Eye in the Clouds - Courtesy John Carmichael

 I saw this posted on Facebook and it immediately became my desktop background at work

The caption reads:

A photo I took from seat 7F, westbound somewhere near Chicago… 34,000+ feet… Was captivated by the arch created it’s own frame for the Cumulus Cloud

The photographer is a fellow blogger who I’ve known online for quite a while now and I hope he’ll forgive me for failing to add a link to the blogroll on the right until tonight   John Carmichael is another milblogger and photographer and his published works are well worth your time   He was very kind in allowing me to publish this photograph here for your enjoyment   I found John’s place quite a while back through a link over on Neptunus Lex and he has a fitting tribute to Lex posted at his place as well

Head on over to Carmichael’s Position and browse around a while – I think you’ll like the place

Thanks again, John

I’ve known Kristen for quite a few years now and I met her fiance Steven the last time they were out here in Vegas.  I’d meant to go visit them “sometime” but things always got in the way.  They live out in Anza, CA which is just a little ways north of San Diego and east of Temecula.  I finally got tired of waiting, said to heck with it, and headed down on the bike

3 November 2011 - Alien Fresh Jerky in Baker, CA on the way to Anza, CA

 My first stop was in Baker, CA and I made sure to stop at Alien Fresh Jerky.  They’ve got a great theme and good jerky

The most “entertaining” part of the trip came a little ways west of Barstow, CA near Apple Valley.  I hit 60+ MPH headwinds which meant that I had to keep the throttle wide open in fourth gear just to stay running at 60 MPH myself   Of course, the “entertainment” factor continued to climb as I began to descend through the Cajon Pass.  Those headwinds became crosswinds, my speed increased to 70 MPH, and I had big rigs in the lane to my right.  The fun still wasn’t over, but I won’t go into detail about the guy who passed me on the 215 while changing lanes from my right to left and missed me by about a foot or two while going 100+ MPH

3 November 2011 - One of California's greatest drivers in Temecula, CA

 I’m glad I grew up and learned to drive in southern California because otherwise I might not know to expect things like this or just how to deal with it when it happens.  I mean really, WTF 

3 November 2011 - Sunset from beautiful Anza, CA

 This is the sky as it appeared when I finally arrived at my destination.  The ride down really wasn’t bad and it sure wasn’t boring

I traveled south on a Thursday and we had plans for Friday, but they fell through due to a bit of a storm.  Rain, wind, and sometimes snow kept us inside and watching TV most of the time.  Later on in the evening, Kristen took me out to Killarneys – an Irish pub – where I found out about Magners hard cider (AWESOME ) and had some great bangers and mash   We headed over to Steven’s work and hung out for a bit before heading back.  We all had a great time and I look forward to visiting again before too long

5 November 2011 - Kristen and Steven's place

5 November 2011 - Yeah, I didn't think the V-Star would make it out on this mud either

 I really liked my stay with Kristen and Steven, but I hope it doesn’t rain next time.  You see, my V-Star is a heavy bike and it’s not made for mud.  I know it’s not a dirt bike, either but did great on the dry dirt on the way in.  The driveway and access road had become slicker than a politician at election time during the rain and I was gonna need some help to get the bike out.

5 November 2011 - Many thanks to Steven's brother Adam for helping out with Kristen's truck

5 November 2011 - How about that mud?

5 November 2011 - Panorama - We finally got the bike unloaded!

 Thankfully, Kristen left her truck when she went to work and Adam – one of Steven’s brothers – helped me get it into and out of the bed of that 4×4   I was running a bit later than I’d hoped, but I was truly grateful for the help and happy to be on my way

5 November 2011 - The odometer turned over 14,000 miles on the way home

 I’ve put quite a few miles on the bike and I have no plans to change that in the future

5 November 2011 - My V-Star 650 at the March Field Air Museum

5 November 2011 - AT-6 Texan at the March Field Air Museum

5 November 2011 - I do love the F-14 Tomcat

5 November 2011 - D-12 reconnaissance drone and engine

 It just so happens that the March Field Air Museum is on the way home from Kristen’s   Aside from having a nice, clean restroom they also have a very nice gift shop   The rest of the trip home was pretty much just going the speed limit on the I-15 with a couple of stops for gas.  I finally made it home right as the sun went down.  There were times when I was rather cold and it wasn’t all perfection, but I had a great time anyway

Have fun everyone

———————

13 November 2011 - Pratt and Whitney R2800 Double Wasp demonstration engine

13 November 2011 - Pratt and Whitney R2800 Double Wasp demonstration engine

13 November 2011 - Pratt and Whitney R2800 Double Wasp demonstration engine

13 November 2011 - Pratt and Whitney R2800 Double Wasp demonstration engine

13 November 2011 - Pratt and Whitney R2800 Double Wasp demonstration engine

13 November 2011 - Pratt and Whitney R2800 Double Wasp demonstration engine

13 November 2011 - Pratt and Whitney R2800 Double Wasp main connecting rod

13 November 2011 - Pratt and Whitney R2800 Double Wasp demonstration engine

 The guys from Pratt & Whitney brought something incredibly cool with them that I’ve never seen before.  To be honest, it’s amazing that this display engine still exists.  This display was built in 1947 for use in conventions and sales functions and somehow was never scrapped.  They don’t know if the parts were new or salvaged and much of its back story has been lost, but I’m glad to have been able to see it.

One of the really unique things about this particular display is that it has a geared electric motor at the back end of the engine which turns it over so that you can see how it all works.  I never knew there is a single carburetor which feeds the atomized fuel into the supercharger, that the pushrods are actuated by a cam ring instead of a cam shaft, or that there is a planetary gear reduction drive from the crankshaft to the prop shaft.

A good animation of the basic operation and function of the radial pistons and the master connecting rod can be found here.

13 November 2011 - Commemorative Air Force Tuskegee Airmen tribute P-51 'By Request'

13 November 2011 - Commemorative Air Force Tuskegee Airmen tribute P-51 'By Request'

 I don’t know if it’s that I’m used to seeing bubble canopies on the P-51D Mustangs, but I really like the older style on this Mustang

13 November 2011 - RideNow Powersports brought some bikes to the airshow

 RideNow Powersports on Craig Road brought a few motorcycles down to the airshow.  This Yamaha Roadliner was originally $15,000 but has been marked down to $9,000!  Yes, it’s a very nice bike, but I think I’ll keep my V-Star for now

13 November 2011 - Cessna O-2A Skymaster cockpit

 I really could live with having a Skymaster like this to play with

13 November 2011 - B-1B Lancer heading out in full burner

13 November 2011 - Nose art on a B-1B Lancer

 I really like the B-1B Lancer.  Its nickname, The Bone comes from B-ONE and it always sounds fantastic with all four engines in afterburner

13 November 2011 - A-37 Dragonfly cockpit

 Remember that A-37 Dragonfly from yesterday?  I think I got a decent picture of the cockpit from way back by the wingtip

13 November 2011 - Japanese Zero flying by

 As I said before, I don’t care if it has the wrong engine – I just love seeing this Zero fly

13 November 2011 - Patriots display team jet number 4 taxiing out

 Now, why couldn’t they let me ride along in that back seat

13 November 2011 - USAF Red Horse construction troops jumping from a C-130

13 November 2011 - USAF Red Horse troops descending behind the B-2 Spirit

 The Red Horse squadrons are to the Air Force what the Seabees are to the Navy.  They’re deployable construction crews and they rock   I didn’t know until this airshow that at least some of them are actually airborne, but that just adds to the awesomeness

13 November 2011 - USAF THUNDERBIRDS

 I couldn’t let this post go by without a gratuitous pic of the T-Birds

13 November 2011 - C-17 Globemaster III taking off for its demo

13 November 2011 - C-17 Globemaster III flying by

13 November 2011 - C-17 Globemaster III slow pass

13 November 2011 - C-17 Globemaster III and the Thunderbirds

 I know how much Kath likes the C-17, so I made sure to get a few good pics of that one for her

13 November 2011 - Patriots jet demonstration team

 I swear I’m going to get some better pics of the Patriots the next time I’m at an airshow where they’re performing    They really are good 

13 November 2011 - B-2 Spirit approaching in the distance

13 November 2011 - B-2 Spirit flying overhead

13 November 2011 - B-2 Spirit turning in the distance

13 November 2011 - B-2 Spirit turning in the distance

13 November 2011 - B-2 Spirit turning in the distance

13 November 2011 - B-2 Spirit with the bomb bays coming open

13 November 2011 - B-2 Spirit with the bomb bays open

 Attendees at the Sunday edition of Aviation Nation 2011 were very lucky indeed.  Not only did we get to see a B-2 Spirit on static display, we got to see one fly as well   Be sure to click on the pics for the high resolution versions

13 November 2011 - C-17 Globemaster III on static display

 One more C-17 pic for Kath

13 November 2011 - A-10 Warthog maneuvering hard during its demo

13 November 2011 - A-10 Warthog

13 November 2011 - F-16 Viper

13 November 2011 - F-15E Strike Eagle AKA Mud Hen

13 November 2011 - F-15E Strike Eagles ejecting decoy flares at the start of a bomb run

13 November 2011 - MH-60 Pave Hawk coming in during an air support demo

13 November 2011 - MH-60 Pave Hawk coming in during an air support demo

13 November 2011 - MH-60 Pave Hawk coming in during an air support demo

13 November 2011 - MH-60 Pave Hawk

13 November 2011 - MH-60 Pave Hawk coming in during an air support demo

 The close air support demo was a great addition to the standard airshow I’ve come to know at Nellis AFB   They had this along with an air combat demonstration with the Fighter Weapons School’s aggressor jets playing the part of the bad guys.  Both were wonderful, but a bit difficult to capture with still photography.  I hope they do both again next year

13 November 2011 - F-16 Aggressor taxiing back from the air support demo

13 November 2011 - F-16 Aggressor taxiing back from the air support demo

13 November 2011 - F-15E Strike Eagle taxiing back from the air support demo

13 November 2011 - F-16 Viper taxiing back from the air support demo

 After their demonstration flights, all the aircraft taxied back along the crowd line on their way back to the hot pits.  All the pilots waved back to the crowd and I think their smiles were almost as big as the ones the kids along the fence line had

Out of all the pics from both days at Aviation Nation 2011, I think two of my favorites are the pic of the second Aggressor F-16 taxiing back and the one with the F-15E cruising down the crowd line.  The kids waving their American flags and the pilots responses from inside the cockpit just seem to bring together and focus the feelings everyone was enjoying that day

13 November 2011 - The Phabulous F-4 Phantom!!!

13 November 2011 - USAF Heritage Flight - F-4 Phantom, A-10 Warthog, F-86 Sabre

 These two pics represent my best effort at making lemonade out of a big pile of lemons   The exposure was horrendous due to my camera not liking the lighting.  Oh well, just do what you can

13 November 2011 - C-5 Galaxy

 I just thought this C-5 Galaxy with the American flag in the hold looked rather impressive

13 November 2011 - Panorama - P-51D Mustang 'Section Eight'

 I only have three panoramas this time, but I really like ‘em   Just look at that exhaust marking on the P-51

13 November 2011 - Panorama - I still love the nose art on this Cessna Skymaster

 There’s just something humorous about Sylvester the Cat riding a pair of target marking rockets

13 November 2011 - Panorama - F/A-18 Super Hornet

 Once again, I made sure to include a bit of Naval Aviation Pr0n – The Super Hornet just looks super

That’s all for Aviation Nation 2011.  Here’s hoping you enjoyed the pics almost as much as I enjoyed the show and taking them

Have fun everyone

Oh well, whatchagonnado ?  I think I’ll get some pictures posted

12 November 2011 - Yes, I did ride my motorcycle to the air show

 One difference in 2011 from past years was taking my V-Star to the airshow.  I knew this might limit my shopping options, but I’d much rather be on the bike than in the car 99.9% of the time.  Funny thing – motorcycle riding is one of the closest experiences that I’ve found to flying that I can actually afford.  Leaning in the corners is very similar and addictive

12 November 2011 - Just off the bus and heading onto the flight line

 The first sight that greeted us as we left the bus was this C-5 Galaxy – gotta love those big planes

12 November 2011 - They were giving tours of the E-3 Sentry AWACS jet!

12 November 2011 - E-3 Sentry AWACS

12 November 2011 - View from the rear hatch of the E-3 Sentry AWACS

 I’ve often seen the doors open for tours on these E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACS) jets, but there’s always been too long of a line for my interest to override my dislike of standing in line.  Thankfully, there was no line during the Saturday airshow so I jumped at the chance   Sorry there are no pictures of the inside, but they don’t usually want you to take pics in the airplanes and I didn’t want to ask.  Just watch the first Transformers movie – they’ve got part of the movie filmed in this type of jet

12 November 2011 - The Cold War Air Museum brought their Mi-24 Hind!

12 November 2011 - Pilot's cockpit on the Mi-24 Hind

12 November 2011 - Gunner's cockpit on the Mi-24 Hind

 Long time readers will remember that I’ve actually sat in a helicopter like this a few years ago.  That one was at the Nellis AFB Threat Training Facility and is not in flying condition, but it was rather cool to see something from the Cold War and all so close.

This Mi-24 Hind attack and transport helicopter is a flying example and it’s in private hands   The Cold War Air Museum is also working on making another one of these fine machines airworthy as well as a MiG-23 and some other cool stuff   Be sure to go check out their website – click here

12 November 2011 - Flare dispenser aboard the Mi-24 Hind

12 November 2011 - Information about the Mi-24 Hind

 Something I wanted to point out about this aircraft were these blue sticks under the tail boom.  Those are flare launchers used to decoy heat seeking missiles – especially the shoulder fired variety.  They were fitted in a rather hasty fashion right about the time the U.S. started sending Stinger missiles to the rebels in Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation.  The guys at the CWAM call them the Charlie Wilson Memorial Flare Launchers

12 November 2011 - A6M2 Zero and B-25 from the CAF firing up the engines

12 November 2011 - T-33 'Ace Maker' returned to thrill the crowds

 One of the things I love about Aviation Nation at Nellis AFB is that they make every effort to have as many planes available for close inspection as possible.  One of the ways they do this is by having the “hot pits” with most of the airplanes which will be flying open to the public while they aren’t actually being flown or run.   Here we have the B-25 Mitchell bomber “Heavenly Body” firing up the engines and the T-33 Shooting Star “Ace Maker.”  I think the pic of Heavenly Body shows nicely how good the vantage points are even when you’re not in the enclosure with the aircraft

12 November 2011 - A military skydiver brings in the Colors during the National Anthem

 The National Anthem was performed by the cast of the Las Vegas show “Jersey Boys” and was a spectacular performance as well!  Having this skydiver bring in the Colors was a great sight as well

12 November 2011 - Lots of great airplanes at Aviation Nation 2011

 Now, there’s something you don’t see every day – A B-2 Spirit stealth bomber on the ground and the Thunderbirds all in one picture

12 November 2011 - WWII AT-6 Texan flying by

12 November 2011 - B-25 Mitchell on a bomb run over the airfield

12 November 2011 - Twin beech screaming down the runway

 The weather was beautiful and the backdrop wonderful as well as the first of the demonstrations got underway with the WWII aircraft taking turns “attacking” the runway for our enjoyment.

12 November 2011 - F-86 Sabre from Planes of Fame

12 November 2011 - MiG-15 from Planes of Fame

 The two best known rivals from the Korean War were in attendance as well.  Once again, the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, CA sent over a communist MiG-15 (this time in North Korean markings!) and a gorgeous F-86 Sabre.  Both are superb examples in lovely condition and they flew beautifully as well

12 November 2011 - C-17 Globemaster III on takeoff

12 November 2011 - C-17 Globemaster III flyby during its demo

12 November 2011 - C-17 Globemaster III over the B-52 Stratofortress

 At least one of my readers is a big fan of the C-17 Globemaster III so I made sure to take some pictures of that aircraft during its demonstration.  Hope you like these, Kath

12 November 2011 - Cessna A-37 Dragonfly

12 November 2011 - Info on the Cessna A-37 Dragonfly

 I’ve known about the A-37 Dragonfly for quite a few years and talked with a few who’ve flown them in combat.  They’re great jets in many ways and it’s a shame there’s not more of them in private hands.

12 November 2011 - Tuskegee Airmen memorial P-51 Mustang and exhibit

 The Commemorative Air Force has a very nice P-51 all done up in the colors of the Tuskegee Airmen of WWII.  As most people know, the Tuskegee Airmen were the first black pilots to fly into combat in the United States Army Air Corps and they had a stellar record.  White bomber crews initially shunned these pilots, but their aerial combat feats eventually led to their being requested.  That’s how this particular airplane got it’s name – it’s known as “By Request”

12 November 2011 - USAF Heritage Flight

 I managed to meet up with my good friends Connie May, T.D. Barnes, and his lovely wife Doris a bit later in the day.  It was good to see them all again and we enjoyed the afternoon immensely   I wasn’t in the perfect place to take pics all the time, but I think this one came out pretty nice

12 November 2011 - USAF Thunderbirds diamond 2011

12 November 2011 - USAF Thunderbirds solo over the Thunderbirds T-38

12 November 2011 - USAF Thunderbirds

I didn’t get too many pics of the Thunderbirds, but I did get a few that I’m happy to post

12 November 2011 - The mighty F-16 Viper on static display

 Another thing I love about Nellis AFB is the backdrop afforded by Sunrise Mountain.  It works rather well with jets like this F-16, don’t you think?

12 November 2011 - Yours truly with a B-2 Spirit

 Who wouldn’t be happy to have their picture taken with a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber

12 November 2011 - Mitsubishi A6M Zero

12 November 2011 - Mitsubishi A6M Zero

 I’ve seen many rare aircraft at Aviation Nation over the years and this Zero has been a repeated visitor.  It’s the real deal, but has an American engine.  The only one flying with the correct Japanese engine is at the Planes of Fame museum in Chino, CA and they don’t fly it very often due to wear and tear.  Even with an “incorrect” engine, I’m glad to see this one out flying for the crowd

12 November 2011 - B-25 Mitchell tail guns

 These tail guns on the B-25 Mitchell “Heavenly Body” aren’t real, but something tells me that installing the right ones wouldn’t take much time and would provide some very fun times

12 November 2011 - Cool NASA helmet on the canopy rail of a NASA T-38 Talon

 NASA jets have visited Aviation Nation several times in past years, but this one had the canopy open and a seriously über-cool NASA helmet on the rail and I couldn’t pass up taking a pic

12 November 2011 - Planes of Fame F-86 Sabre

 I wanted to get this picture right and I did!  I just love the way the canopy bends the light and shows both Sunrise Mountain and the sky

12 November 2011 - Awesome nose art on this B-52 Stratofortress!

 Wagering that this particular jet has put warheads on foreheads in repayment for the events of September 11, 2001 would likely be a very safe bet.

12 November 2011 - B-1B Lancer AKA 'The Bone' in the evening light

 You always get the best lighting on the static displays when the sun gets down toward the horizon.

12 November 2011 - SBD Dauntless WWII Navy dive bomber

12 November 2011 - T-45 Goshawk

 Y’all didn’t think I’d leave the Navy out of this post, did ya

12 November 2011 - Wonderful light at the end of the evening

Just look at the light on the mountains in the distance and those wonderful airplanes

12 November 2011 - NASA T-38 Talon

 Gotta love the way this T-38 looked in the encroaching darkness

And now it’s on to the panoramas   I decided to keep them separate for convenience sake – it’s easier than trying to get them to fit into the order of the rest of the pictures.

12 November 2011 - Panorama - B-2 Spirit

12 November 2011 - Panorama - I got artistic with the B-2

12 November 2011 - Panorama - B-2 Spirit enjoying the limelight

 I know I keep gushing over the B-2, but it’s just so rare to have one on static display and it is so very photogenic   The artsy pic was the result of having a truly horrific picture that I thought provided an opportunity to play around with.  What do you think?

12 November 2011 - Panorama - The Patriots civilian jet demonstration team

 The Patriots jet demonstration team is a civilian endeavour which is sponsored by Fry’s electronics and they really are very good.  They normally perform with six jets but for some reason only five made it to Aviation Nation this year.  I’m just glad I got to see them fly

12 November 2011 - Panorama - Planes of Fame F-86 Sabre in the evening light

12 November 2011 - Panorama - T-33 'Ace Maker'

12 November 2011 - Panorama - The mighty F-4 Phantom II

12 November 2011 - Panorama - F-4 Phantom cockpit detail

12 November 2011 - Panorama - B-25 Mitchell 'Heavenly Body' nose art

 The evening light proved great as always back down at the hot pits   I had a great day all around with very few exceptions and was happy I took the time to go as always

That’s all for this post, but this is only the pics from Saturday – there’s more from Sunday that I’m working on posting as well   Have a great day and I’ll see y’all again soon

Life’s been a bit busy and tiring as usual, but I wanted to finally get a couple of posts published for a change

The Road Runners Internationale are a special group of people.  They’re the men who built the base at Groom Dry Lake, the reconnaissance aircraft that gave the U.S. the edge in the Cold War, the pilots who flew them, and the families who supported them.  Some of the programs were more tightly held secrets than the atomic bomb was in WWII and have only recently begun to be declassified.

I met T.D. Barnes and first learned about the Road Runners  at Aviation Nation 2004 – my first trip to Nellis Air Force Base for an airshow.  Over time we chatted via email and I was honored to be invited to join as an associate member.  Reunions are held every two years and I sadly missed the last one.  I wasn’t going to miss this one

5 October 2011 - Yours truly at the Black Mailbox

5 October 2011 - Roadrunners and friends at the Black Mailbox

5 October 2011 - About to mail a letter to the aliens

5 October 2011 - Panorama - Mailbox Road

5 October 2011 - Panorama - The Black Mailbox on the Extraterrestrial Highway

 Every reunion, the Road Runners have a field trip somewhere nearby.  This is the first time I’ve managed to clear time to go on one   Past field trips have gone to the Nevada Test Site where T.D. used to help test nuclear weapons and to Creech Air Force Base where the U.S. Air Force bases most of the Predator and Reaper UAVs which have been so effective in the wars overseas.  This year was a bit different.

We all got together in a convoy and headed north from Las Vegas, then onto Highway 93 north, and then west on the Extraterrestrial Highway.  We made a couple of stops along the way including the one in the pictures above at the Black Mailbox.  Long time readers will likely remember seeing pictures of this place before from back when I first got my HHR.  It was along again due to the need to help carry people to our destination for the day.  Yes, even in the cold and rain, I’d rather have been on my bike – just as long as I had the right gear   Still, the trip was well worth it especially with a couple of Canadians and a couple of Russians along as passengers

5 October 2011 - Down at the Little A'Le'Inn

5 October 2011 - A small view inside the Little A'Le'Inn

The 2011 Road Runners field trip was to the closest bit of civilization you can find near Groom Dry Lake.  That place is Rachel, NV and it is very small, indeed.  The largest business in Rachel is the Little A’Le’Inn    OK, I’ve never seen any UFOs out there, but the place is pretty cool

5 October 2011 - Panorama - Looking southeast from the Little A'Le'Inn

5 October 2011 - Panorama - Looking east from the Little A'Le'Inn

 As you can see from these pictures, the Little A’Le’Inn is rather remote and in that sense is similar to Groom Dry Lake.

5 October 2011 - Mining history in the Groom Lake area

 There were prior attempts at making use of the area before the Air Force showed up in the early 1950′s, but they didn’t quite pan out.  I can only imagine the tough life that those early miners lead out in the southern Nevada desert.

5 October 2011 - The Roadrunners Internationale and friends at the Little A'Le'Inn

 Inside the Little A’Le’Inn, people were packed in like sardines in a tin. Everyone enjoyed the great camaraderie, delicious food, and superb hospitality of the owners and staff

It’s amazing to me that this event even happened.  T.D. and several of the Road Runners also commented that even a few years ago, they never could have imagined that they would be at a place like the Little A’Le’Inn which is so close to Groom Dry Lake, packed in with friends, family, and news media, accompanied by the Central Intelligence Agency’s gift shop staff.  The novelty still remains when telling the stories about some of their formerly secret projects.  I still can’t believe I get to be in the middle of it all and I get to talk to the people who developed the planes I never thought I’d be allowed to know much about.  This was a truly great day

5 October 2011 - Joerg Arnu at the podium in the Road Runners' command post!

 Joerg Arnu is the webmaster for Dreamland Resort and the Road Runners’ websites.  Originally from Germany, Joerg knows more about the Nellis Range than I’ve ever thought to ask.  This trip was his doing and I commend him for managing to organize such a great day   He’s also one of those strange people who thinks that the best way to go down a road on a beautiful day involves two cylinders, two wheels, and leaning in corners   Yeah, we’ll probably go for a ride together sometime before too long

5 October 2011 - Panorama - Groom Lake Road in the diffused storm light

I took the photos that became this panorama on the way back to Las Vegas from the Little A’Le’Inn.  That road you see off in the distance is Groom Lake Road.  That is the road that leads to a place I’d love to visit someday, but which I will likely never reach.  It’s the road to Paradaise Ranch, AKA Watertown, AKA Dreamland, AKA Area 51.  It’s the place where the U-2, A-12, SR-71, and many other very special aircraft were developed.  Work still continues to this day on aircraft development and flight test out at Groom Dry Lake.

I don’t know what’s going on at that secret spot in the desert and I know it’s for the best that I don’t as I don’t have the need to know.  In the end, I’m just glad I’ve had the chance to meet the people who made history there in the past and that’s enough for me

Thank you, Road Runners, for all you’ve done for your country in the past and for all you continue to do to educate the rest of us today