RAF 2000 over Ory-gun

[Gary_in_Orygun]

I went up flying Sat. morning. Great weather here. I took the doors off so I could get some good pictures.

This first picture is looking west, toward clearer air (Pacific Ocean is just over the Coastal range on the horizon). I was flying up along Bald Peak (on the north end--flying south), where I live.

In the center is the little community of Laurelwood.

[Gary_in_Orygun]

Looking to the east (Cascade mountain range), you can see the air is not as clear (smoke and dirt), but still pretty good.

[Gary_in_Orygun]

One reason for the haze is this--field burning. :mad: I'm not too fond of this practice here in the valley. This is out of sequence (about 40 miles south of other pictures), but I wanted to show it here because it explains where some of the smoke is coming from.

[Gary_in_Orygun]

Here is a picture of my property, at the 1200 ft level of Bald Peak. My house is the one on the left.

[Gary_in_Orygun]

While flying along the Willamette River I spotted a tailwheel plane with large tires just lifting off from a gravel beach. (Not the best quality, but you might get the idea.)

[Gary_in_Orygun]

I followed the plane for a bit while he climbed out.

[Gary_in_Orygun]

Then I went off to chase a couple of dust devils.

[Gary_in_Orygun]

I noticed some activity at the Woodburn dragstrip, so I went over to take a look.

I was up for 1.7 hours. I started getting cold, since the outside air had been between 60 and 65 deg F. When I was clearing Bald Peak and then heading back to the valley I got up to 2000 ft where the temp was 58. I watched the thermometer climb up as I got back down to around 1000, and then finally down to 700 ft when I got over the fields. I'm just not used to that doors-off flying, but I sure like the view.

[Harry_S.]

Enjoyed those pics Gary.

What camera do you use?

[Gary_in_Orygun]

Just one more picture of dragstrip and the vast Willamette Valley looking to the south.

[Gary_in_Orygun]

My camera is a Canon Powershot A70 (3.2 Meg-pixel), shot originally at 1600 x 1200 resolution (then reduced down for your viewing pleasure).

[StanFoster]

Gary: Nice shots.....sure is different than Illinois

[GyroRon]

Cool shots Gary. I wish everyone here could post pics of their turf. Never been to that neck of the woods and the pics show alot!

Is that your house - the big one - or the small one in that pic?

[Russell]

Great pics !! I really like the pics of the drag strip. That brings back some memory's.
Russ :D

[Gary_in_Orygun]

Here is another picture of my house to help identify it in the previous picture. (No, I haven't watered any of the yard so it is not green anymore.)

[KenSandyEggo]

Gary, didn't you used to have an above-ground pool?

[GyroRon]

Is that a double wide? I live in a glorified double wide, they call it a Modular but I still think of it as a double wide. and ken I do have a nice above ground pool!

[Gary_in_Orygun]

Yes, that is a double-wide manufactured home. No, I never had an above ground pool. I hardly have a level spot of ground to put any kind of pool. It is all hill.

[KenSandyEggo]

I took a shot in the dark. I saw that circular pattern on the ground and thought I'd wow you with my psychic skills.

[Gary_in_Orygun]

Nice try Ken. The big circular spot "above" the house is a pile of gravel that I'm using to pack into the post holes I'm digging. Gee, at first I thought you were talking about the septic tank spot, but that is harder to locate.

[barnstorm2]

Great pictures Gary!

My favorite is the Dust Devils shot!