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PHX-LAX

Oct 31, 2002

I've been far busier snapping pictures than writing but offer a brief glimpse of the trip.

1. The folks that met at PHX Regional. Some more great shots from this little gathering to come.
2. The launch site at Lake Havasu City. Not much but it had plenty of room if you didn't mind running around the bushes.

1. Lake Havasu.  It was windy and bumpy down low but up a few hundred feet it was a smooth 18 mph. Lake Havasu City snuggles in between some gorgeous mountains and the lake backed up by Parker Dam. This lake has been frequently used by maneuvers clinics.
2. Tony found me airborne...he's a pg/ppg pilot in Lake Havasu. Also here is Tom and hopefully there will be more pictures of this area soon.
3. Leaving Flagstaff (this is part of the previous enterprise segment) I found a launch off of a scenic overlook. What a treat!

Westward Ho

Oct 31, 2002

The Enterprise is on the move again and allowing me to experience the great American West.

Above is the launch location near Sky City, about 40 miles West of Albuquerque. 

ABQ-PHX

Oct 29, 2002 Mon

It's only been a couple weeks since leaving Albuquerque and already the Enterprise got "winterized". It got cold enough that Bob Roberts, a good friend of the Daniele's, attended to it's chilly needs in my absence. He drained it where needed and added RV antifreeze. Thank you! And thanks to the Daniele's for letting me keep it there along with my various gear.

Uh Oh

It's always good to visit with the Daniele's, it's just hard to leave. But after a good filling of Michelle's fine chow and a short, chilly flight I got back on the road. The Destination: Santa Fe to visit my bother and his growing family.

At the first refueling stop my worst fear was realized...I saw dripping oil during a walk-around. Looking underneath revealed a large puddle of oil, formed after only a few minutes. This could NOT be good. A protective pan prevented me from telling where it was coming from. I checked the oil and it was about 2 quarts low. OK, I thought, maybe I can get it to a repair place in Santa Fe if the drip rate allows. So I added 2 quarts and drove for 10 miles to the next station to check how much loss occured. It was less then half a quart. With Santa Fe only 30 more miles I bought a couple quarts of oil and pressed on...that rate would easily allow me to get there without going below the "Min". 

Arriving in Santa Fe my first priority was finding a place to work on my unusual vehicle. Fortune was mine when I dialed FAST (Foreign Auto Service Technicians). They obviously knew of my vehicle by the questions they asked and offered to have me bring it in that night and look at it tomorrow. Oh what a relief...it was dripping a quart of oil per hour.

The fellow who handled me, Jeb, turned out to be an absolute gem of a human being.  Of course my big fear was that the problem would require a part from distant lands, an engine teardown or other horrors and harbored fears of a trip to the cleaners. What good fortune I had in the hands if Jeb.

My poor brother and his wife, who now housed their stranded traveler probably shared my fear! The original plan was to leave Santa Fe in the afternoon...that obviously wasn't going to happen.

The Call

My cell phone rang with a Santa Fe area code...this would be the repair folks. Sweeter words have never come from that phone: "It's fixed and ready to be picked up". There is a God! (I knew that already admittedly). It turned out to be profusely leaking oil pressure switch just after the block. $109 later I was the wheel of the Enterprise again.

Jeb turned out to be a fascinating individual as we talked about the paramotor and sailing and R/C airplanes and related experiences. How sad he was in Santa Fe and my contact would be limited. His love for life, people, and sense of adventure was inspiring. While sailing remains his primary focus (www.HobieFleet48.org), he was obviously intrigued by the paramotor of which I enthused in great detail. Of course I told him the good fortune of being so close to one of the country's top schools (American Flyer in ABQ). Hopefully he sips of our fine drink...he would be an exceptional addition to our community.

Kids

One of my nephews, Sam, is 5 years old and runs on plutonium...boundless energy that was now concentrated on the new toy: me! It was quite an experience and I had a blast twirling him, sparing with him and generally trying to keep up. Of course I couldn't and occasionally had to retreat into a separate room (where I had the computer set up). 

Wednesday morning found me feeling under the weather. Bummer there. Fortunately though, by afternoon I was much improved, especially after an expertly given neck massage that all but eliminated the headache (Thanks Miriam!). Oooh that was good.

It was too cold to fly and, in fact, was snowing for part of the afternoon. I'd hoped to fly Santa Fe but it wasn't to be.

Folk Dancing

I've never danced in my life. My brother and his wife offered participation in their Tuesday night lessons and folk dancing. I turned it down initially but then thought: I'll not likely see these people again, will never have a more convenient opportunity, would get some exercise, it would be fun to do something different and enjoyable to do with Dave and Miriam (brother and his wife). So I went. 

I have nothing to compare it to so my impression is of limited value. As I'm sure everybody else on the planet knows, this form is structured and based on timing and steps. Fortunately, one of the experienced participants saw my obvious newbiness and offered some very useful suggestions. The simplest aspect that I was doing wrong but that lead to utter chaos in my timing was corrected with her help. It was fun! Much of that was owing to a welcoming group that made me feel comfortable. 

Alas the lesson ended and I bade my farewell. Armed with departure directions, I headed South on I-25, through Albuquerque one last time to go Westbound on I-40. A sense of new adventure grew as the lights of the city dropped behind and the beckoning blackness of road never traveled filled the view.

Another Perspective

For years I've been flying over these mountains, enjoying their spectacle through the big windows of my Boeing. All those years I thought it be fun to experience them from the ground up someday. When PPG entered my life an entire new way to discover them entered the picture and I feel truly blessed to combine the two.

This is a two year mission and I'm thinking it might be fun to do another. Maybe years from now when I'm really retired and can spend months on the road instead of days. So many sights await, so many experiences, so many side trips. I regret missing out on Elephant Butte and the spectacular views afforded by making the Phoenix trip via SR 60. But am incredibly thankful to have this part.

Music

My computer is never very far so it was a natural progression to discover it's music capabilities. So good are they that I've put all my favorite music on it and use it for driving tunes. How incredibly handy! No commercials and no dud songs. Plus I don't have to change minidiscs or CD's. What a wonderful enhancement to these trips.

Meteor Crater

Some good pictures to come

The Phoenix Crew

1. The group at Casa Grande, South of PHX
2. Mo and I cruise the Superstitions

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