Photos for Grassroots Adventure 2007 

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More than just pretty pictures, we hope you will find them touching your heart as you view them as much as they touched our heart capturing them.  These are but a few of the hundreds of photos we saved from the adventure.  Thanks for being a part of it.

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A giant backgammon board?  Hey, the air is thin up here and a mind tends to become creative. The folks on the highway (at the top of the photo) have no idea what they are missing. (Day 1 - Arizona)

Okay this looks like some sort of quarry, but why is it in a circle?  Or maybe it's an early Indian Olympic swimming event arena.  Yes, those are large buildings in the top center of the photo. (Day 1 - Arizona)

You can't see this from an SUV driving down Interstate 10.  Flying 500 feet above the ground has its advantages. (Day 1 - Arizona)

Sunset on Day 1 and something tells me we may not fly on Day 2.  (Day 1 - Arizona)

Once clear of a ridge, the scenery was very National Geographic in character.  (Day 2 - southeastern Arizona)

Low enough to read the bill boards, high enough to enjoy the view.   (Day 2 - southwestern New Mexico)

Dinner time on the ranch.  Does this say Maroboro Country or what?   (Day 2 - southwestern New Mexico)

Pleasing shapes and colors for over 4 hours of flight time.  Vintage flying, low and slow, means time to enjoy our country.  (Day 2 - southcentral New Mexico)

Using the terrain page, we work our way through canyons and valleys to avoid climbing over mountains as the direct routing would require (magenta line).  (Day 3 - central New Mexico)

Off our right shoulder, the morning sun brings us a breath-taking view of the moutains to the east.  (Day 3 - central New Mexico)

Truth or Consequences Municipal Airport.  Does this give a pilot choices for landing or what?  (Day 3 - central New Mexico)

The Rio Grande River still carves this valley.  (Day 3 - central New Mexico)

One never knows what will pass below a slow flying airplane.  But it's important to have your camera ready all the time.  (Day 3 - central New Mexico)

Arizona?...Nope!,  Utah?...Nope,  Northwest Texas? Yep!   (Day 4 - Texas)

A small rural town in the Panhandle of Oklahoma awakens on a warm August morning.  (Day 4 - Oklahoma)

Just try to convince us that this farmer didn't have a flair for the arts.   (Day 5 - Kansas)

Those bails of hay are much larger than we thought they were.  Us city boys don't get out much.  (Day 5 - Kansas)

This is one fine barn.  Unfortunately, we are only posting one or two of the one's we shot.  (Day 5 - Kansas)

Best seat in the house.  The wide angle lens makes us look much higher up that we were.   (Day 5 - Nebraska)

Keeping vintage flying alive means pay respect to those who left us this great lineage.  (Day 6 - Blakesburg, IA)

A few brave pilots made it in today under overcast skies.    (Day 6 - Blakesburg, IA)

This gentleman was hosting his own 'First Annual Estate Sale."  You made need to thing about that for a moment to get it.  (Day 7 - Blakesburg, IA)

Judging landings is the responsibility of the "Lawn Chair" judges.  Notice that I took this image from quite a distance.  Getting too close may render the pedestrian subject to being judged as well.  Show them respect and you may pass without a comment.  (Day 7 - Blakesburg, IA)

Hour after hour, dozens of vintage airplanes arrived.  Each returning to their family reunion.  (Day 7 - Blakesburg, IA)

Each of these colorful airplanes was restored by a skilled craftsman who spent many hours of dedicated attention to detail in a cold, drafty hangar.  Is is a labor of love, or commentary on passion?  (Day 7 - Blakesburg, IA)

He calls himself the "Propeller Whisperer."  He whispers to the propeller before flipping it to make a cranky old engine start.  Unfortunately I cannot print what he says to the propeller because children may be reading this web page.  However, I can share that his words reflect the lineage of the propeller's mother. (Day 8 - Blakesburg, IA)

This aircraft took 17 years to restore.  It's one of only 11 still flying in the United States.  Yes, the interior is perfect also.   (Day 8 - Blakesburg, IA)

Gary (on the left) talks to a fellow retired airline pilot who restored this airplane.  Father and son (in the yellow shirt) enjoy the shade of their vintage aircraft on a warm August morning.  (Day 8 - Blakesburg, IA)

Okay, Okay, I waited a full week to post my first vanity shot of us.  I promise no more vanity shots....well maybe a few more.  (Day 8 - Blakesburg, IA)

Parking shuttle, Iowa style.  It sure saved some tired legs from giving up.  (Day 9 - Blakesburg, IA)

This 5 1/2 year old was a natural child model.  Check out the smile.  (Day 9 - Blakesburg, IA)

The busiest place on the airfield after sunset.  (Day 9 - Blakesburg, IA)

Leaving Blakesburg on a beautiful Sunday morning helped minimize the saddness of leaving all the great vintage airplanes and new friends.  (Day 10 - Blakesburg, IA)

Flying into the sun we noticed the last of the morning ground fog.   (Day 10 - Blakesburg, IA)

A peaceful cemetary carries a reminder of lives lived in a rural community.  Not a bad way to be remembered.  (Day 11 - Galesburg, IL area)

The view from our seat in the Cub at 500 feet brings endless entertainment and a view never to be forgotten.  (Day 11 - Galesburg, IL area)

We didn't go unnoticed as we cruised by this gentleman and his horse out for a morning walk.  If I were't so busy taking photos I would have rocked my wings to say good morning.  (Day 11 - Galesburg, IL area)

The first words that came to my mind were, Pride of Ownership.   (Day 12 - Galesburg, IL area)

The scenery changes minute by minute.  Out the left side of the Cub, this low pasture land yields brightly colored patterns, but only to those visiting with a view from above.   (Day 12 - Galesburg, IL area)

Here's my call on the family that lives here.  Play house in the back yard, swing set between garage and house, glider next to play house and no hot cars or jet skis tell me this is a family with young children and no teenagers.  (Day 12 - Galesburg, IL area)

Some barns that worry about being torn down prefer to hide in a corn field.  It seemed to work for this one so far.   (Day 13 - Galesburg, IL area)

Though mostly being overtaken by vegetation, this is still a working barn.  (Day 13 - Galesburg, IL area)

There were over 115 Stearmans when we departed this morning.  We enjoyed sharing their event with them, but looked forward to the Brodhead, Grass Roots Fly-In.  (Day 14 – Brodhead, WI)

This oval barn got our attention.  Imagine the time and effort to construct such a building.  Wisconsin farms are some of the most beautiful in our country.  (Day 14 – Brodhead, WI)

The courthouse in Monroe, Wisconsin begged to have its photo taken just after sunset.    (Day 14 – Brodhead, WI)

The business office on the Tiger Moth betrays its age with compass only very early aviators could appreciate.   (Day 15 – Brodhead, WI)

This 1940 Tiger Moth lives in Guelph, Canada and is owned by the Tiger Boys.   (Day 15 – Brodhead, WI)

With three grass landing strips and quiet rows of hangars, Brodhead Airport has a rich history in early aviation endeavors.  (Day 15 – Brodhead, WI)

Yes this hangar is indeed carpeted!  Extreme, you might say.  Nope it’s every vintage pilots dream.   (Day 16 – Brodhead, WI)

Gary gives the old radial engine a ‘prop.’  The pilot anxiously awaits the sound of his aircraft engines deep throaty pulses.  The owner waits anxiously as well.   (Day 16 – Brodhead, WI)

Saturday morning over Brodhead before most of the aircraft arrived.  (Day 16 – Brodhead, WI)

Flying in loose formation with Frank as we traversed the countryside on our way to enjoy the bluffs it occurred to us that this flight would never be forgotten.  (Day 17 – west of Madison, WI)

Stopping at small private grass strips with Frank Baker was the perfect conclusion to the Brodhead Grassroots Fly-In experience.  (Day 17 – west of Madison, WI)

A Sunday morning in Brodhead, WI.  The skies will be less busy after all of the airplanes leave today.  (Day 17 – Brodhead, WI)

Once aloft, these magnificent man-made flying machines disappeared over the horizon.  (Day 18 – Brodhead, WI)

This brilliant airplane taxied proudly as it lined up behind other vintage airplanes awaiting departure   (Day 18 – Brodhead, WI)

Frank gives me a class on his flight planning navigational techniques.  A class worth taking on a rainy day.  (Day 18 – Madison, WI)

Golden harvest colors gave this crop pattern the first hint of fall making its appearance.  (Day 19 – Madison, WI to Dyersville, IA)

The unmistakable contour crop patterns so exquisitely carved into the hills of Iowa appeared after crossing the Mississippi River.    By now you are getting the idea of why flying a vintage airplane low and slow over this country brings immense pleasure.   (Day 19 – Madison, WI to Dyersville, IA)

Cold gusty headwinds didn’t diminish the grandeur of Iowa coming into view.   (Day 19 – Madison, WI to Dyersville, IA)

Dyersville International Airport sports a spacious terminal building with porta-potty and tie-downs for visiting pilots.  (Day 20 – Dyersville, IA)

Quaint summer homes lined the shore of this peninsula, each with a boat dock in front yard and the grass landing strip for a back yard.   (Day 20 – Dyersville, IA)

Dave had to throttle back considerably to keep from losing the Cub as we cruised along following the hills and forests.  (Day 20 – Dyersville, IA)

Long morning shadows that stretched from the base of the trees and houses accented the golden fields of ripened corn.  (Day 21 – Central Iowa)

Okay, check out the front of the barn.  Does it or does it not look like the window and door placement was done to create a face?  Perhaps the altitude is affecting my judgment… that would be a first.  Yeah, Right!   (Day 21 – Central Iowa)

Now here’s a really red barn! It took three passed to get this shot, but it was worth it.  (Day 21 – Central Iowa)

What appears to be terrace-like farming gave structure to the different elevations.  (Day 22 – Western Iowa)

Glassy smooth rivers and golden tassels of corn made the cold morning air biting at our fingers very acceptable.   (Day 22 – Eastern Nebraska)

Did this farmer realize how beautiful his crops would look when he planted them?  We would love to send him a photo of his work.  That would be a nice way to thank him for the experience of almost falling out of the Cub to take this photo.  (Day 22 – Nebraska)

An erasable marker makes keeping important airport information easy to see at a glance.  The next airport’s elevation is 2,780 feet, the automated weather broadcast for that airport can be heard on 118.42, the radio communication frequency is 123.0 and there are two runways, 12/30 and 17/35 both of them use left-hand traffic patterns.   (Day 23 – Nebraska)

Being efficient is the only practical way to experience an adventure like this in a small vintage airplane.  Behind me (not in view) is a small duffle bag with clothing.  Being able to view equally well from both side of the Cub is very spoiling. (Day 23 – Nebraska)

Passing this church reminded us that we needed to thank Him for all we’ve seen on this adventure.  (Day 23 – Nebraska)

Though terrace style farming was never intended to be viewed as an art form, few would disagree with the grace and elegance of this farmers field when view on from above on a sunny fall morning.  (Day 23 – Nebraska)

John helped us circumnavigate the complicated Denver airspace.  Besides, he’s one heck of a pilot.  (Day 24 – Denver, CO)

Downtown Denver was in for some early morning rain.  The air quality would certainly benefit from it.  (Day 24 – Denver, CO)

Keith runs the FBO at Raton Airport.  You haven’t lived until you’ve tasted his homemade chocolate chip cookies after landing at an airport with an elevation of over 6,300 feet above sea level.  (Day 24 – Raton, NM)

The high plains are carved by fast moving rivers.  We had an urge to ‘fly the canyon’ but changed our minds  (I know… BOCK, BOCK!).  (Day 24 – south of Raton, NM)

We understand that this is Fort Morgan which is located on the original Sante Fe Trail. This site is about 25 miles north of Las Vegas, NM.   (Day 24 – north of Las Vegas, NM)

Las Vegas, NM airport on a warm fall day.  Yes they had better facilities, but these were far more photogenic.  (Day 24 – Las Vegas, NM)

Mother Nature tried to warn us.  “Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning.”  Yeah, well it applies to pilot too.  (Day 25 – Las Vegas, NM)

Quite a contrast to the contoured crop photos a few days ago.  Don’t you think?  (Day 25 – south of Albuquerque, NM)

The Petrified Forest in the early morning used its shadows to give dimension to its grandeur.  (Day 26 – western NM)

So why do you think those sharp peaks survived erosion when all the other ground around them is smooth and rounded?  (Day 26 – western NM)

Yellow ground cover gave character to the high altitude brush.  (Day 26 – east of Sedona, AZ)

Main house, guest house, out house.  (Day 26 - Mormon Lake, AZ)

The bottom of the Cub’s wing turned red from the reflection of the crimson rocks in the Sedona landscape.  Is this a great country to live in or what?  (Day 26 - Sedona, AZ)

Bob waves good bye after escorting us down the Colorado River and narrating the unique features of the shoreline.   (Day 27 - Lake Havasu, AZ)

Turquoise water contrasts red shorelines that kept us amused as we followed the river.  (Day 27 - Lake Havasu, AZ)

Following the river south meant Califronia on our right and Arizona on our left.  (Day 27 - Parker, AZ)

After 27 days the Cub finally gets to sleep in its own hangar.  The planning for the next adventure has already begun.  Thanks for coming along.  Writing the logbook and posting the photos for you each night kept us company.