Interesting Ride Today
My riding partner Brad and I took a ride out around Lake Isabella and wound up at the Kern Valley Airport for breakfast. Excellent Ortega omlette, FWIW.
After breakfast, we buzzed down the runway to check out this Sikorsky CH-54 skycrane, on call to put out any hotspots in a stubborn fire we've been fighting for about a week.
Somewhere in the vicinity of 80 feet long, this copter has a six-blade rotor measuring 72 feet in diamter.
Its dual Pratt & Whitney jet engines each stir up 4,050 shaft horsepower. Apparently parts are no longer available and the pilot told us he travels with 3 mechanics at all times.
The cabin holds a crew of three.
The tricycle landing-gear are on outriggers to help accommodate large, military payloads in Vietnam. Now they hold water tanks.
Each of these two water tanks holds 1,000 gallons of water.
Buttons and switches. LOTS of buttons and switches.
Cars should have these.
I like this still life. I'm a bit concerned that he's only on volume 1.
Both Vietnam vets, here my buddy Brad chats with George Knight, the pilot.
Parts might be hard to come by, but you'd think they'd spring for some new tires. Sheesh.
When we were done with the helicopter tour, we continued our ride up Caliente-Bodfish road. Here's a view of Lake Isabella from the top.
Brad cruising his GS.
Further up the mountain we came into Havilah, a wide spot in the road that was, at one time, Kern's county seat.
The old school house.
Brad chatting with Earl, the Havilah museum docent.
Havilah's museum.
The museum features a charming little diorama of the old town in its hey-day.
I'm sorry I don't know the significance of this particular flag, but it was an eye-catching display.
That's it for breakfast, helicopters, and Havilah. The rest of the pictures are here. Thanks for looking. C&C always welcome.
After breakfast, we buzzed down the runway to check out this Sikorsky CH-54 skycrane, on call to put out any hotspots in a stubborn fire we've been fighting for about a week.
Somewhere in the vicinity of 80 feet long, this copter has a six-blade rotor measuring 72 feet in diamter.
Its dual Pratt & Whitney jet engines each stir up 4,050 shaft horsepower. Apparently parts are no longer available and the pilot told us he travels with 3 mechanics at all times.
The cabin holds a crew of three.
The tricycle landing-gear are on outriggers to help accommodate large, military payloads in Vietnam. Now they hold water tanks.
Each of these two water tanks holds 1,000 gallons of water.
Buttons and switches. LOTS of buttons and switches.
Cars should have these.
I like this still life. I'm a bit concerned that he's only on volume 1.
Both Vietnam vets, here my buddy Brad chats with George Knight, the pilot.
Parts might be hard to come by, but you'd think they'd spring for some new tires. Sheesh.
When we were done with the helicopter tour, we continued our ride up Caliente-Bodfish road. Here's a view of Lake Isabella from the top.
Brad cruising his GS.
Further up the mountain we came into Havilah, a wide spot in the road that was, at one time, Kern's county seat.
The old school house.
Brad chatting with Earl, the Havilah museum docent.
Havilah's museum.
The museum features a charming little diorama of the old town in its hey-day.
I'm sorry I don't know the significance of this particular flag, but it was an eye-catching display.
That's it for breakfast, helicopters, and Havilah. The rest of the pictures are here. Thanks for looking. C&C always welcome.
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Comments
Great post Tommyboy, the control panels inside Choppers have always amazed me, kinda looks scary even, just looks like the joy stick on a computer game
Interesting Post, thanks for sharing
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Skippy (Australia) - Moderator of "HOLY MACRO" and "OTHER COOL SHOTS"
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:skippy Everyone has the right to be stupid, but some people just abuse the privilege :dgrin
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and btw, seems great minds think alike... that 12GSadv is new to you if I'm not mistaken? Mine, same color, is about a month old now.
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Thanks, Doc. You're right--I bought it about 90 days ago. I absolutely love it and it gets better on every ride. I can't wait to turn 20k when I expect that it will really settle in.
This is your second GS, no? How do you like yours? Pictures?
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A recent ride, with my friend, the captain
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You're moving to Australia?!?! Where? I spent last summer there. . . . What a country.
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(I remember your trip report
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Yup. Spent a lot of time in Perth, but did do Sydney and Melbourne. We had three days in Brisbane as well.
I'm sure you know quite a lot about it as you're planning a two-year stay, but for my money, you're in for the time of your life. Wonderful people, great country. So similar yet so different than the U.S. I can't say enough nice things about Aussies and their country. My wife and I are kicking around the idea of doing a one-year teacher's exchange kind of thing. . . . . We'll see how that pans out.
I hope (and assume) you'll maintain your board duties while there. I'm eager to see some of your antipodean photography.
Can't take the GS?
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All my research is pointing towards prohibitively expensive and covered in red tape.
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