OP
OP
petethepug
Michael
Ahhh, San Bernardo Mtn nostalgia circa 1993 ...
A day that should of been sold out at Big Bear back in 1993. I was doing my apprenticeship w/ Local 250 with a refrigeration company named Hussman out of Chino. Being turned out as a newb in the field, I scored and discovered an unwanted Ford short bed, service bin truck w/ a 460 big block (shh, and A/C!). The hot ticket back then was the newest Ford van possible from the bone yard because you stocked every crevice with parts for midnight service calls at Lucky’s or Fedco. Back in the 90’s only mgmt had a/c in their Co trucks.
My newb buddy who was formerly a plumber discovered the only Dodge van in the bone yard and its car like 80’s ride. Greg, with his former shady plumber wisdom, discovered every unwanted, midnight maint supermarket job was a free ticket to Snow Summit or Big Bear. Starting our shift at 11pm we arrive at the job. Gelson’s was the preferred store. Why? Because we were locked in the market from 11pm to 6am with the cleaning crew to service the A/C when it’s shut down. Oh yea, it’s all overtime too. Did I mention the amazing service deli Gelson’s has (burp!)?
Eight to ten hours of overtime completed, we’re let out of the locked store, it freezing outside, it’s sunrise, we call into dispatch we’re done for the day and we have our apprenticeship classes that night in downtown LA. Que up Mission Impossible music here. We take all of our snow gear out of the Dodge van, tie the skis onto the headache rack of the Ford service bin truck and head for Snow Summit from LA in our Hussman serviceman uniforms after local mountains are dusted with powder the previous night. The Ford’s insulated, enclosed cab with no creaking or parts flying around in back means we’re warm and the drive is free.
Again, it’s 1993, we arrive at Snow Summit and it’s all overflow parking. It’s packed. The lot guy flags us down and we think we’re busted somehow. He runs at us and says ... thank God! You’re here! Go park up front of the resort. In stunned silence we acknowledge him and obey with ear to ear grin. Five min later we walk from the heated bathrooms like Clark Kent from dirty servicemen uniforms to ski bibs. Free VIP parking and it’s so frick’n busy. Some dude says have a nice day. Like magic, he and his buddy unpeeled their lift passes off their jackets and hand them to us. We take our funds budgeted for lift tickets to the bar and prepare for the slopes.
All day, ski, eat, drink, warm up, repeat. The session is ending, now it’s a quick 2.5 hr drive to LA, get back to Gelson’s parking lot and conceal skis, snow gear and pay (this time) for a Gelson’s freshly cooked, buffet of turkey, sweet potatoes, potatoes & gravy, cran sauce, etc. We have 30 minutes to arrive at the apprenticeship training facility in downtown LA.
Mission completed, Greg & I arrive to meet our 20-30 other appreciate buddys at the training center. There’s silence and staring as we walk into the building. Are we busted?
Sorry no cell phone selfie’s in 93 but you get the idea.
We hold straight faced, lying through our teeth, deniability about our whereabouts and actually earn respect for pulling it off.
Moral of the story: Have no regrets. Call in with Covid. Grab a buddy or the wife & kids. Ski, snowboard, sled. Isolate afterwards to be sure you’re well. Do it again the next day or change it up with fishing poles while isolating. Return back to work like a liar with pants on fire. Make the most of every day and take that dead end job, even if temporary, so you can have that Fletch Lives movie memory.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
A day that should of been sold out at Big Bear back in 1993. I was doing my apprenticeship w/ Local 250 with a refrigeration company named Hussman out of Chino. Being turned out as a newb in the field, I scored and discovered an unwanted Ford short bed, service bin truck w/ a 460 big block (shh, and A/C!). The hot ticket back then was the newest Ford van possible from the bone yard because you stocked every crevice with parts for midnight service calls at Lucky’s or Fedco. Back in the 90’s only mgmt had a/c in their Co trucks.
My newb buddy who was formerly a plumber discovered the only Dodge van in the bone yard and its car like 80’s ride. Greg, with his former shady plumber wisdom, discovered every unwanted, midnight maint supermarket job was a free ticket to Snow Summit or Big Bear. Starting our shift at 11pm we arrive at the job. Gelson’s was the preferred store. Why? Because we were locked in the market from 11pm to 6am with the cleaning crew to service the A/C when it’s shut down. Oh yea, it’s all overtime too. Did I mention the amazing service deli Gelson’s has (burp!)?
Eight to ten hours of overtime completed, we’re let out of the locked store, it freezing outside, it’s sunrise, we call into dispatch we’re done for the day and we have our apprenticeship classes that night in downtown LA. Que up Mission Impossible music here. We take all of our snow gear out of the Dodge van, tie the skis onto the headache rack of the Ford service bin truck and head for Snow Summit from LA in our Hussman serviceman uniforms after local mountains are dusted with powder the previous night. The Ford’s insulated, enclosed cab with no creaking or parts flying around in back means we’re warm and the drive is free.
Again, it’s 1993, we arrive at Snow Summit and it’s all overflow parking. It’s packed. The lot guy flags us down and we think we’re busted somehow. He runs at us and says ... thank God! You’re here! Go park up front of the resort. In stunned silence we acknowledge him and obey with ear to ear grin. Five min later we walk from the heated bathrooms like Clark Kent from dirty servicemen uniforms to ski bibs. Free VIP parking and it’s so frick’n busy. Some dude says have a nice day. Like magic, he and his buddy unpeeled their lift passes off their jackets and hand them to us. We take our funds budgeted for lift tickets to the bar and prepare for the slopes.
All day, ski, eat, drink, warm up, repeat. The session is ending, now it’s a quick 2.5 hr drive to LA, get back to Gelson’s parking lot and conceal skis, snow gear and pay (this time) for a Gelson’s freshly cooked, buffet of turkey, sweet potatoes, potatoes & gravy, cran sauce, etc. We have 30 minutes to arrive at the apprenticeship training facility in downtown LA.
Mission completed, Greg & I arrive to meet our 20-30 other appreciate buddys at the training center. There’s silence and staring as we walk into the building. Are we busted?
Sorry no cell phone selfie’s in 93 but you get the idea.
We hold straight faced, lying through our teeth, deniability about our whereabouts and actually earn respect for pulling it off.
Moral of the story: Have no regrets. Call in with Covid. Grab a buddy or the wife & kids. Ski, snowboard, sled. Isolate afterwards to be sure you’re well. Do it again the next day or change it up with fishing poles while isolating. Return back to work like a liar with pants on fire. Make the most of every day and take that dead end job, even if temporary, so you can have that Fletch Lives movie memory.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
