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Here’s the arrival of the new helicopter into the Merlin/Grants Pass Airport…  in service and ready to serve.

So, the new helicopter made it in safely and it’ll be in service very soon!!  More pictures to come.

Not the most flattering article I’ve read, but it does show what we’re dealing with bringing in a new company and breaking into the ‘Old Boys Club’…  It’s a little hard to read here, but the bottom line is that there are some people in the community (Fire Chiefs and others) who want to stick…

Just a few pictures from our new base in Medford, OR for the fixed wing aircraft.  Nothing too fancy, but just right, and a work in progress.  We even had a sit down meal with the crew for thanksgiving.

So, I took a little trip back to Iowa and the U.P. of Michigan for the first time in 2 1/2 years.  Wasn’t enough time, but I got to see just about everyone I wanted to.  These pictures are from the hunting portion of the trip up to the U.P. with my Dad and Brother.…

So, another rough day of training…  with a little tour of Oregon.  We flew from Merlin (Grants Pass) north to Roseburg then continued north to Eugene and Salem and then to Portland and Hillsboro for lunch and fuel.  Then over McMinnville and Evergreen Aviation Museum and over the coastal range to Coos Bay.  Then down the…

So… let me start out by saying…  I can’t believe they’re paying me to do this…  I’m just starting off, but so far it’s been pretty darn cool…  the grin hasn’t left my face yet.  On Saturday (10-4-2014) we took an orientation / PR flight from Merlin (3S8) to Coos Bay (KOTH) then to Roseburg…

So, it was hotter then…. well, it was hot today!!!  I waited until it cooled off a little and headed up into the mountains for a little sunset bike ride and to set up my hammock as a test.  I successfully set up the hammock and then continued on my ride to get a view…

A buddy of mine and I went for a short little ride from Grants Pass to Gold Beach via Bear Camp Road…  It’s a little (mostly single lane) black top road that winds through the mountains and heads to the coast.   There are small sections of gravel, no guard rails, steep drop offs, and…

I took the bike out a couple of times on roads less traveled…  A trip halfway to Agness on Bear Camp Road with a buddy, and then some gravel and dirt roads up around Onion Mountain…  I haven’t dropped it yet, and I’m not looking forward to picking it up by myself either…  slow speeds…