CANYON LAKE

One of the many things I did while in Mesa, AZ was to go for a relaxing cruise on Canyon Lake. This lake is one of three lakes in a chain of lakes on the Salt River whose waters come from the Roosevelt Dam higher up in the mountains east of Apache Junction. It is the middle lake of the three and is formed by water that is backed up by the 200-ft. high Mormon Dam.

We departed the dock at the marina and spent the next 1.5 hrs. enjoying the beautiful sights and animals along the banks.

We marveled at the rock formations on every hand.

 

Time flew by and way too soon the boat was turning around and heading back to the dock.

I watched an eagle flying overhead and saw where it landed on the cliff. I was able to get this photo of it before it flew away again.

We also saw several groups of big horn sheep. They were very hard to spot from the boat.

  

 

When we saw the dock in the distance, we were thanking the Captain for the very wonderful cruise. 

 

 

COMMERATIVE AIR FORCE

After attending the Western Motor Coach Ass. rally in Indio in January, I moved to Blythe, CA where I attended a bluegrass festival, but came down with the flue. After spending several days in the coach, I was feeling well enough to sit in front of the stage and watch the performers. However, when the festival was over and time to move on to Quartzsite, AZ, I thought I was doing OK. I could not shake a persistent cough so I saw a doctor and got some medicine to take. I spent about 5 days in Quartzsite getting a little better each day. My next stop was Mesa, AZ where I am presently. My health is back to normal and I have been very busy taking in the beauty of this area. I ventured into such places as the Superstition Mountains, the ghost town of Goldfield, the firefighter's Hall of Flame, rode the trains at the Maricopa Live Steamers Club, boarded the boat Dolly for an adventure on Canyon Lake, and drove the 50-mile Apache Trail. More on those places in later blogs.

First of all, the RV park where I am staying is the Aztec RV Park in Mesa, AZ. It is a 55+ park with about 300 sites. They have a very active schedule of activities and shuffleboard is very popular.

This post I want to dwell on my adventures at the Commemorative Air Force.

Their museum is located at the end of the runway of the second busiest private plane airport in the nation.

This F-4 Phantom could have one of the CADCs on board that I had worked on years ago.

The Sentimental Journey is one of only 7 remaining flyable B-17s in the world.

They had it up on jacks doing an Annual Inspection.

 

 

Two weeks later, they took it up for a test flight.

 

Once the engines were warmed up, the pilot gave a little throttle......

....checked the taxiway ahead, we moved out.

Looking out of the nose of the aircraft. Can you Imagine the view from here while flying?

Just after lifting off the runway, they veered off and buzzed the hanger! I thought there was only going to be 6 remaining flyable B-17s left!

When I can get a better Internet connection, we will check out the ghost town of Goldfield.

THINGS I SAW FLYING

In the month of October, I observed several things flying in the sky that I had never seen. I had heard may reports of their existence, but had never been able to put my eyeballs on them before. Here are two things that have been around for may decades.

You may have seen this next one on TV as if landed at LAX

GRAND CANYON STEAM TRAIN

About a month ago or so, I joined about 10 members of the Golden Spike chapter of FMCA (Family Motor Coach Ass.) in riding a railroad train that was pulled by a 2-8-0 steam engine. We pulled out of the Williams, AZ station and fun ensued.

 

 

After 2.25 hrs. we arrived at the railroad station at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

 

Now we can get up-close and personal with the steam engine.

 

Fireman's side of the cab.

I found a place away from the crowd where one could meditate.

After several hours at the canyon, it was time to catch the train back to Williams.

Of course no train ride in the old west would be complete without a train robbery.

 

Soon, we would arrive back at the Williams Depot and the sun would set upon another delightful Golden Spike outing!