, AZ for a summer tour of the Pacific Northwest.  This is the first summer of my official “Medical retirement”, and time to fulfill my desire to take the ol Fleetwood Expedition out for the summer.

The first stop was Fresno, CA to celebrate my mother’s 93rd birthday.  I pulled the RV into an RV park about 25 miles north of Fresno, near the town of Coarsegold.  From there it was just a 25 minute drive back down the hill to Fresno.  The birthday was a very cool celebration of Mom’s 93 years.

The next week I moved the RV over to an RV park near Bodega Bay, CA, the little hamlet is known as Duncan’s Mills,CA.  This RV park lies right along the Russian River about 25 miles east of US 1o1/Santa Rosa, CA, and 8 miles east of Guerneville, CA.  This is in the heart of Pinot Noir country!

Being in the western end of the California wine country, it was only natural that a couple of visits were paid to wineries.  There were two wineries that I visited to taste their products.  The first winery was the Russian River Winery, and the second winery was Dutton Estates.  Both wineries were very interesting and very informative, when questions were asked about their processes and products.

The highlight of the week stay at Gold Beach, however, was the 104 mile jet boat trip up the Rogue River!  It was an eight hour boat right with an hour off for lunch at Agnes, OR.  The sights of the rugged river valley and the wildlife that abounds there was spectacular!  It was a worthwhile adventure that I would do all over again when I return to this part of the country.

So for now:

THIS IS YOUR CAPTAIN SIGNING OFF, ROGER, WILCO, OVER, AND OUT!

 

Slinging Dirt Saturday Night In Oregon

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(captainblowdri file photo)

Last Saturday night found ol Captain Blowdri again at Madras Speedway in Central Oregon.  The program included wingless sprint cars, modifieds, and the screaming dwarf cars.

For the last four weekends I have had the opportunity to sample some local dirt track racing at a few tracks in Oregon, like Cottage Grove, Coos Bay, and Madras.  Even though the car counts at Coos Bay and Madras were not as robust as they could  be, the racing surface at each track, and the program organization was excellent.  I also noticed that at all three tracks there was a conducive family atmosphere.  Something that I think will keep these tracks in business in the future.

Touring the various race tracks that have been close to where we have parked our RV’s has been a lot of fun for me this summer. This summertime RV caravan consists of me, solo in my Fleetwood Expedition, and one of my brothers, Jim and his wife Edie, in their Fleetwood Revolution, and for the last month, my cousin Richard and his wife Carole, in their Monaco.

For the last four weekends, going to the various Saturday night racing venues has brought back great memories of 50 years ago when, both Jim and another brother Jerry were young teenagers, and they would take me to race tracks when I was just a very little boy.  It has been a great time enjoying the local Saturday night venues, watching the locals and their families having some quality time, as well as, hanging out with one of my older brothers, reminiscing about “the good old times”, as well as, enjoying a good ol Saturday night race!  (You know that you are getting older when you are referencing things that happened 50 years ago!)

Now that nearly all of the “traveling caravan” has pulled up stakes and headed up to Washington for some salmon fishing last Friday, I am, however, hanging out in La Pine by myself, waiting here til Labor Day.  On that day I, too, will be pulling up stakes, heading the ol RV South for Chico, CA, and you guessed it, camping out for some outstanding Sprint Car and Midget racing at Silver Dollar Speedway located at the fairgrounds at Chico.  I will be in Chico from Monday-Sunday morning, Sept 5-11th.  (Naturally, I will still be working on my redneck!)

At Chico I will be hooking up with a couple of good racing fans friends, Dan and Bernie Clapp.  Additionally, I will get together with Tim and Dorothy Donohue, my old EAL/UAL friends of 31 years, having some lunch and catching up on all things that are important to us.

SO FOR NOW, THIS IS YOUR CAPTAIN SPEAKING, ROGER WILCO, OVER, AND OUT!

 

 

Dirt Trackin’ In The Northwest

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( a late model race car: captainblowdri file photo)

For the last three Saturday nights I have enjoyed watching races at three different dirt tracks in Oregon.  Three weeks ago I had the opportunity to partake in some great racing at Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Oregon.

On that particular night the show consisted of wingless sprint cars, late models, and the mighty midgets toting the mail on the high banked 1/4 mile clay oval.  The wingless sprinters put on a great show.  However the class of the night was the late models.  It was a very fast and extremely competitive race with the winner taking the lead on the very last lap!

The following Saturday night I took in some races at the Coos Bay Speedway in Coos Bay, Oregon.  On that Saturday night their program consisted of wingless sprint cars, late models, an outlaw 4 cylinder race class, and some street stockers.

The Coos Bay facility is a banked 3/8 mile track that on that Saturday night was in great shape and was lightening fast!  Once again the best race was the late models.

Last Saturday night I ventured up to Madras, Oregon to check out what kind of show that the promoter was putting together.  On the banked 1/4 mile track at Madras was modifieds, mini trucks, street stockers, and super stocks/late models.

These three venues have showcased their local drivers, and each facility has put on quite a good local Saturday night program.  However, I was most impressed with the organized quickness at Madras Speedway that was the underlying theme.  The races there started at 6:30 sharp and were concluded at 9:30pm!

It is great to watch a local short track facility put on a good show and get it done in a reasonable amount of time!

SO TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

 

An Open Letter To Dad

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(The Hammack brood at Mom’s 93rd birthday)

July 21st would be your 99th birthday!  “Can you feature that”!

There has been a lot going on since we last celebrated a birthday with you 16 years ago.  All five of us have retired from our respective careers, our children have grown up, and some have families of their own now.

Let me tell you about the last 16 years of my life.

In the summer of 1996 I finally accomplished my ultimate career goal of becoming an airline captain.  In September of 1996 I checked out as a United Airlines B-737 Captain!  It only took 17 years from the time I got out of the Air Force and was first was hired at Eastern Airlines!  But at the ripe old age of 45, I had made it to the top of the airline world.  And whether you knew it or not, from that point on you were with me, in the cockpit, on every trip that I flew at United.

Pop, you probably think how could I fly with you on every trip that you flew as Captain?  Well, the explanation is very simple.  Shortly after God called you home, and quite frankly I am still upset that he didn’t at least ask me my opinion on that subject, I found this poem that expressed all my unspoken feelings about your death.  So I made a copy of that poem and put in my uniform shirt pocket.  I made a point of making sure that I ALWAYS had it in my uniform pocket before I left on my trips!  So, Pop, you accumulated about 12,000 hours of flying in B-737, A-320, B-757, and B-767 in the last 15 years!  Let me tell you there were some times that I relied upon your life’s experiences to pull me out of some rather hairy flying predicaments.  The last “hairy flying predicament”, a cockpit fire in my B-757, triggered some medical issues with my heart that caused the FAA to medically ground me, putting an end to my flying career 5 years prematurely.  If the truth be known, I believe that it was you who was looking out for your youngest son that fateful evening of May 16, 2010 and guided me to safety!

Remember back in November of 1973 when my life changed so dramatically by becoming a father, and you witnessed that?  Well, October 19, 2002, immeasurably changed my life once again.  Pop, that was the day that your youngest son became a GRANDFATHER, and my son, Jeremy, became a father !  Again, “can you feature that”?  Dad, I have four grandchildren.  Unfortunately, the pair of twins that were born after Cole, came into this world prematurely, and failed to survive 24 hours.  But Cole, age 8 1/2, has a little sister, Hannah who is five.  She starts kindergarten this fall.  Just a note, Cole is nothing more than little Jeremy 25 years removed!

Pop, those two children are the apple of my eye!

Now, at age 60, I better understand just how you felt about all of your grandchildren, the joy that you took being surrounded by them, the pride you felt when they succeeded.  I am now experiencing some of those feelings with Cole and Hannah!

And speaking of feelings, I still have difficulty dealing with your death.  At times there is an emptiness that I have a hard time explaining.  They say that times heals all.  However, I beg to differ with that old adage!

Time does not heal all!  Time may help you to deal with a lose or a tragedy, however, it does not heal all!

And I have to disagree with one of you favorite sayings, as well.  You would say that it will be as good as new in a week or ten days.  Well it has been 15 1/2 years since your death and I am not as good as new!

The hole is still there!

So on July 21st, your 99th birthday, I will be thinking of you, missing you, and wishing that you were still walking on this Earth!

This video expresses my feelings in a nutshell!

 

 

Oregon Wine Tasting

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(Nehalem Bay Winery)

 

Today we made a pit stop at a local Nehalem Bay winery, namely the Nehalem Bay Winery.

 

I was impressed with their red wines. The Merlot was uncharacteristically smooth. There was no biting after taste associated with the Merlot.

 

Both the Pinot Noir and the Cabernet Sauvignon were equally full flavored and smooth, as well!

 

Although this is not the Napa, Sonoma, or Mendicino Valley, the Nehalem Wimery wines are very flavorful and full bodied!

 

Til next time, ROGER, WILCO, OVER, and OUT!

 

Sent from Leon Hammack’s smoking’ iPhone!

Posted via email from captainblowdri’s posterous

Tillamook Cheese Factory

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Today we paid a visit to this very famous cheese place, the Tillamook Cheese Factor in Tillamook, Oregon.  It was fascinating watching the processes for making their cheese and ice cream there.  Yes, they make ice cream as well!

When we entered the building, we went to the cheese tasting area.  From the tasting area we progressed into the display area and loaded up on some their fantastic cheeses.  I went directly to the Habanero Jack Cheese, the Garlic Red Pepper Cheddar, the Extra Sharp Cheddar, and the Pepper Jack cheese to put into my shopping basket.

Then we proceeded to grab an ice cream!  The Tillamook ice cream, I had a double scoop of their old fashion vanilla, was very tasty and very smooth!  I have been known to be considered an ice cream connoisseur by people in the know!

(Today I chose not to be a diabetic!)

Even though Tillamook distributes their product throughout the USA, there were a few of their cheeses that I have not seen in my local supermarket.  Therefore, I slipped a couple of the cheeses that I tested in the tasting room into my shopping basket.

If you have never tried their Habanero Jack Cheese or their Garlic Red Pepper Cheddar, you will do yourself a favor by gabbing some and put it on some Triscuit Cracked Pepper and Olive Oil crackers.  It will be some mighty fine snacks!

FOR NOW, ROGER, WILCO, OVER, AND OUT!

 

Life At 93!

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(Mom on her 93rd birthday)

 

On June 12th our family came together in Fresno to celebrate the 93 years of Mom’s life.  On June 13, 1918 in Sayre, OK, our Mom made her entry into this world.  Think about it, not that many families can gather together to celebrate 93 years of a parent’s life!

Nevertheless, that is just what we did.  All of my siblings, most of our children, a couple of cousins, and some friends gathered for some good food, great stories, fellowship, and just had a wonderful afternoon.

We had good eats.  There was 29 lbs of succulent Tri-Tip, skillfully grilled by the “Grill-master”, my brother Jerry.  My sister and two sisters-in-law whipped up their magic in the kitchen with some great side dishes that accompanied the Tri-Tip.

After everyone consumed their fill of the absolutely delicious food that was on hand for the occasion, my nephew, Scott, set up his equipment to show the video he had compiled for this event.  The video, accompanied with very cool audio, included pictures that encompassed the 77 years since our parents first married in 1934.

The video included pictures of Mom and Dad, both from their early years, good times and bad, as well as a few pictures that spanned their almost 62 years of marriage, including the very last picture that I took of Mom and Dad together.  The picture was part of a day trip up to Mt. Evans, when I lived in Colorado.  That particular picture of Mom and Dad was taken with the backdrop of golden aspen leaves and the strikingly beautiful blue spruce, as well as the majestic Colorado Rocky Mountains.

That photograph will forever be etched in my memory bank!

Scott also included various pictures of all five of us kids at different times in our lives, in conjunction with early family pictures.  Some of those pictures in the video were both sentimental and humorous, it also reflected the wackiness and struggles our early beginnings.

For me, the video was a very reflective and an emotional stroll down the street that we all know very well, Memory Lane!  It reminded me of just how far the five of us children have come on our own life’s journey!  Our father would be very proud of how his children turned out, I do believe.

The family gathering was a simply wonderful afternoon of celebration for Mom’s 93rd birthday.  I am not sure who enjoyed the day more, Mom or all the rest of the family!  But rest assured, it was an afternoon that we all will remember forever!

It was, after all, a celebration of life, and a time to honor our Mom.  It was a very special day in my life!

As a side note, how many parents live long enough to see all of their children retire?  Well Mom has done just that!

Mom you can rest easy. Your job is finally done!

We all made it!

 

Flat Track Motorcycle Races

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Well it has been about 33 years since I have been to some AMA flat track motorcycle races, and tonight I am at the Petaluma Speedway taking in some bike races!

It is really cool to watch the riders lay their bikes, and let the foot pegs drag. The boys were handle bar to handle bar and really “twisting the wick”!

So far this summer vacation has been extremely fun, as well as relaxing.

For now it’s Roger, Wilco, Over, and Out!

Sent from Leon Hammack’s smoking’ iPhone!

Posted via email from captainblowdri’s posterous

 

Wine Tasting In The Russian River Valley

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(all that’s missing is you!)

We stopped at the Russian River Winery Friday. We tried some of their wines, both white and red. What I found to be intriguing was that their Red Zinfandel was quite intriguing!

This area is known for it’s pinot noir and chardonnay grapes, however, this particular winery produces a very flavorful Red Zinfandel.

It is a 2009 vintage sold under the label of “Chester” Zinfandel:
Redwood Valley with a price tag of $23. This product is named after the “winery pooch”. The label has his picture, Chester, on it!!

More to come about the Russian River Valley and the associated wineries in the area!

Sent from Leon Hammack’s smoking’ iPhone!

Posted via email from captainblowdri’s posterous