…and nothing else to think.
Except I thought to make a trip over the hill
through Sierra Valley’s diminishing pogonip,
hi-tech road repair leaving Doyle,
the Sand Peoples’
and Sand Pass
to Wall Spring
…and Birdfeet.
The sun finally showed on
Thursday
[the object below, souvenir burner from a water heater that may or may not have exploded, contributing to the demise of a bunkhouse on the YP Desert burnt to the ground about ten years ago, currently resides on our East Porch.]
Meanwhile…
we were surveilled by the WWll fighter* which with some regularity approaches from the south,
circles twice and returns from whence it came…
curious.
Quiet days, punctuated by UPS in a Penske truck [the substitute driver rolled the regular one -how? – while Mick was on vacation] with my dryland seed mix,
Granite Propane bringing a replacement thermostat and, Friday, Chris Mahannah to monitor the water followed later by Linda up to meet her Truckload of Art which as of 3:30 p.m.
Mountain Time was just leaving Colorado Springs…the whole week leading up to that dogged with uncertainty as to whether anyone would be around to help us unload said truckload which, as of Friday night, despite many and several calls to Town
as well as putting the Word Out in the [two] local bars, remains unresolved.
*[ideas as to what this Mysterious Aircraft might be would be most welcome]
I bet the plane is someone’s hobby. They like to fly it but not too far from its home base… and I can think of few places more beautiful to be flying than where you are.
Pogonip! What a great new word (I’ll probably not have much opportunity to use). It’s not a P51 or a P39 or a P47, it somehow it feels like a Navy plane, a Douglas SBD Dauntless? It seems to have a big canopy,
A Paiute word, originally, I believe. I thought Dauntless at first but they’re fatter, thicker-winged…Kirk’s T-6 looks promising [though the nose on this one seems longer]. Mr. McMillen’s YAK also has some similarities but its tail is much rounder…definitely a vintage “hobby” plane, flying out of Stead, home base for the Air Show where many people keep old aircraft year round. He shows up a couple of times a month, nice camouflage, no discernible markings.
May be a variant of the Texan T-6?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_T-6_Texan
But the tail on the one circling Wall looks like it’s from a Texan T-6 II
That article mentions T-6 races at the Reno Air Show; there’s a photo of both the original T-6 flying with a T-6 II.
I like that b/w shot of the road at Sand Pass; great snow texture.
Can’t believe the roof on the trashed house there hasn’t collapsed by now!
Hi Michael,
The tail of the ‘mystery’ plane reminds me of the Yakovlev Yak-52 which is a Russian trainer.
Thanks for your blog and the photographs.
Very much enjoyed!
It is a case of “Man In A High Castle” syndrome.
(Are there markings on the fuselage, tail, wings?)
For some folks, it is the process that abides/provides.
(“Dude! Hey! I’ve got a beverage here!”)
Hi Michael,
Just a brief note to tell you how much I enjoy your blog and the photos–you have a very good eye! Keep them coming.
Phil Linhares
Thanks Phil! Hope all’s well; ever sell the Auburn?
I too like that black and white shot as well as the second to the last shot…but all of them are beautiful. I really love your winter landscape…so tough and different from the tender spring and summer.