Fly-in at The Ranch
at
Show Low, Arizona
May 27th, 2003
 


Looking windward, notice the hill directly down wind.  This created a wave action that would cause you to rise and fall and rise again as you launched.  Not a pleasant effect.


  (Click any picture for a larger view) 

The Ranch proved to be less than desirable for flying.  It is surrounded on three sides by low hills that are in turn backed up by the higher White Mountains directly down wind.  The only time you can fly is when the air is very calm.  Otherwise, you are sure to get bounced around a lot.  Even so, the little flying that was done, provided some excellent views.

The first Day  was great!  Jeanie, Lori an Michelle made sure of that with a super fine breakfast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But as for the flying.... Ed Poccia and Ray Loomis were the only ones to get any air time.  Ed was the first to launch.

Ed Poccia

The next Day I flew to a small town you can see in the background of the picture at the top of this page.  It was just after sun up.  I was surprised to see people coming out of their homes to wave and smile.  I idled my engine and floated down so they could hear me call, "Good Morning!".  Later I met a woman that had tried to follow me back to the LZ.  She'd finally caught up with me back at the RV park to thank me for making her morning.  I told her she'd made mine, too!

Ray flying Low-N-Slow below me.

 

 

 

 

 

By the way, I ran out of gas that same morning and was forced to land along the highway until someone could come get me.  I'm glad to report I was rescued by a real celebrity!  Gary Cooper from Phoenix.  He was staying at The Ranch, too.  I don't know any other pilots that can say they were rescued by Gary Cooper.  <Smug Smile>

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evenings were great fun.  We were treated to music, dancing and good food every evening.  The Luau was the highlight of the parties.  Tom and Lilly, Bill and Lill, Jerry and Michelle, Ed and Ann, Ray and Lorrie and Jeanie and I had a great time.  I'll let these pictures tell the tale.  Jordan, Jerry and Michelle's daughter, and a little friend performed the Hula for us all.

 

 

 

 

Tom and Lilly

 

   Ray and Lori

Jerry and Michelle
   Bob and Jeanie

Bill and Lil
 

   Jordan and friend

Monday we all headed for home.  Well, at least some of us did.  Bill and Lil stopped at the top of the first hill and couldn't continue.  Their transmission refused to engage.  After help from a friendly local, Paul, failed to solve the problem, I offered to tow Bill's RV back to Show Low.  We ended up staying there until the next Friday while his transmission was rebuilt.  You'd think this was a bad thing, but we actually had a pretty good time shopping, seeing a movie and dining out.

 

 

 

 

 

The breakdown

Bill's hotel in the sky (The Southwest Hilton).

Undaunted!     Daunted...."You're killin' me, Man!"

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

We found this burned into the wall
at Aunt Nancy's.  Bill and Lil?

Quite a KwinkyDink, eh?

 

 

Cooked Tranny...    New Tranny!!

Vindicated!!  Back on the road again.  Here Bill returns to the scene of the crime....
It's interesting how life is so full of adventures.  You never know what's next.  Like Rosa Rosanna Dana said, "It's always sumpthin'".  I look forward to the next one with some trepidation yet with eagerness.
 

Special thanks to:
Ed and Ann Poccia
and
Jerry and Michelle Danielle of American Flyer for making it all happen.

HOME