Well, I've been around and I've seen some things

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Doo
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Well, I've been around and I've seen some things

Post by Doo »

Well, I've been around and I've seen some things...

I've flown a light aircraft & the instructor was suitably impressed with my handling that he suggested I land it :shock: 1st lesson :o

I've been inside a Russian missile base, I looked up the launch silo where death and destruction would lift off from. That was sobering :?

I've flown in the tail end of a C130 Hercules and filmed para-jumpers exit the aircraft while filming them from the ramp at around 10,000ft (I was tethered luckily :-D ).

I've been on my fathers boat in the teeth of a hurricane with waves breaking over us as we were flung around like a cork. That was one of the most frightening episodes of my life :help2: I remember I was about 14, we were moored in old loch Clash, Kinlochbervie. Dad was busy with ropes and creels (lobster/crab pots) and we had 60 aboard. His friend Nick was in his boat, the Osprey. An old man walked up and watched a while before proclaiming the immortal (unforgettable) words: "If you bide here, you'll lose your boat...If ye go oot there, you'll lose yer life!" (he said some more, but I clearly remember that). So dad being dad, off we went :roll:
We were somewhat sheltered in the old loch, but as we went out the waves got bigger and the wind got stronger. I was throwing the creels over the side as best I could (we were top heavy so safety first #-o ) then one caught the rail and cracked the 110mm orange plastic soil pipe my dad had placed to prevent damage to the wooden rail. He cut it lengthwise and fought it on there. Anyway, a portion came away and the rope snagged under it, jamming the creel against the side. My dad throttled back, came out with a 4lb hammer and tried to smash it, but that b@5t@rd would not budge. I managed to lift the creel and throw it under the rope as we went down into a trough and the rope rose above us. Away she went... After that, the rest of the creels went over without issue.
But then we had to go out into the wild angry Atlantic to get round the headland and into the safety of the "new" harbour.
They had sent out a large fishing boat (aprox 80ft) to keep an eye on us and one minute we could see it, next minute it was hidden from view such were the size & frequency of the waves. We estimated they were around 50ft from crest to trough. Dads boat was a good sea vessel and she handled it easily, although the waves were battering hell out of us and managed to crack the 10mm glass on the front of the wheel house. I remember jamming myself in the door frame and holding on as she rolled a good 140 degrees side to side with the water sloshing through the scuppers and the deck awash with anything that could float. I looked down into the cabin just as we rode over the crest of a huge wave and watched, enthralled as the boat dove down into the trough, the kettle rose into the air and sat there (seemingly for minutes... :!: ) before slamming back down when the boat levelled out and started climbing again. That particular event has also stayed with me.

I have seen many many surprising things and visited (and driven through) many foreign countries.

But nothing...

... and I mean nothing has surprised me as much as...

When I took the crashed bike out of the garage so I could tidy up, then return it until the insurance come to fetch it. It got stuck in the ice so I had to start the engine and try to rock it out.

I put the side stand down and as I leaned the bike onto the stand, something popped out of the smashed plastic.

A flash caught the light of my head torch so I looked down and gaped, open mouthed as I saw the lost key :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

All this time the lost Citroen key had somehow been jammed into the left foot rest section of the bikes atomised plastics and fell out right beside the actual car!!!!! :eek1:

Un be flippin leaveable 8-[
Last edited by GiveMeABreak on 08 Feb 2021, 14:05, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Moved Out of the Technical Forum to the OTCL
Has anyone seen the plot? :?
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CitroJim
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Re: Well, I've been around and I've seen some things

Post by CitroJim »

Doo, Gosh, that boat trip :shock: I enjoyed reading that but pleased I as not aboard!

Riding a Tank landing Craft in a moderately rough sea was enough for me and made me feel so sick it was beyond belief :evil:

I envy your trip in the Herc :) I travelled in them several times but only as a normal passenger... Great 'planes :D
Doo wrote: 08 Feb 2021, 12:44 When I took the crashed bike out of the garage so I could tidy up, then return it until the insurance come to fetch it. It got stuck in the ice so I had to start the engine and try to rock it out.

I put the side stand down and as I leaned the bike onto the stand, something popped out of the smashed plastic.

A flash caught the light of my head torch so I looked down and gaped, open mouthed as I saw the lost key :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

All this time the lost Citroen key had somehow been jammed into the left foot rest section of the bikes atomised plastics and fell out right beside the actual car!!!!! :eek1:

Un be flippin leaveable 8-[
Tells us the background to the motorcycle and the lost Citroen key please, it sounds like a good story lurks there ;)
Jim

Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
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Re: Well, I've been around and I've seen some things

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

The story starts here, Jim;

viewtopic.php?t=67082
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CitroJim
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Re: Well, I've been around and I've seen some things

Post by CitroJim »

Hell Razor5543 wrote: 08 Feb 2021, 17:22 The story starts here, Jim;

viewtopic.php?t=67082

Thanks James :D All makes sense now!
Jim

Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
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Doo
(Donor 2022)
Posts: 459
Joined: 09 Sep 2019, 16:53
Location: Inverness
My Cars: 2000 Range Rover V8 4.0
2004 Jaguar XK8 4.2
2007 Citroen C4 1.6hdi SX
2012 Berlingo Multispace e-hdi XTR (nice drive :-)
2016 Suzuki Burgman AN650 Executive
I miss my Renault 5 Gordini Turbo....
x 116

Re: Well, I've been around and I've seen some things

Post by Doo »

CitroJim wrote: 08 Feb 2021, 17:10 Doo, Gosh, that boat trip :shock: I enjoyed reading that but pleased I as not aboard!

Riding a Tank landing Craft in a moderately rough sea was enough for me and made me feel so sick it was beyond belief :evil:

I envy your trip in the Herc :) I travelled in them several times but only as a normal passenger... Great 'planes :D
Doo wrote: 08 Feb 2021, 12:44 When I took the crashed bike out of the garage so I could tidy up, then return it until the insurance come to fetch it. It got stuck in the ice so I had to start the engine and try to rock it out.

I put the side stand down and as I leaned the bike onto the stand, something popped out of the smashed plastic.

A flash caught the light of my head torch so I looked down and gaped, open mouthed as I saw the lost key :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

All this time the lost Citroen key had somehow been jammed into the left foot rest section of the bikes atomised plastics and fell out right beside the actual car!!!!! :eek1:

Un be flippin leaveable 8-[
Tells us the background to the motorcycle and the lost Citroen key please, it sounds like a good story lurks there ;)
I was lucky enough to get a trip in the cockpit during take off and landing. The wheel they use to steer on the ground was like something off a woodworking lathe, about 4 inches diameter :o

I've been very lucky in most aspects of my life. Until my work accident 4.5yrs ago, I was operating plant. Telehandlers, counterbalance forklifts, scissor lifts, boom lifts and whatnot. Not to mention the 4x4's (Defenders mainly) that could climb some serious mountains :shock:

Some pics of my work...

Image

Image

Image

Image

The mechanic was somewhat nervous of heights, so I "PDI'd" the machine before it went back out on hire. That was the tallest boom we had, a Genie 135 which topped out at 135ft (41mtrs). All in a days work :)

Image

Image

Basically, I got to see the best of Scotland and absolutely loved my work 8-)
Has anyone seen the plot? :?
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CitroJim
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Joined: 30 Apr 2005, 23:33
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Re: Well, I've been around and I've seen some things

Post by CitroJim »

Wow, just wow :cool:
Jim

Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
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