Shawn H. Says HI

[Rocketdork]

This past Saturday and Sunday, the club that I am the president of had a launch. It was a great time, but this happened over the course of the launch.

There is a lady that lives just north of the launch site that moved in a couple of years ago, we began launching at the site about 8 years ago. Since she has moved in, every time we have a launch, she calls the landowner a bunch of times to complain about how dangerous the rockets are and she wants us to stop launching. On a number of occasions she has called some of the gov't agencies to try to force us to stop (fire dept, zoning office, etc). She doesn't do this just to us, but to the hunters, the farmers (she doesn't like the noise they make when they harvest, plow, etc) and others. Most of her neighbors have a problem with her, and just don't understand why she would move to a place where these things have always been a part of life.

On with the story...Saturday afternoon, she drives down the dirt lane, into the field where we launch, at about 30-40 mph. Slides to a stop, jumps out of her car and starts SCREAMING at the top of her lungs to the first person she sees (ME!) about how these rockets are too big, too dangerous and we have to be a minimum of 1 mile from any house to launch them. She had measured the distance at 0.6 miles and that's too close. If we don't stop immediately she is going to call the police. She turns around and stomps back toward her car...I was a little shocked and didn't think of any response until she turned around. I said to her "And you are?" She stops dead in her tracks, turns around, comes back to me and says "I'm Janet Ashe", and SHAKES MY HAND!!!

We know that we are in compliance with all the laws, and after a very brief discussion, we decide we'll continue with the launch. Let her call the police. It'll be one more thing that we have on our side...There was a nice number of rockets on the pad, so we proceed to launch them, including a nice large one.

I make the assumption that she is going to call the police, so I get the documents that regulate the hobby together; just to be ready when the police show up...None come on Saturday.

Sunday morning about 10 am a photographer from the Spokesman Review comes out to the launch site...asks a lot of questions, and takes some photos. A professional photographer that just takes pictures of Rockets (and sells them to us) also came to the launch. About 11am, a County Sheriff comes driving down the road. I grab the documents that I have gathered and meet him when he gets out of his car. Introductions all around...I let him know that I am the President of the club.

He explains why he is there, asks a lot of questions about the regulations. The one he was most interested in was the minimum distance from a house or road. There are two regulations that address this; they both say minimum is 1500 ft from a road or occupied dwelling. He asks about the FAA, ATF, etc. We show him the regulations, and he's happy. He takes down my name and phone number, just in case he needs to contact me. We invite him to watch a few rockets launch. He stays.

Of course, the photographers are taking photos the whole time. The rockets launch, and one of the photographers says he has a great shot of the police officer watching a rocket go up.

During the launching I went over to ask him what he thinks, and if I should expect any calls or anything. He says the rockets are pretty cool, that it looks like we are running a nice safe launch and that we appear to be in compliance with all the laws. We shouldn't expect a call.

Then he asks if I know any of the "Stoner's down in Colfax?â€￾ I said "yes, they are my family, I grew up there." He asks if I know James Stoner, I respond "yep, he's my brother!" He says, "I graduated from school with him! I also dated your sister!" He asks me to tell them "Hi" next time I see them.

So, I just about laughed my ass off. Of all the County Sheriff’s to come by, it’s the one that has a personal connection to me...how strange.