Climb A Mountain...

It's Deer Season, for what it's worth. I have as good of a chance of shooting a wild hog as anything. Wild hogs, Ferrell hogs, they tare the land up. They're like developers. They're not native, they eat everything they can and both are going to be Southern Appalachia for a long time to come.


I'm thinking about building me a "J- Pole" Antenna for my 2 Meter Hand Held Radio. It seems simple enough to do. Of course I could probably buy one for nearly what I could build one. But, in order to further identify myself as a Ham, I feel like I ought to build me something. And, it would be a fun thing to have around, clime up on some Bald and talk into the distance. If I'm going to hump it up a mountain though, it needs to be somewhat portable. Most for 2 meters are around 60" long and I'm 69" tall. You can make a roll up out f the flexible TV rabbit ear stuff, but if your on a Bald, you'll need something to hang it up on. Reception and transmition would not be so great on the ground. Hmm...I guess I'm just a nerd sewing my oates.

I've sat here looking at J- Pole Designs* and now I feel guilty. I've had something I need to accomplish and I didn't do it. I was able to download the software for using my Common Access Card, CAC. I was going to use it. I guess I know what I'm doing tomorrow night. That's OK, I'll need to get to bed early. Thanksgiving Day is supposed to be pretty. I'll be on the side of a ridge, high powered rifle in hand and...In The Clouds.

*Don't you love hyphens? We even hyphen our heritage and citizenship. Then we complain we're not united.

The Appalachianist

We Can't Have Diamonds Without Pressure

It was cold this morning, with predictions of being cold all day. Hoer Ice was sitting on the ground and the drive way's puddles from last weeks rain were iced over. Some parts of Western North Carolina got a little snow, the second of the season. I saw a few flakes myself this morning.

Where as to begin the subject I intend to talk about, I don't know. So, when in a predicament, you go back to the basics. I'm going to tell you what I'm going to tell you, I'm going to tell you, then I'm going to tell you what I told you. A subject I don't find myself writing about as much any more. The Army.

This last weekends Battle Assembly (AKA Drill)was an exercise in just about... Pressure. If you don't put something to work, if you don't put pressure on it, how do you know it can perform? You've got to put it through the motions.

I had to do the seldom done act of wearing my Class A's, the Dress Green Uniform. Being that I am the Acting First Sergeant, I was required to sit on a board. You can think of it as the Army's formal game of trivia. Though, I have won a board at Division Level, such things are a Dog and Pony Show to me. Don't get me wrong, they can be fun. I was once sent forward to a board, a little aggravated because it was making me lose Hunting time, walked into the room with the intent of not looking like a fool and won the thing. But, this is not about me, it's about potential. I sent a young guy up to the Soldier Of The Year Board. He has exactly one year in the Army. I was being frowned at by some of my peers for sending him, but, it was going to be a good experience and I thought he could do it fairly well. Besides, I was told to send someone, and I did. He wanted to go, he was wanting to perform. We through some tough questions at him, and he wasn't getting but a few. He managed some good composure, but showed his frustration...I was getting aggravated at him for it. I said to the others after he exited the room, we can't have diamonds without pressure. But, the other First Sergeants were impressed. They wanted to send him on to the next board at Brigade. I said I could get him ready. I have to do something to get him as much experience as I can, Dog and Pony show be damned. He is on the spot when called, respectful and possesses insight. He's capable. I have to see to it that he is tuned, not just for the Board, but for the rest of his years in the Army. I personally believe that he will do good. I'm not going to get him slaughtered. A Private in Reserves is very inexperienced compared to one on Active Duty. It's an exposure issue, not capability.

You don't know how a Dog is gong to hunt until it's on the Bear. You can't have diamonds without pressure.

I had intent of going on, but, I'm honestly done typing. It would turn into one great big olive drab gripe session. The subject will rear it's ugly head again soon, I'll save it for then.

All Hail The Soul's of the Brave...
The Appalachianist

Not Much Of A Post

It's pouring the rain. Bosco desperately wanted in this morning at 0230 and was hesitant about gong back out. She thinks she's made of sugar. I sometimes call her "Black Sugar".

Well, that was this morning and now it's night. I was ging to say something, but, I've got too much crap to do. Talk to you next week.

Alright, heathens of both sexes, the lovely Amy Lavere performing "People Get Mad" live at some club...


She's right. People do get mad.
The Appalachianist

November

It's cloudy. It has been for two days, or I should say, this is the beginning of the second day. I saw birds swarming in little swirls in the air this morning. I'm not a real bird expert, I can't tell you what kind they are. Now the only thing besides the evergreens hanging onto their leaves are the oaks. Most look a rusty brown, but, some are still a little scarlet. With the blessing of rain this week, those will be on the ground soon. It's November. I like the sunsets in November just as the dark takes the sky because you can see the out line of the trees on the ridges. So the nights are cold? The days can be too. November hides it's own beauty. It's there, all you have to do is look. It's not all that depressing, not for me. I kinda like it.


The Appalachianist

Wild and Free

First on today's agenda is politics. The election is over and now the great victory is getting all of the signs cleaned up. That has gone rather nicely, now you can see the real estate signs.
On the local scene, here in Transylvania County, we were able to retain two good Commissioners, Jason Chappell and Kelvin Phillips. A "Write In" Candidate, "Spud" Ayers didn't quite make it. He ran with the intent to fight the Noise Ordinance and the "Extraterritorial Transylvania Jurisdiction"*, ETJ. Basically the ETJ is seen as a move to make the Town of Brevard and the adjacent areas of the County more of a cute regulated gated community type...AKA Buttholeville. A new Commissioner was voted in, Mike Hawkins. As to how he will respond is to be seen. Fortunately, allot of people running for those seats did not make it. They were,notably, on the Democrat side of the house, though not completely, and are involved in real estate.
National Elections, well, they are more like popularity contests.

Second is I spent the week Dog Sitting. I was driving up Hwy 215 and came across a Walker sitting on the side of the road without a tracking collar. I made numerous attempts to get ahold of the boy and finally did tonight. He had thought he'd lost him forever. That dog was wore out when I picked him up, he could hardly walk. He was a pleasant dog, very friendly and apparently well bred. He was a Coon Dog and had spent that Saturday night running Coons. He'd had a blast, running wild and free.



My own dogs had a good day last Saturday on the Appalachian Trail at a place called Winding Stairs Gap in Macon County. Twice we let them loose on a scent. Little Wiggly got lost n the first letting loose, and later caught up with the pack on a hot track crossing the trail yards in front of me. If I had been 10 seconds faster I would have seen the race. But at some point it busted up. The Dogs ran into Bear Sanctuary and trickled in. Wiggly found her way back to my truck and let a boy catch her. I was happy with her.

I myself have been pulling some extra hours and "playing hard when I can"...Plus I've got plenty to do for the Army.


*If you click on that lengthy PDF file and go to page 28 you will see a map of Transylvania County that clearly shows the Brevard Fault.

I'm done for the time being.
The Appalachianist