Powerhouse Fire, California; Keenwild 535 Helitack

Good morning from L70, Agua Dolce Airpark.  

Our fire crew's truck.  

Siller Brothers helitanker, an S61 Sikorsky helicopter.

Grand Canyon Helicopter's Bell helicopter. 

Powerhouse Fire command center.

Siller Brothers helitanker, an S61 Sikorsky helicopter.

Erickson Air Crane airtanker.

Super Puma.

USFS lunch.

My fuel truck.

Good morning from L70, Agua Dolce Airpark. 

Powerhouse Fire.

USFS lunch.

Wise words of wisdom from Taco Bell. 

Cierra stayed with Aunty Jewels and Beezy for a week, Cierra had a lot of fun and received a lot of love.

An airplane in my parking spot.  The folks at Agua Dolce Airpark were very kind and hospitable to us during our stay.

USFS vegetarian lunch (this sandwich was creme cheese and sliced cucumber).

This is not my crew, but the men and women in yellow and green are my heroes.  

USFS vegetarian lunch (veggie burger).

Driving by the fire camp.  The Powerhouse Fire burned more than 30,000 acres with up to 2,000 firefighters.  

Seeking shade under the fuel truck.

Presidential TFR (temporary flight restriction). We're the blue dot on the edge of the TFR.

PJ & a Bell 407.

USFS vegetarian lunch.

Seeking shade during lunch.  Jael (I call him El Jefe) and PJ.

Sometimes, we wait.

Me with my fuel truck.

One of two Huey's.

Feather.

Good morning from L70, Agua Dolce Airpark.

Our helitack crew.  Keenwild 535 Helitack, based in Mountain Center, California.  We will be dedicated to this crew for six months each year for a minimum of five years.

The lovely view my first morning in Idyllwild, California.

Cierra has a new friend named Jewels and Aunty Jewels gave her a bone.

A gift from My Honey, he knows what I like =}

The view from the helipad at Keenwild.

Our first evening at Keenwild.

The view of the station from the helipad at Keenwild.

My fuel truck.  I have to share it with Errol, the helicopter mechanic, because he has a CDL too and doubles as a fueler.  

My first breakfast in Idyllwild with My Honey and Cierra (woof!).

Driving around, getting to know Idyllwild.

Collecting small rocks.  

Cierra's new friend, Beezie.  She belongs to Aunty Jewels. 

Manzinita Tree 

Enjoying the tall trees on a beautiful morning. 

The largest pizza box I have ever seen, from Big Mouth Pizza in Santa Clarita, CA.

This is Trinity, she's 9 years old, she shuttled me around the airpark in her golf cart.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Super Puma. 

Powerhouse Fire, Keenwild 535 Helitack Crew

Diaz, Scott, Jael, PJ Hunt (pilot), Little Ryan & Big Ryan.

Powerhouse Fire

We've been working 14 hour shifts in California. I have pictures to share after I sleep, sort photos and locate a decent Internet connection.  There are about a dozen helicopters staged at Agua Dolce Airpark.

Little Treasures From My iPhone

Bunch o' dummies.  There were infant dummies on the table, I didn't take any pictures of them, they were creepy. 

Iced mocha coffee for my mommy.

A newly licensed ham radio operator.

No Kitty Bad Kitty loves to roll in the dirt.

Canine and feline, best of friends.

Enjoying what's left of the green grass before the summer sun and heat makes it all brown and crispy.

Because life is better upside down.

The last glimpse of the sunset the evening I took my ham radio license exam.

My son's project car, a Mazda Miata.

Pretty skies.

"Selfies" and I are not friends yet.
That yellow sun on my left arm will be gone soon.

Doggie kisses. 

Bountiful Baskets: carrots, cauliflower, squash, lettuce, mangos, cucumber, cantaloupe, corn, pineapple, grapefruit & tomatoes. 

Nick, playing with Cierra.  These two are 99% friends.  I think Nick was dropped on his head when he was a kitten, and Cierra knows it.

My son lighting his celebratory cigar at the end of his first week working fulltime as a mechanical engineering intern.