Page 4 - Aerotech News and Review, Feb. 17 2017

High Desert Hangar Stories with Bob Alvis
Snakes! Run for cover; or the story of the airmen snake wrangler
Special to Aerotech News
Time to take a break from the serious for an issue and I thought this little story of my Air Force journey may get you to chuckle a bit. This story does come with a warning and no matter what, please don’t try this at home!
In the 1970s my pay as an airman was not what we shall say over abundant and with a wife to support and living off base it called for some thinking outside the box to make ends meet.
Stationed at George AFB in Victorville many of us were looking for that little side job that could help that bottom line. “Moonlight- ing” as it was called was frowned upon by Uncle Sam back in those days but the enterprising airman was willing to take that chance if given an opportunity.
By a chance meeting on a Friday night in downtown Victorville I found a great opportunity to pad my wallet a bit. A gentleman was having dinner and he was sporting a beautiful cowboy hat with a rattlesnake skin band around it. Striking up a conversation this gentleman, I found out, was making these custom hats out in Apple Valley and had quite the business going! He did have one problem and that was getting enough rattler skins! The wheels started turn- ing and I asked how much he paid for a skin, 10 bucks apiece he said! I was hooked! Ten snakes, $100, piece of cake, right?
Being an old desert rat from around these parts I had my fair share of snake encounters and by luck (many would not call it that) I was stationed three-days a week out at Cuddeback Gunnery Range in the Mojave Desert taking care of equipment at the small Air Force facility.
Well it just so happens that about every 10 feet you walked, the buzz of an overabundance of sidewinders would greet you! So I had my source and before long I had my snake pole and rope. Using unused 50-pound Freon bottle boxes, it didn’t take long to get about 10 good rattlers a week. Transportation from George to
See SNAKES, Page 5
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4 Aerotech News and Review February 17, 2017 www.aerotechnews.com ........ facebook.com/aerotechnewsandreview
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