hicountry wrote:Yes Iceman, this is the UP's 844 a 4-8-4 locomotive that has been in service since 1944. It and Challenger 3985 (4-6-6-4) are kept at Cheyenne and used on special occasions. The Challenger was taken out of service and put on display near the Cheyenne depot for many years and then restored to service. The 844 weighs with tender 454 tons and exerts 63,000 lbs of tractive force (pulling power). The 844 was headed for North Platte NE for Railfest, a 3 day celebration of the UP in North Platte NE where the largest Hump yard in the world is located. I will be headed that way (driving) today to take a tour of the rail facility. The locomotive will be headed back to Cheyenne on Monday and IF the wx cooperates I will chase it with the plane. You can go oline and querry UP 3985 and UP 844 to find out info on these steamers.

Hey Ernie........ Were you able to fly along the locomotive on Monday? If so, any pics to share?

58Skylane wrote:

hicountry wrote:Yes Iceman, this is the UP's 844 a 4-8-4 locomotive that has been in service since 1944. It and Challenger 3985 (4-6-6-4) are kept at Cheyenne and used on special occasions. The Challenger was taken out of service and put on display near the Cheyenne depot for many years and then restored to service. The 844 weighs with tender 454 tons and exerts 63,000 lbs of tractive force (pulling power). The 844 was headed for North Platte NE for Railfest, a 3 day celebration of the UP in North Platte NE where the largest Hump yard in the world is located. I will be headed that way (driving) today to take a tour of the rail facility. The locomotive will be headed back to Cheyenne on Monday and IF the wx cooperates I will chase it with the plane. You can go oline and querry UP 3985 and UP 844 to find out info on these steamers.

Hey Ernie........ Were you able to fly along the locomotive on Monday? If so, any pics to share?

No Pat..chased it on the ground..got some good videos though.

Lizard wrote:Pics from flying to Marks strip and Idaho with Daniel, good times.

Gorgeous Golden Retriever! Mine passed away in July. It was always my dream to take him on some backcountry trips in an airplane...however, life happens (laid-off) and I am still without an airplane Someday....

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Gorgeous Golden Retriever! Mine passed away in July. It was always my dream to take him on some backcountry trips in an airplane...however, life happens (laid-off) and I am still without an airplane Someday....[/quote]

Z, A lot can be learned from a golden retriever, like never having a bad day. Sure a sad time when they go.
Lily is Daniel's seven month old pup and made our trip even more fun with her antics. We have a golden also
and really enjoy him.


A dogs life is good, a swim before and after hiking at fish lake.

Dale

Never a sadder day then when one of our best friends passes, I only wish I felt the same way about many humans.

Had my first serious cross-country lesson today. Flew from Blackfoot down around American Falls Reservoir. Hit Pocatello, American Falls, Aberdeen, Rockford, Anderson, and back to Blackfoot. Intense as some of those hops are short. As soon as I hit my cruise altitude it was time to start looking for where the next airport might be. Ended up resorting to GPS (ForeFlight) instead of sticking with my sectional. Definitely easier to find a small airport in the middle of fields... And really useful for reporting distance out to a tower!

Even though it was a whirlwind of activity for most of it, it was a blast. Way more fun than flying in the vicinity of the home airport! And even got to have fun on grass (at Anderson).

Tomorrow is my first solo XC, up to Rexburg and back. It's long enough to fulfill the sport pilot requirement for training, but it should be easier than today!

More like "Where didn't you fly today". The flying gods were definitely telling me something. Originally I was going to do a weekend trip. Sunday's weather looking like crap, I scaled it back to just a nice day trip. Perhaps Tieton then do some paddling around the lake. A check of winds aloft put a kabosh on that with wind speeds in the mid to high 30's at 6000' and worse above.

Darned fog layer was predicted to clear at 9... 11:30 it's still IFR at SBP. Kelso is reporting clear. KELSO??? Kelso never is clear. Finally around noon a patch opens enough to the south I can escape.

I make it as far as the runup. Mag check, left mag drop 200rpm! Crap! right drop is fine. Okay, probably just fouled plugs. 3 tries of running up and leaning out didn't clear the problem as it typically would. Possibly the plugs are really fouled but, more likely, the mag is going. They're overdue on overhaul but so old it will cost as much or more to overhaul them as it will to get new ones.

Oil is due for a change anyway. I'll stretch my mechanical ability and see if I can check the plugs tomorrow and change the oil.

Flew to Chadron NE this morning for an Aviators Breakfast..smoothest trip into a 15 knot headwind I've ever had.
A few of the planes

A gathering of Northern Nevada's finest at Crescent Valley, Nevada. U74. Good camp, good bonfire, and good whiskey and lies shared by all.







Gump

Snow already? No, snow still, we had so much snow last year and a pretty cool summer (never broke 100 here anyway) this patch may make it all the way. The 8700' level of the Portnuef Range, about 3 miles from my place. The weather was so perfect last week, and the crane work so slow, I flew every day in perfect conditions, screw work

As I mentioned in a previous post, I headed down to the Moontown Grass Field Fly In two weekends ago and had a blast. At the request of the event organizers I left he Maule behind for this trip and took "Kaydet Kate" to play with the other warbirds and do some formation flying for the spectators. Saturday morning did have a nice showing of Cubs, Supercubs, C-180 / 185, C-195, Champs, Stinsons, etc.

Arrival Friday afternoon.


A late afternoon formation with "Six-Eight-Whiskey" and "Kaydet Kate"








"L-Bird Flight" off my wing as we turn on to initial for the overhead


Who said jets can't operate off grass?


"Escort to Heaven" formation for a lost friend


"Soviet Texan Flight"


Come along for a ride if you wish...

My father-in-law and I loaded up the Maule and took the boys to visit one of my new clients this past weekend. He has a 700 acre farm and recently purchased a Maule so he is putting in a runway in front of the house. His plan is for 1,600 ft, but there is only 700 ft currently usable although it is clear on one end and has 4' fence on the other...aint no step for a high stepper.

Sweet Dixie Farms is a beautiful place complete with rolling hills, covered horse arena, and a large herd of cattle...of course the grass strip out front is the icing on the cake. The boys took their first ride on a horse and now have a new item on the Christmas list. They still think every kids weekend is just like theirs...someday they will realize how lucky they are.

Nothing better than a fly-in deer hunt.

buzzlatka wrote:

Nothing better than a fly-in deer hunt.

Nice! Archery too, eh? What zone did you bag 'em in? Any ground transportation involved or did you hunt straight out of the plane?

One of these days I will draw the antelope hunt out of Alturas.....My buddy has been drawn twice now Looking forward to flying in for that.

Flynengr

I'd say that I have flown a little bit over the last 3 weeks since i've been back in the wonderful US of A! 4000NM give 100nm/take none! I am really enjoying having this find me spot!

Should have stopped by Fly for Fun.

Local leaf looking last night.

robw56 wrote:Should have stopped by Fly for Fun.

The other day I was at 16000-17,000 to get home without getting icing otherwise I would love to have stopped in! The weather got better, not good, just north of Mt st helens but I still had to be IFR into my home drome!

Flew from STK to SNY..first to land on the new runway 13-31...... Glad to get the bird back home in it's proper hangar.

A 3 hr. out and return to Bear Lake with lots of mountain landings though no beach landings. The water masters have seen fit to let the lake level rise (after the tourist season) and ALL the beaches were inundated, not only that they were under water. Still a pretty flight circumnavigating that Carribean blue high mountain inshore sea. The autumn colors on the surrounding hillsides didn't hurt either.