Santa Paula, Ca to McCall, ID in a Citabria...

TwoTwoLeft

TwoTwoLeft

o- - - - - - -l
Ferried a really nice 7GCBC up to McCall for some friends. They stay up there every summer and fly the back country. Too bad I couldn't stay longer....

Evening flight up the Owens Valley


Owens Dry Lake



Are we there yet???



June Lake Loop & Parker Bench



BIG mountains and a really cool watershed. I was at 10K when I took this.



Bridgeport, CA



Eastern Oregon


A cool (not really, it was 90f) spot I found!


Time to go exploring...


I think there's some special FAR in Idaho where you'll get violated if you show up with clean tires....


I pretty sure Paris doesn't know about this Hilton....


Awesome.




Over Cascade, ID heading to McCall.


Straight up mauled by a cougar!
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Evening in McCall. Defiantly been worse places...
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Very cool! What camera were you using? The pics look great, polarizing filter?
 
Awesome photos, looks like a fun trip!

I am picture illiterate, how do you get photos to be so crisp with the contrast and deep colors? I am always so underwhelmed by my pictures, they never capture the real life beauty of the moment. Your pictures though, seem to do it perfectly. I am sure my first step is to ditch the cheap and old point and shoot.
 
Actually the best camera to take in the plane for wide shots is a good quality point & shoot. I used to have one but it got away from me as I was shooting out the window and it now lives somewhere near Olympia, WA...

I'll be getting one of these:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...ic_DMC_TS4D_LUMIX_DMC_TS4_Digital_Camera.html as soon as I have some spare cash. And a better wrist strap....

On this trip I was using my Canon 60D with a EFs 10-22 and an EF 70-300L. Good glass is the most important thing. I shoot in RAW and edit with Niks ColorFX & Define. A DSLR and lens is too big to use in the cockpit for this stuff. I was getting the crap beat out of me so bad between Winnemucca and Rome I didn't even want to shoot. In flight, a P&S is the way to go. Save the DSLR for the ground or flying over nude beaches...
 
Sweet! I need to cruise on down south one of these days. Would like to go fly with Rich Stowell or Lori Macnichol out of McCall one of these days, but dont know when I'll be able to fit that into the budget, probably be a while out.
 
rframe said:
Sweet! I need to cruise on down south one of these days. Would like to go fly with Rich Stowell or Lori Macnichol out of McCall one of these days, but dont know when I'll be able to fit that into the budget, probably be a while out.
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Those two things are probably the best bang for you buck going on in aviation right now. I've been wanting to take the Mountain flying & back country courses for ever... One day.
 
Nice pics! I love the late-model Citabrias now after that trip I did. Looks like this ones panel was decked out a bit more than mine. They are great for 'exploring.'
 
tlewis95 said:
Nice pics! I love the late-model Citabrias now after that trip I did. Looks like this ones panel was decked out a bit more than mine. They are great for 'exploring.'
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Thanks! Yeah the ACAs are nice and with 160hp and I still averaged 7gph for the trip! This one has the Peter heater installed making it IFR. Approaches are a kick too, as long as there's no ice....
 
Beautiful photos! I love the Owen's Valley, and would like to check out airports like Bryant/Independece/Lone Pine. But how rough was the ride flying through there? I could imagine, being on the leeward side of Mt Whitney, it could get pretty turbulent.
 
inigo88 said:
Beautiful photos! I love the Owen's Valley, and would like to check out airports like Bryant/Independece/Lone Pine. But how rough was the ride flying through there? I could imagine, being on the leeward side of Mt Whitney, it could get pretty turbulent.
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It wasn't too bad up the Owens. But I was just in time for the mountain wave off the Tehachapis between Mojave & Inyokern. Even with lenticulars running the length of the valley, it's usually not too bad at 500-1000agl over the river. I keep an eye on the winds aloft for BIH & FAT at 15K and higher. That'll usually give me an idea of what the valley will be like. Early morning is often the best time. Evenings can be good to. I've done several night flights to Mammoth and its been smooth, but I have flown up to Independence at night a few times in the fall and there is one hell of a wind shear at about 500agl. If winds are an issue, just be sure to pack enough fuel to get to Bishop. They have all the paved crosswind runways. Lone Pine and Independence each have one but they're dirt. LP's is in the best shape and they do have fuel. Ive been camping in the valley and seen winds come up and night reaching 60kts or more. Bishop is the best place to tie the plane down if you stay overnight. It's a great flight. If you get out that way, head through to Trona gap and check out Furnace Creek in Death Valley. That's really not a summer flight though....
 
TwoTwoLeft said:
It wasn't too bad up the Owens. But I was just in time for the mountain wave off the Tehachapis between Mojave & Inyokern. Even with lenticulars running the length of the valley, it's usually not too bad at 500-1000agl over the river. I keep an eye on the winds aloft for BIH & FAT at 15K and higher. That'll usually give me an idea of what the valley will be like. Early morning is often the best time. Evenings can be good to. I've done several night flights to Mammoth and its been smooth, but I have flown up to Independence at night a few times in the fall and there is one hell of a wind shear at about 500agl. If winds are an issue, just be sure to pack enough fuel to get to Bishop. They have all the paved crosswind runways. Lone Pine and Independence each have one but they're dirt. LP's is in the best shape and they do have fuel. Ive been camping in the valley and seen winds come up and night reaching 60kts or more. Bishop is the best place to tie the plane down if you stay overnight. It's a great flight. If you get out that way, head through to Trona gap and check out Furnace Creek in Death Valley. That's really not a summer flight though....
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Thanks a bunch. From various road trips through that area, I've been on foot out on the LP dirt runway, and the runways at Stovepipe Wells and Furnace Creek. I would LOVE to go back and check it out by air. Worst fear would be getting stuck in a leeward wave/windshear/downdraft down low and run out of options. Especially in something light and underpowered like a 152 or 7ECA.
 
Wow.... Wow... Is all I can say. Your shots are so crisp and clean.

My favorite is the second shot, because it makes me remember why I love flying :D

Great stuff man, looks like you had fun. One of those trips that you didn't want to end huh?
 
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