ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF A PILOT

RESUMING THE STORY ---- Tor's first moment of freedom---managed to catch this pict---she escaped from her cage--Joyce worried---it cannot survive here---wrong environment for a scrub jay. It flew excitedly about from tree to tree for 2 hours or so---refusing our calls---and then got hungry--returned--begging for food. A visitor, not knowing the situation, was stunned to see a "wild" bird land on Joyce's arm. Wished I had caught his surprised look on camera.

A terrific, all night, rain deluged us and we woke to this scene. We mobilized our survival skills to make a fire--even with wet wood. The low clouds meant we could not safely take off. Who knows when they will clear.

And then the sun came out--Joyce performed the sun dance--familiar I guess to all pilots.

This strange man emerged from the woods---carrying soft drinks and charming Joyce into a hug. Is that not a classic cowboy face and body. His belt buckle also worthy of note--made of elk antler horn base.

Holes opened up in the sky ---we pack and prepare to leave.

Is it superstition or nostalgia that motivates her to turn the prop by hand a few times? The battery works just fine.

And we're off ---confident all is well.

That's hungry horse reservoir---one of many in Montana. This state is certainly on top of its water situation.

Back over the Swan mountains, we decide to drop in on Kalispell, Mt.

Landed-took a walk--and bought some cold flathead cherries from a cheerful vendor.

Joyce opts to purchase fuel from another airport across the lake--Rohan--here we are landing. Landings are more "thrilling" to me than takeoffs. Pilots call scary moments "pucker moments."

Fuel cost $4.25 a gallon.

Back at Thompson Falls--she tilts right for this photo--showing the now-dammed-up fall site.

And back to our starting point. The mouth of that valley ahead is the site of numerous Indian wars--a choke point for tribal disputes and ambush.

RANDY PHILOSOPHIZES: I'm struck by the speed up of life that airplanes make possible---by the extended range and richness they facilitate. In a single day we experienced weeks worth of change and sensation. I'm moved to poetry---redacting bits from two of my poems--I will call this rhythmic collage: AIRPLANE PEOPLE CONDENSING TIME

Their moments, like our moments will--

brush them by and over the hill.

they let them go without delay--

knowing millions more are on the way.

With relaxed intent, they glide through events

on wings like a fast-moving knife;

So these air pioneers live three hundred years

in the span of a single life.

A REAL LIVE BIRD WHISPERER

Meet Joyce and Tor--a delightful pair of aviatrixs--guest of mine for a few days. Tor is a very young scrub jay (short for rapTOR the genus she belongs to) given to Joyce just 4 days ago by an animal rescue shelter because it wouldn't eat. Not a problem for Joyce, who really is a bird whisperer and had it eating right away. She's rescued many birds over the years--has an aviary in her back yard---is especially fond of crows. One day while we were walking in town we heard a god-awful sound in the distance which she immediately identified as the begging call of an immature crow not quite ready to feed itself---I doubted--we located the source--sure enough --a mother crow was being badgered by her lazy offspring.

Tor also is reluctant to feed itself--so Joyce demonstrates the training proces.

Tor wants the food put directly in its mouth--and Joyce obliges---for a few bites---Then gradually distances--as she makes a feeding sound and points to food on the cutting board. In minutes the bird "got it" and was happily pecking away.

She taught me how to invite Tor into my life---a wonderful feeling to hold a willing wild bird.

In no time at all I became a trusted friend. You know you have a friend when they begin to take you for granted.

Curious and very active--always wanting to be where the action is.

And seemingly always hungry---not shy announcing it---learning I am an easy touch.

She will eat her fill-----and then---

start hiding food---here she puts a tidbit under the remote.

We're not sure why she does this---looked like sunbathing.

Very playful---here pecking away at my buttons.

Especially liked sitting on my head.

And suddenly she wanted to nap---AAAAHHHH--right there on my arm---how adorable----I just waited till her nap was over--you would have too!

Tomorrow I will pick up our wilderness adventure story--show you the pilot sun dance and take you with me into the inner circle of a pilot cluster.

UPDATE: Just received word that Tor is already flying outside freely---shows up for mealtime as expected. Joyce says that the separation process to full independence takes only about 2 weeks at which time the bird is on its own and will no longer come to humans.

UPDATE: Mon 8/23/10---Joyce reports that Tor is now spending days and nights outside on its own and will occasionally come when called. But Sunday night he showed up at the window demanding to be let in---she did---and it spent the night on a curtain rod and shared breakfast the next day before flying away.

FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES

This pilot lady (mistakenly) thought she owed me a favor.

So she flew her plane several hundred miles

To this lovely little town--Thompson Falls, Montana.

To join me at the airport where I'd settled in

And take me off on a grand adventure up this beautiful valley.

Out to the middle of that lake---(Flathead Lake--largest west of the Mississippi)---then up and over those mountains--

To this little known pilot hideaway in the wilderness--a landingstrip maintained by the forestry service for fire fighting purposes.

Feels delicious to be in the middle of nowhere.

A weather front prompted us to make camp for the night---she astonished me with the emergency equipment she pulled from her plane---all the comforts of good living--including food.

So we settled in for the day and night

And explored our area--Named Spotted Bear---splashed about in this river. Oh sweet people--it comforts my mind to know that places like this--free and wild--still exist--and are carefully protected by the citizens of Montana. I detected a benevolent conspiracy by everyone in this state to preserve its wilderness areas.

Ah, but I have only begun to share this experience with you--tomorrow I will dazzle you with a lovely surprise---did you notice the cage on the picnic table?

WHO CAN WAKE UP A SLEEPING TOWN

KODGER KING AND SUPERMODEL FIND THE ANSWER Walking the sleepy streets of St Anthony, Idaho--Nicole and I happened upon this scene---not sure whether destruction or construction is happening here. First impression suggest a bombed out ruin---and yet---and yet---It's a very classy--nicely proportioned---inviting ruin. Obviously some artist has a vision he is seeking to communicate and he means to include this whole city block.

Meet Ken Matthews, the man with the vision. He mortgaged his farm to buy the whole block---has in mind a super hostel--appealing enough to be a destination in itself for touring bicyclist and others. St Anthony is not yet awake to its own beauty---an almost divinely blessed town with a river flowing through it and recreational dunes only 6 miles away---an old fashioned swimming hole Norman Rockwell could have designed. Stores and the theater are closed---the town is asleep.

Like an old testament prophet--rising up when needed---Ken got his vision and found the courage to act. As with great movie directors, even he, does not see the completed picture---only his personal muses guide him as he feels his way forward. He wears all the hats--- at times architect, artist, stonemason, carpenter etc. His son Nathan and several friends pitch in their effort and creativity. The whole town is interested--city fathers recognize a visionary when they see one and do not obstruct. This could be the start of something big!

A storeroom contains some of his first baby steps--this--whatever--is made of plumbing leftovers trying to make a statement.

As are these chair-pieces artfully held in rearrangable modules.

The "symbol room" is a wikipedia-like project inviting others to insert their symbol

with perhaps 20 other works such as this

and this

Most intriguing is a central pit/atrium where folks will gather in gothic ambience to sip and sup.

Whimsey ----reminiscent of Chartes Cathedral.

I think Ken was reading me a poem from the balcony---Nicole is absorbed with symbols.

And of course the artist wants to hug the supermodel.

RANDY PHILOSOPHIZES: Hundreds of small towns in America are dozing off--losing their Zip.

Town fathers always blame economics----I say it isn't the heart of the matter. Towns more fequently die from lack of art. Let artists come to any sleepy hamlet and life will become interesting again. I'll name a few towns to make my case---Sausalito---MillValley---Mendocino, all in Ca. Port Townsend, Wa---Tubac and Bisbee, Az---Madrid, NM. Artists saved them all from doldrums and obscurity. The bigger point to be made is that art is life and if you're not doing some sort of art, you're not fully alive. (Even the Bible got this one right: " Without a vision

the people perish")

WALTZING ACROSS IDAHO

"JUST LOOKING FOR A HOME" My passenger/friend and fellow traveler for this segment of my journey, Nicole, wants to live in the west----specifically Idaho, since her first choice, Jackson, Wy is just too pricey. She has zeroed in on several other possibilities we will go check out. Our first possibility is in the small town of St. Anthony---northof Idaho Falls.

This marvelous little cabin, under forclosure, is up for auction in just a few days.

Minimum bid is $1000. She is excited--willing to pay the full forclosure price, $34,000 to get it, if necessary. Or to buy it outright.

It is perfect for her---a few problems--but fixable.

So we camp in a "seam" just 2 blocks away to wait for the realtor in charge tomorrow. ( remember that a seam is an "iffy zone where ownership or jurisdiction is unclear--a place to be without offending anybody--in this case , a roadside area along a dead end street) So much simpler than driving 20 miles to a campground and back tomorrow morning. Solar panels make this kind of flexibility possible.

Nicole makes us a meal of buffalo and veggies. So rare for me that I photograph it.

Next day we learn the hard truth about Bank Forclosure strategy. The auction offer is a pressure tactic on the borrower to force him to get serious about repaying the loan. It worked--and he rescued his property. Nicole absorbed the truth with astonishing aplomb----focused her attention on another option---a trailer--situated in some nice place would do nicely. This one for $10,000 seems a good buy.

She photographed it for careful consideration while we move on to look at her next option--The Coeur d'alene area She loves this beautiful lake---will consider a lot just 10 minutes away from right here.

We make our way to the area--look around--decide to stay the night in this driveway--looks unused --so we just chance it. If by some remote chance the owner should show up--I have invented a good cover story--the truck died right here--we're waiting to be rescued--Note the explanatory note stuck in the window and the hood raised. Nobody troubled us and we saved ourselves a lot of hassle-

the salesperson came next morning.

Would you pay $12,000 for this lot? That's the asking price. Another without electricity is $6,000.

With all her options in mind--we moved on to Spokane, Wa to amuse ourselves and wait for her train. I loved riding the carousel and so did she----Interestingly she collected 7 rings as we whirled and me 4--one of which was the brass ring---and damn! I dropped it.
After midnight, she boarded Amtrack for the trip back to Chicago. I was sorry to see her go--she was good company---and has a head full of interesting ideas. Here's my interpretation of a few of them:

1. RAW MILK ---taste better and is much healthier for us than pasteurized. Big damage is done to it by that process.
(The Untold story of milk by Schmid and wikipedia raw milk) She brought a 4 day supply with her and tried in vain to find a source for more.

2. ENJOYING THE NOW--she says we can train ourselves to live mostly in the now---by consciously snapping our attention back the reality in front of us--- to now, now, now---we will slowly create neural grooves in our brain--slowly conditioning ourselves to live in the now.

3. CLARITY OF COMMUNICATION ABOUT SEX ---She favors courageous, straightforward sexual communication; bypassing awkward subderfuge and misunderstandings.

4. CONSIDER THAT YOU CHOSE YOUR PARENTS----Taking responsibility for your body, mind and environment, whatever it is. (diminishes the agonies of victimhood)

5. CONSIDER THAT YOU CAME INTO THE WORLD WITH AN AGENDA---things to do--lessons to learn to make progress toward wholeness. (true or not--this attitude will stimulate one to look carefully at ones unique "set of fascinations"---the starting point for personal meaning)

6. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY QUESTIONS----this was a personal lesson for me---making me participate in my questioning by giving the reasons for my asking. What have I noticed that provokes me to ask. I've been getting off too easy in my many interviews. I actually found it more refreshing to participate ---to have a dog in the fight. (so to speak)

RANDY PHILOSOPHIZES: This lady supports my suspicion that FREE LANCE LIFESTYLES generate more well-rounded personalities that CAREERISM. LIVING WITHOUT CREDENTIALS allows no automatic status --respect and authority are earned one person at a time. It's worth remembering that the most influential people in history were the free lance types---like Jesus, Buddha and Benjamin Franklin.