A Birthday to Remember
For my birthday this year I have been spoiled (again) this time a wonderful 27 speed, carbon framed, full suspension mountain bike was the fantastic gift from Sarah along with an introductory flying lesson to take place on Monday 2nd July. Here's a shot of my shiny new bike, probably the last time it will be either of those things.
Because my birthday falls on Canada Day weekend (Big holiday celebration) the mountains were going to be packed out in all of the 'easy' places. So Sarah and I decided to take a nice long drive out through the front ranges for a short hike to an out of the way lake high up in the mountains.
After passing stunning scenery, deer, ground squirrels by the million and a close encounter with some Rocky Mountain Sheep and their new lambs we arrived at the parking area for Tryst Lake. We knew we had made the right choice immediately, with only 2 other cars here in an area with 3 different trails it was a great start.
After passing stunning scenery, deer, ground squirrels by the million and a close encounter with some Rocky Mountain Sheep and their new lambs we arrived at the parking area for Tryst Lake. We knew we had made the right choice immediately, with only 2 other cars here in an area with 3 different trails it was a great start.
we took a leisurely wander along a good firm trail heading out through a cut line in the forest
after 1.5km we reached a small cairn that indicates the turn we are looking for, from here we head up into the forest on the right of the shot
as always I am the pack horse for all things, birthday or not. We passed this small stream about half way along the route through the forest
soon after this Sarah was down to the vest as we climbed higher. We had to take to the remaining snow pack to pass the branches floored along the avalanche slope we were ascending
the snow got much deeper and more difficult to walk on as we ascended and the obstacles got much bigger too
in this shot the line behind Sarah is where we just ascended a near vertical wall of snow which needed steps kicking into it as I ascended, it certainly got the blood flowing as a host of rain clouds blew in overhead
The hike was really difficult for Sarah as she does not get out here half as much as I do but she carried on regardless up another very steep snow bank and back into a forested area which we picked our way through toward our goal
finally we reached the appropriately named Tryst Lake which was still mostly frozen over, we walked around to the right of this shot and had our picnic in the forest by the waters edge.
The clouds finally gathered overhead too heavily and it began raining, not too much but raining all the same so we packed away and hiked back down to the clear trail with just a few slips and falls as we slithered down the avalanche slopes. On the ride home we stopped and watched a moose wading through a marsh hoovering up anything green as he went, we saw the sheep and lambs again and all of the ground squirrels standing proudly on their burrow tops, it was a great day in the mountains with the best of company and a really lovely way to spend my birthday.
I could hardly wait for Monday to come so I could get to my flying lesson at Calgary Flying Club, just 15 minutes from home. As it was a long weekend (Canada Day) Sarah was off work and came along to enjoy the fun and take some photos as I set out. As we entered I was pleasantly surprised by the reception and waiting area, but really wanted to be outside and away.
I was told my plane was being fuelled so as we walked out with the instructor (Brandon) I assumed this was mine (note the fuel line laying beside it)
but I was wrong, this little beauty was it, resembling a dragonfly by design it looked a little small for a fat old bloke and an instructor but he assured me there was more space than first appears......
It was interesting to go through the safety checks with Brandon who explained what he was doing and why he was doing it, there is some very technical kit on this little beauty.
The check is both thorough and professional whilst remaining informative and interesting, as you can see from this shot the interior seating is quite wide and it does have much more room that first glances might suggest.
Once inside the checks continue and Brandon reads from a pre-flight check-list and checks each switch individually as he does.
It is then time to close the canopy and get the engine started
with the radio headset on, the engine appeared very quiet though it probably didn't sound so quiet to Sarah who was still outside doing a fine job of snapping photos
with all checks done and a word from the tower we set off to taxi to the runway, I find myself excited at the prospect of seeing take off from the cockpit
We taxi to a small area just before the runway and stop, here Brandon runs up the engine to 1700 rpm and holds it there for a minute as part of the final preflight check before we turn and head into the wind back down the runway
It's a pretty cool view along the tarmac, even from this little beast of a plane....imagine what a jumbo view looks like
it's a short run before we are taking off, effortlessly lifting from the tarmac as we pass back in front of the Flying Club building
Sarah is still outside and snapping away so I give her a little wave as we approach, I don't think she saw it though
we climbed quite quickly to a final altitude of 6000 feet, I couldn't help but think I've hiked much higher than this around here
looking down on the Bow river with a huge amount of additional water in thanks to the spring thaw and rainstorms of the past week
after flying toward the mountains for a while and turning a number of times under instruction I began to feel comfortable with the controls and really enjoyed flying and maintaining altitude (which is not as easy as you may think) a continuous amount of small adjustments are required. Looking toward the city with the skyscrapers just visible on the horizon the huge puddles below show the amount of rain that has fallen in the last week even though we only saw a couple of showers
40 minutes passes quickly and we are soon back in the safe hands of Brandon heading toward the airport for landing, the camera has to go away for landing in case we crash and it bounces around becoming a missile in the cockpit....nice!!
when we got down Sarah came out again and captured my ungainly dismount from this incredibly stable little 'dragonfly' plane.
Still smiling as Brandon straps the plane down to hooks in the tarmac and locks the controls
My instructor Brandon who says he has a great job, I wouldn't disagree :)