Bob's Ramblings from the PB.

Sounds like a great day of flying, Bob! Always enjoy your posts. Is there a place online to contribute to the lodge rebuild? We have to support these facilities so they'll be there when we finally get to visit. I'm waving hello... Just flew overhead on AA 1885, DFW-SEA.
 
TangoWhiskey said:
Sounds like a great day of flying, Bob! Always enjoy your posts. Is there a place online to contribute to the lodge rebuild? We have to support these facilities so they'll be there when we finally get to visit. I'm waving hello... Just flew overhead on AA 1885, DFW-SEA.
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If you go here and if you are interested on the top of the page, click on donate.

http://www.rebuildbigcreek.com/ They have a great painting by a professional artist for a $500. donation. That is what I am trying to get.
 
Here are a couple of pictures that go with my Big Creek story. You can see where I backed my plane 54N into it's parking place. What do you think of the beauty of this place?
 

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Bob I heard through facebook you saw my friend John out there!

He owns a piper out of KSTS and is more of a purple board flyer.

Great to hear you are still having fun.

Kimberly
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
Bob I heard through facebook you saw my friend John out there!

He owns a piper out of KSTS and is more of a purple board flyer.

Great to hear you are still having fun.

Kimberly
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Yes, Kimberly, if you are talking about John Gray from Santa Rosa. He flew his plane up to Vale, said it took him about three hours. He spent a few days with me and we took a trip into Sulphur Creek Lodge for Breakfast. I'll look see if I don't have a picture of John at the lodge. He stayed with me and we had a great time. Our second flight was into the Minam Lodge 16 miles out of La Grande, OR. A Roadless area 8 1/2 miles from the end of the road.

1. picture on the front deck of the Minam Lodge. 2. picture is John talking to the cooks at the Sulphur Creek Lodge.
 

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That lodge looks exactly like what I would dream / hope it would look like. Sounds like a fun escape for John from the Bay Area!
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
That lodge looks exactly like what I would dream / hope it would look like. Sounds like a fun escape for John from the Bay Area!
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John had a good time and we enjoyed John as well. I think he might come back and see old Bob again sometime so we can check out Johnson Creek, and Yellow Pine.:)
 
8/8/13

A few months back the Future Farmers of America had an auction to raise some money for there yearly activities. I donated an airplane ride when asked to donate.

This morning at 7:30 Cody about 5, his older brother Daniel about 7, and their grandfather Boyd showed up to collect. We got 54N out and took off over the boys house, a lot of chatter in the headset followed as we spotted their place. We continued out over Bully Creek Dam and turned south toward the Owyhee Dam. They have had a big fire out close to the Dam and we were able to observe that area. we flew over Mitchell Butte, the Owyhee River and up the Reservoir for a ways, where the Dry Creek arm comes into the main water. At this point we went up Dry Creek a ways and then turned back toward Vale. We flew over Twin Springs camp ground. I showed them where they have done some core drilling and are awaiting permission to mine for gold on Grassy Mountain. I let Daniel start flying about at this time and he flew the rest of the way home. We put the plane away after a smooth landing, and went to have breakfast. I made a few brags about Daniels flying skills, and you could see the little guy puff up with pride. The boys thanked me and I felt good to give a couple more youngsters there first small airplane ride.~~~
 
Holy cow. Why haven't I been following this thread!? Your stories and pics are amazing, Bob! I hope to be able to see that area sometime (maybe with a fly-rod in hand ;)).
 
CJones said:
Holy cow. Why haven't I been following this thread!? Your stories and pics are amazing, Bob! I hope to be able to see that area sometime (maybe with a fly-rod in hand ;)).
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I have taken some time off as I lost my wife to a battle with Cancer last Sept, 19. I have had so much great feedback from pilots on this and the Purple board, that I decided that when I get a flight that I think might be interesting I will post a write up for you guys and gals to read. Thanks for the hand.
 
8-13-2013 A flight into Big Creek to pick up a miner friend Jack.

A little less than 2 hours flt. time. 108 sm each way. A little more the way I went in this morning. I got off a little before 7:30 and didn't have as much smoke today. I took the long way in I flew south of Cascade, Id. North of Warm lake to Johnson Creek. Down Johnson Creek to the airport. Then over Profile mountain to Big Creek. I saw some wisps of fog hanging on the sides of the hill sides and was in hopes that Big Creek wasn't socked in fog. I spotted it and it was wide open. I got down to 6700 and started my landing. There is a hog back ridge and you lose sight of the runway until coming out of base to final. Made a good landing and Jack was waiting. No trouble on the flight home. I took a couple of pictures but left the camera in the plane. I will post later. I have to get ready to have a MRI on my bad knee. So Later.~~~

picture of Profile Peak 8900. I was at 9000. on my way to Big Creek.
 

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Great picture, Bob. Hope all goes well with the knee. We don't want to miss your flying adventures, so we will be praying for you and that knee.
 
I got a call from the Malheur County Sheriff's office On 10/1/13,asking if I could fly. I hadn't been flying since my knee surgery. However, my knee was healing nicely and so I said sure. They needed me to fly a fellow from Laramie, WY.. This is the story: This man's son was driving from WY. to WA. and some how got off into some rugged country. His son has some mental problems, bi-polar. It seems the boy was found wandering down a dirt road and he was naked. They took him to a hospital and his folks had to come out to OR. from WY. They needed me to try to find the pickup truck the boy was driving. He had told his dad that he was on a high point and went down a road until he came to a tree across the road, he tried to turn the vehicle around and got it stuck. He took off walking.

I got all of the story from the deputy and the boys folks as to where he was picked up and what the boy had said, this boy was a few days short of 21 years old, by the way. So I met them at the airport and got 54N ready to fly. They showed up and we had to wait a few minutes as they had a call into the Baker County Sheriff to see if they had a report of a found pick up. We loaded up and headed for Mormon Basin area. Mormon Basin is on a direct line to Baker City so I had that plugged into my GPS. I found the spot on the Brogan Huntington road where they had found the boy. California Mountain and Mormon Basin were directly in front of me about 10 miles distant. My plan of attack was to crisscross this area toward the top of California mountain. The elevation went from about 4500' to 6500' on the top of the mountain. I started a pattern from east to west and went back and forth up the slope toward the top. We were almost to the top of the mountain when I saw a blue rig in the bottom of the draw. I asked Dana if that was it and he said yes. I circled over and took a GPS location on the pickup, and he asked me how he could get there. So I flew him up the road that he would be coming in on up to Mormon Basin and followed the road that led to the stuck vehicle. Then I headed back to Vale to help him with some equipment to get the stuck rig out. I felt sorry for the parents as they had a full plate of trouble. They returned my equipment later in the day and thanked me for my help and said they got the pickup out and were headed home. I was glad that I could help them with my airplane.
 
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Bob: It's good that your knee is healing. I am so glad that you are flying, again. I know those folks were glad.

I always enjoy reading your posts. You have such a unique way with words.
When you write, we can almost live the experience with you.

I hope you are blessed with many more flying opportunities.

Jim
 
navigator44 said:
Bob: It's good that your knee is healing. I am so glad that you are flying, again. I know those folks were glad.

I always enjoy reading your posts. You have such a unique way with words.
When you write, we can almost live the experience with you.

I hope you are blessed with many more flying opportunities.

Jim
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Well, Jim, I feel blessed already to own a 182 as a retired teacher. I know at 78 years old I don't have many more years to go with this flying habit of mine. I have always been a person that gets a great amount of pleasure out of helping others. Thanks for your and the others nice remarks.
 
What a great way to help somebody!

I'm always looking for ways to give back with my rental airplanes, such as Young Eagles or Angel Flight, but this story takes the cake! I hope he put some clothes on for your airplane ride.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
What a great way to help somebody!

I'm always looking for ways to give back with my rental airplanes, such as Young Eagles or Angel Flight, but this story takes the cake! I hope he put some clothes on for your airplane ride.
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It was the boy that they found naked, I flew with the boy's father in the plane. The boy is still in a hospital.
 
My daughter called and told me she had a ticket to the Oregon vs UCLA game for me. Since it was a late game we would stay over in Eugene for the night so she had a room reserved also. It is a 6 1/2 hour drive from Vale to her place in West Linn, Or. or it is a 2 hour flight from Vale to Lenhardts where I usually fly into when I go to her place. They had been having a lot of morning fog and so I was concerned with that. I decided to go on a Thursday for the Saturday game. When checking the weather the fog was there and so I decided to wait until about 3:00 My time MT. to head that way. The weather on the east side of the Cascade mountains was good, as usual, but not so good on the west side. I got off a few minutes after 3:00 and on a heading of 273 degrees I climbed up to 8500 ft, on this heading. I flew over my old hunting area of Whiskey gulch and Sheep Rock Springs, and remembered the great times we used to have when the family all met in the hunting camp. I flew passed Ironside Mnt, and Strawberry Mnt. about 9200 ft. in elevation. passed over KGCD in John Day Oregon. The weather all along here was CAVU. I Passed the little town of Dayville, where I had spent one year teaching and coaching basketball and baseball. More memories. I passed the IMB Kimberly VOR and just a little farther and I would be at one hour and half way there. I flew on passing a little town called Antelope, OR. and was North of Madras, OR. with Mnt. Hood and the rest of the Cascade Mnts. in my front window now. As I crossed over the Cascades I could see the fog had not completely disappeared. I started my let down as I had to lose about 7000 ft before I entered the pattern at Lenhardts 7S9 165 ft Elevation. I had a low area of fog from east of 7S9 about 30 miles to just before I was able to spot my destination through the broken low fog layer. I called a cross wind and a left down wind for runway 02 and landed without any problems. It was another good flight across the great state of Oregon.~~~
 

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The trees are turning nice colors! Beautiful place and time of year to fly!
 
I flew down to the Owyhee Reservoir State airport with a friend of mine. Our mission was to cut some trees down at the end of the runway. I flew the Oregon State airport manager down there earlier and he wanted the trees that were growing at the end of the runway removed. This runway is 1840 ft long at only 2680 ft above sea level. It is located on a point called Pelican point. So it has water on both ends when the water level is at it's highest point. I had to land over a mud puddle at the approach end and go around another mud puddle in the middle of my roll out. My friend Steve cut down the trees and I took before and after pictures. His wife Paula rode along and watched after her little lap dog, so the bald eagles didn't swoop down and carry it away. I took off and flew back home and it was a lovely flight on a real pretty day.
 

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Ya'll did a good job. Nice pictures, beautiful scenery. Lived in Portland when I was a youngster. I remember when we moved back to Texas, I cried all the way down. I so hated to leave. Oregon and Washington are beautiful.

Keep up the posts, it's always a good read.

Jim
 
Very nice. Thanks for helping maintain these strips and keeping them accessible. Are you a member of RAF? I'm considering joining, even though I live in Texas. I totally support their mission (wishing I owned a Super Cub and flew out of the Idaho area!).
 
TangoWhiskey said:
Very nice. Thanks for helping maintain these strips and keeping them accessible. Are you a member of RAF? I'm considering joining, even though I live in Texas. I totally support their mission (wishing I owned a Super Cub and flew out of the Idaho area!).
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I haven' joined yet but I helped on one project with them on the Minam Lodge In Oregon. Yes I like the goals that they stand for.
 
My niece found this picture of me when I was about 8 years old. Looking back I guess I was always interested in flying. I know at the age of 78, and will be 79 the 20th of this month, some think I should quit this young mans hobby of flying. I still haven't got the habit and the need and the thrill of flying my plane, out of my system. I only hope I will know when it is time.I wanted to share the picture with you. I am in the front left of the picture as you look at it. look to see what I am holding.
 

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I can't say for absolute sure, because I've never met you, but from reading your posts these past couple years, I believe the standards you espouse in your writings are a direct measure of your character. You will know when it's time and you will do the right thing. But, until then, please enjoy every moment, continue sharing your experiences with us, and God Bless.
 
I have to go to a funeral to day for my nephew's son. He was killed in a race boat accident a few days ago. This will not be a happy time for any of us today. Just a young man with a wife and family. Just too young to be having this happen. We will get through it I am sure.
 
Bob, you will get through this. Will you be the same person tomorrow? No, your life will forever be changed. Why? Because two human beings who cared for each other reached out and touched each other's lives.

That's why it is so important to reach out and "touch" everyone we come in contact with every day. That "touch" that moment of sharing even the little things is a permanent record in our hearts that can never be erased.

"This is my commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you."

My prayers are with you, and this young man's family.

Jim
 
Thanks Jim, You are so right, I like my pilots groups because of that reason. I haven't run into a bad one yet. They are a great group of guys and gals.:yes:
 
A fellow pilot from Boston came out to Oregon to go flying with me. My coffee group is a very protective bunch and was worried that I had met this unknown on the internet, and he was flying out and was staying with me at my place. Well unbeknownst to me they ran a background check on him. When I took him to the coffee shop, while he was visiting, he named them the R.E.D. team. ( Retired and Extremely Dangerous) This is a picture I talked my coffee group into taking for Dan in Boston:
 

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navigator44 said:
I'm afraid to ask what's hidden under that bedroll? Gatling gun? Nice group tho.
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Jim, The sleeping bag has a story, as does the gal in the hasmat suite and the plunger. One of our R.E.D. team members was absent for the picture, earlier at a outdoor BBQ function I mentioned that she looked cold. I told her about the treatment for hypothermia. We just wanted her to know that we were thinking about her!
:wink2:
 
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