Does a 747 Belong There?

After spending a hard day of driving and wine tasting yesterday--which while it sounds like as much fun as it is, is really hard work to stay focused and to not actually consume too much wine; imagine my surprise as the car rounded a corner on the highway and was greeted by a Boeing 747 sitting atop a small building near a winery named Spruce Goose.

Call it unbelievable! We actually departed the highway to get a closer look and found, although closed, the current home of Howard Hughes' famous Spruce Goose along with a number of venerable old aircraft.

MiG-29 Fulcrum with Spruce Goose visible in the Hangar

What we stumbled upon was the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum. Although the museum was closed, we were able to drive around and view some of the exhibits, including a MiG-29 Fulcrum, and a MiG-15, Fagot. It was while I was photographing the Fulcrum that I discovered the premier aircraft in the collection, the Spruce Goose. It is not outside, but is in the huge hangar display area. Looking behind the Fulcrum in the image, the Spruce Goose is partially visible. There I was, looking at a piece of aviation history that I never seriously thought I would see--no it was not on my bucket list, but it was something special none-the-less. 

I would have visited the museum, but it had already closed. I do not believe that I will have time today to return. I was also intrigued about the winery. I would love to have a bottle of wine from this vineyard, but in researching the vineyard I discovered that it does not yet have a liquor license for sale of wine from the premises, Snooth, July 17. I believe it may be because the winery recently changed its name from Evergreen Vineyards. 

747 Waterslide

So let's return to the Boeing 747 sitting atop the small building. I was truly shocked, when I discovered what old 747's are good for: serving as a water park. That is what this sophisticated aerospace machine has been reduced to--providing enjoyment for many children and people. I guess that is not a bad thing. 

What a great find in the middle of Oregon wine country!

-- Bob Doan, writing from Carlton, Oregon

Hike to Cascade Head, Oregon

View from Cascade Head
July 18, 2014

I am amazed at how quickly vacation days fly by. Truly fast, even when it seems that nothing much is happening. Yesterday we transitioned from Turner, Oregon, to Carlton, Oregon, which on the map does not seem far, but the day was not about the destination. It was about the journey.

What a fabulous journey it was. The travel portion of the day started and ended in wineries (duh, where else would you expect to find me). I will be publishing reviews of the wineries I visited in my wine blog. 

Hiking to Cascade Head

The highlight of the day was a hike to the Cascade Head for a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean where the Salmon River empties into it.  The hike was easy, about a mile each way after parking three miles into the forest along a dirt, yes dirt and gravel road that took us a long time to find.

The forest was about 20 degrees cooler than the open areas protected from the ocean breeze. One of the highlights of the hike was having an elk cross the trail about 100 yards ahead of me. All I was able to capture was a blurry image of the event. He was a magnificent creature. I noted other elk crossings along the trail and I surmise that elk use the same trails over again.

Panorama of Cascade Head

The forest, which was the greater portion of the trip, was full of plants and every so often I could get a glimpse of the ocean. But it was not until breaking out of the forest into the grassland for the final few hundred yards that the magnificent beauty of the area came into full view. I can sum it up in one word: stunning!

At Cascade Head

This hike was fully worth the time and the enjoyment of getting out of the car an being with nature. The walk through the forest reminded me of the great diversity of life that forests support.

Stopped Along the Road for Pictures

I enjoyed the drive to the trailhead. It was along a gravel road that was barely wide enough for two vehicles to pass. I was driving a rental vehicle that had 440 miles on it when we picked it up and looked like it had just come off the showroom floor. By the end of the trip into the forest, it did not have that new car look anymore! I wondered around each twisty turn what would happen should we meet another vehicle, fortunately, although I was planning for the eventuality, no other vehicles were met in either direction. Yes, it was that deserted.

The forest was mature and evidence of its age was everywhere in the trees that had been felled and the subsequent growth and life springing from the once tall and strong but now soft and moist wood. 

A great stop and an easy hike. I highly recommend taking the time to enjoy the hike and the view at the end of the trail.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Carlton, Oregon

Sundown in the Willamette Valley

Sunset from Willamette Valley Vineyards
July 17 ,2014

Last evening, I sat in my suite watching the sunset fall on the Willamette Valley. The mountains, silhouetted by the setting sun beyond, remained in my sight for a very long time as the light slowly left the sky.

And then they were gone.

Howe awesome it was to sit and watch the sun put the exclamation point on a fantastic day. I remembered the multitude of things accomplished and learned mostly about wine making and viticulture. 

Sunset in the Willamette Valley

There was a lot of wine drinking and sampling to see the results of the process, but last evening was about the sunset.

Taking a page right out of our Key West vacation book, at the end of the busy day we Chris and I celebrated with our own sun down party. 

It was a celebration of vacation and all of its associated activities. We actually did not travel during the day, but stayed in one place and got an in depth education and immersion into the wine industry. Sounds like work, but it wasn't.

With the ending of the day, we marked the last full day of our vineyard based portion of our vacation. Chris noted this morning, usually on vacation we walk the beach in the morning--the past mornings we have been walking the vineyard.  There is something satisfying about walking a vineyard in the morning and checking out the grapes--or wine on the vine.

And the day was over, as was the first chapter of our vacation.  On to the next part.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Turner, Oregon

A Walk in the Silver Creek Gorge

Behind Silver Creek Falls, Oregon

I grew up in Upstate New York,  an area blessed with waterfalls and gorges. Beautiful places to hike and spend time discovering, around every turn some great aspect of nature and of life. 

Yesterday was a return to my youth, but in a very new place and with some spectacular results. To say it was fun is an understatement. 

Silver Creek South Falls

The day began with a walk around one block of pinot noir vines in the Willamette Valley Vineyard. What better way to start the day than hiking around the vineyard to enjoy the world as the vines wake up. The day was clear and spectacular and the morning a bit cool--which was fantastic.

After breakfast it was off to the Silver Creek Gorge and the State Park after the same name to hike the trails. 

View Across the Vineyard towards the
Willamette Valley Vineyards Tasting Room and Guest House

We chose an easy four mile hike which allowed us to vies two spectacular waterfalls. The beauty of this trail is that it was designed to also go behind the falls, an experience that I do not often get to enjoy. 

Armed with really cool cameras, we captured the experience in many different forms.  The panoramic shot is neat. Click on it to enjoy it.

And then so is the video from behind the Lower South Falls.

It was a beautiful couple hour, four mile hike. hike on the trail.

Another awesome day in Oregon.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Turner, Oregon

At the End of the Oregon Trail

Mount Hood on Approach to Portland

 I had totally forgotten about the Oregon Trail from the days of the prairie schooners and the westward expansion. But here I am, sitting in an idyllic winery overlooking a vineyard as dawn breaks this morning after traveling from Baltimore yesterday for a week of experiencing  Oregon--the scenery and the wine. Although the Oregon Trail started in Independence, Missouri, my journey began somewhat east at the Baltimore Washington International Airport. Where the early travelers of the Oregon Trail took months to complete their dangerous journey, I was strapped into a Boeing 737 for six relatively short hours. Both journeys ended in the Willamette Valley.

North Silver Falls

During my short trip so far, I have seen a stunning mountain rising up through the clouds, experienced a waterfall surrounded by a pine rainforest, and of course vineyards. There was a short stop alongside a highway so that Chris could take pictures of fields of poppies. She loves poppies and despite almost causing an accident on the narrow road, we managed to get the poppy pictures without incident.

Chris taking pictures of poppies

I am blessed this morning to wake up on the grounds of the Willamette Valley Vineyards in the guest house. My view to the southwest, across the vineyards to the mountains beyond as the sun crawls up into the sky behind me and paints long shadows, is nothing short of spectacular. The morning is cool contrasting to last evening as I baked in the rays of the hot setting sun. 

Morning Shadows at Willamette Valley Vineyards
July 16, 2014

Yes, I have already enjoyed the fruit of the Oregon vines, and done a thorough tasting at the winery--but there is so much more to do. 

Most of all, during this short week away, I want to escape from the speed of life and enjoy being and somewhere and doing something different. Experiencing life in a different way will further enhance my day-to-day living. 

-- Bob Doan, writing from Turner, Oregon 

Storms and Days

Storm over the Atlantic 2013

The hot days of July have turned into days of storms and more storms. Some ferocious storms have passed through the area bringing with them rain, but high winds which have been damaging trees and subsequently power lines in the area.

As the dog days deepen, the All Star Break has arrived to remind me that summer is passing. I notice that summer flies by almost effortlessly, while winter lingers indefinitely overstaying its welcome with every additional day. 

4th of July Fireworks

I must slow down to enjoy the day and savor its coming and subsequent passing.

They pass so quickly that unless I take time to notice them, July will quickly become August and then September and then summer will have come and then gone.

Each day needs to be savored and enjoyed like a fine wine. Each event deserves to be recorded and remembered not for future posterity, but to remind me later, during the cold days of the dark time, that there was a summer and that it was grand. Because, during the dark times, I forget the warm, sultry days of July when the sweat rolled off my forehead and I savored the hot, stinging rays of the sun beating on my back.

Slow down July. Your passing will come too soon. Allow me to linger here a few more minutes to enjoy my favorite month of the year.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - July 14, 2014

1. It is Bastille Day, my second favorite foreign holiday. Vive la France! Cinco de Mayo is my favorite foreign holiday. I realized that I do not have a third favorite foreign holiday, yet!

2. Major League Baseball's All Star Break begins today. Amazingly, the Orioles are in First Place with a four game lead. Let's see of they can avoid their usual July-August post-All Star Game slump and keep it up.

3. Congratulations to Germany for winning the World Cup. Although the USA Team did win, they made a good showing and there is a lot of promise for the future. 

4. Climate change is affecting Australian winemakers. The Barossa Valley, where world-class Shiraz comes from may be mostly unsuitable for winemaking by 2050 according to an article in the New York Times. 

5. Lounging on a floatie in the pool is the bet way to cool off after another around-the-house-Sunday-afternoon project.

6. What would Captain Kirk do? Saw this and it made me laugh, especially since I idolized the character of Captain Kirk when I was younger. 

7. Is it me, or have the network TV offerings become dull and boring?

8. Why was I up at 4AM on a day I didn't have to go to work?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Reflections of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center -- A Review

Udvay-Hazy Center Main Floor

For an aerospace person, like myself, what could be better than spending a day at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum. Well frankly, almost nothing except sampling some very fine wines. 

Trevar with the SR-71 and
Discovery in the Background

It is about an hour drive from the house to the center, but on this Saturday morning it was a fine drive with light traffic. And we had one of those moments along the way that we all hope for. A motorcyclist zoomed by at an incredible speed and we wondered why the police were never around to catch these flagrant speed limit violators. Aha, there was one around and we saw the lights come from behind us and zoom by to shortly race down the motorcycle and pull the offender over. Yay, one for the good guys. 

Shuttle Discovery

I was impressed and the lack of cars in the parking lot. I remember the lot is usually crammed with other aerospace lovers who want to view the artifacts of relating to the achievements of the past. I was amazed when I checked and found that it had been more than two years since I last visited the Center. My blog about the fastest plane details my last visit. 

Standing under the Shuttle Discovery Looking Forward

The biggest change in the museum is the arrival of a real, flew in space shuttle--the workhorse shuttle Discovery. It was my first up close and personal encounter with a real space shuttle. Although I had seen shuttles from the distance, and seen the Enterprise in the same spaces before, there is something really special about viewing an actual shuttle and knowing that it had flow in space on multiple occasions. The display is fantastic and the ability to actually stand underneath the shuttle, at the rear, drives home the size and beauty of there marvelous machines. 

Shuttle Discovery

I remember when the SR-71 was by far the premier exhibit in the museum--but now it has clearly been supplanted by the shuttle. I was able to take an image of the SR-71 with almost no one around it--something that I never remember being able to do before. 

In the Fighter Simulator

In addition to viewing the exhibits on display, I had two other fantastic experiences. I got to get into a simulator with my nephew Trevar and fly a naval fighter combat mission. I was the weapons officer and he was the pilot. After a short training introduction, we climbed into the simulator and took off from the carrier into combat. Although we only recorded one kill, Trevar demonstrated the ability to execute high G turns and fly inverted with the nose down on more than one occasion. Yes, it does go completely upside down! We had fun as Trevar stretched his legs trying to become a fighter pilot. 

Enola Gay

I also broke off from the group for over an hour to listen to a lecture about the Enola Gay and the atomic bomb drops on Japan which ended World War 2. The lecture covered many aspect of the training and development of the techniques to deliver the bombs and some of the men involved in the operation. What went well and what didn't. I also learned that the B-29s that delivered the bombs were not standard production aircraft, but modified aircraft for the missions due to the post release maneuver that needed to be accomplished. The scheduled 45 minute presentation went 1 hour and 15 minutes--maybe I asked a few questions. It is usually hard for me to stand still, but I stood there the entire time and the time literally flew by.

Business End of an F-14

It was another fantastic day in the museum. We also viewed an Imax movie--The Dream is Alive, narrated by Walter Cronkite. The tour of the tower was nice--a good diversion. The 360 degree view is fantastic. The second stop, the mock control center, needs a lot of work to make it a viable exhibit. They could do so much more with the exhibit. Making it more interactive would be one idea.

SR-71

RECOMMENDATION: This museum is a must visit. The history of aerospace on displace cannot be found anywhere else. There is something for everyone and the supporting exhibits on engines, armaments, coupled with the diversity of civil aircraft and combat aircraft on display cannot be matched.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Vacation Begins at the Ball Park

Although it is only Saturday morning, I am actually on vacation for the next two weeks! Yay.

Camden Yards, July 11, 2014

There is something really neat about waking up in the morning and realizing that I am enjoying a weekend that won't end for a long time. It takes the usual stress off the weekend mornings. 

My vacation started last evening with a second night in a row trip to Camden Yards to watch the Orioles defeat an opponent by one run in a nail biting, well-played game. Since we have visitors form the northlands in town who were here to cheer their team, I decided to upgrade to the Club Level for the evening. My experience was superior to the night before in every way. 

DirecTv Blimp over Baltimore
July 11, 2014

It must have been an important game against the team from up north who shall remain nameless, because there was a blimp in the air to monitor the activity. We do not see many blimps here in Baltimore and so it was special. Who knew that DirecTv has a blimp?

By the end of the evening, The Orioles had vanquished their foe for the evening and thereby assured themselves of being alone atop the American League East at the All Star Break.  Perhaps ESPN will begin to recognize the talent in this team. 

But vacation continues today with a trip to the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum to do some research and reconnect with my aerospace roots. I wish they had a B-52, Oh wait, why would they have a B-52? The 50 year old aircraft is still in active service.

And then? Well, I hear the Willamette Valley calling. There is wine there that needs to be sampled.

Vacation--so many things to do and see and so little time. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

A Date for the Game

Ethan and Poppop Heading for the Game

I look forward to attending Orioles baseball games. I am a partial plan season ticket holder and that means that I sometimes get surprised about having tickets to particular baseball games, because I didn't pick the date or the team I will be viewing.

That just makes it more exciting. Especially when the Orioles are sitting atop the American League East with a 2.5 game lead to start last evening and by ending the night with a win--they increased their lead to 3 games.

Orioles Park, July 10, 2014
From My Seat

It gives me great satisfaction when I can say, "the American East Division leading Orioles" because that means that the team who shall remain nameless from the north, and the dreaded Red Sox are both behind the Orioles in the standings.

Due to a series of weird circumstances, I could not find anyone to attend the game with me last evening until the very last minute. Ethan was the lucky stuck to attend the game with Poppop. 

Selfie at the game

Ethan and I attended a game together about two years ago--it was a rainy night, similar to last evening, although there was over an hour delay for the start of that game. Last evening the game started on time--which is normally a good thing, however, the City of Baltimore has found a new and creative way to bring traffic to a total standstill which meant the usual 25 minute drive to the stadium took over an hour and a half! Ugh. We arrived at our seats for the bottom of the second inning!

It was an exciting game, however, the concession stands were not prepared for the crowds and I missed an additional inning and a half of baseball while standing in line for a crab cake. My grandson is not a cheap date, it seems. 

But despite the late arrival, long lines, and occasional rain during the game--it was an awesome evening. I admit we did leave when victory seemed assured with the Orioles coming to bat in the bottom of the 8th inning to beat the crowds and because my date was tired. All told, I think I was in my seat for 4.5 innings of the 8.5 inning game.

We had fun and Ethan told me that he had a great time and would like to do it again! He is also the Orioles Lucky Charm--they have won every game he has attended except one. He will definitely be attending playoff games if the Orioles make the post-season. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD