A Tail Dragger

The DC3 is called a tail dragger because it sits back on a rear wheel unlike modern airliners that sit level. Today is a tail dragger of a day for the three ragged crew members. After two very long days we all wake feeling sore and unrested, but we nevertheless push forward and open the plane about 10AM. The weather is uncharacteristically warm and humid...in other words, uncomfortable. We are soon joined by Larry Jamison who is our local guy for this stop. Larry has had house guests and has not been with us much, but is with us the whole day and is a welcome addition. He brought drinking water and filled the cooler with ice. He also took over the cock pit tour for a good long spell.
The traffic is a bit slower than yesterday but fairly steady. Both yesterday and today we have had one "unusual" person who has stayed for hours and said things we didn't quite connect with. Both obviously aviation buffs but not at the top of their game, shall we say. When you do events where no admission is charged, this often happens.
Sheryl's cousin, Allen Boddie, is a visitor and joins the Foundation even with no prospect of a heritage flight. Allen is an aviation buff and wants to join us on some of our adventures in the future. Sheryl and Allen have not seen each other in 30 years.
The hot weather soon gave way to breezy overcast and we began watching rain storms over the mountains to see if they were coming our way. The target time for close down was 4 PM and, as if on cue, the crowd went away about 3:30 and we begin to stow our gear. Just as we were finishing, it began to blow and then sprinkle rain. We took this as an omen that we had done enough.
However, even on this slow and short day we took in over $400. Not bad.
Larry and Allen had both told us where to find good restaurants in the area and tonight we went to a brewpub between the airport and our hotel for an early repast. The food was quite enjoyable and we would be happy to eat there again, but we also spotted a couple of other places to try. We were happily back at the hotel by six and looking forward to three days off before we head to Denver on Thursday and then Powell, WY that same afternoon. Tomorrow it is time to wash clothes and run errands among other things.
It was a good three days, but we are ready for a respite.

A Good Place to Be

We are staying at a Hampton Inn which knows how to do it right. Every time you encounter an employee, they greet you and ask if your stay is enjoyable. They introduce themselves and say do not hesitate to ask if you need anything. We are impressed. They change the breakfast menu also. We had omelets the first morning. Today it was southwest style steak and eggs with tortillas. They were very tasty.
Back to the airport and we do a more complete set up with merchandise since today was advertised in the local paper. We have a light but steady crowd all day and sell more things that I dreamed. The people are intelligent and fun to talk with. They are very interested in the plane which always makes us happy. They have cute and well behaved children. This is a good gig.
Again the weather is perfect. It is windier than the day before and I think cooler. Jane and I have to get out from under the wing from time to time to warm in the sun. Gosh, that is a unique feeling!
Jack Greiner, the 90 year old, had flown this plane for American in 1943 and 1944 confirmed that Eleanor Roosevelt was a frequent passenger when she was first lady and always sat on the last seat on the right. Jack said he would come back to chat with her.
Another good day for memberships and we end up with eleven happy souls flying with us. One group is the Moen clan, a ranching family who show up in boots and spurs straight from a riding competition. We ask them to remove the latter before entering the plane. One man has received the flight as a surprise birthday gift. The Birthday Boy and the Rancher are given the honor to be in the jump seat for take off or landing. Jack and his wife are with us also. We make a low pass by Jack's home airport where an EAA meeting is going on. There are about 30 people out waving and taking photos. We make another pass by Jack's house so his neighbors can see this plane he used to fly. A lovely flight north to Fort Collins and back. Again landing just at sunset. Again we are 9PM seeking dinner and 10:30 getting back to the room. We bid farewell to the Gorrells as they are headed home in the morning to await our arrival in another week.

The Clan Gathers

On Thursday morning we headed north to Denver to pick up, Jake, flying in from Ft. Worth. As usual, a postcard kind of day with great scenery, but too busy playing navigator to take photos. The Rockies were clearer that morning than before or since. The remainder of the day was taken up with gathering data from the plane, transmitting it, getting rooms, turning in one rental car and getting another (paid for by the Foundation). We had a nice dinner and another nice margarita. (Somehow the theme of this group has become to compare margaritas from one state to another.)
Friday the three of us gathered at the plane, which had been sitting at the Broomfield terminal for two weeks. We set up a table in shade of the wing and started giving tours. The opening had not really been advertised for that day, but there is a popular lunch spot in the terminal so we had a modest but interested number of people come by. Jane and David Gorrell joined us in early afternoon coming in from Park City, UT. They had not been expected but knew we would welcome a few more folks since there were only three of us. There was a cool breeze blowing, and being sheltered from the sun, it was a perfect temperature. We were to do a fly by at the Longmont airport at 7PM in honor of Jack Grenier who lives there who flew this very plane for American in the 1940's. He is now 90 years old and still flying. That means he can still pass the medical each year. There had been some publicity for this and we ended up with 10 passengers. It was fun to see the people out by the runway with cameras and waving when we did two low passes.
By the time we deplaned and buttoned up the plane, it was 9PM when we arrived at a restaurant to eat. Some of us had had a late lunch of sorts, but Gene had not eaten since breakfast, so devoted is he to his duty. A very pleasant meal with a lot of airline talk since everyone at the table except us were current or retired American Airlines employees. Then we fell into bed exhausted.

Ahhhhh Colorado

After a restorative night's sleep, we go bopping out to conquer the world this morning and are shocked to find the temperature is 63 degrees! Wow! First stop today is Manitou Cave Dwellings. Gene had heard that they were not real and so had pooh poohed them. They are real, but were reconstructed and restored in 1907. I thought they were very interesting and well documented. Also they are at ground level so easy to access. You can walk into them and between them by internal passages as well as explore them from the outside. The grounds were well landscaped and there are signs telling the names of the plants and their usage, if any. There is a museum with examples of tools, descriptions of lifestyles, weapons, pottery and baskets. There is also an extensive gift shop that is well done.
Next it's back to Manitou Springs, get out of the car and walk the streets. They have a lot of interesting shops, historic buildings and historic markers. We saw only one vacant shop, so the economy is alive and well here. But we also found the origin of the name in four springs of carbonated water that are there. And, like Hot Springs, AR, and Saratoga, NY, this place became a tourist mecca because of the springs. In the olden days that spring water was bottled and distributed. There are a lot of interesting homes here in Victorian or Craftsman style. There are a lot of flower child young people in the area.
We lunched at a place that looked interesting, healthy and different. The interior decor and sitting areas were all very organic and different. A neat ambiance. They promoted a drink called Yerba Mate (google it) which is full of antioxidants. It seemed quite popular as many people came in to buy it or the raw material to make their own. Gene got some in a raspberry flavor and liked it. We noticed that the young women who worked there all had long hair and wore long dresses. Also the place is open 24 hours a day except on Saturday. The bathroom was papered in religious tracts of an origin I could not determine. As we walked out, I noticed a newspaper entitled The Twelve Tribes. Upon Googling, I found that this was a group founded in the 70's in Chattanooga that is controversial and has been called a cult. One of their beliefs is that the end time is near. They model their church after that of the first century and seem to be communal of a sort. Whatever they believe, they make a good sandwich and breakfast burrito.
We took a rest at our hotel and then ventured out again in late afternoon. The skies had cleared and the temperature on the car said 85, but it sure did not feel like it. We did some walking in the Old Colorado City area. This was the name for Colorado Springs when it was the capital of the territory. Seems the governor had financial interests in Denver and wanted it to be the capital and refused to go to Colorado City. The legislature went but the governor would not fund them, so long story, short...Denver became the capital.
We started up a road into the mountains, and unfortunately it was also the route for a bike race. So it was kind of disconcerting as there were bikers going up and bikers going down and a twisty narrow road. At one point we stopped at an overlook and I commented that the temperature still said 86. Within three minutes of being back on the road, it had dropped to 79 and felt like 70. There were lovely views. We went up until about a mile after the road turned to dirt. The picture at right was taken there and I am rather proud of it. Most of the really good ones are taken by Gene.
By now it is well into evening and we sought out an area of restaurants we had passed the night before. We settled on one called Sonterra Southwest Grill and it proved a good choice. I had a house margarita which was one of the best I have ever tasted and so large I only drank half of it. Gene was happy as they had his favorite draft beer. He got a salad and I had a coconut shrimp appetizer and both were to die for. Then we split a dessert called a chocolate tortilla tower which was also to die for. All this great food plus drinks and the tab was only $42. What a deal! And a pleasant way to close out our time in Colorado Springs. A short visit, but a good one. Tomorrow we meet up with Jake in Denver and start the Flagship adventure. Stay tuned.

Colorado or Bust

Up at 4AM and out at 5, headed for Colorado Springs via Dallas. No two hour delay this time, things are looking good. That is until we get to the gate of the connecting flight in Dallas and find that we are too far down on standby list to get on. Oops! Our Man in Havana, Jake (actually he was in Ft. Worth) was right on it, calling us immediately to give us the numbers on the next flight. (Iffy, so iffy that we rearranged stuff in our baggage so if one got on and one did not we would each have what we needed for overnight. Because Gene's checked bag was in the Springs by this time.)
Jake kept updating us every few minutes until he actually told us our seat assignment before we even got it. And then teased us because we were in the very last row where the view out the window is the side of an engine. We were the last two people to get on the plane. All that mattered is that we were on.
We arrived Colorado Springs about 5PM local which is 7 Georgia time. After securing a rental car and checking into our motel, we head out to see some sights for we have heard that the Noknowhengo Tribe will convene on Thursday instead of Friday. That means one less day here than we originally thought.
We went out to Garden of the Gods, a really stunning area of rock formations you will see pictured here. You cannot tell from the photos, but there were young men climbing at least three of these structures. Notice the formation that looks so much like a buffalo. The dry air in the shade is cool, but the sun, with no haze is piercing.
Then we went to the charming village of Manitou Springs and did a quick tour. Sort of reminded you of other springs towns, like Hot Springs and Warm Springs, actually a lot more charming than the latter. We looped around through the historic part of Colorado Springs on the return trip to our lodging.
So finally back to our motel, we are dragging as it is 10PM at home and don't forget that we got up at 4AM. Does anyone get tired of me saying I am tired....well I won't say it!

A picture is worth a thousand words

Good airshow, well attended. We had a line of about 30 people all day long even until we had to cut it off at closing time.
We went back to the Bunkhouse for dinner, but this time were in the front room where the entertainment was and it made a huge difference. We had a great time watching the cowboys and cowgirls dance. Then one of the guys, who had greeted our group upon arrival (we stand out, cause most of our guys are wearing Flagship shirts), started asking us to dance. He looked like a real deal cowboy, notice his boots in the photo with me. Later as he was leaving he came by to talk and it turns out he and his wife have doctorates in psychology. But this was a really fun evening that hearkened back to the days I lived in Texas.




In the photo below of the fuzzy airplane, the plane had smoke trails coming from both wingtips which would break up and form themselves into smoke rings. The guy would then come back and fly through the rings. In practice on Tuesday, I saw him go through four in a row.
Today we fly 40 minutes to Rocky Mountain airport where we will leave the plane for about two weeks. We will go to Denver and try to catch flights home. Ours is more complicated as all but us live in the Dallas area and we have to connect for Atlanta. Wish us luck.

Headed West Again

Gene and I left home before daybreak on Monday, headed to Dallas to hook up with the Flagship crew again, only to face a two and a half hour delay while a "minor maintenance issue" was dealt with. At first they said ten minutes and then it escalated.
So, arriving in Dallas, we were already more than a bit road weary, only to find the temperature hovering at 105. Oh, good grief, it was the 24th day in a row above 100 degrees there. We were picked up by a friend and whisked to Alliance airport where the plane is, stopping for a great BBQ lunch on the way. They do know BBQ in the Lone Star State. Two of the guys had already been there working on the plane for about three hours. The plane was right in the doorway of an enormous hanger and there was a breeze, but it was like being baked in a convection oven. We kept drinking fluids, but everyone was miserable. They were tightening things on the engines to reduce oil leakage and had to put the engine cowlings back on. This was promised to take about an hour, but we were dropped at our hotel at 8PM. That lunch proved to be our only meal that day.
With the alarm set for 5AM, we fell into bed and knew nothing until the alarm went off. I truly do not think I even turned over. We were picked up at 6 for the flight to Cheyenne. There were 9 of us going, three females. Several people brought food so we were well stocked for the trip. It was already hot as we loaded up.
Our first stop was Hobart, OK to refuel. It was warm in the plane, but not uncomfortably so on that leg. The land we passed over looked sad. The fields were brown or yellow, I could not tell if they had been planted or not, as there were rows, but no green. I saw lots of stream beds that had no water in them. Hobart weather was overcast and breezy and felt good. The conditioned air in their little terminal felt even better. Upon getting in the air again, we all fell on the food like a bunch of shipwrecked sailors. It was only 10:30 but our breakfasts had been before dawn. The cabin cooled noticeably as we went further north. And the fields greened up and looked better. The total flying time was to be five hours but it passed very quickly. I found that the Verizon hot spot worked for a time in the plane so I was able to surf the web until we were over remote areas and the signal was lost.
Upon arrival in Cheyenne, we were treated like royalty. This show is at an Air National Guard base and there were scads of young soldiers in flight suits at our beck and call. It takes place during the two week Frontier Days, a time when the population swells from 43,000 to about 300,000. Where do they put them all? We immediately started cleaning and spiffing the plane, inside and out. This accomplished, the women and luggage were ferried to the "Cheyenne Social Club" or hospitality area where we were given welcome packets, keys to our two rental cars and a free beverage of choice. Again, lots of male and female soldiers at our service. Soon the men joined us and after they enjoyed a drink, we headed to our hotel and then out to dinner.
We dined at a place the locals frequent 17 miles outside of town, called the Bunkhouse. Antelope grazed in a field as we drove by. There is a lot of sky here, as there are only scrubby little trees. It was filled with most interesting cloud formations and colors. Photos could not capture the beauty. The folks in the restaurant were authentic ranchers. Lots of huge cowboy hats, boots and the look of the Marlboro Man. They had a band and folks were dancing. The menu was quite diverse for an off the beaten path kind of place, and the food was good. Of course we all had beef.
Since there are so many of us, half will go to the plane at 8 and the rest will follow at 9. All us women folk are in the later group.