|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted By:
Nickens, Dan
Date Posted:
Oct 9, 2018
Description:
How do you get through such a maze without a guide? Persistence?
The cross-country maze for this day heading back to Florida was to get as far to the southeast as possible, staying ahead of the front chasing me. It looked to be a beautiful day except for smoke and fire from multiple wildfires to be avoided.
Date Taken:
9/21/2018
Place Taken:
North of Albion, ID
Owner:
Nickens, Dan
File Name:
- Photo HTML
Full size - <img src="/show.php?splash=7OHFnPkr0h">
Medium - <img src="/show.php?splash=7OHFnPkr0m">
Thumbnail - <img src="/show.php?splash=7OHFnPkr0s">
Category:
Cross Country Reunion
|
|
|
Favorite option: If you want this item to be marked as a favorite, click on the black heart.
Hay Maze (Reunion Flight Day 2 Part 2) |
|
Make Cover Photo
Clear Cover Photo
|
|
Click on photo to view the original size. |
| Viewers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Read what others had to say:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Beyond the maze and climbing the hill to find a fringe of gold.
Crystal Peak, Raft River Mountains, South of Albion, ID
| | Attachments:
Golden Fringes 9667
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Crossing over the edge of Great Basin leaving Idaho and heading lower towards the big salty.
Idaho - Utah Border
| | Attachments:
Descending Into Basin IMG 9676
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
On the great salt plains ringing the Great Salt Lake (identified as "mud flats" by the USGS....seemingly a rather harsh description of a spectacular white plain).
Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Salty Edge IMG 3259
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Who put that nice runway out on the edge of the lake? Sure, it's a bit curvy, but that just adds to the attraction. Some public lands don't have a specific prohibition against airplane landings, but others do. It's hard to know where you can or can't land without extensive research. In this case, there was no time for such research. There was an immediate issue. And there was no one around to ask.
South of Kelton, near Table Mountain, Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Ring Road IMG 9679
| | |
|
Don Maxwell - Oct 10,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Judging by the tire tracks onto and immediately back off the salt, Dan, landing on the road was a good decision.
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 10,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
So true, Don. I think that guy found the mud.
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
The emergency situation was quickly resolved behind a bush (with no one within miles there was still a perceived need for privacy, who knows why?).
Trespass of an Air Ghost
Resting in the shade under the wing I stared out across the vast pink lake. "What tale should I tell," I thought, "if someone finds me sitting here on tribal lands." It would have to be some kind of emergency.
"How about a bit of truth: Biology! An urgent need to reduce the gross weight, unload early morning liquids."
No. That might be considered pollution of the sacred lands.
"Okay, so the hull was overheating. Who could argue with that!"
Well, anyone with a lick of common sense could argue. It certainly wouldn't impress the technologically savvy. Not with a vast body of cool water just a few feet away.
"Yeah, but it's salt. The new owner might not be happy with that option."
Right. An emergency overheated hull and you're worried about the new owner.
"Well, then, maybe it was a transient electrical.....whoa!" That was when I noticed him. He was standing at the tail of the airplane, staring at me. Quiet. Tall. Seemingly immovable.
"Uh, um...hello," I stammered.
No response. He just stared, unmoving, not even a blink.
He was young, likely a teenager, with dark, rich skin. He was dressed roughly, in what looked like crude tan leather pants, a simple blue shirt, and worn boots. A floppy hat was pulled low down over his forehead. Jet black hair fell down from the hat to his shoulders.
I stood up in place, not advancing or making any unnecessary moves. More confidently I tried again. "Hello. My name is Dan."
Quietly, almost reverently, he replied, "You came from the sky."
I nodded. "Yes, I did. This is my airplane."
He turned looking more carefully at it. After several long moments, he asked, "Is it an air-ghost being?"
I paused. Air ghost? Was that some kind of airplane? It certainly wasn't any I knew about. "No. It's a SeaRey."
"A Seeree?"
I nodded. Close enough.
"The Shaman tells of water and rock ghost beings, but not from the air."
I shook my head. "It's an aircraft, a flying boat."
"A boat that flies?" he asked in wonder.
We seemed to be getting closer to an understanding. "Yes. It can take off from land or water."
"And it flies, high as the birds. I saw it."
"Yes. It does all that."
"Then you are an air ghost being?"
I shook my head. Just when I thought we were making progress. "No, I'm just a pilot."
He stared back blankly, clearly not understanding. "An airman," I offered.
He nodded slowly. "A man of the air. A spirit of the sky."
"No, not a spirit. Just a man who flies."
"That is a wonder."
"I think so too." I nodded solemnly. Trying to change the subject, I asked, "What is your name? Why are you out here?"
"I am Omawnakw. Cloud feather."
That was too much for me to repeat, so I just nodded.
"My people, the People of the Snake, sent me here to find my vision. I have wandered the great lake for many days, looking for my guardian spirit to appear."
It got very quiet. We stared intently at each other. I blinked. "I am no spirit."
He nodded very slowly, but said nothing.
The heat from the steadily rising sun was making me sweat. "Would you like some water?"
He nodded. "The water in Ti'tsa-pa is bad, though all water is sacred. I have enough, but I can share my water with you."
"That's not necessary. I have some here." I ducked under the wing and reached into the cockpit for my little cooler, pulling out two bottles. When I turned back, he had moved with me, but stood quietly at the wing tip. I extended one hand with a bottle towards him.
Slowly he came closer, reaching to take the bottle, then moving back to the wing tip. He stared intently at the bottle. Finally he looked back at me.
I raised my bottle, twisting the cap off, and drinking.
He watched me closely. I nodded at him. "Go ahead. It's good water, a little warm, but it's good."
Holding the bottle tightly, he twisted the top. Nothing happened. He was trying to twist the whole top, not just the cap.
"Just the blue top," I offered, showing him by putting mine back on and taking it off again.
This time he twisted the cap and it came off. A little water spilled out of the tipped bottle and he shrunk back in surprise and concern.
"My apologies, great sir, I have spilled your water."
"Not a worry," I told him. "I have plenty."
He lifted the bottle to his lips and took a small sip. For the first time, he smiled. Then he took a big drink, finishing off the bottle quickly. After draining the last drop, he reached out returning both the bottle and the cap.
I took them, turning to the airplane. "There's more if you are thirsty."
"I would not take more than I need. You are a kind spirit to have given me so much."
Ignoring the spirit comment, I said, "It is my pleasure. Would you like something to eat? A granola bar?"
He paused, then shook his head. "I have no need for food. I ask only for your wisdom."
Now I smiled. "You are looking for wisdom in the wrong place. You won't find it with me."
A look of consternation filled his face. "What must I do to find the vision that will put me on my life's path? Where should I look, if not to you?"
I laughed. "That's easy. Look within yourself. That's where you will find your path. Look for the positive purpose that brings you most joy, that brings joy to those you love and respect. That's the path that will bring you the greatest fulfillment. At least that's what works for me. Your results may vary."
He looked at me for the longest time. Then he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he turned to look out over the great lake. He nodded. "That is what I must do, then."
I turned back to the cockpit. There in the center console was a feather my friend on Orcas Island had given me. I picked it up and turned back to the young man. "Here. Take this with you. It is from far away. It has been with me, up with the clouds. It's your namesake. Maybe it will bring you good luck in your quest."
He stared at the brown and white feather. Slowly I walked out to the wing tip, handing it to him. He took it reverently.
"It has flown with a great bird. It has flown with you. It has seen the clouds. I will keep it now with me. Thank you for this blessing."
I nodded. Silently I hoped it served him better than the bird it came from, but I said nothing.
Slowly he turned and began to walk inland towards the boulders strewn at the base of a hill. I watched as he disappeared into their small canyons. Shimmering hot air rising from the ground made it all seem an illusion.
"Hmmm....well, that was a pretty good outcome for a trespasser," I thought. "Best be going before his parents find me!"
With a great roar and dust flying, the SeaRey quickly lifted from the narrow road. I circled once to see if I could spot him among the rocks. There was nothing to be seen except for rocks and hills under the startling blue sky.
I flew on.
| | Attachments:
Situation Resolved IMG 9700
| | |
|
Eric Batterman - Oct 10,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
"Your results may vary" Classic!
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 10,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
You can herd the lawyers out of the courthouse, but you can't take the B.S. out of the lawyers!
| | |
|
Eric Batterman - Oct 10,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Richard Bach, Esq.
| | |
|
Ken Leonard - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Well done! You have been a flying man to many of us, oh, Nickens Spirit.
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Leaving Land 9/21
Leaving the land behind and venturing out onto the "mud flats" and into the big salt.
Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Leaving Land IMG 9716
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Salt Plains 9/21
Despite the USGS' insistence that the plain was a "mud flat" it appeared to have at least a veneer of salt. The presence of occasional vehicle tracks indicated it was a substrate a bit more substantive than just mud (to me, a casual aerial observer of potential emergency landing locations).
Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Salt Plains IMG 9713
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Salt Plains Dead Ahead 9/21
On the far horizon there appeared a brown spot. Perhaps that was the "mud" the USGS found when it surveyed the area?
Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Salt Plains Dead Ahead IMG 9720
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Cracked Up 9/21
Under the airplane it looked all cracked up like mud. Or a dry salt bed.
Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Cracked Up IMG 9722
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
On Edge 9/21
Running the edge of the mud flat found a ring of little reddish plants, growing between the salt (mud) and the pebbled shore.
Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
On Edge IMG 9739
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Liquid Veneer 9/21
There is water in the lake, but from a distance it looked like a mirage. The lake is at a historic low. Since the whole lake is very shallow (average 13', with the deepest spot about 30', depending on how much rain has fallen) it doesn't take much to fill back up (as it did to overflowing in 1987). Filling up is relative, however, because when it was Lake Bonneville, in between ice ages 20,000 years back, it was 13x larger, almost as large as Lake Michigan, covering much of Utah, plus some of Nevada and Idaho.
Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Liquid Veneer IMG 9752
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Red Tide 9/21
Red water, white stripes, blue skies. Very patriotic body of water. The red is from beta-carotene produced by a species of algae. In addition to the beta-carotene, the algae can convert mercury to more toxic methyl mercury.
The patterns are pretty. Could they be salt crystals that filled cracks in the "mud flats" then were partially submerged? That fits with the theory advanced by the National Park Service for Death Valleys' Badwater Basin. It's either that or space alien egg casings planted for the coming invasion.
Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Red Tide IMG 9760
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Gradients 9/21
The cracked pattern does become filled as you get closer to land. Or is that just cover for the eggs?
I circled back and took some video to gather additional evidence.
Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Spinning on Red
| |
| Attachments:
Gradients IMG 9773
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Silhouette in Pink 9/21
If they are alien eggs, they sure are some big suckers! And they like pink.
Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Silhouette in Pink IMG 9776
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Water Patterns 9/21
The patterns are more subtle as the water gets deeper.
Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Water Patterns IMG 9781
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Land Ho 9/21
There's a bit of disagreement among reputable sources as to the number of islands in the Great Lake. Could be fluctuation of water level has converted some into peninsulas when the island inspector comes around.
Cub and Gunnison Islands, Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Land Ho IMG 9819
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Near Shore 9/21
The mysterious patterns re-emerged as the water got shallower.
Cub and Gunnison Islands, Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Near Shore IMG 9836
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Island Hopping 9/21
Checking the islands for evidence that alien spacecraft have landed recently.
Cub and Gunnison Islands, Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Island Hopping IMG 9841
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Island Outlines 9/21
Instead of sand, salt outlines the islands.
Cub and Gunnison Islands, Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Island Outlines IMG 9851
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Crusty Shoreline 9/21
Upon closer inspection it seems the crusty shoreline will not endear itself to beach lovers.
Gunnison Island, Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Crusty Shoreline IMG 9858
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Land Bridge 9/21
Water, or something like it, on both sides. It lends credence to the alien invasion theory. They probably picked this spot as it is so unearthly.
Gunnison Island, Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Land Bridge IMG 9868
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Salt Tiles 9/21
The patterns out by the islands were smeared by wind streaks on the watery surface.
Cub and Gunnison Islands, Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Salt Tiles IMG 9892
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Thick as Tiles 9/21
Stranger patterns. Now they look like steps in a giant causeway Bigfoot's family used in pre-Ice Age times to cross the lake.
Cub and Gunnison Islands, Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Thick as Tiles IMG 9930
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Segregated Waters 9/21
Clearly separated by some invisible chemistry? Or a sudden change in depth? Or the wind suddenly changed speed at the interface? Or space aliens????
Gunnison Bay, Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Segregated Waters IMG 9936
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Running Down a Windrow 9/21
The airplane seemed to just naturally follow the white lines.
Gunnison Bay, Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Running Down a Windrow IMG 9941
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Dividing Line 9/21
Hard division. A railroad berm was built in 1959 separating the NW arm of the lake from the main body. With only three small channels to connect the rest of the lake, salinity and elevation (up to 3' ) differences soon developed. In 2016 a bigger opening was cut and elevations are now within half a foot.
Lucin Cutoff, Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Dividing Line IMG 9948
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Rounding a Corner 9/21
Carrington Island was used by the Air Force from 1945 to 1962 as a bombing range. Strangely, the Army Chemical Corps erected range markers there for the Air Force. Why? Well, because the site was used for "developmental munitions dispersion tests". Some of the testing involved radiological warfare bomblets. The site was reportedly cleared by the DOD in 1963 leaving nothing behind but fragments of practice bombs. I didn't linger in case they missed some of that dispersed radiation.
Carrington Island, Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Rounding a Corner IMG 9990
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Working the Lake 9/21
There is a lot of economic activity on the south side of the lake. Obviously there is plenty of sodium chloride to be mined from evaporation ponds. Companies also mine potassium sulfate and magnesium salts. Make magnesium. Generate chlorine gas (even though the nearby Deseret Chemical Depot no longer stores chemical weapons). Gypsum. And brine shrimp.
Badger Island, Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Working the Lake IMG 0009
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Trapping Salt 9/21
Solar evaporation ponds in action.
Near Badger Island, Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Trapping Salt IMG 0011
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Heading for the Hills 9/21
Some really old rocks stick out from the lake. Like Precambrian old.
Stansbury Island, Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Heading for the Hills IMG 0018
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Mirrored Peaks 9/21
Stansbury Island is the second largest island on the lake (yes, the cartographers call it an island even if it is connected to the mainland by a causeway).
Stansbury Island, Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Mirrored Peaks IMG 0027
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Baking Salt 9/21
According to the Utah Geological Survey an average of 2.9 million acre feet of water evaporates from the lake annually. That's a lot of water. They also estimate 2 million tons of dissolved solids enter the lake every year. That's a lot of minerals to catch in evaporation ponds.
Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Baking Salt IMG 0036
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Flat White 9/21
Yup. The USGS says it's a mud flat. Right. Salt mud.
Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Flat White IMG 0039
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Fractured Salt 9/21
Looks like one side is about ripe for mining.
Great Salt Lake, UT
| | Attachments:
Fractured Salt IMG 0060
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Relicts of War 9/21
Flying over relicts of a war not fought is a reminder of a former life. Chemical weapons were once stored south of the Great Lake. I got to help destroy some of them. They're all gone now. Good riddance.
Landing at Tooele Valley airport, KTVY after a mere 2.5 hours of great salt flying, left me feeling kinda drained. There was, however, a whole bunch of flying left to do before the day was done.
Tooele Valley, UT
| | Attachments:
Relicts of War IMG 0065
| | |
|
Steve Kessinger - Oct 10,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
"I got to help destroy some of them. "
Uhhh..... there's another story behind that which needs to be told.
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 10,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
There is more than one story to tell about working with the Army's Chemical Corp. Sadly the stories don't involve SeaReys. In fact, once I found SeaReys, I quit my real job. Now there are much higher and happier tales to be told.
| | |
|
Wayne Nagy - Oct 09,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Simply amazing, Dan.
| | |
|
Bill Brown - Oct 10,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
Be careful Dan. You may look outside your house one day and find a flock of Searey's waiting for your next move so we can
follow. Good flying, looking forward to the next report.
| | |
|
Nickens, Dan - Oct 10,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
"A Flock of SeaReys"? Isn't that the band that sings about running away, Bill?
"And I ran
I ran so far away
I just ran
I ran all night and day
I couldn't get away
A cloud appears above your head
A beam of light comes shining down on you
Shining down on you
The cloud is moving nearer still
Aurora Borealis comes in view
Aurora comes in view
And I ran"
Could be a long distance SeaRey theme song.
| | |
|
Bill Brown - Oct 10,2018
Viewers
| Reply
|
| |
That's a little far north, not sure if the heater is adequate for that but I'm game.
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
- About Searey.us -
- Contact Searey.us -
|
- Privacy Statement -
- Terms of service -
|
Copyright © 2024 Searey.us & Brevard Web Pro, Inc. -
Copyrights may also be reserved
by posters and used by license on this site. See Terms of Service for more information.
|
| |
- Please visit our NEW
Chapter Place Website at: chapterplace.com or
Free Chapter Management Website at: ourchapter.org. Good for all chapters, groups or families. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
