some shots from a trip to Phoenix to see Meg; went to Flagstaff and the south rim of the Grand Canyon in between

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a view from atop Brown Rd Hill in east Mesa, AZ my moth and gear on top of Brown Rd. Hill it's a lot further down than it looks the overheating crew after a mild climb on I-17 north of Phoenix cellsite waiting for the car to cool off cool lava dune for Jessica what a rip.  Don't get gas in the little town just south of the south rim.  Instead, drive out to Desert View, where it was $1.81 (still a rip, but close to average for the area). our plane (1970 Dehavilland DHC6-2-300 modified) that looks like a fuse, but I'm sure it's something else a good place to thelma and louise if you had a hummer if you look closely here, there appear to be two large rafts docked on the shore in the middle-left of this image, on the far bank of the smaller waterway that's horizontal planeshadow note the two rafts docked up against the shore in the left half of the image (light blue water area off of the main channel) the "we just flew out the backside of a 1000fpm thermal" chair grab on final, with an incredible descent rate with 20 degree flaps. I can only imagine a short-field in one of these. obligatory post-landing cockpit shot ahh, the grandeur footprints one of the less fortunate visitors to the Grand Canyon area one of the less fortunate visitors to the Grand Canyon area one of the less fortunate visitors to the Grand Canyon area This sign was obviously created by someone at the NPS who has previous experience in the picture Bible industriy. LA tags ooh! a chair! oops Dodge caravan front left (and yes, it squealed before I touched the rotor.)  Squeals/pulses on stops but pads look to be okay; guessing that the rotor is a bit warped from mountain braking earlier in the summer. Still stops fine and doesn't seem dangerous natural selection at work; the path to the left and around to the much larger rock 15' below looked far safer, but luckily judgement prevailed and he stopped there. enjoying the view also enjoying the view dinner meta-picture winds were 15-25 in the evening at this point note the airplane that went by in the upper right nice cloud streeting very thin layer of ice melting off from the descent through the clouds Houston Houston descent into Hobby descent into Hobby spoilers A sequence of images showing a piece of paper towel left on the wing by a maintenance guy as it blows off the wing on the takeoff roll.  It was almost completely gone before Vr. A sequence of images showing a piece of paper towel left on the wing by a maintenance guy as it blows off the wing on the takeoff roll.  It was almost completely gone before Vr. A sequence of images showing a piece of paper towel left on the wing by a maintenance guy as it blows off the wing on the takeoff roll.  It was almost completely gone before Vr. A sequence of images showing a piece of paper towel left on the wing by a maintenance guy as it blows off the wing on the takeoff roll.  It was almost completely gone before Vr. A sequence of images showing a piece of paper towel left on the wing by a maintenance guy as it blows off the wing on the takeoff roll.  It was almost completely gone before Vr. A sequence of images showing a piece of paper towel left on the wing by a maintenance guy as it blows off the wing on the takeoff roll.  It was almost completely gone before Vr. A sequence of images showing a piece of paper towel left on the wing by a maintenance guy as it blows off the wing on the takeoff roll.  It was almost completely gone before Vr. takeoff from Houston Hobby (HOU) takeoff from Houston Hobby (HOU) takeoff from Houston Hobby (HOU) takeoff from Houston Hobby (HOU) takeoff from Houston Hobby (HOU) takeoff from Houston Hobby (HOU) takeoff from Houston Hobby (HOU) takeoff from Houston Hobby (HOU) saw the plume of smoke from this fire while heading up toward Northside Drive from I-20 on my way home from Birmingham airport saw the plume of smoke from this fire while heading up toward Northside Drive from I-20 on my way home from Birmingham airport saw the plume of smoke from this fire while heading up toward Northside Drive from I-20 on my way home from Birmingham airport saw the plume of smoke from this fire while heading up toward Northside Drive from I-20 on my way home from Birmingham airport saw the plume of smoke from this fire while heading up toward Northside Drive from I-20 on my way home from Birmingham airport