Brinkman Adventures

Ian Brinkman: Hold still.

RD: Identify yourself and state your purpose.

Ian Brinkman: I'm Ian. Don't worry. We're just testing to see if your new solar panel and battery are working.

RD: Voice signature does not match Ian Brinkman. There is insufficient photoelectric energy in this vicinity.

Ian Brinkman: My voice changed. I'm still Ian. And we don't need sunlight for this test. We need to see how long you can run at full speed on that last charge.

RD: Why did your voice change?

Ian Brinkman: It's normal for a guy's voice to change when he reaches adulthood.

RD: I do not believe you are an adult.

Ian Brinkman: Well, I'm almost an adult.

RD: Incorrect. Almost, adverb, meaning not quite or very nearly.

Ian Brinkman: Oh brother.

RD: And my battery will last 49.32 minutes.

Beachglass Ministries: You're listening to the Brinkman Adventures and today's episode is entitled Lying Dinos. Have you ever considered what you want to be when you grow up? Ian's been giving it some thought lately. Let's rejoin him in the garage as this adventure heats up.

Patrick Pennington: Hey there, Ian. What you doing?

Ian Brinkman: I gave RD a brand new set of brushless motors and fitted him with two lipo batteries and a solar panel.

Patrick Pennington: Wow.

Ian Brinkman: And look, high-performance tires. These things will go a couple thousand miles before they need to be changed.

Patrick Pennington: Why the upgrade?

Ian Brinkman: I want RD to be like a mini driverless car. Right now, he can go nearly 60 miles an hour.

RD: Incorrect. With new motors, my top speed is 72 miles per hour at full charge.

Ian Brinkman: With these solar panels, he'll be able to travel long distances, if he has sunlight. Now, if I can only figure out a way to get his GPS unit interfaced with his microcontroller.

Patrick Pennington: Use his phone.

RD: That's what I keep saying.

Ian Brinkman: I would, but Dad doesn't understand why we should add him to the plan.

Patrick Pennington: I'll put him on my plan. It's only a few extra bucks a month. How about I take him home tonight and get it set up for you?

Ian Brinkman: That would be great. Thanks, Mr. Pennington.

Patrick Pennington: Don't mention it. How did you learn to do all this stuff? Remember, I used to work for NASA.

Ian Brinkman: Oh, that's right.

Patrick Pennington: What do you want to be when you grow up, Ian?

Ian Brinkman: I'm not sure. I used to want to be a paleontologist. Now I'm more interested in electronics.

Patrick Pennington: For the first ten years of my life, I wanted to be an entomologist. Don't know how I got from bugs to rockets, but that's how life goes sometimes. Finding your calling can be a real adventure. Hey, would you mind letting me see how fast he runs?

Ian Brinkman: I'd love to. Let's get you out of this testing rack, RD.

RD: Prepare to be amazed.

Jack Brinkman: So, how would you guys summarize this verse?

Hope Brinkman: If I make my peanut butter and jelly sandwich or drink my orange juice or doing my dishes, I should always bring glory to God.

Jack Brinkman: All right. Good job. Okay, before we finish up here, Ian, I have something to announce that might interest you.

Ian Brinkman: Yeah?

Jack Brinkman: Next week, we're all going to Montana to dig for dinosaur bones.

Peter Brinkman: Seriously? No way!

Susan Brinkman: We would have told you sooner, but the details were up in the air. We'll be camping in a state park and working with the folks at Glendive Dinosaur and Fossil Museum.

Hope Brinkman: What's that?

Jack Brinkman: Well, sort of like family camp, only a little more rugged. We'll sleep in a tent together and we cook our food over a fire and camp stove. So, what do you think, Ian?

Ian Brinkman: Sounds amazing. Do we all get to go?

Jack Brinkman: Of course.

Ian Brinkman: Do they make a tent big enough for all of us?

Jack Brinkman: Yeah, Mom found one already. It's going to be a trip you guys will never forget. Ian, are you excited?

Ian Brinkman: Yeah, sure.

Jack Brinkman: You don't sound very excited.

Ian Brinkman: It's just not my biggest passion anymore.

Jack Brinkman: Well, by modifying RD to dig, you'll actually be combining two interests.

Ian Brinkman: True. Should we see if it works?

Jack Brinkman: Do you not trust my skills?

Ian Brinkman: RD, start navigation.

RD: Starting navigation.

Ian Brinkman: State your position.

RD: 43 degrees, 2 minutes, and 21 seconds North. 87 degrees, 54 minutes, 23 seconds West.

Ian Brinkman: I think you actually did it.

Jack Brinkman: I also linked him to the Find a Phone app. Enter your dad's number and see what he does.

Ian Brinkman: All right. Okay, RD, find Dad.

RD: Finding Dad.

Jack Brinkman: See? He's headed for the house. Amazing.

Ian Brinkman: RD, end navigation.

RD: Ending navigation.

Ian Brinkman: Now we just need to attach the shovel.

Jack Brinkman: Can I suggest that you reinforce his frame for the counterweight?

Ian Brinkman: Good idea.

RD: Hello, Isaac.

Isaac Brinkman: Hi. What are you doing to RD?

Ian Brinkman: We're attaching a shovel to RD's mechanical arm.

RD: So I can dig for fossils.

Isaac Brinkman: Did you ask Dad if there's room? RD's pretty big. I thought you always wanted to be a paleontologist.

Ian Brinkman: I did. Just not anymore.

Isaac Brinkman: Well, if it's bothering you, talk to him about it.

Ian Brinkman: I can't. He planned this whole trip for me.

Jack Brinkman: Hey, Ian.

Ian Brinkman: Hi, Dad. Where should I put RD?

Jack Brinkman: Son, we're packed to the gills.

Ian Brinkman: But Dad, it's like he's part of the family. I can't leave him here.

Jack Brinkman: I know, but look. Do you see any room in the trailer? And the van is just as full.

Ian Brinkman: Can't we just strap him to the roof?

Jack Brinkman: If we had roof racks, maybe. But I'm really sorry, son. I can't believe it.

Ian Brinkman: Where are we going?

RD: The garage. I'm putting you in standby mode.

Ian Brinkman: But you said, RD, we're going fossil digging. I know I said that. But things change.

RD: I must come.

Ian Brinkman: You can't, RD. I'm sorry. See you in a week.

Patrick Pennington: Hi, Bernice. I'm not in the house right now. I'm at the Brinkmans'. Well, your bird got loose again. It obviously doesn't want to be in the cage. Oh, I know you love the bird, but it's eating all the drapes.

Well, I know the Brinkmans are gone, but their garage is full of stuff and I need something to patch the cage so Bogart stays in there. All right. I'll see you in a minute, love.

RD: RD, find Dad.

Patrick Pennington: Hey, what's going on, RD?

RD: Finding Dad.

Patrick Pennington: Stop right there. Don't you even... no, come back!

Peter Brinkman: These hills around us are so inviting.

Hope Brinkman: Can we go climbing?

Jack Brinkman: Sure, but not now. Once we have the camp set up, we're going to go meet our guide, Mr. Otis Klein. He's going to take us out on a dig for the rest of the afternoon. And then tomorrow, he's giving us a personal tour of the dinosaur museum he helped build.

Hope Brinkman: This is going to be the best trip ever.

Peter Brinkman: Look what I found over there, guys. A golf ball made of rock.

Ian Brinkman: Those are called concretions. They're made when minerals form around a fossil.

Jack Brinkman: You're going to make a great paleontologist, son.

Ian Brinkman: Thanks.

Patrick Pennington: 72 miles an hour, my foot. I'm going 75 and we can barely keep up.

Bernice Pennington: I thought you said he'd run out of batteries by now.

Patrick Pennington: RD said his battery life was just over 40 minutes. We're nearly to Madison.

Bernice Pennington: Why don't you just call them and tell them their robot escaped? I'm sure they'd understand.

Patrick Pennington: Bernice, I already tried that. They're not answering. Wait, where'd he go? Oh, he just drove off the highway and into that cornfield. Hit us, stinker.

Bernice Pennington: Look. You can see the cornstalks moving. He's headed that way.

Patrick Pennington: That is one determined little robot. Buckle up.

Bernice Pennington: Don't you even think of it, Patrick.

Patrick Pennington: He's not getting away. Hang on.

Jack Brinkman: You found me.

Otis Klein: We did. I'm Jack Brinkman. And this is my wife, Susan.

Susan Brinkman: Hello.

Jack Brinkman: And these are my kids.

Otis Klein: Hi. Glad to meet you guys. My name is Otis Klein and this is the Glendive Dinosaur and Fossil Museum.

Peter Brinkman: Is that a T-Rex? It's crashing right through the building.

Otis Klein: Pretty cool, huh? Tomorrow I'll take you inside and give you a tour. But today, I'm taking you behind the museum to our dig site. You guys ready to look for some dinosaur bones?

Peter Brinkman: We're ready!

Ian Brinkman: What happened to your truck?

Otis Klein: Storm last week. Blew the windows right out.

Susan Brinkman: Wow, that must have been a really strong wind.

Otis Klein: Airport wind gauge measured it at 120 miles per hour right before it was blown away. Yikes. Well, the site's about a mile and a half walk into the badlands. Let's hit the trail.

Susan Brinkman: Glad you have tarps up to block the sun. We're not used to this kind of heat in Wisconsin.

Otis Klein: It's already well over 100. Be sure to stay hydrated.

Susan Brinkman: Hear that, kids?

Hope Brinkman: Are there wild animals here?

Otis Klein: Mountain lions, rattlesnakes. But I carry a pistol, so you don't need to worry. Okay, guys, come over here and I'll show you how we dig.

See that six-foot wall of dirt surrounding us in this basin? That's where we dig to find the bones. Choose a spot in the bottom layer, the one with the pebbles. Then take a screwdriver like this and slowly start scraping away the dirt. And when you find something harder, carefully work around it like this.

Peter Brinkman: Is that a bone?

Otis Klein: Yes, it's a fossil. Looks like a small piece of turtle shell.

Peter Brinkman: Cool.

Hope Brinkman: Hey, I thought we were digging for dinosaur bones.

Otis Klein: Oh, don't worry. You'll find dinosaur bones too. Do you guys know what buried the dinosaurs like this?

Ian Brinkman: Noah's flood?

Otis Klein: That's right. The flood waters were like huge tides rising higher and higher. Each tide would lay down new layers. In this particular layer, there are a lot of bones mixed together, sort of like a blender.

We believe this layer was deposited a little later in the flood when there were lots of pieces of dead animals mixed together. Hope, do you want this shell?

Hope Brinkman: Thanks, Mr. Otis.

Ian Brinkman: Have you done this all your life?

Otis Klein: Nope. I worked as a businessman for years. Digging dinosaur bones was a hobby I picked up later in life. But over time and after a few career changes, God led me to this.

Ian Brinkman: Huh.

Peter Brinkman: Hey, guys, I'm cooking dinosaurs over here. Anybody want a steak?

Otis Klein: Sure, I'll take mine medium rare, Peter. Okay, everyone grab a screwdriver and pick a spot on the wall.

Ian Brinkman: I think I found something.

Otis Klein: Let's see. Yep, sure enough. It looks to me like it could be a hand bone from a juvenile T-Rex. Good job.

Ian Brinkman: Thanks.

Jack Brinkman: Is this a bone?

Otis Klein: No, sorry, Jack. It's just a rock.

Peter Brinkman: Mr. Klein, over here.

Otis Klein: Very good, girls. That could be a skull bone, maybe from a small raptor.

Peter Brinkman: No way.

Jack Brinkman: Otis, what about this? Please tell me it's a bone.

Otis Klein: Hey, that's a leverite. Cool.

Jack Brinkman: Yeah?

Otis Klein: Leverite right there because it's a rock.

Peter Brinkman: Sorry, Jack.

Otis Klein: Okay, everybody, start cleaning up your tools. We don't want to walk back in the dark. Did you have fun?

Peter Brinkman: Yeah, sure did!

Jack Brinkman: Otis, could you come over here?

Otis Klein: Aha! No wonder you got so quiet. I'm guessing it's a piece of Triceratops rib. Nice work, Jack. Dig around it a little more and I'll help you extract it.

Susan Brinkman: Oh, what a day. We won't ever forget that one.

Jack Brinkman: Yeah. Have you noticed Ian?

Susan Brinkman: What about him?

Jack Brinkman: I don't know. He just seems kind of quiet. I'll talk to him. When Otis heard that he wants to be a paleontologist, he offered to take the two of us to a very special place tomorrow.

Susan Brinkman: Really? Where?

Jack Brinkman: Another ranch down the road. They're excavating a complete Triceratops skull. You okay with me taking him?

Susan Brinkman: Sounds like a great opportunity for you guys.

Jack Brinkman: Huh. Another missed call from Mr. Pennington.

Susan Brinkman: Can you call him back?

Jack Brinkman: Tried. No service back here.

Susan Brinkman: It's kind of nice to be unplugged.

Jack Brinkman: Yeah. Did you see that?

Susan Brinkman: What?

Jack Brinkman: A shooting star.

Susan Brinkman: Wow. What a night. I wonder what tomorrow holds.

Ian Brinkman: Does the museum own this land?

Otis Klein: No, it belongs to a friend of ours. We've been excavating the Triceratops skull here with the help of an intern and a couple of friends from Answers in Genesis.

Ian Brinkman: Are they coming?

Otis Klein: No, they're taking a break this week. Your dad tells me you've been interested in dinosaurs since you were little.

Ian Brinkman: Yeah. I knew all the names when I was like five.

Otis Klein: Now, I told your dad that sometimes I take on interns. Next summer, if you'd like to spend some time with us, I think we might just have a spot for you.

Ian Brinkman: Wow. Thanks, Mr. Otis.

Otis Klein: You're welcome. One of my goals with this ministry is to help young Christians like you get real experience in the field. And that's hard to come by nowadays for people like us who don't accept evolution as fact.

Well, here we are.

Ian Brinkman: No way! Look at those horns.

Otis Klein: Pretty cool, huh? The head is lying on its right side. Today, we'll remove more of the dirt around the skull. We're also going to increase the size of the hole. I want to make sure we're not missing anything. Ian, why don't you grab a tool and start over there?

Ian Brinkman: All right.

Jack Brinkman: So do you think there's more than the skull here?

Otis Klein: No, but the head of the Triceratops was among the largest of all land animals. And because they were so heavy, they would get lodged in the mud and the rushing water would pull the body off. But we always dig several feet around the skull just in case we get lucky. So let's get started. And please be very careful.

Jack Brinkman: Look at this. Is that a rib?

Otis Klein: I think so. Carefully dig right there.

Jack Brinkman: I think I hit bone.

Otis Klein: I bet it's the same rib.

Jack Brinkman: That would make it over 30 inches long.

Ian Brinkman: Mr. Otis, look at this.

Otis Klein: Let me see. Where did you find that?

Ian Brinkman: Right there. See that outcropping?

Otis Klein: Very good. This might be vertebrae. There actually haven't been many full Triceratops found. We might really have something here, guys.

Ian Brinkman: I think I broke a few little pieces off.

Otis Klein: Oh, put them in a pile right there.

Ian Brinkman: Okay. Sorry about that.

Jack Brinkman: Otis, look at the sky.

Otis Klein: That's what it looked like last week before the big one hit. We need to get back.

Jack Brinkman: The tent! We've got to get it down fast. Kate, get all the air mattresses out.

Kate Brinkman: Okay.

Jack Brinkman: Peter, get the little ones inside the van. Ian and Isaac, help me.

Ian Brinkman: Yes, Dad.

Jack Brinkman: Susan, watch out for that table. Are you okay?

Susan Brinkman: I think so.

Jack Brinkman: Just get in the van. I'll take care of the rest.

Peter Brinkman: Dad, it's lifting the tent off the ground. I can't hang on.

Jack Brinkman: If I could just get this one last strap off... whoa! There goes our grill, too. Get in the van! Are we all here?

Susan Brinkman: Yep.

Jack Brinkman: Susan, you hurt?

Susan Brinkman: No, I think I'll have a good bruise, though.

Peter Brinkman: That was awesome. I wish we could do it again.

Susan Brinkman: Are you crazy?

Jack Brinkman: We're not out of the woods yet, guys.

Peter Brinkman: Maybe we should go to the museum.

Jack Brinkman: That's a good idea.

Hope Brinkman: Where are we going to sleep tonight?

Jack Brinkman: I don't know. I'm sorry, guys, but I think we'll have to head home tonight.

Hope Brinkman: Oh, but we didn't see the dinosaurs in the museum.

Ian Brinkman: We can't go yet.

Jack Brinkman: Well, I'm afraid we don't have many options.

Otis Klein: It's Otis. You have pretty good storms here in Montana. Let's ride this out inside.

Jack Brinkman: Thank you.

Otis Klein: We'll go into the lab. So you lost your tent.

Jack Brinkman: Yeah. I think we'll hit the road once this thing blows over.

Otis Klein: You don't want to drive through North Dakota in the middle of the night.

Jack Brinkman: Kids travel better at night.

Otis Klein: Yeah, but it's North Dakota. It's desolate.

Jack Brinkman: We'll be fine.

Otis Klein: I have an idea. How would you like to have your own night in the museum?

Hope Brinkman: Did you hear that?

Otis Klein: We have lots of padded chairs you could sleep on.

Jack Brinkman: Could you excuse us for a second, Otis?

Otis Klein: Sure.

Jack Brinkman: What do you think, Susan?

Susan Brinkman: I don't want our kids messing up this place.

Jack Brinkman: Oh, I'm sure they'll behave themselves. Besides, how could we turn down a night in the museum, sleeping beneath dinosaur bones?

Susan Brinkman: I know what you're saying, but I know what they're capable of. I see it every day. They're young and they're curious.

Jack Brinkman: I'll keep them in line.

Susan Brinkman: All right. But don't say I didn't warn you.

Jack Brinkman: Otis, thanks for the generous offer. We'd love to spend the night here.

Otis Klein: Okay, follow me, guys.

Hope Brinkman: It's a T-Rex in the dark.

Micah Brinkman: (Roars).

Peter Brinkman: Nice roar, Micah. Ian, shine your flashlight on it. Whoa, awesome. Look at those teeth.

Otis Klein: You'll sleep here. And the museum opens at nine. That should give you time to freshen up and get some food. I'll give you the tour in the morning before you leave. Goodnight, everybody.

Peter Brinkman: Goodnight!

Hope Brinkman: You still awake, Ian?

Ian Brinkman: Can't get to sleep.

Hope Brinkman: What's wrong?

Ian Brinkman: I'm just thinking about stuff.

Hope Brinkman: Well, I need to use the bathroom, but I'm terrified something will eat me.

Ian Brinkman: Really? All right, I'll come with you.

Hope Brinkman: They're so big.

Ian Brinkman: Shh. Wait.

Hope Brinkman: Boo!

Ian Brinkman: Ian!

Susan Brinkman: Jack, are you awake?

Jack Brinkman: Yes.

Susan Brinkman: Did you hear that?

Jack Brinkman: Yes, I did. Ian, is that you?

Ian Brinkman: Yeah.

Jack Brinkman: What are you doing?

Ian Brinkman: Hope needed to use the bathroom, but was scared, so I went with her.

Jack Brinkman: Well, that was kind of you. Hey, is something bothering you? You seem withdrawn.

Ian Brinkman: I'm fine, Dad.

Jack Brinkman: I'm not so sure. What's going on?

Ian Brinkman: It's not worth talking about.

Jack Brinkman: Come on, Ian.

Ian Brinkman: I didn't want to tell you.

Jack Brinkman: Tell me what?

Ian Brinkman: I've been really interested in computers and...

Jack Brinkman: Okay.

Ian Brinkman: It's just that I don't want to be a paleontologist. I'm sorry.

Jack Brinkman: What?

Ian Brinkman: I didn't want to tell you because I know you've been excited about me doing that. And you set up this amazing trip for me and even got me an internship. I feel awful, like I've wasted everyone's time and let you down. I'm sorry to disappoint you.

Jack Brinkman: Oh, Ian. You haven't disappointed me. It's normal for our interests to change as we discover who we are. You need to know that I'm really proud of you.

Ian Brinkman: Really?

Jack Brinkman: Absolutely.

Susan Brinkman: Oh, hi. Bathroom's free.

Jack Brinkman: Be quiet, guys.

Ian Brinkman: What?

Jack Brinkman: Do you hear that? It sounds like someone's trying to get in through the front door. It's stopped behind the counter in the gift shop. We can see the front door from there. Come on. Get down, kids.

Ian Brinkman: What do you see?

Jack Brinkman: It looks like a cell phone, but just hovering in front of the door. I'm going to call the police.

Ian Brinkman: Dad, wait. Listen.

RD: Finding Dad.

Ian Brinkman: No way! RD?

Jack Brinkman: What are you doing here?

RD: I found Dad. This is a T-Rex. And that's an Acrocanthosaurus. Acrocanthosaurus is a rare, large, bipedal predator. When full grown, this creature weighed up to 15,000 pounds.

Jack Brinkman: Thank you, RD.

Otis Klein: So it looks like they're fighting.

Peter Brinkman: Hey, look. A dinosaur nest. There are eggs in it.

Otis Klein: Right you are, Peter. This place provides a lot of strong evidence for the flood and a young earth created by God.

Susan Brinkman: The exhibits are so well done.

Otis Klein: Oh, yeah. That room over there is my favorite. It's the Bible Room.

Hope Brinkman: We have a Bible room where we have devotions.

Otis Klein: Well, that's great, Hope. Our Bible room is full of proof for the accuracy of God's Word.

Susan Brinkman: I love it.

RD: You see that dinosaur over there? That's an Ankylosaurus. Incorrect. That is closed cell, extruded polystyrene foam.

Otis Klein: You're right, RD. Our artist recreated that animal using rigid foam.

Jack Brinkman: It's pretty realistic, isn't it?

Otis Klein: I'll say. Many Christian visitors leave here with their faith strengthened. And those who are not yet Christian leave challenged to consider the truth of the Bible.

Jack Brinkman: Otis, you're an inspiration. This is definitely one of the coolest dinosaur museums I've ever seen.

Otis Klein: Well, thank you, Jack. And as you know, the glory goes to God.

Jack Brinkman: Amen.

Ian Brinkman: Thanks, Mr. Otis.

Otis Klein: Ian, your dad told me you're more interested in electronics than paleontology at the moment. Is this true?

Ian Brinkman: Yes, sir.

Otis Klein: Anyone who could design a robot like RD should be interested in electronics. For some of us, finding our career is a lifelong journey. The key is that we glorify Him in all we do.

Jack Brinkman: Amen.

Ian Brinkman: Thanks, Mr. Otis.

Otis Klein: And who knows? Maybe one day you'll design a robot that can excavate dinosaur bones.

RD: I would really dig that.

Patrick Pennington: Jack, Bernice and I are following RD down Interstate 94. And everything's under control, but please call me when you get this.

Jack, we're getting closer. By the way, we chased him through a cornfield and I messed up my suspension. I'm afraid you're going to have to pay for that.

Bernice Pennington: Patrick, you can't make them pay for your car expenses.

Patrick Pennington: Well, they're at least going to have to pay for the gas. Anyway, Jack, can you please call me when you get this?

Hey, Jack, we've been detained by the Minnesota state police. Tell Ian he can kiss RD goodbye. He's long gone.

Bernice Pennington: Patrick, we'll buy you a new robot.

Beachglass Ministries: We hope you've enjoyed today's story. While fictional, it has been inspired by real people, places, and events. If you're ever in eastern Montana, consider visiting the Glendive Dinosaur and Fossil Museum. For more information about the museum or to get your own copy of today's episode, visit brinkmanadventures.com.