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Australian racing driver Marcos Ambrose currently runs in the Craftsman Truck Series, a feeder competition to NASCAR’s Nextel Cup. The rear of his truck displays both Australian and US flags, and these words:
Beautiful.
As a Wood Brothers racer, Ambrose is based in North Carolina—home state of National Guardsman Ralph Strickland and his adorable wife Billie, who visited Sydney a week or so ago. Ralph (you know him better as 91B30) recently finished his second tour of Iraq (he’s a medic) so we fed him up on oysters, steaks and beer at a place in Darlinghurst (on your dime—reader contributions paid for the whole deal). Anyway, Ralph has an accent you could smoke ribs with, which made his impromptu presentation on events in Iraq via laptop-stored photographs all the more compelling. Bernie Slattery and the Wogblogger were captivated. You ever run into Ralph, ask to see his Iraq images. Especially one particular video—he’ll know the one you’re talking about.
It’s a delight to meet people like Ralph and Billie, and to repay some small amount of the generosity American readers have shown me when I’ve been in the US. Here’s to Ralph, and the Greatest Partnership.
Hope you enjoyed your tour down under Ralph, your always welcome here. Keep up the good work.
Wronwright, we speak the Queens English here mate, its you with the accent…
Posted by The_Wizard_of_WOZ on 2006 08 20 at 10:38 AM • permalinkWe really had a good time Tim. Thanks for the hospitality, and thanks to all those who posted advice about things for us to do while we were there.
We spent the first two days in Sydney, one day up to the Blue Mountains and the last day to Canberra (where, as advised, we skipped the national museum for the military museum-it was great).
I only wish we would have had more time.
Tim, you do your bit for the partnership, more than a bit.
Having shore leave in great places is one of the boons of the military. I’m glad 91B30 and his lady had a good time, but I’m a leeetle bit jealous that they got to meet da man himself. I guess I have to admit that they earned it. ;^)
(In case anyone wonders, Tim is da man.)
Now I know I gotta hit Australia and North Carolina…..
Here’s to the greatest partnership on Earth!!!
Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2006 08 20 at 11:20 AM • permalinkLadies and Gentlemen, The Partnership! *raises glass*. Now what’s all this about a particular video?. I’m never going to see it so that makes you a great big tease, Tim. Tease, I say!.
Posted by Daniel San on 2006 08 20 at 11:52 AM • permalinkPerhaps Cole Porter said it best:
If you’re ever in a jam, here I am.
If you’re ever in a mess, S-O-S.
If you ever feel so happy, you land in jail, I’m your bail.
It’s friendship, friendship, just a perfect blendship.
When other friendships have been forgot,
Ours will still be hot.If you’re ever up a tree, phone to me.
If you’re ever down a well, ring my bell.
If you ever lose your teeth, and you’re out to dine; borrow mine.
It’s friendship, friendship, just a perfect blendship.
When other friendships have been forgate,
Ours will still be great.If they ever black your eyes, put me wise.
If they ever cook your goose, turn me loose.
If they ever put a bullet through your brain; I’ll complain.
It’s friendship, friendship, just a perfect blendship.
When other friendships have been forgit,
Ours will still be it.If you ever lose your mind, I’ll be kind.
And if you ever lose your shirt, I’ll be hurt.
If you’re ever in a mill and get sawed in half, I won’t laugh.
It’s friendship, friendship, just a perfect blendship.
When other friendships are up the crick,
Ours will still be slick.Glad you had a good time, Ralph. You deserve it.
Posted by Kyda Sylvester on 2006 08 20 at 01:55 PM • permalinkoh YESS!! I’ll drink to that. Yes indeed.
Posted by Crusader rabbit on 2006 08 20 at 02:18 PM • permalinkGood on ya 91B. Thank you for keeping us safe. Hope you had a week you’ll never remember.
Posted by Vanguard of the Commentariat on 2006 08 20 at 03:36 PM • permalink“When true friends meet in adverse hour;
‘Tis like a sunbeam through a shower.
A watery way an instant seen,
The darkly closing clouds between.”It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to get stupid with them—hope y’all got bloody stupid together.
Thank you for your service, 91B30.
Posted by MentalFloss on 2006 08 20 at 04:07 PM • permalinkYay! As has already been said, hear hear, it’s great you and the Mrs had a ball, and you need to come back and see the better parts of the country.
Reece, we have Marmite in my regular supermarket. Regarding Vegemite, should anyone over in the States require some, I suspect all they would need to do is voice a request and they’d find themselves drowning in the stuff.
And to all you servicemen and women, here’s to you, too. You are doing the Right Thing.
Posted by Nilknarf Arbed on 2006 08 20 at 04:54 PM • permalinkOh boy! NASCAR Trucks on Wednesday night at Bristol. I’ll be watching for and rooting for Ambrose. Go dirty, Marcos! It’s Bristol!
Nilknarf Arbed (if that’s your real name), thanks for the Vegemite advice. Drowning in the stuff is rather scary. No, just a small jar every couple years is good. Seems I’m the only one in the household who likes it.
#26
Reece, we have Marmite in my regular supermarket. Regarding Vegemite, should anyone over in the States require some, I suspect all they would need to do is voice a request and they’d find themselves drowning in the stuff.
*raises hand tentatively* I’m in. I was given a jar by a friend. I ate it on toasted English Muffins scraped thin.
By the time I got to the end of the jar “thin” was defined as about a quarter inch.
Now I’m addicted and, while I’ve found Marmite on amazon.com, I’m having a horrible time finding any Vegemite!!!
*whimper*
It shouldnt be that hard to get Vegemite, after all its made by Kraft…
Im getting a 404 on both of those links Youngy.
Posted by The_Wizard_of_WOZ on 2006 08 20 at 09:43 PM • permalinkKraft Foods: Vegemite available in the US
Oi, you, vegemiteaholics, try this site, just had a quick look at it myself.
Failing that I could get it put up on a friends EBay for retail cost plus postage… (I’d be getting it from the supermarket).
I thought there were like some stores over in the US run by ex pats who stocked these sorts of aussie products… But being such a big country there might only be a few stores in just the big cities…
When we travelled in the US a couple of years ago we took a little squeezy travel tube of it with us….
As a NASCAR fan, I have seen most of Marcos Ambrose’s races, and I can say that he is learning how to drive American stock cars - well, trucks (he’ll be driving cars in the Busch Series next year) - really fast. Fast in kph/mph and fast in terms of the quite steep learning curve. He is beginning to show the skills and professionalism that made him the top stock car racer in Australia. Ambrose’s own homepage blog chronicling his time in America is pretty good, if you’re interested. He is very candid. It’s pretty humbling to be a superstar in your own game and then try a new one and be a rookie all over again. From a fan’s perspective, he is doing great. He has two 3rd place finishes - which is fantastic for a rookie.
Go, Marcos! Oy Oy Oy!
I went to Canberra once. I got there about half past six and wasn’t aware of the fact that they rolled the sidewalks up at half past five. The next day, about 9 am, I wus wandering the deserted streets and saw a cockatiel by the side of the road. I sez “looky here, someone’s off and left there pet bird by the side of the road.” I reached down to give the lovely bird a roost and heard a voice say, ” I wouldn’t do that if I was you.” I turned and saw a lovely gentleman in his 90’s, with a full glass of bitters, fresh from the retired Sgt Major’s club. “That bugger would as soon as bite your finger off!” He was right.
I spent the next four days learning all the local customs, couldn’t buy a drink or a meal and left richer for the experience.Gawd, I luv Oz.
open_channel_d
Honolulu, HI
31 year is the USNPosted by Holden McGroyn on 2006 08 21 at 02:12 AM • permalinkYoungy
Run! Hide! there’s a fierce looking woman with a bloody big paddle out to get you!
Nice knowing you, mate (psst - its the long URL - breaks the page!)
<Large shadow gets cast over scene>
Gulp! You’re doomed!!
Posted by Stop Continental Drift! on 2006 08 21 at 04:27 AM • permalinkLoved the paint job on the back of that truck. Glad that 91B30, a fellow Tar Heel (native of North Carolina), was treated so kindly down under. Sounds like you guys had a blast. Can’t wait to make it to Oz one day myself! BTW, I love all things Australian, but Vegemite is definitely an acquired taste! LOL!
I’ve let youngy live because I’m in a good mood, but my good moods don’t last. If you can’t figure out how to format a link using my simple instructions, then you should not post a link. DO NOT POST A URL IF IT IS LONGER THAN THE PAGE. Use the Preview button (see it? See? down there, next to the Submit button? For Christ’s sake are you blind?) to check the effect the pasted url will have on the web page. If it runs off the page and a horizontal scrollbar appears at the bottom of your browser, DO NOT SUBMIT THE COMMENT. I don’t care how eager you are to share the delightful link you have found with us.
Posted by Andrea Harris, Administrator on 2006 08 21 at 06:56 PM • permalinkUMM, upon closer inspection, I can see no sign of the Southern Cross on the back of that ute. The only stars I can see there are above the bars…
Whats up with that?
Posted by The_Wizard_of_WOZ on 2006 08 21 at 11:53 PM • permalinkladcraig - too bad about the vegemite.
Don’t you know they make you eat a slice of toast with butter and vegemite on it at customs - this is the “will he/she fit in” test that all visitors must undertake.
Posted by Stop Continental Drift! on 2006 08 22 at 04:07 AM • permalinkLets Just assume that dodgy ford drivin Kiwi has whacked the Union Jack on the rear of his auto.
Henry Ford was a nazi.
Posted by The_Wizard_of_WOZ on 2006 08 24 at 03:46 PM • permalink
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Indeed. Here’s to Ralph and the Greatest Partnership. May both enjoy great success.
I would bet he thought the same of you Aussies. G’day mate.