Independence Day 2018

We celebrated Independence Day in Independence, where else?? In the morning we went to the parade and saw all the usual floats and antique cars and tractors, but this Mad Max-style car caught my eye. It broke down a couple blocks into the parade route, hence the few close-ups. I expect to see steel spikes welded onto the front of it next year:

We went back to the Conrads to cool off afterwards (it was hotter than blazes all day) and brace ourselves before going back out. There wasn't as much going on that afternoon as usual, probably due to the heat. The airport wasn't doing plane rides this year due to a change in ownership, so hopefully they resume next year. Emily was blowing some pretty rad bubbles while we were cooling off:

For lunch we grilled burgers and dogs and then went back outside. Even though the heat index was 105, it actually felt comfortable once we started playing in the water:

The Pork Tornadoes played their first show in Indy, they were fun to see. It almost didn't happen due to the random rain showers that kept passing through, but then it cleared up and the temperature dropped nearly 20 degrees! 

Waiting for the fireworks show!

Happy Independence Day 2018!

Flying High

Independence Day in Independence was a blast, but the most fun thing we did was go for a scenic ride in a Cessna! During the parade that morning we saw a plane fly overhead pulling a banner that advertised $20 plane rides and that was an adventure we couldn't pass up. Cynthia and I drove out the the rural airstrip after the parade and went up for a ride over town and got some cool shots.

The plane was a slow-moving Cessna 172 Skyhawk II:

When we met our pilot we were surprised to see that she looked like she was in high school, but as it turns out she was a college student and had been flying planes for years. We both thought she looked a lot like Lauren Lapkus, heh.

We piled in and taxied down to the head of the runway:

Woo hoooo!

I told the pilot that I was a photographer and she let me open my window so I could get clearer shots:

As soon as I stuck my camera out the window I realized how hard it was going to be keep it steady as I took pictures. It's not the same as sticking something out a car window, a plane travels faster and that wind will about beat you to death if you don't sit back. Made me glad that I stuck to my self-imposed rule of never holding my camera without it strapped around my neck.

We're flying!

Independence, Iowa:

The Wapsi River:

The south side of town with the old high school and the public pool:

The old mill along Main St.:

People out cruisin' the Wapsi:

The train depot. The pilot (I forgot her name) banked sharply in a few spots so I could get a good shot straight down:

I like this shot mainly because the way the lens gives the horizon some curvature and it makes the earth feel so much smaller:

There's St John's Church in the middle and the Buchanan County Courthouse at the bottom:

And the old mill again as we circle back over town:

Lots of trees and stuff:

Banking to line up with the runway:

Then we landed and that was a bummer because the time went so fast while we were flying high.