August 23, 201214 yr Having lunch after a morning of turkey hunting, high on the mountain on an open strip job. Two fighter jets fly by at eye level, tip their wings and are gone before I even hear them. COOL!
August 23, 201214 yr Well my buddy and I were camping up in Michigan a couple summers ago. One morning I heard something down by the creek that we had been situated next to, so I hustled out to see what it was. As it turned my head outside of the tent, I was almost in disbelief, because a gigantic bald eagle was eating the guts of the fish we had caught a few hours earlier. I was roughly 20 feet away from it, and I was shocked at how big they are close up. Just the first thing that popped into my head.
July 11, 201313 yr Every time I go to the ocean I stand in awe for a bit. Watching a colt be born. Skyline Drive in Virginia was pretty spectacular The airboat ride through the Everglades I took a few years ago was incredible.
July 11, 201313 yr Author Well my buddy and I were camping up in Michigan a couple summers ago. One morning I heard something down by the creek that we had been situated next to, so I hustled out to see what it was. As it turned my head outside of the tent, I was almost in disbelief, because a gigantic bald eagle was eating the guts of the fish we had caught a few hours earlier. I was roughly 20 feet away from it, and I was shocked at how big they are close up. Just the first thing that popped into my head. That thieving son of a.... You know, that's precisely why Benjamin Franklin was opposed to choosing it as the national symbol. Check out this excerpt from a letter he wrote to his daughter, "For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him. With all this Injustice, he is never in good Case but like those among Men who live by Sharping & Robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank Coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District. He is therefore by no means a proper Emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our Country... I am on this account not displeased that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America... He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on."
July 11, 201313 yr Author Every time I go to the ocean I stand in awe for a bit. Watching a colt be born. Skyline Drive in Virginia was pretty spectacular The airboat ride through the Everglades I took a few years ago was incredible. I remember distinctly seeing the ocean for the first time. It was the first time that I, or any of my brothers had seen it. I was six years old, and it was at the Outer Banks in North Carolina, which wasn't nearly so built up as it is now. We got there around 4:00pm on a rainy overcast day, and when we arrived at our rental cottage, we were just over the backside of a dune from the beach. We could hear the ocean and smell the water, but we couldn't see it. We had all been sleeping in the car, so we were a little foggy-headed as we opened the door of the van, but we were all instantaneously "called" towards the water as we got out and heard the surf. My parents couldn't even start to corral us as we took off over the dune and ran into the water - clothes and all. We were all absolutely amazed at the ocean. I think about that literally every single time I vacation at the beach.
July 13, 201313 yr I've got quite a few but I'll try to narrow it down. If your going to the Grand Canyon be sure to give yourself a day or two in Bryce Canyon and Zion Canyon. And when you go to Bryce do so when there is a new moon. I have never seen so many stars in my life. One of the most incredible things I had seen, can't even begin to put it in words. Plus, the canyon is awesome! At Zion...well there are massive cliffs with just a straight drops offs. I was 13 at the time. Me and my sister ran out in front of mom and dad and we had a good two minutes on them and we were out of their visual. We were hiking on a trail and we came to a point where the trail ends and you have to start climbing. We were holding onto chain for support when a German couple came through...only one person can go up or down this chain at a time. The German lady tells, "I not let go of rope!" Never will forget that. So me and my sister are holding onto a bush...THIS IS WHEN MOM SEES US! She yells at dad so loud and dad briskly walks/climbs. By the time he catches up to us the German couple had passed. At this point dad says lets continue on (mom stayed put). We got to the top of this trail and were by one of those vertical drops. I remember thinking when I walked a little closer to the edge that I didn't trust my body. So I had to crawl to look over the edge. It was surreal.
July 13, 201313 yr These two are back in my wildland firefighting days. It was the 4th of July and we were fighting the Griffin Fire (a small fire only the size of an acre or two) near Mt. Charlston in Nevada. Were where the initial attack team so we were up there for the night (8,500' elevation). We were bunking in the black (already burnt area so we were safe from the fire. Anyhow, night time comes and we have a clear view of Las Vegas, NV. That was one of the coolest firework shows I have ever seen. Couldn't hear any bangs of booms so it was weird, but it was awesome. The next one...we were hiking into a fire (ugh...helicopter rides were so much better). Time of day is around 2 pm...blazing hot. We were in a winding canyon. Sudden, two A-10 Warthogs fly over. I just looked up in time to see them. These guys were flying inside the canyon. They had to be only 70-80 feet above us. Super loud but by the time you heard them they were gone.
July 13, 201313 yr I've got quite a few but I'll try to narrow it down. If your going to the Grand Canyon be sure to give yourself a day or two in Bryce Canyon and Zion Canyon. And when you go to Bryce do so when there is a new moon. I have never seen so many stars in my life. One of the most incredible things I had seen, can't even begin to put it in words. Plus, the canyon is awesome! [ATTACH=CONFIG]40410[/ATTACH] At Zion...well there are massive cliffs with just a straight drops offs. I was 13 at the time. Me and my sister ran out in front of mom and dad and we had a good two minutes on them and we were out of their visual. We were hiking on a trail and we came to a point where the trail ends and you have to start climbing. We were holding onto chain for support when a German couple came through...only one person can go up or down this chain at a time. The German lady tells, "I not let go of rope!" Never will forget that. So me and my sister are holding onto a bush...THIS IS WHEN MOM SEES US! She yells at dad so loud and dad briskly walks/climbs. By the time he catches up to us the German couple had passed. At this point dad says lets continue on (mom stayed put). We got to the top of this trail and were by one of those vertical drops. I remember thinking when I walked a little closer to the edge that I didn't trust my body. So I had to crawl to look over the edge. It was surreal. I found a photo of that chain...and "trail".
July 19, 201313 yr Several years ago, I was bass fishing and trolling close to the bank. I spotted a large copperhead on the bank that was facing the water and in striking position. Suddenly, he strikes in the water and returns with what appeared to be an 8" trout in his mouth. I was amazed at the precision it took to strike into the water and get the fish head first and return with the tail end hanging out of his mouth.
July 30, 201313 yr Rocky Mountain National Park and the tundra atop Trail Ridge road, along with the scenery going up it. Stunning. The red rocks/mountains surrounding Sedona, AZ. Beautiful. The Blue Ridge Mountains. Big Sur. The Big Thompson River in Colorado. If anyone ever doubted there was a God, all you would have to do is show them this.
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