The Browns spot a big cat prowling in their back yard late one evening and call Ranger Bill and his men. Could this be a cougar or a leopard or a wildcat? Or maybe it's just a big house cat and some vivid imaginations. Whatever it is, this cat has everyone in Knotty Pine jumpy and calling Ranger Headquarters. Red, a reporter from the Gazette, wants a story. And he'll pull every trick in the book to get one. How is Bill going to keep the Gazette from printing Red's wild story, calm Knotty Pine's residents, and locate this mystery cat? You'll have to listen to find out.
I mistakenly posted this two weeks ago. This is the correct show for the week of Sat, July 31, 2010.
Ranger Headquarters
Big Pine National Forest, Knotty Pine
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Knotty Pine Map/RB History
Knotty Pine Map
I thought it might be fun to create some sort of map of Knotty Pine and the surrounding areas based on the information from the 200 or so Ranger Bill stories we have.
Can you place Ranger Headquarters, the police station, city hall, the blacksmith shop, or other cities and towns? How about the Ranger Academy, the Shady River, the Shady Mountains, the Big Six Mountains and Lodge, Frenchy DeSalle's logging camp, or you name the location?
Email me with your thoughts or suggestions for the location of places. Or better yet, draw me a map.
I'll try to assemble your Knotty Pine information into a master map. I'll post all the information we collect.
Ranger Bill/Knotty Pine History
I will also try to come up with a biography of Ranger Bill, Stumpy, Henry, and Gray Wolf. Along with that I'll try to create a history of Knotty Pine. Again, I invite you to contribute whatever you remember about Ranger Bill and Knotty Pine.
I thought it might be fun to create some sort of map of Knotty Pine and the surrounding areas based on the information from the 200 or so Ranger Bill stories we have.
Can you place Ranger Headquarters, the police station, city hall, the blacksmith shop, or other cities and towns? How about the Ranger Academy, the Shady River, the Shady Mountains, the Big Six Mountains and Lodge, Frenchy DeSalle's logging camp, or you name the location?
Email me with your thoughts or suggestions for the location of places. Or better yet, draw me a map.
I'll try to assemble your Knotty Pine information into a master map. I'll post all the information we collect.
Ranger Bill/Knotty Pine History
I will also try to come up with a biography of Ranger Bill, Stumpy, Henry, and Gray Wolf. Along with that I'll try to create a history of Knotty Pine. Again, I invite you to contribute whatever you remember about Ranger Bill and Knotty Pine.
Ranger Bill Actors and Crew
1. Ranger Bill Jefferson and Stumpy Jenkins played by Miron Canaday.
You can hear how Miron develops Stumpy's voice in the 1954 and early 1955 shows. He got so good at switching between Bill and Stumpy that he could do it without thinking.
2. Henry Scott played by Roger Compton
3. Gray Wolf played by Ed Ronne, Sr.
4. Frenchy DeSalle, Houseboat Charlie and many, many others played by Rex Brenner
5. Ranger Ralph Carpenter and others played by Bill Pearce
6. Announcer, various rangers, others - Walter Carlson
7. Ranger Jane Reeves, other women and also children - Flo Schmid
Crew
Charles Christensen - director
Jim Grant - director
Charles Erkhart - writer
John Rowan - writer
John McComb - sound effects
You can hear how Miron develops Stumpy's voice in the 1954 and early 1955 shows. He got so good at switching between Bill and Stumpy that he could do it without thinking.
2. Henry Scott played by Roger Compton
3. Gray Wolf played by Ed Ronne, Sr.
4. Frenchy DeSalle, Houseboat Charlie and many, many others played by Rex Brenner
5. Ranger Ralph Carpenter and others played by Bill Pearce
6. Announcer, various rangers, others - Walter Carlson
7. Ranger Jane Reeves, other women and also children - Flo Schmid
Crew
Charles Christensen - director
Jim Grant - director
Charles Erkhart - writer
John Rowan - writer
John McComb - sound effects
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Dodd almost home from Bolivia
Dodd of HisKids is on his way home from Bolivia!!! When I last checked Dodd on Facebook, he messaged that he was waiting in the airport in Atlanta for his flight to Michigan which was delayed. He should be safely home in a few hours.
Join me in thanking God for a safe trip home for Dodd and for a successful time in Bolivia.
Join me in thanking God for a safe trip home for Dodd and for a successful time in Bolivia.
Friday, July 23, 2010
RB-087 The White Fields
A flu epidemic near Central City has left the farmers there short-handed for the harvest. Bill sends some of his rangers out to help with the harvest. There is a threat of forest fire, so Bill can only send a few men. One of the farmer-rangers, Marty Nelson, feels the need for a career change while combining the wheat, but not to become a farmer. This ranger hears God's call to mission work. Marty wrestles with his call, his loyalty to Bill, and his love for his job as ranger.
The Life of the Fire Tower Lookout
July is the beginning of fire season in Big Pine National Forest. The fire towers and especially the tower rangers are critically important to spotting and controlling fires in Big Pine. Ranger Bill keeps in close contact with all of his fire towers every day. You may not know that there are also fire lookout cabins. These cabins are built on top of several of the higher mountain tops and have even better views of the national forest.
Fire lookouts begin their day at 5:30 am. The four walls of their fire towers or cabins are surrounded by windows to give an unobstructed view of the forest. Tower lookouts must go for their daily water from a local stream. Lookouts in mountain cabins must gather and boil snow for drinking water. Cabins and towers are swept and picked up every morning just in case visitors stop by.
This time of year the days are hot and the forest is dry. The lookout must spend 20 minutes out of each and every hour scanning the forest for any telltale signs of fire. Lookouts must pay special attention to anything that might look like smoke.
Rain usually means thunderstorms and lightening. Lookouts each have special lightening stools with glass feet. The lookout must stand on the stool in the middle of the room during a storm to protect from electrocution. Then there is the Osborne Fire finder, a circular topo map with two rotating sights. This is used to locate a fire within 160-acre grid quadrants. The static in the air will make a ranger's skin tingle and make his hair stand up. He or she may see St. Elmo's Fire may roll down tree branches. Rangers may see multiple fires come to life in just a matter of minutes.
Boredom is a problem these rangers and volunteers must deal with all summer long. The isolation can become a major problem for some. Others, such as writers, find the isolation the perfect outlet for their creative side. Mammoth mountains with ominous names, like Desolation Mountain or Terror or Fury, derived from stories from fur traders and Indians add to the stress many rangers feel at times.
If you ever get a chance to meet a fire lookout, whether full-time ranger or summer volunteer, please tell him thanks from all of us for caring for our safety and for the forest.
Fire lookouts begin their day at 5:30 am. The four walls of their fire towers or cabins are surrounded by windows to give an unobstructed view of the forest. Tower lookouts must go for their daily water from a local stream. Lookouts in mountain cabins must gather and boil snow for drinking water. Cabins and towers are swept and picked up every morning just in case visitors stop by.
This time of year the days are hot and the forest is dry. The lookout must spend 20 minutes out of each and every hour scanning the forest for any telltale signs of fire. Lookouts must pay special attention to anything that might look like smoke.
Rain usually means thunderstorms and lightening. Lookouts each have special lightening stools with glass feet. The lookout must stand on the stool in the middle of the room during a storm to protect from electrocution. Then there is the Osborne Fire finder, a circular topo map with two rotating sights. This is used to locate a fire within 160-acre grid quadrants. The static in the air will make a ranger's skin tingle and make his hair stand up. He or she may see St. Elmo's Fire may roll down tree branches. Rangers may see multiple fires come to life in just a matter of minutes.
Boredom is a problem these rangers and volunteers must deal with all summer long. The isolation can become a major problem for some. Others, such as writers, find the isolation the perfect outlet for their creative side. Mammoth mountains with ominous names, like Desolation Mountain or Terror or Fury, derived from stories from fur traders and Indians add to the stress many rangers feel at times.
If you ever get a chance to meet a fire lookout, whether full-time ranger or summer volunteer, please tell him thanks from all of us for caring for our safety and for the forest.
Monday, July 19, 2010
HisKids' Dodd in Bolivia!
Dave:
I'm traveling with Compassion International on a Vision Trip and will be working with Cornerstone University Radio in hopes of helping our listeners show God's love by sponsoring children to release them from poverty in Jesus' name.
http://www.wcsg.org/special/compassion/
--> Dodd
Rangers,
Please join me in praying for Dodd as he travels with Compassion International. Ask the Lord for a safe and successful trip to help children of poverty and that the gospel would be spread through this work.
In Christ,
Ranger Dave
I'm traveling with Compassion International on a Vision Trip and will be working with Cornerstone University Radio in hopes of helping our listeners show God's love by sponsoring children to release them from poverty in Jesus' name.
http://www.wcsg.org/special/compassion/
--> Dodd
Rangers,
Please join me in praying for Dodd as he travels with Compassion International. Ask the Lord for a safe and successful trip to help children of poverty and that the gospel would be spread through this work.
In Christ,
Ranger Dave
Knotty Pine GAZETTE - "Construction" Projects
Two unusual construction projects are slated to begin immediately here in Knotty Pine.
Skiing in July
Paul Alexander, owner and manager, of the Big Six Ski Lodge has a little construction project planned for a ski run this week to cap Knotty Pine's Christmas in July celebration. Paul has all available dump trucks, a steam shovel, a front loader, and a couple bulldozers moving snow from the tops of the Big Six Mountains to the lodge's biggest and most popular ski run. Paul says that he is planning to pack over a foot of snow on the hill. He expects that the snow should last over a week before totally melting.
Squirrel Bridges
Some of the boys in Henry Scott's scout troop have found a new use for old fire hoses - as bridges for squirrels over some of the major roadways in and around Knotty Pine. The boys read that people in other cities were saving squirrels' lives by making bridges for squirrels over busy roads. One city is attaching old worn-out fire hoses to trees across busy roads and above the tallest vehicles. These squirrel bridges should greatly reduce the squirrel traffic deaths. The hardware to hold these hose bridges is relatively modest in cost and will hold firm for years to come. So Henry's troop started checking with some local fire departments and found a wealth of old hoses that are no longer safe for fire fighting. Knotty Pines' firefighters are quite willing to donate their old hoses. Several wildlife enthusiasts in town also support the project. City Council has given its conditional approval to the Squirrel Bridge Project, as it is officially named. Final approval from the county engineer is needed to get the scouts' project under way.
Skiing in July
Paul Alexander, owner and manager, of the Big Six Ski Lodge has a little construction project planned for a ski run this week to cap Knotty Pine's Christmas in July celebration. Paul has all available dump trucks, a steam shovel, a front loader, and a couple bulldozers moving snow from the tops of the Big Six Mountains to the lodge's biggest and most popular ski run. Paul says that he is planning to pack over a foot of snow on the hill. He expects that the snow should last over a week before totally melting.
Squirrel Bridges
Some of the boys in Henry Scott's scout troop have found a new use for old fire hoses - as bridges for squirrels over some of the major roadways in and around Knotty Pine. The boys read that people in other cities were saving squirrels' lives by making bridges for squirrels over busy roads. One city is attaching old worn-out fire hoses to trees across busy roads and above the tallest vehicles. These squirrel bridges should greatly reduce the squirrel traffic deaths. The hardware to hold these hose bridges is relatively modest in cost and will hold firm for years to come. So Henry's troop started checking with some local fire departments and found a wealth of old hoses that are no longer safe for fire fighting. Knotty Pines' firefighters are quite willing to donate their old hoses. Several wildlife enthusiasts in town also support the project. City Council has given its conditional approval to the Squirrel Bridge Project, as it is officially named. Final approval from the county engineer is needed to get the scouts' project under way.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Smallest Wild Area Residents Hikes
Rangers Gray Wolf and Stumpy Jenkins will be leading hikes throughout the summer to highlight little-known aspects of Big Pine National Forest. The rangers are excited to share some of the smallest residents of the Shady Mountains. Two of their favorite little residents are pikas and calliope hummingbirds.
Gray Wolf says that the pika is a small hamster-like animal related to the rabbit and hare. The pika is roughly three-quarters of an inch long with a one-eighth inch long tail. It's ears are short and rounded. Also called coney or rock rabbit, the pika lives in between and under rock fields above the tree line This means that Gray Wolf will be taking hikers on a high-altitude walk up the Shady Mountains to hunt these small mountain farmers. Yes, farmers. Pikas are most easily found by locating their haystacks. Pikas eat grasses, moss, and lichens that grow above the tree line. Pikas cut and stack grasses into haystacks to dry. When dry, pikas bring their haystacks inside their burrows to eat during the winter months. Gray Wolf says that he never tires of watching rock rabbits scamper about cutting and stacking grass into haystacks.
Stumpy and Gray Wolf will also be taking hikers to see the calliope hummingbird on the small mountain residents hikes. The calliope hummingbird is the smallest hummingbird found in North America. Adults weigh only 2.5 to 3 grams. They drink flower nectar and eat small insects. These birds are dark green in color with a white chest. Males have red streak on their necks. Calliopes prefer to build their nests in shrubs that grow along or near streams or highways. They live in the higher elevations of the US and Canada in summer and migrate into Mexico during the winter, often traveling more than 3,000 miles in one direction. Calliopes have been found at elevations at high as 11,000 feet.
Gray Wolf says that the pika is a small hamster-like animal related to the rabbit and hare. The pika is roughly three-quarters of an inch long with a one-eighth inch long tail. It's ears are short and rounded. Also called coney or rock rabbit, the pika lives in between and under rock fields above the tree line This means that Gray Wolf will be taking hikers on a high-altitude walk up the Shady Mountains to hunt these small mountain farmers. Yes, farmers. Pikas are most easily found by locating their haystacks. Pikas eat grasses, moss, and lichens that grow above the tree line. Pikas cut and stack grasses into haystacks to dry. When dry, pikas bring their haystacks inside their burrows to eat during the winter months. Gray Wolf says that he never tires of watching rock rabbits scamper about cutting and stacking grass into haystacks.
Stumpy and Gray Wolf will also be taking hikers to see the calliope hummingbird on the small mountain residents hikes. The calliope hummingbird is the smallest hummingbird found in North America. Adults weigh only 2.5 to 3 grams. They drink flower nectar and eat small insects. These birds are dark green in color with a white chest. Males have red streak on their necks. Calliopes prefer to build their nests in shrubs that grow along or near streams or highways. They live in the higher elevations of the US and Canada in summer and migrate into Mexico during the winter, often traveling more than 3,000 miles in one direction. Calliopes have been found at elevations at high as 11,000 feet.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
RB085 The Deep Country
Colonel Anders and his wife are late returning from their California vacation. The colonel's assistant Walt and the colonel's daughter drive Bill crazy with all their worries and fears. Bill believes that the Anders' car may have been found far into the back country, in the deep country. The colonel's daughter, Walt, and the folks living in the deep country make Bill's job of finding the colonel nearly impossible. Will Bill locate the colonel and his wife - before it's too late?
Monday, July 5, 2010
Happy Birthday USA, Happy Birthday RBFC
Thank You Everyone!!! While our land is celebrating 234 years as a nation, the Ranger Bill Fan Club is celebrating 60 years of Ranger Bill broadcasts. And the Ranger Bill Fan Club is also celebrating turning 8 years old yesterday. And it's all because of the interest of each and every one of you who listen to Ranger Bill. Whenever you stop by this website to listen to the week's story or catch the latest news from Knotty Pine or write to say "Hi" or to ask a question you make this website what it is today. Many of you have shared tapes or CDs of different shows that I did not have. Some have passed along information about Ranger Bill's cast and crew. Some are looking for Ranger Bill CDs. Thanks to each of you for your interest in Ranger Bill and for your support of the fan club and this website.
It's hard to imagine that it has been eight years ago on a quiet 4th of July evening that I sat down to create the RBFC and design a simple web page to share what I had learned about Ranger Bill and looking for more Ranger Bill information and recordings. I have met hundreds of you through letters and emails. And I continue to learn new and fascinating information about the show, parks, forests, rangers, and the wilderness. And I promise to continue to work hard to learn and share what I learn with you.
My greatest thanks goes to HIS KIDS Radio who so generously share Ranger Bill with us each and every week. The popularity of this page is due in large part to being able to offer you Ranger Bill through their player 24 hours a day, 7 days each week.
As I began, I would like to conclude this. Thank you, everyone, for your support of and interest in Ranger Bill! God bless and keep listening!!!
It's hard to imagine that it has been eight years ago on a quiet 4th of July evening that I sat down to create the RBFC and design a simple web page to share what I had learned about Ranger Bill and looking for more Ranger Bill information and recordings. I have met hundreds of you through letters and emails. And I continue to learn new and fascinating information about the show, parks, forests, rangers, and the wilderness. And I promise to continue to work hard to learn and share what I learn with you.
My greatest thanks goes to HIS KIDS Radio who so generously share Ranger Bill with us each and every week. The popularity of this page is due in large part to being able to offer you Ranger Bill through their player 24 hours a day, 7 days each week.
As I began, I would like to conclude this. Thank you, everyone, for your support of and interest in Ranger Bill! God bless and keep listening!!!
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Happy 4th of July!!! from Knotty Pine
Ranger Bill Jefferson, Stumpy, Gray Wolf, Henry, Ralph, Rocky and all the gang from Knotty Pine and Big Pine National Forest want to wish everyone a "Happy 4th of July!!!"
Please take time this weekend to remember the sacrifices made by so many brave soldiers to preserve the blessings of peace and freedom that we have enjoyed in the USA for more than 200 years. And thank the Lord God for giving us national peace despite so many threats to that peace. Above all, thank God for the supreme peace we have with Him through faith in the death of Jesus on the cross.
Knotty Pine is celebrating the Fourth with a BIG fireworks display this Saturday night at 9:00 PM. The fireworks are being sent up from Jock McIntosh's welding shop property north of Knotty Pine's downtown. The fireworks display can be best viewed from Knotty Pine's square. On-street parking as well as parking in all downtown parking lots is permitted for the evening's show.
Big Pine National Forest will be open throughout the holiday weekend. Ranger Headquarters, all camping areas within the forest, as well as the visitors center and the Chuck Wagon food center will be open during regular hours. Ranger Bill has deputized several local residents as volunteer rangers for the weekend to help with the expected crowds and to give the rangers a little free time with their families and loved ones. Frenchy DeSalle and some of his loggers are some of the weekend rangers. Dick and Bob "Unc" Mitchell with their three tugboats will handle policing Shady River traffic and river fire control for the 4th.
Please take time this weekend to remember the sacrifices made by so many brave soldiers to preserve the blessings of peace and freedom that we have enjoyed in the USA for more than 200 years. And thank the Lord God for giving us national peace despite so many threats to that peace. Above all, thank God for the supreme peace we have with Him through faith in the death of Jesus on the cross.
Knotty Pine is celebrating the Fourth with a BIG fireworks display this Saturday night at 9:00 PM. The fireworks are being sent up from Jock McIntosh's welding shop property north of Knotty Pine's downtown. The fireworks display can be best viewed from Knotty Pine's square. On-street parking as well as parking in all downtown parking lots is permitted for the evening's show.
Big Pine National Forest will be open throughout the holiday weekend. Ranger Headquarters, all camping areas within the forest, as well as the visitors center and the Chuck Wagon food center will be open during regular hours. Ranger Bill has deputized several local residents as volunteer rangers for the weekend to help with the expected crowds and to give the rangers a little free time with their families and loved ones. Frenchy DeSalle and some of his loggers are some of the weekend rangers. Dick and Bob "Unc" Mitchell with their three tugboats will handle policing Shady River traffic and river fire control for the 4th.
Friday, July 2, 2010
RB084 The Flying Game Warden
Every ranger wants Arnie Nelson's cushy job as flying game warden, including Bill. Arnie takes a month's vacation, so Col. Anders makes Bill the flying game warden. Bill and his rangers find out Arnie's job isn't so easy. Bill must cover a huge section of forest, lakes and rivers, as well as protect and rescue both vacationers as well as the wildlife. And there are poachers, especially the Bixon family. Find out with Bill and the boys just how hard and dangerous the flying game warden's job really is!
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