A Rare Opportunity

Back in April I received a phone call asking if I would like to go flying. I absoutely love flying! So I jumped at the chance. I grabbed my camera and rushed out the door. I arrived at the airport to find Gary getting his plane ready. I was so excited the giant "Experimental" written behind the seats in cab didn't phase me.

 The stripe down the side of the airplane is pink in honor of the beautiful sunsets Gary loves so much. "I will rise up on wings like the eagles and will soar with His spirit" is written on the side of the plane.

 In case the "Experimental" written on the cab doesn't get your attention, this small plaque on the instrument panel might.

                                          My chauffeur to the clouds.

 There is something magical about flying over the earth. No borders, no boundaries, just soaring.

 We decided to fly over and see the mountains. A trip that would take at least 2 hours by car took only a few minutes in the air. With the cloud cover I was worried we would not be able to see the mountains. Mt. Hood decided to peak out above the clouds.

 It doesn't seem to matter how many times I fly, I love watching the way the light catches in the clouds. Seeing the tops of the clouds is so much more fun than the bottom of them.

 Once we cleared the clouds, the mountains were easy to see. Mt. Jefferson and the Three Sisters glow in the light of the setting sun. I love the way the back side of the mountain slopes down, it's like a long train on a wedding dress.

 After we had our fun photographing Mt. Jefferson, we turned toward Mt. Hood. I love the long dark cloud pointing the way.

 I squealed when I took this shot. I'm pretty sure Gary thought I was crazy. But sometimes when you know you've captured something stunning, you just have to squeal. This is one of my favorite photos. Mt. Hood stands tall and proud above the clouds. Mt. Adams reflects the light of the setting sun in the background.

                  I love this photo of Gary silhouetted against the sunset.

The suns last brilliant light just before it dips below the horizon. I think it's pretty cool that I caught the propellor of plane in motion.

 We flew so close to Mt. Hood, I was sure I could reach out and touch the snow. I like the drama the B&W treatment adds to this photo.

 After the sun went down we headed back and flew over Portland. Gary let me fly the plane for a while. It's amazing how little pressure is needed on the stick to get the plane to respond.