COPESTER dot NET

Then on 3 May 96...

My boss called me back to work. I hadn't driven the truck in a couple of weeks (it used to have quite a taste for gas and we were a little short on funds that payday) but I decided I would take the truck and have a little fun. I grabbed the boys and took them with me. I noticed it was back firing through the carb and figured I must of had some junk plugging one of the jets, but I stopped at the gas station, put in $10 worth of gas and continued on my way (mistake #1). I got to work and did what I had to do.

While I was there the boss came down and asked me if I would make sure one of our other buildings was locked up. The boys and I jumped into the truck and headed over to the building. As I was pulling up to the building, the truck backfired through the carb again and stalled. I asked the boys to go and check the doors. As they opened the door and jumped out of the truck, they kicked a YooHoo bottle out on the ground and it broke. I got out to pick up the glass, leaving the ignition in the on position (mistake #2). By the time I got done throwing the glass into the back of the truck, I noticed smoke coming out from under the hood.

I tried to start the truck to suck out the fire but it would not start. So I popped the hood, leaving the ignition in the on position again (mistake #3) At this point let me add that I had an electronic fuel pump in the truck that came on only when the ignition was in the on position. Once I got the hood up I noticed my air filter was on fire. (The truck also had an oil/gauze K&N Filter Charger air filter) So I removed the air filter (mistake #4) and saw my carb was totally engulfed in flames. I took off my teeshirt and tried to beat out the flames but it was burning too hot. So, I grabbed my building keys out of the truck, leaving my wallet and a bunch of other valuables (mistake #5) and ran into the building to call 911.

Crispy critter from the outside.

Now, let me also make the point that the fire department on Gunter AFB (where this all happened) was no more then a half a mile away. The 911 operator wanted my name, home phone number, duty phone number, social security number, rank, etc. I was frantically trying to tell her that my vehicle was burning to the ground. It took the fire department 7 minutes to get to my truck. By the time they got there, the flames had burned through the fuel line and the electronic fuel pump was blowing 93 octane gas into the fire which was shooting 40 feet into the air and totally engulfing the cab. The boys were crying, I was nearly in tears. My whole scalp was twitching and I wanted to physically remove the heads of the cops and fire department when they finally arrived.

The scorched interior.

They finally got the truck put out and handed me a critique. I was so mad I tore it up. After it was all over. I walked into the building to lock it back up. I looked down the hall and there, hanging on the wall, slightly behind a flipchart, was a class A, B, C fire extinguisher. But I was so frantic, just wanting to get the fire department out there, that I didn't even notice it. (mistake #6).

Baked pony power

I had liability insurance (mistake #7). It was a total loss.

So what do you think? Is this a sad story or what?

 

 

28,15,0,50,1
25,600,60,1,500,1000,25,1000
90,300,1,50,12,25,50,1,70,12,1,50,1,1,1,5000
0,1,0,0,1,30,10,5,0,0,0,10,0,1
Tetons!
Tetons!
Pretty Oregon Coast
Pretty Oregon Coast
Oregon coast south of Gold Beach
Oregon coast south of Gold Beach
Oregon, along ocean
Oregon, along ocean
Hanging with Jeff and Genevieve in Joseph Oregon
Hanging with Jeff and Genevieve in Joseph Oregon
Wallowa State Park in Oregon
Wallowa State Park in Oregon
Jeff and Layne went up the hill
Jeff and Layne went up the hill
That is way over there!
That is way over there!
Oregon Beach
Oregon Beach
Gold Beach Ship Wreck
Gold Beach Ship Wreck
Oregon Coast near Gold Beach
Oregon Coast near Gold Beach
Could it be more Tetons?  YUP!
Could it be more Tetons? YUP!
The girls, quite excited by the beach.
The girls, quite excited by the beach.
Layne and Penny ALSO went up the hill!
Layne and Penny ALSO went up the hill!
That is way DOWN there! On a mountain in Wallowa State Park
That is way DOWN there! On a mountain in Wallowa State Park
More from the mountain top.
More from the mountain top.
Oregon coast south of Gold Beach
Oregon coast south of Gold Beach
Wild hogs IN Virginia City!
Wild hogs IN Virginia City!
A different shot in Virginia City Montana
A different shot in Virginia City Montana
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Nice rides huh?
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Wild hogs headed to Virginia City
The highway to fun
The highway to fun
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Layne and Penny
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More Wallowa mountains
An old cabin hotel kind of thing
An old cabin hotel kind of thing
On the way home from Wallowa.
On the way home from Wallowa.
Beartooth from the Highway in Montana
Beartooth from the Highway in Montana
Dano surveying the area on top of Mount Evans
Dano surveying the area on top of Mount Evans
Heading out on the highway
Heading out on the highway
Penny rolling on her first hawg
Penny rolling on her first hawg
Joshua and Connor, cuties
Joshua and Connor, cuties
Yeah, we taekwondoed for a while.
Yeah, we taekwondoed for a while.
Connor Joe Cool Cope
Connor Joe Cool Cope
Emily and Josh, cuties
Emily and Josh, cuties
Emily and Connor, cuties!
Emily and Connor, cuties!