By Ted Grussing
… really I am not obsessed with the Slide Fire, but I think it is good to document the condition of the area for a while.
The purpose of my flight this morning was simply to have some fun and check out the impact on soaring, either positive or negative. Took off at exactly 9A, executed a climbing 230 degree turn, crossed over the field above 6,000’ in less than a minute and headed up to Oak Creek Canyon. I was amazed at the strength of the early thermals being generated … over the burned east facing cliff faces (center left) I got more than 500’ per minute and over the western reaches of West Fork I got about 300’ per minute to 11,000’, and this was before 9:30 AM. Other than that there was not a lot of lift and I continued with a fun flight around the neighborhood before landing around 10:30.
Got the Lambada put away, home and before 12N on the way down to Tempe and the Ikea store to pick out some furniture for the new guest bedroom. This was my first ever visit to an Ikea location and oh my gosh … (I think that is what OMG stands for?) … I saw people who had been lost in there for days still trying to find a way out. Seriously, it is huge, and I did get the hang of it and enjoyed the visit and made some good purchases. Stopped at “In N Out” for dinner on the way home (thank you Gail :+) … double, double animal style, French fries and a vanilla shake … yum!
What are you looking at? I am about 10,000’ on the east side of Oak Creek Canyon looking towards the SW … on the right center portion West Fork branches out from Oak Creek Canyon and wends its way to the WSW … Oak Creek Canyon runs left to right along the lower third of the image … Sycamore Canyon is just beyond the green expanse of forest on the plateau roughly upper center and to the left the two green flat top mountains are from Right to left, Casner and Black Mountains … top right on horizon is Bill Williams mountain and going left across the image the Chino Valley and the Bradshaw Mountains beyond that and then on the left is Mingus Mountain and Jerome up on the side of the mountain … Cottonwood on the left side at the base of Mingus. Just over the near green/black plateau is Long Canyon and but for the rocks we could see Enchantment Resort in Boynton Canyon far right off Long Canyon.
So, it is time to wrap the day … long, fun and a wee bit on the tiring side. Time with friends and life is good. Have a terrific day today … we are so lucky to be here … more so to appreciate it.
Smiles
Ted
But from the brooding beauty of the night, and daily dancing shafts of golden sun …
The mystery and wonder of the world … that play the soundless music of the soul
And fill the heart with memory’s olden dreams … From these will come at last your faith in God.
— Max Ehrmann
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The easiest way to reach Mr. Grussing is by email: ted@tedgrussing.com
In addition to sales of photographs already taken Ted does special shoots for patrons on request and also does air-to-air photography for those who want photographs of their airplanes in flight. All special photographic sessions are billed on an hourly basis.
Ted also does one-on-one workshops for those interested in learning the techniques he uses. By special arrangement Ted will do one-on-one aerial photography workshops which will include actual photo sessions in the air.
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