I got a chance to enjoy a couple of days with aviation friends on a 200,000 acres ranch in west Texas. The premise of the weekend event is to hunt Quail, which I don’t think I could actually do because they’re so cute! They always win anyway! The shots I’ve mainly observed over the years mostly involve alcohol so it’s mostly about having fun, camaraderie, and telling stories! I did actually fire a gun this time and hit a cactus but neglected to clean it and bring it back as proof of my hunting prowess!
It’s somewhat difficult to get to the Ranch as there are no airports anywhere near by with airline service so everyone flies there in private airplanes. This was my third event and the first year I got a ride out in a twin-Beech. Past notables included Tex Hill, highest-scoring Flying Tiger Ace, and Dick Cole, who was Jimmy Doolittle’s copilot. It’s always right after the Living Legends event in Beverly Hills, CA so I catch a ride the best way I can. This year I had the opportunity to fly out from Dallas with Southwest Airlines legend Herb Kelleher and several others in a Lear 55.
It’s great to mingle with other successful and passionate people and learn from their successes as well as share what I’m doing. I’m a firm believer in networking and the “butterfly effect” so it will be interesting to see where all this goes!
Kermit