John Michael and Amy are headed to their new base in the lower 48 this week. Have a safe trip, and thanks for the chance to snap some photos.

Oh, and thanks for all the great tunes at the Whaler. You'll be missed!

Have a good weekend, everyone.

My phone is acting a little weird... can't access my voice mail, so I might be a little late in getting back to you.

I'm working the next two nights, so I won't be around anyway.

People make the funniest faces after a shot of tequila.

Retired Brigadier General James Stewart of the US Air Force Reserves would have turned 99 today.

Continue reading "James Stewart"

A pair of seagulls after their short but noisy debate over a razor clam.

In the extended entry, you'll see some more photos of a wrecked F-101 Voodoo RF-101C Voodoo, a late 1950's jet fighter high-speed reconnaissance aircraft.
Update: Some very interesting info on the RF-101C. Aircraft similar to this one flew photo reconnaissance missions over Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis, as well as serving in Vietnam.

This one is 25-30 miles outside of Elmendorf AFB. There's no place to land there in the summer, so when everything freezes we'll head back and land on a nearby lake. Until then, you'll have to sit back and enjoy the view from the air.

Update: Thanks to Mr. Joseph Baugher, who e-mails:

Probably 56-170 (an RF-101C), since 58-0170 was a B-52. I don't have anything about the loss of this plane, but you could try the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

Continue reading "Voodoo"

A gas well in the Cook Inlet.

Some bear cubs inspect what used to be a moose.

Sit back and relax... more photos on the way... in a few days.

Knik Glacier from the backseat of Tony's airplane.

Went for a flight with Tony yesterday. I got a decent briefing on the role of the accelerometer, along with a quick demonstration of the difference between +2.5 G's and -0.2 G's. The demonstration was part of a larger operation known as Let's Try to Make JP Hurl.

I enjoyed the ride, even if I was glad to get back on solid ground.

Here's the real guitar hero, John Michael Solis.

Guitar hero, or guitar zero? Probably the latter. I know a chord or two, but that's all.

I'll stick to photography, thank you.

The snow is melting.

Some people can't help but make a funny face every time a camera is pointed at them. Most of these individuals are in grade school.

Continue reading "Funny faces"

There was a cocker spaniel wandering around, so this kitten was a little nervous.

Just messing with an idea tonight. I'll play with this one some more this summer.

For taking photos...

Maybe they're not gulls. Terns? They look like seagulls to me.