Light the Fire Within

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqaLoR2YBxw

On Saturday December 11, I went skiing at Copper Mountain with Scott and Chris. Conditions were cold but beautiful. Copper had gotten about 9 inches of powder overnight.

I wore my Olympic uniform which I only pull it out maybe once a year. While standing in a lift line a man says to me: "I haven't seen one of those uniforms in a while". Come to find out he produced the video of "Light the Fire Within" for the Salt Lake Olympics. His name is J.R. Hildebrand. He told us that he was up there by himself. So I invited him to ski with Scott, Chris and I. We spent most of the day together. I feel like I have a new friend. J.R. skis on old PRE 1200 skis with 80's Solomon clamshell boots. Old school stuff. But his skiing is nearly flawless. My own skiing was marginal that day because I'm not used to skiing in a lot of powder.

When I got home last night, I looked on youtube and found that video I was talking about. It reminded me of the hard work and sacrifice that I put into the Olympics. Now I only had a small role as a course worker in the men's downhill at Snowbasin. But we, all 2,000 of us at that venue, helped create an Olympic moment for all of the people there, racers and spectators alike. I will always have fond memories of the Olympics and Snowbasin.

Thanks J.R. for the great skiing and reminding me that the Olympics were a real high point in my life.

Don't Tread On Me

The Gadsden flag was designed in the late 1700's as a symbol of defiance. This particular version was flown on naval vessels. Of late, this flag has become a symbol of those who feel as if our liberties have been taken away by a government that seems out of touch with its own people.


I've never been a very political person. But reading some of the quotes from the founding fathers has stirred my soul. These men who developed our government and wrote the constitution were truly gifted individuals. They spoke from their hearts. Give me liberty or give me death! One of the more famous quotes from Patrick Henry- What a rallying cry!

The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty – John Adams

A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government.

Thomas Jefferson

Okay I think you get the point. We as Americans need to look back and see where we came from. By understanding our past we can determine our future.

I once had hair!

I finally found this picture! It proves once and for all that I once had hair!!!!

Flying in a Duo Discus

August 5, 2010 - I got the opportunity of a lifetime to go flying in a Duo Discus sailplane piloted by my brothers' instructor and friend, York Zentner. Being the day after Warren's funeral, this was probably not the best time to fly as far as my emotions were concerned. But what better way to experience what Warren already knew? Plus this was something I felt I had to do.

For a rookie pilot, getting towed up was a bit unnerving. The air was very buoyant so we were bobbing up and down while at the same time being literally jerked into the air by the tow plane.
Once up to a good altitude, York told me to pull the yellow tow release handle. With a thud, we were free from the tow plane and on our own. York made a sharp bank to the right. To me it felt like a 45 degree turn. But I'm sure I'm exaggerating.

We took off from Morgan County Airport, Mountain Green UT and flew to Evanston WY then to Bear Lake UT, Logan, UT and then back to Mountain Green. We got as high as 16,000 feet and were flying at the base of the clouds. Very COOL! It was a fantastic day with great weather and strong thermals. We were up for about 3 1/2 hours. Yeah, it was a great day, one that I'll never forget.

I always thought that you needed a Lear 35 or a Gulfstream IV to have fun flying. But these simple yet elegant sailplanes have shown this pilot wannbee the true joy of flying like an Eagle. And as Leonardo da Vinci said: "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication"

Warren, now I understand. Someday when I get enough money, I'll learn how to fly so I can continue your legacy.

When once you have tasted flight.....

When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.

Leonardo da Vinci

A difficult time

July 31, 2010

I got the worst phone call that you can get. My Dad called to tell me that my brother Warren died when he crashed his glider. This is something that you can never see coming. When my dad called, I really felt like it was about my mom. But no.

Warren had learned how to fly gliders a few years ago. On this day he had been flying with friends in other gliders. Somehow his friends lost contact with him. A while later they found his crashed glider. He had crashed in a canyon just north of Morgan Utah. Words can barely tell you how I've cried.

I'm glad that I have faith in Jesus Christ our Lord. This has helped carry me through this difficult period. My parents though, have had a real difficult time with all of it. They are in their 80's and never expected to lose a son. My Dad seems to be especially bad. Being the only son left, I almost feel like I'm the glue holding everything together. My dad keeps asking me why. Why couldn't he have made a turn that would have prevented him from crashing? Some things are not for us to know.

I've been in contact with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) but I'm not getting much out of them. Through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), I was able to get a copy of the crash report. But everything I was interested in has been censored. C'mon! I'm his brother!!!! I guess they are not happy until you are not happy.

Over the years, if I really thought hard about Warren, he'd probably call. Now I know he is in Heaven. And when I've said my evening prayers, I've asked Heavenly Father to watch over Warren. I've also foolishly wondered if Warren would call and tell me what it's like there.
But I've not received any phone calls. Perhaps Warren just hasn't gotten permission to call!

In the last five years or so, we haven't been that close. But Warren, I really miss you.

One evening while thinking about all of this, I came up with a poem. Now I'm not a writer by any means. But I hope you'll indulge me for a little bit.


Take Flight

Some say that Angels have wings
I hope you can fly in Heaven
And I hope they gave you these kind of wings
White, long and slender
And able to catch the slightest of a breeze
Spread them out and take flight
For Heaven only knows how far you'll go today
How many thermals does a sailplane pilot need?
Just one more
To take you home.

Warren,

May you have strong thermals everyday. God be with you till we meet again.

Radio Control Airplanes

A few years ago, my youngest son Chris got me into R/C airplanes. I had done some modeling when I was young but had to put it aside. Now I've picked it up again and it's a lot of fun.

I didn't like the trainer airplanes that were on the market. I wanted something a little nicer.

So I'm learning how to fly a Bellanca Super Decathlon. The wingspan is 66 inches and it is powered by an OS MAX 46. It's a bit more plane than I can handle. But I sure get some attention at the flying field. It's a really nice looking scale plane. And oh yeah, it's aerobatic too! I'm close to soloing in this plane. Chris is helping by doing the take off and landing and then he hands the controls over to me. I'm sure I scared the begeebers out of him when I do a corkscrew roll and not tell him ahead of time.

Last February Chris and Iwent to a model airplane auction. It was like being in airplane heaven. You name it and it was there.

This hobby is addictive!

It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.

George S. Patton, Jr.

Last of the United Airlines 737's

October 2009, United Airlines retired it's last Boeing 737. The 'Guppy' as it was known, has been the workhorse of United's fleet for almost 40 years. It was a bittersweet moment. Either you loved or hated them. Pilots tell me it was an easy airplane to fly. One pilot told me that if you could fly a Cessna 172, you could fly a 737. Maybe that's a stretch....

With the help of friends at United, I was able to fly on the last one. It flew as flight 737 from Washington D.C. to Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco. I got to fly on the Denver to LA leg. Needless to say, it was a party all of the way.

It makes you wonder...

Why do you need to pack a bag that weighs 80 pounds to go to places like Miami or Phoenix?
Do you really need all of that stuff?