tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-345043922024-03-20T07:48:54.566-06:00Life on the Lee-Side(Adventures of Alex)Cloudbasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05922546759267435864noreply@blogger.comBlogger570125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34504392.post-60442267765725538572021-12-24T17:36:00.005-07:002021-12-24T21:00:08.960-07:00The Rad Decades and the Columbia Mall<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;">Being a child of the “rad” decades, the mall was a fixture of my youth. I was destined trek the desert, climb mountains, drive racecars, and fly all manner of things, but the Maryland suburb of Columbia didn’t offer much of those (I probably would have got in a lot less trouble if it had). </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;">Instead, it had a mall: The Columbia Mall.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQVh_tmg6bmtSi--cORrqcyLcsjgECYyifPm-tON7_ctJy0TuF0XhjBstDWSv4v0h1AO46qrTMrl6dqteynyCs2D9l2_y3pn6JJlrToApa9CgBKidBT4h4WP6r8PLr9074WEQwZts6vzMUySbRI6UCIYwhXk646bRB7uXtaCKASBwRpcJddA=s1492" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1026" data-original-width="1492" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQVh_tmg6bmtSi--cORrqcyLcsjgECYyifPm-tON7_ctJy0TuF0XhjBstDWSv4v0h1AO46qrTMrl6dqteynyCs2D9l2_y3pn6JJlrToApa9CgBKidBT4h4WP6r8PLr9074WEQwZts6vzMUySbRI6UCIYwhXk646bRB7uXtaCKASBwRpcJddA=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Columbia Mall Circa 1979</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"></p><div style="font-family: Cambria, serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;">Opened in 1971 as the centerpiece of the planned community of Columbia, Maryland, the Mall in Columbia (which it is now called thanks to some euphemistic word reversing) was the anchor by which the suburb of both Washington D.C. and Baltimore grew. Unlike the drab fluorescent windowless structures that defined many malls across the country in the latter decades of the Twentieth Century, when the Columbia Mall was opened, it was airy by comparison. The L-shaped structure featured continuous skylights above tiered upper levels and a cobblestone-like floor that was made from a sea of brown bricks.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 17.33333396911621px;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Its cavernous walls were lined with rad-era retailers like Musicland, Sam Goody, and of course, the Arcade. The stores were separated by courtyards filled with water fountains and concrete benches with a few food courts strewn in between. The Columbia Mall even had its own smell; part chlorinated water from the fountains, part mall food, and part desperation—because, if you were hanging out at the mall, you had nothing better to do...</span></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">My teenage years in Columbia were tumultuous ones. I was always skirting the line of rebellion and craving independence, while getting in a lot of trouble in the process. I just didn’t belong in a place like Columbia, but at the same time, I was lucky to have grown up there. My Mom worked hard and sacrificed tons for my brother I, for which I have nothing but gratitude. I even received a good education despite my efforts at trying not to. It was inevitable then, that I would periodically find myself at the mall. If my friends and I were marbles, rolling around the theoretical folds of coming of age in the 1980s and 1990s, at the bottom of those folds was the mall—and when there was nothing else to do, gravity always wins.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">When you walked into the southern entrance of the Columbia Mall, there was a certain smell that caught your nose. It stood out from the faint chemical burn of the chlorinated water fountains, the heavy grease of the food court, and even the putrid desperation that settled in the heavy air. It was a sweet smell with a bit of a kick; it was the smell of cinnamon—the smell of Cinnabon. If there ever was a store made for the mall, it was Cinnabon. Founded in Seattle at the SeaTac Mall in the mid-1980s, Cinnabon was a mall niche that satisfied the gluttonous impulses of innocent passersby who had no idea of the bad decision they were about to make. Once they caught the scent it was like an olfactory siren’s call, there was no turning back, their fate was sealed.</span></div><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;">I know this because Cinnabon was my first real job. Sure, I’d worked on a cow farm for a few days before that career choice was preemptively ended by almost drowning in a manure pond (always stay on the trail they said, always…). That was followed by a stint as a bus boy at a small restaurant, but I’ll just say that the sit-down restaurant industry and I were an ill-suited match. My buddy Mark got me the job at Cinnabon, where I earned a minimum wage of $4.25 for my hard work. My uniform consisted of dark blue polyester trousers (not unlike the ones that I wear for my current airline), a white polyester shirt, a striped dark blue polyester tie, and a white apron with a blue and pink Cinnabon logo. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;">The manager was a woman named Marcy, and she ran a tight ship. Tall and slender with dark hair, probably in her late twenties or early thirties, she set the tone of the joint and held us to a high standard. The entire mall cubby that Cinnabon occupied was white (a poor choice when your main product is brown), so we were always cleaning. You weren’t allowed to sit either, but we overcame that by sit-leaning on the tall plastic trashcans. You always had to test the trashcan before you put your full weight on it. If the trashcan’s max-gross payload had been previously exceeded, then it would fold up like a tin can and you’d be down on the white tile floor. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;">Marcy kept us inline, despite most of us having some inherent miscreant tendencies. While not the glowing beacon of robotic perfection that was Chick-fil-a, Cinnabon was far from the grease pits that Roy Rogers or Boardwalk Fries were. I was always trying to fraternize with those Christian Chick-fil-A girls, but their manager kept us heathens at bay. My duties consisted of manning the register, cleaning, taking out the trash (a highly coveted choir thanks to the cigarette opportunity it afforded), and washing dishes, which I did with all of the enthusiasm that a sixteen-year old earning minimum wage would.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;">The one area that I did excel in was rolling Cinnabons. Despite the early-1990s war on drugs, my skill set at rolling things was precisely honed and refined with the delicate touch of an artisan. The process started by taking a large ball of dough and beating it, then rolling it into flat rectangle. Once it was laid out you unsheathed a literal brick of margin and slathered it in a thick layer on top of the dough. This would be the glue that held a pound of cinnamon in place, spread evenly in another layer on top of the margin. From there the trick was to tuck the end of the sheet into a small fold, which would be the foundation of the role—every great house starts with a solid foundation. Another trick was to pull as you rolled, which made a tightly curled 36-inch log of future Cinnabons. If you did it right, it looked like a “big fatty,” but unlike the reefer variety, you wanted it to be perfectly linear. Then you cut the log into individual discs and put them upright into the oven—six at time. Minibons, pint-sized Cinnabons for those more conscious of their gluttony, were made the same way, but with the initial sheet of dough cut in half.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;">Once the buns were done, you spread a cream cheese icing on top, which melted into an oozing glaze down the sides. The buns would then be transferred to a hot plate, awaiting their destiny until those lured in by the siren’s call succumbed to their olfactory urges. “For here, or to go?” determined whether you got a box or a plate, the latter best enjoyed by the ambience of the courtyard water fountain. But it was the Cinnabons that never found a home that would play the most interesting role in my Columbia Mall experience. If I were Alice, those poor homeless Cinnabons were the white rabbit that led me down the hole to a secret underground Wonderland. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;">Some Cinnabons were boxed up to go and sold for take-home on a rack that also doubled as our only door. We kept them for several days, then they were to be discarded. One of the perks of working at Cinnabon was a plentiful supply of finely aged Cinnabons. The thing about Cinnabons is that they tend to be addictive. Some keen-eyed customers deep in the throngs of their addiction knew that if their timing was right, they might be able to score a free box (those people could care less about how old they were). They would loiter in the mall, lurking in the shadows until after it closed, then stroll up and speak slyly, “Hey man, you got any boxes of Cinnabons you are throwing out?” For the most part, we sent those people on their way, but if you were a mall insider, things were different. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;">After the mall closed, there was an entire underground economy that sprung to life; this was the Wonderland. All manner of goods and commodities were traded in those crucial after-hours twilight when the doors were locked and the straggler customers were ushered on their way, but before all of the employees had left for the night. Sam Goody and Musicland had their tapes and CDs on lockdown, and most retail clothing chains were impenetrable fortresses, but the small businesses had more leeway. The folks who owned the hippie store were always up for trading, along with the pet store as well. Other than Chick-fil-a, most of the other food places were keen to trade. The majority of it was trivial and respectful to the business owners if they were not involved directly. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;">The currency by which this commerce took place were slightly hardened Cinnabons. They were traded like large poker chips, handed back and forth across the floor of the mall. They found their way far beyond the hands of Cinnabon employees, but that also made us keenly aware of exactly what was going down throughout the mall. Tangibly, the most I ever had to show for it was free food from participating joints when I was too broke to support my munchies and some awesome fish for my aquarium (every teenage stoner needs a rad aquarium). But intangibly there was so much more—we were part of a secret society, one that was predicated on hours of mind-numbing, soul-crushing, ‘90s-era mall retail work. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;">That shared misery created a bond within our secret society, one that you could express with nothing more than a knowing glance in-passing. Within the white tile walls of Cinnabon we were a tightknit group as well. There isn’t a person that I didn’t get along with and I’m still friends with some of them two decades later. As the current owner of a small business looking back, Marcy was a great manager; she set a friendly and fun tone, instilled loyalty and good work ethic in us, and kicked us in the ass when we deserved it. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;">Eventually, I moved on from Cinnabon. Specifically, just down-mall to the T-shirt cart. It was a solo-gig that gave up the shared misery and comradery of Cinnabon for a director’s-folding-chair to sit in and the conspicuous absence of cinnamon odor on all of my clothes. The woman that owned the T-shirt cart wasn’t down with afterhours trading, and I honored her wishes. As such, I eventually drifted out of the secret society. Coming of age, I had a few more tumultuous years ahead of me, but by my early twenties, I’d cleaned up my act enough to get into flight school and leave Columbia, Maryland. I loaded up all of my humble belongings into my “hardbody” 1993 Nissan truck and headed west to fulfill my destiny, sadly the aquarium didn’t make it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;">Two decades later, I can still smell the siren’s call of the Columbia Mall Cinnabon, disturbingly resurrecting it on command. I can also still roll cinnamon buns (careful, not trying to get sued…) and fold T-shirts with alarming precision, but I choose to reserve the former for special occasions. I make it to the Mall in Columbia occasionally when I visit, but like everything else in the world, it is not the same as it was in the 1990s. As much as I detested working at the Columbia Mall, I’m grateful to have done so. The years that followed were dark and formative ones, but I emerged from them with an insatiable drive to pursue a life that I would have never dreamed of back when I was strolling into the Columbia Mall with nothing better to do. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;"> </span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Subscribe</div>Cloudbasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05922546759267435864noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34504392.post-34764125341205950522020-12-11T22:49:00.017-07:002020-12-15T12:21:55.932-07:00Air-Cooled: To Fly or to Drive<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hidden deep within the geologic folds of the upper Colorado River Basin, along the Utah and Colorado border, is a hidden canyon and one of my favorite secret spots. It was formed when a Colorado River tributary called the Dolores River patiently etched its way through rock and time. As it did so the forested high desert plateaus relinquished their perch to deep canyons, while oxidized-iron painted the rock walls red over the millennia. Nestled at the eastern base of the La Sal Mountains, Gateway had remained largely undiscovered for decades but for those few souls who ventured far off the beaten path. Then John Hendricks, founder of the Discover Channel, did what he does best and discovered the valley. He soon transformed it into a luxury resort called Gateway Canyons Resort and Spa, but thanks to a focus on out-of-state marketing, it is still largely a secret within Colorado. While Gateway Canyons is a few stars up-market from my usual sleeping-under-the-stars accommodations in the desert, the middle-agedness in me certainly doesn’t mind a nice meal and an air-conditioned hotel room at the end of a long day’s recreation.</span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">But that’s not what initially drew me to Gateway. I had flown over it for years at my professional flying job, and was inspired by the unique topography and stellar driving roads of the area. After purchasing my own small bush plane, Gateway became a staple destination area thanks to several Bureau of Land Management (BLM) airstrips, one within an easy walk to the resort. From my home airport of Erie, Colorado (KEIK), it’s a short two hour flight—low and slow—over the Colorado high country with a challenging approach and landing to boot. In early June of 2020, a last minute invitation to Gateway Canyons presented itself and a speed run was in order. My wife and I had just flown to it a few weeks earlier, but on this particular weekend the airplane was down for maintenance. I did, however, have another tool in my toolbox and perhaps a comparison was in order. </span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-MWmqZ5N/0/0c9c21a5/XL/1.%20Doloris%20River-XL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-MWmqZ5N/0/0c9c21a5/XL/1.%20Doloris%20River-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">The Dolores River Canyon</span></p><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-NdK2G6p/0/bace4673/XL/3.%20Gateway%20Canyons%20Resort-XL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="427" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-NdK2G6p/0/bace4673/XL/3.%20Gateway%20Canyons%20Resort-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Gateway Canyons Resort</span></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-X2HCPxJ/0/50e38a0f/XL/4.%20911SC-XL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="427" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-X2HCPxJ/0/50e38a0f/XL/4.%20911SC-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The 911 SC</div></span><p></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">The 1982 Porsche 911SC came to me several years ago. It wasn’t the first air-cooled 911 that had passed through my side-business, but it was the first one that I ended up keeping. Legend has it that it belonged to a higher-up at the FBI who had owned a string of 911s dating back to the late-1960s. When it came time to order this one, Porsche let him option it in an early long-hood paint-to-sample color called Dark Red Metallic. He built it to an enthusiast’s spec with no sunroof, sport seats, front spoiler, rear “tea-tray” tail, and fifteen-inch Fuchs wheels to keep the rotational mass down. After several decades he also rebuilt the stock engine with a 3.2-liter short-stroke kit. When he took his final drive west, his estate sold it on his behalf and I brought it to Colorado. The only major change I made was to add a set of new-old-stock BBS RS wheels in the most 1980’s color of all—gold!</span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">The parallels between driving an air-cooled Porsche 911 and flying a small bush plane are many. Skill is required to push both near their limits, and both are highly visceral experiences. The 911SC is so communicative that you can literally feel the texture of the road as if you are dragging your hand on the surface of the pavement. That is important, as my chosen route consisted of lots of mountain roads with dire consequences should there to be an “off.” The 911SC is also my chosen sweet spot in the air-cooled 911 timeline, being small, light, and having all of the old-school do-not-lift torsion-bar suspension tendencies of a G-body 911. I even prefer the 911SC’s “offer your shift and I <i>may</i> choose to receive it” 915 gearbox over the later G50 gearbox.</span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-XkfGF4p/0/afb16897/XL/5.%20911%20Cockpit-XL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="427" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-XkfGF4p/0/afb16897/XL/5.%20911%20Cockpit-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Similar Cockpits</span></p><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-VKGsBPK/0/326d9009/XL/6.%20Husky%20Cockpit-XL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="427" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-VKGsBPK/0/326d9009/XL/6.%20Husky%20Cockpit-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-7xSkF94/0/fab25fdc/XL/7.%20Aviat%20Husky-XL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="427" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-7xSkF94/0/fab25fdc/XL/7.%20Aviat%20Husky-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span><p></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">The Aviat Husky</span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-PjtH3QJ/0/528e4518/XL/8.%20Alternate-XL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="427" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-PjtH3QJ/0/528e4518/XL/8.%20Alternate-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">Alto-Cumulus Standing Lenticular Clouds</p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">(Mountain Waves)</p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">
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</span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #b2b2b2;"><br /></span></div><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">Mountain Flying</p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">The airplane is a 1995 Aviat Husky A-1, an early model in Aviat’s evolution of the iconic Piper Super Cub—a tube and fabric design dating back to the 1930s. My first flying lessons were in a 1946 Piper Cub, the kind that you had to “hand prop” to start. With the Husky, Aviat added several improvements, including a constant-speed propeller and the 180-horsepower horizontally opposed Lycoming O-360 air-cooled engine. Sound familiar? The original owner of my Husky ordered it in a red and white Red Devils livery to match his Pitts S2 sport bi-plane. I added 29-inch Alaska Bushwheel tires for off-airport operations. At roughly 200 horsepower and 2600 pounds, the 911SC has a power to weight ratio of .07 horsepower per pound, while the Husky is at exactly one horsepower power pound (180 horses and 1,800 pounds).</span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Flying a small bush plane in the Colorado high-country is akin to paddling a kayak in the open ocean. Just like the sea, the high mountains must be immensely respected. Experience helps, but every day in the mountains is a new day and even tens of thousands of hours of flight time is little more than a license to learn. The most formidable obstacle from Erie Airport to Gateway (actually to a BLM strip called Hubbard, 9CO3) is the Continental Divide as it travels along Colorado’s Front Range, with peaks averaging above 13,000 feet and Longs Peak at 14,259 feet to the north.</span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">The threats of crossing the Front Range in a bush plane are numerous, but the two most formidable are the lack of suitable landing areas should the engine quit (“tiger country” in bush flying speak) and not being able to out-climb sinking air created by the tall mountains. The Husky is perfectly suited to this mission, with the ability to fly slow enough to make a forced landing a survivable proposition and to turn tightly if sink is encountered. Atmospheric winds are no different than water in a river when they encounter a mountain range, with rapids forming after the obstruction called mountain waves. These mountain waves can produce strong lift and sink. Keen awareness of the winds aloft is crucial before attempting a crossing, but there is also an intangible element of how the air feels that only comes with experience. Indeed, every day is a new day when flying in the mountains.</span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-zCQ3TP2/0/f2f73f21/XL/9.%20Dawn%20911-XL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="427" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-zCQ3TP2/0/f2f73f21/XL/9.%20Dawn%20911-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Pre-Dawn Departure</span></div><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-c7KNnpz/0/741c2b6a/XL/11.%20I-70-XL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="427" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-c7KNnpz/0/741c2b6a/XL/11.%20I-70-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thin Traffic on I-70</div></span><p></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">I had packed the 911SC the evening before so that my wife and I could make an early departure. The factory tool roll (with a few extras), two quarts of oil, and two duffel bags (just like in the Husky) was all that we needed for a pre-dawn departure. It was the last weekend in May, and not one that I’d normally ever touch Interstate 70 on. I take extreme measures to avoid traffic—including buying an airplane. Thankfully, the lingering effect of the recently lifted COVID19 stay-at-home restrictions had thinned the high-country traffic. The great thing about the 911SC is that, by the lens of the modern world, it really isn’t that fast, which allows enjoyable motoring without egregious speeding. As we made our way to the foothills via Denver’s web of interstates, traffic was wonderfully light and everyone seemed to be a good mood. One particular fellow in a hot-rod Volkswagen Beetle with his dog in the front seat made a great companion for a few miles. He was bent on showing me that his car was faster, which I took the bait on once or twice, and he proved a third time for good measure. But he just loved the 911SC, giving me thumbs up and smiles. I felt the same about his Beetle, and I could think of fewer greater pleasures than being bested in my shinny red Porsche by a man and his dog in a rusty Beetle!</span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Traffic thinned even further as we started climbing up I-70 into the hills—this truly was a rare opportunity thanks to everyone staying at home.</span></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/490175226" width="640"></iframe></div><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><br /><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></p><div style="text-align: center;">Departing Erie (KEIK)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-PcTvJFv/0/08dcfd0c/XL/13%20Rolins%20Pass-XL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="427" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-PcTvJFv/0/08dcfd0c/XL/13%20Rolins%20Pass-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">Crossing the Continental Divide</p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">A tail-wheel aircraft must always be respected during takeoff and landing. It’s like trying to steer a shopping cart full of groceries backwards downhill in a straight line. Get a little off and it’s going to come around on you—just like an old-school air-cooled 911. Smoothly add power, use rudder to maintain the centerline, nudge the nose forward to lift the tail up, and ease the plane off when it’s ready to fly. Even at max-gross weight, this is a sub-500-foot event in the Husky. Departing Erie, my wife and I turned out to the west and settled into a long cruise climb up to the Continental Divide. Rollins Pass is the lowest and most logical crossing point on the Front Range, at 11,671 feet. If the winds allow, I’ll cross at 12,500 feet, but I’ve had the Husky into the upper teens to cross before. Normal technique is to enter the pass at a 45-degree angle on the upwind face of the secondary ridge. This allows a shorter course reversal if an escape maneuver is required—like a good driver, a good pilot always has their “outs.”</span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">There is a spookingly wonderful desolation to crossing the Continental Divide in a small plane. Unlike going over in a jet, being down in the mountain peaks is truly humbling. The strong sense of self-reliance that comes with knowing that your survival is directly tied to your decisions and your skill is immensely satisfying. The perspective of literally being on the top of the world is not one that I ever take for granted. The air was glassy smooth as we slipped over the pass, with only a few hundred feet of sink in the down-trough of the primary mountain wave. The terrain fell away from us quickly as we flew west over Winter Park and Granby. Our cruise altitude of 12,500 feet was perfect to cross the Williams Fork and Gore Range mountains. The rocky crags of the Gore Range are some of the most spectacular in Colorado and always worth putting a wing over for a closer look. From there, our course converged with I-70 below.</span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the 911SC, the descent on I-70 down from the Eisenhower tunnel is a well-handling sports car’s natural habitat. It’s like being a shark in a school of jellyfish made of up top-heavy white-knuckling crossover and SUV drivers. The irony is that such vehicles are sold in the name of safety, despite being riddled with stylish blind spots and festooned with safety nannies to make up for the inherent physical deficiencies of being heavy and tall. Lane discipline is also a, frustratingly, foreign concept to the average crossover / SUV driver. The only driver aid in the 911SC is a passenger to hold your coffee, “Thank you, darling!” Vail Pass and Glenwood Canyon came and went quickly as the world around us was still waking up. We pulled off I-70 in Glenwood Springs for a quick jaunt south on Highway 82 to Carbondale and then another turn to the south on Highway 133.</span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">From there, the real driving roads began…</span></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-N2G74sv/0/4b602b86/L/14.%20Glenwood%20Springs-L.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-N2G74sv/0/4b602b86/L/14.%20Glenwood%20Springs-L.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">Glenwood Canyon</p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-t8f9FLd/0/d8c08be3/XL/15%20Waterfall-XL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="427" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-t8f9FLd/0/d8c08be3/XL/15%20Waterfall-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Stopping for a Stretch Near Redstone</span></span></p><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-WwZxSfn/0/78ed28ee/XL/17.%20McClure%20Pass%202-XL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="427" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-WwZxSfn/0/78ed28ee/XL/17.%20McClure%20Pass%202-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">McClure Pass</div></span><p></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Highway 133 follows the Crystal River through the White River National Forest from Carbondale to McClure Pass. In late-spring there are dozens of waterfalls cascading off the red-stone ledges where small tributaries fueled by run-off dump into the river. There are even some hot springs right off the side of the road, but don’t expect to be alone due to their easy access. Traffic was wonderfully light as we climbed up the narrow valley, leaving the majority of the road to us and us alone. The small historic hamlet of Redstone (population 130) is always a great stop. Stone kilns in the shape of brick igloos line the roadside, bygone relics from the coal industry of the early last century. We pressed on to a waterfall spot just up-river from Redstone for a bit of a stretch and a picture or two. From there the road continued upstream, eventually climbing directly up the mountainside to McClure Pass.</span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">At 12,500 feet, it was a bluebird day in the Husky. Clear of the Gore Range, I throttled back to 20 inches of manifold pressure and 1,900 RPM, which gave us about 110 miles per hour over the ground and a fuel burn of six gallons per hour. Grateful Dead played through the intercom as we picked up the Upper Colorado River and flew it to the convergence of the Eagle River east of Glenwood Canyon. I didn’t know it at the time, but a few months later this area would burn in the Grizzly Creek Fire—one of Colorado’s largest. From there we angled south, passing over the Grand Mesa. The Grand Mesa is a literal example of island-in-the sky-climatology with arid desert ecology at its base that transitions to juniper and pinion forests on its slopes, and finally, lush alpine forests at the top of the 10,000-foot plateau. At Lands End, on the western cliff bands of the mesa, the ground literally fell away from below us from a few hundred feet to thousands in just a few short miles.</span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">The 911SC’s engine growled angrily from behind us as we crested McClure Pass—it’s like you are wearing it in a backpack! From there, Highway 133 descends along the southern edge of the Grand Mesa. If I had my way the only music in the 911SC would have been the sound of that air-cooled engine revving to redline, but streaming music the old-school way—via a cord and tape deck adaptor—to the 1980s-vintage Blaupunkt stereo was the least I could offer my wife. She once jokingly said about the 911SC that, “Your job is to drive and my job is to complain.” Today, surprisingly few complaints were lodged, despite the lack of air conditioning and blown out speakers that crackled like a 1940s vacuum tube radio. I was in hog heaven as Highway 133 turned south at the foot of the Ragged Mountains, a fortress-like vertical wall of rock that seemingly touched the sky on the western edge of the Muddy Creek drainage. This stretch of road is near perfection, with tight turns and wonderful flow—the 911SC carved up its curves with near perfection.</span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Life is nothing but a collection of moments in time, and this was a moment of pure driving bliss. On this morning in late spring, with the trees and wildflowers in full bloom I had one of the best roads in Colorado virtually to myself in an old 911. Mother of God it was good! To drive an old 911 in anger one must embrace its rear-engine torsion bar suspension tendencies. There was a certain genius to hanging the engine off the “wrong end” of the 911 and if exploited with proper steering and throttle inputs it is more of an asset than a liability. Sight your line, turn in, roll into the throttle to settle the rear end and pin it for the exit. Then repeat and repeat again, which I did at every apex as the road trickled its way down the valley. From the Ragged Mountains Highway 133 followed the western edge of Paonia Reservoir to join the North Fork of the Gunnison River into to the quaint Western Slope town of Paonia.</span></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-HjbnjKJ/0/f4c7dd47/L/18.%20Canyon-L.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-HjbnjKJ/0/f4c7dd47/L/18.%20Canyon-L.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">Highway 141</p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-CsWptqc/0/57c85dea/L/19.%20Road-L.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-CsWptqc/0/57c85dea/L/19.%20Road-L.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-rzB3q7K/0/5b4b0deb/L/20.%20Pinacle-L.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-rzB3q7K/0/5b4b0deb/L/20.%20Pinacle-L.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Thimble Rock Point</span></div><p></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">West of the Grand Mesa the final geographic feature to fly over (or more appropriately, fly through) was a canyon in the Uncompahgre National Forest plateau, and here our routes converged. Highway 141 is another of Colorado’s finest driving roads, climbing through red rock crags up from the lower Gunnison River to Juniper and Pinion forested walls on either side of the spectacular canyon. On the ground, Thimble Rock Point is worth a stop, with an historic homestead at its base. From the air, it’s also a great marker to line up on and fly through the saddle between it and the south canyon wall. The air is also the only way to truly appreciate the gravity and relief of this canyon; but it is immensely more fun on the ground thanks to the twisty section of road that follows West Creek down to Gateway. As it does so, the topography changes, once again, from Pinion forest back to red-rock desert. Gateway comes into view with the Palisade, a monolithic red-rock pinnacle that dominates the valley and the resort at its base. Drive past the general store, cross the Dolores River, and make the first right and you have arrived at Gateway Canyons.</span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-ZsZbhtb/0/2a48594e/XL/2.%20Gateway-XL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="427" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-ZsZbhtb/0/2a48594e/XL/2.%20Gateway-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Hubbard Airstrip (9CO3)</span></div><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">From the air it’s a little more complicated. The landing strip is on a small mesa just above the resort. There is plenty of room to maneuver in the valley, which is the aerial confluence of two canyons. This can create very dynamic air, depending on how much the canyons are “breathing.” In the morning hours katabatic drainage (cold air draining out of the higher canyons) converges with thermals (rising air being heated by the desert floor) in the lower canyons. In the afternoon, nimbocumulus (thunderstorm) outflows can also influence the canyons from miles away and air density is always a performance factor. I like to overfly the landing strip from above to gauge the winds and runway condition before setting up an approach. The windsock is nothing but a metal skeleton, long devoid of any orange canvas, but there are plenty of flags and a helicopter landing pad with a windsock in the resort.</span></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Helvetica; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-4mVFK43/0/1693a3f5/XL/21.%20Landing-XL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="427" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-4mVFK43/0/1693a3f5/XL/21.%20Landing-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: Helvetica; font-kerning: none;"><div style="text-align: center;">Setting Up the Approach</div></span></span></div><p></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-wHj6vXT/0/e001a555/XL/22.5%20Windsock-XL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="512" height="640" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-wHj6vXT/0/e001a555/XL/22.5%20Windsock-XL.jpg" width="427" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Skeletal Remains of the Windsock</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">
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</span></p><p></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Arrival by Air</span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-Sr55MPM/0/a611ae14/XL/22.%20Gateway-XL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="427" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-Sr55MPM/0/a611ae14/XL/22.%20Gateway-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">I like to set up the approach crossing over mid-field with a downwind on the south side of the strip, then land up-slope. A go-around from the up-sloping direction is not a good idea. To avoid this, I make my bailout point over the river, after which I’m committed to land. Occasionally, a low approach is needed to scare off tourists on UTVs unwittingly driving on the landing strip (I’d be lying if I said this safety necessity wasn’t also comically fun). Configure full flaps on the downwind—on speed—then turn a tight base inside of the Palisade. Commit to land by the river, turn final, meet the rising terrain of the mesa just beyond the barbwire fence, then pull power and roll it on to save the tailwheel (no need for a 3-point landing here). Back-taxi to tie down closer to the resort and it’s a short walk to the check-in desk. Phew!</span></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-4BnSS4f/0/329a3d38/XL/23.%20Arrived-XL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-4BnSS4f/0/329a3d38/XL/23.%20Arrived-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></div><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><div style="text-align: center;">Arrival by Land</div></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Helvetica; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Helvetica; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-HfhSkT3/0/5ed1b49f/XL/23.5%20Room-XL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="427" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-HfhSkT3/0/5ed1b49f/XL/23.5%20Room-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><p></p>
<p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">We made record time on our drive in the 911SC, despite our lengthy—but worthy—detour over McClure Pass. As the engine ticked itself cool while we unloaded our bags, I did my best to hide my over-stimulation from hours of driving bliss and ease back into the normal world. Believe it or not, landing on the airstrip was much less intense, but satisfying nonetheless—there is simply nothing else like the feeling of landing big tires on dirt. The Aviat Husky and Porsche 911SC where both already decades-old technology when they were brand new. They should have both been long eclipsed, but had not been due to the elegant simplicity and focus of their mutual designs. Both execute their missions with near perfection, while unapologetically commanding the driver and the pilot of each to have skill to operate each near the outer boundaries of their respective performance envelops. To fly or to drive, is not so much a simple question, but a choice of experiences—and on these respective trips, there was simply no wrong answer.</span></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-knNdVb6/0/140a96bd/XL/24.%20Driving-XL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="427" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-knNdVb6/0/140a96bd/XL/24.%20Driving-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-3X2fXBK/0/3e6c04ad/XL/25.%20Flying-XL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="427" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/To-Fly-or-To-Drive/i-3X2fXBK/0/3e6c04ad/XL/25.%20Flying-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Subscribe</div>Cloudbasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05922546759267435864noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34504392.post-21757199295740651962020-08-24T22:10:00.003-06:002020-08-24T22:10:48.716-06:00Montana Flying<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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After three days of epic flying in Idaho, Jo flew into Missoula to meet me for the next part of the journey. We spent the night with the Shapiro’s then headed north early in the morning to outrun thunderstorms forecasted by the same cold front that chased Jeff and I out of Idaho. The first leg to Whitefish airport was utterly spectacular as we flew along the steep western slopes of the Mission Mountains. Alpine mountain lakes and waterfalls were the norm off the right wing, with the dark blue water of Flathead Lake off the left. Our first stop was at Whitefish Airport, a 2,500-foot grass strip on the southeast corner of town. </div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-L6PNcLR/A"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-L6PNcLR/0/bc60c7d0/L/IMG_5422-L.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Mission Mountains</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-BxGQLRq/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-BxGQLRq/0/7095d905/L/IMG_5425-L.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Finley Point, Flathead Lake</div>
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<o:p>Whitefish Airport </o:p></div>
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<o:p>(Can you see it?)</o:p></div>
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Whitefish Airport is close enough to walk into town, but there were several ancient bikes hidden in the shed behind a Montana Aeronautics Division tractor. They creaked and moaned like a sinking ship as we pedaled into town for the day. After breakfast and replenishing our supplies, I treated myself to a hair cut at an old timey barbershop, followed by a jump off the dock into the Whitefish River. Afternoon winds made it a good day to stay on the ground, but by evening they had calmed enough for the short flight to Ryan Airport, located near the South Gate of Glacier National Park.</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-KS9vJ2c/A"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-KS9vJ2c/0/d817d067/L/IMG_5437-L.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Tied Down for the Day<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-ddnsgG9/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-ddnsgG9/0/27519ed2/L/IMG_5434-L.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Montana Aeronautics Division Tractor<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-Rmp8cNR/A"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-Rmp8cNR/0/75001ee2/L/IMG_5435-L.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-mKQhXbz/A"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-mKQhXbz/0/238f4941/L/IMG_5439-L.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Creaking Airport Bikes<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-VWC9n8S/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-VWC9n8S/0/d16077fa/L/IMG_5447-L.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Whitefish Lake and the Whitefish River through Town<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-3XSJLss/A"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-3XSJLss/0/c4b6b79a/L/IMG_5454-L.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ryan Airstrip<br />
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Ryan Airstrip is a slice of heaven—quite literally—it’s a small narrow swath of grass situated in a thick conifer forest within hiking distance to West Glacier. The Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) has clearly spent a considerable amount of time maintaining the strip and we were grateful for it. The amenities included a large pavilion with a picnic area and a tidy outhouse with a direct hotline to the FAA headquarters! Kathy and some other friends we had met from Idaho happened to be there too. There was even a wild huckleberry patch just on the eastern edge of the field, which made a great appetizer for dinner. It did attract occasional wildlife, which got our attention when we heard ominous noises in the trees--a stark reminder that we were deep in grizzly bear country. We had dinner and a fire together as we listened to the noises from across the runway and did our best not to spook each other with bear stories. Let's just say it wasn't the most restful night's sleep...</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-7RZgPQH/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-7RZgPQH/0/b6f25453/L/IMG_5460-L.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
The Runway at Ryan Airstrip<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-kfxWBp8/A"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-kfxWBp8/0/a15bee8c/L/IMG_5462-L.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Our Spot for the Night<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-9cpXD2T/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-9cpXD2T/0/91701045/L/IMG_5465-L.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Jo Setting up the Tent<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-DhBL8hv/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-DhBL8hv/0/17839d57/L/IMG_5466-L.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Success!<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-dbRf7Zt/A"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-dbRf7Zt/0/c9e04706/L/IMG_5470-L.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
The RAF Picnic Area and Fire Pit<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-58pfPTF/A"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-58pfPTF/0/fab68adb/L/IMG_5468-L.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-T4XWdCD/A"><img alt="" height="640" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-T4XWdCD/0/68af67ed/XL/IMG_5561-XL.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
And FAA Hotline in the Privy<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-MxQj7Wg/A"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-MxQj7Wg/0/122a7cac/XL/IMG_5472-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Freshly Picked Huckleberries<br />
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The next morning we woke up before dawn and grabbed the courtesy car (yes, there was a courtesy car at the small grass strip) and headed into the park. With everyone outdoors this summer, the only way we’d touch a National Park was at off hours before the crowds showed up. Our first stop was on the tranquil waters of Lake McDonald. The water was glassy flat in the still morning air, revealing infinitely colored tiny jewel-like river rocks that had washed down from the peaks over the eons.</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-P3Bx63W/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-P3Bx63W/0/8ff3d8ab/XL/IMG_5478-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Lake McDonald Pre-Dawn<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-w2cR2rQ/A"><img alt="" height="640" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-w2cR2rQ/0/06f8e4a4/XL/IMG_5482-XL.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
Jewel-Like River Rocks<br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/450903087" width="640"></iframe><br />
<span style="font-size: 13pt; text-indent: 0.3in;">Turquoise Glacier Water</span><br />
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From there our journey followed the turquoise blue water of the McDonald River and up the Going to the Sun road to the high peaks. The road is literally cut into the steep walls of the Lewis Range, cresting the saddle near Hidden Lake before dropping down the eastern slopes to Rising Sun on the bank of St. Mary Lake.</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-4SnQCS3/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-4SnQCS3/0/3dc4a2fb/XL/IMG_5528-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Going to the Sun Road<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-SzZwx9q/A"><img alt="" height="206" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-SzZwx9q/0/ab84a632/L/IMG_5512-L.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
We Found it at St. Mary's Lake<br />
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We caught the sun at Rising Sun just as the general store opened thwarting a severe lack of caffeine that was reaching emergency levels. Caffeinated and satiated we took in the morning as we reversed our route watching the park quickly fill in behind us.</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-VGgDPMS/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-VGgDPMS/0/6e35f492/L/IMG_5523-L.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Florence Falls<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-sJXjJ5m/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-sJXjJ5m/0/9d9d326a/XL/IMG_5509-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Locals</div>
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By the time we got back to the airport the winds were ripping through the peaks, which would make for a bumpy flight. It was a sporty departure from Ryan to say the least, but I spent some time watching the field wind trend before we loaded up and took off. We did a quick loop over McDonald Lake above Glacier National Park and then turned south paralleling the Flathead Range over Hungry Horse Reservoir to the South Fork of the Flathead River and into the Bob Marshall Wilderness.</div>
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Sporty Departure from Ryan<br />
(Calm wind socks at the surface with 15-20 knot crosswind at the treetops)<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-kRHPqM4/A"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-kRHPqM4/0/5dd015ef/XL/IMG_5571-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Glacier National Park from the Air<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-Dt4Qq4z/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-Dt4Qq4z/0/517d43b9/XL/IMG_5578-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Meadow Creek Airstrip and the Bob Marshall Wilderness<br />
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Meadow Creek Airstrip is located on a plateau overlooking the South Fork of the Flathead and Harrison Creek. I set up a downwind over the river and landed south, which had a better go-around option off the plateau. It was sporty to say the least thanks to the persistent winds. Meadow Creek was another wonderfully manicured strip thanks to the RAF and National Forest Service. We set up camp on the southeast corner overlooking Harrison Creek and laid down for a siesta. Poor Jo was in survival mode from the bumpy ride.</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-fTVWhFn/A"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-fTVWhFn/0/33d68bfa/XL/IMG_5623-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Tied Down and Camp is Set<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-TBsqRGH/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-TBsqRGH/0/218787d3/XL/IMG_5631-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Siesta Time<br />
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Rested, we set out to explore the area. The trail down to the South Fork of the Flathead is a popular portage around the Meadow Creek Gorge, a Class IV-V section of the South Fork that is described as having "squirrelly boil lines, random surges, enormous whirlpools, and a swim of unthinkable consequences when the flows are high." Where we met the South Fork, the water was tranquil and as clear as a glass coffee table, and the only unthinkable consequence of a swim was the nipple-shattering cold water. The only way in was to jump in and get it over with all at once. I hiked upstream to a small rapid and dove off a rock. It was like smashing into a wall of coldness, some of the coldest water I’ve been in—and it was wonderful! Jo followed, letting out screams of her own as she hit, but after the initial shock wore off it was immensely refreshing. Somehow even our nipples remained intact!<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-J8NbfG3/A"><img alt="" height="640" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-J8NbfG3/0/12768e6c/XL/IMG_5587-XL.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
Meadow Creek Gorge Trail<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-JQqJGS9/A"><img alt="" height="640" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-JQqJGS9/0/fc0c900a/XL/IMG_E5589-XL.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
Montana Wildflowers<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-JpPH354/A"><img alt="" height="640" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-JpPH354/0/5130b17d/XL/IMG_5596-XL.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
The South Fork of the Flathead River<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-6bPxRcb/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-6bPxRcb/0/5be603a5/XL/IMG_5607-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
The Water was as Clear as a Glass Coffee Table<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-Tz3qVhV/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-Tz3qVhV/0/2f94e5a7/XL/IMG_5601-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Ice Cold<br />
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At dusk we heard the familiar sound of airplanes echoing off the walls of the valley. It was Kathy and Annie dog, along with a Super Cup piloted by a new friend named Andy. Dinner was Backpacker’s Pantry and soda pop; I had Sweat and Sour Chicken, while Jo enjoyed Pasta Primavera. I built a fire using a flint and tinder bundle as we watched the sunset with conspicuously less Grizzly Bear noises outside of the tent than the night before.</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-hrCwvDm/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-hrCwvDm/0/78fc5503/XL/IMG_E5634-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Dinner, a Fire, and Sunset<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-Q9KSTbd/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-Q9KSTbd/0/5a450a06/XL/IMG_5632-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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In the morning, the previous day’s angry skies had given way to calm and inviting air. We broke camp and departed to the south over the South Fork making a stop at Spotted Bear Airstrip just downstream. From there we climbed into the Bob Marshall Wilderness over some serious “tiger country” to the Great Bear Wilderness and Schafer Airstrip.<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-HZmDK9n/A"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-HZmDK9n/0/f634c5ab/XL/IMG_5648-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Spotted Bear Airstrip<br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/450915330" width="640"></iframe><br />
Spotted Bear Landing Up the River<br />
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Schafer is located in a small valley at the headwaters of the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. I set up a downwind to land uphill, turning around a small hill and flying final up the river. After <span style="font-size: 13pt; text-indent: 0.3in;">we landed a friendly park ranger named Emily welcomed us to the airstrip and to the historic Schafer Ranger Station, the latter being established in 1925. Schafer airstrip was grandfathered into the Great Bear Wilderness and is the only area within miles that allows wheeled vehicles (those being airplanes). All other work is done and supplies are ferried using horses and pack mules. As we landed a team of rangers were headed out on horseback to do some trail maintenance down-river. We hiked down to the Middle Fork and dipped our toes in before bidding Emily farewell and getting “on-the-wing” before the day heated up any more.</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-ZLcQHPN/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-ZLcQHPN/0/997aa4b0/XL/IMG_5666-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Schafer Airstrip in the Great Bear Wilderness<br />
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Landing at Schafer<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-kKjwTC7/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-kKjwTC7/0/5398ce9b/XL/IMG_5660-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Schafer Ranger Station<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-Tz78NdJ/A"><img alt="" height="640" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-Tz78NdJ/0/577379a2/XL/IMG_5661-XL.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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I took off downhill, following the river before making a 180 turn and climbing out upstream over another long stretch of tiger country. As we turned southwest it was quintessential mountain flying over the vast expanses of the Bob Marshall Wilderness. It’s funny how a pilot always seems to listen to the engine a little more closely over tiger country. I was glad to have a fully stocked survival kit, firearm, and a GPS spot locator onboard. The Chinese Wall loomed to our distant south, a massive rocky feature jutting up in the southern Bob Marshall. Soon, we left the Bob Marshall and crossed back over the Mission Range to Finley Point on Flathead Lake.</div>
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Schafer Takeoff over the Great Bear Wilderness<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-FZWBpjc/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-FZWBpjc/0/2d8b58f3/XL/IMG_5669-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
On the Wing Over Tiger Country<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-ZhxMSLn/A"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-ZhxMSLn/0/3623b45d/XL/IMG_5673-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Hungry Horse Reservoir<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-7kwgpZ4/A"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-7kwgpZ4/0/5190221c/XL/IMG_5674-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Feet Wet Over Flathead Lake<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-9rcq5wT/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-9rcq5wT/0/3fff1d9a/XL/IMG_5681-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Navigating to Polson<br />
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Final to Polson<br />
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Our next stop was Polson, Montana, a paved airport on the southern shore of Flathead Lake. Polson is a quaint resort town that is refreshingly less up-scale than some of the other towns in the area. We landed, topped off the tanks, threw the Frisbee for Annie Dog, who was there with Kathy and Andy, and then grabbed the old airport operations cruiser turned courtesy car for lunch in town and a dip in the lake at the town beach.</div>
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Annie Dog Surveiling the Airport at Polson<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-wv77bWV/A"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-wv77bWV/0/8b96e42d/XL/IMG_5685-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
The Polson Courtesy Car<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-dXWbd8q/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-dXWbd8q/0/b21c5e7c/XL/IMG_5688-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Beach Bound!<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-khd6jmV/A"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-khd6jmV/0/f9dea83c/XL/IMG_5690-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
The City Swimming Dock<br />
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From the Air on Departure<br />
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It was a bittersweet moment, as it would be our last swim of the trip and the beginning of our first leg home. A line of thunderstorms was blocking the direct route to Colorado over Yellowstone National Park, with another line encroaching from the West over Southern Idaho. I plotted a course to Salmon, Idaho, from which we could pick a route through the cells and turn east. That took us along the Mission Mountains one last time and its spectacular waterfalls.</div>
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Alpine Lakes in the Mission Mountains<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-rQpZtf6/A"><img alt="" height="640" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-rQpZtf6/0/4ef74522/XL/IMG_5722-XL.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
The Longest Waterfall<br />
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A few hours later as we neared Salmon, it looked like a there was a nice “sucker hole” between thunderstorms if we pointed to Driggs, Idaho. We’d also heard rumors of a newly opened RAF campground on the airport at Driggs. On the way the landscape turned from high mountains to the moonscape of Central Idaho’s lava fields under smoky skies from distant forest fires. I spotted the RAF campground from the air and landed on the newly finished grass runway paralleling the taxiway. Just like the other RAF spots, it was a wonderfully maintained campsite, complete with a pavilion and fire pit surrounded by Adirondack chairs.</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-SRScbSC/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-SRScbSC/0/46fcaed7/XL/IMG_5734-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Lava-Scape in Central Idaho<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-z3pZWjj/A"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-z3pZWjj/0/cbcc5761/XL/IMG_5736-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Driggs, Idaho and the Teton Mountains<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-Ht2rCth/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-Ht2rCth/0/d53170ea/XL/IMG_5752-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
RAF Campground at Driggs<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-F5fkDWg/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-F5fkDWg/0/c8f49da5/XL/IMG_5756-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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The next day we were up by dawn, in time to watch the sun rise above the Teton Mountains to the east. We climbed out to the north, crossing the formidable boundary that the Tetons impose on the northern edge of the mountain range. That afforded us an incredible view as we turned south over Teton National Park and flew the eastern face of the Tetons at 11,500 feet, with the Grand Teton still towering well above us.</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-JW2xbRZ/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-JW2xbRZ/0/2ddd6d7e/XL/IMG_5759-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Hot Air Ballon at Dawn<br />
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Holly Lake in the Northern Tetons<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-LRRL2sS/A"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-LRRL2sS/0/c2d4147b/XL/IMG_5793-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
The Grand Teton<br />
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The Snow King and Jackson, Wyoming<br />
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At the bottom of the valley we turned southeast and flew the western slope of the Wind River Mountain Range to the Cirque of the Towers. At the Cirque, we climbed up to 13,500 feet and crossed over the peaks before descending into Lander, Wyoming for fuel and breakfast. We took the courtesy car to a quaint café downtown for some much needed caffeine. The last leg home was a bumpy hot ride across the flatlands of Central Wyoming. As we crossed into Colorado, there were more storms building over Rocky Mountain National Park. I stayed east of the cells, but I did find some residual showers blowing out over the Front Range, which I used to give the Husky a much-needed rinse. We were wheels-down by mid-day.</div>
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Cirque of the Towers<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-WJ2bRNz/A"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-WJ2bRNz/0/79148d6c/XL/IMG_5834-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Breakfast and Caffeine<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-DvNJ6fC/A"><img alt="" height="640" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-DvNJ6fC/0/54ebf867/XL/IMG_E5846-XL.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-9tfpvPj/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-9tfpvPj/0/d65bbc21/XL/IMG_5858-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
A Free Airplane Wash in Colorado<br />
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Between Idaho and Montana, I flew over 30 hours and thousands of miles. We covered what would take weeks or months on the ground in seven days, chalking it up to one of the best adventures we’ve had yet. The Husky never let us down and easily delivered everything I asked of it—even in burley mountain air and short backcountry airstrips. This will be the first of many.<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-8GPNdTS/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-8GPNdTS/0/2e5a0cd6/XL/IMG_5810-XL.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Ready for the Next Adventure</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Subscribe</div>Cloudbasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05922546759267435864noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34504392.post-88025697889635923822020-08-06T22:09:00.000-06:002020-08-08T11:26:52.163-06:00Backcountry Flying in Idaho<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Idaho is the Mecca of backcountry flying in the lower forty-eight states. Outside of aviation, the only way to access the vast mountains of Central Idaho without being on foot and or hoof is via a few sparse roads or jet boat on the deeper rivers. Aviation has and continues to play such a critical and historic role that when areas became protected as wilderness, dozens of airstrips were grandfathered in—an unprecedented inclusion to the normal stringent wilderness rules. Once overhead, it’s easy to see why. The entire geography is a labyrinth of steep, rugged, narrow river valleys bordered by towering peaks, some reaching to five-figure heights. What could take hours in a vehicle—if there is a road—or days to weeks on foot, is accomplished in minutes by the air. The term airstrip has a whole new meaning too, which can range from long and flat manicured grass runways to narrow swaths of “land-able” terrain on hillsides of the ski-slope variety. Many require blind approaches due to being situated in narrow river valleys, with the runway coming into view just before the turn to final. One-way-in, one-way-out, no-go-around strips are the norm, not the exception. For a backcountry pilot, there is simply no place else like Idaho—it’s fantastic!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-kj7jcDQ/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-kj7jcDQ/0/90e072ef/L/IMG_5276-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: 17.33333396911621px;">Departing and Forming up with Jeff Shapiro's Backcountry Super Cub SQ </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><o:p>Lost Horse Canyon to the Idaho Border</o:p></span></div>
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After a long day in the saddle to meet Jeff Shapiro in his Backcountry Super Cub SQ replica at Stevensville, Montana the day before, we had a great springboard over the Bitterroot Mountains into Idaho. We were wheels up just after dawn, which put us into Lost Horse Canyon as the sun was cresting the eastern horizon in smooth morning air. Lost Horse is gently sloped canyon that allows a long cruise climb up to its rocky saddle just below 9000 feet, which helped keep the engine temps in check as we were loaded down with gear and full fuel. Over the pass, on the Idaho side, is a significant swath of “tiger country” down the Bear Creek drainage until you reach the Selway River. The landscape turned as well from the darker forests of the Bitterroot to lighter and thinner forests of the Selway and Frank Church River of No Return Wildernesses. We were tempted to stop at Shearer Airstrip on the banks of the Selway River, but rumors of tall grass to chest height kept us going. We hopped one more pass dropping into the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, following the river until a more direct route would have us climb again up to 9,500 feet to clear the saddle north of the small encampment of Yellow Pine. From there our destination of Johnson Creek Airstrip was just a few turns up the canyon, right on Johnson Creek. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Landing to the North at Johnson Creek<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-5t9bxx9/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-5t9bxx9/0/9e3872e2/L/IMG_E5290-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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Wheels Down on Johnson Creek Airstrip<br />
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Johnson Creek Airstrip might as well be the international airport of the area. Its long manicured grass runway is smooth enough to accommodate a surprising variety of airplanes. You can camp in the grass under the wing or in ample campsites dispersed along the creek. There is also a large pavilion, bathrooms, showers, and even WiFi. We descended on a high downwind to scope the strip, which showed winds out of the north, so we set up to land on runway 35. This is not the preferred landing runway because there is a cabin on short final, but for slow fliers like our planes there was plenty of room to jog around it at a neighborly distance. We landed long and parked next to a great campsite on the northern end of the strip right on the creek. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-qXntsrb/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-qXntsrb/0/b8b82754/L/IMG_E5294-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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Setting Up Camp<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-ktSZ7Ds/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="451" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-ktSZ7Ds/0/cbece2fc/L/IMG_E5295-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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The aviation community could be summed up as a bunch of friends you haven’t met yet, but that was especially true at Johnson Creek. There were easily two dozen airplanes there ranging from Cessna’s to experimentals, a pair of V-Tail Bonanzas, to beautiful radial engine cruiser. When I asked the strip-keeper where most people were from he grumbled about a huge increase in non-working airline pilots futzing about. I chuckled and grumbled sympathetically. We spent the day setting up camp, meeting our new friends, and just relaxing as the pace turned down a notch from normal life—a much needed reprieve for both of us.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-6tcBkDH/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-6tcBkDH/0/5929af36/L/IMG_5299-L.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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New Friends We Hadn't Met Yet<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-h78kQkB/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-h78kQkB/0/3c02e33c/L/IMG_5304-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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The Coolest Plane on the Strip<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-BCzPxtt/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-BCzPxtt/0/10f1b396/L/IMG_5300-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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Old Man, Old and Bold, Himself<br />
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I made it about two hours before jumping in Johnson Creek, finding a deep spot near a trout study wheel, and let me tell you it was COLD—the kind of cold that shocks the life out of you and will take it if you stay in too long. The water was clear enough to study trout on foot, as they were plentiful and visible, nearly swimming between your feet. That evening we got some recent beta from our neighbor Kathy on the strips down Big Creek. She was flying a Piper Clipper with her dog Annie, who in typical healer fashion, could never get enough Frisbee. As the sun set, the stars were some of the brightest I’d seen, only interrupted by the occasional pass of the International Space Station, the second brightest object behind Jupiter. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-vJx7qSN/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-vJx7qSN/0/a6f7f87a/L/IMG_5312-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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The Clear Cold Water of Johnson Creek<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-Tz8LGZz/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-Tz8LGZz/0/e96eae5a/L/IMG_5314-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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A Deep Spot Near a Trout Study Wheel<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-FppzV2G/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-FppzV2G/0/e7ac9669/L/IMG_5309-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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Shaprio Sunning Himself<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-CTXkz3L/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-CTXkz3L/0/efd8b7b1/L/IMG_5381-L.jpg" /></a><br />
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Annie Patiently Waiting for More Frisbee</div>
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We woke up at dawn to airplanes covered in dew. Departing to the north we followed Johnson Creek to Yellow Pine then hung a right and climbed over a pass dropping into the Big Creek drainage. Cabin Creek Airstrip was our first stop, a 1,700-foot strip nestled a few miles up a side canyon of the same name and wilderness access point. Cabin Creek isn’t a particularly hard airstrip, but it does have consequences if you don’t get it right. There is no go-around, so you need to be in the altitude “slot” on approach, which is marked by three pine trees on the ridge to the south. There is also a kink about halfway down the strip, where it narrows with trees on both sides. The notes in the guidebook warn of pack animals, wildlife, and lots of rattlesnakes. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-MpF7sZJ/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-MpF7sZJ/0/8e1062e1/L/IMG_5323-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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Airborne Over the Pass into the Big Creek Drainage</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-sKSZJ9T/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-sKSZJ9T/1/64e9c4d0/L/IMG_5319-L.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Cabin Creek Airstrip on Paper<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-TVgsWVh/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-TVgsWVh/0/e6d948a3/L/IMG_5343-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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And from Above<br />
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We circled the strip up high and the surface looked land-able with calm winds. Part of the challenge of flying in Idaho is the dramatic terrain relief, often requiring long legs down the river valleys to lose enough altitude to be in the slot on approach. For a bush plane, an early Husky like mine, is actually pretty slippery, making a steep and slow descent a challenge. I spiraled down over the river, rolling out right at the three trees as I turned up the canyon slowing to 60 mph and full flaps. Being on-speed on final approach is also key in an early Husky. A slight angle of attack change can easily result a five mile per hour speed gain depending on where you are in the drag curve. Energy doubles with the square of speed, meaning that being five miles per hour too fast can exponentially increase the distance required to stop. But, that’s also part of the challenge of flying an early Husky, and even here in Idaho, its STOL performance easily exceeds my talent. I slowed to 50 mph on short final, but there was plentiful distance to land, so I rolled it on sparing the tailwheel and expediting my rollout for Jeff. On the ground you can only see half the airstrip at a time because of the trees at kink. Once I was parked, I could only listen to Shapiro land, but soon enough he emerged from the trees grinning from ear to ear. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Landing Cabin Creek<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-R45QHrJ/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-R45QHrJ/0/ad0e2c61/L/IMG_5328-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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Wheels Down at Cabin Creek<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-XsXJrKt/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-XsXJrKt/0/c282e1b8/L/IMG_5329-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-q3McM2D/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-q3McM2D/0/448a99ca/L/IMG_5330-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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Once we were shut down, the morning went quiet with only the sound of Cabin Creek trickling just beyond the trees. Shapiro spotted what looked like a black bear and two cubs high on the ridge to the West as I splashed some water from the creek on my face. Oddly, once I was at the creek, the sound of water trickling was behind me. I turned around to see fuel pouring out of my right wing. If the Husky isn’t parked on level ground, fuel can drain out of the vent in the wing, which was an easy fix by rolling it wings-level. An outfitter landed as we were preparing to takeoff, but we were easily off before the kink so there was no traffic conflict. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-9DBgc6K/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-9DBgc6K/1/6615c3dd/L/IMG_5320-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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Solider Bar Airstrip<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-J4QwbfZ/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-J4QwbfZ/0/9519eca5/L/IMG_5334-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/445032037" width="640"></iframe><br />
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Jeff Landing Solider Bar<br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/445093725" width="640"></iframe><br />
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The Husky Landing Soldier Bar<br />
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The next stop was just downstream on Big Creek; an elevated aircraft-carrier-type airstrip called Solider Bar several hundred feet above the river. Solider Bar Airstrip is really three 500-foot sections connected by large humps, with a kink at the end. It’s best to pick one section to land on so you are below “jumping” speed when you hit the next hump. To get in the slot, you fly downstream and descend, turn base and final in the next canyon over, then fly upstream blind before you see the strip. It comes into view with plenty of room to adjust and you can always bail out over Big Creek if you don’t like something. Jeff landed first, as I flew over breaking right into a downwind over Big Creek. I set up on the first 500-foot section and drug a wheel, but didn’t like my speed, so I took back off and landed on the second 500-foot section. The guidebook warns of rattlesnake infestation, but as we stopped for a stretch, we didn’t hear or see a thing—the silence was piercing. Taking off, we were both airborne in the first 500 feet, which made for a great flyover off the rocky ledge before turning back upstream over Big Creek.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Soldier Bar 1 Departure<br />
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The next stop was Mile High Airstrip. Mile High is on a different level—quite literally, being at almost 6,000 feet elevation. It also is only 590 feet long with a staggering 16% grade. The grade is so steep that you have to add significant power once you touch down or you will not have enough energy to taxi up the ridge—even with full power! If you don’t, and you get stuck, your plane will be stranded on the hillside without enough room to turn around and take back off. But don’t add too much power, because after the crown of the ridge, the hillside drops off precipitously into a cliff band. If you come in too fast, there is a kink at the top with more run-out up the hill, a comforting alternative to going over the edge. On a scale of 1 to 50, the guidebook calls Mile High a 50, but in actuality, it’s pretty straightforward if you keep your energy state in check. In hang gliding we call landing uphill on a steep slope a “fly on the wall,” and having done hundreds of those with no engine to help out, Mile High didn’t look that daunting.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-4mdWbhv/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-4mdWbhv/0/1a208252/L/IMG_E5331-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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Mile High Airstrip<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-VPDD4cx/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-VPDD4cx/0/99ccdb44/L/IMG_5347-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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First we had to find it, which from the air it can be identified by a windsock perched on a ridge seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Up until short final there is bailout option by diving off the ridge to the left, which adds margin if you end up high or fast. We both made several low approaches to practice the setup and sample the air, and then Shapiro went in first. The threshold is marked by three white rocks, which he stuck just beyond as I flew overhead. As I rolled out on final, the steepness of the runway was astonishing, but I was on-speed and in the slot, and could still bail out to the left if I didn’t like something. I always take a mental beat-pause on short final of any landing to make sure my “house is in order.” My rational voice may have been inclined to ask, “Why are we doing this again?" but now was not the time for such philosophical questions. A good pilot always listens to their instinct, and although I had no emotional investment in landing, everything felt spot-on. I committed, dove into the slope, adding power during the round-out and rolled it on to a perfect stop at the top of the hill. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><br /></span><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/445094199" width="640"></iframe>
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<span style="color: white;">Jeff Landing Mile High</span><br />
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Landing the Husky at Mile High</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-hRdSRr3/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-hRdSRr3/0/99f812cd/L/IMG_5352-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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Parked on the Top of the Ridge<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-8N9dM95/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-8N9dM95/0/1b80cdfc/L/IMG_5353-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-79mzXHr/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-79mzXHr/0/a2e97585/L/IMG_5349-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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You could argue that the landing was the easy part, as looking down the short slope my first thought was that there is no way we are getting out of here. But, extra runway could be added by taxing further up the kink on the run-out hill. This added to the challenge of not being able to see most of the runway when you started the takeoff roll, but we picked landmarks on the horizon to use as targets. Jeff took off first, being easily airborne in a fraction of the 590-foot strip. I taxied farther up the hill, calmed my nerves, and added power. By the time I hit the kink, the tailwheel was already up, and I flew off with plenty of extra runway left, turning out through the slot just for the fun of it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-kqsKb5D/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-kqsKb5D/0/513655bd/L/IMG_5355-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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Looking Down the Strip at Mile High<br />
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Jeff Taking Off at Mile High<br />
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Mile High Takeoff<br />
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Our final stop of the day was at Big Creek Airstrip, another manicured runway that serves Big Creek Lodge. Lots of the pilots from Johnson Creek were there for breakfast. Shapiro and I joined the fold, sipping fresh coffee on the porch of the lodge while sharing stories from the morning. On the flight back to Johnson Creek we had to delay our departure as a black bear crossed the runway, which was unsurprising given our surroundings.<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-v37BSSf/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-v37BSSf/0/dca6c471/L/IMG_5362-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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Landing Big Creek<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-gCx6MrG/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-gCx6MrG/0/720a3c23/L/IMG_5368-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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Big Creek Lodge<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-TdLNL7X/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="640" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-TdLNL7X/0/98528f88/L/IMG_5366-L.jpg" width="480" /></span></a><br />
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Once back at Johnson Creek we finished the day with a hike to the local hot springs (where you could have your choice of an old bathtub that somebody dragged up there or a rocky pool), another frigid jump in the creek, a campfire, and more stargazing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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One More Leg Back to Johnson Creek<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-SzpDxjZ/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="426" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-SzpDxjZ/0/6661f961/L/IMG_5376-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/445103594" width="640"></iframe><br />
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Landing Johnson Creek to the South<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-XRQjPXq/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="640" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-XRQjPXq/0/2f52dc37/L/IMG_5396-L.jpg" width="480" /></span></a><br />
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The Hot Spring Trail<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-b5zbpqn/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-b5zbpqn/0/09a9d62a/L/IMG_5388-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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Where You Could Have a Bathtub or a Pool<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-6M9r596/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-6M9r596/0/7bd42269/L/IMG_5397-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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One Last Night at Camp<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-BbFJfMv/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-BbFJfMv/0/cc482a91/L/IMG_5398-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="color: white;">The next day the skies had turned cloudy ahead of a shortwave cold front with thunderstorms in the forecast. We packed up our gear and headed north and east, back into Montana, but not before hitting one last strip called Wilson Bar on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. Wilson Bar is 1,500 feet long on a small plateau just above the waterline. It requires descending downstream and flying up the river just above the trees with a short jog to final. At that altitude, you won’t see the strip until you are almost on top of it, so memorizing trees and landmarks are key. Once in the slot, you make the turn, “goal post” the trees on short final. If you don’t like it when you get there, there is an easy bailout option by just continuing down the river, climbing out, and going around. I went it first, followed by Shapiro. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-RmQsKF8/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-RmQsKF8/0/d214e687/L/IMG_E5399-L.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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Wilson Bar Airstrip<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-tpWmq69/A"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" height="640" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-tpWmq69/0/eb5aee5e/L/IMG_5402-L.jpg" width="480" /></span></a><br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/445119316" width="640"></iframe><br />
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Flying the River to a Landing at Wilson Bar Airstrip<br />
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Taking back off is the opposite of the arrival, jogging up the river and climbing out over the water, while announcing your intentions on the multi-com frequency for anyone else flying low in the canyon. I took my time climbing out of the canyon, enjoying the contrast of the dark blue water and yellow mountains. From there we had a leisurely flight back over the pass into Lost Horse Canyon and Montana, getting on the ground before the heat of the day set in. </div>
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<span style="color: black;">Jeff and I Departing Wilson Bar</span><br />
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In our short trip, we had sampled just a little of what Idaho has to offer, but had no shortage of variety. Backcountry flying is an intersection of passions; it’s a tool, a challenge, and a reward. It allows access to incredibly beautiful areas that would otherwise be remarkably difficult to get to, while challenging you as a pilot in the process with high stakes if you get it wrong. The reward is the solitude of some of the most remote wilderness in the country. We were only in the bush for a few days, but it was quality not quantity, and easily enough to wash the stink of the modern world off—and develop a proper stink of my own! </div>
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Where is that river again???<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Subscribe</div>Cloudbasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05922546759267435864noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34504392.post-24093920937404689022020-07-31T12:43:00.000-06:002020-07-31T12:43:24.448-06:00The First Leg to Idaho<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 13pt; text-indent: 0.3in;">After abandoning our ambitious plans to go to Alaska this summer due to the COVID-19, Jeff Shapiro and I decided on the next best thing—Idaho. From Colorado, the first leg was to Stevensville Airport in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana to meet Shapiro. After a typically late start, I was wheels-up by mid-morning. The Husky was loaded down with gear and fuel, but still climbed impressively in the near-three-digit heat. A monsoonal pulse of moisture from the southwest was already over-developing into early thunderstorms over the peaks of the Front Range. I cruise climbed north of Rocky Mountain National Park over Cameron Pass flying slalom through the peaks over the pass. The air was dynamic, a 100-mile XC day in the hang glider, thanks to pre-frontal instability and a healthy dose of moisture. I “dolphin flew” climbing in free lift and speeding up when I hit sink, surfing the up-wind side of the Never Summer Mountains until I topped out at 12,500 feet. The Husky will normally climb well into the mid-teens, but loaded down with high ambient outside air temps I couldn’t get much higher. </span></div>
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The flatlands of Central Wyoming may have well have been Iraq. Thousand feet altitude gains and losses were the norm in moderate to occasional severe turbulence—that’s what I get for flying across Wyoming in the heat of a mid-summer’s day. I finally found some relief in the shadow of the Wind River Range as I had out-flown the building storms behind me. A glance over my shoulder revealed dark cumulonimbus clouds where there were blue skies just an hour earlier. Heading north towards Yellowstone National Park the high desert gave way to lush alpine forests framed by the Teton Mountains in the distance to the west. The air was smooth, but now I was over “tiger country,” where a forced landing would result in days or even weeks of survival if not for my GPS Spot locator. A pilot in a single engine airplane can’t help but listen to the engine just a little more closely when over open water or tiger country…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-tM4NDLs/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-tM4NDLs/0/b1b202b5/L/IMG_5254-L.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Tiger Country<br />
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<o:p><a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-hTqxq3L/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-hTqxq3L/0/a02bb37d/L/IMG_5251-L.jpg" width="640" /></a></o:p></div>
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<o:p><a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-m4Vnfd2/A"><img alt="" height="480" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-m4Vnfd2/0/b6081002/L/IMG_5265-L.jpg" width="640" /></a></o:p></div>
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The Teton Mountains<br />
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Soon tiger country gave way to the forests and lakes the Yellowstone Caldera, along with the occasional road. My route to West Yellowstone Airport took me right over Old Faithful, but unfortunately, the geyser wasn’t spouting at the time. After a fuel and bathroom stop at KWYS, I hopped one mountain pass to a grass strip called Henry’s Lake and couldn’t help but drop down for a touch a go. The runway has a steep hill on one end and the blue-water lake of its namesake on the other. I flew a tight pattern, turning base over the road, while locking eyes with one concerned RV driver in the process. After dragging the mains in the grass, I departed straight-out over the lake.<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-xGqVbVT/A"><img alt="" height="400" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-xGqVbVT/0/088c8845/L/IMG_5271-L.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
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Henry's Lake Airstrip<br />
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Flying the Rivers and Valleys into the Bitterroot<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-dzJcknD/A"><img alt="" height="640" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Hosting/n-7QBKH/Idaho-Montana-July-2020/i-dzJcknD/0/87818e0b/L/IMG_5274-L.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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Dinner--Cold Pizza<br />
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From there I stayed low, flying the rivers and valleys as the world turned to a lush green below. A crew meal of cold pizza and sparkling soda made a fine dinner as I put a wingtip into Idaho south of the Bitterroot Mountains. As I crested the pass into the bottom of the valley, the sun skimmed the peaks of the Bitterroots to the west. I made Stevensville (32S) just before dark. It was just under eight hours in the saddle, my longest day yet in the Husky. Shapiro met me as I stumbled out of the Husky and we excitedly anticipated the next day’s adventure—the backcountry of Idaho.<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/443465031" width="640"></iframe><br />
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Landed in Stevenville</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Subscribe</div>Cloudbasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05922546759267435864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34504392.post-43931298554357336622020-06-15T18:46:00.000-06:002020-06-15T20:28:49.940-06:00Hidden Splendor and Knotted Slot Canyon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
It was a speed run, in typical fashion. Ian met me Thursday at noon and we laid out our gear. I had spent the morning installing the Alaska Bag, which allows up to 30 pounds of soft gear in the rear of the fuselage. We had to pack sleeping bags, bedrolls, food, water, and canyoneering gear for two people in addition to the airplane survival kit, tools, and select spare parts. Amazingly, it all fit and with half tanks we were still under gross weight. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-frq83Wz/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-frq83Wz/0/d996ce5a/L/IMG_3711-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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We had to make all of this fit, but luckily I had an Alaska Bag.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_2037577797"></span><span id="goog_2037577798"></span><a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-9Hs3WhP/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-9Hs3WhP/0/e78e6fbb/L/IMG_3697-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-9b8D6Kz/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-9b8D6Kz/0/0487e742/L/IMG_3712-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-GpQNm55/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-GpQNm55/0/3972c291/L/IMG_3703-L.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Gustavo Helped Us Out</div>
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<br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
We were wheels-up by 1:30, climbing in the heat of the day towards the Continental Divide. The air was super textured with mid-day thermals at full strength, but the winds aloft were light enough to allow a safe crossing. Rather than take the usual lowest-point over Rollin’s Pass, I headed North into the shadow of North Arapahoe Peak—a foreboding reminder of why these mountains are called the Rockies’. I entered on the up-wind side of the saddle at a 45-degree angle, with an easy dive-out option should we hit sink too strong to climb out of. The ride was actually quite smooth through the slot and we pressed on to the west.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="360" scrolling="no" src="https://api.smugmug.com/services/embed/9541827212_44nLXfF?width=640&height=360&albumId=213534425&albumKey=BrKwF9" width="640"></iframe></div>
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Going Through the Slot</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
As we flew over the western edge of the 10,000-foot Grand Mesa, the lush greenery of the high country literally plummeted away from us. In a minute’s time, aspen groves gave way to the desert canyon lands of the western Colorado Plateau, which ironically resides more in Utah and Arizona than its namesake. We flew down the over highway 141 to our first stop at Hubbard, a BLM strip (really a double-track road) within walking distance to Gateway Canyons luxury resort. At the Paradox Grille, I ordered the pull-pork quesadilla dressed with pico de gallo and a light drizzle of sour cream. It would be a last meal of sorts, a sharp contrast to what we would endure in the next 24 hours. Luckily for Ian, we would be sleeping under the stars that night!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-nxbjg9m/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-nxbjg9m/0/975e10d6/L/IMG_8790-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-PVMpFPt/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-PVMpFPt/0/51bb131c/L/IMG_8792-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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Landing at Hubbard / Gateway Canyons Resort</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-vfx6CXW/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-vfx6CXW/0/9020dd23/L/IMG_8802-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-hWNFxVn/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-hWNFxVn/0/047c785d/L/IMG_3728-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-78P8QQW/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-78P8QQW/0/1e13ccdf/L/IMG_8808-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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A Last Supper of Sorts</div>
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Departing Hubbard, we headed down the San Miguel River canyon into Castleton Valley and over Moab, Utah. Seeing the iconic towering red rocks of Fisher Towers, the Priest and Nuns, and Castleton Tower along the way never gets old from the air. I throttled back and opened the window so we could take in the moment, while keeping an eye on the oil temps in the hot desert air. After a fuel stop at Canyonlands Airport we headed high and north to another strip (at 7,600 feet) on Cedar Mountain to get out of the heat. There would be less bugs and nice cold sleeping weather there.</div>
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San Miguel River</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-XFjKMbV/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-XFjKMbV/0/5b496ea6/L/IMG_8854-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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Castleton Tower</div>
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Landing at Canyonlands Airport</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-G3LTgrF/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-G3LTgrF/0/018362d8/L/IMG_3733-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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Cedar Mountain Airstrip</div>
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I laid out my sleeping bag suit under the wing and pulled a shot glass of 100-octane Avgas out of the left tank for the fire. The best fire pit was at the edge of the cliff, and it was already stocked with dry sage and juniper logs. Nothing makes an insta-fire quite like Avgas; something that reinforced the fuel selector’s importance is on the forced-landing checklist. We sipped La Croix’s and watched as the sun painted the Book Cliffs in pastels as it drifted below the horizon. The quiet of the desert was only broken by the crackle of the fire, along with the sweet smell of burning juniper. Above us the veil of night revealed un-countable stars thanks to a complete lack of light pollution. A million tiny dots was the last thing I saw as I closed my eyes in my sleeping bag.</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-hMgCZNK/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-hMgCZNK/0/5ef58a8c/L/IMG_3739-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-BX9Mjng/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-BX9Mjng/0/813a0e0f/L/IMG_3736-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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Av-Gas Insta-Fire</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-wpjpDdx/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-wpjpDdx/0/8f495510/L/IMG_8911-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-Z4mFhwf/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-Z4mFhwf/0/a02bd348/L/IMG_3747-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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The Sleeping Bag Suit</div>
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Ian woke me at first light, and we packed up and headed south. We surfed the San Rafael Swell along the way taking a slalom flight path through the shark-toothed anticline Navajo Sandstone rocks of the Swell. At Muddy Creek we turned north, overflying red and white moguls of sandstone to the mouth of its canyon through the Swell wall. Flying up the canyon, white Navajo Sandstones stood like sentries to a dark red sea of iron-rich sentiment north of the Swell wall. </div>
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First Light</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-kqSm74k/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-kqSm74k/0/d176a3d4/L/IMG_8918-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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Ready to Fly<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-9nZPgsW/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-9nZPgsW/0/56aafc75/L/IMG_8947-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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Surfing the Swell</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-Rjv5QTv/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-Rjv5QTv/0/61ea5117/L/IMG_8955-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-7QZ7nwG/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-7QZ7nwG/0/4844f65d/L/IMG_8972-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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Navajo Sandstone of the Swell Wall<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-t6V3wCk/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-t6V3wCk/0/8c080170/L/IMG_3754-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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Sandstone Moguls<br />
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Before we landed, we did a lap of the trail to the Knotted Rope Slot and back up to the canyon carved by Muddy Creek. It took all of five minutes to fly what would soon take us over ten hours on foot. The Muddy Creek canyon and rising foothills to the north of the airstrip are tight, but nothing the Husky couldn’t handle as I did a tight approach to the south after overflying the landing surface. I <i>may</i>have startled some campers who ignored the active runway signs and camped at the opposite end of the runway. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Hidden Splendor Comes into View<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-bbqZf2S/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-bbqZf2S/0/654fb36d/L/IMG_3762-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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Knotted Rope Slot Canyon</div>
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A man named Vernon Pick in discovered the Hidden Splendor uranium mine in 1952, but after an initial success, it was sold and abandoned by 1957. Remnants of the mining shack and several vehicles are still strewn about the area. We tied the Husky down using rocks and paracord, changed and loaded up our packs, then—luckily—hitched a ride two miles up the road to the trailhead. An ancient Ford marks the trailhead, which climbs a thousand feet up into the cliff band with a class four scramble at the top. From there you down-climb a dozen ledges to the mouth of Knotted Rope Slot (also known as Miner’s Hollow), which is marked by a natural bridge, where a knotted rope had hung for years giving the slot its name. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Desert Flowers</div>
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Starting the Hike</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-KXt92bq/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-KXt92bq/0/c0d946e0/L/IMG_3776-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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An Old Ford Marks the Trailhead</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-W4DRv64/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-W4DRv64/0/1172ff5c/L/IMG_9032-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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At the Top of the Rim</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-GXhb4GP/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-GXhb4GP/0/8c7b23e4/L/IMG_3805-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-fXhZVfM/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-fXhZVfM/0/abec1d10/L/IMG_9036-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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A Natural Bridge Marks the Top of the Slot</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-4dJnLpd/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-4dJnLpd/0/0efd2a90/L/IMG_3813-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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The slot canyon starts out relatively wide, then narrows and drops in altitude significantly. It begins as a scramble over boulders, logs, and chock rocks of all sizes until you reach the first pothole—a smooth bowl-like erosion hollow ranging from several to many feet in diameter. Some have water in them that can range from ankle-deep to over your head and is surprisingly cold due to the lack of sunshine. The most dangerous are keeper potholes: potholes filled with enough water to sap your body heat that you may need to tread water in with walls to sleep to easily climb out. As a rule, you never enter a pothole until you have a solid plan to exit it, because the energy and hypothermia clock starts ticking once you hit the water. Jumping in is always a surprise because the water may only be a few inches deep or you may be completely submerged.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The First Pothole</div>
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The Canyon Narrows</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-shmCpP2/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-shmCpP2/0/0dd0b10d/L/IMG_3821-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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A Proper Pothole<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-9s3ScHm/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-9s3ScHm/0/2731c122/L/IMG_3825-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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Cold Putrid Water<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-g5ZFqWH/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-g5ZFqWH/0/2ebefbc5/L/IMG_9047-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-HtcXDHs/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-HtcXDHs/0/63536e40/L/IMG_3828-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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As the canyon narrowed, we had to wedge, slip, and slither through angled off-camber cracks with the only way out being down. You could often wedge your body in the crack tens of feet above the bottom and shimmy down to the pothole or next opening. Each crack or pothole was a new problem that required a confident solution before committing. As we got lower in the slot canyon, the potholes got more complex and required more creative solutions. Overhanging ledges required rappelling into the potholes and disconnecting while treading water. Once the first person determined the water depth, the exit strategy could be climbing out via a two-man assist or tying our packs off and hucking them over the ledge to use the rope as a potshot.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-BjHtG8x/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-BjHtG8x/0/7644c297/L/IMG_3829-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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Slipping and Sliding<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-9hQJc7g/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-9hQJc7g/0/2bed5712/L/IMG_9059-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-jGLtq8N/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-jGLtq8N/0/8c140aed/L/IMG_9075-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-pPDJTVP/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-pPDJTVP/0/fd997b1c/L/IMG_9080-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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A Dry Pothole<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-QwqB5md/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-QwqB5md/0/fafe7de0/L/IMG_9081-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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On one particularly difficult keeper pothole, I lost my phone as I hit the water. It was in a waterproof bag that was made to float, but it didn’t have enough buoyancy to support the heavy modern iPhone I have. The pothole was over my head in places, which required diving down head first into the cold putrid water and searching in the blind with my hands. As the minutes ticked on, my energy level faded and the onset of hypothermia set it. Shivering uncontrollably, I gave myself one last dive before scrubbing the search mission effort in order to have enough energy left to climb out. Just as I was out of breath, I felt something unnatural, but then I lost it. Frantically grabbing in the blind, I snagged it again as I fought the insatiable need to breathe! Persistence had paid off, but I had paid the price with a healthy dose of uncontrollable shivering and introduced a new threat in my loss of dexterity and mental degradation. I took it easy for the next few potholes until my core temperature rose a little. </div>
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You can see the phone float out of my pocket at the end of this clip.</div>
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Diving back in to get it.</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-JSR3tKK/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-JSR3tKK/0/64f0774d/L/IMG_9117-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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Success!</div>
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After a dozen more potholes and a few long repels the slot canyon spit us out at the base of the Swell. We didn’t have a long enough rope to drop off the last 200-foot rappel, which meant a longer hike out via a detour to the south. The relative cold of the slot canyon gave way to the mid-day heat of the desert and a new slog began as we hiked a dry wash down to the muddy river. As the heat baked us, it was hard to believe I was bordering on critical hypothermia less than an hour earlier—the desert is a land of extremes… And then the flies came! A massive swarm of biting flies engulfed us, which other than maddening barrage of blood-drawing bites, was good because it meant we were reaching Muddy Creek. Long sleeves and trousers mostly protected me, but Ian was in such misery that he opted for more unbearable heat and donned his wetsuit. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-47hS7Hj/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-47hS7Hj/0/e3fdb104/L/IMG_3860-L.jpg" /></a><br />
The Potholes Got Deeper and the Rappels Got Longer<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-SQJqD6q/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-SQJqD6q/0/a77b7a8a/L/IMG_3858-L.jpg" /></a><br />
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The Heat was Oppressive on the Desert Floor<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-j9fhMbD/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-j9fhMbD/0/9dae80ca/L/IMG_3877-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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Muddy Creek was aptly named after a trickle of ankle-deep grey-stained water as it flowed over red and grey mud flats. The mud made the last five miles a slog, one exhausting muddy step at a time. You could pick your poison of slippery deep mud or thick river grass, but no path was easy. Long out of food, I was also out of drinking water, but despite having a water filter just incase, I reverted to camel mode to avoid having to filter and drink from the muddy soup. For my younger, fitter self, this would have been a walk in the park, but those years of hard living had taken a heavy toll on my busted up middle-aged body. Having already traveled over double the most miles I’d hiked in the last two years, I tried not to think about how far we had left to go or how much my heavy pack hurt. It was an exhausting exercise in hell that required focusing on one step at a time. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-qTrXkM7/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-qTrXkM7/0/54a7b4ba/L/IMG_3878-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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Brutal Mud or...</div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-pKRJcRG/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-pKRJcRG/0/8a53c268/L/IMG_9149-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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...Brutal River Grass</div>
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Suffering but Smiling</div>
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Ian Swarmed by Biting Flies</div>
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Relentless Mud<br />
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-9Jm3tDk/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-9Jm3tDk/0/1e915c78/L/IMG_3902-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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Ian Cooling Off</div>
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If I’m honest, it was utterly fantastic to suffer to brutally. It had been years since I’d needed to dig this deep and despite intense pain of all manners—I loved it! My body was beaten and bruised and a neck filled with cervical fusions and artificial discs screamed out in anguish. I put my head down, compartmentalized my pain, established small goals, and kept my thoughts disciplined. I relished in being in a land of extremes and how something so painful as slogging up a muddy creek, could also be so stunningly beautiful. Canyon walls towered thousands of feet above us, all cut one grain of sand at a time by this muddy trickle of water. It reminded me how insignificant I really am, and how trivial my pain was. We—every human that has ever lived—are nothing but a tiny glimpse in space and time, every trouble that I have ever felt really isn’t that big of a deal…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-XxLtMbt/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Airplanes/Hidden-Splendor-in-the-Husky-/i-XxLtMbt/0/9f5a2555/L/IMG_3905-L.jpg" /></a></div>
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Finally the Miner's Shack</div>
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And speaking of forever, that is literally how long it took to slog up that muddy creek, spiritually awakened and in blissful agony. An eternity later, we reached the abandoned miner’s shack and spotted the Husky sitting at the edge of the cliff. As we climbed up to the airstrip, the temperature rose proportionally with each step. Stumbling into the shadow of the wing, we were elated that the suffering was finally over. Freeing my feet from the bondage of muddy wet sneakers and a replenishment of trail mix and much-needed water was a worthy reward for the suffering. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Mission Complete--At Least the Ground Part</div>
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At 4,800 feet and a surface temp was well into the high-90s making density altitude a concern for takeoff performance. A strong gusting headwind would help our performance, but would also make flying out through the tight canyon a poor choice. Instead, I made a tight turn and we climbed out to the north. We climbed with the windows open until the air temperature was comfortable—about 9,500 feet. It was wonderfully refreshing with the view of the Swell from thousands of feet being starkly different than that hundreds of feet. We quietly took it in, while sipping another well-earned La Croix and snacking on some gas station Twizzlers I’d saved as a treat. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We made Rifle, Colorado by sunset and wasted no time refueling, but we were loosing the race against darkness. There was no need to force getting home, but I was comfortable pressing further over high country into the darkness as long as I had options. We climbed out within a power-off glide’s radius of the airport to 13,500 feet then I leashed our route to the gliding radiuses of Eagle, Kremling, and Granby airports to minimize our time over “tiger country.” I turned off the cockpit lights so it was virtually dark and used what little ambient light was left of the day to see the terrain below (which we were well clear of at 13.5K). Once my eyes adjusted it was a mix of partial-panel instrument flying (thanks to the Husky’s sparse VFR panel) with visual anchors of the airport beacons out on course. <o:p></o:p></div>
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As we neared the Continental Divide, the glow of the Front Range outlined the peaks. I used a previous bread-crump track on the GPS to backup my visual navigation to Rollin’s Pass and we crossed the saddle 2000 feet AGL. From there we had the glide to make it Boulder airport and then home should the engine decide to sputter. We landed just after 10:30 pm, but not before flushing a coyote out of the runway lights on short final. It was an epic 36 hours, and not any I’ll forget any time soon!</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Subscribe</div>Cloudbasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05922546759267435864noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34504392.post-73688597295078621802020-06-14T15:11:00.005-06:002020-06-14T15:11:29.943-06:00Utah<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Subscribe</div>Cloudbasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05922546759267435864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34504392.post-68914322306872299652015-05-04T23:00:00.001-06:002015-05-04T23:00:38.133-06:00Cars and Coffee May 2015<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A few shots from Cars and Coffee May 2015 with my new camera. </div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Cars/i-35S5mWQ/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Cars/i-35S5mWQ/0/M/IMG_3610a-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Subscribe</div>Cloudbasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05922546759267435864noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34504392.post-56762401661767327152015-04-28T00:23:00.002-06:002015-04-28T00:24:06.353-06:00BMW E30 Touring vs F31 Touring<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I recently acquired a 1989 BMW E30 Touring. It's a left hand drive 320i that came from Italy in Lachssilber Metallic (Silver) over grey cloth interior with an Mtech II steering wheel and IS side skirts. My friend Rick just purchased a 2015 328xi (F31) Touring with the M Sport package (among others) in Melbourne Red over black leather interior. He stopped by and we thought it would be a good opportunity for an impromptu comparison of 25 years of BMW touring evolution. The first 3 Series touring and the latest 3 Series touring. I apologize in advance for the lack of a good background.</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Subscribe</div>Cloudbasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05922546759267435864noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34504392.post-65860773701385745432014-12-08T12:34:00.003-07:002014-12-08T12:43:54.060-07:00Winter Flying Launches <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of my favorite things about hang gliding is that you have to work for it. In Colorado, you really have to work for it. It's always a mission involving long hours and lots of miles, 4x4ing, and being a wizard at reading micro scale high altitude mountain weather. It's been an unseasonably warm few weeks of winter so far this year, meaning the launch road to Villa Grove was still dry and passable. I missioned the 6 hours roundtrip on Saturday in hopes of squeaking out a flight. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I crested Pancha Pass winter was in full effect. There was no snow on the ground, but the peaks of the Sangre de Cristo mountains were shrouded in a thick cloud layer. As the ragged cloud base slowly lifted it revealed apparitions of frosted conifers. The muted brown, green, and grey colors of early winter in the San Louis Valley painted a picture of solitude and isolation, qualities that make the tiny town of Villa Grove a magical place. It's the kind of place that most people drive by without a passing glance, but those of us who know see it as the gateway to best flying site in Colorado.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On launch patience was key. Three pilots ahead of me found launch-able cycles and headed off into the thick winter air. By the time I hooked in it was consistently blowing down, but I found a lull where it was just no wind. Launch is at about 10,000 feet. Greg had a simmering cigarette that was putting out great smoke signals. Everyone was super apprehensive. I considered their experience and opinions, but also felt confident it was safe and well within my ability. I channelled my raw desire to fly and used my marginal fitness to power off the 15 foot ramp with ferocity. There was a minefield of rocks below. The glider was flying solidly in ground effect by the end of the ramp and the energy trend was going in the right direction. I held it in ground effect extra long for good measure and pulled up with grace to launch height. Even my ragged out T2C is an energy machine! It was more intense than a cliff launch, but incredibly fulfilling. There was no lift, but I made it to the landing X at Larry's house with 400 feet to spare. I enjoyed a few wing overs and set up a high energy approach, turning base at wind sock height. I had a bit too much VG and had to drag a foot to get down to flaring speed - cold toes on hard rocks = ouch! I flared a tad early, but better too early than late when landing above 8000 feet!</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Hang-Gliding/Villa-Grove-Winter-2014/i-hKdVNP6/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Hang-Gliding/Villa-Grove-Winter-2014/i-hKdVNP6/0/M/DSC01580b-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Winter Launches</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/113893382" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://vimeo.com/113893382">Winter Hang Gliding Launches Villa Grove</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user5055307">Cloudbase Imaging</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Subscribe</div>Cloudbasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05922546759267435864noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34504392.post-4931544782487867442014-12-01T23:57:00.002-07:002014-12-02T19:58:21.742-07:00Racing 24 Hours of Lemons in the 2 Engine MRolla<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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*Pics Courtesy of Doug Dodd and Eugene Yen*<br />
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In August I was approached with the opportunity to race a two-engined Toyota in the 24 Hours of Lemons at High Plains Raceway. That's right - two engines! The premise behind the 24 of Lemons is that you and a couple friends take a $500 beater car, build it in to a racecar, pick a theme, and go race it against a bunch of other beater cars for twenty-four hours. Beater cars don't usually last twenty-four hours, so it's really just a long daytime race with a nighttime break for the inevitable and often heretic repairs. When team captain Larry Sanders offered me a seat on his 24 Hours of Lemons team, the absurdity of racing a two-engine car made it an offer I couldn’t refuse.
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Our car was called the MRolla. The letters are grafted together just like the 1986 Toyota Corolla and 1986 Toyota MR2 that they represent. The A-pillar forward was all Corolla, including the front engine, manual gearbox, steering, and front wheel drive system. The rear half was all MR2, which included the rear engine; automatic gearbox, gas tank, and rear wheel drive system. The result is an all-wheel drive car powered by two independent engines that looks like the bastard child of an illegitimate love affair between two 1980's econoboxes. Imagine the result of Screech from Saved by the Bell and Bob Sagget of Full House getting morphed into a hideous monster by the clone machine in the movie The Fly. If that didn't make you throw up a little, then ask your parents what I'm talking about. The thing is, unlike '80's era B-rated TV, '80's era B-rated (Japanese) cars were good. Very good! Both the Toyota Corolla and MR2 were light and agile little cars powered by the same feisty high-revving 1600cc twin cam 4AGE motor. The Toyota 4AGE motor is a direct copy of the legendary Ford Cosworth BDA twin cam racing engine (Sherwood 2008). They were also from the age of reliability, before cars were festooned with technological gadgetry in the oxymoronic name of safety and info-tainment. The result is a light, agile, and reliable monster - perfect qualities for an endurance beater racecar. Larry’s care and development of the MRolla ensured that we had a good chance of success in the race.
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<b>The MRolla
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I would be the only team member who could not practice driving the car before the race. My baptism in the MRolla would take place by fire as the starting driver of the race. An hour before the grid I settled into the bare metal cockpit to familiarize myself. There were two instrument clusters (one for each engine) and two gearshift knobs (one manual and one automatic). My immediate impression was that my multiengine flying skills would come in handy. Larry explained that you drive the car using the manual gearbox of the front engine. The rear engine and its automatic gearbox just tags along. There is a shift light on the front engine cluster set below the rev limiter because the rear engine could over-rev the front engine far beyond its 7200 rpm redline. I made a quick note of how to scan the engine instruments for each engine. It went like this: "front coolant temp, front oil pressure, rear coolant temp, rear oil pressure, and fuel." The five point harness and seat were standard fare, while the Nascar door bar was lower than usual. There were no window nets or side nets, which helped visibility, but made me note to sit on my hands if I rolled. I put my helmet and gloves on and cinched the harness down. Then I closed my eyes and practiced egressing from the car a few times. I wanted the muscle memory for the harness release and door handle to be automatic. 15 seconds is all the fire protection my racing suit provides. If I could be out of the car in 7, that would give 7 more to shed the suit and roll.
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-cbr6Bh7/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-cbr6Bh7/0/M/IMG_4166_ds-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-LrcDJKf/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-LrcDJKf/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%28110%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<b>Team Strategy = Banana Peels</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-qWMK9tZ/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-qWMK9tZ/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%285%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-82RGBz9/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-82RGBz9/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%286%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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Familiarization done, it was time to race. I slammed a bottle of water in addition to the Venti Starbucks and SoBe energy drink already swelling my bladder. A dozen trips to the plywood hutch couldn't stop the inevitable. I was going to have to pee. What I wasn't prepared for was the back of the yellow car I gridded behind, which said, "I got to pee." Stupid themes - already getting in my head. Dammit man!
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<b>Psychological Warfare by the Car In Front of Me</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-GcNTfV7/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-GcNTfV7/0/M/IMG_2088a-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<b>I Did Have to Pee - Damit!</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-d3d4Crs/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-d3d4Crs/0/M/IMG_2089a-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
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<b>Driving to Grid</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-zDjbJh5/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-zDjbJh5/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%28134%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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The start was a rolling start with the green flag thrown randomly in the middle of the pack. I was at the back of the pack, but because the flag was thrown at random I actually started in 6th. I spent the first dozen laps learning the car and incrementally increasing my speed. I wanted to preserve the car for the long haul and not get black flagged, but I also wanted to open up a lead on whoever our closest rivals would be. Once I settled in, the speed came naturally. I metered my aggression enough to pass a lot of cars while not getting passed. At the same time I focused on putting down fast and consistent lap times and avoiding being distracted by the cars I was passing. I drove a similar line to the M Coupe, but noted the distinct differences of having two engines. The rear engine was always chugging along. It shifted at random, reminding me of an early turbo kicking in. Sometimes I could get it to downshift in turn 7, which helped going up the hill. An Audi caught in fire within the first hour bringing out a prolonged full course yellow flag. After the yellow was lifted, I got back to work. Soon, we found ourselves in 1st place and I held it for rest of my driving stint.
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<b>Rescue Truck Staging for the Inevitable</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-TC8mkpD/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-TC8mkpD/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%281361%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<b>Green Flag</b></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-R4dDt9m/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-R4dDt9m/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%28167%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-PqN68Mm/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-PqN68Mm/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%281041%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
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<b>MRolla In First Place</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-g8JvHFk/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-g8JvHFk/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%28523%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-RsL9D6F/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-RsL9D6F/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%28693%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-L4v6GGn/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-L4v6GGn/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%28708%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
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<b>Practice Lap Video of the MRolla</b><br />
Turn up the Volume and you can hear both engines</div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="no" src="http://api.smugmug.com/services/embed/3734849791_VqQnHCB?width=640&height=480" width="640"></iframe></div>
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<b>Black Audi After the Fire</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-CHvc5Tw/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-CHvc5Tw/0/M/IMG_4194_ds-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
James was our next driver. The pit cost us the lead, but that was expected. As the morning turned to afternoon and we cycled through drivers we began to realize a shortcoming of the MRolla. Lemons rules require the original fuel tank or a fuel cell in an isolated compartment. There is no room anywhere for a fuel cell, so the MRolla had to make due with the original ten-gallon tank designed for one engine. With double the fuel burn, we were needing to pit about every hour and a half. We were nearly as fast as lot of our rivals, but the frequent pit stops started costing us. We were able to maintain our place in the bottom half of the top ten as we cycled through Chris, Eugene, and Larry.
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<b>Pit Stop and Driver Change</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-SzNTcWG/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-SzNTcWG/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%28421%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-XDHbvh5/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-XDHbvh5/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%28475%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
During Eugene's stint the brakes started going. When they failed, he put four wheels straight off at turn 6 (the safest option). We got a black flag and inspected the car. Everything looked great. As the pads wore they just couldn't dissipate the heat. We collectively struck a bargain with the brake system. If we braked at about 60-75% the pads would continue to tolerate the heat. Threshold braking for more than half a lap would result in almost no brakes for the latter part of the lap. You could make a “withdrawal" from the brake "bank" to make a pass or out-brake someone, but you had to plan for no brakes later in the lap. I used this strategy very effectively during my second driving stint. I would brake later, but harder while passing cars down the back straight into turn 4 and turn 6 if necessary. This would result in scary speed through turn 4 and more so in turn 1 on the next lap, but it worked very effectively. Right up until the point that it didn't!</div>
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<br /></div>
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I had been racing a blue BMW E30 for most of the stint. They must have had a fast driver in their car, because the car was markedly faster than earlier in the race. He finally slowed down (to preserve the car I found out later) and I had a shot. At the same time, the only other E30 entered the track. I was behind both, but closing when we reached the back straight. I got caught up in the moment and went for a double pass. It took me deep into braking zone. I knew before I hit the pedal my chances of making it were low. As I rolled onto the pedal, my fears were confirmed. I could have probably kept the car on the track through turn 4 with a heroic drift, but I didn't want to risk crashing the MRolla. Instead, I gently drove the car off on the outside of the turn. It was completely composed and free of drama. Once the traffic was clear I drove back on, but I'd get an automatic black flag. I'd made my bed, now I had to lay in it. In Lemons, the rules literally say "It's always your fault." It was my fault of course, so I took my medicine, inspected the car, and swapped out for Chris, who would finish the day.
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The Blue E30</b><br />
(my nemesis)</div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-grMzfrQ/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-grMzfrQ/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%28659%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<b>Our Hilarious Competition</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-fGDtMgk/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-fGDtMgk/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%28517%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-T5qrDWG/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-T5qrDWG/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%28673%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-bTTk3rF/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-bTTk3rF/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%28593%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-GwGvmdR/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-GwGvmdR/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%28667%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-7RZnVtc/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-7RZnVtc/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%28778%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-H7D7HvN/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-H7D7HvN/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%28754%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-5sHj8BB/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-5sHj8BB/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%28943%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-dNRcdB3/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-dNRcdB3/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%281062%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-pfHmw96/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-pfHmw96/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%281299%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-4BvSqr6/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-4BvSqr6/0/M/IMG_4233_ds-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-jQHvFQh/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-jQHvFQh/0/M/IMG_4248_ds-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-rjxVw4g/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-rjxVw4g/0/M/IMG_2066a-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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^Okay the Acura NSX wasn't racing, but it deserved a picture!</div>
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<b>The Other MR2's</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-v67CX3k/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-v67CX3k/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%28528%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-xTrD4rm/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-xTrD4rm/0/M/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%28296%29-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>This MR2 Was Powered by a Motorcycle Engine</b></div>
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(in the passenger compartment, driving a chain to the rear axle!)</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-qCJvCtH/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-qCJvCtH/0/M/IMG_2083a-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-bcGSXnJ/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-bcGSXnJ/0/M/IMG_4145_ds-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-mpVf3Jq/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-mpVf3Jq/0/M/IMG_2081a-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-HrT3hRN/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-HrT3hRN/0/M/IMG_4144_ds-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="360" scrolling="no" src="http://api.smugmug.com/services/embed/3736610377_BhsMk6V?width=640&height=360&albumId=45810179&albumKey=rbBnpr" width="640"></iframe><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
My shenanigans dropped us to 11th place. I felt terrible, but we had bigger problems. According to our calculations we would run out of gas a few minutes before the finish. Chris took advantage of other team's pit stops and clawed us back up to 6th place, but with the looming fuel shortage we asked him to dial it back a bit. When the empty light came on with fifteen minutes to go, we employed a technique that nobody else could - we shut down the rear engine. Our lap times dropped about forty seconds, but we had a large gap on the car behind us. After a few more laps we realized that gap was quickly closing. We went for broke and told Chris to start the rear engine and flog it. He crossed the line in 6th a handful of seconds ahead of the 7th place car. Phew!
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<b>Our Base Camp</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-mbTzvLn/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-mbTzvLn/0/L/20140906%2024%20Hours%20Of%20LeMons%20-%20The%20BFE%20GP%20%28116%29-L.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-MKHBKQG/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-MKHBKQG/0/M/IMG_4355_ds-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<b>Anxiously Watching the Finish</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-Vm2XQdr/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-Vm2XQdr/0/M/IMG_4328_ds-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-nHBZw8Z/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-nHBZw8Z/0/M/IMG_4319_ds-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Shredded Tires</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-bWRnvR5/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-bWRnvR5/0/M/IMG_4327_ds-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The crazy thing was, that was only half of the race. We spent the night admiring the other teams crazy cars, the heroic repairs going around us, and swapping brake pads on the MRolla. Sleep came quickly. Sunday was a repeat of Saturday. Somehow we managed to linger in the bottom half of the top ten throughout the day. We were faster than some of the cars ahead of us, but our frequent pit stops kept us out of the top five. At the completion of the two-day race we finished 6th place (3rd in class). Against all odds the MRolla survived 314 laps without a hitch. Even though we only got 3rd in class, the race organizers recognized this accomplishment and awarded us the Index of Effluency award, the most "prestigious" in Lemons!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<b>Heroic Repairs in the Paddock</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-CFVJtMs/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-CFVJtMs/0/L/IMG_4361_ds-L.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-S42vZdL/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-S42vZdL/0/M/IMG_4294_ds-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-MVKJBV9/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-MVKJBV9/0/M/IMG_4341_ds-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Index of Effluency Award</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-7p6pjMV/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-7p6pjMV/0/M/IMG_4430_ds-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Team Volatile Ram</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-8kB3fVd/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/24-Hours-of-Lemons/i-8kB3fVd/0/M/IMG_4407_ds-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Subscribe</div>Cloudbasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05922546759267435864noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34504392.post-1472339086818944372014-11-12T16:29:00.000-07:002014-11-12T20:57:49.875-07:00Hang Gliding in Yosemite Remix<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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My dream has always been to fly. For me hang gliding has been the most pure expression of that dream -- the most pure expression of the art of flight.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I belong to a tribe of people who live the collective dreams of generations. The dream has persisted for centuries and millennia. The dream to fly is as old as humankind. The wing I fly has directly evolved its shape and form from the imagination and persistence of those who have dreamt before me. It shares the same aerodynamic DNA as the one that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Rogallo" target="_blank">Francis Rogallo</a> designed to recover the Gemini Space Capsule. The one that the Wright Brothers limped off of the windswept dunes of Kittyhawk. The one that <a href="https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=otto+lilienthal&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8" target="_blank">Otto Lilienthal</a> sprinted down the rolling hills of Rhinow region in the Northeast of Germany. The one etched into history from the imagination of the original renaissance man himself, Leonardo Da Vinci. That fact that I live in a time when I can casually rock up to a launch and fly off, repeatedly and safely, then fly for hours and hundreds of miles is not lost on me. I live the dream on the shoulders of those who came before me. Their spirit fuels my pursuit of the art of flight.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The art of flight, however, does not come without work. Two years ago I drove 36 hours and 2218 miles for 18 minutes of flying. It was worth every minute! Check it out. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/111653813" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://vimeo.com/111653813">Hang Gliding Yosemite Remix</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user5055307">Cloudbase Imaging</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You can also see this journey through 100 pics here:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://cloudbaseimaging.blogspot.com/2012/07/yosemite-and-back-in-100-pics.html" target="_blank">Yosemite and Back in 100 Pics</a></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Subscribe</div>Cloudbasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05922546759267435864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34504392.post-32867019276550053172014-07-14T18:37:00.000-06:002014-07-14T18:57:20.430-06:00(Z3) M Coupe Time Trial Build<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>The Build</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I was never able
to keep my toys in their boxes as a kid. I was always careful with them, but
leaving them encapsulated in plastic required more restraint than my childhood
self could muster. Not much has changed. When I got my dream car, a 5 year old
2002 (Z3) M Coupe (number 533 of 678 S54 powered examples built), I babied it like
an Optimus Prime transformer freshly emancipated from its packaging. I spent
the first year getting to know the car and enjoying Colorado's plentiful
mountain roads. It was a fantastic way to enjoy the M Coupe and explore my
rapidly advancing driving skills. It was also an exercise in frustration.
Traffic, speed limits, and variables beyond my control always loomed in the
background robbing the purity of the experience. So in 2008 the M Coupe and I
went to the racetrack for a Rocky Mountain Chapter BMW performance driving
school. After one session I was hooked. Suddenly, driving became a competitive
skill set of lifetime improvement like hang gliding and mountain biking were. I
advanced quickly from the beginner D group to the advanced A group. The M Coupe
was an animal. Its hooligan traits showed themselves, but a healthy fear of
scratching my baby kept me from exceeding my limits.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fast forward to the spring of 2012
and I was at a turning point. I had just completed a BMW club racing school, of
which one day was in wonderfully wet conditions. If you can drive a (first gen) M Coupe
near the limit, you are good. If you can drive an M Coupe near the limit in the
wet, you can drive damn near anything. Confident after doing both I was ready
to make the leap to racing. The M Coupe was too precious to subject to the
racing environment; I would have to find something else. At great fiscal
irresponsibility, I stumbled into owning a track-prepped M Roadster in the same
Imola Red color as the M Coupe. I also came to the stark realization that my
budget would only allow wheel to wheel racing in karts and $500 Chump Cars. The
M Roady would be a Time Trial car, racing the clock (with a bunch of other cars
racing the clock). The roadster
allowed me to push the limits and learn suspension-tuning eccentricities unique
to the Z3 platform. Both Z3M's share a similar rear trailing arm
suspension design with the original E30 M3, but on a shorter wheelbase and with
more power. Keeping the rear end tidy is a constant struggle. My learning
opportunities came at the expense of a few scary off-track excursions, but
learning how to go "off" is a lesson every track driver should know. While the Roady was a great platform to
learn and get my NASA time trial license in, I longed for the power and
rigidity of the M Coupe. Last November I sold the Roady and began the next
phase of the M Coupe's evolution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The M Roady in Top Form</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Roadster-Track-Car/i-G2whRMD/A" title="NASA©2013 Rupert Berrington"><img alt="NASA©2013 Rupert Berrington" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Roadster-Track-Car/i-G2whRMD/0/M/091_NASA1307_51-M.jpg" title="NASA©2013 Rupert Berrington" /></a>
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>M Roady at Pueblo Motorsports Park</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(my "off" is at 1:45)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/qIsYeMCnfIQ" width="640"></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The M Coupe is my legacy car. I never
plan on selling it. I committed to modify it only as necessary to advance both
the car's and my performance, but not in anyway that could not be put back to
stock. My goals were to use it as a time trial and instruction car (this would
be my first year instructing for the BMW club). In the five previous years I
had improved the M Coupe from stock form with:</span><br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">KW V3 coil-over suspension</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ireland Engineering green subframe
bushings</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Euro-spec floating front brake rotors</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Stainless steel brake lines</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">330 millimeter steering wheel</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sport mode, which allowed for easier
throttle blips</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Super Sprint Exhaust</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The M Coupe Before the Build</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Mshoot/i-p8vpWJW/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Mshoot/i-p8vpWJW/0/M/IMG_0358-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The next step was to apply what I had
learned with the roadster. I focused on three areas: suspension and balance,
driving position and cockpit, and fixing a persistent oil leak. Factory
understeer would be corrected to a more neutral setup through suspension and
wheels. Suspension and wheel build:</span><br />
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</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">KW V3 Coilovers Out (possibly for sale)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">TC Kline Double Adjustable Coilovers
in (to fit wider front wheels / tires)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">TC Kline Camber / Caster Plates (-2.4
degrees camber up front)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">550lb Front / 700lb Rear Springs</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Disconnected Rear Sway Bar</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">30mm Front Sway Bar</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">17 x 9" Apex Arc-8 Wheels (Gloss
Black) w/ BF Goodrich R1 Tires (for the track)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">17 x 9.5" Apex Arc-8 Wheels
(Hyper Silver) w/ Dunlop Dizzera ZII Tires (for the track and street)</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">KW V3 Coilovers Out, TC Kline DA Coilovers In</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-QkZHwhn/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-QkZHwhn/1/L/IMG_9924-L.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-384s66D/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-384s66D/0/L/IMG_9940-L.jpg" title="" /></a>
</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hyper Silver Concave Apex Arc-8 Wheels</span></b></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-KD2zzRk/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-KD2zzRk/0/M/IMG_9087-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The hyper silver wheels contrast Imola red brillantly. The rear end of the M Coupe swallows wide tires, but the front is limited. 255/40 R17 size front tires stick out slightly. To protect my paint from the inevitable projectiles that result from sticky tires I added a set of WRX racer-boy mud flaps. They look like pit stains on a super model and attract much unwanted attention from hipsters, but my paint is more important than my pride! The M Coupe is enough of an ugly duckling that it almost pulls it off -- almost. Luckily, I managed to source the last set of OEM BMW Z3 mud flaps in the country from a Toyota dealer in Ohio.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mud Flaps</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-wpgrfLc/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-wpgrfLc/0/M/IMG_9954-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-DbHm79X/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-DbHm79X/0/M/IMG_9952-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>The Last Set of OEM BMW Mud Flaps in the Country</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(sourced from Toyota!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-GPZNXJb/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-GPZNXJb/1/M/IMG_0549-M.jpg" title="" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>Less is More</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-HD4WnS4/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-HD4WnS4/0/M/IMG_0614-M.jpg" title="" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>Virtually Invisible</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(Especially Next to the New M4)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-8twHPFG/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-8twHPFG/0/M/IMG_0616-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
</span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The next area of improvement would be
the cockpit. The M Coupe's two-tone red and black leather seats were works of
art, but were woefully unsupportive for track driving. I had been slipping and
sliding around the track on them for years. I was also pathologically paranoid
about ruining the side bolsters. Much to my wife's public embarrassment, each
entry and exit I would hang myself off the steering wheel like I was pooping in
the woods. Here's the cockpit build:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sparco EVO II US Seats</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">VAC M Coupe Floor Mounts w/
Anti-Submarine Bars</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Motion Motorsport Seat Brackets</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Schroth Profii 6-point Hans
Compatible Harnesses</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">HMS M Coupe Harness Bar</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">NRG 320mm Steering Wheel</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Convex 14" Mirror Mounted on Go Pro Suction Cups</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Seats</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-7hKQ7x5/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-7hKQ7x5/0/M/IMG_9235-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Floor Mounts</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-8nk4NcT/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-8nk4NcT/0/M/IMG_9292-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">New Seat and Brackets</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-4bV8zfq/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-4bV8zfq/0/L/IMG_9296-L.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Harnesses</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-Z6d7LDS/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-Z6d7LDS/0/L/IMG_9297-L.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Harness Bar</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-7D3Qnm2/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-7D3Qnm2/0/M/IMG_9219-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Steering Wheel</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-FSjgmdJ/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-FSjgmdJ/0/M/IMG_9945-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Shifter</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-ZCFTKVS/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-ZCFTKVS/0/L/IMG_9948-L.jpg" title="" /></a>
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Convex Mirror and Go Pro Suction Cups</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-qnCD8Bb/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-qnCD8Bb/0/M/IMG_1296-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">To make the seats work I had to hack off 3 inches of the
outside wing of each seat to make them fit in the narrow cockpit. Hacking into
set of brand new seats was super stressful, but it worked. The next problem was
how to install a harness bar without hacking up my precious interior. I sourced
a Hard Motorsports harness bar, but it required drilling through metal and
carpet to install. This violated my not being able to return it perfectly to
stock rule, so it was out. HMS made a limited production of semi-triangulated
(front to rear) bars that bolted into the B pillars and rear hatch cargo tie
down points. Through days of Internet searching I managed to track down an M Coupe
owner who had the bar installed and was willing to let me borrow and duplicate
it. Then another forum member emailed me saying he had an uninstalled for
sale. It was the fastest PayPal I'd ever sent!</span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Seat Wings Too Wide</span></b></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-znx83Fs/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-znx83Fs/0/L/IMG_9236-L.jpg" title="" /></a>
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Trimmed to Fit the M Coupe</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-hnrRBW4/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-hnrRBW4/0/L/IMG_9303-L.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-scQzBhS/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-scQzBhS/0/L/IMG_9285-L.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The last order of business was fixing
a nagging oil leak that I had been chasing for years. It would leak a
silver dollar-sized spot after being driven. I had replaced all of the usual
S54 engine suspects, even special ordering a VANOS oil control line from Germany. Finally, I sent it to the professionals to diagnose. The conclusion was that the head
gasket was leaking out of the unpressurized portion surrounding the timing
chain. I swallowed my pride and turned it over to Josh and Cal Parker at
Autosport Werks. It turned out it may have been a loose timing chain guide bolt,
but the motor was so torn apart I went ahead with the replacement anyway. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Location of my Oil Leak</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(below the head on the timing chain cover)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-xkfL58h/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-xkfL58h/0/M/Oil%20Leak-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-k6dVmPz/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-k6dVmPz/0/M/Oil%20Leak%202-M.jpg" title="" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Head Off</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-XDxLXBf/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-XDxLXBf/0/M/IMG_9850-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-SgL8xrv/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-SgL8xrv/1/L/IMG_9855-L.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-qQnLqBr/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-qQnLqBr/0/L/IMG_9856-L.jpg" title="" /></a>
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Suspected Leak Culprit</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(timing chain guide bolt)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-vm2c4tZ/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-vm2c4tZ/0/L/IMG_9871-L.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Item #10 in Both Diagrams</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-KjXP5dn/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-KjXP5dn/0/M/Head-M.png" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-mz5WFwV/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/M-Coupe-2014/i-mz5WFwV/0/M/Timing%20Chain-M.png" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">With less than 72 hours before the
track gates opened I headed to SCR Performance for a corner balance. Mark, Dan,
and Pete worked their magic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
had to swap some springs (luckily my new suspension came with 3 sets) to get
the ride height close. I'd like to go 3-5 mm lower in the front, but there is
just too much tire. Quality problems! They were not impressed with the plywood
spacers I used in the rear, but it'll work until I get proper ride height
adjusters from TC Kline.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Finished Product</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-68F4SWC/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-68F4SWC/0/M/IMG_9941-M.jpg" title="" /></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Track Test</b></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The inaugural BMW club Time Trial
would be taking place with our local Rocky Mountain Chapter at High Plains
raceway on Memorial Day. I would be instructing Saturday and Sunday before
TT'ing Monday. I finished prepping the M Coupe at 2:30 am on Saturday morning!
A crew of us rented an RV for the weekend. It supposedly slept seven adults,
but as I said to the lady at the rental counter “not without
"man-touching." For the first time my M Coupe would not be the sole
E36/8 in attendance. Colby and Cameron were doing their first driving schools
in Dakar Yellow and Estoril Blue coupes. Cory and Casey both brought Avus Blue
and Arctic Silver '95 E36 M3's. Fellow new instructor Fox brought his black E28
535 M Tech sedan, and Eric brought the beastly S50B32 powered Henna Red E30 M3
that we drove across country in March. Our paddock was constantly bustling with
activity that was complimented by copious gas-passing in the close quarters of
the RV. Thank god it was a rental! Other usual suspects of the Rocky Mountain
BMW CCA chapter rounded out the weekend proving once again, it is the people
and the community, not the cars or driving that make such tomfoolery so much
fun.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The M Coupe Prepped and Ready</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-cbfL4Jv/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-cbfL4Jv/0/M/DSC07554-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-N9hGWJf/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-N9hGWJf/0/M/DSC07555-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-CJcDzGr/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-CJcDzGr/0/M/DSC07574-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-Whzc3Rr/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-Whzc3Rr/0/M/DSC07564-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-VmBc24T/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-VmBc24T/0/M/DSC07563-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-HPK7LSv/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-HPK7LSv/0/M/DSC07562-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-MRF9HXV/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-MRF9HXV/0/M/DSC07568-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-nX868wd/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-nX868wd/0/M/DSC07569-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>Eric's S50B32 M3</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-MksQN4r/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-MksQN4r/0/M/14292051713_895abb9b90_o-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>Cory's Avus M3</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-ZbXThBQ/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-ZbXThBQ/0/M/14269794862_8c61d80230_o-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>At the Car Wash</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-Z2XndFZ/A" title=""><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-Z2XndFZ/0/M/IMG_9957-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-WhBc2Jb/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-WhBc2Jb/0/M/IMG_9970-M.jpg" title="" /></a><!--EndFragment--></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I spent Saturday and Sunday staving
off motion sickness while instructing A through D students. It was a lot of
work, but it was worth it to watch my students grow and improve. They were all
great guys with good attitudes. The cars ranged from a track prepped E36, Mini
Cooper S, E46 M3, to a VW GTI. I spent the instructor drives learning my M
Coupe all over with some suspension tuning help from Eugene. On Saturday
morning Fox's nearly 30 year old ECU (computer) died, but conveniently, not
until after he had mounted his race tires and accidentally occupied someone
else's paddock. After lots of jacking, pushing, and trouble shooting Fox had a
great attitude, but we all knew he was in a pit of despair. A life-line
text to the Parker's resulted in a replacement ECU from Cal's secret stash
showing up in Sunday morning. Finding a red label BMW 195 ECU in Colorado, much
less getting it in less than 24 hours to a racetrack into the desolate plains,
was a miracle. We should have bought lottery tickets!</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fox's E28 Waiting for an ECU</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-m6cx6g8/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/BMW-Club-2014/i-m6cx6g8/0/M/14269767702_6bf75c7254_o-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Monday morning I was ready to Time
Trial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The BMW club is the best
performance driving instruction available in Colorado, which is no doubt also true
at a nationwide level. The club has an impeccable safety record and holds its
instructors to a very high standard. I experienced this first hand getting put
through the ringer during my instructor training / evaluation. Time trails (TT)
are the next logical step for advanced students of BMW's curriculum. It is a
perfect bridge for those who might want to eventually pursue club racing. It is
also an ideal venue for those who want to continue to advance their driving
without intrusive car modifications or costly safety equipment more suited to
wheel to wheel racing. Open passing, off-line driving, situational awareness,
strategy, and the goal of being faster against the clock, not just a better
driver are all challenges unique to time trials. The satisfaction of employing
various strategies and seeing your results after each session is deeply
rewarding (or frustrating). The fact that the Rocky Mountain Chapter was chosen
to host the first BMW Club time trail event was a huge honor for our members. Gary
Bohn, Dave Jobush, Zung Tran, Steve Roepken, Roland Nieves, and Dean Croucher took
great care to define what BMW club TT should look like. Taking a cue from the
success of BMW club autocross they molded the successful similarities of other
TT programs into a program that focuses on competitive improvement and
performance, while retaining the excellent safety standards that have made the
BMW club so successful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I highly
encourage advanced driving school students to consider BMW Club TT.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will be the most fun you will have
had in your car all over again!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
<b>New PR During the BMW Club TT</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(2:07.773)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Zi8GjccRRLo?list=UUkLDaV7lSFIl8KK6V8KVMRQ" width="640"></iframe></span></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Subscribe</div>Cloudbasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05922546759267435864noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34504392.post-22650880088299747832014-04-21T00:25:00.002-06:002014-09-12T12:22:22.197-06:00Peru - The 2013 Inca Avalanche Downhill Mountain Bike Race with a DJI Phantom Drone<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Still Lost in Peru</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/HG1jJCU1SLA" width="640"></iframe></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Quick Links to Aerial Videos</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://vimeo.com/92058291" target="_blank">Ditch Day 1 </a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://vimeo.com/92490997" target="_blank">Pumamarca Ruins</a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://vimeo.com/91317079" target="_blank">Ollantaytambo Through 2 Wheels</a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://vimeo.com/92109531" target="_blank">2013 Inca Avalanche Race Start</a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://vimeo.com/92007031" target="_blank">The Riot</a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">Last year I had the opportunity to film a downhill mountain bike
race in Peru with a drone. The drone I had at my disposal was an iPod-like
quad-copter called the DJI Phantom. The small, white, remote controlled
quad-copter is about the size of a dinner plate and flies a Go Pro Hero HD 3
camera. It has DJI's <i>Naza</i> GPS-enabled
stabilization system. I modified it with a custom vibration absorbing camera
mount, meticulously balanced props, and a video downlink that displays a live
camera feed to the pilot through virtual reality goggles.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;"><b>The DJI Phantom</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In typical fashion, I had no idea if I was going to actually make it
to Peru until a few days before the race. The first flight from Denver to
Houston was on a brand new United Airlines 787 Dreamliner. I managed to chat up
the pilots for a tour of the flight deck and crew rest quarters located in the
ceiling above first class. The view out of my blue tinted window of the
composite wing flexing upward was awesome. I love carbon fiber! On the connecting flight to Lima I managed to land a seat in first class. It would to be a stark contrast to what I would encounter in Peru.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-F9wk2vH/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-F9wk2vH/0/M/IMG_7777-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Flight Deck</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-696SjkP/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-696SjkP/0/M/IMG_7781-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Heads Up Display</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-L5dnL5Z/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-L5dnL5Z/0/M/IMG_7786-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Crew Rest Quarters Located in the Ceiling Above First Class</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-xcVgqMc/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-xcVgqMc/0/M/IMG_7779-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Composite Wing Through Blue Tinted Window</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-46zkwNg/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-46zkwNg/0/L/IMG_7789-L.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Day 1</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">After a night in Lima I caught a TACA Airlines flight to the
mountain city of Cuzco. After getting off the plane I found the most legitimate
looking cab driver around and negotiated a fare to Ollantaytambo, our base of
operations. I had been warned of cab drivers in Lima delivering tourists to
thieves, who would then rob and strand them. Traveling alone with a giant
pelican case, I assumed I would have a target on my back. When my cab driver
started driving the wrong way out of Cuzco, it aroused my suspicions. There was
only one road to Ollantaytambo and we were not on it. As I questioned him, he
pulled into a sketchy alley next to a van with four guys in it. I was instantly
ready for action. Odds were he was just trying to give his brother, who had no
cab permit, some business, but I wasn't taking any chances. He said,
"Senor, you have to go with my brother." To which I replied, "No
way Amigo, we made a deal! You take me to Ollantaytambo or back to the
airport." We argued back and forth as the men approached, looming in the
rear view mirror. Time was of the essence. I mustered the most violent look I
could and peered deep into his soul. I locked my door, moved close to his face,
while putting my right hand on the car key (still in the ignition) and said
"Make them go away now or else!" We had a brief but intense standoff while he pondered my bluff.
Then he said calmly, "Okay my friend, I take you to Ollantaytambo." He
yelled in Spanish to the men and they eventually retreated. My
act was all for show, but it worked. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 17px;">Talking to a local expat named K.B., the cab driver was most likely just passing his
brother some business. In hindsight, I agree. I probably over-reacted, but I could not risk the drone
getting stolen.</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Descending into Cuzco</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-X9cZ3T6/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-X9cZ3T6/0/M/IMG_7805-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-x87SqTG/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-x87SqTG/0/M/IMG_7801-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-jnZ2NKX/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-jnZ2NKX/0/M/IMG_7809-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-ftnRptP/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-ftnRptP/0/M/IMG_7810-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Landed at 5:26 a.m.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The cab driver and I continued the remainder of our drive to
Ollantaytambo like best friends, as if the whole abduction thing never happened! Soon the chaotic streets of Cuzco gave way
to lush yellow wheat grass against a backdrop of snowcapped Andes Mountains.
After two hours we rolled into the town square of Ollantaytambo. I had no clue
what my contacts looked like, only that I was looking for a gringo named Chris.
He was staying at K.B.'s bed and breakfast. After harassing a few gringos I
found the real Chris. He was Yeti pro downhill rider Chris Van Dine, also known
as CVD. He was rolling with Cannondale and Red Bull athlete Aaron Chase, Giant
pro downhill rider Katie Holms, videographer Rich Van Every, and a crew of
other top notch riders and photographers from all over the world. They had all
converged on the small Peruvian hamlet for the Inca Avalanche Enduro. The
downhill race would start at a hypoxic altitude of nearly <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sixteen thousand feet</i> and descend along ancient Inca trails nearly
ten thousand feet back to Ollantaytambo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Drive to Ollantaytambo</b></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-fRJzmpZ/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-fRJzmpZ/0/M/IMG_7812-M.jpg" title="" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Descending into Urubamba</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-4NLSdRg/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-4NLSdRg/0/M/IMG_7818-M.jpg" title="" /></a></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Motocarro Taxis</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-ZsHzS2N/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-ZsHzS2N/0/M/IMG_7820-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Sacred Valley</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-Fn8SJWR/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-Fn8SJWR/0/M/IMG_8158-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Arrival in Ollantaytambo</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-MjL9Wtr/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-MjL9Wtr/0/L/IMG_7831-L.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>My Hostel</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-kgxtt2p/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-kgxtt2p/0/M/IMG_7825-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-SW8MPcH/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-SW8MPcH/0/L/IMG_7827-L.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-7B3VvCT/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-7B3VvCT/0/L/IMG_7829-L.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">After a brief introduction, I hopped into one of three crowded vans
and we headed into the hills for the first day of filming. On the way we
stopped for food in Urubamba. Chris led the way through a maze of aged rock
structures to a local market that had the Peruvian equivalent of anything
anyone would ever need. We managed to source at least a dozen chicken sandwiches
for the people in our van and much needed caffeine for me. I was running on three hours of
sleep at best. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Loading Up to Ride and Film</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-gNHV3cr/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-gNHV3cr/0/M/IMG_7832-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Back in Urubamba Looking for Food</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-LqmN7nr/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-LqmN7nr/0/M/IMG_7837-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-5wFvSjd/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-5wFvSjd/0/M/IMG_7836-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Market</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-WwSfsGq/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-WwSfsGq/0/M/IMG_7848-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-w9m39Lq/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-w9m39Lq/0/L/IMG_7847-L.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Vegetables, Kittens, and Babies</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-sPdtk7M/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-sPdtk7M/0/M/IMG_7843-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Fruit Smoothy in a Bag</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-6Q7FVMx/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-6Q7FVMx/0/L/IMG_7849-L.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>More Sugar</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Our final destination was a small canyon located on a mountain bench
above the town of Maras. It was a picturesque location with rich green grass
contrasting exposed red dirt. The snowcapped, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nineteen thousand foot</i> peak of Sahuasiray in the Cordillera Urubamba
Mountains stood watch across the valley. We got to work digging jumps out of the
natural features of the shallow canyon. Digging a trail out of a dirt wall at
twelve thousand feet on only a few hours of sleep got my heart rate up, but I
was committed to the mission and my new friends. I did my best to honor the
Inca ethos of hard work. In Incan culture laziness was punishable by death from
being pushed off a cliff! Our work became a race against the sunset, with us
finishing in enough time for one filming run in rapidly fading light. The day
was a success. Sleep came quickly back at the hostel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cordillera Urubamba Mountains</span></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-bvFhVq3/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-bvFhVq3/0/M/IMG_7856-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Ditch</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-JHJrbcv/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-JHJrbcv/0/M/IMG_7854-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-F2PVz3B/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-F2PVz3B/0/M/IMG_7855-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Aaron Chase Being Admired</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-RM85Kbg/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-RM85Kbg/0/M/IMG_7860-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Flying the Ditch</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/92058291" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://vimeo.com/92058291">Peru Shorts - The Ditch</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user5055307">Cloudbase Imaging</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Sleep!</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>DAY 2</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Morning School Bus in Ollantaytambo</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Sleds Waiting to be Ridden</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Morning Street Dog Pic</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-6hNp3st/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-6hNp3st/0/L/IMG_7869-L.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">Day two was all about getting off the beaten path for some gritty, organic, riding sequences highlighting the history and culture of the area. We loaded into our van with driver Jose (who I would get to know well), and headed north to a cluster of Inca ruins called Pumamarca. It was a small group of crumbling buildings nestled into a terraced ledge above the confluence of two narrow valleys. On the way up we crossed a small bridge constructed of lashed logs. As we crossed it, a little boy who could not have been more than six years old ran out of his rural rock house. He ran along the side of our van until we stopped, then shadowed us as we filmed. It can be hard-living in Peru, but I couldn't help but wonder how idyllic the childhood of the newest member of our crew might be. No electricity, no Play Stations, no processed first world food, just the lush hillsides of a fantastic landscape and the ruins of an ancient culture literally in his backyard. His future certainly held struggle and hard work, but happiness is not circumstantial and hard work is good for the soul. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Road to Pumamarca</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Our New Sidekick</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" scrolling="no" src="http://api.smugmug.com/services/embed/3161861076_bkvfkHN?width=640&height=360&albumId=38266920&albumKey=4TzXKB" width="640"></iframe><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Patacancha Valley</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-Pt823Md/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-Pt823Md/0/M/IMG_7888-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Phantom</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-B8t8QJW/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-B8t8QJW/0/M/IMG_7889-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Pumamarca Ruins</b></span></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Aerial exploration of the steep valley walls, lush terraced ledges,
and castle-like structures of our location via video goggles was a
transcendental experience. Maximizing the dreamlike, aerial perspective to
capture both riders and scenery while not crashing took my multitasking to the
next level. Our six year-old sidekick was fascinated by everything we did. I’m
sure he was used to tourists transiting the area, but four crazy gringos riding
downhill bikes definitely made an impression. Once I started flying the drone
his mind was really blown. I hooked up an external monitor so he could see the
magic of flight first hand. I even made a few passes over his house to which he
responded with ecstatic joy. The rest of his family, who were plowing a small
field with an Ox, was less amused. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Aerial Exploration of the Pumamarca Ruins</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/92490997" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://vimeo.com/92490997">Peru Shorts - Pumamarca Ruins with Aaron Chase, Katie Holden, and Chris Van Dine</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user5055307">Cloudbase Imaging</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-ZswHmHN/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-ZswHmHN/0/M/IMG_7900-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Katie, Aaron, and Chris Between Shoots</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-SPXGcrS/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-SPXGcrS/0/M/IMG_7892-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Jose and Our Sidekick</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-DB9s6PC/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-DB9s6PC/0/M/IMG_7903-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Aaron Sighting Lines</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-6MKkBdK/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-6MKkBdK/0/M/IMG_7908-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Ancient Stonework</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-GG84Fk4/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-GG84Fk4/0/M/IMG_7910-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Parting Shot of Our Sidekick</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-v8PrKvh/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-v8PrKvh/0/M/IMG_7906-M.jpg" title="" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Lunch in Ollantaytambo</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-4hXqHMs/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-4hXqHMs/0/M/IMG_7946-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-j2K2nFr/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-j2K2nFr/0/M/IMG_7949-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Siesta</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-t6Kr3bR/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-t6Kr3bR/0/M/IMG_7950-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The rest of the day was spent hanging out and filming in
Ollantaytambo. It was the practice day before the race. Lots of riders funneled
through on their way to pre-ride the course giving the town a festive
atmosphere. Chris hatched a plan to build a jump in the town park for the next
night's post-race party. Aaron scouted a set of stairs that would make for a
good urban riding sequence. I set up at the bottom, cueing the riders to ride
down them on my call. After harassing a rooster and blowing the minds of some
more local kids, I hovered the drone just below some power lines. Flying on goggles
in the tight space, was a huge mistake. I clipped a power line, sending the
drone crashing into a grassy knoll. Experiencing the crash in first person
perspective caused me to stumble comically as the drone tumbled out of the sky.
To add insult to injury it landed in poop (of unknown origin). The Phantom's
propellers are thin plastic, so the power line was undamaged. After a thorough
decontamination and a new propeller, the drone was as good as new and flying
later that night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>K.B.'s Bed and Breakfast</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-hNVVThC/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-hNVVThC/0/M/IMG_7953-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Ollantaytambo Through 2 Wheels</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(with a drone crash at the end)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/91317079" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://vimeo.com/91317079">Peru Shorts Ollantaytambo Through 2 Wheels</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user5055307">Cloudbase Imaging</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Post-Crash Prop Balancing</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-3f6CxtL/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-3f6CxtL/0/M/IMG_7962-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Dinner</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(the cat was just a guest)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-TFGnpLb/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-TFGnpLb/0/M/IMG_7969-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Town Square</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-5NCdvG9/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-5NCdvG9/0/M/IMG_7970-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Late Night Football Match</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-5HmdqJX/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-5HmdqJX/0/M/IMG_7972-M.jpg" title="" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Day 3 - Race Day</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Day three, Saturday, was race day. Chris had abandoned the race to
finish his mission of constructing the ten-foot kicker and landing ramp in the
town park. His first load of lumber was stolen, but he managed to source
another load and adapt a set of bleachers into a landing ramp. With the help of
Kiwi pro downhiller and master jump builder Kelly McGarry they got it done just
in time for the post-race party. Meanwhile Aaron, Rich and I loaded into
the van with Jose for the first heat of the race. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Morning Street Dog Pic</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-qzZsfP5/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-qzZsfP5/0/L/IMG_7977-L.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Loading Up Bikes</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-rxbJwWf/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-rxbJwWf/0/M/IMG_7979-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Me Fueled by Red Bull</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-RTPPt9B/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-RTPPt9B/0/L/IMG_7983-L.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Rich and Aaron Pre-Race</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-2dzskx7/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-2dzskx7/0/M/IMG_7988-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Drive Up to Abra Malaga</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-63ZHGdd/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-63ZHGdd/0/M/IMG_8009-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-mHdJp9J/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-mHdJp9J/0/M/IMG_8019-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-NhjLPFP/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-NhjLPFP/0/M/IMG_8022-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">The race start was at 15,580 feet on the mountain pass of Abra Malaga. My job would be to get aerial footage of the start. I was a little worried about how the Phantom would fly in the high altitude’s thin air. Then we literally drove into the clouds. As we hiked up a little jaunt to the race start, the cloud base lifted but ice pellets started falling. On a short test flight the Phantom flew great, so I hovered at the base of the clouds and readied for the mass start. The gun went off and calamity ensued. Riders were throwing elbows and knees jockeying for a good line down the alpine tundra. There was no trail, just exposed moss-covered slopes that funneled into a terraced Inca path below the road. I was standing on a small hill directly in the line of fire, but somehow managed to avoid getting caught in the chaos. In seconds the battlefield had cleared. All of the riders had vanished below the slope except for a few with minor injuries or mechanical failures. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>2013 Inca Avalanche Race Start</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/92109531" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;"><a href="http://vimeo.com/92109531">Peru Shorts - 2013 Inca Avalanche Race Start</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user5055307">Cloudbase Imaging</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Cloud Base</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-R543GQv/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-R543GQv/0/M/IMG_8061-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Locals Posing with the Phantom</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(they insisted)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-9RrsPq8/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-9RrsPq8/0/M/IMG_8026-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Me Doing My Thing</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-MB7KR6G/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-MB7KR6G/0/M/photo-66-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-mrcXZck/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-mrcXZck/0/M/IMG_8062-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">As Jose and I rallied back down the road, the former mountain bike
racer in me was pretty bummed I wasn't riding, but the racecar driver in me was
even more bummed that I wasn't driving. It was an asphalt ribbon of pavement that
snaked through exposed cliffs, tight switchbacks, and around turns of every
kind of radius. It could have been a World Rally Stage. At the bottom we picked
up the boys and repeated the shenanigans. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Drive Back Down</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-XKSt5h7/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-XKSt5h7/0/M/IMG_8048-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Wishing I Had a Race Car</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-cfzGFbm/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-cfzGFbm/0/M/IMG_8011-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Race Course Crossing the Road</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-3qWrzMt/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-3qWrzMt/0/M/IMG_8051-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Spectators</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-ThMvDZQ/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-ThMvDZQ/0/M/IMG_8035-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">After the second heat the finish line transformed into a full-on
party. Locals and riders formed a crowded mass of people cooking recently sacrificed
animals over open fires, children washing bikes in the creek, and racers stoked
to have survived the Inca Avalanche. As the sun set, the party moved to the
town square where the crowd grew from hundreds to over a thousand. Music blared
from a balloon filled stage while prizes were thrown out into the crowd. The
Mayor of Ollantaytambo rallied the masses and gave out awards to the race
winners. It was too dark for decent Go Pro shots, but the bright LED lights on
the bottom of the Phantom were a perfect complement to rally the crowd. I did a
couple flights low over the bleachers and a virtual wave of cheers ensued. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Finish</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-G7z8FBK/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-G7z8FBK/0/M/IMG_8081-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-32t6wNz/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-32t6wNz/0/M/IMG_8084-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Bull Fighting Back in Town</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-MzPN9bB/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-MzPN9bB/0/M/IMG_8094-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Pinkuylluna Ruins at Sunset</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-mNLSpWJ/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-mNLSpWJ/0/M/Untitled-1-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Kids Playing on Chris's Landing Ramp</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-dtbd93z/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-dtbd93z/0/M/IMG_8097-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Awards Ceremony</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-vCQP55B/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-vCQP55B/0/M/IMG_8105-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-QNbrwtS/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-QNbrwtS/0/M/IMG_8103-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">After the awards ceremony, Chris's hard work came to fruition. The
police had set up a roadblock and the crowd moved to the jump he and Kelly had
been building all day. Chris and So Cal freestyle rider Wil White took turns
hucking the kicker to the cheers of a crowd that became more excited with each
jump. Back flips and 360's were the weapons of choice to rile the crowd and
throw down as if there were X Games judges watching from a nearby roof. I flew
a couple of batteries on the Phantom behind each rider, but the lighting was
too dim for anything of production quality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Chris Throwing Down</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-8z4dMXk/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-8z4dMXk/0/M/CVD-M.jpg" title="" /></a></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Day 4 - Sunday</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Sunday was a day of exodus. Aaron and Rich packed up and headed for
home. The flight loads back to the U.S. didn't look that great, so I decided to
spend another day on location to film with Chris and later Dirt Rag reporters
Stephen Haynes and Matt Kasprzyk. I took advantage of the smooth morning air to film the Ruins of Ollantaytambo. We headed back towards Urubamba to shoot in
the slopes southwest of town. In the sky, fair weather cumulus clouds were
popping like movie theatre popcorn. I watched a paraglider launch from a
peak to the south and wished I had a hang glider at my disposal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Morning Street Dog Pic</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Rich Throwing Gang Signs</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-4fjqTwJ/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-4fjqTwJ/0/L/IMG_8116-L.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Breakfast</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-53PCXSX/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-53PCXSX/0/M/IMG_8118-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Ruins of Ollantaytambo</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/92113528" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://vimeo.com/92113528">Peru Shorts - Ruins of Ollantaytambo</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user5055307">Cloudbase Imaging</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>First Shooting Location</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-69PM4Dw/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-69PM4Dw/0/M/IMG_8135-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Cumi's Popping</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The aerial filming opportunities at the trail weren't that great, so
we decided to cut it short and meet up with the Dirt Rag crew. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">On the drive out of Urubamba we drove through a massive crowd that was angry with the residents of a newly formed shantytown on the southern flank of the valley. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">As we headed back down I
could see smoke billowing in the distance. It was the
dark ominous smoke of man-made elements burning, that of structures being
consumed. After picking up Chris we drove down the pass and saw the entire
shantytown on fire. The distant roar of an angry crowd echoed off the rock
walls above us. Nestled in those cliffs were the displaced residents of the town
who decided to lob rocks at us. Watching angry fedora-wearing Peruvian grandmas
lobbing disturbingly large (cantaloupe sized) rocks down on us would have been
comical if the situation weren't so tragic and they weren't so frighteningly
accurate! We moved out of artillery range and naively decided it would be a
good idea to film the land dispute by flying the Phantom over the open flames
and the angry crowd. The shots were amazing. I made multiple passes over the
crowd, unknowingly enraging them with each pass. In the distance I suddenly
heard Chris yelling "Land, land, we got to get out of here!" I looked
down to see him running up the road toward my position. The shape of the crowd
had an amorphous quality, kind of like a giant octopus straddling the hillside.
An angry tentacle made up of with war paint-wearing rioters had broken off and
was rapidity closing in on our position. They were running fast, but the
Phantom flew faster. I got it on the ground, threw it in the back of the cab
and squared up to face the onslaught. We were vastly outnumbered, but had no
option other than to face our aggressors. The guy leading the charge was a
young male, very athletic, but smaller than me. I could probably take him, but a
hundred other rioters followed. I tried to use my body to shield the cab from
the crowd, while yelling uselessly in English. It didn't work. He ran through
me like a striker running through a defensive midfielder in a football match.
His goal was the Phantom, which he easily grabbed out of the open window of the
cab. As he did the Go Pro sheared off the vibration dampeners and hit the
ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chris scoped it up and
shoved it down his shorts. Everyone's attention was on the drone. I yelled in a
heightened (unflattering) state, but they ran off with it. In seconds it was
over. When I fly the drone, I mentally submerse myself in the flight. Crashing
down from the aerial perspective into the center of a riot was a violent shift
of worlds. All I could think to say to Chris was "Go get it." To
which he calmly replied "Okay."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Ominous Smoke from the Riot</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-zk7SGgb/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-zk7SGgb/0/M/IMG_8131-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-bNCHftb/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-bNCHftb/0/M/IMG_8144-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></span><br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Angry Villagers</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-SrnHsz9/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-SrnHsz9/0/M/IMG_8138-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">
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</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Chris put his full-face helmet on and walked into the center of the
crowd, which had retreated back down the road. I waited near the cab, partly in
shock and partly amused by the grandmas still (dare I say - gently) lobbing
deadly rocks at me. Their aim was as accurate as ever, but I was safely out of
the kill zone. Through our own naivety, we had just become entangled in local
politics. Chris came back and said they wanted the footage. After all we had
just been through, we decided that we had earned the right to the footage,
especially if it might help those recently homeless grandmas. We swapped a
blank card into the camera, dodged more rocks, and walked down the road into
the crowd. Screaming rioters immediately engulfed us, but we remained
stone-faced and calm. We gave the leader the SD card and he nodded to the guy
who grabbed the Phantom. It was carefully wrapped in a blanket like a baby. The
care that they had gone too was almost comical. It was a testament to the
character of the Peruvian people. Even though there was virulent disagreement
on both sides of the dispute, there were no guns, I didn't see anyone seriously
injured, and we (and even the Phantom) emerged unscathed. I have sterilized the
footage to remove close up shots of anyone involved so as to remain neutral and
respectful to the local geo-political issues involved.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Riot</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/92007031" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://vimeo.com/92007031">Peru Shorts - Riot</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user5055307">Cloudbase Imaging</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Still in disbelief from the events that had just unfolded we got
back in our cab, drove through the crowd and found lunch. Our cab driver
managed to sneak us into a 4 star resort in Urubamba. It was another
shift of worlds to be sitting on fine leather, snacking on appetizers just
minutes after staring down death in the face. I also unwittingly broke a golden
rule of travel in second world countries; I ate at a buffet (cue foreshadowing
background music).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Lunch</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(and later my undoing)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-BmpXpHD/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-BmpXpHD/0/M/IMG_8149-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-2xJVZRH/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-2xJVZRH/0/M/IMG_8148-M.jpg" title="" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Our Cab Driver</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-372Wtpz/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-372Wtpz/0/M/IMG_8154-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Desert</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-9NxLgxZ/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-9NxLgxZ/0/M/IMG_8156-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">After lunch we met up with Stephen and Matt in the canyon where we
filmed on day one. Chris shoveled the finishing touches of a jump, while the
Dirt Rag crew and I scouted the filming locations. Stephen’s girlfriend Mary
lost her balance at the rim of the canyon and fell straight down the wall. It
was a fall that would have made Hulk Hogan blush. A quick vital sign check
revealed superficial facial cuts and a broken wrist. We had no first aid, but I
was able to splint it with electrical tape and plastic Phantom propellers.
Ibuprofen was the only pain relief available, but I didn't once hear Mary
complain. Chris managed a dozen runs off the kicker before sunset. It had been
a hell of a day, filled with highs and lows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Mary's Broken Wrist Splinted with Propellers</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-gSkBjPq/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-gSkBjPq/0/M/IMG_8162-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dirt Jump Video will be posted soon</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">On the drive back from filming I relentlessly marinated our crowded
taxi with catastrophic, superhero-strength gas. The imprisoned occupants of our
cab gasped for relief and fought for open windows. Even the cab driver angrily
yelled at me in Spanish. Trapped in the hatchback section of the wagon, I could
do nothing but laugh demonically at the onslaught. I should have realized that
karma would soon repay me for my olfactory crimes against humanity. It started
at 2:00 am. I woke up with a fever and crippling pain in my stomach. It was the
worst food poisoning I have ever had. I worked out a deal with the stabbing
pain in my abdomen. I would remain in the fetal position as often as possible
if it would kill me with a tiny bit of civility. I held true to my end of the
bargain, but the pain didn't keep its word. By dawn I had settled into my
fate, digging deep into my misery tolerance with every breath. It was the
beginning of an arduous travel day back to Cuzco, Lima, and a red-eye flight to
Houston. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<!--EndFragment--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Gassing the Taxi</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-LFnFfV4/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Travel/Peru-2/i-LFnFfV4/0/M/IMG_8166-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I said my goodbyes to Chris and the remainder of the mountain biking
contingent loitering around K.B.'s bed and breakfast. I could taste death
spreading through my body. Arguably the best course of action would have been
to seek immediate medical attention. Instead, I loaded myself (in the fetal
position) into the back of a cab for the two-hour drive to Cuzco. If there were
to be any abduction attempts on this cab ride, my only request would be that
they dispatch of me quickly and give the location of my shallow grave to my
family. After the first sequence of curves on the mountain road, I thought
about asking the cab driver to do that anyway. It's not murder if you have my
permission! In Cuzco it only got worse. I had long ago emptied my body of any
nutritionally beneficial elements. I was alone, dehydrated, and delirious. I
checked in and stumbled to the departure area with, literally, my last bit of
strength. I found a relatively clean nook and curled into the fetal position,
hoping in vain that the pain I had negotiated with would suddenly find
integrity and uphold its end of the deal. It didn't happen. I looked up and
through the blurry haze saw an oasis of relief. It was a large orange bottle of
Gatorade beckoning to me from a small coffee stand. I didn't have the strength
to move, but maybe if I rested for hours I could muster enough strength to
crawl over there and buy it. I fantasized how it would transform me like Popeye
after a can of spinach. Then my hopes came crashing down. The coffee stand only
took soles (Peruvian currency), and I had given my last bit of cash to the cab
driver. I fell deep into a pit of despair. This is how it would end, on the
dirty floor of this lonely airport. I didn't care. I was ready for the pain to
end. I closed my eyes and the sounds of the world faded away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I came to hours later (luckily I had five hours to wait before my
flight).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My luggage and Pelican
Case remained under my contorted body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Slightly reinvigorated, I made my way to a restaurant beyond the coffee
stand. Toast, orange juice, and green tea gave me enough energy to clear
security and board my flight. I sunk back into a coma on the way to Lima. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">At the Lima Airport I found a pharmacy where I
was able to purchase some ridiculously strong (and probably illegal)
medication. I got the second to last seat on the red-eye flight to Houston.
When I sat down I told the lady next to me "I don't want to alarm you, but
there is a slight chance I might not survive this flight. Don't worry, it's not
contagious." It alarmed her! The drugs kicked in and I faded into
blissfully deep sleep. I woke up when we landed in the U.S., amazingly
recharged. I remained weak for a few days, but had thwarted death for the last
time on no less than one hundred and twenty hours. It was an epic trip! For a
whole new crew of mountain bikers, it is about to start all over again. The
2014 Inca Avalanche is less than a month away!<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=34504392" name="_GoBack"></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<!--EndFragment--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Subscribe</div>Cloudbasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05922546759267435864noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34504392.post-67876006141646286192014-04-02T13:30:00.000-06:002014-04-02T17:33:01.230-06:00The Kitfox<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Last year my friend Moose approached me
about flying his Kitfox. He didn't have the time to fly his airplane as
much as he felt it needed to keep the engine fresh. Airplane engines,
like most engines, are cheaper to maintain if they are run periodically. I was
happy to take him up on his offer, but I wanted to get a proper checkout to
learn the specific dynamics of the small tail-wheel airplane. At the end of
March I finally landed a long overnight in BOI and used it as an opportunity to
visit Kitfox specialist Paul Leadabrand at Stick and Rudder Aviation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Paul's Light Sport Turbo Kitfox</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-7WbkKtq/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-7WbkKtq/0/M/IMG_7533-M.jpg" title="" /></a></span><br />
<br /></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">I met Paul at 9:00 a.m.</span>,<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> when the airport
was still basking the warm light and calm air of an early spring morning. When
Paul's yellow Kitfox emerged from the hanger, sitting on comically large tundra
tires, it looked more like a caricature of an airplane than the real thing. A
closer examination of the 3-bladed carbon fiber prop, faired engine cowling,
gull wing doors, and jet-like fully integrated electronic flight information
system (EFIS) and primary flight display (PFD) instrument display meant this
machine was all business. Climbing into the plush "Kitfox"
embroidered seats I found the airplane was surprisingly roomy. The deck angle
on the ground put my knees nearly level with my chest. Seeing over the nose was
reserved only for in flight. Taxi, takeoff, and landing were all done in a nose
high attitude, in part to the large tundra tires and short fuselage. Luckily,
the door was made entirely of a Plexiglas material affording excellent side
visibility and adding an open cockpit feel.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tundra Tires = Steep Deck Angle</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-4q3BwZ7/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-4q3BwZ7/0/M/IMG_7534-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carbon Fiber Prop</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-M6q8f3C/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-M6q8f3C/0/L/IMG_7564-L.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cockpit</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-Gj8XsZ4/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-Gj8XsZ4/0/M/IMG_7551-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-rSG8xRp/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-rSG8xRp/0/M/IMG_7535-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plush Seats and 5-Point Harness</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-WCpQFzv/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-WCpQFzv/0/M/IMG_7552-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-vDgVwcj/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-vDgVwcj/0/M/IMG_7574-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">View through the Doors</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-ShQfmDg/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-ShQfmDg/0/M/IMG_7536-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">View Over the Cowl</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-dMBz5FG/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-dMBz5FG/0/M/IMG_7538-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">EFIS, PFD, and MFD Display</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-BkZ8vqS/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-BkZ8vqS/1/M/IMG_7537-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-rQFb7xD/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-rQFb7xD/0/M/IMG_7539a-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Unlike some tail draggers, whose
engines spit, sputter, and rumble to life, the turbocharged Rotax and gearbox-driven
prop started and settled into a clinical idle like a finely tuned race engine.
Squeezing 115-horsepower out of an engine barely larger than a flight bag it's
easy to see why. Paul pointed out that below 2000 RPM's gearbox chatter would
resonate thought the fuselage cueing the pilot to increase their idle speed.
The gearbox facilitates a 5500 max continuous engine RPM. Monitoring engine
parameters like manifold pressure, RPM's, coolant temp, oil temp, oil pressure,
and turbo boost through the digital EFIS display was more BMW than Piper Cub.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">After a quick run up we were cleared
for takeoff on runway 10L. We were airborne in less than 300 feet and climbing
through pattern altitude abeam the tower on our early turnout to the south.
Once we cleared Boise's airspace, the vast open desert along the lower Snake
River afforded us the opportunity to safely and legally fly the Kitfox as it
should be flown -- low and slow. Following the contour lines of the high desert
to the rim of the Snake River Canyon was a blissfully rudimentary flying
experience. It wasn't quite as organic as hang gliding, but similar enough that
I couldn't help noticing a dozen turkey vultures and a pair of red tail hawks
turning shallow circles in the weak morning thermals. Once we reached the
canyon, the blue-green water of the Snake River earned its name carving a
slithering path through towering rock walls. The Kitfox's full span
"flying" ailerons and a slow-speed turning radius that rivals some
luxury cars made the following the river a breeze. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Me Flying from the Right Seat</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-gq9spZ9/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-gq9spZ9/0/M/IMG_7578-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Snake River Canyon</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(the prop lines are from the rolling shutter iPhone camera)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-2kzjc53/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-2kzjc53/1/M/IMG_7543-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-mLDQdmg/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-mLDQdmg/1/M/IMG_7542-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-QxcSsDg/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-QxcSsDg/0/M/IMG_7544-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Course Reversal</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" scrolling="no" src="http://api.smugmug.com/services/embed/3156809845_c8sWWzQ?width=640&height=360" width="640"></iframe></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Paul instructed me to break left into
a side canyon and climb UP to the pattern altitude of nearby Murphy Airport.
With a runway length of 2500 feet, Murphy had tons of runway to spare. Landing
was straightforward. The ailerons double as flaps, dropping them requires a
slight pitch trim. The recipe was simple; throttle idle, 65 mph, fly it to the touchdown
point, flare into a 3-point attitude, and maintain directional control with
rudder. If you can see the runway over the nose, you're too flat. Sub-500 feet ground rolls were possible even with my rusty tail-wheel skills. Add power,
neutral initial stick, raise the tail slightly, lift off nose high, and repeat.
After a few laps we moved on to a proper Kitfox runway where Paul showed
me a backcountry approach and landing. Final is flown in level flight to the
touchdown point on the elevated uphill strip. Once we touched down, we had to
add considerable power to get to the top of the hill. The take off was similar
in its brevity.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Backcountry Practice Strip</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">(free of backcountry obstacles)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-QJCxmmP/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-QJCxmmP/0/M/Dirt%20Strip%20Base-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-cfCrqGb/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-cfCrqGb/0/M/Dirt%20Strip-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Approach, landing, and Take Off</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" scrolling="no" src="http://api.smugmug.com/services/embed/3156819707_qgmPDSN?width=640&height=360&albumId=29161986&albumKey=f4vMLF" width="640"></iframe><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">On the way back to Boise we stopped
at Nampa Airport for more practice landings. My 3-point attitude was
consistently slightly flat, which was due to wheel landing the Mustang II tail-wheel
I had flown last. I was able to roll on a few greasers, but the ginormous
tundra tires surely played a role in that. In level flight the double-cambered wing of Paul's Kitfox will do 120 mph, a considerable speed advantage
over my friend's single-cambered style airfoil. On approach to Boise we
set up a full power descent to 10L behind a Horizon Q400 and were on the ground
in less than two hours. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More Kitfox Pics</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-XjdnNDM/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-XjdnNDM/0/M/IMG_7553-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-6WMQnx6/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-6WMQnx6/0/M/IMG_7554-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-6NXQR7n/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-6NXQR7n/0/M/IMG_7555-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-2xPDGbp/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-2xPDGbp/0/M/IMG_7550-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-4TtRTS9/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-4TtRTS9/0/M/IMG_7570-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-DKZJ8pH/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-DKZJ8pH/0/M/IMG_7575-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tundra Tires</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-cm4Hngn/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-cm4Hngn/0/L/IMG_7556-L.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Laminar Flow Cowling / 3 Bladed Prop</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-8sbrhSr/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-8sbrhSr/0/L/IMG_7566-L.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-wxPDJMj/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-wxPDJMj/0/L/IMG_7562-L.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-stQsfKM/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-stQsfKM/0/L/IMG_7563-L.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">LED Landing Light</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-G8Pd3xx/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-G8Pd3xx/0/M/IMG_7567-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Full Span "Flying" Aileron / Flaps</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-BLmQ2Qj/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-BLmQ2Qj/0/M/IMG_7568-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-TfsfP6W/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-TfsfP6W/0/M/IMG_7561-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Greenhouse Style Cockpit</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-G6pbfmV/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-G6pbfmV/0/M/IMG_7571-M.jpg" title="" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Kitfox is one of the most
enjoyable airplanes I've flown. It's intuitive, honest, and has no negative
tendencies lurking to surprise the unsuspecting pilot. The tactile, low and slow,
hands-on flying experience was a refreshing contrast to the highly automated
and regimented professional flying environment I am used to. It brought me back
to the basics of what drew me to aviation, which can easily get lost in the
modern air transport system. I highly recommend it to anyone at that finds himself
or herself in Boise. It's an affordable way to take to the sky in way that is
all too often lost in modern aviation.</span></div>
</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Back In Boise</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-C4DQDwn/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-C4DQDwn/0/M/IMG_7581-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few weeks later I took Moose's Kitfox up for a spin. Moose's airplane is a Franken-Kitfox made from the combination of a few variants. It flew a little different, but it didn't take long to get the hang of. I'd like more landings, but in tail dragger that's always the case!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moose's Kitfox</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-LD4t5SR/A" title=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Airplanes/Mooses-Kitfox/i-LD4t5SR/0/M/Moose-M.jpg" title="" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>My Takeoffs & Landings</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="360" scrolling="no" src="http://api.smugmug.com/services/embed/2483767349_BxDPZc5?width=640&height=360" width="640"></iframe></span>
</div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Subscribe</div>Cloudbasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05922546759267435864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34504392.post-28814491660918889142014-03-26T22:26:00.000-06:002014-03-27T08:38:53.022-06:00E30 M3 Road Trip<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">It's no secret that I have had a huge
love affair with the second generation BMW 3 series for years. My first
one, bought sight-unseen from a shirtless man with a mullet, planted the seed
of old BMW obsession. The E30 (as that
generation is more commonly referred to) was offered in the American market
from 1984 to 1992. It's small, perfectly balanced, predictable, and has
excellent visibility. It has a power deficit, by modern standards, requires a
talented driver to exploit its other assets to out-drive the hordes of mediocre
drivers fumbling along. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The E30 </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-8sG36tH/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-8sG36tH/0/M/E30%20Ad-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">The M3 version of the E30 (the first
M3) amplifies everything good about the regular E30 to the next level. It was
born from homologation requirements that forced BMW to produce a certain number of
street legal cars to race in the European Touring Car Championships. The result
was literally a street legal version of BMW's racecar. Even though it looks
identical from a far, almost every body panel is different and each serves a
purpose. The fender flares accommodate larger brakes, wheels, and revised
suspension geometry. The front splitter and sealed body gaps aid the suspension
with more down force. Rear down force is accomplished by a little bump on the
rear of the roof that creates a low-pressure area over the shallow raked rear
window to channel air over the raised trunk lid into the rear wing. The high-strung,
four cylinder S14 engine reduced front-end heft for a near perfect 50/50 weight
balance. As a result the E30 M3 was immediately successful and dominated many
forms of racing, contributing to a pedigree that has followed BMW Motorsport
GmbH ever since.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p><b>An Original E30 M3 Ad</b></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Bimmerforums-Hosting-2/i-T3M27zJ/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Bimmerforums-Hosting-2/i-T3M27zJ/0/M/3386240289_2f1dfed77b_b-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Excerpt from the Owner's Manual</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-2M8BJKh/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-2M8BJKh/0/M/DSC04165-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Last month when my buddy Eric called
and asked if I wanted to co-drive an E30 M3 he recently purchased across
country my answer was an immediate "F' yeah!" Eric's new beast was
not just any E30 M3. It was an early 1988 example in Henna Red with a swapped
Euro-spec S50B32 six-cylinder engine. In the U.S., Henna red was offered only in
the first few months of M3 production. At the time the market wasn't receptive
to the orange-red hue, but styles have since changed. The limited production
combined with modern trends has made Henna one of the rarest and most desirable
M3 colors. The 321 horsepower S50B32 engine was used in the European version of
the second generation M3 (1993-1999) and was never offered in the U.S. Mechanically,
it’s a predecessor of the S54B32 engine that is arguably the greatest normally
aspirated six-cylinder motorsport engine BMW has produced. The one in Eric's
car has a CSL style carbon fiber air intake manifold that is designed to feed
cold air directly to each cylinder's individual throttle body. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Eric's 1988 Henna Red S50B32 Swapped E30 M3</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-sNRp7w8/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-sNRp7w8/0/M/DSC04013-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-QqZ3MLR/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-QqZ3MLR/0/M/DSC04010a-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-DgdFN7B/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-DgdFN7B/0/M/DSC04029-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-6pF8Nb3/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-6pF8Nb3/0/M/DSC04027-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Back in the Touring Car Racing days
BMW would make small changes to the E30 M3 to improve power, grip, or down
force. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each change (called Sport
Evolutions or Evo's) was required by homologation to also be made to the street
cars. Eric's car has a few of these rare upgrades, notably an Evo II front
spoiler and an Evo III rear spoiler with a carbon fiber adjustable gurney flap.
An Eisenmann race exhaust, Ground Control Coil-Over suspension, Z3 linear
steering rack, short shift kit, Massive 6 piston front and 4 piston rear
brakes, Recaro SR3 seats, and a Momo Champion steering wheel complete the
package to make Eric's car a highly capable E30 M3.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Evo II Front Splitter w/ Evo III Lip</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-TZHdQBN/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-TZHdQBN/0/M/DSC03975-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Evo II Rear Wing</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-sGfjZDT/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-sGfjZDT/0/M/DSC04003-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-s7NDrX7/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-s7NDrX7/0/M/DSC04005-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-N2sddSk/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-N2sddSk/0/M/DSC04025-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">After being thwarted by several East
Coast "polar vortex" blizzards we found a weather window to do the
drive in early March. It had snowed the day before shutting down most of the
Mid-Atlantic region, but it was a dusting compared to the Colorado storms we
are used to, so we laughed and continued with the plan. Eric picked me at 8:00
pm at Dulles International Airport. The pick up area was a ghost town due to
the storm. I walked out of the terminal and there it was, idling in a deep
baritone. The bright streetlights and concrete backdrop made the Henna color
pop. With no TSA in sight we took our time admiring the machine and taking
pictures. Our immediate plan was to get out of the police state of Virginia,
where radar detectors are illegal and traffic fines are significantly higher
than the rest of the country. We made cautious, but good time through the Blue
Ridge Mountains, stopping about 30 miles short of the Tennessee border. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<br />
<b>Our Route</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-zJRLjV5/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-zJRLjV5/0/M/Route-M.jpg" title="" /></a><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The Journey Begins at Dulles International Airport</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-xfbX9Ch/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-xfbX9Ch/0/M/IMG_9515-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-jxXkwdT/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-jxXkwdT/0/M/IMG_9513-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-xvXp2kG/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-xvXp2kG/0/M/IMG_9512-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-J5NM3Gq/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-J5NM3Gq/0/M/Dulles-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">My first impression driving the car
was on par with other E30 M3's I have driven. It's just a little bit better
than a regular E30 in every way, but there is something else - something
intangible. It's almost as if you can feel all of the little bits working to
produce a sum greater than their parts. The M specific suspension articulating
under flared fenders, the complimentary front and rear aerodynamics, and the
incessant tweaking and tuning done by engineers of a past generation seeking
perfection. Perhaps the feeling is a sense of purpose. Modern M GmbH street cars
are highly capable, but their GT racing cousins are far removed from anything
you can buy at a dealer. The E30 M3 was different; it was built with a purpose
that modern M cars lack. Maybe I'm just nuts, but I felt it. Purists be dammed,
this feeling was only heightened by the alterations to Eric's car. The smooth
revving six cylinders of Euro S50 breathing through the carbon air box and a
rather loud free flow exhaust imparted a sense of immediacy. The slightest
caress of the throttle was met with an exacting response. There was no lack of
low-end torque suffered by the stock S14 engine, yet it was still purely
mechanical. There was no S54 throttle-by-wire delay either, just a continuous link
between thoughts, feet, revs, and exhaust note. The coil-over suspension compensated
perfectly for the increased weight of the big engine up front and the Z3
steering rack (the single best mod to any E30) put the car exactly where you
wanted it to go. In a word, it was telepathic, like an E30 M3 should be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Enjoying the E30 M3...</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-sqjmbNc/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-sqjmbNc/0/M/DSC03988-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>...From All Seats</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-ncJGTwr/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-ncJGTwr/0/M/DSC03987-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">We woke up after a brief sleep and
pressed on for the real treat of our trip, the great driving roads of Southern
Appalachia. Just across the Tennessee border we veered south off Interstate 81
towards Asheville, North Carolina. From there we headed west on two-lane roads
meandering through the rolling hills of the Great Smokey Mountains. The
time-aged features of the oldest mountain range in America were clearly visible
through the blanket of barren, leafless trees. The homogenized world of the
interstate system gave way to unique small towns in various states of economic
health. We stopped a few times at good photo locations, lured in by the
character of disintegrating structures slowly being consumed by vegetation. As
the miles wore on, the turns tightened, the smiles grew, and the M3
increasingly delighted both passenger and driver (we switched at every fuel
stop). </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Entering 2-Lane Roads</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-qzdtrQh/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-qzdtrQh/0/M/DSC04066-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-RS7Df9c/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-RS7Df9c/0/M/DSC04068-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-NNMcFGc/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-NNMcFGc/0/M/DSC04071-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Small Town Landscape</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-wRhw7Gf/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-wRhw7Gf/0/M/DSC03976-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-6Q48VD5/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-6Q48VD5/0/L/DSC03977-L.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-nDg3TmV/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-nDg3TmV/0/M/DSC03978-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-QrSmP5n/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-QrSmP5n/0/L/DSC04008-L.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Photo Shoot!</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-qqfdJwh/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-qqfdJwh/0/M/DSC04022a-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-3D7cBdh/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-3D7cBdh/0/M/DSC03993-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-mhfhtj9/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-mhfhtj9/0/M/DSC03997-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-kq545t8/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-kq545t8/0/M/DSC04006-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-BhTG8Nj/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-BhTG8Nj/0/M/DSC04032-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-w7q8Rxn/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-w7q8Rxn/0/M/DSC04034-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-DRqDq6d/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-DRqDq6d/0/M/DSC04036-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-253G43D/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-253G43D/0/M/DSC04037-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-jTFgj7R/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-jTFgj7R/0/M/DSC04028-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-25bBXwG/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-25bBXwG/0/M/DSC04026-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">At Santeetlah Lake we followed the Little Tennessee River North towards
the Tennessee border. Looking out the window, suddenly the blur of trees gave
way to a daunting concrete form. I had seen it before, but it took a minute to
place it. The dark, weathered concrete looked like that from the Rock Eater in
The Never Ending Story (Google it Millennials), but it wasn't because Rock
Eaters aren't real and they certainly don't live in North Carolina. Nope, it
was the Cheoah Dam, the one that Harrison Ford's stunt man jumped off of in the
movie The Fugitive (Millennials better Google that too). We thought about
stopping, but the road was just too good. We pressed on to the peak of our
driving journey - The Tail of the Dragon.</span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The Cheoah Dam</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(from The Fugitive)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-qcMHXrK/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-qcMHXrK/0/M/DSC04078-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">The Tail of the Dragon, known locally
as the Dragon, is the name of the road that traverses a mountain pass called
Deals Gap on the North Carolina / Tennessee border. It supposedly has 318 turns
in 11 miles. I didn't count, but I would believe it. The Dragon gained
fame as a popular driving and motorcycle road in the 1990's. Before driving it,
we stopped at small motorcycle resort and restaurant on the North Carolina
side. In the parking lot there was a "tree of shame" which had the
wreckage of a thousand motorcycle crashes strewn along its trunk and branches.
The late winter sunlight cut a pale and ominous hue through the thick
forest onto the shiny buts of metal. A close examination revealed shattered
mirrors, cracked helmets, dented gas tanks, and what looked like the remnants
of plastic big wheel with a motor. We were not dismayed. The gruesome wreckage
did little to undermine our steadfast confidence in our collective driving
ability and our machine. Eric has over 300 laps on the Nürburgring (mostly in
E30's) and I can finesse an E30 at blinding speeds over the snowiest of
Colorado's deadliest mountain passes on bald summer tires with questionable
brakes. Bring it on Dragon!</span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The Tail of the Dragon</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-mJkxrjZ/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-mJkxrjZ/0/L/totd3-L.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-KjSmnr7/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-KjSmnr7/0/L/DSC04095-L.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-VZrbqmc/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-VZrbqmc/0/M/DSC04084-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The Tree of Shame</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(the wreckage of 1000 motorcycle crashes)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-hzK9pBb/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-hzK9pBb/0/L/DSC04085-L.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-qtw7GPC/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-qtw7GPC/0/L/DSC04086-L.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-N8QHpBn/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-N8QHpBn/0/M/DSC04088-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-sFBGDvw/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-sFBGDvw/0/L/DSC04089-L.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-r6Mkkqb/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-r6Mkkqb/0/M/DSC04090-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-kGFmXCg/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-kGFmXCg/0/L/DSC04091-L.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-k6xj3BK/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-k6xj3BK/0/L/DSC04093-L.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>This was a motorized big-wheel!</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-G3f8jnd/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-G3f8jnd/0/M/DSC04094-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Friendly Local</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-Jb8nHVp/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-Jb8nHVp/0/L/IMG_9528-L.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">What did undermine my shield of armor
was a rather greasy chicken sandwich and French fries. Don't get me wrong, the
hospitality and food at Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort was great, but two-days
worth of road trip food had culminated in what I would politely describe as
digestive insecurity. As we mounted cameras and prepared to face the Dragon I
couldn't help but feel a terrible sense of impending doom brewing deep in my
gut. We fired the up the M3 and it settled into a deep clinical rumble. I had
been warned earlier of a heavy police presence on the Dragon, but the lady
behind the counter assured us it was the off season and if we did encounter the
"PO-lice" we'd probably be alright as long as we respected the double
yellow line. Tires still warm, cameras rolling, and burping up chicken
sandwiches we rolled past a giant steel sculpture of its namesake to slay the
Dragon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Lunch</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(and my undoing)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-6MdVS3C/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-6MdVS3C/0/L/DSC04096-L.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Tee Shirt Covered Restaurant Roof</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-4CrXPp3/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-4CrXPp3/0/M/DSC04100-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-jhcPqJC/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-jhcPqJC/0/M/DSC04102-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-3shfFBm/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-3shfFBm/0/M/DSC04103-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-4vsn3vt/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-4vsn3vt/0/M/DSC04104-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The Dragon Sculpture</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-FQh4DQ5/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-FQh4DQ5/0/M/DSC04109-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-NxbdD2v/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-NxbdD2v/0/M/DSC04112-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-q2cNgNh/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-q2cNgNh/0/M/DSC04113-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">The next three hundred and eighteen
turns were a dizzying blur of tire shredding, exhaust shrieking, Euro S50
screaming sensory overload. Eric handily sliced and carved the heavily
cambered, comically tight turns of Deals Gap with skill clearly honed on The
Ring. The road had an almost cartoonish quality defined by undulating hills and
seemingly unnecessary circular arcs. If Willie Wonka were to draw a road for
his Chocolate Factory, it would be The Dragon. Some turns were so tight that
sighting through them required looking back over one's shoulder. I did my best
to lodge myself in the narrow Recaro seat, while holding the camera steady and
suppressing the chicken sandwich increasingly trying to free itself from the
bonds of my gut. We emerged from The Dragon in what surely was a record setting
time, which is odd, because for the purposes of this writing we never exceeded
31 miles per hour. Crazy how that works! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The First Turn</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-RvRCShM/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-RvRCShM/0/M/DSC04118-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Eric Carving up the Dragon</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-MBpKpMt/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-MBpKpMt/0/M/DSC04124-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<b>My Perspective</b><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-scSDKrd/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-scSDKrd/0/M/DSC04122a-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-VwkNkjv/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-VwkNkjv/0/M/DSC04129-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-9S6Chts/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-9S6Chts/0/M/DSC04132-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-zCMNCXX/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-zCMNCXX/0/M/DSC04134-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-c4rzmxm/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-c4rzmxm/0/M/DSC04135-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<b>Time Lapse of All 318 Turns</b><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/LdR9j-D5yek" width="640"></iframe><br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">North of the Dragon the road straightened out and paralleled the
Little Tennessee River where the sun had transformed from harsh and hollow to a
brilliant golden hour hue. Eric pulled over and handed the keys to me.
The Henna M3 was glowing in the warm sunlight quietly ticking itself cool. It
was begging to have one more go at The Dragon. In a completely unexpected move,
I turned it down. At the moment I needed fresh air and a nap more than I needed
to slay The Dragon. I would certainly regret not taking the opportunity to
drive such an iconic car on one of the best roads in America - but maybe I
wouldn't. Maybe it was best to be satisfied with experience of watching Eric
get to enjoy his new ride. We'd had a successful run -- maybe we shouldn't be
greedy. Every living thing in three counties was now awake from the Eisenmann
race exhaust reverberating at redline through the valleys. Rather than drive
while fighting a war on two fronts, one against my gut and one fending off any
recently alerted fuzz, perhaps it was best we kick back, take some pictures,
and enjoy the sunset. That's exactly what we did.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>The Little Tennessee River</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-GqJHBZF/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-GqJHBZF/0/M/DSC04149b-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-qJm8XcH/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-qJm8XcH/0/M/DSC04145-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-PLzpZpx/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-PLzpZpx/0/M/DSC04147-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-25rVbpq/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-25rVbpq/0/M/DSC04136-M.jpg" title="" /></a><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> Panorama Collage</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-WKhzWRJ/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-WKhzWRJ/0/M/DSC04149a-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-6JXkBbH/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-6JXkBbH/0/M/DSC04156a-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-T6Rshmb/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-T6Rshmb/0/M/DSC04154-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-bjtdkrt/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-bjtdkrt/0/M/DSC04155-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<b>Drive By Video</b><br />
(click to play)<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe frameborder="0" height="360" scrolling="no" src="http://api.smugmug.com/services/embed/3144883208_cT4fjff?width=640&height=360&albumId=38009007&albumKey=2VfWmm" width="640"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Back on the Highway</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(with a new Jaguar F-Type)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-SkPPJzD/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-SkPPJzD/0/M/DSC04161-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<b>Tennessee Valley Authority Electricity</b><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-Vtr5SV8/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-Vtr5SV8/0/M/DSC04163-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">As night fell we got back to the
business of expeditiously traversing the Southern U.S. Darkness engulfed
us and the weather began to deteriorate. At the next fuel stop we
repaired shoddily mounted headlights. A broken driver's side low beam adjuster was
repaired with a Reese’s Pieces box and electrical tape. It lasted the duration
of the trip. We connected inoperative high beams with Walmart bullet connectors
between the incompatible Euro and U.S. wiring plugs. Having
functioning lights was a good thing, because the weather was turning. A
thick layer of fog had blanketed Western Tennessee, dropping visibility to
hundreds of feet. I used my instrument flying skills to see through the fog -
as if that is actually possible.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Headlight Adjuster Repair</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-NtM2mc9/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-NtM2mc9/0/M/IMG_9531-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-gk2jwjk/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-gk2jwjk/0/L/IMG_9530-L.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>High Beam Wiring</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-THNHmQh/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-THNHmQh/0/M/IMG_9533-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-ZM3BKgX/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-ZM3BKgX/0/M/IMG_9535-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-zhCXvLn/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-zhCXvLn/0/L/IMG_9537-L.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Into the Night</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-HMZ7gs4/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-HMZ7gs4/0/M/IMG_9544-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a><br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">When we crossed the Mississippi River
into Arkansas we drove into the carnage remaining from a severe snowstorm a few
nights earlier. The medians were littered with capsized trucks, stranded
vehicles, and considerable snow banks. The M3 was wearing heavily worn (dare I
say semi-slick) Dunlop extreme performance summer tires. The resulting loss of
grip on the cold snowy road surface was significant, but the E30 chassis was so
composed it was easy to keep the drifting in check.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Fog and Snow</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-CW79nhk/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-CW79nhk/0/M/IMG_9546-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">At midnight we stopped for dinner at
the only open restaurant in sight, Waffle House. Rooming would be
more difficult. Unfortunately, all the hotels were in crisis mode from the
storm. When we tried to get a room the desk clerk said there was no vacancy and
that people were sleeping in the lobby. I looked over at a family tucked away
in the corner just in time for them to wave at me. We pondered our options.
Option one, join them (might not have been so bad), option two, press on in the
snowy darkness. We chose the latter. One hundred and twenty miles later
we found a room on the other side of Little Rock. It was a hell of a
day. Sleep came quickly.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Delirium</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-Lx9Cfbm/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-Lx9Cfbm/0/L/IMG_9543-L.jpg" title="" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Premier Parking (at 2:00 am)</b></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-QSMtDcS/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-QSMtDcS/0/M/IMG_9548-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">When we woke up on Thursday we had
one day left to get home and a little less than half of the total distance to
go. Road trip delirium time warped the long flat miles across Arkansas and
Oklahoma into a convenient blur. In Oklahoma City we met up with Eric's friends
Louis and Rachael at an eclectic Mexican joint called Big Truck Tacos. After
dinner we stood in the parking lot and coveted the Henna lines of the M3. Eric
took the opportunity to remove a dog leash we had discovered supporting the
exhaust. "Who does that!?" he exclaimed. As the sun sank
low into the horizon we headed north for the final push across Kansas into
Colorado fueled by a healthy dose of caffeine and taco-induced methane.</span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Stuck Behind Cross-Overs - Grrrrrr!</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-ccVbhmq/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-ccVbhmq/0/M/IMG_9550-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Big Truck Tacos with Rachael and Louis</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-KmxGjfG/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-KmxGjfG/0/M/DSC04167-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Sunset</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-sLvbpJ8/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-sLvbpJ8/0/M/DSC04170-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-kqkmLnj/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-kqkmLnj/0/M/DSC04171-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">The darkness of night spared us of
the monotonous Western Kansas plains. Instead, the tunnel vision glimpse of 300
feet of illuminated road ahead gave us a sense of heroic progress. The moon had
been blackened out by the clouds of an approaching snowstorm that we were now
racing to Colorado. Any tread left on our semi-slick tires was long gone.
Negotiating snow with slicks would be a real threat compared to the night
before. In fact, it was worse than just a lack of tread. Excessive negative
rear camber had worn through the first layer of cord on the inside of the rear
tires. Nursing the M3 home before we literally blew out the rear tires would
require slowing down slightly, but that put us closer to the arrival time of
the snowstorm. It required steady discipline to slow down while staring the
storm in the face. In typical fashion we made it just in time, pulling into the
employee lot at Denver International Airport at 2:00am. After an
obligatory shot with my E30, I headed north and Eric headed south. As we parted
ways I paused at a traffic light to watch the Henna beauty disappear into the
darkness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Excessive Camber Wear</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-b7CfZDm/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-b7CfZDm/0/M/IMG_9556-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Obligatory Shot with My E30</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-B4kHjwg/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-B4kHjwg/0/M/DSC04173-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-7ksKcfh/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-7ksKcfh/0/M/IMG_9557-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-47F9hZp/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/Erics-S50B32-Swapped-E30-M3/i-47F9hZp/0/M/IMG_9558-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">After 2200 miles and 72 hours of driving Eric's new steed was home
safe. We had dodged blizzards, evaded the fuzz, slayed the dragon, and
experienced a large variety of American roads in the car that quite literally
defined the Ultimate Driving Machine. The E30 M3 was a car born of racing
homologation requirements in a time when the BMW Motorsports badge had a
meaning and purpose beyond horsepower and fancy bits of kit. Don't get me
wrong, modern M cars are fantastic feats of engineering, power, and efficiency,
but the broadening of the M brand into SUV's, grand coupes, and M Sport lines
for every model have diluted the pedigree of the M badge. As a result,<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=34504392" name="_GoBack"></a> the price of E30 M3's has been skyrocketing on an almost
hourly scale. Eric caught the reasonably priced E30 M3 ship just as it was
leaving port, literally jumping the gangway. Driving it across country is an
experience I will never forget.</span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Subscribe</div>Cloudbasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05922546759267435864noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34504392.post-52072214321162765862014-03-16T22:17:00.002-06:002014-03-16T22:51:35.305-06:00Drone Dog Bite<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I tourment dogs (my dogs mostly) with the quadcopter all the time, but this dog got the closest I've ever seen. He never made contact, but I would guess the clearance was less than 5 millimeters. Million to one shot! The lady's expression sitting on the right side of the frame is priceless! </div>
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(No dogs, drones, babies, or humans were injured in this inadvertent canine dental exam.)</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Subscribe</div>Cloudbasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05922546759267435864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34504392.post-8085161380418995062014-03-14T08:44:00.000-06:002014-03-14T08:44:34.711-06:00Published - My First BMW<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last summer I decided to take it upon myself to write several article length and a bunch of column length stories and send them to the editor of The Roundel, the BMW Car Club of America's magazine. The editor, Satch Carlson, was not very enthusiastic about receiving a digital bundle of unsolicited novice writing. Especially when I happened to send it a few weeks before October Fest, the busiest time of the year. Patient persistence paid off though, and 6 months later he offered to publish one of my stories. It's about the first BMW (of course, an E30) I bought on eBay, sight unseen from a shirtless man with a mullet. Here is the article, followed by a few pics of said car (sans shirtless men with mullets).</div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/1987-E30is/i-jwsSqf8/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/1987-E30is/i-jwsSqf8/0/L/Article%201-L.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/1987-E30is/i-dX5GsZN/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/1987-E30is/i-dX5GsZN/0/L/Article%203-L.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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Molly and I rolling dirty in the E30 Circa 2005</div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/1987-E30is/i-zrCVhd8/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Cars/1987-E30is/i-zrCVhd8/0/M/1-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Subscribe</div>Cloudbasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05922546759267435864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34504392.post-88162865639403736522014-03-11T23:16:00.000-06:002014-03-12T08:20:20.724-06:00Phoenix Multisport Aspen Snowboarding Trip<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I finally made it on the Phoenix Multisport Aspen snowboarding trip this year. Since I replaced mountain bike racing with sports car racing it's been harder and harder to find my way on Phoenix trips. Last year I made it to Ouray, but a nasty cold forced me into isolation in my hotel room. Mouses hot chocolate was the highlight of the trip.</div>
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This year there was no cold and I had a rad time catching up with some of the OG Phoenix crew and making new friends while we shredded some of the best ski-boarding hills in Colorado. Aspen really is the bomb. It's devoid of the Summit County local and tourist traffic and has nearly the vertical drop of Jackson, WY. Even a weekday snob like me couldn't find any complaints with the thin weekend traffic, lack of lift lines, and fresh tracks to be found hidden off the beaten path. </div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-CJwSncn/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-CJwSncn/0/M/DSC04200a-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a><br />
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On Friday I mounted up some brand new snow tires, picked up my new friend Dave, and pushed the E30 hard, making it to Carbondale in less than 4 hours in heavy traffic.</div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-d2rg5tS/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-d2rg5tS/0/M/Rally-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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Okay that wasn't us, but RWD + high performance snow tires + 2" of fresh on Vail Pass = Driving Bliss. Only I would find snow tires beautiful!</div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-9Pw6PRc/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-9Pw6PRc/0/M/Snow%20Tires-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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The first day we went to Snowmass. The snow was fresh and the views were killer. Dave and I hiked a mile up a cat track to find a patch of untracked snow and avoid the T-Bar lift line. It was a burner, I was shed to my tee shirt by the top.</div>
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Our reward was this patch of fresh.</div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-QWVWRH6/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-QWVWRH6/0/M/IMG_9582-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
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Followed by lots of mashed potatoes.</div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-rk2xS8F/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-rk2xS8F/0/M/IMG_9579-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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And cliffs.</div>
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The view off the backside.</div>
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The second day we all went to Aspen Highlands. The Highlands might have edged out Wolf Creek as my favorite Colorado ski hill. The first thing we did was hike to the top of the Highland Bowl. We lucked out and caught the first snow cat of the day for the bottom of the hike. The remaining hike was steep, but a piece of cake compared to what Dave and I hiked the day before.</div>
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There was a party at the top.<br />
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And the view at the top was worth it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-n9XPStz/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-n9XPStz/0/M/DSC04183a-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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Pyramid Peak and the Sleeping Sexton.</div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-4fC4c2D/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-4fC4c2D/0/M/DSC04188a-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-qC6PQfN/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-qC6PQfN/0/M/DSC04190-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-CJwSncn/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-CJwSncn/0/M/DSC04200a-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-GMJtVzx/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-GMJtVzx/0/M/DSC04193-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-MHrbshw/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-MHrbshw/0/M/DSC04195-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-cLH5txk/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-cLH5txk/0/M/DSC04199-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-5xdT7dH/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-5xdT7dH/0/M/DSC04210-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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Stoked after an epic session down the bowl.</div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-FDxfwS9/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-FDxfwS9/0/M/DSC04214-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-stfQt7b/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-stfQt7b/0/M/DSC04215-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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Lunch</div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-HJ3zJ8t/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-HJ3zJ8t/0/M/DSC04218-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-dPNj7jm/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-dPNj7jm/0/M/DSC04219-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-BpQFGNK/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-BpQFGNK/0/M/DSC04221-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-jXS9xnD/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-jXS9xnD/0/M/DSC04223-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-PgM2Dw7/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-PgM2Dw7/0/M/DSC04224-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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Good times.</div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-7j6rgts/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Phoenix-Multisport/Aspen-2014/i-7j6rgts/0/L/DSC04228-L.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Subscribe</div>Cloudbasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05922546759267435864noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34504392.post-80427295965556057242014-01-21T17:49:00.000-07:002014-03-11T23:25:41.248-06:00BMW CCA Rocky Mountain Chapter Ice Gymkhana<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i><b>If you don't want to read the novel, the aerial video is here.</b></i><br />
<i><b>All pictures courtesy of Steve Clark, full album is <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/sets/72157639943257516/" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</b></i><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/84650012" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe><br /></div>
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The Rocky Mountain BMW Car Club of America puts on an ice-driving Gymkhana on Georgetown Lake every winter. I've wanted to go ever since I became a CCA member, but something has always come up. This winter, my attendance was as tenuous as ever. I had just had my wisdom teeth pulled, along with 3 cavities filled the previous week. I decided to keep my registration and just sit out the driving if I was in too much pain.
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BMW's are more suited to ice and snow than one might think. I've always been a staunch advocate of the superiority of rear wheel drive with proper snow tires over all-wheel drive vehicles with all season tires. The well-balanced and communicative chassis inherent to BMW's (especially older BMW's) provide the driver with the information and the ability to drive competently, safely, and quickly in the snow. With every winter storm my E30 is transformed to a shark weaving through schools of slow moving jellyfish made up mostly of crossovers. In fact the conventional wisdom that a crossover is somehow safer or a better winter vehicle is completely flawed. A top heavy, AWD crossover, riddled with stylish blind spots, and festooned with safety "technology" to compensate for its inherit deficiencies does nothing but disconnect the driver from the system. The automobile design trend away from sporty sedans and wagons to bloated crossovers is a sad (yet profitable) shift in modern automobiles. What does any of this have to do with the Ice Gymkhana? There wasn’t a single crossover in attendance. It was bliss!
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<b>Georgetown Lake</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12041199426/" title="DSC_4077 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4077" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5511/12041199426_5126297474_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12041747746/" title="DSC_4195 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4195" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2805/12041747746_c38c56cefb_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12041716576/" title="DSC_4190 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4190" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7308/12041716576_04ab13801e_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a>
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The Schultz family, along with several volunteers, ran the event and set up a short, but challenging triangular course. Their hard work defined the experience for everyone in attendance. The course started with a tight slalom that ended in a 150-degree right hand turn into a series of gates. The gates formed a wider slalom over grippy snow-covered sections of previous courses (the Porsche club was there the day before). This ended in another turn that led to a single cone. You had to do a 360 drift around the cone in either direction. From there it was straight line into a braking box. Your wheels had to come to a complete stop before the last cone or you got a 5 second penalty. I misunderstood this, thinking you had to stop as close as possible to the line of cones that formed the very end of the braking box.
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<b>Volunteers Alex and Tim</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12040883693/" title="DSC_4137 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4137" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5478/12040883693_b1d835c5c7_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Start Gate</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12042163095/" title="DSC_4412 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4412" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5546/12042163095_6b70767b8d_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a>
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<b>The Front Slalom</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12040768284/" title="DSC_4085 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4085" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7414/12040768284_073806d8ac_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a>
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<b>The Braking Box</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12041267994/" title="DSC_4193 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4193" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3806/12041267994_fa0aa5a85a_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a></div>
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RWD with snow tires are better than AWD with all seasons, but a rear-biased AWD with studded snow tires is the best option. Jonny V's 1989 325ix (E30 generation) was the obvious weapon of choice. We prepared his car by getting a set of fresh Hankook i-Pike studded snow tires, replacing one blown out control arm bushing, and doing absolutely nothing to clean up the clutter of food remnants in varying states of decay, ice climbing gear, car tools, work clothes, winter coats, boots, helmets (which we didn't use), and other random bits that populated his trunk and cabin. If we somehow got stranded on a mountain pass en-route we could survive for weeks using the contents of his E30.
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<b>Jonny V's 1989 325ix</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12041293616/" title="DSC_4099 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4099" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2850/12041293616_f3dcf74921_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Banana Peals (My Secret Weapon)</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12040431115/" title="DSC_4094 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4094" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3789/12040431115_a162e1852e_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12041288396/" title="DSC_4098 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4098" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3715/12041288396_b7d007c8a4_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a>
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After breakfast and a briefing we got a couple hours of practice runs before getting two timed runs. There was also a skid pad we could practice on between runs. The grip on course reminded me of the wet track at the <a href="http://cloudbaseimaging.blogspot.com/2013/09/summit-point-kart-24-hour-enduro-race.html" target="_blank">Summit Point Kart 24 Hour Enduro</a> I raced last year. In an ideal world, the shortest distance would be the quickest, but there were small patches of snow off the racing line that were havens of grip. I decided that a strategy of "diamonding" the curves by using the grippy patches would be the fastest. Rather than drive a curved racing line, connecting the dots with straight lines between the grippy bits was key -- even if it meant traveling a greater distance. It went like this: gas it, turn in, nothing happens, wait, unload slightly to test the grip, wait some more, trust it will hook up, it hooks up, gas it again, repeat. The 360-degree drift was the hardest part of the course. I would enter ridiculously wide, pitch the car on turn in, close the radius, apply throttle to drift the last half with the cone as close to the front bumper as possible. The braking box had a patch of snow on the left side. For all but the last timed run I tried to stop as close as possible to the end of the box, which was incorrect (costing me a 5 second penalty). Jonny V’s and my times were close all day. We whittled them down from the 1:30 range to the low 1:20's. My best time of 1:18 was on a near perfect first timed run, but the 5 second penalty of braking at the wrong target put me up to a 1:23. Even my incorrect stop was perfect. The bumper came to rest inches before the back of the braking box. I made some mistakes on the second timed run, but still managed to edge out the rest of the field with a 1:22 for the fastest time of the day. Certainly the E30 IX with studded snows had something to do with this!
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<b>My Fastest Run</b></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/MJq8fYXdSNw" width="640"></iframe>
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There was a mix of other vehicles in attendance ranging from a brand new F10 5 series and an F30 3 series to a virtual wolf pack of E30's. A first gen Toyota MR2, Mini JCW, Dodge Charger, and a few E36, E46, and E90 3 series made up the rest of the field. We gathered all the E30's for a group shot near an island in the ice. It was a highlight of the day.
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<b>The E30's</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12044365106/" title="DSC_4220_stitch by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4220_stitch" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7312/12044365106_122bd4a86f_z.jpg" height="155" width="640" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12044419226/" title="DSC_4241_stitch-crop by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4241_stitch-crop" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2879/12044419226_9c528e27ef_z.jpg" height="177" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12044018004/" title="DSC_4265_stitch-crop by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4265_stitch-crop" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3833/12044018004_456abddccc_z.jpg" height="101" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Colby's John Cooper Works Mini Cooper S</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12041522536/" title="DSC_4155 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4155" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5550/12041522536_591397e61b_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12043039425/" title="DSC_4550 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4550" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5478/12043039425_13dc45e3a6_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>F10 5 Series</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12041017173/" title="DSC_4165 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4165" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3772/12041017173_6c4778f66e_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12040413295/" title="DSC_4090 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4090" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3801/12040413295_468ae642f3_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>F30 3 Series</b></div>
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<b>(and preceding generations)</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12040738474/" title="DSC_4078 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4078" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3784/12040738474_61fa98e079_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12041216496/" title="DSC_4081 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4081" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5511/12041216496_463816c58c_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12040758444/" title="DSC_4083 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4083" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2812/12040758444_66c12694f9_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a>
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<b>E90
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12041416216/" title="DSC_4129 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4129" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5521/12041416216_2722c527c3_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>E46
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12040931833/" title="DSC_4148 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4148" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2886/12040931833_cf0e47fbe6_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a>
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<b>E36 </b></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12041611626/" title="DSC_4172 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4172" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5539/12041611626_5a1efd7491_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a>
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<b>E30</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12040921654/" title="DSC_4121 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4121" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3763/12040921654_7fe9b87208_z.jpg" height="427" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12043253124/" title="DSC_4522 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4522" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7423/12043253124_11309c62ef_z.jpg" height="427" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12041155644/" title="DSC_4174 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4174" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5530/12041155644_0cd416ec1c_z.jpg" height="427" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12042289925/" title="DSC_4430 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4430" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5483/12042289925_537ed5428d_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12040869554/" title="DSC_4109 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4109" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5498/12040869554_953a907f03_z.jpg" height="427" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12042604693/" title="DSC_4432 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4432" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7367/12042604693_8e492ae538_z.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveandmiriam/12041018714/" title="DSC_4147 by Losingmylycosa, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_4147" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3778/12041018714_32e6e1a887_z.jpg" height="427" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></div>
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The second highlight of the day was flying the drone. The winds were gusting to over 40mph out of the west with chunky pockets of lift and sink. The lightweight quad-copter would gain and lose 10 feet in seconds in the churning air currents. The cold reduced my battery run times to about 4 minutes. It required full power to fly upwind back to the start / finish. The result was pretty choppy footage, but with gobs of stabilization it is only partly nauseating to watch. I've filmed literally all over the world with my drone and I'd have to say the dynamic conditions at Georgetown Lake were some of the hardest. I opted to fly without GPS position hold to increase battery life and smoothness. On the last battery as I was transitioning from FPV goggles to line of sight, a rouge wind gust blew the drone behind the observation building. In a panic I added full power and climbed hard to clear trees and power lines by the road. I got the drone on the ground without incident, but when I was reviewing the footage I saw I actually clipped the very tip of the pine tree! Literally 2 inches lower and it would have crashed. The footage is at the end of the video.</div>
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<b>Aerial View</b></div>
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<b>(Vimeo - better res, no ads)</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/84650012" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe> </div>
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/84650012">Ice Gymkhana</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user5055307">Cloudbase Imaging</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Subscribe</div>Cloudbasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05922546759267435864noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34504392.post-36745753942867113802014-01-20T17:42:00.002-07:002014-01-20T17:43:01.799-07:00Angel of Shavano & The Monarch Crest Trail<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It may seem like sports car racing and hack mechanic-ing have taken over my life, but echos of mountain bike racing continue to permeate life on leeward side of the Rocky Mountains. Make no mistake about it -- if I could still ride and train regularly I would be miking it up for the 35 and older podium every chance I could. Instead, mountain biking has become an exercise of gratitude for me. I'm grateful for any chance I get to ride, especially if it involves some sweet alpine single track. Last year for my birthday we headed up to the Southern Collegiate Range for just such an adventure.</div>
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The Monarch Crest trail is a Colorado classic. The possibility of new wilderness designations threaten to close mountain biking access to it periodically, so I try to make it a point to ride it when I can. We headed up on a weekday and camped at the nearby Angel of Shavano campground. Nestled at the base of Mt. Shavano with crystal clear beaver ponds, the Colorado Trail, and nearby Angel of Shavano waterfalls, Angel of Shavano Campground is one of the best in Colorado. We set up camp and spent a day relaxing, hiking, and exploring the wilderness. I woke up at first light and flew the drone through an aerial playground made by the forest and creeks. Here's the result.</div>
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<b>Aerial Playground at Angel of Shavano</b></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/84553166" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe></div>
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/84553166">Angel of Shavano</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user5055307">Cloudbase Imaging</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
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<b>Jonny V Relaxing</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Hosting/Angel-of-Shavano/n-GPhSX/i-zJGzGXV/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/photos/i-zJGzGXV/0/M/i-zJGzGXV-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<b>Angel of Shavano Falls</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Hosting/Angel-of-Shavano/n-GPhSX/i-cLCgRPn/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/photos/i-cLCgRPn/0/M/i-cLCgRPn-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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The next day Doug, Jo, and I woke up early and shuttled ourselves up to the trailhead at the top of Monarch Pass. It would be my first time riding the Monarch Crest on a hard tail. My fitness may have been lacking, but my tech skills on the Superfly were as good as ever. I was able to outride or hang with the best of the other riders we encountered, even on the steep baby-head filled descents. The trail hadn't changed much since my last excursion. We blazed it in time to beat the inevitable monsoonal thunderstorm. The only casualty was Jo's bike. She managed to crack the only piece of carbon (the chain stay) during a crash. She didn't even realize it until after the ride!</div>
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<b>The Monarch Crest Trail</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Hosting/Angel-of-Shavano/n-GPhSX/i-Jc5f4VJ/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/photos/i-Jc5f4VJ/0/M/i-Jc5f4VJ-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Hosting/Angel-of-Shavano/n-GPhSX/i-DjkCC86/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/photos/i-DjkCC86/0/M/i-DjkCC86-M.jpg" style="cursor: move;" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Hosting/Angel-of-Shavano/n-GPhSX/i-NtqzMXj/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/photos/i-NtqzMXj/0/M/i-NtqzMXj-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Hosting/Angel-of-Shavano/n-GPhSX/i-KmBcbKX/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/photos/i-KmBcbKX/0/M/i-KmBcbKX-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Hosting/Angel-of-Shavano/n-GPhSX/i-9WmmKwH/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/photos/i-9WmmKwH/0/M/i-9WmmKwH-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Hosting/Angel-of-Shavano/n-GPhSX/i-DGGVpvM/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/photos/i-DGGVpvM/0/M/i-DGGVpvM-M.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Hosting/Angel-of-Shavano/n-GPhSX/i-ZZkzbwv/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/photos/i-ZZkzbwv/0/L/i-ZZkzbwv-L.jpg" title="" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/Hosting/Angel-of-Shavano/n-GPhSX/i-Z4qSQv8/A" title=""><img alt="" src="http://www.cloudbaseimaging.com/photos/i-Z4qSQv8/0/M/i-Z4qSQv8-M.jpg" title="" /></a>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Subscribe</div>Cloudbasehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05922546759267435864noreply@blogger.com0