Christmas Eve

Its about 17 minutes past midnight on Christmas morning. I haven't updated this blog in months. Tho, since I've been home from Hawaii no one looks here anymore. I know this, I've come to grips with it. =) But ... if I think of it kinda like a diary (i dont have one) then it makes it ok to post here. Maybe someone, somewhere, stumbles here and finds my small life interesting and is intrigued, maybe inspired.

Drew... change a life? Maybe =) I hope my spirit carries on for generations... lol Just playn, no.. not really. hehe

So it's been snowing here for a week or so, nothing SERIOUS. but according to the media and the people who live here the world has almost come to end! I think this white stuff... all 12 inches of it are amazing! I would appreciate another 24 inches before I might.... MIGHT start complaining. I mean I atleast want to put my chains on once this year.

My truck is sitting on 4 old bald tires now and I still haven't had to break out the chains. What GIVES! That would be an adventure I could write a novel about.... that is if I had to put chains on in Lacey, WA. That would be epic!


Few weekends back, before all this snow starting pouring down and ending Earth as we know it... lil sarcasm ;)

I went wheeln up at the peak as we call it with my bro'sif Jeff, Mike and Jeffs girl brigitte (who is awesome btw!) luv ya brigitte =)


Spent the afternoon endulging in beer and whiskey hotdogs, manwich, burgers, etc etc... its what we do. Don't get it? Don't like it? Well thats your problem, this is our past time, our recreation.

anyway here's some pictures from the brrrr adventure!

Helicopter Instrument Rating

Got my Helicopter Instrument Rating

It hasnt sunk in yet, the 13 excrutiating hours it took today has made me numb.

But, I know I'm happy its over. ...... siiiggghhhhhh

lol

Family Flight Photos

Thought I'd post up some pictures from the heli rides I gave my family.

Home

I'm back in Washington.

Glacier doesn't have an IFR heli now either so I'm dead in the water, almost. I'll go forward with the remainder of my Commercial training which it's looking like I will probably complete before my IFR rating. Which is ass backwards and annoying because I've been concentrating on IFR and now right at the peak, right at the end when I'm so close to checkriding I have to stop and wait. Probably month or more now. It's ok, this is kinda been the path I've been on for 3 years it's just another setback I'll overcome! =)

Meantime I'm going to get all 3 writtens out of the way, Instrument, CFII and Commercial. Then I'll just have flying to do which will be a stress-reliever. Especially now since flying has become sooo much more enjoyable!

Take care, not sure when I'll have an update again. Thanks for everyones support when I was in Hawaii! Missed you guys!

Polihale State Park

Napali Coast

The helicopter. Robinson R-44. Seats 4. And a big grashopper duder thingy. =)

Waimea Canyon (Grand Canyon of the Pacific).

Napali Coast.

Mt. Wai 'Ale 'Ale Crater. The pictures in here didn't turn out as good. But its basically this hole thats 2-3 thousand feet down, vertical and one side of it fell apart which is what you see in the last photo.

Update: Beach Front Condo

So a lot has happened this week but I haven't felt like writing about it. My flights have been killer. I did one instrument flight that was 'interesting' lol. I accidentally turned off in-cockpit hot mic when I was identifying a VOR... and for about 5 or 6 minutes neither one of us knew that we couldnt hear each other. LOL Made for a hectic approach since we were on final when we figured out why we couldnt talk to one anothe. Other than the approach went good and the flight was awesome.

Did two other VFR flights. Practiced autorotations hardcore. Taught me how to do zero-airspeed auto and a zero-airspeed pedle turn auto. Basically you're in a hover like 1000 ft up.. then you kill the motor and auto it down to the runway. Cool stuff.

Yesterday we flew up into the mountains! FUCKYEA! and he pointed out a waterfall and told me to land on it. It was like out of Jurassic Park I was expecting T-rex or something to come chomp us up. Was killer though. There was a high up valley that kinda narrowed to a point where the waterfall was. The top was a small flat lava layer that the water flowed over then fell i dunno hundred feet maybe. Then the rest of the valley down to about sea level (we were up at 2000 feet) was a narrow and deep canyon/ravine. Landed up there in the water then took off and dive bombed down the waterfall and scud-runned the ravin till it opened up at the bottom into the valley. Was freakn awesome! banking hard rights n lefts dodging trees and cliff outcroppings. I swear I saw a teradactil, really. ;)


Anyway.... The Condo.

So Deanna got me into a 2 bedroom beach front condo while their company from California stayed in their guest room for 3 or 4 days. This is pretty sweet and couldnt of come at a better time really.

The whole place was just remodelled (heh lucky me!!!) New kitchen, granite counter-tops, stainless steel appliances. Schweeetttt. =)


They tiled the whole place which is smart because after you've cleaned a few of these places that have carpet you wonder why anyone would put carpet in a beach front condo (hell any condo in Hawaii).


Both rooms have huge kingsize beds. I took the lesser-nice room since it's closer to the rest of the place. The other one has a nicer bed-frame and it's own bathroom. This one sorta does to but you don't have to go into the room to get to it so I guess it's more of bathroom for everyone (if a family stayed here).


The view from the lanai. Deja Vu to junior year in highschool. 5 years ago. The condo we stayed at then is two doors down from this one and was only a one bedroom and not as nice. =p



In other news I'm flying back over to Honolulu tomorrow morning to knock out my cross-country IFR requirement and it's also the last cross-country flight I need, period. Killin two big birds with one flight. Pretty sweet. I think I move back to the house Sunday, but we'll see. Deanna said it didn't really matter.

Then Monday Hank and Deanna are leaving for 2wks in California. Hank gets back on the 3rd and Deanna the 11th or something. So I'll have their house to myself for at least a week. Hopefully Mauck gets his 25 hours on the 44 done today, or monday so I can fill next week with flying that helicopter on the tour route (picture takn time!)

Zero Airspeed Autoration

Learned how to do one of them today, and a zero airspeed peadle turn auto. Basically you get into an OG hover. In our case about 1000ft atitude. Get into a hover and go into an autoration (no engine) and get it to your crash landing spot.

We never did them at Glacier. Not sure why, but I think because it isn't a requirement. It's good experience though. I know what to do in an OG hover now if my engine quits. The peadle turn auto is where your ass is to the wind in a hover and you have to turn it around into the wind and get to your spot.

I'm sore tho. We nailed about 20 autos... which is all friction-less flying so the controls are stiffer... plus Im naturally tense cuz it's not the most relaxing training.

=) I saw sea turtles the other day. That was cool.

Get 'er done solo

This blogger sucks ass. The composer for this online blogger is so horrible. Im really pissed right now because it ate my entire last blog I just spent 20 minutes putting together

So sorry you dont get the whole speil over again. Just the pictures.

Story in a nutshell I went and explored Anini beach and Tunnels beach. Heres the pics. bahhh




Anini Beach: