Posted on 12/21/2004 12:25:42 PM PST by hk409
Edited on 12/21/2004 12:54:14 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
*With a final scan of the surroundings, the assistant loadmaster signals to the pilot that everyone who had assured him they would return has returned. He initiates the raising of the loading gate.*
*The monstrous jets fire more resoundingly, and the balloon puffs out even more. With a surge, the ungainly craft leaps into the sky, drifting forward rapidly, and swinging a bit like a pendulum. Steadying, it gains altitude, and slowly circles round until it is aligned with the setting sun.*
The Beer Run continues...
Yeah, I agree with ya there.
Totally!
-good times, G.J.P.(Jr.)
-good times, G.J.P.(Jr.)
Eeew! Why'd ya bring her in here?
Ah figgered tha Cassull needid uh doormat
That face will certainly keep chase the mice away.
I'd rather step on her than look at her!
Hi!
I think I'll take a nap, wake me up when we reach Ireland.
Bump. Very widely reported.
E beer me!
Beer Run, (continued)
In Dublins fair city, where girls are so pretty,
There once was a fellow named Arthur Guinness.
He was hale and hearty, and he liked to party,
So he made a beer that was filled with goodness.
... As if this place didnt have enough drinking songs!
Above the Irish Sea, a new kind of moon is traveling over the cold ocean, a glowing, veined, orb roaring along at a sedate sixty miles per hour.
Navigation lights blink on the boxy structure suspended below it, and security lights on the top deck illuminate the huge globular balloon. The jets roar smoothly as the craft glides along a mile above the waves.
Inside, it is mostly quiet. For a time, returning sightseers had eagerly discussed and displayed their treasures to the ones who had remained aboard. Quiet talks continued among the passengers. Some looked out the windows at the quiet waters, and the distant lights of cities.
Activity was brisk in the kitchens, models of compact efficiency, but popular havens for the excited travelers. Some dining tables hosted friendly card games. This seemed to be a very comfortable way to travel, combining the lost elegance of dirigibles with the stark efficiency of jets.
In the cockpit, the pilot grinned as he calmly adjusted the primitive controls, using paper maps and the lights of distant cities to navigate. He maintained altitude by checking an ordinary altimeter, and adjusting the heat flow into the balloon. A little extra thrust of one engine or the other turned the craft gently. The co-pilot kept up a constant chatter, and frequently refreshed the pilots beverage. It was a comfortable way to travel.
Perhaps the least comfortable was the Radio Operator, who was hard-pressed to explain who they were, why they were there, and that their purpose was non-threatening. Twice, they were buzzed by military jets, which flew an arc around the ungainly craft. Receiving the response about how much beer they thought they could carry of Oh, about twenty-thousand cases., one jet pilot dipped his wings and flew away. The other was also satisfied that they were not a significant military threat.
The pilot made an announcement.
Ladies and Gentlemen, we have the lights of Dublin in sight now. We will make a leisurely approach and should again be on the ground in about two hours. Some of you may again wish to visit the local pubs, but most of the shops for souvenirs will probably be closed at this hour. We would suggest that the majority of you get some rest, and go sightseeing in the morning. We expect to have the beer and other supplies loaded by mid-afternoon tomorrow, and we will depart at Four Oclock local time to return to the castle at Loch Ness. Enjoy your visit, and thanks for flying with us! He grinned again at the co-pilot, and returned his attention to the controls.
Have fun ! No smokin' in Ireland so I'll stay home.
Nice post---thanks!
That flight over the water made me a little seasick, but James really liked the view, especially when the jets got close.
I am starting to look forward to these!! :))
I hope you don't live on the side or at the bottom of a hill.
Nice posies!
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