Author: melmalinowski

I was born in Aberdeen, on the central Pacific coast of the State of Washington. When I was 2 years old, my family moved to Amboy because my father was part of a venture that had won a contract to prepare a new railroad grade to a plywood mill. My parents bought 17 acres that includes a section of Cedar Creek, and came with a 1930s little house with no indoor plumbing. After renovations, that became my childhood home.

Here, though still in diapers, I’m helping dig a ditch for the new sewer line. We all worked. More than 65 years later, that well-designed and built septic system still does the job.

As I have two brothers living there, I decided to make Amboy my home base and legal residence after leaving Hawai’i. This is an area of rolling hills covered by Douglas Fir forests, with dramatic snowy volcanic mountains nearby.

This pond near Cedar Creek has been used to raise and release salmon smolts to help restore salmon spawning.

Cedar Creek where it runs through our family land.

Though I have been concentrating on international travel and trekking these past two years, there is much good hiking in Washington, so I scheduled in two months to visit family and walk trails that I missed as a teenager.

Mount St. Helens, whose explosive eruption in 1980 was the most destructive and expensive volcanic disaster in the history of America. The top dome and north side were blown away, killing 57 people and causing more than a billion dollars in damage, leaving this broad, jagged top.

Photo by Les Nugent

In 1970, I climbed to the top of the pre-eruption mountain. Spirit Lake is below my foot, and Mount Rainier in the background. The smooth round profile of the mountain often was compared by Japanese visitors to Mount Fuji in Japan.

The mountain viewed from Spirit Lake before the eruption.

My first hike was in the area a bit south and east of Mount St. Helens, near Mount Adams, on the Indian Heaven to Lake Wapiki trail. This is described as “One of the best hikes in the Indian Heaven Wilderness: dramatic views of Mount Adams and distant views of Mount Rainier, Goat Rocks and Mount St. Helens.”

Indian Heaven’s lakes, meadows and wild huckleberries made it a popular gathering place in the late summer for local Indian tribes. They picked berries, socialized, and raced horses.

Meadows like this are common in Indian Heaven. So are mosquitos! Fortunately, I came prepared with gloves and headnet, and they were not able to feast upon me. I decided that it would be better to wait till later in the season to camp up there.

Half of the area has been reserved for harvesting by Indians.

Wild huckleberries. They have a more intense, tart flavor than blueberries. Human fans of them compete with other huckleberry lovers such as bears, birds, coyotes and deer. As more trees grow up in Indian Heaven, the huckleberry numbers have been declining. Perhaps in years past, natural wildfires kept the area more open.

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After hiking in about 2 miles on a steep grade, you are rewarded by this view of dramatic, glaciated Mount Adams.

Another 2 miles brings you above Lake Wapiki, which is a lovely camping spot.

My next exploit was to camp at Goose Lake (near Mount Adams) with my friend for more than 50 years, Les Nugent.

On the way back, at his suggestion I visited Ice Cave.

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Columbia Gorge Windsurfing from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

My next hike was to Goat Lake in the Goat Rocks Wilderness area near Mount Adams. The Pacific Crest Trail runs through GRW.

I’ve decided to include some backpacking/camping in my trips, something I used to do a lot, but then middle age and family intervened, and I got out of practice. Being able to camp at remote sites extends your range, and gives you the possibility of more ‘Edward Abbey’ pristine back country experiences. Some of our best wilderness areas require backpacking, perhaps so as to limit the numbers and impact.

Goat Rocks Wilderness did not disappoint. It was one of the most spectacular, pristine places I’ve ever been in the world. More below, but first, the view from my campsite at Goat Lake.

I will try to convey with a collage of pictures the stunning beauty of this area. It is dazzling in person.

Along the way is a lovely waterfall emerging from a very unusual rock formation

Goat Creek Waterfall from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

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On the way, I met this US Forest Service trail crew. They were carrying (among other tools) this six foot long crosscut saw to clear the trail of large fallen trees. You have to be tough to hike this far in and do all that’s required. They looked tough enough, and were friendly, too. I’m glad some of my taxpayer dollars are supporting this work.

I met this group from Tennessee on their way down from camping. They have a friend (far right) from Seattle helping.

Their group included this nine year old camper! Glad to see new hikers on the way up. It takes spirit to hike this far in and camp. Kudos! Long may they hike.

On the way out, I walked up to the top of the ridge above Goat Lake. This is Mount Rainier from there. Like that unusual,possibly lenticular cloud?

My next hike was into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness north of Cle Elum, Washington.

A friend that I climbed with many years ago and a friend of his backpacked in to camp near Lake Ingalls, in order to climb the West Ridge of Mount Stuart.

“Without a rival as the crown peak in the central Cascades of Washington, Mount Stuart has been pronounced the single greatest mass of exposed granite in the United States…its northern and eastern faces are the alpine climax of the Wenatchee Mountains. They make a powerful impact on first sight…The mountaineering problems are magnified by the mountain’s massive dimensions and its complexity.” Excerpted from “Cascade Alpine Guide”

It is hard to judge the size of a peak from a distance. Here are some numbers to put this in perspective.

Mount Stuart is 9415 feet high. Being this far north, it is as snowy if it were perhaps 12,000 feet or more if located in the California Sierra. What matters more is its ‘prominence’ or elevation above nearby features. It has a ‘topographical prominence’ of 5354 feet, which is exceptional. The south face (in the picture) rises over 5,000 feet in just two miles.

We camped near Lake Ingalls, pictured here. That is Mount Ingalls in the background.

There is a large herd of wild goats here. Sometimes they will just wander through your campsite! Wild goats are attracted to hikers because where there are hikers, there is less threat from predators, and they like to lick urine on rocks for the salt. This goat is shedding last year’s wool. You find tuffs of it on the bushes.

Wild Goats near Lake Ingalls, Washington from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

Part of the wild goat herd grazing on an outlet creek from Lake Ingalls.The young goat is eating the blossoms of wildflowers.

It was a treat to be around all these wild goats. However, you should always remember that they are wild, and possess a sharp set of horns and hooves, and stay a good distance from them. If they feel threatened, they may defend themselves.

The West Ridge of Mount Stuart is both technically not too hard (perhaps 5.4 difficulty) and harder than you might anticipate, as it is remote and long and has some sections of great exposure where you move across areas with a drop of thousands of feet below you. It is dramatic, spectacular, and exciting. Once you get yourself up there (alone, we saw not another soul up there), you must rescue yourself. It is serious, sobering, and lots of fun. The views are literally stunning.

Two photos by Jaime McCandless

As we had one less experienced climber with us, we had to use ropes and belays on sections we could have climbed unroped (called Class 4 by the Yosemite system, which means you can climb unroped, but also could have dangerous falls if you are not on rope), and moved more slowly over difficult pitches, and that slowed us down.

The trip report we relied upon did not adequately address the difficulty level, nor accurately describe the route. As a result, we wound up not quite to the top at sunset, and had to bivouac on a very small ledge overnight. In retrospect, I think that few climbers would be able to do this route without a bivouac along the way. There is no running water along the way, so you must carry a lot or rely on melting snow.

With better information and planning, it could have been safer and more pleasant. A lesson to be learned here is that it is wise to always go prepared and equipped for a cold weather bivouac, despite the fact that this requires bringing more clothing and gear, which makes your pack heavier. You should not rely on others hoping all will go well.

The ledge was so small only one of us could lay flat, while the others had to sit up. It was cold, and we got little sleep. Unless you can lay flat, it is hard to fall asleep. Had the bivouac been planned, there are some larger areas available along the way, such as at somewhat lower ‘west notch’, which would have been more comfortable.

Another group of climbers bivouacing at the West Ridge notch a few weeks earlier.

Without that, and warmer gear, it was painful, and a long, hard night. At 4am, I stood up and danced in place to warm up and restore my circulation, as I was not sleeping anyway. As soon as there was enough light to resume climbing, we did, about 5am.

View from our bivouac ledge at 9200 feet altitude as the twilight faded.

At 9:40am, we finally reached the summit! Here is a picture of that area from Jaime McCandless, who had climbed the West Ridge a few weeks earlier.

Hiking back down via a technically easy (class 3 and 4) but very long route took more than 12 hours. We arrived down in the creek area very late, and at 2am, two of our party elected to bivouac rather than try to make it back to our tents in the dark. Not relishing another bivouac, I went on, and arrived at my tent at 4:30am, very glad to crawl into my sleeping bag.

All in all, a worthwhile hike and climb. Despite its hazards and difficulties, it was memorable. Mount Stuart is one of the most rugged, steep peaks I have climbed. The granite rock it is made of is a pleasure to climb upon, and very pretty. If you decide to climb it, be sure you have the experience and equipment to do so safely, and allow plenty of time, food and water.

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More hikes soon…

My next destination lies in the Central Valley of California, just 124 miles west of Truckee. Its attraction to me is the opportunity to continue my gliding (soaring) instruction at Williams Soaring.

Mural depicting the historic Williams Hotel, established 1877, burned down in 1923.

Williams is a small agricultural town of about 5,250 people southwest of historic Colusa. When I pulled into the motel where I will reside while I fly, a vintage Ford Model A on tour with its owners caught my eye.

My dad owned one of these in the ‘Day’. They were produced from 1928 to 1931.

Williams Soaring uses a German glider, the Schleicher ASK21 as their primary trainer for  beginning students. With a 56 foot wingspan and a 34:1 glide ratio, it is a high performance, but very stable glider.

Introduced more than 30 years ago, it must have been ahead of its time. Though stable enough to be a good trainer, it is rated for aerobatics. If you know how, you could do loops, rolls and inverted flight in the ASK21. These days, smaller, shorter wingspan gliders such as the Fox are the aerobatic gliders of choice.

I liked the looks and specs of this glider, and my first flight confirmed this. It is a pleasure to fly, comfortable, smooth, quiet and stable. My nine flight days here should be productive and fun.

For more advanced aerobatics, there is a MDM-1 Fox. It has shorter wings, and is quicker (and hence less stable), and is very strong so it can withstand strong g-forces.

Here, Ben Mays, my flight instructor, prepares to take up a passenger for an extreme aerobatics demo ride in the ASK21. For aerobatics, both must wear a parachute. The ASK21 can do many, but not all, aerobatic maneuvers.

ASK21 Aerobatics from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

Remember: there is no motor. You must plan all this so you can make it back to the airport and land.

A few videos for those interested in how gliding works:

Launching a glider by aerotow from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

Circling a glider from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

Landing a glider from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

On July 7th, I was approved to fly by myself (solo) for the first time. This is a big (personal) deal, as especially in a glider, with no motor, you have just one chance to plan and land. Blow it, and you may wreck the glider and die. For the owners of the sailport, they are risking a $40,000 glider in your care. It is not an approval given lightly.

Just before lunch, I set out in an ASK23 (single seat rather than dual) glider for my first solo flight. As recommended, I towed high, to 5,000 feet, so I’d have time to get used to this glider I had never flown before.

What a thrill to be up there by myself! It was beautiful. I had time to enjoy the view of the Sutter Buttes to the east, the only volcanic peaks within the Central Valley of California:

Now, I had to plan my approach correctly and land. Is this hard? Yes and no. With experience, it seems routine. But the stakes are very high. Once you are up in the air, alone, you just get one chance each flight to do this right.

My landing was not perfect, but good. Hooray! One more step. Now, I focus on improving my piloting skills.

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Having completed another step (10 solo flights), it is time for me to move on.

(Note: in early September 2017 I returned briefly to qualify for and take my FAA test ride. On September 15th, I succeeded, and now have my permanent Glider Pilot’s License)

Special thanks to Ben Mayes and Rex Mayes (and Mal) of Williams Soaring.

Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe, California, USA

Lake Tahoe, altitude 6,225 feet, straddles the California-Nevada border in the dramatic Sierra Nevada mountains. The largest alpine lake in the USA, it is a sparkling jewel ringed by rugged peaks.

The Sierra Nevada mountains are special to me, as I have spent much time rock climbing in Yosemite Valley and hiking in this area.

On the first week of October in 1975, Judy and I took our three young children backpacking to the Desolation Wilderness Area high above Lake Tahoe.

Overnight, we had the first snow of the season. It was beautiful, but as we were not geared up for winter camping, we headed back down that morning.

The winter of 2016-17 had a snowpack 160% of normal, and the snow has persisted into the summer. As of June 16th, 2017, the Tioga Pass road from Yosemite Valley via Tuolumne Meadows was still closed due to heavy snowpack. The mountains ringing Lake Tahoe were still heavy with snow.

Merganser Duck, Lake Tahoe.   –Lyndal Hubbard

I had hoped to hike and camp in the Desolation Wilderness and other high areas in June, but the heavy snowpack above 7500 feet elevation made that seem implausible.

To check out the actual conditions, my first hike was from Meeks Bay (6240 feet) to Crag Lake (7441 feet)  in the Desolation Wilderness, a hike of about 10 miles round trip, with a climb of about 1300 feet total. For day hiking, you simply fill out a permit form at the trailhead (free) telling where you intend to hike, keep one part with you, and drop one part in the box.

The trail begins up a valley, and is boggy in places. In the morning, there were lots of bugs–glad I packed my bug headnet. Further up, as it climbs the hill above Meeks Creek, it is mostly dry and bug-free. Most of the trail is a pleasant 10% grade without steps, which is easy on your knees. The trail could be hiked in athletic shoes, but the wet patches and snow make waterproof mountain boots a better choice.

The creek was in full flood, and the sound of the rapids is pleasant. At one point you must cross the wide creek on a log bridge, which was damaged by winter flooding: two of the logs are washed sideways, and one is partially broken. However, you can cross with care. The snow was packed and easy to walk on.

 

Meeks Creek, Lake Tahoe, California from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

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Crag Lake. There was still snow on the surface of the lake at the edges.

As it turns out, camping at Crag Lake is already possible, as there are many suitable areas for tents that have no snow cover. If I had come with my tent and gear, I could have stayed (assuming I had obtained a permit!) I wish that I had, as it is lovely, and I would have had it to myself.

I tried a side hike on the Lake Genevieve trail toward the Pacific Crest Trail, but after a mile, the snow coverage increased, and I decided that I did not have the time/range that day, so I turned back. My hike wound up 11 miles and 1750 feet of climb.

The Sierra Nevada has pristine and dramatic rock formations and towering trees that are among the finest in the world. I’m pleased to get back into the back country and see the mountains of my youth again.

Good reading: The Big Rock Candy Mountain by Wallace Stegner.

As I drank my morning coffee, a small brown bear ambled up to the door leading in from the patio, stood up, and tried to open the lever handle. Fortunately, the door was locked. Earlier this year, another (perhaps the same?) bear had opened this door, come in, cleaned out the refrigerator and generally made a mess. Since then, the doors are kept locked day and night!

This morning, I headed up on the old Donner Pass Road to Donner Summit, to try hiking the ‘Mount Judah Loop’ trail. The snowpack may prevent this.

Much of this loop is on the Pacific Crest Trail, which stretches from Mexico to Canada. The scenery on the way is dramatic. On the mountainside across the way you can see the snowsheds built to protect the railroad tracks.

Donner Lake

 

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Not far from the trailhead, a section of trail was covered by a long steep snowslope. Crossing such a slope, you really should have crampons (removable set of spikes) on your boots, and an ice axe in your hands, because if you start sliding, you likely will not be able to stop. When you do this on purpose, it is called glissading, and is great fun. Doing it by accident can kill you. In this case, you’d wind up catapulted onto a big rock pile at the bottom.

Some people had kicked boot notches in the slope, and by following these carefully (and improving them), I was able to cross.

Ahead, the trail was mostly free of snow, climbing gradually toward the winter ski slopes of Sugarbowl Ski resort.

Unfortunately, after about 1 ½ miles, the patches of snow became nearly continuous, and without GPS it would have been impossible to stay on the trail route. I picked up a 3′ piece of broken bamboo trail marker, and used it as a crude ice axe just in case. It became clear that the upper trail would not be much fun to follow like this, so I turned back. I doubt that anyone will do the complete PCT this season.

Near the trailhead there are some old abandoned original train tunnels that may be walked through, so I did. Blasting these through the granite mountains back in the 1800s was quite a feat.

Union Pacific Railroad tunnel

Instead of detailing every hike I did in the Lake Tahoe area, I will include some specifics of interest, as well as more photo collages of this marvelous, spectacularly beautiful area.

Today I went stand-up paddleboarding for the first time, on Lake Tahoe:

A dear hiking friend literally made me do this (against my protestations that I had come here to hike). I must admit that the cold waters of this snow-melt fed deep alpine lake gave me pause. However, the reality was much different than I expected. I have windsurfed, so standing up on a board was not a new skill. It takes a bit of balance, but is not very difficult.

My initial thoughts were essentially “why do people spend hours doing this rather slow thing??” (of course, others may think this of the hiking I do so much of) Well, maybe because it is really beautiful and peaceful out there? I found paddleboarding to be a bit like meditation.

I still prefer hiking, but I now see the attraction, and may do it from time to time.

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I was a bit early for the prime wildflower season after this unusually heavy snow winter, but there were already many beautiful flowers to see.

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This area is so dramatic that I wish I could stay a few more months. However, it is time to move on to another adventure.

 

 

In 1967, Tassajara was established as the location for the first Zen training monastery outside of Japan. It is an iconic destination deep in the rugged mountains east of Big Sur, south of Monterey, California, USA. I will make this an exceptionally long and detailed report with lots of pictures.

Though Judy and I knew about Tassajara, it never seemed practical to go there. In the Day, we had three children to take care of under 10 years old, and not a lot of money. Later, we had worked our way up and had more money, and the children were grown, but foreign countries beckoned. I also was more interested in hot springs and Buddhism than Judy.

It seemed time to finally go visit this place, one of of the few ways to drive into the heart of the rugged mountains in this area, and an ideal base for hiking, hot springing, reading, and getting centered.

Tassajara Hot Springs were known to local Indians hundreds of years ago. News reports I read in the archives there held that Indians had come from as far away as Oregon to partake of the healing waters. I rather doubt these accounts. However, beginning in the 1860s, the springs were known to local pioneers, and soon Tassajara became a resort destination (one rather a challenge to go to, as you had to go by horse-drawn stage and then horseback to get there). The waters were sent for testing, and had 32 mineral elements, the most of any springs in the USA, and the waters were reputed to heal just about any ailment. By 1900, there was a 40 room hotel there, and many cabins. It became a popular resort destination in spite of the difficulty of access. Then, in 1949, a wildfire burned down that hotel, and many of the cabins.

In order to get to Tassajara today, you have to go to the far upper end of the Carmel Valley, south of Monterey, California, and then climb about 3500 feet on 14 mile long rough gravel road to an elevation of over 4800 feet. Then, you drop on an average grade of 14% (very steep) or more down into Tassajara. While 4WDs are recommended,  as I am experienced on rough gravel roads, I was able to safely do it in dry weather in a normal sedan. In wet weather, that would have been impossible.

From May till September, the San Francisco Zen Center, which owns and operates Tassajara, opens the grounds to guests as a way to raise funds for the Zen training program the rest of the year.

There are a variety of accomodations available (see link above). I stayed in what are known as the “Pine Cabins”.

My room was simple, with a comfortable bed, a separate bathroom, and an outside deck overlooking Tassajara creek.

The hot pool area was a short walk up the creek, and had separate men’s and women’s areas. You leave your shoes outside, and are required to shower off with soap before entering the pools to keep the water clean and fresh.

You must shower and wash with soap prior to using the bath, to keep the water clean. Tassajara spring water is 140°F as it comes out of the rocks, so it must be mixed with spring water to achieve about a 106°F temperature.

A faint odor of sulphur greets you, so you know this is not just a hot tub. There are also outdoor pools at 101°F

as well as a most unusual steam room. A pool of the 140°F water lies under the redwood decking, and the natural steam rises from it, heating the stone walled room.

Tassajara provides three ample vegetarian meals a day for guests.

Today’s lunch was lentil soup, fresh baked bread, complex salad, and a cookie. It was good! Breakfasts and lunches were simple, dinners more elaborate. All in all, very good and tasty food.

 

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The Zendō. (In Zen Buddhism, the zendō is a spiritual dōjō where zazen (sitting meditation) is practiced)

drum from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

There are a few local hikes available. My first was to the Wind Caves, about 5 1/2 miles and 1700 feet in elevation climb.
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The dramatic view from inside one of the larger Wind Caves in the sandstone cliff.

Another hike of similar length (3-4 hours) is the Horse Pasture trail.

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Near the end, as you circle back to Tassajara, you need to remove your boots and walk knee deep across the creek four times.

And a last small walk is the ‘memorial trail’

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Tassajara waterfall from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

The serpent in the garden? A baby. I relocated him off the path out of (our) harm’s way.

If you wish to bath in Tassajara Creek, you can walk 8/10s of a mile downstream, crossing the creek four times, to the ‘Narrows’

 

narrows from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

The waters of Tassajara Creek are clear, pure and…invigorating. About 50°F invigorating.

In the library near the Zendō, I found several of my favorite books from many years ago by Robert Johnson, a Jungian therapist. Titled “He”, “She”, “We”, “Owning your own Shadow”, and “Transitions”, there is much wisdom therein. I took time to re-read them. Here are a few quotes:

“To transform opposition into paradox is to allow both sides of an issue, both pairs of opposites, to exist in equal dignity and worth.” We need to do this in order to heal our society, so we can see the full truth, not just one side of it.

“The shadow consists of those aspects of your character that belong to you but that have not been given any conscious place in your life…assimilating one’s shadow is the art of catching up on those facets of life that have not been lived out adequately.”

This includes integrating your anima (the feminine part of your personality if you are a man) or your animus (the masculine part of your personality if you are a woman) with your male or female identity. It is essential to being whole and balanced.

“The persona is what we would like to be and how we wish to be seen by the world. It is our psychological clothing”

“The ego is what we are and know about consciously. The shadow is that part of us we fail to see or know.”

The path that I have embarked upon is that of owning my own shadow.

Back in California, the weather was glorious. Northern California in the spring and summer often has sunny, pleasant days with light breezes, shirtsleeve temperatures, and puffy cumulus clouds in a deep blue sky. At its best, there are few places in the world that are more appealing.

Sitting outside with my 10 year old grandson Jack, I noticed a four engine prop plane flying over the hills at about 2,000 foot altitude. Jack identified it as a B17 Flying Fortress bomber from World War II. He said he had been inside one when they were on tour, and that you could get to ride in one if you wished.

Though it was Memorial Day weekend, I decided to try to get a flight that weekend. We were lucky, and set off the next day to Moffett Field, the former home of NASA and three dirigible hangars.

The Collings Foundation has taken on the mission of restoring and keeping a number of vintage WWII airplanes in airworthy condition, and taking them around the country on exhibition.

The money that they raise by charging for flights supports their restoration work. I decided to chip in and take Jack along with me on a B17 flight.

The B17 was one of the workhorse bombers that helped win the second World War. It was fast and durable, and dropped more bombs than any other bomber in WWII. More than 12,000 were made by Boeing. Just 7 are still airworthy, and having a chance to fly in one was a thrill.

The B17 had 12 .50 caliber machine guns to defend itself. This one is in the tail. Others stuck out from openings in the sides of the plane, and one ‘ball turret’ one popped out of the bottom of the fuselage. It’s hard to imagine crouching inside that one, turning it around 360° to fire at attackers.

There were other planes in operation there. A P51 Mustang fighter plane flew along to escort the bomber squadrons.

On the left is a B25 bomber.

P51Mustang from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

There also was a big old B24 bomber that survived 130 missions.

At last our turn to fly arrived, and we climbed into the rather small door. Ten people got to ride at one time. We all sat on the floor and buckled in for takeoff.

 

B17G Flying Fortress from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

And now, time for takeoff:

B17GTakeoff from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

Directly behind Jack’s head is one of the .50 caliber machine guns.

The inside of the plane was bare bones military. You could see the structural beams of the plane, and touch the thin aluminum skin. The control cables run exposed along the ceiling, and we were sternly instructed to not touch them!

Soon, the four powerful engines roared to life, and off we went! It was a loud and powerful experience, speeding down the runway and then lifting off. Soon we were soaring high above the salt ponds of the San Francisco Bay.

As soon as we were airborne, we were allowed to unbuckle and walk around the plane. As there was movement and occasional turbulence, we were warned to always hold on to something.

Jack is looking out through one of the machine gun openings. The large caliber bullets in long chains looked ominous. We were glad that we did not have to go out to shoot and be shot at by such as these.

If you were courageous enough to walk forward over the bomb bay doors on this little bridge past a rack of bombs (hopefully disarmed), you could enter the radio room. There, the ceiling was open to the sky. You could stick a hand or your head up, but the wind was fierce and you had to be careful. Hats, sunglasses and cameras have been sucked out in the 120 mph wind.

Further up, you could watch the pilots at work, as long as you did not distract them in this busy flight area.

Below the cockpit and forward lay the bombardier’s cabin in the nose of the plane. There he sat, in a plexiglass bubble, with a better view than the pilots. From there he aimed at a target, and released the bombs at a precise time. It is a most impressive place to be if you enjoy heights and views.

Jack and I both went into this area. It was one of the highlights of the flight.

Those wooden boxes contained chains of .50 caliber bullets to feed the heavy machine guns.

3D view of the plane

This was a powerful experience, very unusual, and hard to explain. You felt the raw power of the aircraft, and also could feel a bit of what it must have been like to head off on a bombing mission in a fragile aluminum shell, knowing that your enemy would be firing bullets at you that would go through this shell (and you) like a knife through butter. It is a sobering experience, that though fascinating, does make you sense the seriousness and brutality of war. Jack’s comment on looking closely at the big bullets: “It’s sad that people can be this mean to each other.”

But, apart from that, it was a fabulous opportunity to fly in a vintage aircraft from 70 years ago. A great experience that brought us closer to the bare bones of aviation. In a passenger jet, you are in a cushy environment separated from the air rushing by at over 500 mph. Here, you felt it close to you, the power and the speed. Having just come off a month flying gliders in Arizona, it was a treat to experience another form of the flying that I have come to love. Being up there soaring with the hawks is always impressive.

B17GTaxiIn from Mel Malinowski on Vimeo.

Back on the ground 30 minutes later, we visited some other aircraft on display.

A fighter jet.

A Vietnam-era helicopter.

A spectator brought his vintage Russian sidecar motorcycle, a ‘Ural’

All in all, quite an adventure. I’m glad we made the effort and did this.