The 395 and Owens Valley-Eastern Sierra Region

A former coworker of mine lived near Moffett. I distinctly remember him saying "there's been all these bombers flying over us and it has me worried."

I told him that there are no bombers are Moffett and that he was just seeing C-130s. What I didn't tell him is that he was a colossal weenie.

 

I was sitting over on Murphy Street when the AN-124 flew overhead. Lost the sun for short time and it was ungodly loud. There've been visiting fighters but it really isn't that bad.

 

Back in my Marine Corps days, '84-'85 I was stationed at Camp Foster on Okinawa. Kadena Air Force Base was right next door and had a squadron of SR-71s. They flew about once a week, missions to who knows where. You always knew when one was about to takeoff by the noise when it spooled up at the end of the runway. They would take off over the corner of our base so we always had a really good view from when they were a couple hundred feet up till they went out of sight. I can still remember the night take offs, as they stood it on its tail and punch the afterburners you could see 14 rings of fire as it went out of sight rather quickly.

 

When I was in high school in Sunnyvale, Foothill Community College had a summer course on aerospace introduction. One of the field trip days was at Nasa/Ames and we were there for the U2 takeoff. It was amazing.

 

The P3 flight pattern was right over my old house (Sunnyvale/Mtn View border on Fremont Ave). As a kid it was awesome.

 

This is my favorite story involving the SR-71 told by Maj Brian Shul. I read it a while back so here’s the YouTube audio from a speaking engagement:

https://youtu.be/ILop3Kn3JO8

so badass

 

There's a long and interesting thread about aviation here:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/aviation-bs-and-photo-thread.418644/

 

Or that the B-52 has been around since the early 1950's, is still in operation, and will likely stay in operation another few decades, until the frame's warrant retirement. Amazing machines. We can't even get a train built now, hahaha

 

Yeah, the current plan of record is that the B52 won’t be out of active duty service until 100 years after it’s first flight. Though I suspect there will still be a lot of century-old DC3’s and C47’s in commercial or private use, in 20 years.

 

I just saw a GMC EV Sierra Denali commercial on youtube that was almost entirely filmed in Owens Valley...starting off with a shot at Brady's gas station at the junction of the 14 and 395.

 

I'm going up today.
The weather is supposed to be nice this weekend. Lol

 

I was stationed at Beale, in the 90's. It never got old watching them come and go. Don't know if it still does, but it used to hold a few time to altitude records. It was good times for sure.

 

Looks familiar.

 

LOL. As if you don't already have full bars of LTE there.

#vanstagramlife

 

I can almost see the arches from here (the golden ones near the highway).

 

Tahoe is lit this evening...

 

Desert Magazine, Feb 1947

 

It's been nice lately. Mid-week shoulder season hike to the summit of Mount Rose last week was really quiet for such a popular trail. In 12 miles I saw 7 people.

 

on my way to 395

 

Here's a look at what I did last weekend. Not including the pulled pork or other consumables, allergies or wind event..
https://photos.app.goo.gl/uwnTFrncN3GfWPU87
Friday Lone Pine C.G.
Saturday was a little hike past Rock Creek Lake.
Sunday Laurel.