Chapter 7: Another Idea

The next morning Travis, Will, GG, Billy Bob and Jose took one of the vans and drove around the lake. Let me explain. The road did not stop at the reception center. After it crosses the dam, it continues all the way around the lake until it arrives back at the dam. They prepared for a three- or four-hour drive since it was over a hundred miles, I figured they would be back in the afternoon. They were going to stop frequently and take soil and water samples. They were also going to collect samples of grass.

Just before noon we heard an airplane.

“That will be our daughter, Debbie.”

We stood on the porch and watched as this small single engine aircraft passed overhead then circled out over the lake. It landed on the road and taxied up next to the Reception Center and parked in the parking lot!

A woman who looks about 40 or so climbs out after cutting the engine. She chocks the wheels then walks over to us. Vivian hugs her then introduces us.

“You’re a pilot” I venture.

“A commercial airline pilot to be exact. I fly for Tampco.” Tampco is the locally owned airline flying routes only in country. A lot of our clients at the hotels on the beach use them.

“How long have you been flying?”

“Counting the three years in the Military 18 years in all. 15 with Tampco.”

“How long did it take for you to get here this morning? I suspect you left from the capital?”

“I did and it takes a little less than two hours. I take a more direct route. No switchbacks,” she laughed.

“You land and take off on the road?”

“My Cessna only needs about a 900-foot runway. There is a stretch of road just pass the last cabin that is straight for about two thousand feet. So I have no problem. Oh, don’t try to get your Lear up here. You need what about 4,000 feet to land and 5,000 feet to take off right?”

“Something like that.” I had no idea. My father is the pilot in the family (former military pilot) and he takes care of all those kinds of things. But seeing her fly in had started me thinking.

Father walked up about that time and interrupted my thoughts. I introduced him to Debbie. He extended his hand.

“I saw your landing. It was beautiful.”

“Thank you but the plane almost lands itself.”

“I learned to fly in one of those single engine planes. I did not realize how much I missed it until I watched you circle out over the lake and land. No computers, no radar. That’s really flying.”

I noticed they were still holding hands as they talked. Can this really be happening?

“Let me say hello to my parents and I’ll show you around. The Cessna that is.”

Finally, she let go of his hand and we went inside to find Vivian. After hugs and greetings, Vivian explained where her father was, we sat down at the table to have lunch. There were vegetables and some type of fish hamburgers. I asked and it was Debbie who answered, “One of mom’s specialties and my favorite. She grinds up fresh fish fillets and mixes in an egg, onion and other secret ingredients. Then molds it into hamburger patties. She fries it up like a hamburger. Promising me to have them for lunch is her way of getting me to come see her and dad.”

I need that recipe also!

We hear a car pull up and in seconds in walks the men. Debbie runs into her father’s arms. Even at her age she is a Daddy’s girl.

The men were all excited about what they had found on their trip.

“Is there enough pasture for a big herd? How many cows do you think we can have?”

Travis was laughing, “Will, what do you think? A million head maybe more?”

“What your boyfriend is trying to say is that we found virgin pasture. It consists of Bermuda grass and white clover. The perfect grazing land for cattle. If the entire million acres is like what we saw today, we can graze whatever size herd you want. Never having to worry about cutting hay. We provide salt and minerals and nature will do the rest, growing a steer to around 900 lbs. in a year.”

I almost cried. This is going to work!

“We still have to run some tests on the samples we collected but from what Travis, Billy Bob and Will said on the ride back, your idea is a go,” GG sounded as excited as me.

While Angel talked to Camilla about setting a date for the closing, father and Debbie disappeared. I caught a glimpse of them walking around her plane.

Travis and I found GG sitting on the front porch talking to Will. I pulled up a chair and interrupted him for a change.

“Will, I was talking to Debbie about flying up here and I have this idea. What if we build an airport? Her company could have scheduled flights in and out of here. This place would boom. We could build a bigger hotel maybe even a condominium...”

“An airport is way too expensive. You would have to have a control tower to get commercial planes in here. Then there is the radar, the lights on the runway. Which would have to be concrete and what 7,000 feet or more. But you don’t need all that. You already have everything you need right here.” He points to the lake.

“What are you talking about?”

“You do just like they do in Canada or Alaska. They fly people in for fishing and hunting adventures. They land on a lake or river in a flying boat. You could do the same here. Advertise in travel magazines. People from all over the world will come to fish when they see the pictures of strings of bass all over 5 lbs. That is big business. Champion bass fishermen have their own shows on the television. Everybody wants to catch a five-pound bass. And those channel catfish! Do you know they grow to over 100 lbs.?”