RB-113 Charlie's Nightmare

This Ranger Bill story is right out of the Cold War 50's. An unidentified high-speed aircraft is circling over Knotty Pine and the Shady River Valley. This thing travels faster than fighter jets! Bill soon learns that it is a misguided test missile from a top secret project. The missile is loaded with tons of high explosives and only has enough fuel for a few hours of flight. Shooting the missile down could kill many people or cause a huge forest fire. What can Bill do?
This is one of only three or four shows with Bill's mom in it.

Jedediah Smith - Christian Mountain Man

Jedediah Smith was born on January 6, Epiphany, 1799 in what is now Bainbridge, New York. Jedediah's family, especially his father had a great love for the new territories of the young United States. The family moved to western Pennsylvania in 1810 and then to Green Township in Ashland County, Ohio in 1817. With the family running low on money, Jedediah left home in 1821 to look for work, and he went west.
Smith was a Christian young man. Wherever he went, he carried three books with him, his Bible, his journal, and an 1814 first copy of Lewis and Clark's journals. (Only 1,417 copies of that first printing were sold to the public.) Jedediah practiced his faith. He prayed, read his Bible, and meditated daily.
By 1822 Jedediah had gone as far as St. Louis and was hired by General Ashley as a trapper with his American Fur Company. After only a few months of trapping in the wilderness, his party was attacked by Arikaras warriors and 13 men were killed. Jedediah fought bravely. Gen Ashley noted Jedediah's bravery and made him a trapping party captain.
In 1824, Smith was able to obtain a map made of buffalo skin and sand that helped him locate South Pass, a critically important break in the Rockies that made it possible to travel safely and easily through those mountains.
Also in 1824, Smith was attacked by a grizzly bear. The bear broke some of Jedediah's ribs and ripped open a place in his side. Then the bear bit his head, nearly scalping him and tearing loose most of his right ear. Smith directed a fellow trapper and friend, Jim Clyman, how to sew his scalp and ear back on. Smith survived the attack but was left with a nasty scar on the right side of his face that he covered with his long hair. Can you imagine being scarred like that at 25. That's tough for anyone to deal with!
In 1831, Smith was working on a wagon train delivering supplies to Sante Fe for the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. The wagons were several days ride away from Sante Fe when they ran low on water. Jedediah went to find water. A group of Comanche hunters trapped him in a box canyon and killed him. The Comanches took his rifle and pistols and sold them in Sante Fe. The folks on the wagon train thought Smith got lost and hoped he would catch up with them in Sante Fe. When they got there they found Smith's guns for sale and heard about his death. They recovered Jedediah's guns and returned them to his brother.
None of Smith's other belongings or his body were ever found. Jedediah's Bible, journal, and his copy of Lewis and Clark's journals (all extremely valuable today) were never recovered. Could those three books still be somewhere along the Sante Fe Trail waiting to be recovered?

Stumpy "Chilkoot" Jenkins

My name is Chilkoot. I come from the southeast part of Alaskee. I'm what you call a mountain man. I've been a hunter and a trapper, a wilderness guide, and even an explorer. I've hunted all kind of fur barin' critters - bears, beavers, foxes, wolverines, and more. I've hunted and trapped all the way from Alaskee to Canada and down to Californee.I've got more stories about mountain men than you can shake a stick at! I thought I might share a few of those stories with you from time to time. For a starter, how 'bout a story about a mountain man with a terrible scar. He's a Christian. And he left us a mystery to solve. I'll tell you more in my next post.
(note: I will be posting some Chilkoot stories here and on our Facebook pages. I hope you will enjoy these stories.)

RB112 The Mad Bats

Bats invade the attic of the Phipps' home, and one even bites Edna Phipps. Bill and Stumpy go to evict the bats and discover the bats are sick with rabies! The boys get help fighting off the bats from some feathered friends. One of the Phipps' neighbors causes Bill even more trouble than those pesky bats.

RB111 The Prehistoric Monster

The circus has arrived at Junction City. A full-grown bull rhino is its main attraction. This particular rhino doesn't like being in the circus. The huge beast breaks his chains and charges off into the forest. Bill and the boys are called in to find and shoot the marauder before he hurts anyone or does any serious damage. Can our rangers safely corner this prehistoric monster? Will Stumpy's pride endanger the hunt and possibly endanger lives too?

RB-120 The Self-Made Man

Dutch Vanderhaven lost his son in the war and is very bitter over his loss. He doesn't want any one's help, and he won't help anyone, not orphans, not even the church. Then Dutch is gored by a huge bull. Now Dutch is the one who needs help, but his neighbors won't give him any. Can Bill and Stumpy find a way to get the work done at Dutch's ranch and change a town full of stubbornness?

RB-119 Mrs. Murphy's Chowder

Bill and the boys and Maggie Murphy take 50 boys from their church to camp for three weeks. Henry has some problems as life guard during swim times. Stumpy and Gray Wolf lead a snipe hunt. Bill deals with one boy's home sickness. But Maggie must deal with a filthy kitchen, feeding 50 hungry boys, and then a food thief. She threatens to leave if the thief isn't caught. Bill must find the guilty boy or lose the best cook west of the Mississippi! Find out what happens to Mrs. Murphy's famous chowder too!!!

Blessed New Year 2011!!!!

I want to wish all our Ranger Bill fans and friends a joyous and prosperous 2011!!! May the mercy of God the Father, the love of Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be a real and constant part of your lives this new year!
I also want to take a moment and thank HisKids.net, and especially Dodd, for providing the fan club with all of the wonderful Ranger Bill programs we have been able to enjoy in 2010. Please support HisKids with your prayers and, if possible, with your gifts.
Keep listening each week as we share "RANGER BILL, Warrior of the Woodland!" with you. Catch Bill, Henry, Stumpy, and Gray Wolf as they watch over the forests and meadows and the mountains and valleys around Knotty Pine and Big Pine National Forest.
Have a wonderful year in Christ!
Ranger Dave