Breaker 1-9

If any of you were around in the 70's or a trucker you know what I'm talking about.  We were in our 20's when CB Radios erupted into the communication world and had them in the truck, car and house!  There was no hiding from each other.  All I had to say was,"breaker 1-9", someone else would come across the airway and say, "go ahead breaker"  from that moment I knew where hub was!  We had friends like US Mail, Nightingale, Disco Queen, Johnny-one-Time, Log Doggie, Big Ottis, Dirty Dozen, I could fill a chapter with names.  Then there was "Orange Bird" trying to get a 10-20 on "Slim Chance".

Similar to the ones in our vehicles.

Looks like the "home base" we had, the mic was called
a lollipop.

Dirty Dozen ( my brother Jerry) was a trucker that knew every trucker that drove out of Williamsport, PA for Stroehmann Bread Co.  In the 70's there wasn't a coffee shop in Shinglehouse that had parking for big rigs.  He told them on the CB to pull off in the big parking lot at the sharp corner coming into Shinglehouse.  He met them there and brought them to my house for coffee!  At times it looked like a Stroehmann's parking lot.   We met some great friends.  One guy "Cloud Buster" owned a small airplane and flew it up, buzzed the Elementary school (the red brick school) so low a teacher was trying to call the FAA to report it.  He told us when he buzzed our house to get in the car and he would follow to where he could land.  How about landing at the little airstrip in Clara?  Yes he did in the month of early April with spots of snow on the grass runway.  Cloud Buster said Nightingale's cow would never give milk again, he had swooped her house so low it went flat down on it's belly.  Whatta guy for being in his early 50's at the time.  We remained friends, 5 years ago he passed away.  If you know Rev. and Mrs Vincent their oldest daughter lives just down the road from Al in Cogan Station just north of Williamsport.

How did I ever get on the subject of CB's?  Traveling down RT 15 just north of Harrisburg last time brought back the memory.  Years ago there would be signs to turn off your CB's in construction sites when explosives were being used.  Looking at the mountain side I could see how they had been drilled and blasted away to widen the road.  That was were my thoughts went back to the 70's and how different we communicate while traveling now.  The CB's were nice because we never had to wonder where troopers had radar set up, traffic stopped or an accident.  When the first vehicle with a CB spotted trouble the radio was nonstop of others chattering warnings.  Then along came "skip"which was caused from massive flare ups on the sun.  It lasted for years and ended our hobby with the CB.  Skip meant we couldn't talk to another CB'er in our area because of the interference but we could hear loud and clear ones from the deep south, even Jamaica and the Caribbean.  Sometimes we could connect and talk to them.  It could last seconds or up to minutes.  If possible names and addresses were exchanged and postcards sent to each other.  Progress and  now the cell phone is our communication while traveling.  We just don't get the radar warnings which means I hear a lot of........do you know how fast you are going, you might wanna slow down or did you see that speed limit sign?  Sometimes being hard of hearing has its perks ;)  turn off the hearing aids and it's a quiet ride.

  Here is a link to a great CB and 18 wheeler song.  Just fun to listen to.
C. W. McCall - Convoy - Music Video: http://youtu.be/le2bPRGvKXE

Another interesting way of communication that was and is still important are the Ham Radio Operators.  Once when Bart was in Haiti on Army time with no way to call there was a Ham operator that was kind to help with a call.  I was amazed, Bart was in Haiti the Ham guy was in Mississippi and patched through the phone line to us.  It was hard at first because everything we said at the end we had to say "over", quite a delay but oh so worth it.  For many years it was mail or if lucky a call for deployed military.  We have a local guy on 11 Mile that has and is active with the Ham Radio and club. Don Serkleski is very good at the Ham radio.   I am always interested but never have.  Ham is much more regulated with tests and a license.

Rain and cool days for the area's forecast.  The quilt, socks and a pair of slippers should be done within the week.  Maybe even a little house cleaning.  Maybe, if someone calls with a better offer, "I'm gone".  I know next week I am headed to the Poconos with my niece for the weekend.  We have never been on an overnight trip together so it should be a good one.  We are visiting her cousin that by the way I have not seen since we were around 14 years old.  51 years later and we are legal to enjoy a few.  Excited and yes it will be a future blog.

The neighbor brought a big pot of chicken noodle soup for our supper, that's a good one to have next door.  No cooking for me today, just relax and enjoy the evening.

Remember as I say frequently, "Pass it On" and make someone happy.   No matter how small the effort, it is huge in the end.   ♡"Orange Bird"♡