Majestic Peaks and Free Falling

 

Glacier National Park

We are just now learning what that looks like for us as a family of four with two very little ones to take care of.  So, when a surprise sky-diving trip came up to celebrate Tyler's uncle's 50th birthday, we decided to tack on a couple of extra days to go camping in Glacier National Park in Montana as a family vacation.  I, Renae, have been wanting to make a trek out here ever since we moved out to the Northwest.  I did not, however, envision making a trip to Glacier with two little kids!  If any of you have taken a family vacation with little ones, much less gone camping, you know what I'm talking about!  We spent hours planning and preparing for two nights of  camping.  Despite the many challenges we faced with long hours in the car, trains going by every hour during the night, all of us sleeping in the same tent, etc... the trip could not have really gone any better!

Camping out in front of our friends cabin since there was no room in Glacier's camping areas

We had one solid wonderful day at West Glacier National Park.  We were able to drive up to Logan's Pass, which that in itself is worth the trip.  Breathtaking views await on every curve, and even though I was a little nervous with the windy, narrow road and cliffs right next to the car, it was well worth it when we reached the top.  We had borrowed two backpacking carriers for the kids, so Tyler and his brother Kyle were able to carry the kiddos on a 3 mile hike.  Again, it was awe-inspiring with huge, grassy fields with wildflowers, patches of snow, little streams and rivers, and lakes.  We even saw several mountain goats crossing the trail in front of us.  If nothing else can inspire you to worship our awesome creator, just take a trip up to Glacier!

Logan's Pass

Standing in the midst of God's creation makes me crave and thirst for God, and I was reminded of these words from David's Psalm 63:  "O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.  So I have looked for you in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory.  Because Your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.  Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in your name."

After a gorgeous hike, picnic lunch, and naps on the drive back down, we enjoyed some time swimming in the lake. 

Family picture...but the boys aren't interested

On Saturday we headed just west of Kalispel, where Tyler, two uncles and his dad were all able to go sky-diving.  They jumped from 13,000 ft and had almost a one minute free fall before opening their parachutes!  (they were all, of course, tied to an instructor).  What a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Tyler to enjoy with his family.

We enjoyed sleeping much more soundly in a hotel that night, and after another beautiful drive (I think I could live in western Montana!) we made it home Sunday afternoon.  We were thankful for the opportunity to have a little family vacation and enjoy some different scenery.  The boys did great as well, though they were ready for their normal routine after 4 days without their normal nap schedule!

Here are some pictures from our adventures. 

After a long drive it is nice to cool off at the lake

Our van was the only "retro" car carrier around, everyone else had the streamline stuff.  Brings back good memories of the past

Backpacking with the kids

The awesome view on Logan's Pass hike

There is still some snow left from winter to throw

Just one more step and it would be a quick roll down to the bottom

These mountain goats walked right by us on the trail

Hidden lake was our final destination for the hike

Could almost see the trout jumping down there

But due to the bears down by the lake all we could do was look at it from afar

Aaron got our and hiked a little too

Caleb posing with an apple

Family picture with the mountains

Lets go fly a....

This past weekend I had the opportunity to fly the Cessna 206 after almost three years of not flying that particulate aircraft. This is in preparation for having to fly this type of aircraft at Mission Aviation Fellowship technical evaluation. So if I am going to do some training might as well having some people to do it with right? And I I am going to fly might as well go some where special, and if I am going somewhere might as well pickup up something to make it like a real mission flight right? So with this criteria the final product looked turned into a family trip to go and see my parents in Nampa ID for part of the day and pick up my younger brother to come stay with us.

 So this little excursion turned out to be a really busy and fun day. We were able to surprise "Lita" (my mom) with a visit but was also able to get comfortable again in the 206 again. Having my boys experience an airplane ride (which they can't stop talking about now) and picked up my brother so we could spend some time with him as well.  These are a few cool perks of being a pilot.
 

 Kyle taking control of the aircraft

 Aaron fashioning how to wear headphones

 After a long day it is time to take a nap

Brigade Air

 I (Tyler) had an opportunity given to me to go and help a flight camp in Columbia CA with Brigade Air.   Brigade Air's mission is to inspire young teens towards careers in mission aviation.  Brigade does this by holding camps for young people that have an interest in aviation and talking and showing films about aviation missions and individuals missionaries.  They are held all over the States with volunteers donating their flying skills and aircraft for the camps.  Moody was gracious to lend an aircraft and I was more than happy to give my time to the camp. 

Ryan and I flew a Moody Skyhawk to help with camp

Ryan is making sure that we are on course

Some of the views we see from our front windshield 

Mount Shasta in Oregon

Crater Lake

It is really hard to claw your way to 10,500 feet in an old Cessna 172 at gross weight.  But we made it and were rewarded with these beautiful images from crater lake in Oregon

Lava Flows

Did you know that Oregon had so many lava flows?  I didn't and to see all these old lava fields and domes was just an amazing testimony to God's creativeness

The city built all the way up to the lava field and it looked like the lava just stopped short of their houses

 A lava "dome" kind of reminds me of Sarlacc at the great pit of Carkoon from StarWars: Return of the Jedi

Camp

 The wonderful cabin we stayed in and slept out under the stars since it was so hot inside

The conference center on the airport where the campers learned in ground school about missions and the physics of flying

 Ryan Wolff, Jordan, Nathan, Nathan and Jake

 

This was a great time for myself as I get some flight time but even better was to help some fledgling pilots get behind the controls and experience flying the airplane instead of just watching.   Can't you see how excited I am trying to stay alive? *smile*

Nathan is a typical young man who is looking for purpose in his life.  He sees mission aviation as a good possibility for his future.   He is a Christian but he is struggling to make that more than a Sunday gig.  Please pray with me that Nathan will make Jesus more than just a label but a life changing commitment. 

 Jordan was our youngest camper at Brigade this year and a very bright kid.  He caught on very quickly to the flight sessions in how to control the aircraft and was very excited each time it was his turn to go flying.  At the moment he is looking to got to the Navy to become a pilot and then go to missions.

Jake (right) and our second Nathan (left) in the camp were both great students and pilots. Jake was the quickest to grasp the theoretical talks about flight in the ground school portions.  He shows a great heart for other people and for missions.  Nathan was the more advanced camper in flight since he is involve with Airforce cadet CAP group, and also showed a lot of interest in missions.  I hope to see these guys on the field hopefully in the future.

 

Many wonderful hours spent in my "office" with an excited camper in the left seat

The earthen dam that we flew over every flight

 Our flight took place over a lake and it afforded us some good views of all the water traffic that takes place on the weekends

 

Forest Fires

Can you guess what aircraft this is?  It is a Grumman S2T, an old submarine hunter from the navy converted successfully to a fire bomber

In between two flights I saw 4 new fires start up.  Here is one that has been going for a day and because of the inversion layer the smoke hugs the ground

 OV-10 observation plane, this would be one sweet airplane to fly

We realize we are much overdo for a blog post, and hope you'll take this time to read a brief (hopefully) and quick update of life over the past couple months for us.

April...

•  We joyfully celebrated Easter with Tyler's parents, uncle and aunt, and grandma, who all came to Spokane to celebrate.  What a blessing to have family within driving distance!
• At the end of the month Renae and Aaron flew to ND, where her dad underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery.  He is still regaining strength but is recovering well.  She was so thankful to be there with her family during such a major surgery.  

May...

•  Renae, Caleb, Aaron and I, along with my aunt and uncle, walked the annual Bloomsday race in Spokane.  What an experience with over 50,000 participants!  We were proud to have walked the 7.5 miles in 2 hr and 7 min, while pushing the double stroller with the kids!

• Moody flight students work hard to finish up flights and prepare for graduation.  It's a joy every year to see these faithful men and women training to serve the Lord through mission aviation.

 

• We were able to visit my parents near MAF headquarters in Nampa, ID over Memorial day weekend.  They just closed on a new house and we were thrilled to be the first family to see it and also help a little in the beginning stages of cleaning, etc.  

June...

•  Our hearts are broken over the loss of a mission aviation couple who were killed in a plane crash in Zambia, Africa.  Jay & Katrina graduated one year after Tyler, so we knew them through Moody and Renae through Bible study with Katrina.  They left their two daughters, 3 and 1 and 1/2, behind.  Pray for them and all the family and friends grieving.  It is a big loss to the aviation community.
• I take off on the 16th to CA for a week at a flight camp, where I will be flying the "campers" every day and giving introductory flight lessons.  Pray for safety as a friend and I fly there in a Cessna 172, and throughout the week with the campers.  Also pray for endurance for Renae during the 9 days I will be gone and she will be alone with the kids.