Turkey here we come!

It's been a while since I've posted anything and for this I apologize. I've been consumed with some events going on in my life which have kept me from not only posting here, but I've not written an article for the Deseret News for some time either. Hopefully soon!

Two days to Turkey. Kim and I decided we would throw caution to the wind and head for Istanbul on tuesday. We debated for several weeks if this was where we should go, or should we try Scotland or Italy instead of our original choise of Turkey. Right now, things look good for traveling standby as long as we can get to Washington DC to catch our international flight.

We have some wonderful plans and I'm sure an article will come out of this trip at least. Who knows, maybe I'll be inspired to continue my Daniel and Kylee stories with a trip to Eurasia. I'll keep you all posted.

I'll definitely keep this blog up to date while we are gone.

CAH

Wonderful weekend with a B-17

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Yesterday Kim and I had the opportunity to fly on 'Sentimental Journey', a world war II B-17G that was on tour this week in Ogden, Utah. We took off around 9am and flew for half an hour and it was as much fun as I've ever had no an airplane. Based in Mesa as part of the Commemorative Air Force, Sentimental Journey is a beauty to behold. After take off, we were permitted to walk around the inside and view the ground, and plane, from all angles.

This was something I've wanted to do for a long time. Thanks to Kim for going with me and sharing so many of my same interests. We both truly have "it" in our blood.

My heart felt thanks to the people of this generation. To the men who flew and served on the planes and the women who stayed home to build them, and everyone else who sacrificed to preserve the freedom I enjoy today. These people are almost as rare as this great warbird and all those who love America owe them so much. They were an example for all those who have served since.

Thank you again.

CAH

Finally Finished

Finally, 'The Inca Prophecy' is completed. My thanks to my wife Kim and my editor Darlene Oliver for their enormous efforts and help. I really do appreciate what they have done.

The Book has been sent to the printer and should be available very soon at amazon.com, on the kindle and the nook, as well as from me.

It's always a really cool feeling to see your efforts, no matter what the endeavor, come to fruition. I love to write, it's not something that comes easily to me but I love to be creative. Once again, I hope the people that read 'The Inca Prophecy' will enjoy it as much as my first book, 'Whispers from the Past'.

thank you for giving me the opportunity to add to your enjoyment!!

CAH

in just a few days.........

I've finished making my corrections to 'The Inca Prophecy'. Kim will make her corrections this weekend  and monday we'll submit the new text and I'll order about 50 copies for my friends at work and abroad....Reserve your copy now!!!

Finally!!!!! Some progress.

Yesterday, at approximately 6pm, Kim and I finished preparing my second novel for publication. Thanks to Kim for her devoted help and her ability to figure out how to do things on the computer. The book is 'The Inca Prophecy' and I ordered three proof copies from Amazon.com. Once I receive them, and they have been read and corrections noted, I will resubmit the book and it becomes available for purchase. It's been a long time coming and I can't wait to see it in my hands.

Approximately two weeks ago, we were returning to DFW from a long weekend spent at Kim's cabin in Big Bear California. We disembarked from the plane and walked through to the unsecure side of the airport to get our luggage. I noticed a good friend who works with me standing by the luggage carousel with his three daughters. The oldest one, approximately eleven years old, was jumping up and down when I approached. I disbelieved she was excited to see me but that was exactly what was happening. She had read my first book 'Whispers from the Past' and her dad had seen me and pointed me out to her. Even though my stories have not been marketed, I'm so happy that the people who have purchased them have enjoyed them as much as they have. I hope 'The Inca Prophecy' gets the same reaction.

BTW....not only is 'Whispers available on amazon.com in paperback or for the kindle, as of yesterday it's also available for the Barnes and Noble Nook!

A Ride in History

It took 5 days longer than I had hoped, but was well worth the 45 minutes of flight.

Last Thursday, Kim, Logan, and I flew on the Southern Cross; A World War II era C-47. We took off from Meacham Field 630pm and flew around Fort Worth and then Arlington before returning to the airport.

The Plane yawed and dropped the entire way from the time the big soft tires left the ground to the time the plane landed. We were allowed to walk around the old fuselage and take pictures of both the inside and out. It was absolutely the funnest plane ride I've ever experienced, and the shortest too.

Here are a few of the pictures I took, which are limited because of the one time the plane yawed and the camera was dropped and broken; my wife is very sorry.

I can't wait to fly on my next warbird ride which I'm hoping will be later this year.

I love airplanes, writing, and my family.

It's been a while since I've posted, hopefully I won't forget anything I have to say.

Tomorrow morning, hopefully, I'll get my father's day present. We are going to to go fly on a World War II C-47 in Fort Worth. Basically, it's the same air frame as a DC-3 but was utilized heavily during the war. Anyone who watched the HBO special, 'Band of Brothers' would recognize it as the plane Easy Company jumped out of on D day and other jumps that were made.

It's not the bomber I want to fly on the most, but it will be fun and no where near as expensive. I'll take lots of pictures and post them on my blog as well as facebook.

'The Inca Prophecy' is soooo close to being published, I can taste it! The book itself is ready to print but I'm waiting for editing on the first two chapters of 'The Kiwi Conspiracy' to add at the end so people can see what the next story is about.

I can't wait to see it in print. I've had several people ask me when it will be ready. My friend Hector told me his daughter is reading 'Whispers from the Past' a second time and is awaiting anxiously the next installment. I hope it doesn't disappoint.

I've had a total of 8 travel articles published in either the Deseret News or the Mormon Times. I have 3 more submitted but haven't seen them in print yet. I'm really grateful for the opportunity to write about the trips I've had the opportunity to take. I hope I'll be able to continue to contribute.

Kim, Logan, and I went to the Cavanaugh Flight Museum today in Addison Texas. I took Connor to the same museum three weeks ago. In addition to seeing the regular planes, we got to see Ol' 927 again. This is the B-24 I'm hoping to volunteer on that is owned by the Commemorative Air Force. It was suppose to be flying now but after an annual inspection, they found vibration in the number 1 engine and it will probably be a month before they are able to fly it again. I want to work on it sooooo bad. Only two of them flying in the world and such a huge part of history. It was the B-24 that the national poster girl, Rosie the Rivetor, was created. Over 18,000 were built and a great deal of the work was performed by women who were left when their husbands went to war. I'm so proud to be American. I'm so proud my father was in the Navy during World War II. I'm so excited to have the opportunity to work on, or fly on, any Warbird.

Thank you to my wife Kim. She has worked so hard helping me get my stories ready for publishing. Her advice has proven invaluable. She's pretty cute to boot. Not only has she done marvelous things with my writing, but she also loves aviation and supports my love of flying, working on planes, and teaching me about helicopters.


Good bye for now.

Happy Mother's Day

My mom doens't read my blog. In fact, I don't think she would know how to even find it. But this one is for her.

Tomorrow is Mother's Day. My mom has seen many of them in the past and hopefully many more in the future. I do want to take this opportunity to tell her how much I love her and appreciate everything she has done for me. When so many have turned away from me, my mom has always been a huge support. During times of trial, she was always there to tell me she had been praying for me and doing everything she could to help me make it through to the end. Thank you mom. In less than a month she will be celebrating her 87th birthday. I'm so glad I've had you and dad around this long in my life.

Also, I want to tell my wife Kim how much I love her and Happy Mother's Day to her too. She has picked up the pieces and done her best to assemble something respectable. I owe you so much and hope we'll be celebrating this holiday together 50 years from now. Ewwww...well...I'll be 98 then so maybe not.

And lastly for this week. The Deseret News has published a new article about my trip to Ireland with Heather. There are some cute pics of her too. I hope people who follow my travel articles in the Deseret News or the Mormon Times will enjoy this latest piece. Here is the link.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705372225/Emerald-Isle---a-beautiful-and-historical-treat.html?pg=2

September 11, 2001

On the morning of September 11th, 2001, Mike Dransfield and I stayed at work on overtime to run the engines of one of AA's MD-11 aircraft after completing a B-check. I remember we had to take the plane down to the end of the runway rather than running it up on our own blast fence outside the hangar. The blast fence was already occupied.

After the run-up was completed, we were free to go. I remember specifically getting into my firebird and listening to the sports talk radio show I listened to every morning. At this point, nobody knew what was going on except that a plane had hit one of the two twin towers of the World Trade Center. I listened all the way home, a 25 minute drive. During that time, the second tower had been hit and there was no doubt the acts were malicious.

I could not go to sleep. I watched the television intensely as the first of the two towers fell and then the second. I remember feeling sick to my stomache and disbelief. Word came out that two of MY airplanes were used that day; one in the World Trade Center and the one in the Pentagon.

That night at work, after not having very much sleep, we performed A and PS checks on airplanes; airplanes that were parked all over, even lining up on the taxiways. The sky was devoid of traffic and the customary roar of jet engines at the airport was missing. American Airlines operated around 1,000 airplanes at this time because of the recent purchase of TWA. Every one of the planes was grounded and had to be parked somewhere. I've never seen anything like it since and hope I never do again.

The killing of Osama bin Laden seems almost as surreal as that morning. I have no idea what will come of  the news either. I worry that the media is too optimistic about it and yet I want to hope that the real threat of 9/11 happening again is over. But like the Hydra, you cut off the head and two grow back in its place.

I love my country. I fight back tears when I go to a Rangers game and the national anthem is performed. I appreciate what I have and what my family enjoys. I pray to God that he will continue to watch over our land and help those in authority defeat those with evil in their hearts.

It's decided!

It's decided! This will be the first WW2 bomber Kim and I fly on. It's the B-17 belonging to the Arizona wing of the Commemorative Air Force based in Mesa. She is named Sentimental Journey and we cannot wait to fly on her. Check out this link to see the beautiful girl fly.         http://vimeo.com/18135369

This particular plane saw action in the Pacific during the war. It's quite expensive to fly on but the price is tax deductable and we need the deductions so why not enjoy it?

Wanting badly to do this!

This is something I've been interested in doing for several years now but so far, the experience has eluded me. This is a picture of a North American B-25 Mitchell. It is one of a few that still flies and the cool thing is, several of them offer rides to the public.

The rides are quite expensive, 395.00 for 1 hour is the best price I've found on Miss Mitchell based in Minnesota. All it would take is two extra days of work and I could pay for Kim and I both to ride the beautiful WWII bomber.

I've also been thinking of doing something else that is related. Just west of us, in Midland Texas, is the original branch of  the Commemorative Air Force. They have the only flying B-29, Fifi, and one of two flying B-24's in existence. I've contacted them already and they would like me to volunteer time to help do maintenance on them. What an experience this would be. My problem is time. But maybe I could work a friday a month to help maintain an important part of history.

If Kim and I ride on the B-25, or any of the other three bombers you can still get rides on, I'll definitely update it here. And, I'm sure, I'll drive people I come in contact with nuts talking about it.