BLIND DATE
Chapter VII (1980-91)
Gravity Wins
Unsplash: Alexis Gethin
Pike's Peak (named after Zebulon)
PPCC is now transitioning to Pikes Peak State College
Air Force Academy Parachute Competition
We entered a Western Conference meet at the Air Force Academy and flew in the Academy's de Havilland twin otters (manufactured in Canada). My competition was accuracy--aiming for the yellow disc. I flew my Strato Cloud (wearing a jacket under my jumpsuit) on a cold day that was great for flying. I landed close enough to the disc for 4th place. The next day was a complete blowout--my first, and last, parachute competition
Example of a compression, or burst, fracture of the vertebra (Radiopaedia)
Example of a fracture of the medial maleous, or inner ankle bone
Colorado Springs
First house had a burned up back yard that we remedied with a little water and TLC
A sweetheart Shelty
Gardening was quite successful. Shelly with sugar baby watermelons
Holli following the rigorous Garden of the God's 5K run. She was in 7th grade.
Climbing the peak
The (approximate) Barr trail to the summit (13 mi)
National Park Service
Pika's watched from the sidelines
After an all day hike, the summit was welcome
Learning to fly
Upsplash: William Topa
Six main instruments pilots must constantly scan. Attitude indicator is the guy with the blue sky in the center. Altitude is to the right, air speed to the left, compass below
Holli with her beloved Dodge Charger. Both Holli and Shelly eventually worked for Burger King
A flight to Greeley
Upsplash: Daniel Elidute
I flew aerobatics in a similar biplane trainer. I was in the front cockpit
Holli's High School graduation. She went on to complete a dental assisting program at Pikes Peak CC and placed first in the national licensing examination
Joyce's long sought college graduation at University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, with honors. She's as pretty as a picture
Churchill, Manitoba, Polar Bear Country
Apologies for the poor scan. The sign says "STOP--don't walk in this area"
Bear marched right down the road, then gave our bus the once-over
Our incredibly competent videographer, Frank Tyro, on the right, recorded the entire adventure for the group. In two years we would join Frank at Salish Kootenai College for the experience of a lifetime. He eventually earned a PhD
The arctic fox, well adapted for life in the far north
Dr. Chuck Jonkel, world renound bear expert, shaving snow blocks for an igloo. Although an expert on everything in the far north, he was still
a gentleman scientist that endeared himself to all
Credit: Dr. Frank Tyro, President of the Board, Great Bear Foundation (greatbear.org)
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Nearly completed igloo
Montana Homestead
My grandfather's 12'x16' homestead shack, 1913, 30 miles north of Miles City. The horses were Jet & Nell. Lewis (my namesake) was a teacher before homesteading and the one-room school in their area was built on his land, near the road to Angela. I still have his hand-held school bell. Note the coal pile and the stuffed pheasant. [The name "jet" seems odd for that day and age. Turns out it's a diminutive for at least two Dutch feminine names. Perhaps we can assume the horse was a mare]
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Eastern Montana near the homestead site. The land was endowed with rich soils, but unpredictable rain
In 13 years, five children were raised on the homestead--upgraded to a clapboard house. My father the oldest. All went to college, two earned PhDs
My uncle Ken is standing on the flat rock used for the front step of the homestead. It is the only remnant of the homestead we ever found. Note the bunch grasses extending into the distance. A grass buffalo savored in the early days
The Journey continues to an exciting
tenure in Montana