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By Bob Alvis, special to Aerotech News

I guess it needs to be said that we do not endorse the activities described in this column — times have changed and lifestyles and past times in the AV are not what they used to be, so please just take this for its entertainment value only! With that disclaimer out of the way …

My big brother Gary graduated from Antelope Valley High School in 1958 and left for the Air Force soon after. Thanks to friendships he had struck up with fellow airmen, he’d often be part of a group that would visit Lancaster on weekends, looking for some form of desert entertainment at the movies or dances around town. Many of these airmen came into town on the “Blue Goose” which was the name given to the bus from Edwards that would stop at strategic hot spots in Lancaster and pick them up later at night for the trip back to base.

For some of the very privileged airmen, who were in possession of that cheap, classic old hot rod, the trips into town were a bit more tolerable and never lacking in companionship from other airmen wanting to avoid the “un-cool” aspect of the “Blue Goose” when trying to catch the eye of a cute local girl! The trips across the dry lake at Rosamond or the roads of Lancaster’s east side were more often than not filled with boredom, as bottles of soda were consumed and stories passed from one young man to the other, as they stared down the open roads until they reached their destinations. The drives into town were usually a bit more entertaining and filled with anticipation than the ones heading home, especially if the night’s activities turned out to be a dud, but for a few that would change in a crazy way!

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The famous Jackalope of local legend.

When Gary would come home to visit, as the young brother I would hang on his every word, as he told me about this exciting and different world he lived in. On one of those occasions he had me spellbound, as he told the story of a couple of airmen buddies who had stumbled upon a very unique form of Antelope Valley entertainment, Edwards airman-style!

Back in the 1950s the east side of Lancaster was covered with hundreds of acres of alfalfa fields. All that greenery was an open invitation to pesky jackrabbits that would mow down the fields like a C-5 size lawn mower, and were a constant annoyance to the farmers. At night, the trips down the roads of the eastside were a constant challenge, as herds of rabbits darted from one side of the road to the other — and many a times a hippity-hoppity would come up a bit less hippity, if you catch my drift.

Well as the legend according to my brother goes, on a trip back out to the base in the early morning hours, three airmen in a convertible coupe started challenging each other about who was a better marksman and could pick off the most rabbits from a moving car. Without having any guns to prove their point, they turned to what was not in short supply on the backseat floorboards of the coupe — Coke bottles! Standing in the right front passenger’s seat with the top down, the bottles started flying as they took their turns doing their best to take out the jackrabbits that dared to cross their path! The headlights on high were just ok but they sure could’ve use a bit of sideways light to help with sighting their targets.

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The spotlight was a popular addition to many 1950s cars and trucks.

As the challenge continued on, they passed an intersection and their stomachs dropped, as suddenly lights from a vehicle turned on and quickly pursued them. Fearing that local law enforcement would be contacting some first sergeants in the morning, they were surprised when a farmer’s truck passed them by and pulled in front of them! Then, as if by divine intervention, the driver turned on his driver’s side spot light and began targeting the rabbits for our trio of wannabe rabbit aces! The activity went on until the supply of bottles ran out, with no victories to record — but for a least one night the trip back  out to the base from Lancaster had a much better entertainment value than usual!

Over the years, we would always hear about the hunting exploits of the test pilots and officers at Edwards back in those days, and the countless times they would take to the fields with shotguns taking aim at the flying fowl, to sharpen their skills and impress fellow pilots. But for one night, three airmen with limited means let it be known that with a bit of ingenuity fueled by boredom, they too could become the hunters of legend!

Until next time, keep both hands on the wheel and by all means be mindful of the journeys of those darting jackrabbits whose relatives needed therapy after encounters with our Valley’s own American Airmen!

Bob Out!